By John Gottlieb
The Phanatic Magazine
While there is nothing quite like the first week of the tourney (48 games in four days -- and don't tell me the play-in game counts -- buzzerbeaters and upsets), the field has been chopped to 16 teams in search of the cutting down the coveted nets in the Georgia Dome on April 2nd. As Jared Trexler has written the tourney started off with a fizzle before the weekend reminded us why we are so enthralled with these three weeks.
Saturday opened with Ohio State somehow staying alive, while Greg Oden was given the benefit of the doubt when all hope in Columbus seemed lost. However, Ron Lewis kept their title hopes alive. And that was only the beginning.
Texas A&M and Louisville, Vanderbilt and Washington State and VCU and Pitt kept all of us indoors in the Northeast as we were digging ourselves out of a small spring snowfall.
Sunday saw UNLV beat a highly overrated Wisconsin club that disappeared when the games really counted and USC (that's right I'm talking about Taj Gibson and Nick Young, not John David Booty and Dwayne Jarrett) sent Kevin Durant to the NBA a few days closer than most people expected.
There's no real George Mason, but there are a couple interesting contenders left standing.
With that let's rank the 16 clubs still vying for NCAA supremacy in order of likelihood to be hoisting the NCAA Championship trophy.
16) Butler - A.J. Graves still has the Bulldogs alive despite falling in the Horizon conference tournament. They protect the ball, make clutch shots and play fantastic defense, but they're going up against the Gators, who haven't really had to put forth much effort to make it the Sweet 16. Butler's defense needs to play their best game of the season to keep playing. They are 21-1 when holding teams to 60 points or less.
15) Southern Illinois - The Salukis have three players that score in double figures led by Jamaal Tatum. They also focus on defense to keep the score low. Starting forward Matt Shaw missed the last game with a sprained ankle and is not expected to play this weekend. Southern Illinois is going to need all the help it can get against a run-and-gun Kansas team that is full of weapons.
14) Vanderbilt - Derrick Byars is a threat from anywhere on the floor for the Commodores, who rely on the trey. There is always a problem with teams that depend on the deep threat...at some point the shots stop falling. Vandy struggles on the boards and will have problems with Roy Hibbert. Look for a replay of the season-opening 86-70 loss to the Hoyas.
13) USC - The Trojans are in the Sweet 16 one year earlier than most thought, as O.J. Mayo, the top prospect in the country, will be in SoCal next year. The average 15 turnovers and game and Roy Williams and the Tar Heels have a week to get ready, meaning bad news for Tim Floyd.
12) UNLV - The Runnin' Rebels are the lowest remaining seed, but they certainly haven't played like a No. 7. Kevin Kruger is the heart-and-soul of the team and loves having the ball in his hands. UNLV has got a dominant middleman in Joel Anthony, who swats away shots better than anyone in the country, but he doesn't bring much offense. The Rebels need to slow the fast-paced Oregon attack to have a shot.
11) Oregon - The Ducks are filled with versatile players that can shoot and drive to the hoop. You can be down by double-digits if you blink on Oregon. The Rebels are going to have to stop Aaron Brooks, but if they double team him then Bryce Taylor or Tajuan Porter will make them pay. Oregon should be good for at least one more game before it must deal with the defending national champions.
10) Memphis - Pardon me but I'm not drinking the Memphis Kool-Aid. The Tigers play in a weak conference and if you take away winning in Spokane versus Gonzaga they've beaten absolutely no one. If Chris Douglas-Roberts, who tweaked his left ankle against Nevada, doesn't play then it should be a long game for Memphis. Their press causes problems but Acie Law IV should be able to handle the pressure. Despite what the box score said against the Wolf Pack the Tigers are incredibly poor at the line. However, you can't underestimate John Calipari as an ultimate motivator.
