NCAA TOURNAMENT: Round One Recap

Round 1 is complete and it has been everything anyone could have asked for. If it is a little bit of chaos you crave… well it has arrived. There were some incredible games, and incredible performances. Let’s run through and recap what all went down in the historic Round 1.


Biggest Upset
This was almost East Tennessee State or North Dakota State, but Pittsburgh and Kansas prevailed. No doubt about this one though, folks. Cleveland State shocked EVERYONE. Thirteen seeded Cleveland State got off to a quick start. They scored early, and they scored often. After a 17 point lead right off the starting block, they did not look back. When it was all said and done, Cleveland State killed Wake, 84-69. Cedric Jackson controlled the Demon Deacons with a near triple double (19, 7, 8).

Best Game
Well this one just got over about an hour or so ago. The Siena – Ohio State game was definitely the game of the first round. I said on Twitter (www.twitter.com/JHulsey) that this game would end with fireworks and was I ever right! Ronald Moore hit a 3-pointer with 3.9 seconds left in the second overtime— from the identical spot he made one at the end of the first OT—as the Saints beat eighth-seeded Ohio State 74-72 on Friday night.

Best Player Performance
A 16 has never beaten a one seed. Some say it is impossible, but I assure you that it will happen; sooner than later. Without this guy, we would be talking about East Tennessee State beating Pitt. Without Dejaun Blair, Pittsburgh would have been screwed. He is a presence in the paint, and he did what he wanted to do all day versus the 16. When Pittsburgh finally rose from the ashes, Blair was flexing his muscles once again with 27 points and 16 rebounds.

Most Impressive Team
After winning their first Pac 10 title ever, the Trojans marched in with swagger and confidence. They are playing with a healthy starting five for the first time since 2008. USC is big with a few 6’10”+ and a ton of 6’9”s. They can dominate block to block, but can also kick it out to hit the J. With their defense and athleticism, they have gone completely under the radar. I would not be surprised if DeRozan and Gibson pull off the upset against Michigan State.

Most Disappointing Team
Well I didn’t even have to research this one. It is Wake Forest, by far. This team has the talent to win a National Championship. They have some of the best athletes in the Nation on their team, but have gone only 7-6 since they beat Duke. Jeff Teague is a man among boys when he is on his game. The whole team has NBA players on it, but it seems as if they cannot gel to win games. Something is going on behind the scenes. Whether it is coaches vs players, players vs players, or whatever it may be… they can’t win with crap like that going on.

Most Dangerous Team
I mean, out of all the teams left, which team (other than seeds 1-4) is in the best place to win five more. Which team is the most dangerous? I’ll tell you; it is Arizona. Arizona has a 13 vs 12 game on Sunday against Cleveland State. If they win, and I predict them to, they will take on a Louisville (or Siena J) that they CAN beat. When evaluating teams, you look for a great PG, wingman, and post player. Nic Wise, Chase Budinger, and Jordan Hill. They have a great big three that can give problems to anybody. Watch out for the Wildcats… They are very dangerous.

Expect a similar article on the 2nd Round on Sunday or Monday! Stop back by then and check it out.

OH... Almost forgot. My bracket is still very in tact. I am 26-6 so far, I have all Final Four teams out there, but the Florida State and Wake Forest upset games killed me. I had both teams going to the Sweet Sixteen.

Justin Hulsey

StLDieHard24@gmail.com

CollegeSports-Fans.com A10 Correspondent

FANdemoniumSports.blogspot.com

Budding Stars Who Will Soon Cash In

With the NBA's age limit forcing most elite prospects to spend at least one year in school, the NCAA is rapidly becoming a freshman-dominated league. Who is this year's Kevin Durant or Derrick Rose or Michael Beasley? Well, maybe there aren't any players as dominant as those freaks, but here are three freshmen from the 2008-2009 class who are making a push for the top spot among their peers.

