SB Nation - Dwayne Collins

Around the ACC: 12.17

MRickman84 — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:06:29 -0000

More photos » by Stanley Leary - AP

We finally got a few ACC teams playing on the same day again. Finals are wrapping up and we're closing in on conference play. All four ACC teams won by double figures yesterday, but none played anyone in the KenPom top 100, so it was to be expected.

Let's recap the action in the ACC...

Miami 69, Stetson 49

Dwayne Collins beasted it with 20 points and 15 rebounds, and the Canes shot 56.5% from the floor. There weren't really any other spectacular performances for Miami, but defensively they held Stetson to 33% shooting and 20% from 3. Miami owned the boards +12. Pretty basic non-con cupcake win there.

Clemson 80, East Carolina 63

Another ho-hum game. Trevor Booker did what Trevor Booker does--13 points, 12 rebounds and a surprising 9 assists, not to mention 3 blocks. I've said it before and I'll probably say it a lot more, but Booker is one of the two most overlooked post players in the ACC. I'd take him and Lawal against just about anybody. Tanner Smith and Andre Young combined for 30 points on 10-19 shooting.

GT 65, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 53

Speaking of Gani Lawal, he only had 15 and 15 yesterday. No big deal. Derrick Favors looked like the ACC Rookie of the Year again with 15 points and 11 rebounds as the Yellow Jackets amped up the D and held the Golden Lions to 29.4% shooting.

Wake Forest 80, UNC-Wilmington 69

We know how this one finished up, but I'm still in awe of L.D. Williams and his career-high 23 points on 6-7 shooting and 11-12 FTs. If L.D. shows those kind of spurts more often, Wake is a much more dangerous team. Ishmael Smith hjad a complete game with 19 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds and 4 steals and Al-Farouq Aminu overcame some really sloppy play to provide a highlight reel dunk and 17 points/13 rebounds. It didn't look pretty (16 turnovers) and UNC-W had a number of runs in the second half, but the Seahawks only hit 6-23 from deep and were plagued with bad free throw shooting (15-28).

ACC Power Rankings: 12.8

MRickman84 — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 16:30:14 -0000

So this probably should have been done yesterday, but I really want to get in the habit of doing power rankings throughout the season. UNC occupies the top spot this week, with Duke coming in second, as both are coming off tough losses last week to strong opponents.

Let's take a look at who is where after the jump...

1.) UNC-- [W vs. Michigan State, L vs. Kentucky] UNC is getting better as was expected. The young guys are playing well and Larry Drew II looks a lot more comfortable. I'm still concerned about the Heels' bench, as Strickland looks a little lost out there and Henson just does not know what to do with his body. The Wear twins are eating up a ton of minutes without a lot of productivity. Tyler Zeller is a great player for them though and really makes the perfect sixth man. UNC gets another tough test when they head to Dallas to play Texas at the Cowboys stadium next week.

2.) Duke -- [L vs. Wisconsin, W vs. St. John's] I thought this Duke team was supposed to be able to shoot? Kyle Singler is looking average at best so far this year and is taking a LOT of shots. You know what you're getting out of Jon Scheyer week in and week out and that is a great stabilizer. Andre Dawkins has been spectacular so far and we are going to be seeing a lot more of him as Duke enters ACC play. Duke's big weakness is still down low--Zoubek and Thomas are just bad, but the Plumlees work hard and are good players.

3.) GT [W vs. Siena, W vs. USC] The Jackets were left out of the Challenge this year because of their finish last season, and that really is a shame as I believe they would have won their matchup and turned the tide for the ACC. Instead, Tech put a whooping on Siena and USC last week. GT is stellar in the frontcourt with Lawal, Peacock and Favors, but losing Iman Shumpert is going to be sidelined for 3-6 weeks with a knee injury.

4.) Clemson [L vs. Illinois, W vs. South Carolina] Clemson is looking like bi-polar Clemson again, surprise! This is a good, solid basketball team. They have 5 players averaging at least 9 points per game and Trevor Booker is almost averaging a double-double (13 and 9). Their problem is that they just lose focus (as seen by the terrible collapse against Illinois). I think they are a better team than Georgia Tech, but they just can't pass them until they show some consistency.

5.) Miami [W vs. Minnesota, L vs. BC] Yes, I know they lost their first conference game. But it was very close and came down to the buzzer. They picked up a great non-con win over Minnesota, but still have not really been challenged other than their last two contests. Dwayne Collins is very good, but there's a lot of pressure on him coming into conference play since two of Miami's three strong guards are newcomers (Malcolm Grant from Villinova and freshman Durand Scott.) James Dews can get it done too, but we will see just how much the 'Canes miss Jack McClinton after the 1st of the year.

6.) Wake Forest [L vs. Purdue, W vs. Gonzaga] After a disappointing loss at home to William & Mary, the Deacs took to the road for two very tough tests. After a hard-fought loss to Purdue, the Deacs looked like they finally clicked in a win over Gonzaga at the Kennel. If the Demon Deacons can use this as a momentum builder, they could enter the new year at 10-2. They will be tested by UNC-W, who has played some good teams tough, as well as Richmond, which received votes in the polls this week. Freshmen C.J. Harris and Ari Stewart are looking like the real deal, but the Deacs absolutely need to get consistency from their bigs and from Al-Farouq Aminu.

7.) Virginia Tech [W vs. Iowa, W vs. Georgia] I like VT. They're better than they look on paper, and their loss to Temple is not a bad one--the Owls almost pulled off the upset against Georgetown a few games ago. They easily could finish anywhere between 6th and 10th, but the combo of Malcolm Delaney and Jeff Allen should be good for at least 6 conference wins.

8.) Maryland [W vs. Indiana, L vs. Villanova] I've seen Maryland play 4 times now this year and I'm sorry, I just don't think they are very good. Greivis Vasquez takes way too many ill-advised shots and he is shooting 32%. Sean Mosley and Landon Milbourne are the strong points to this team and Eric Hayes keeps them calm sometimes, but they aren't deep and I'm not sold on their front court. The Terps were a hot pick to start the season, but they have to prove something to me before they can move up the board.

9.) Boston College [W vs. Michigan, W vs. Miami] Here we go again. It's the same old story every year. BC looks sparse on paper and then Al Skinner does a great job coaching his team to overachieve. It'll probably happen again this year and their last two wins are a big indicator of this. Reggie Jackson could be a great player, and BC gets bumped up a spot just from his nasty dunk against the 'Canes (on a terrible offensive foul call in the last 30 seconds) and his clutch FTs to seal the win. Raji, Jackson, Trapani is a great combo and they get a good effort out of Josh Southern too.

10.) Florida State [L vs. Ohio State, W vs. FIU] Florida State looked downright ugly against Ohio State. And downright ugly against Florida. But that win against Marquette was big, so they have that in them. Alabi, Singleton and Kitchen are a nice 1-2-3, but the 'Noles need to be getting more out of Xavier Gibson and Ryan Reid.

11.) NC State [L vs. Northwestern, W. vs Marquette] After their loss to Northwestern, I didn't think at all that the Wolfpack would beat Marquette. It was the furthest thing from my mind. State is 6-1, but they are a mess and there is just not much there.

12.) Virginia [L vs. Penn State, L vs. Auburn] Hey, at least Virginia has beaten Cleveland State, something Wake wasn't able to do last year. Sylven Landesberg is a heck of a player, but when your next two leading scorers are Mike Scott and Sammy Zeglinski, there's a problem there. Virginia is not very good.

Around the ACC: 11.23.09

MRickman84 — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:43:15 -0000

First off, in non-ACC news, congrats to Tom Izzo for tying the Michigan State record for wins. The guy is a heck of a coach and his team is a buzz saw this year. The ACC had a pretty good day yesterday after a rough Saturday. This is still a really deep conference and is definitely far and above the SEC, Pac 10 and Big 12 outside of Kansas.

Georgia Tech 85, Boston Unversity 67
This game was tied at halftime, but Zach Peacock absolutely dominated, going 10-11 for 22 points. Blogger So Dear has been a fan of Peacock for awhile and we really like his athleticism. If Georgia Tech is going to have success this year, he is going to be a vital part for when Lawal gets doubled and Favors has his freshman bumps. The Yellow Jackets also got a strong performance from Mfon Udofia, who added 15. BU's leading scorer was John Holland with 23 and 5 rebounds. Favors had 14 and 10 and Gani Lawal tossed in 17 himself. Between the, Peacock, Udofia, Favors and Lawal had 68 of Tech's 85 points.

Miami 85, South Carolina 70

Miami hasn't played the cream of the crop so far, so their 5-0 start might be a bit misleading, but with wins against Tulane, UNC-W and South Carolina, the wins are at least a little significant and a good indicator of what Miami's team will be made up of. And it is safe to say that the Hurricanes will be very dangerous this year. Dwayne Collins is averaging just under 10 rebounds per game, and he looks to be a real catalyst. Collins had 17 and 15 in the win, and James Dews tossed in 22 on 8-11 shooting that included 3-3 from deep. The Gamecocks were down just 3 at the half, but Miami pulled away in the second half.

NC State 60, Auburn 58
State is going to have ups and downs this year, but close wins like this really help a team grow quickly. And this was a spectacular way to do it, as Tracy Smith hit a shot with 1.3 seconds to play to win the game. Smith was just 4 for 18, but one of those 4 was the biggest shot of the game. State was 4-0 in the Glen Wilkes Classic, with wins over Georgia State, Akron, Austin Peay as well as Auburn. Senior Dennis Horner chipped in 16 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists in the victory.