9) Pittsburgh - It seems that Aaron Gray has gotten past the struggles the plagued his game in the Big East tournament. The Panthers were lucky to hold off Virginia Commonwealth after blowing a big lead. This is another team that leaves something to be desired at the line. If Gray is taken out of his game then the Panthers have problems putting points on the board, but UCLA doesn't have a ton of size. This game could be a struggle at times to watch. This contest has 55-50 written all over it. If you're looking for a barnburner don't tune in.
8) Tennessee - I have them ranked higher than most, but Chris Lofton and the Volunteers' high-powered offense can give Ohio State a lot of problems. This will be one the best games of the weekend. Lofton is a phenomenal talent with a great well-rounded game. JuJuan Smith has got the outside touch and Wayne Chism is a threat inside and out. They can't let the Buckeyes pull too far in front or Tennessee is in trouble. The Vols are going to have to double Greg Oden when he gets the ball and hope the freshman makes mistakes in the offense. Bruce Pearl is quickly proving himself to be one of the best coaches in basketball.
7) Texas A&M - Down by six to Louisville with time winding down the Aggies didn't panic and were not to be stopped playing in Kentucky against Rick Pitino. Now they get to play in San Antonio. If Acie Law is taken out of his game, which is easier said than done, then A&M will be in trouble, but they've also got Antanas Kavaliauskas on the inside and Josh Carter. A lot of people have Texas A&M getting to Atlanta and it they'll get one step closer after Memphis.
6) UCLA - Overachievers? Underachievers? Who knows, but this team has a lot of starters that were in this same position last year. This game means a little more, as Ben Howland used to coach Pitt before moving on to the Bruins. Jamie Dixon was a member of his staff and the two remain close. UCLA was cruising against Indiana before letting the Hooisers get back in the contest. The Bruins have a great backcourt with Aaron Afflalo and Darren Collison but don't get a lot from their bench. It's hard to predict what team will show up. Will it be the team that lost by seven to Cal in the first round of the Pac-10 tourney, or the squad that was 13-2 against tournament teams? Remember no team has ever won the Big Dance after losing in the first round of their conference tournament.
5) North Carolina - Tennesse-Ohio State will be close but no matchup is more hyped than the impending contest against the Hoyas. You can't look ahead but with Tyler Hansbrough now done with the facemask and back to scoring (33 points against Michigan State) the Tar Heels should be able to handle the Trojans. This is the deepest team in the tournament when it comes to talent and Roy Williams is one of the best coaches on the hardwood. UNC starts three freshmen but their youth hasn't been a detriment to the club. They had a shaky moment against Easten Kentucky and against the Spartans before pulling away. While Hansbrough and the three frosh get all the attention, you can't sleep on Reyshawn Terry. The Tar Heels haven't lost a game by more than eight all season so USC will have to keep it close to have a chance.
4) Georgetown - The Hoyas are the only reason why the Tar Heels aren't ranked any higher. John Thomson III has this team looking like the teams of the 80s. Georgetown has won 17 of its last 18 games and has got weapons inside and out. Jeff Green was the Big East Player of the Year and will rebound after having a subpar game against Boston College. But when Green struggled Roy Hibbert was there to pick him up. He had a huge second half, scoring 15 of his 17 points in the final frame to go along with 12 rebounds. The 7-2 center is a headache to defend. The Hoyas are going to have to rely on Hibbert to get past Vandy, which has nobody to defend him. A young backcourt is the only downside to the club. Georgetown vs. North Carolina could be better than the title game.
3) Kansas - After UNC the Jayhawks have the most weapons to defend against. Who does Southern Illinois set up its defense to guard against? Brandon Rush? Mario Chalmers? Julian Wright? Sherron Collins? The offense is balanced and methodical, hitting 55 percent of their shots in the first two games of the tourney. Kansas likes to get out and run while shutting opponents down on the defensive end, leading the Big 12 in field goal percentage defense. Bill Self is an excellent coach that doesn't get talked about as much as he should. The Jayhawks cannot allow the Salukis to slow the pace of the game.