1. Willie Warren, G, Oklahoma
Warren is full of confidence and backs it up with his athleticism. He is averaging 15.1 ppg while shooting 38 percent from deep. Warren stepped up big in the Sooner's two games without Blake Griffin has had continued his high level of play even with the big man's return. His 6-4 frame makes him a huge PG in comparison to the rest of one-guards in the league. He is no doubt a legimate contender for Freshman of the Year and one player to look out for in the NCAA Tournament.

Off Season Forecast: Top 10 Pick (Indiana Pacers?)

2. Al-Farouq Aminu, F, Wake Forest
The Deamon Deacons are a freshman heavy team but no player stands out more than Al-Farouq Aminu. With his blend of pure athleticism and intangibles, Aminu is a star in the making. If he can improve his 3-point shooting, he will be impossible to guard. Aminu runs the floor and rebounds very well. He is almost averaging a double with 12.7 ppg and 8.2 rpg, while helping lead Wake to a possible Tournament berth.

Off Season Forecast: Top 7 Pick (Toronto Raptors?)

3. Tyreke Evans, G, Memphis
Evans is an all-around basketball player as evidenced by his season averages (16.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.6 apg, 2.1 spg). He has fill in nicely at the point guard position for coach John Callipari and is on the verge of leading the Tigers to yet another #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. He is another big PG, and is even taller than Warren. Evans is my pick for Freshman of the Year.

Off Season Forecast: Top 15 Pick (Philadelphia 76ers?)

--------

I think we can all agree that these three players are some of the best that the college game has to offer... and will all soon be cashing in.

Cory Guinn

cryguinn@yahoo.com

FANdemoniumsports.blogspot.com

Midseason Honors

We’re about halfway through the season, and soon the fun will begin. As we approach the final stretch, let’s think as if we are already there. If the season ended today, what would the awards look like? One of my favorite things to do as a sports fan is awarding players, often well before the actual titles are handed out.

Note: These awards have nothing to do with pro-potential and all that mumbo-jumbo. Simply this year’s performance and the impact/value that the player brings to his team.


ALL-AMERICAN 1ST TEAM

G- Stephen Curry, Davidson
The most explosive player in the country just continues to do his thing. Unarguably the best junior in the Nation. Curry leads everyone in points/game, he is 5th in steals/game, 5th in assists/game, and he is making 38% of his threes. I could go on and on with stats but we all know that this guy should be on this list, no questions. He has had some off days when teams get smart and put (usually) two long-armed defenders on him to disrupt his shot, but then he will come out and light up the court again that next game. However, even when he does have an off night, you can still bet on him dropping 30. He is a scoring machine anywhere on the floor.

G- James Harden, Arizona State
This guy, as well as his team, has kind of gone under the radar all season. Before researching for this post, I didn’t even know a ton about him. That surprises me though. He is the leader of the #15 team in the Nation. Averaging 22 PPG, along with six rebounds, and four assists, the best thing about this guy is he is so young. Whether he will be back next year or not I do not know, but this sophomore is dominating the Pac 10. He shoots with a better percentage than Curry does – 54% FG and 42% from beyond the arc. Considering he has a ton of room to improve, he is one of the best that I have seen at the “and 1”. He has it down to a science, and when he goes to the line he knocks it down. He is used to being double or triple teamed and it just shows his maturity, unselfishness, and poise.

F- Blake Griffin, Oklahoma
Say hello to the accolades, Mr. Griffin. This guy is just a ridiculous athlete, and will soon hear his name announced as the #1 player picked in the upcoming draft. He is a big, strong guy that dominates the post with his points and rebounds. He should get the rebound title this year, averaging 14/game. His 6’10” 250 lb frame lets him do whatever he wants in the paint. There is nothing wrong with this guy… Perfect low-post size, great hands, very athletic for a near- 7-footer, scrappy kind of player, battles on every play, he is able to get on it and run the floor, good enough ball handling to dribble on fast-break, still a good passer (3 assists per), is there anything else you need???

F- Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina
Even though “Physco T” was out the first couple games, and got off to a slow start, he has still done plenty to get on this list. Heck, he would make my All-Decade team. He is the heart and soul of the best college basketball team, possibly, we have seen in a while. He is the most intense (borderline insane) player that I have ever witnessed play in the collegiate level. He is a big-time scorer, a big-time rebounder, in a big-time conference. He is the perfect example on why players should hang around in college instead of leaving after their freshman, sophomore, or junior seasons. Due to him staying at Chapel Hill for the full four years, his game is more polished and he is a more mature player than the good majority of the Country. He is very experienced and comes through in the clutch better than most, which can also have to do with hanging around. North Carolina has had one of the toughest schedules of all the #25 teams, but still Hansbrough puts in 23 & 8 every night.

C- Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut
Thabeet is arguably the best pure center in the NCAA and has undoubtedly the coolest name. Thabeet is averaging a double-double and is an anchor in the third ranked Huskies squad. Thabeet better be looking over his shoulder because Arizona State’s Jordan Hill is gaining on him at the center position. He is improving constantly and still has plenty of room to grow. He does exactly what any team would ask of somebody like Hasheem. He clogs up the paint, takes care of the boards, and drills the hook shot. Teams do not go into the paint when playing UCONN because of this dude. If you drive, it is inevitable, he will block you. He averages 13 points/game, 10 rebounds, 4 blocks, and makes his shot at a 67% rate. Last year’s Roy Hibbert is the closest that I can compare him to… but Thabeet is much better.

2ND TEAM

G- Darren Collison
G- Ty Lawson
F- Luke Harangody
F- Sam Young
C- Jordan Hill


PLAYER OF THE YEAR

F- Blake Griffin, Oklahoma
Say hello to the accolades, Mr. Griffin. This guy is just a ridiculous athlete, and will soon hear his name announced as the #1 player picked in the upcoming draft. He is a big, strong guy that dominates the post with his points and rebounds. He should get the rebound title this year, averaging 14/game. His 6’10” 250 lb frame lets him do whatever he wants in the paint. There is nothing wrong with this guy… Perfect low-post size, great hands, very athletic for a near- 7-footer, scrappy kind of player, battles on every play, he is able to get on it and run the floor, good enough ball handling to dribble on fast-break, still a good passer (3 assists per), is there anything else you need???

Honorable Mention:
G- Steph Curry, Davidson


FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR

C- Greg Monroe, Georgetown
Considering the way he has played, what he offers to Georgetown, it is no stretch to call Monroe the best freshman in the Nation thus far. Greg has stepped up and contributed consistently for the Hoyas since day one, filling the Hibbert void. He has established himself as arguably the most important piece to the #12 Hoyas’ puzzle, and erasing any doubts that people had of him coming out of high school. In the game against UCONN, he owned the game that I put on the All-American team in Monroe’s position. On both ends of the floor, he showed everyone that he has the versatility, skill-set, and feel for the game better than most college vets. I have him as the #3 big-man in the NCAA, behind Thabeet and Hill.

Honorable Mention:
G- Willie Warren, Oklahoma


MAJOR CONFERENCE WINNERS

ACC- North Carolina Tar Heels
Big 12- Oklahoma Sooners
Big East- Pittsburgh Panthers
Big Ten- Minnesota Golden Gophers
Pac 10- Arizona State Sun Devils
SEC- Florida Gators


FINAL FOUR PREDICTION

I will leave the rest for you, but here will be the final four teams remaining. I hate to just pick the favorites so do not hate me if I go on a limb on some or all of these four.

Midwest- Clemson Tigers
West- North Carolina Tar Heels
East- Syracuse Orange
South- Wake Forest



If you wouldn’t mind, I would love to hear your thoughts on this post. All you have to do is write a comment and submit. There is no subscribing to anything. Just write one or two sentences and click.

Justin Hulsey
StLDieHard24@gmail.com
www.thejaystick.blogspot.com