Around the ACC: 11.20.09

MRickman84 — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:54:13 -0000

Good morning. Yesterday was sure a shaky day for the ACC. UNC pulled it out after collapsing again in the second half--which they are quickly making a habit of. GT lost a tough one to Dayton (and the CAA is looking rather good so far, with UNC-W knocking off Penn State and William & Mary beating Richmond, not to mention Hofstra putting up a good fight against UCONN the other day.) The conference as a whole is looking pretty strong, especially compared to the struggles of the Pac-10 and the SEC (which is just abismal this year).

UNC 77, Ohio State 73:
UNC dominated early on, with help from Ohio State's horrendous shooting, but a hot streak from the Buckeyes brought them back in the game. UNC obviously has a lot inside, with Deon Thompson leading the way (15 points, 12 rebounds). The rest of the bigs--John Henson, Tyler Zeller, Ed Davis and the Ware twins--combined for 19 points.

This Tar Heel team is tough to figure out. They definitely do not have the poise that previous UNC teams have had, and it is not completely clear who the leader is going to be--Marcus Ginyard (13 points, 3 steals) stepped up after being chewed out by Roy Williams last night and Will Graves and Thompson have the potential to, but there is not guaranteed go-to guy. Evan Turner led the Buckeyes in the loss with 23 points and 10 rebounds, but had a glaring 10 turnovers.

Dayton 63, Georgia Tech 59
This one was never a guaranteed win for Georgia Tech, and actually, I considered them the underdog coming in. GT may have more individual talent, but Dayton is a better basketball team. I don't doubt that the Yellow Jackets will improve this year, but they are going to go through a 2009 Wake Forestesque stretch of games (not to mention they have Paul Hewitt as their coach). Chris Johnson lall scorers with 19 points (7-13 shooting, 4-8 from 3PT). Freshman sensation Derrick Favors had a good game, with 10 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists. Gani Lawal had 9 and 8, but EIGHT turnovers. The Ramblin' Wreck were doomed by committing 26 turnovers and shooting 55% from the FT line.

Miami 74, Tulane 54
The Hurricanes moved to 3-0 on the year with a 20 point victory over the Green Wave. Dwayne Collins has a monster game, with 23 points, 14 rebounds and 3 assists on 8-8 shooting. Durand Scott also looked impressive, finishing with 10 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. The 'Canes had a 19-4 run in the second half and will take on UNC-W today at 3 P.M.

Virginia 79, Rider 46
Virginia smoked Rider. Rider had beaten Mississippi State and Lehigh already, so I figured Virginia might have a little trouble pulling away, but good defense (Rider shot 33%) and balanced scoring really helped the Cavaliers. Mike Scott paced the Cavs with 17 and 9 on 8-9 shooting. Sylven Landesberg added 10, Sammy Zeglinski and Jeff Jones had 10, and Calvin Baker and Mustapha Farrakhan had 8. Virginia shot 52% and 44% from beyond the arc.

BtB 2009-10 ACC Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:00:28 -0000

North Carolina claimed the conference's 11th national title last season, but thanks to major personnel losses, they'll be hard pressed to repeat. The Tar Heels aren't alone, as the overwhelming majority of teams in the ACC lost at least one key player during the offseason. Not only will Wayne Ellington, Danny Green, Tyler Hansbrough, and Ty Lawson not be in the league next year; players like Alade Aminu, Brandon Costner, Toney Douglas, Gerald Henderson, James Johnson, Jack McClinton, Terrence Oglesby, Greg Paulus. K.C. Rivers, Jeff Teague, and A.D. Vassallo will be missing as well. But as is traditional, plenty of high-profile recruits have signed on with the league's 12 teams--with Derrick Favors, John Henson, Ryan Kelly, Mason Plumley, Durand Scott, and Michael Snaer the most prominent newcomers.

These freshmen will join several returning stars who have already shown brightly in the ACC universe, like Al-Faroq Aminu, Trevor Booker, Ed Davis, Malcolm Delaney, Gani Lawal, Sylven Landesberg, Jon Scheyer, Kyle Singler, and Greivis Vasquez. Those are the type of impact players who can keep the league at the forefront of the national conversation for yet another season.

The big question is whether one of the teams can get the old and new to mix well enough to claim the conference's 12th crown in Indianapolis in April. More on the 12 contenders after the jump.

Here's a recap of last year's ACC standings.

Atlantic Coast Conference Standings

(updated 4.7.2009 at 12:22 AM EDT)

	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
North Carolina Tar Heels	13	3	34	4
Duke Blue Devils	11	5	30	7
Wake Forest Demon Deacons	11	5	24	7
Florida St. Seminoles	10	6	25	10
Clemson Tigers	9	7	23	9
Boston College Eagles	9	7	22	12
Maryland Terrapins	7	9	21	14
Miami Hurricanes	7	9	19	13
Virginia Tech Hokies	7	9	19	15
N.C. State Wolfpack	6	10	16	14
Virginia Cavaliers	4	12	10	18
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets	2	14	12	19

Now, here are my picks for 2009-10, presented in reverse order. If a team's name appears in red, click the link to visit that school's SB Nation site, where you'll find complete coverage and analysis throughout the season.

NC State (last NCAA: 2006) The Wolfpack could be in for a very long season, as the top three scorers are gone from a team that won only 6 ACC games last season. 6-8 junior F Tracy Smith (10 ppg, 4.5 rpg) is Sidney Lowe's leading returning scorer, and the coach has to settle on a point guard with Javier Gonzalez (6.6 ppg, 3.3 apg), Farnold Degand (4.7 ppg, 2.4 apg), and Julius Mays (4.7 ppg, 1.9 apg) all options. 6-9 senior Dennis Horner (6.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg) joins Smith in the frontcourt, but three freshmen--6-7 Richard Howell, 6-9 DeShawn Painter, and 7-0 Australian Jordan Vandenberg--will see significant minutes. Another newcomer, 6-6 Scott Wood, will get time as a swingman. NC State's schedule includes a home game with Georgia State in the Glenn Wilkes Classic, followed by games with Akron, Austin Peay, and Auburn in Daytona Beach. They face Northwestern in the ACC/BIg Ten Challenge; visit Marquette; and face Arizona and Florida in Raleigh.

Miami (last NCAA: 2008) PG Jack McClinton graduated after a season that ended with a loss to Florida in the second round of the NIT. It was a disappointing end to a year that started with high expectations. Now, McClinton's replacement, Villanova transfer Malcolm Grant, walks into a situation where he'll be the floor general for a team with few hopes. Frank Haith's squad got a major boost when 6-8 senior F Dwayne Collins (10.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg) decided to withdraw from the NBA Draft. That decision really helped the Canes' frontcourt, as 6-9 senior Cyrus McGowan (4.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg) and 6-7 senior Adrian Thomas (5.1 ppg, 2.3 ppg) would have been the most experienced players on the unit. 6-9 redshirt freshman Reggie Johnson will see action this season, as will several backcourt newcomers. 6-6 Garrius Adams, 6-1 Antoine Allen, and 6-5 Durand Scott--one of the top SG prospects--in the country will be called into immediate action to support Grant and 6-4 senior James Dews (8.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg). The Canes will take on Tulane in their first game at the Charleston Classic, then face either UNC Wilmington or NIT champ Penn State. They also host Minnesota in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and visit Pepperdine.

Virginia (last NCAA: 2007) Tony Bennett was the surprise choice to replace Dave Leitao as head coach during the offseason. Now, while Bennett's arrival won't improve an offense that rated 11th in the league last season, the defense should improve (and it won't be hard as UVa rated 12th in scoring D in the ACC). That should result in more wins for a team that has talent. 6-6 sophomore Sylven Landesberg was a worthy replacement for Sean Singletary, as he averaged 16.6 points, 6 boards, and 2.8 assists a game during his freshman year. 6-8 Mike Scott is a frontcourt talent, but he needs to be more assertive. If he can do that, he'll improve on his already decent numbers of 10.3 ppg and 7.4 rpg. Virginia fans are hoping Bennett is working closely with his guards, as 6-2 Calvin Baker (8.4 ppg, 2.8 apg) and 6-0 Sammy Zeglinski (7.8 ppg, 3 apg) are just about as adept at passing the ball to the other team as they are to feeding teammates. (Both averaged 2.5 TO per game last season.) 5-11 freshman Jontel Evans is ready to take over the point if they don't improve. 6-8 freshman F Tristan Spurlock provides the Cavaliers with a legit inside/outside threat, so he'll see time right off the bat as well. The Cavaliers will be tested in the Cancun Challenge, and not only in the games in Mexico against Stanford, then Kentucky or Cleveland State. They face two difficult opponents, Rider and Oral Roberts, in Charlottesville before they head to the Caribbean.