The Phanatic Magazine
While there is nothing quite like the first week of the tourney (48 games in four days -- and don't tell me the play-in game counts -- buzzerbeaters and upsets), the field has been chopped to 16 teams in search of the cutting down the coveted nets in the Georgia Dome on April 2nd. As Jared Trexler has written the tourney started off with a fizzle before the weekend reminded us why we are so enthralled with these three weeks.
Saturday opened with Ohio State somehow staying alive, while Greg Oden was given the benefit of the doubt when all hope in Columbus seemed lost. However, Ron Lewis kept their title hopes alive. And that was only the beginning.
Texas A&M and Louisville, Vanderbilt and Washington State and VCU and Pitt kept all of us indoors in the Northeast as we were digging ourselves out of a small spring snowfall.
Sunday saw UNLV beat a highly overrated Wisconsin club that disappeared when the games really counted and USC (that's right I'm talking about Taj Gibson and Nick Young, not John David Booty and Dwayne Jarrett) sent Kevin Durant to the NBA a few days closer than most people expected.
There's no real George Mason, but there are a couple interesting contenders left standing.
With that let's rank the 16 clubs still vying for NCAA supremacy in order of likelihood to be hoisting the NCAA Championship trophy.
16) Butler - A.J. Graves still has the Bulldogs alive despite falling in the Horizon conference tournament. They protect the ball, make clutch shots and play fantastic defense, but they're going up against the Gators, who haven't really had to put forth much effort to make it the Sweet 16. Butler's defense needs to play their best game of the season to keep playing. They are 21-1 when holding teams to 60 points or less.
15) Southern Illinois - The Salukis have three players that score in double figures led by Jamaal Tatum. They also focus on defense to keep the score low. Starting forward Matt Shaw missed the last game with a sprained ankle and is not expected to play this weekend. Southern Illinois is going to need all the help it can get against a run-and-gun Kansas team that is full of weapons.
14) Vanderbilt - Derrick Byars is a threat from anywhere on the floor for the Commodores, who rely on the trey. There is always a problem with teams that depend on the deep threat...at some point the shots stop falling. Vandy struggles on the boards and will have problems with Roy Hibbert. Look for a replay of the season-opening 86-70 loss to the Hoyas.
13) USC - The Trojans are in the Sweet 16 one year earlier than most thought, as O.J. Mayo, the top prospect in the country, will be in SoCal next year. The average 15 turnovers and game and Roy Williams and the Tar Heels have a week to get ready, meaning bad news for Tim Floyd.
12) UNLV - The Runnin' Rebels are the lowest remaining seed, but they certainly haven't played like a No. 7. Kevin Kruger is the heart-and-soul of the team and loves having the ball in his hands. UNLV has got a dominant middleman in Joel Anthony, who swats away shots better than anyone in the country, but he doesn't bring much offense. The Rebels need to slow the fast-paced Oregon attack to have a shot.
11) Oregon - The Ducks are filled with versatile players that can shoot and drive to the hoop. You can be down by double-digits if you blink on Oregon. The Rebels are going to have to stop Aaron Brooks, but if they double team him then Bryce Taylor or Tajuan Porter will make them pay. Oregon should be good for at least one more game before it must deal with the defending national champions.
10) Memphis - Pardon me but I'm not drinking the Memphis Kool-Aid. The Tigers play in a weak conference and if you take away winning in Spokane versus Gonzaga they've beaten absolutely no one. If Chris Douglas-Roberts, who tweaked his left ankle against Nevada, doesn't play then it should be a long game for Memphis. Their press causes problems but Acie Law IV should be able to handle the pressure. Despite what the box score said against the Wolf Pack the Tigers are incredibly poor at the line. However, you can't underestimate John Calipari as an ultimate motivator.
