The Week that Was...
I really struggled with the picks last week. I had visions of grandeur that were not the best picks, but I figured I'd shoot at it regardless.
First off, Duke did not look like they should be in the same gym as Ohio State. Jared Sullinger paced the Buckeyes with 21 points and eight boards, William Buford chipped in with 20, DeShaun Thomas poured in 18, and 'The Surgeon' Aaron Craft rounded out the high-scoring Buckeyes with 17 points. For the record. The final score of this game read like this:
Ohio State 85, Duke 63
The quadrio of Sullinger, Buford, Thomas, and Craft combined for 76 of those points. Four guys outscored the high-powered Duke offense. Who didn't show up? Ryan Kelly, Maui Invite MVP. DeShaun Thomas did everything except undress Kelly and make him wear his shorts as a hat. It was a defensive nightmare to match up with the Buckeyes in this game, and Kelly didn't help that. After playing 14 minutes in the first half, Thomas came out in the second and eyeballed Kelly on a three-ball and Coach K had apparently seen enough. Kelly finished the game with zero points in 15 minutes of action. What should come as a surprise to no one, Austin Rivers paced the scoring for the Blue Devils with 22 points on 8-18 shooting in 37 minutes. One player to watch on the rise from tOSU: Aaron Craft, Sophomore point guard.
The scout on Craft: Hell of a point guard; "Surgeon" with his passing and defense; always in control; the epitome of John Wooden's famous quote "Be quick but don't hurry"; Smart, heady basketball player; High School Class Valedictorian; Definitely one of the better point guards in the Big Ten; Young; Good offensive player with a strong ability to get to the basket.
Keep an eye on Aaron Craft.
One final thought on this game: Watch Mason Plumlee (the blonde one) every time he gets the ball. That guy shuffles his feet more than the residents of an old folks home. He doesn't always get called for it either. It's astonishing to see. His receiving the ball to traveling ratio is 2:1 at the highest peak.
You don't expect the Dukies to play this way all the time. Coach K is a hell of a basketball coach. These guys will be back with a vengeance.
The consensus game of the week between North Carolina and Kentucky was exactly that. Kentucky by a hair at 73-72. Cannot get much better than that. I am not discriminating against this game, there just isn't much to say. Just one hell of a collegiate basketball game.
Other picks: UNC 50, Wisconsin 47 (Correct); Kentucky 81, St. John's 59 (Way off the mark); Syracuse 72, Florida 68 (Correct); Harvard 55, Vermont 48 (Correct).
Now on to this week...
Games to Watch
(1) Kentucky at Indiana (Saturday December 10 5:15pm): Two of the most storied programs in NCAA history meet on Saturday at Assembly Hall in Bloomington. If you think of basketball, the two most prevalent states you think of are? Kentucky and Indiana. The number one Wildcats, fresh off a week in which they defeated St. John's handily, and staved off the clutches of defeat from another storied basketball state (North Carolina), come into the game looking to keep their spot atop the coach's poll. Led by 6'9" sophomore forward Terrence Jones (15 ppg, 7.5 rpg) and sophomore guard Doron Lamb (14.4 ppg), Calipari's Crew comes into the game 15th in the nation in scoring output per game (82.4) and third in rebounds per game (43.5). Indiana, coming off of several years of rebuilding after the Kelvin Sampson fiasco, will waltz into the game at a perfect 8-0 clip, with the only opponents of national prevalence they have faced being two-time reigning national runner-up Butler (4-4) and North Carolina State (5-3). However, the Hoosiers do boast their eighth in the nation scoring (85.0 per game) and 30th in the nation assists per game (16.1), showing that Tom Crean and his boys know how to move the ball. Led by 6'11" freshmen Cody Zeller (brother of Tar Heel senior center Tyler Zeller) at 15.5 points per game to go along with his team leading 7.5 boards, and sophomore guard Victor Olapido (12.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg), the Hoosiers could provide a formidable opponent for the Wildcats. However, I feel that the Kitties will put away Indiana rather soundly. The Pick: Kentucky