Virginia Tech (last NCAA: 2007) Seth Greenberg has a major hole to fill, thanks to the graduation of A.D. Vassallo, but the Hokies' roster still features a lot of talent. 6-3 junior PG Malcolm Delaney becomes the face of the program, and he's already one of the best returning players in the league (18.1 ppg, 4 rpg, 4.5 apg). 6-7 FJeff Allen (13.7 ppg, 8.7 rpg) could fill the same role in the frontcourt, if he stays consistent and on his best behavior. 6-6 junior J.T. Thompson (6.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg) should provide more support after struggling through an injury-plagued season, as should 6-8 Victor Davila, who averaged 3.1 points and 2 boards a game in limited action. The Hokies' newcomers will see some time right off the bat--6-4 Erick Green backing up Delaney, 6-4 Ben Boggs at off guard, and 6-7 Manny Atkins in Vassallo's swingman spot. VPI's schedule features games against Delaware and Temple in the Philly Hoop Group Classic; at Iowa in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge; at Penn State; and against Seton Hall in Cancun to kickoff the New Year.

Wake Forest (last NCAA: 2009) The Demon Deacons will be without James Johnson and Jeff Teague, two major losses for a team that faded after a brief stay atop the polls. Even without Johnson, Dino Gaudio's frontcourt is a talented one, thanks to the presence of 6-9 sophomore Al-Faroq Aminu (12.9 ppg, 8.2 rpg). 7-foot senior C Chris McFarland (8.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg) could be more of a factor if he can play more consistently and stay off the bench. After those two, the Deacons' other bigs have a lot of room to improve. David Weaver, Tony Woods, and Ty Walker only managed to average a combined 6.2 points and 6.2 boards a game last season. 6-7 freshman Ari Stewart could see a lot of the minutes Johnson played in '08-09. In the backcourt, Teague's scoring punch will be missed. 6-0 PG Ishmael Smith (6.2 ppg, 3.4 apg) is a good passer, but lacks an outside shot, while 6-4 L.D. Williams (8 ppg) is more of a factor on the defensive end. 6-4 JC transfer Konner Tucker, who committed to Kentucky out of high school, will play shooting guard. Wake's schedule isn't overwhelming. They take on Purdue in the ACC/BIg Ten Challenge, visit Gonzaga, and host A-10 powers Dayton and Xavier around the New Year.

Boston College (last NCAA: 2009) Al Skinner's squad should be OK this year as they learn to play without Tyrese Rice, but expect next year to be even better as 6-7 reserve F Tyler Roche is the only senior on the roster. 6-1 junior Biko Paris (3.4, 1.7 apg) will get the first crack at replacing Rice, while 6-5 swingman Rakim Sanders (12.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg) and 6-3 Reggie Jackson--a 44 percent shooter who only averaged 7 points a game last year--will provide offense from the backcourt. The frontcourt will be pretty good, as 6-8 F Joe Trapani (13.4, 6.6) and 6-6 F Corey Raji (9.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg) have shown they can be a force in the ACC, and 6-10 Josh Southern (6.5 ppg while shooting 50.3% from the floor) could be if he's more assertive. The Eagles will face St. Joseph's in their opening game at the Paradise Jam, with a contest against either Purdue or South Dakota State to follow on day 2. The Eagles travel to Providence and Michigan in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, while they host UMass and South Carolina.

Clemson (last NCAA: 2009) Three key players from last year's squad are gone--swingman K.C. Rivers, big man Raymond Sykes, and sharpshooter Terrence Oglesby, who left to play professionally in Europe, but the top rebounder and field goal shooter in the league, 6-7 Trevor Booker (15.3 ppg, 9.7 rpg) is back for his senior season. The arrival of his brother Devin, a 6-8 F/C, and 6-9 Milton Jennings, a McDonald's All-American, gives the frontcourt an immediate boost. 6-6 Noel Johnson, a swingman who originally committed to Southern Cal, should prove to be a nice replacement for Rivers. The backcourt could be a bit of a concern for Oliver Purnell; however, as 6-2 junior PG Demontez Stitt (8.7 ppg, 3.8 apg) can be a bit inconsistent. That means 5-9 Andre Young (4.4 ppg, 2.1 apg) could see plenty of time at the 1 spot. Overall, the Tigers will really have to do better from the charity stripe this season, as they ranked 10th in the ACC last season. The Tigers will play in the very tough 76 Classic in Anaheim, where they open with Texas A&M. They also take on Illinois in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and host archrival South Carolina.

Florida State (last NCAA: 2009) The Seminoles' heart and soul of the past few seasons, ACC leading scorer and Defensive Player of the Year Toney Douglas, graduated, as did F Uche Echefu. So that means FSU will be headed back to the NIT, right? Well, thanks to the return of a bunch of key players and one top recruit, don't expect the Noles to fall too far. 7-1 sophomore Solomon Alabi (8.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 2.1 bpg), an inside force and the team's leading returning scorer, anchors a frontcourt that also features 6-9 Chris Singleton (8.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg), 6-11 Xavier Gibson (2.3 ppg, 1.4 rpg in 6 mpg), and 6-8 senior Ryan Reid (4.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg). The big issue for FSU's backcourt is finding a replacement for Douglas. 6-4 junior Derwin Kitchen (7.9 ppg, 2.5 apg) could be the answer from a passing and defensive perspective, while 6-5 freshman Michael Snaer--who averaged 28 ppg during a senior year in which he was named California HS player of the year--could replace his scoring. If the returnees kick their scoring up a notch, FSU will be right back in the Dance. The Seminoles will be tested by a schedule that includes the Old Spice Classic--where they should have more of a home advantage than UCF had in 2007. They'll open that tournament with Iona, then face Alabama or Baylor on Day 2. Leonard Hamilton's squad also travels to archrival Florida and faces Ohio State in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

Maryland (last NCAA: 2009) The equation for the Terrapins is pretty simple. If Greivis Vasquez is healthy and playing well, they'll be pretty good. The 6-6 Venezuelan senior decided to not enter the NBA Draft, and that's a good thing for Gary Williams' side. It not only would have been difficult to replace his 17.5 points, 5.4 boards, and 5 assists per game, but it would have been impossible to replace his heart and spirit. 6-4 Eric Hayes (10.3 ppg, 3.2 apg) and 6-2 drive-first junior Adrian Bowie (9 ppg, 2.5 apg) join Vasquez to form one of the top backcourt units in the league. The frontcourt features 6-7 senior Landon Milbourne (11.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg) and not much else in the way of experience, especially after Dave Neal's graduation. Freshmen James Padgett (6-8) and Jordan Williams (6-9) will be expected to provide instant interior presence for the Terps. Maryland will play in Maui, where they open with Chaminade before facing either Cincinnati or Vanderbilt on Day 2. They visit Indiana in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and Villanova in DC at the BB&T Classic.

Georgia Tech (last NCAA: 2007) While the Yellow Jackets won't have the services of either Alade Aminu inside or Lewis Clinch outside, they will be a bigger threat thanks to the arrival of a true game-changer, 6-10 freshman Derrick Favors. He'll join a frontcourt that retains 6-9 junior Gani Lawal (15.1 ppg, 9.5 rpg) and 6-8 Zachary Peacock (9.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg). The backcourt could be Paul Hewitt's squad's Achilles heel, however. 6-5 guard Iman Shumpert's (10.6 ppg) assist-to-turnover ratio of 5 to 3.7 was way too high. He may handle the ball less this season, especially since 6-2 Maurice Miller (5.8 ppg, 4.3 apg) and 6-2 freshman Mfon Udofia are both capable point guards. The Yellow Jackets' schedule features some nice matchups, as they face Dayton, then either George Mason or Villanova in the first two days of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. Tech also hosts Hewitt's former employer, Siena, and USC.

Duke (last NCAA: 2009) In a rarity for a recent Duke team, Mike Krzyzewski's 2009-10 Blue Devil outfit will be frontcourt-oriented, thanks to the departure of Gerald Henderson, Greg Paulus, and Elliot Williams. While 6-5 Jon Scheyer (14.9 ppg, 2.8 apg) and 6-2 junior Nolan Smith (8.4 ppg, 2.2 rpg) are back, and 6-4 freshman Andre Hawkins enrolled early, the Duke backcourt will be extremely thin. It's so thin that Kyle Singler, a 6-8 junior who averaged 16.5 points and 7.7 rebounds a game in '08-09, will spend a lot of time on the wing this season. The frontcourt is talented, but will lack experience. 7-1 senior C Brian Zoubeck (4.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg) and 6-8 senior PF Lance Thomas (5.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg) are the key holdovers from last season, but they'll be pushed hard by two 6-10 McDonald's All-Americans, Mason Plumlee (brother of Duke soph Miles) and Ryan Kelly. They're two players who will cause major matchup problems for opponents, as they love to get out and play on the perimeter on offense. If the new guys live up to the hype, it could be a big year in Durham. Duke's schedule includes the NIT Season Tip-Off. They'll take on Coastal Carolina in their first game, then face either Charlotte or Elon with a ticket to New York on the line. The Blue Devils will play at Wisconsin in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, face Gonzaga in New York, Iowa State in Chicago, and Tulsa in a rare late February non-conference tilt.

North Carolina (last NCAA: 2009) This pick relies on a lot of "ifs." Considering that Roy Williams lost an average of 66.2 ppg when Wayne Ellington, Tyler Hansbrough, Danny Green, and Ty Lawson left Chapel Hill, it won't be easy for the Tar Heels to repeat as NCAA Champion. It will even be tough for them to retain the ACC title. That being said, between the returnees--led by 6-8 senior Deon Thompson (10.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg) and 6-10 Ed Davis (6.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg, but bound to do better when playing more minutes)--and a sterling group of newcomers, the Heels should be able to keep making national noise. Davis and Thompson will be joined in the frontcourt by 6-10 frosh John Henson, who does a lot of everything well. The biggest knock on him is his weight (195 lbs.), but that won't stop him from being a force at this level. 6-5 swingman Marcus Ginyard was out for all but three games last year with an injury, while 6-6 G/F Will Graves (4 ppg, 2.6 rpg) is also back after missing time last season for disciplinary reasons. Freshmen Leslie McDonald (6-4) and Dexter Strickland (6-3) will also see plenty of action in their first season. The revamped Tar Heels will get their first test against in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, with a game against Ohio State to start, then one with California or Syracuse to follow the next night. They also host Nevada and Texas; face a rematch with Michigan State (in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge); and visit Kentucky.