9) Pittsburgh - It seems that Aaron Gray has gotten past the struggles the plagued his game in the Big East tournament. The Panthers were lucky to hold off Virginia Commonwealth after blowing a big lead. This is another team that leaves something to be desired at the line. If Gray is taken out of his game then the Panthers have problems putting points on the board, but UCLA doesn't have a ton of size. This game could be a struggle at times to watch. This contest has 55-50 written all over it. If you're looking for a barnburner don't tune in.
8) Tennessee - I have them ranked higher than most, but Chris Lofton and the Volunteers' high-powered offense can give Ohio State a lot of problems. This will be one the best games of the weekend. Lofton is a phenomenal talent with a great well-rounded game. JuJuan Smith has got the outside touch and Wayne Chism is a threat inside and out. They can't let the Buckeyes pull too far in front or Tennessee is in trouble. The Vols are going to have to double Greg Oden when he gets the ball and hope the freshman makes mistakes in the offense. Bruce Pearl is quickly proving himself to be one of the best coaches in basketball.7) Texas A&M - Down by six to Louisville with time winding down the Aggies didn't panic and were not to be stopped playing in Kentucky against Rick Pitino. Now they get to play in San Antonio. If Acie Law is taken out of his game, which is easier said than done, then A&M will be in trouble, but they've also got Antanas Kavaliauskas on the inside and Josh Carter. A lot of people have Texas A&M getting to Atlanta and it they'll get one step closer after Memphis.
6) UCLA - Overachievers? Underachievers? Who knows, but this team has a lot of starters that were in this same position last year. This game means a little more, as Ben Howland used to coach Pitt before moving on to the Bruins. Jamie Dixon was a member of his staff and the two remain close. UCLA was cruising against Indiana before letting the Hooisers get back in the contest. The Bruins have a great backcourt with Aaron Afflalo and Darren Collison but don't get a lot from their bench. It's hard to predict what team will show up. Will it be the team that lost by seven to Cal in the first round of the Pac-10 tourney, or the squad that was 13-2 against tournament teams? Remember no team has ever won the Big Dance after losing in the first round of their conference tournament.
5) North Carolina - Tennesse-Ohio State will be close but no matchup is more hyped than the impending contest against the Hoyas. You can't look ahead but with Tyler Hansbrough now done with the facemask and back to scoring (33 points against Michigan State) the Tar Heels should be able to handle the Trojans. This is the deepest team in the tournament when it comes to talent and Roy Williams is one of the best coaches on the hardwood. UNC starts three freshmen but their youth hasn't been a detriment to the club. They had a shaky moment against Easten Kentucky and against the Spartans before pulling away. While Hansbrough and the three frosh get all the attention, you can't sleep on Reyshawn Terry. The Tar Heels haven't lost a game by more than eight all season so USC will have to keep it close to have a chance.4) Georgetown - The Hoyas are the only reason why the Tar Heels aren't ranked any higher. John Thomson III has this team looking like the teams of the 80s. Georgetown has won 17 of its last 18 games and has got weapons inside and out. Jeff Green was the Big East Player of the Year and will rebound after having a subpar game against Boston College. But when Green struggled Roy Hibbert was there to pick him up. He had a huge second half, scoring 15 of his 17 points in the final frame to go along with 12 rebounds. The 7-2 center is a headache to defend. The Hoyas are going to have to rely on Hibbert to get past Vandy, which has nobody to defend him. A young backcourt is the only downside to the club. Georgetown vs. North Carolina could be better than the title game.
3) Kansas - After UNC the Jayhawks have the most weapons to defend against. Who does Southern Illinois set up its defense to guard against? Brandon Rush? Mario Chalmers? Julian Wright? Sherron Collins? The offense is balanced and methodical, hitting 55 percent of their shots in the first two games of the tourney. Kansas likes to get out and run while shutting opponents down on the defensive end, leading the Big 12 in field goal percentage defense. Bill Self is an excellent coach that doesn't get talked about as much as he should. The Jayhawks cannot allow the Salukis to slow the pace of the game.
