Articles

AP Top 25: January 11

Top 10 Players of the Decade

It was a decade of change in college basketball, as the one-and-done stud became the norm and the four-year player became increasingly rare. Both categories though, the vets & the one-and-dones, made a large impact on the game, as players like Hansbrough & Williams piled up awards at the same clip as Anthony & Durant. Here's my take on the Top 10, post your list in the comments section.

The stars for #2 Texas in the win over North Carolina on Saturday were Dexter Pittman and Damion James, who combined for 48 points and 30 rebounds. But what would Rick Barnes' team do if one of those two (in this case Pittman; James was the best player on the floor with 23 and 13, becoming the school's all-time leading rebounder) was saddled with foul trouble? We found out on Tuesday night in a late-game display that showed off the depth that makes the Longhorns a serious Final Four/national title contender.

Player of the Week: Dexter Pittman, C, Texas

The second-to-last day of college basketball before Christmas brings a loaded schedule of games: ninety-one to be exact, a number you rarely see reached outside of Saturdays. The biggest matchup nationally: Michigan State taking on Texas in Austin. The Longhorns' 103-90 win over North Carolina showed one important thing to future opponents: if you aren't physically strong inside you're in for a long day. That's due to the presence of center Dexter Pittman, who's in the best shape of his collegiate career and has an improved skill set as a result.

Saturday was definitely a day full of action, but little did much of the nation know that the most-discussed event would be the end of the Xavier/Butler game at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Down one to the visiting Musketeers Butler scuffled through their final possession, even having the ball deflected into the backcourt as the clock ticked under fifteen seconds. But a peculiar thing happened as the ball rolled away from the Butler basket: the clock stopped.