The Tar Heels are my pick to repeat in the ACC, though they'll have a more difficult time this season with a younger roster. They'll hold the league's auto bid in my 2009-10 Final Preseason Bracket, which I will release on November 9. Check in then to see which other ACC squads I think have the best chance to go dancing in March.

To wrap up this preview, here is my preseason All-ACC team, featuring the best returning players from last season.

Preseason All-ACC Team

Player of the Year: Greivis Vasquez, 6-6 G, Sr. (Maryland)

Remainder of the Team
Trevor Booker, 6-7 F, Sr. (Clemson)
Ed Davis, 6-10 F, So. (North Carolina)
Malcolm Delaney, 6-3 G, Jr. (Virginia Tech)
Kyle Singler, 6-8 F, Jr. (Duke)

Poll

Who is your pick to win the ACC this season?

Boston College

9 votes

Clemson

1 votes

Duke

35 votes

Florida State

1 votes

Georgia Tech

3 votes

Maryland

37 votes

Miami

0 votes

North Carolina

22 votes

NC State

2 votes

Virginia

1 votes

Virginia Tech

1 votes

Wake Forest

3 votes

115 votes | Poll has closed

Maryland Minute: 6-10-09

Ben Broman — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:21:12 -0000

Remember the good old days, before most of you guys were reading on a regular basis, when we had a semi-regular daily links style post? Well, it's back, rebranded, and better than ever. Every single weeknight (Monday through Friday, for those of you thinking-challenged), we'll be posting a roundup of all Terp-related links of the day, and maybe some general interest links. After a no-roundup Saturday that will surely leave a void in your life, Sunday night will feature a big weekend roundup of glorious linkage. All of this will be known as The Maryland Minute, the idea being you can get all the news you need in about a minute - no need to scour the web for hours, because we do that for you. So, sit back, relax, enjoy, and read the post in about a minute:

Yahoo Sports Discusses One-And-Dones, Lance
It's a good read, not just because Lance is the focus (although that is the main reason), but also because it discusses an interesting dilemma. Anyway, on Lance:

College coaches had little interest in talking about Stephenson’s shooting, rebounding or all-around skills that would have made him a potential first-round pick in the NBA draft this year, if not for the league’s 19-year-old age rule. Most of the coaches who called, according to Morton, voiced concerns about off-the-court issues, including rumors that Stephenson’s family accepted money based on their son’s future earning potential – a violation of NCAA rules.

2009 NBA Top 100 Camp Roster
49 of the top 50 rising seniors will be at this camp. The one who's not? Terrence Ross. But of course. Terp recruits in attendance are Justin Coleman, Jon Graham, Tobias Harris, Terrence Jones, Mychal Parker, and Roscoe Smith.

ESPN says Quinn Cook was a "standout" at US National Team Workout
Quinn Cook very well could be Maryland's top 2011 prospect. If he keeps up performances like those at the US U16 National Workout, maybe he should be.

Cook was one of the major standouts due to his feathery shooting touch and surprisingly solid point guard play. He doesn't possess the ideal size for the Division I level, but he certainly has the game for the highest level. Prior to seeing him at the trials, I envisioned Cook as an undersized 2-guard, but he definitely showed here that point guard is his projected position at the next level. The point guard crop wasn't special, with the exception of Anthony Wroten Jr., but Cook was the best combination of scorer/playmaker of the bunch. Besides his tremendous shooting touch, Cook changes speed very well and threw some dynamite passes in transition. In addition, he executed the pick-n-roll very well and facilitated the offense on a high-level. When he didn't dish off to his teammates he has an innate ability to score amongst the bigs, including a soft floater.

Report: USC Trojans coach Tim Floyd submits resignation
Tim Floyd has reportedly resigned as coach of the USC Trojans. Well, I wonder what that could be about. I wonder if Momo Jones would consider Maryland, once he decommits. Doubtful, but stranger things have happened.

Tim Floyd suddenly resigned as basketball coach at Southern California on Tuesday following allegations that he gave $1,000 in cash to a man who helped steer former star player O.J. Mayo to the Trojans.

Floyd submitted a one-paragraph letter to USC athletic director Mike Garrett saying he was quitting after four seasons because he no longer had full enthusiasm for his job.

Miami's Dwayne Collins withdraws from NBA draft
Kind of expected, Collins' return should keep Miami from the cellar next year.

The 6-foot-8 Collins was Miami's second-leading scorer last season, averaging 10.6 points per game. He also had a team-high 7.3 rebounds per game during the 2008-09 season.

Miami coach Frank Haith said in a statement that Collins "has the potential to be one of the best big men in the ACC this season."

Coming and Going - A Look at ACC Basketball in 2009-10, Pt. I

Ben Broman — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 22:25:02 -0000

This is a project that we as a blog have been working on for quite awhile. Yes, it's out of order (shouldn't a football preview be here?), but Maryland's a basketball school first and foremost, dagnabbit! Plus, we got the idea during March Madness and just ran with it. All three of us put in work on it, with homertuck bearing the brunt of it, and there's a boatload of raw data behind it, which you'll see in a few days.

Below, you'll find a team-by-team analysis of what exactly is being lost - through graduation, the NBA, or Europe -and who exactly is coming in - ie, the recruiting class, and their rankings - for each ACC basketball team. A couple of predictions accompany this. We realize that a lot could change between now and November, which is why we include three different possible predictions - a Best Case, a Worst Case, and our own prediction, a fusion of the two.

While we realize that basketball doesn't use the divisions, reading 12 of these reports at once is darn near impossible. For that reason, and the lack of a clear division of basketball teams, we borrowed the divisions concept from football. Today, we break down the six Atlantic teams: Duke, Georgia Tech, Miami, North Carolina, Virginia, and Virginia Tech. Tomorrow, check back to see the Coastal Division. On Thursday, we'll publish a companion piece of sorts - a visual aid, loaded with graphs to help you make sense of all this.

So, without any further ado, make the jump and get to reading.

Duke

2009 Recruiting Class:
Mason Plumlee 6' 11" Center: 98 grade
Ryan Kelly 6' 10" Forward: 97 grade

With Jon Scheyer going into his senior season and Greg Paulus already gone, many Terp fans may be wondering what awkward-looking white player they'll have to root against in the future. Have no fear: Coach K is bringing in two of them for next season in Ryan Kelly and Mason Plumlee. The bad news: Kelly and Plumlee are ranked #20 and #55 overall by Rivals, respectively.

Overall Class Ranking: #9 (ESPN), #9 (Scout)

Players lost to graduation/NBA/Europe:
Greg Paulus (G) - Graduation (4.9 ppg)
David McClure (F) - Graduation (1.9 ppg)
Gerald Henderson (G-F) - NBA (16.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg)

Overall, Duke doesn't lose too much next season, especially when compared with other ACC schools. They only lose 28% of their three-point baskets, 35% of their assists, 24% of their blocks, 30% of their points, 26% of their rebounds, and 24% of their steals. Maryland and Virginia are the only other schools that lose less than Duke, and that is in Maryland's best case scenario of Vasquez returning. Add in the fact that Duke brings in a good true center in Mason Plumlee and a nice forward to replace part of the void lost by Gerald Henderson, and the Blue Devils again look like a possibly scary team in 2009-2010. Duke's only other loses aside from Henderson are back up point guard Greg Paulus and seldom used forward David McClure. Also, watch out for the development of Kyle Singler and Jon Scheyer (pictured with a traditional Scheyerface). The man with the funny faces really improved towards the second half of last season and he'll be counted on to pick up the 16.5 ppg lost by the departure of Henderson.

Best Case - Duke is Duke, Plumlee is actually a good white guy center that isn't a bust for Duke, and the Blue Devils actually show up in the NCAA tournament and make it to the elite eight under the leadership of Scheyer and Singler. The Blue Devils dominate the ACC, and rack up a 13-3 ACC record.

Worst Case - Plumlee and Kelly are two more awkward looking white guy busts, Scheyer quits the team after seeing thousands of pictures of his face again at the Comcast Center, and Duke again fails to make it past the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament after having a 10-6 ACC season.

Testudo Times Prediction - Duke is Duke but doesn't live up to the media hype yet again. The Blue Devils finish with a 12-4 ACC record, continue their dominance and win the ACC tournament, and then bow out of the NCAA tournament in the sweet 16.

Georgia Tech

2009 Recruiting Class:

Derrick Favors 6' 9" Power Forward: 98 grade
Mfon Udofia 6' 2" Point Guard: 93 grade
Kammeon Holsey 6' 8" Power Forward: 92 grade
Daniel Miller 6' 10" Center: 91 grade
Glen Rice Jr. 6' 4" Shooting Guard: 89 grade
Brian Oliver 6' 6" Small Forward: 87 grade

Georgia Tech's recruiting class is highlighted by one name: Derrick Favors (pictured below). Rivals' third best player in the country is most likely a "one and done" but he's joined by five others, including three who are ranked in Rivals' top 80.