(2) Ohio State at (13) Kansas (Saturday December 10, 3:15 pm): Another battle of heavyweights. Due to the lack of "Huge Games" this week, I believe Ohio State and Kansas will be my Game of the Week pick for this coming week. Buckeye big man Jared Sullinger - provided he has recovered from the back spasms that kept him out of tOSU's last game against Texas-Pan American - should have quite the match-up in the post with the Jayhawks' junior power forward Thomas Robinson, who has shown that he can PLAY (16 and 15 against Duke at the Maui; 16.1 and 12.1 overall) and could potentially be one of the nation's premier post players this year. Along with senior guard Tyshawn Taylor, who is averaging 17.4 points this season, Robinson and the Jayhawks could give the Buckeyes headaches. I believe the X-Factor in this game will be the play of DeShaun Thomas, who exploded against Duke last week and will need to have an equally good game against the Jayhawks at Phog Allen Fieldhouse in order to put Rock Chalk to sleep. With all that said, I still think this game will give Ohio State headaches, and possibly knock them from their perch just behind Kentucky. The Pick: Kansas
(10) Missouri vs. Villanova (Tuesday December 6, 7:00pm - Madison Square Garden; ESPN): This is the first game of the Jimmy V Classic Doubleheader. Frank Haith's team is really really really good this year. Villanova hasn't played anyone this year really, and sports losses to Saint Louis (a really good team in the Atlantic 10 this year - Watch out for Rick Majerus' bunch), and Santa Clara (not a bad mid-major out in the West Coast Conference - For those unfamiliar with that conference, it is the one Gonzaga has dominated for the past decade). The Pick: Missouri
Washington vs. (11) Marquette (Tuesday December 6, 9:00pm - Madison Square Garden; ESPN): This is the night cap of the Jimmy V Classic Doubleheader. Buzz Williams' Golden Eagles should be a contender to take the Big East crown this year. If not the champions, at least the top four (the others being Syracuse, Connecticut, and Pittsburgh). Washington should receive some play in the watered-down Pac-12. I don't think they match up with Marquette well enough to be able to win this game, but never sleep on a coach as good as Lorenzo Romar. That man knows how to strategize to win his program some basketball games. The Pick: Marquette
Upset Watch
(24) Harvard at (9) Connecticut (Thursday December 8, 7:00pm - Gampel Pavilion; ESPN2): In what could've been their second match-up this year (had Marcus Jordan and Central Florida not upset the Huskies in the Bahamas), the Crimson roll into Storrs with something to prove. This team is GOOD. They would've won the Ivy last year if not for the last-second jumper to send Sydney Johnson's Princeton Tigers to the dance. Connecticut, getting off to a 7-1 start, is no slouch mind you. This well oiled machine sports pieces such as Shabazz Napier, Jeremy Lamb, Andre Drummond, Alex Oriakhi, and Ryan Boatright amongst others. If Harvard can get this victory, it will not only launch them up in the polls, it will also make them a serious contender for one of the top ten spots in America. Something about this game tickles my fancy. The Pick: Harvard
Mid-Major GOTW
(8) Xavier at Butler (Wednesday December 7, 9:00pm - Hinkle Fieldhouse, ESPN): I don't care how prevalent these two teams have become over the past few years, they still sit in what can be considered a mid-major conference. The Atlantic 10 versus the Horizon League. These two teams are fighting for what could be the top billing for a mid-major team in America this year, and Xavier has the number eight ranking that Butler wants to slap them in the face with. I think this will be one of those gritty, grind-it-out games to start off, but Tu Holloway will be too strong for the Bulldogs to hold in check for the entire game. The man is a beast, and with Shelvin Mack sporting Wizards' colors starting on Thursday, Holloway will most likely spell H-O-R-S-E for Butler. The Pick: Xavier
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Well that's what I have for you this week for my freshly named "Hoop and the Harm" basketblog. I have some faith that this will be a pretty solid piece for you to enjoy, and I think I have a pretty good grasp on the movers and shakers of Division I college basketball. And remember, it is Jimmy V week. Make donations a www.jimmyv.org, and here's one last thing for your pleasure. I know I posted it last week, but this just never gets old no matter how many times you watch it...
Rock on,
JLang
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