Who's The Best?

By Jon Edwards

After only a couple weeks into the season, we’ve already had some amazing games. They continue as the ACC/Big 10 and Big East/SEC Challenges wrap up in the next couple of days. These teams have been most impressive so far in the early season.

AP Photo/ Darron Cummings

1.     Indiana Hoosiers – There is not a hole on this team. Aside from a nail-biting win against Georgetown, no game has been close, which includes their dismantling of North Carolina. Cody Zeller has proven the hype is for real, and they still don’t give him the ball nearly enough. His numbers are only going to keep going up. Jordan Hulls has been lights out from beyond the arc so far, and forward Will Sheehey hasn’t been too shabby himself. The X-factor for Indiana is guard Victor Oladipo. The kid is tremendously athletic, flies on the court, and has a complete game on both ends of the court. This team is as legit a title contender as there is.

2.     Duke Blue Devils – Duke has come up with the most impressive resume so far, with wins over Kentucky, Louisville, and Ohio State. They are a balanced team, and can attack you from anywhere. The backcourt trio of Seth Curry, Quinn Cook, and Rasheed Sulaimon is as good as it gets on any team. It’s the frontcourt that could pose problems for the Blue Devils. Ryan Kelly is one of the more inconsistent players in the nation, but when he is playing well, Duke will be tough to beat. Mason Plumlee, who had 21 points and 17 rebounds in their latest win against Ohio State, is a stud.

3.     Syracuse Orange – Syracuse hasn’t gotten into the core of their schedule, but they are as sound as any team in the nation. Their game in Arkansas at Bud Walton Arena will tell us a lot more. Sophomore point guard Michael Carter-Williams leads the nation in assists, and is second in steals. Brandon Triche has been assertive on the offensive end, taking double-digit shots in each game so far. Orange big man Baye Moussa Keita has been extremely impressive so far, as have his mates in the frontcourt, Rakeem Christmas and DaJuan Coleman. Expect to see the Orange in the Georgia Dome come April.

4.     Michigan Wolverines – The boys from Ann Arbor have racked up three straight impressive wins, against Pittsburgh, Kansas State, and North Carolina State. Point guard Trey Burke has been one of the best in the nation, averaging almost 8 assists per game, and more importantly for Michigan, has gotten his field goal percentage up towards the 50% mark. Tim Hardaway, Jr. and Glenn Robinson III, both sons of former NBA stars, have played very well, combining for 30 points and 14 boards per game so far. These guys have proven many people wrong so far this season.

5.     Louisville Cardinals – A loss to Duke is the only blemish on their record so far, but that also was the third game in three days for Louisville. The biggest problem for them right now is the status of Center Gorgui Dieng, who is out with a broken wrist. He is the rock of their defense, and also takes pressure off of everyone else. His teammates are struggling, as Peyton Siva and Chane Behanan are both under 40% from the field this year. Leading scorer Russ Smith has been quite the sparkplug so far, averaging just under 20 points per game. This team is going to improve tremendously throughout the rest of the year, which is a scary thought for other teams across the country.

Most impressive non-BCS team:

Wichita State Shockers – Gregg Marshall has this team ready to play. The Shockers are led by their two big men, incumbent Carl Hall, and junior college transfer two time NCAA Division III Player of the Year Cleanthony Early. They have almost identical numbers, both hovering around 14 points and 7 rebounds a game. Hall is more of a bull down low, while Early’s athleticism allows him to fly around the court, finishing some ferocious slams. This team will contend with the big boys when given the chance.

College Hoops' Week of Surprises

By Joshua Walls

What a great week it has been in college hoops.  One word to sum this week up: surprise.  We have seen some very special moments as well as some devastating disappointments.

The week started off with what many experts considered to be one of the better matches of the year.  It was the number 14 ranked North Carolina Tar Heels taking on Cody Zeller’s number one ranked Indiana Hoosiers. 

AP Photo/ Darron Cummings

UNC standout forward James Michael McAdoo put on a terrible performance, shooting 4-15 from the floor and only 33% from the foul line. Dexter Strickland and McAdoo’s other teammates played poorly, as well.

This game was the opposite of what experts and fans thought it would be.  It did not take long for Mr. Indiana, Cody Zeller to find the weak spots in this UNC defense and dominate.  Cody Zeller finished the game with an astonishing 20 points and 8 rebounds, while carrying the load on defense with 4 blocks.  Cody Zeller certainly made his case for Player of the Year honors with his outstanding play.

Duke has been playing solid all season, continually beating teams and extending their undefeated winning streak.  Duke has also made coaches, analysts, and fans alike guess why they were ranked number 8 at the beginning of the season in the AP poll and why they are not ahead of Indiana for number 1 instead of 2.  Duke certainly showed college hoops nation exactly why they deserve a spot on the top this past Wednesday when they took on the number 4 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes and carefully executed to win the game.  Duke’s F/C Mason Plumlee is carving out a compelling campaign this season, while receiving much attention from NBA scouts everywhere.  He led the way for the Blue Devils this past Wednesday posting an incredible double that included 21 points and seventeen rebounds.

The biggest surprise this week is perhaps the Notre Dame fighting Irish knocking off John Calapari’s highly recruited Kentucky Wildcats.  John Calapari was in dismay over the game.  When reporters questioned him during the press conference, he described his players as “out of control.”  Kentucky’s Nerlens Noel just has not been able to carry the team like many believed he would.  I expect the Wildcats to be consistent and average throughout the season.

Shabazz Muhammad is certainly looking every bit like the number one overall consensus pick for the 2013 spring NBA draft. Muhammad is playing great defense, shooting the ball well from behind the arc, getting teammates involved and last but not least, running the floor exceptionally well in transition.  However, UCLA took a great loss when big man Joshua Smith declared his transfer.  This will certainly be a large hit for Ben Howland and the UCLA program.

One of the most intriguing subjects in college basketball is Grinnell’s 5’10 guard Jack Taylor, who scored a ridiculous 138 points.  Taylor gained so much attention that NBA star Lebron James called Taylor as “Sir Jack,” referring to his royalty-like performance.  LeBron and Kobe both called the performance epic and legendary.

College hoops have certainly entertained this week and the play has left many at the edge of their seats anticipating the next week.