Overall Class Ranking: #7 (ESPN), #5 (Scout)

Players lost to graduation/NBA/Europe:
Lewis Clinch (G) - Graduation (15.5 ppg)
Bassirou Dieng (C-F) - Graduation (1.2 ppg)
Gary Cage (G) - Graduation (0.7 ppg)
Alade Aminu (F) - Graduation (11.8 ppg, 8 rpg)
Gani Lawal (F) - Undecided (15.1 ppg, 9.5 rpg)

Georgia Tech had a tough year in 2009-2010, limping to an 11-18 (2-14 ACC) record. But Tech's head coach Paul Hewitt is hoping to erase memories of last season by bringing in a top 10 recruiting class to replace four departing seniors and possibly sophomore Gani Lawal. Hewitt survived the 2-14 ACC performance of last year but if he doesn't start to produce, the natives might become restless and attack - where do you think they'll go first? For Hewitt's head. Whether or not Lawal returns will have a huge impact on the success of the Yellow Jackets in 2009-2010. If Lawal does come back, Tech will lose 33% of their point production from last season but if he doesn't return to school, that number jumps up to 54%. A similar story holds true for rebounding where the return of Lawal means Tech only loses 28% of their rebounding if Lawal is back. But if Lawal leaves, that number will pump up to 56%.

Best Case - Tech's young guys perform at a very high level and bully around some of the other ACC teams to a 10-6 record.

Worst Case - Lawal leaves and Favors doesn't live up to their hype. Tech improves on last year, but finishes 5-11 in ACC play.

Testudo Times Prediction: Paul Hewitt might have saved his job by bringing in a top ten recruiting class following last season's horrible 2-14 ACC finish. Even though injuries might have played a role in that final record, the head coach is normally the one who gets the axe, no matter how valid the excuse might be. With their new recruiting class coming in, this will be a very different Tech team. Expect the Yellow Jackets to improve by 7 wins in 2009-2010, finishing with a solid 9-7 ACC record and returning to the NCAA tournament.

Miami

2009 Recruiting Class:

Durand Scott 6' 5" Shooting Guard: 93 grade
Garrius Adams 6' 5" Shooting Guard: 91 grade
Donnavan Kirk 6' 8" Power Forward: 91 grade
Antoine Allen 6' 2" Shooting Guard: 85 grade

Miami will need help next season filling the void left by first team All-ACC guard, Jack McClinton. They've brought in three shooting guards to do the job including Rivals' 33rd rated prospect, Durand Scott

Overall Class Ranking: #24 (ESPN), #19 (Scout)

Players lost to Graduation/NBA/Europe:

Jimmy Graham (F) - Graduation (4 ppg, 5.9 rpg)
Lance Hurdle (G) - Graduation (7.3 ppg)
Brian Asbury (F) - Graduation (8 ppg, 5 rpg)
Jack McClinton (G) - Graduation (19.3 ppg)
Dwayne Collins (F) - Undecided to NBA (10.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg)

Miami loses a lot of production from their graduating seniors and could be one of the top production-losing teams if junior Dwayne Collins (depicted dunking on Greg Paulus, but really, who hasn't done that yet?) decides to stay in the NBA, but word on the street says he'll be returning next season. Jack McClinton is Miami's biggest loss going into 2009-2010. The Maryland native was Miami's best player and also one of the best players in the ACC. Even if Collins returns, Miami will still be losing 57% of their three-point production for this upcoming season and 52% of their overall scoring from last season. Miami will be looking to build on their 7-9 ACC (19-13 overall) record from last season, but may find that task difficult.

Best Case: Collins returns and shooting guard Durand Scott helps to fill the void left by McClinton. Miami cruises to a 9-7 ACC record (+/- 1 game)

Worst Case: Collins does in fact leave and some of Miami's top 25 recruiting class struggles. Miami finishes with a 6-10 ACC record (+/- 1 game)

Testudo Times Prediction: Miami brings in a strong, top 25 class, but their supporting cast isn't too great, they don't have the home court advantage most ACC schools do, and they lost their best player from last year. Anytime you lose five players, there is an adjustment period. Look for this Hurricane team to be a category 1 storm, enough to cause some trouble, but not strong enough to make you run for higher ground. 7-9 (+/- 1 game) in the ACC and an NIT appearance sounds about right.

North Carolina

2009 Recruiting Class:
John Henson 6' 10" Power Forward: 98 grade
Dexter Strickland 6' 3" Shooting Guard: 95 grade
Leslie McDonald 6' 5" Shooting Guard: 95 grade
David Wear 6' 9" Power Forward: 94 grade
Travis Wear 6' 9" Power Forward: 94 grade

You know when you were younger and your mom made you do some annoying chore? Then, as soon as you got through it, she made you do another one? That's how every ACC coach not named Roy Williams (and maybe Mike Krzyzewski) feels year after year. After losing Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington, and Danny Green, the Tarheels bring in a consensus top three class which is highlighted by Rivals' fifth ranked player, athletic power forward, John Henson.

Overall Class Ranking: #2 (ESPN), #3 (Scout)

Players lost to Graduation/NBA/Europe:
Marcus Ginyard (G-F) - Graduation (1.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg)
Bobby Frasor (G) - Graduation (2.6 ppg, 2 rpg)
Danny Green (G-F) - Graduation (13.1 ppg, 4.7 apg, 1.3 bpg)
J.B. Tanner (G) - Graduation (1.1 ppg)
Jack Wooten (G) - Graduation (0.5 ppg)
Patrick Moody (F) - Graduation (1 ppg)
Mike Copeland (F) - Graduation (0.8 ppg)
Tyler Hansbrough (F) - Graduation (20.7 ppg, 8.1 rpg)
Ty Lawson (G) - NBA (16.6 ppg, 6.6 apg, 3 rpg)
Wayne Ellington (G) - NBA (15.8 ppg, 2.7 apg, 4.9 rpg)

Someone is going to have to explain to me how UNC has so many people on their roster. That's the size of GT's whole team now that they have scholarship reductions. I guess a lot of people want to walk on to UNC to average a point a game. Or does their roster include that JV team they also have? Anyway, UNC has 10 players leaving the team this year, either because of graduation or leaving early for the NBA. UNC is losing 74% of their points scored from last season, 93% of their made three-pointers, 78% of their assists and 56% of their rebounds. That is a whole lot of loss. Fortunately for the Tar Heels, their recruiting class is ranked in the top 3, as forward John Henson will look to fill the big shoes of Tyler Hansbrough. They also return senior forward Deon Thompson, and sophomore bigs Ed Davis (seen right, trying to annoy me by wearing a t-shirt) and Tyler Zeller. The development of Davis and Zeller could go a long way in determining how this Carolina team fares this season. With the departure of so many players, most of UNC's team will be unproven next season, so the Tar Heels could struggle early and could also fade down the stretch.

Best Case: Davis and Zeller ease of the pain of losing Hansbrough and UNC's top three recruiting class excels early. The Tar Heels don't miss a beat after winning it all last season and finish at 12-4 and 2^nd in the ACC.

Worst Case: UNC's new team takes a while to gel and some of the top-billed prospects don't live up to the hype. 9-7 ACC, 2^nd round of NCAA's.

Testudo Times Prediction: One thing you have to give UNC head coach Roy Williams credit for: he's a hell of a recruiter and the guys he recruits are normally slam dunks. But its Roy's in-game coaching that has been his limiting factor in his career. Expect UNC to start struggling a little but come together by midseason. Then expect the team relying so heavily on freshman players not used to the tough competition of the ACC to fade a little in the last few games. 10-6 ACC, 2^nd round of the NCAA tournament.

Virginia

2009 Recruiting Class:
Tristan Spurlock 6' 7" Small Forward: 91 grade
Jontel Evans 5' 11" Point Guard: 87 grade

After Dave Leitao stepped down, new coach Tony Bennett had some significant ground to make up on the recruiting trail. He managed to keep former Leitao commits, Tristan Spurlock (SF) and Jontel Evans (PG), who make up his first Cavaliers recruiting class.

Overall Class Ranking: N/A (ESPN), N/A (Scout)

Players lost to Graduation/NBA/Europe:

Tunji Soroye (C) - Graduation (1.8 ppg, 2.2 rpg)
Mamadi Diane (G-F) - Graduation (6 ppg, 2 rpg)

UVA doesn't lose much this off season and compared to the rest of the ACC; actually, they're losing the least in almost every category we've broken down. The biggest loss they'll suffer this offseason is in blocked shots, where they lose 26% of the shot blocking production from last year. Unfortunately for UVA, what remains on the team is nothing really new from last season and the two recruits coming in aren't exactly superstars. Tony Bennett will have his work cut out with this group and maybe he can catch lightening in a bottle. A lot will also depend on the development of guard Sylven Landesberg (pictured with all his gum-filled smiley goodness). Last year, the freshman led the Wahoos in points, was second in assists, and second in rebounds. Incoming players Tristan Spurlock and Jontel Evans will provide some nice new blood into the program but the undersized Evans might struggle when he gets to ACC play. This could definitely be a rebuilding year in Charlottesville.

Best Case: Sylven Landesberg establishes himself as an elite ACC guard and new head coach Tony Bennett changes the culture at UVA. The team surprises a lot of people and finishes with an 8-8 ACC record and a NIT appearance or a low seed in the NCAAs.