2) Ohio State - You don't win titles without a little bit of luck involved. The Buckeyes got that on Saturday against intrastate rival Xavier. If Justin Cage doesn't miss that free throw or if the Musketeers foul Lewis before letting him shoot the game-tying three then I'm not even writing this paragraph. Greg Oden should've been hit with an intentional foul, and if he was there's a
chance he's not playing on Saturday. The Buckeyes won't get that lucky again. They've got a tough test with Chris Lofton, but Oden should be able to dominate the contest. Mike Conley Jr. is a little inconsistent but that's the case with a freshman point guard. Thad Matta goes nine-deep, including Ron Lewis, Jamar Butler, Ivan Harris and Daequan Cook, who can all hit from beyond the arc. And they will have to be spot-on against the Vols, who will double up Oden. Early foul trouble from Oden may change the complexion of the contest. If the Buckeyes fall behind like they did against Xavier then Tennessee won't look back. However, look for a similar close contest like the one played between these two teams in mid-January when Ohio State won 68-66.
1) Florida - They are the champions until they are defeated. It's a testament to Billy Donovan that he somehow convinced all his players to return after winning the title last year. That's just
not the college basketball landscape anymore. The Gators have hardly broken a sweat in an easily paved path to Atlanta. Yes, Jackson State and Purdue both led at points late in the first half but did the Gators ever look worried. This team exudes confidence and it starts at the top. Joakim Noah and Al Horford rule the paint, while Corey Brewer is a slasher that is not afraid to attack bigger defenders inside. Taurean Green runs the offense and Lee Humphrey is the consistent outside threat. And then Chris Richard is an excellent sixth man. This team is stacked from top to bottom. The only question mark surrounding the Gators is will they be ready when they finally face the stiff competition from the West region winner? Come April 2 we'll see Florida at the Georgia Dome, but can they pull off the repeat? There hasn't been a back-to-back winner since Duke did it 15 years ago. The pressure won't get to Florida but there are a number of teams on the other side of the bracket that could give them a serious run.
It should be a fantastic two weeks.
chance he's not playing on Saturday. The Buckeyes won't get that lucky again. They've got a tough test with Chris Lofton, but Oden should be able to dominate the contest. Mike Conley Jr. is a little inconsistent but that's the case with a freshman point guard. Thad Matta goes nine-deep, including Ron Lewis, Jamar Butler, Ivan Harris and Daequan Cook, who can all hit from beyond the arc. And they will have to be spot-on against the Vols, who will double up Oden. Early foul trouble from Oden may change the complexion of the contest. If the Buckeyes fall behind like they did against Xavier then Tennessee won't look back. However, look for a similar close contest like the one played between these two teams in mid-January when Ohio State won 68-66.1) Florida - They are the champions until they are defeated. It's a testament to Billy Donovan that he somehow convinced all his players to return after winning the title last year. That's just
not the college basketball landscape anymore. The Gators have hardly broken a sweat in an easily paved path to Atlanta. Yes, Jackson State and Purdue both led at points late in the first half but did the Gators ever look worried. This team exudes confidence and it starts at the top. Joakim Noah and Al Horford rule the paint, while Corey Brewer is a slasher that is not afraid to attack bigger defenders inside. Taurean Green runs the offense and Lee Humphrey is the consistent outside threat. And then Chris Richard is an excellent sixth man. This team is stacked from top to bottom. The only question mark surrounding the Gators is will they be ready when they finally face the stiff competition from the West region winner? Come April 2 we'll see Florida at the Georgia Dome, but can they pull off the repeat? There hasn't been a back-to-back winner since Duke did it 15 years ago. The pressure won't get to Florida but there are a number of teams on the other side of the bracket that could give them a serious run.It should be a fantastic two weeks.
P.S. Less than 13 days away from the Mets and Cardinals on Opening Night.
It doesn't get any better than this.
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