Worst Case: Same old story from last year, with just a little improvement. 5-11 ACC

Testudo Times Prediction: The Tony Bennett hire will help this team a lot - new system, blood into the program. But can the players Leitao recruited fit into and succeed in Bennett's system? Only time can tell. Expect Landesberg to improve and Spurlock to do well, but not well enough to pull UVA out of another unsuccessful season. 5-11 ACC.

Virginia Tech

2009 Recruiting Class:
Erick Green 6' 3" Point Guard: 88 grade
Cadarian Raines 6' 9" Center: 88 grade
Manny Atkins 6' 6" Small Forward: 87 grade
Ben Boggs 6' 3" Shooting Guard: 87 grade

Seth Greenberg's 2009 class isn't filled with any instant superstars but he does bring in four players all rated above an 87. They'll collectively try to offset the loss of last season's leading scorer, A.D. Vassallo.

Overall Class Rankings: N/A (ESPN), N/A (Scout)

Players lost to Graduation/NBA/Europe:

A.D. Vassallo (G-F) - Graduation (19.1 ppg, 6.2 rpg)
Cheick Diakite ( C ) - Graduation (3.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg)

Seth Greenberg will try to offset the loss of A.D. Vassallo by bringing in four solid freshmen and hoping that they can fill the void. This recruiting class seems to be typical Greenberg - nothing too flashy, but a group of solid players who are willing to work to get better. Greenberg might be one of the more under-rated coaches in the ACC when it comes to getting the best from his players. Tech does lose 40% of their made three-point attempts from last season, as well as 41% of their blocks, but other than that and losing Vassallo, they won't lose too much. If Malcolm Delaney and Jeff Allen (seen giving Maryland fans the bird) can step up and be leaders this could be a very good Tech team.

Best Case: Va. Tech builds off last year and rides Delaney and Allen to a surprising 11-5 ACC record (+/- 1 game), with this year's recruiting class tag-teaming to pick up for the production lost by the graduation of leading scorer A.D. Vassallo.

Worst Case: Jeff Allen is more focused on flipping off Terp fans than improving his game and the four incoming players don't adjust fast enough to the learning curve of ACC basketball. The team struggles, especially down the stretch, and limps to a 7-9 ACC record.

Testudo Times Prediction: Greenberg, while he can be obnoxious at times, is a fairly solid coach who gets the best out of what he has. Expect him to do the same this year and will his team to an 8-8 record (+/- 1 game) and sneak in as an NCAA tournament team.

Remember to check back in tomorrow and Thursday for parts II and III.

Player Profile: Dwayne Collins

MRickman84 — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 21:36:10 -0000

WakeJake did a great feature spotlighting Lawal last week, and I think this is something we should do game-by-game. This week, I was tempted to talk about Jack McClinton, as he always goes off against Wake, but you all know McClinton. The player that will mean more to them against the Deacs will be Junior forward Dwayne Collins.

I've always enjoyed Collins' game. He's a bruiser and a tenacious rebounder. This year he averages 12.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game with over 3 offensive rebounds. He also tosses in a steal and 1.5 assists per game.

His downfall has always been FTs. He is just a 54% shooter on his career from the stripe and leads the team in attempts. Getting to the line: important. Making your free throws when you get there: much more important--especially against a team like the Demon Deacons who are always looking for the block and the chance to deny easy looks.

More after the jump...

Collins did not play a whole lot (and wasn't effective) in both games against Maryland . He wasnt in foul trouble. This was more a result of trying to fit a smaller lineup against the Terps guards. I do not see this happening again. Since the Deacs play big, I see Collins having a big night.

Something of note though: Collins has been known to take games off. There's always been a question of motivation and although this year he seems to have addressed that this year, he has had seven games of 8 points or less.

The key to containing Collins will be a mixture of good subbing by Dino--using Woods and Weaver effectively--as well as needing McFarland to bring his A game, something he has not done recently. If Chas can stay out of foul trouble, he matches up well with Collins. At 6' 8", any number of Deacs can play on him. The 'Canes' biggest player comes in at 6' 9", so just what team Coach Frank Haith wants to put on the floor is a big question. Collins has not fouled out of a game all season--and a lot of the games he plays best in are when he has at least 25 minutes.

Despite all this, look for Collins to be right around 18 points and 12 rebounds if Haith plays a big lineup. The Deacs have been allowing teams to get plenty of offensive rebounds recently and Collins seems to be a magnet to the offensive glass, which should give him plenty of opportunities to clean up the trash for a team that takes a whole lot of jump shots.

ACC Preview Part 2: The Middle Men

TrueCubbie — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:14:55 -0000

In my previous post, I discussed the four teams, who I feel, will be competing for the conference title at the end of February. I also stirred up the crowd by making the argument that Duke is better than UNC (barely). In this post, I look at the next 4 teams, the middle 4, of the toughest conference in the country.

In the last post, we took a look at Wake Forest, Clemson, UNC and Duke, detailing how each team has fared thus far and how they might do during the rest of the year. Today, let's take a look at Maryland, Boston College, Miami and us. This is an excellent group of basketball teams that is capable beating any team at any given time, see BC vs UNC.

Let's take a look at each of the teams:

8. Boston College Eagles

Yes, they beat the best team in the nation. It was one game and they deserved to win. Boston College shot lights out and took advantage of the opportunities that UNC provided them. UNC had a miserable shooting night. This win goes to show that the ACC is going to be more competitive than people thought, meaning any given team could win on any given day. Last year, the Eagles finished 14-17 overall, going a lowly 4-12 in ACC conference play. Somehow, they pulled themselves together after erratic conferenc play to beat Maryland in the first round of the ACC tournament, only to get destroyed by Clemson in the second round. This year, BC only has 67% of returning minutes back on the floor this year. But they are going to be led by two excellent sophomores: Corey Raji and Josh Southern. Last night we also see the coming out party of Corey Raji, another highly athletic sophomore on this team. Notice a pattern? This is a young team and despite their success in the early part of the season, it is likely they will have their struggles down the stretch. Currently, BC is ranked 52nd in the Pomeroy Ratings and they are 12-2 in OOC play, losing to Purdue and St Louis. The average rating of the OOC opponents is 174, with big wins over Massachussetts, Providence, Iowa and UAB. However, they have only played 4 games outside of the Commonwealth.

                      Offense               Defense
Raw Efficiency :  112.9 ( 27)           95.4 ( 90)
Adj Efficiency :  112.2 ( 31)           95.9 ( 86)

Effective FG%  :   51.5 ( 84)           44.3 ( 40)
Turnover Pct.  :   17.5 ( 25)           19.1 (263)
Off. Rebound%  :   40.9 ( 16)           34.7 (211)
Free Throw Rate:   25.7 (136)           29.7 ( 55)

3-Point FG%    :   34.9 (139)           30.1 ( 40)
2-Point FG%    :   51.0 ( 69)           43.9 ( 60)
Free Throw Pct.:   68.7 (161)           66.4 ( 98)
Block Pct.     :   10.4 (251)           11.4 ( 61)
Steal Pct.     :    8.3 ( 58)            9.3 (217)

3PA/FGA        :   31.6 (208)           30.3 ( 79)
A/FGM          :   59.8 ( 66)           46.7 ( 27)

Clearly, a mixed bag of stats. BC, despite its athleticism, play a relatively down tempo game, averaging 70 possessions per game, scoring 1.12 points per possession. They also do a great job on the offensive boards, which may be a result of their hustle and their height. They rank 53rd in the nation in average-minutes weighted height. Corey Raji 6'6 So is bringing down 13.8% of his teams offensive rebound opportunities, anything over 10 is considered excellent. Josh Southern 6'10 So is also getting it done on the glass on both ends of the court. Boston College's success will depend on consistent play from Raji, Tyrese Rice (the lone senior on the team) and Rakim Sanders. Raji is one of the top players in the country and is very active all over the court. He is shooting extremely well with an eFG% of 56.4. Like our Toney Douglas, Raji rarely gets off the court. Lets hope this Raji doesn't tear up the ACC like his football counter part did. BC and the Noles are similar in many regards, however, they don't have the depth of talent that we do. Look for BC to make some noise in ACC play. We have already seen what they can do against UNC but I don't expect the Eagles to keep it up. While BC may have the offensive skills, they don't force the turnovers that are required to sustain effective play in the ACC. BC may surprise us but they need more experience and talent.

7. Florida State Seminoles

This team is close to being one of the elite teams in the conference, but not this year. We have shown flashes of brilliance in the OOC schedule and demonstrated that we're not quite there. For examples of both, see our performance against the Pitt Panthers and the Northwestern Wildcats.

                      Offense               Defense
Raw Efficiency :   99.3 (200)           89.1 ( 28)
Adj Efficiency :   98.8 (206)           88.2 ( 21)

Effective FG%  :   49.1 (158)           42.8 ( 19)
Turnover Pct.  :   24.1 (299)           23.0 ( 80)
Off. Rebound%  :   35.5 (103)           34.1 (190)
Free Throw Rate:   32.9 ( 18)           31.5 ( 78)

3-Point FG%    :   34.6 (150)           32.6 (112)
2-Point FG%    :   47.7 (179)           39.3 ( 10)
Free Throw Pct.:   69.9 (130)           63.5 ( 25)
Block Pct.     :    6.4 ( 44)           18.6 (  6)
Steal Pct.     :   10.4 (204)           12.7 ( 33)

3PA/FGA        :   33.1 (165)           36.7 (282)
A/FGM          :   55.0 (151)           46.7 ( 26)

Currently, our offense ranks 206th in the nation. Our defense is 21st. Worst offense. Fourth best defense. We have no players in the top 500 in offensive effeciency. But, we get to the line early and often. Our assist rate is improving, and slowly but surely our Assist to FG ration is improving. Defensively, we continue to shut teams down, forcing steals and blocking shots. You all know our cast of characters. Keep an eye on Singleton; he is a special player. I think we keep the likes of Duke, UNC and Clemson to some of their lowest scoring games of the year, but I don't think we have the offensive fire power to keep up. Check out all of our old posts in the Basketball section to get the full analysis of this team.

6. Miami Hurricanes

Last year, Miami basketball made a splash on the national scene going 23-11 overall, 8-8 in ACC play and made it to the second round of the NCAA tournament, where they lost to Texas 75-72. This year they, they bring back 79% of their possible returning minutes, specifically returning 4 starters and adding highly touted freshman, DeQuan Jones. Look for an absolute battle between the 6'6 small forward and Chris Singleton. However, comparing production so far, Singleton's numbers are miles ahead of Jones, but Jones has seen limited time, only seeing about 13 minutes of playing time per game. Miami's OOC play had its highs and lows, beating teams 94-41 one night and losing by 15 or so to the likes of Connecticut, Ohio State and Clemson. Clemson made a statement against the Hurricanes beating them 91-72 in Miami. Their average OOC opponent's Pomeroy rating was 166 with a majority of their games being played at home. Here are Miami's numbers:

                      Offense               Defense
Raw Efficiency :  110.5 ( 40)           88.7 ( 25)
Adj Efficiency :  111.8 ( 35)           90.2 ( 31)

Effective FG%  :   49.5 (146)           42.0 (  9)
Turnover Pct.  :   20.1 (126)           19.0 (267)
Off. Rebound%  :   42.0 ( 11)           30.3 ( 79)
Free Throw Rate:   31.9 ( 28)           27.2 ( 29)

3-Point FG%    :   35.7 (109)           25.9 (  2)
2-Point FG%    :   47.5 (188)           43.6 ( 54)
Free Throw Pct.:   66.0 (237)           68.9 (191)
Block Pct.     :   11.5 (292)           12.4 ( 45)
Steal Pct.     :    9.6 (148)            9.1 (230)

3PA/FGA        :   33.8 (142)           34.3 (226)
A/FGM          :   51.7 (233)           56.0 (210)

Again, another team with numbers all over the map. They play a slower tempo game, averaging 67 possessions per game, scoring 1.1 points per possession. So, how are they so succesful? They shut you down on defense...not by stealing the ball but by challenging your shot. However, in their three losses, they allowed their 3 worst opponent eFG% of the year. Clemson had an eFG% of 54.9 against the 'Canes. Miami's offensive success rests squarely on the shoulders of Jack McClinton 6'1 Sr and Dwayne Collins 6'8 Jr. Miami beats you by getting to the line and hoping they beat you with the three. McClinton is happy to pull the trigger from deep. Miami's offense is helped by its ability to take care of the offensive glass. If McClinton and Collins can continue to produce on the offensive end, Miami might make it back to the NCAA tournament. It helps that they have 4 seniors and 4 juniors on their team. Miami has fallen of the map on the national scene recently, particularly in light of their loss to Clemson. Boston College shot up the polls today. This type of volatility in the polls is quite common early in the season, particularly in the lower half of the polls. Miami may show up again or they may fade. Based on their experience, I would expect them to make some noise in the ACC and get to the tournament. Though, I still think Miami has been playing ahead of themselves so far this year. I haven't been overwhelmed the couple of opportunities I have had to watch them. Pomeroy is predciting us to lose both games against Miami; I just don't see that happening.

5. Maryland Terrapins

I think that Maryland is the forgotten team in the ACC this year. Putting them at #5 might be a bit generous, but I think they have the ability to play at a high level. I really think the 5-8 spots in the ACC are up for grabs this year. Last year, the Terps went 19-15 overall, 8-8 in the ACC and lost to Syracuse in the second round of the NIT. Maryland could have easily gone 11-5 in the ACC, losing some very close games, this was despite having a middle of the road offense in the conference. This year they bring back 70% of returning minutes, losing two of their key players to graduation: Gist and Bambale. Unfortunately, Gary Williams wasn't able to bring in the typical talent he is used to having in Maryland, thought he is already off to a great start for 2009. Their average OOC opponent ranking was 165. Aside from a two game slide against Gonzaga and Georgetown, Maryland is, in general, taking care of business, winning games by 15-20 points.

                      Offense               Defense
Raw Efficiency :  107.8 ( 69)           89.4 ( 31)
Adj Efficiency :  105.5 ( 91)           88.6 ( 23)

Effective FG%  :   48.0 (193)           44.5 ( 44)
Turnover Pct.  :   17.1 ( 18)           23.3 ( 68)
Off. Rebound%  :   36.0 ( 90)           32.4 (140)
Free Throw Rate:   24.1 (183)           27.2 ( 28)

3-Point FG%    :   34.4 (158)           30.0 ( 38)
2-Point FG%    :   46.6 (215)           44.3 ( 67)
Free Throw Pct.:   79.5 (  3)           64.7 ( 50)
Block Pct.     :    8.6 (163)           12.8 ( 41)
Steal Pct.     :    7.7 ( 20)           11.7 ( 67)

3PA/FGA        :   27.8 (278)           32.4 (148)
A/FGM          :   55.7 (139)           53.0 (137)

Maryland plays a similar "stats" game to the Noles, focusing on defense. They are currently ranked 23rd in the nation. Their offense, however, is 91st and would likely be better if they shot the ball better from the floor. Still, they get away with it because they don't turn the ball over and take advantage of getting to the line. Again, they are a relatively slow tempo offense compared to the likes of Clemson, Wake and UNC. Though, Maryland is scoring a lowly 1.07 points per possession. Keep in mind, we only score 0.99. However, the most points per possession we have allowed this year was 1.1 against Georgia Southern. Against Pitt, we only allowed 0.8 points per possession. So that's how we can get away with only scoring 0.9 points per possession. Sorry for the digression...back to Maryland. Despite their shooting troubles, Maryland has 4 players in the top 500 for Offensive Rating and 3 in the top 500 for turnover rate. That is the key to their offense...they limit their mistakes, which is quite impressive for a team with only one senior. Vasquez 6'6 So is their top offensive player and he, like Toney Douglas, does not come off the court. The big concern for Vazquez is that he turns the ball over on a regular basis. Look for Maryland to play a three guard line up on a regular basis with Vasquez, Sean Mosley 6'5 Fr and Eric Hayes 6'4 Jr. They may run into trouble against some of the bigger teams in the confernce like ourselves and Wake. There isn't a lot to get excited about here. I think the Maryland is a better version of ourselves...meaning they get it done on both ends of the court, unlike ourselves, who have yet to settle into an offensive rhythm on a regular basis. Maryland may quietly hang around in conference play, likely going 8-8. Some have predicted that Maryland may only win 4 conference games this year, which could be entirely possible.

So here is the lay of the land so far:

1. Duke

2. UNC

3. Clemson

4. Wake Forest

5. Maryland

6. Miami

7. Florida State

8. Boston College

What are your thoughts? Did Boston College's win against UNC move them up your rankings? Where do you think FSU will end up this year? The big question is will they make the tournament? With Pitt being ranked #1 and many saying that the FSU game was their closest game of the year, we might have a chance. We just need to hang on for the ride that will be the ACC conference play.

Thanks again for contributing and reading my ramblings.

Go NOLES!

Kentucky Wildcats vs. Miami Hurricanes: Tryin' to reason with Hurricane season

Truzenzuzex — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 17:20:55 -0000

Ah, Jimmy Buffet, troubadour of South Florida and favorite artist of former UK (and now former coach of New Mexico State) head football coach has our song reference for this game:

Squalls out on the gulf stream
Big storm's comin' soon
I passed out in my hammock
And God I slept 'til way past noon
Stood up and tried to focus
I hoped I wouldn't have to look far
I knew I could use a Bloody Mary
So I stumbled next door to the bar

Takes me waaayyy back to when 'ol Jimmy, me, some friends of mine and the Coral Reefers all had a bit of a blast in the hotel after he played down at Western Kentucky. Those were the days.

But back to the present. A storm will be brewing over Rupp Arena tomorrow at 5:30 when "Da U" comes to town to take a crack at the nation's winningest program. It wasn't that long ago when Miami barely had what could be considered a basketball program, and they were just about as successful as new members of the ACC as Duke has been at football. But Frank Haith has gradually and steadily built this program into a solid ACC team and a worthy opponent for anyone, a team that is in fact ranked in the top 25 right now. So let's dive right in and take a look at Miami's personnel (all statistics courtesy of Statsheet.com):

Player statistics and evaluations:

Miami (FL) Player Stats
Player	Size/wt	Class	Pos	GP/GS	MPG	PPG	FG%	3PTFG%	FT%	RPG	APG	TOPG	A/T	SPG	BPG
D. Collins	6'8"/238#	Jr.	F	6/6	25.7	12.7	61.40%	0.00%	64.70%	10.2	1.3	1.8	0.7	1	0.3
J. McClinton	6'1"/185#	Sr.	G	6/6	25.5	15.2	42.60%	45.50%	90.00%	1.5	2.5	2.2	1.2	0.5	0
J. Dews	6'3"/208#	Jr.	G	6/6	25.5	6	31.30%	16.70%	100.00%	2.5	0.8	1	0.8	1	0
C. McGowan	6'9"/235#	Jr.	F	6/6	23.2	8.8	43.60%	55.60%	60.90%	6.5	0.7	1.5	0.4	0.3	1
B. Asbury	6'7"/233#	Sr.	F	6/0	22.8	8.3	40.90%	0.00%	87.50%	5.5	1.8	1.3	1.4	1	0.5
L. Hurdle	6'2"/181#	Sr.	G	5/2	23.8	9.4	36.10%	38.90%	73.70%	1	2.2	1.2	1.8	0.8	0
J. Graham	6'8"/251#	Sr.	F	6/0	18.8	6	60.00%	0.00%	42.90%	6.8	0.8	1.3	0.6	0	1.3
D. Jones	6'6"/190#	Fr.	F	6/0	13.8	3.5	36.80%	0.00%	87.50%	1.8	0.7	1.3	0.5	0.7	0.2


Kentucky Player Stats
Player	Size/wt	Class	Pos	GP/GS	MPG	PPG	FG%	3PTFG%	FT%	RPG	APG	TOPG	A/T	SPG	BPG
J. Meeks	6'4"/208#	Jr.	G	7/7	34.3	24.6	44.40%	37.30%	87.50%	4.4	2	4.6	0.4	1.7	0.3
P. Patterson	6'8"/235#	So.	F	7/7	29.6	17.7	74.60%	0.00%	75.00%	8.1	2.9	2.1	1.3	0.9	1.7
R. Harris	6'6"/218#	Jr.	F	7/6	24.9	8.7	65.70%	16.70%	60.90%	2.9	1.1	2.7	0.4	1.1	0.3
P. Stevenson	6'9"/215#	Jr.	F	7/7	24.6	6	50.00%	0.00%	78.30%	5.1	1.6	2.1	0.7	0.9	2
D. Miller	6'7"/215	Fr.	F	7/1	21.4	5.3	41.90%	11.10%	71.40%	3.3	1.7	2.1	0.8	0.6	0.3
D. Liggins	6'6"/200#	Fr.	G	7/0	19.1	5.6	57.70%	50.00%	50.00%	3	3.4	3.3	1	0.7	0.6
M. Porter	6'3"/198#	Jr.	G	7/7	18.7	3.1	36.80%	36.40%	80.00%	2.6	2.3	2.6	0.9	0.6	0.1
J. Harrellson	6'9"/255#	So.	F	7/0	15.6	6	50.00%	66.70%	76.90%	5	0.4	0.9	0.5	0.4	1.3

I have highlighted the likely starters in yellow.

As you can see from the players, both teams match up pretty well size-wise. Kentucky is a bit longer than the Hurricanes, and Miami might be a touch quicker in the back court. Statistically, the biggest thing you will see is that Meeks and Patterson carry the bulk of the scoring load for UK, accounting for over half of Kentucky's average points/game. Miami's top two scorers account for only account for 35 percent of their scoring. Miami has better scoring balance.

The other thing I notice is although both teams get a roughly similar number of rebounds/game, Miami's are more concentrated and Kentucky's more spread out. That makes sense when you consider what a tall team UK normally puts on the floor.

The big guns for Miami are obviously Jack McClinton and Dwayne Collins. McClinton is a good three-point shooter and Collins does all his scoring around the basket, and is arguably the best low-post player we have faced so far this year. Lance Hurdle is also a good three-point shooter, and Cyrus McGowan and Eddie Rios add additional long-range accuracy.

Match ups

It looks to me that the match ups in this game are very close to even in the starting lineup. Kentucky is a bit taller and longer and Miami is more experienced with better perimeter shooting. The two main match ups I will be watching are whoever is guarding Collins inside (probably Patterson, since Stevenson would seem to be too light) and whoever is guarding McClinton (My guess is Meeks).

From the Miami perspective, they must find a way to keep Meeks from going off on them, and that will be a challenge. There are almost no guards in NCAA basketball athletic enough to handle Meeks without help. Our first contest with a quality big man, Deon Thompson of UNC, resulted in a field day for Thompson. That can't happen again tonight if the Wildcats hope for victory.

Team stats

School	Kentucky		Miami		Comments
Conference	SEC		ACC
State	KY		FL
Founded	1865		1925
School Type	Public		Private
Enrollment	26545		15248
Rankings
Conf Standing	N/A		N/A
AP Rank	0		21		Chance for Kentucky
RPI	0.64		0.64		Very similar
RPI Rank	25		24
SOS	0.64		0.69
SOS Rank	13		4		Heh. Weak for UK
Wins & Losses
Overall	5-2	(71.4%)	4-2	(66.7%)
Home	3-1	(75.0%)	2-1	(66.7%)
Away	0-1	(0.0%)	0-0	(0.0%)
Neutral	2-0	(100.0%)	2-1	(66.7%)
Conference	0-0	(0.0%)	0-0	(0.0%)
Top 25	0-1	(0.0%)	0-1	(0.0%)
Blowout (> 19)	3-0	(100.0%)	2-0	(100.0%)
Close (< 6)	1-0	(100.0%)	0-1	(0.0%)	Kansas state game for UK
Overtime	0-0	(0.0%)	0-0	(0.0%)
NCAA Tourney	N/A	(0.0%)	N/A	(0.0%)
Scoring
Pts Per Game	79.1	(46)	76	(79)	Amazing to find us this high, but it's early.
Shooting
FG Pct	52.6	(4)	42.7	(207)	UK much better
FT Pct	76.3	(27)	70.9	(109)	UK slightly better
3pt FG Pct	35.1	(128)	34.5	(152)	Hard to believe, but UK very slightly better, mostly because of Meeks.
Rebounds
Reb Per Game	41	(115)	48.2	(6)	This is a critical stat for UK
Off Rebs Per Game	9.7	(281)	15.8	(16)	If we allow them to rebound like this, I don't like our chances
Def Rebs Per Game	29	(11)	28.3	(19)	About even
Assists, Steals, & Blocks
Assists Per Game	16.9	(32)	12.5	(214)	UK edge
Steals Per Game	7.1	(155)	6	(239)	UK edge
Blocks Per Game	7	(7)	3.7	(129)	UK edge
Turnovers & Fouls
TO Per Game	22	(2)	13.2	(260)	No surprise. Miami big edge
Fouls Per Game	19.9	(118)	17.7	(241)	Close enough.

Note: The items in parenthesis that are not percentages represent the national ranking of the team for that stat.

Overall, the team stats are very close. Miami has a big edge in offensive rebounds, total rebounds and turnovers. Kentucky has an edge in shooting, assists, and most measured defensive stats. The most important stat that Miami leads in are offensive rebounds. Miami is a good rebounding team, and UK has really struggled with that statistic all year. If UK allows Miami to dominate the glass, it will be a long night in Rupp Arena.

Miami has also played a tougher schedule to date than Kentucky has, and that is undoubtedly reflected in their stats. You can safely say that many of the UK edges that look big are really much smaller when quality of competition is factored in.

Conclusion

This looks like a great early-season match up for both teams. Back before the season, many of us had this and the North Carolina game circled as way points along the path of UK's basketball journey this year. This game will show just how far the Wildcats have come after being easily handled by the 'Heels. Win here, and the memory of the VMI defeat will become very remote and start to look like an aberration. Lose, and the nation as well as 'Cat fans will assume that the apparent progress of the last five games are more mirage than reality.

Miami is a tough, man-to-man defensive team very much in the mold of a West Virgina, except that they press less and have more experienced players. Frank Haith is an outstanding defensive coach, and he has taken Miami an incredible distance in a short time. Four years ago, this game would have been little more challenging than Lamar, but Haith has turned the Miami program into a competitive ACC squad that will almost certainly be playing in March.

Kentucky, on the other hand, is a team in flux. Earlier this week, we saw Kentucky play what was unquestionably their best game so far this year in every aspect against Lamar University. The loss of Harris will definitely be felt, but we do have capable, albeit young backups for that position. Darius Miller is a likely starter in the place of Harris, but we could also see Kevin Galloway see some time at that spot. One of the things Gillispie has done for this team is create a team that has a lot of 6'5"-6'7" athletes that can run the floor, handle and defend. That depth will be tested today.

Depth wise, Miami clearly has the deeper and more experienced team. Most of the players logging minutes for Miami are upperclassmen, and the same can definitely not be said for the Wildcats. Player for player the Wildcats may be more talented, but Miami is more experienced and that experience really matters at this level.

It will also be interesting to see if Kentucky can run the floor like they did against Lamar. That tactic led to a strong outburst of scoring by the 'Cats, and a lot of easy buckets. If we can do that against the likes of Miami, we should be able to do it against anyone.

In the end, I think this game will come down to how well Kentucky rebounds and takes care of the ball. Patrick Patterson, Perry Stevenson and Josh Harrellson will be critical to the former and DeAndre Liggins and Mike Porter the latter. If we limit turnovers to 18 or less and rebound well, UK should be able to win in Rupp Arena. Otherwise, Miami is fully capable of winning this game handily. This will be a great examination for both teams' progress, and should be one of the better college basketball games available today.

Go Cats!