Thursday, Dec. 31 Predictions

Prediction Record: 111-39 (ATS: 73-69-2)

Michigan at Indiana (+4.5): Prediction: Michigan 73, Indiana 67

Ohio State at Wisconsin (-6): Prediction: Wisconsin 62, Ohio State 59

Tennessee at Memphis (-1.5): Prediction: Memphis 77, Tennessee 73

Arizona State at UCLA (+1.5): Prediction: Arizona State 64, UCLA 59

Oregon at Washington State (-7): Prediction: Washington State 91, Oregon 76

Wisconsin-Green Bay at Butler (-13): Prediction: Butler 77, Wisconsin-Green Bay 66

Arizona at USC (-8.5): Prediction: USC 68, Arizona 56

Richmond at Wake Forest (-7.5): Prediction: Wake Forest 74, Richmond 67

St. John's at Georgetown (-10): Prediction: Georgetown 70, St. John's 62

Oklahoma at Gonzaga (-8.5): Prediction: Gonzaga 83, Oklahoma 75

Oregon State at Washington (-12.5): Prediction: Washington 72, Oregon State 58

Game of the Night: No. 14 Tennessee at Memphis

Game of the Night: No. 14 Tennessee at Memphis (4:00 PM, ESPN2)

New Year’s Eve is a special day for everyone – but it is especially exciting in college basketball this season. There are a plethora of marquee games, including No. 15 Ohio State at No. 23 Wisconsin, St. John’s at No. 13 Georgetown and Oklahoma at Gonzaga. However, the most interesting match-up of the day will be No. 14 Tennessee at Memphis. Although Memphis is down this season, the game has become a solid rivalry in recent years, and both teams could use the win. Tennessee has lost two games this season, a one-point defeat to Purdue and a surprising 22-point loss at USC. The Volunteers don’t have any impressive wins on their resume yet, however. On the other hand, Memphis has also lost two games – by a combined three points, at Kansas and at Massachusetts. The Tigers don’t have a marquee – or remotely impressive – win on their resume, either.

Tennessee has plenty of talent on its roster, as the Volunteers can go 10 or 11 deep without too much of a dropoff from the starters to the reserves. Tyler Smith is one of the most versatile forwards in the country, although his numbers are down across the board this season. Wayne Chism is an inside-outside option down low, although he tends to stay on the perimeter too much. Scotty Hopson, Cameron Tatum and J.P. Prince are all solid wing scorers, while Brian Williams is a bruiser down low. The problem for Bruce Pearl this season has been the point guard position. Bobby Maze is talented, but has not shot the ball well, and makes careless mistakes with the ball. Melvin Goins is another player who has struggled to shoot the three, and turns it over too much. They will have to figure it out in order to make a run in March.

Memphis lost a ton from last season, but the Tigers still look like they will contend in Conference-USA. Duke transfer Elliot Williams is averaging better than 20 points per game, and is capable of carrying the Tigers offensively. Doneal Mack and Wesley Witherspoon are both shooting better than 40 percent from three-point range and are averaging double-figures in scoring. Roburt Sallie is another player who can fill it up from distance, while Willie Kemp has handled the point fairly well. Up front, Will Coleman and Pierre Henderson-Niles have split the minutes down low. Coleman has been more effective offensively, defensively and on the glass, while Henderson-Niles has averaged 12.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in the past two games.

Both of these teams are perimeter-oriented groups that like to get up-and-down the floor and shoot three-pointers. Unfortunately for them, neither team is all that consistent knocking down outside shots. The key in this game will be which team can take care of the ball better. Both teams don’t turn the ball over that often, but both teams also love forcing turnovers with their pressure defense. As a result, I think the difference will be the ineffectiveness of Tennessee’s point guards; Memphis’ Elliot Williams will come through down the stretch.

Prediction: Memphis 77, Tennessee 73

2012 prospect has 13 offers

Alex Murphy has a lot of things going for him. The 2012 prospect is the younger brother of Florida freshman, Erik, and has been on the nation’s radar for a couple of years already. He is a versatile forward who is still growing into his skill set, and is a top-three player in a loaded New England class.

As a result, it’s no surprise that he has more than a dozen offers at this point, and even more interest coming his way from national powers.

Murphy told me on Wednesday that he has offers from Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Georgetown, Indiana, Michigan, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Connecticut, Boston College, Providence, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. He also said that he has interest from North Carolina, Duke, Texas and Kentucky.

Murphy has visited Connecticut, Providence and Florida, and plans on checking out another prospective school this weekend.

“I’m actually going to check out Georgia Tech down in Atlanta this week cause my high school team is playing in a tournament down there this weekend,” Murphy said.

Although Murphy has no favorites in terms of schools or conferences, he has an idea of what he is looking for when he makes his decision.

“Obviously academics are number one,” he said. “Next is the relationship with the coach and the ‘family’ atmosphere. Style of play and where I would see myself helping the team, too.”

With his brother already at Florida, many think that the Gators could be one of the favorites land his services.

However, Murphy says that is not the case – he is wide-open despite the family connection.

“Eh, not really,” he said when asked if Erik’s location have an impact on his decision.. “He’s helping me with the whole recruiting process and he’s always here to talk to if I have questions. So he’s been a big part of the process for me, but because he’s at Florida doesn’t have any effect on where I’ll end up.”

The 6-7 Murphy still has plenty of room to grow and develop, as he needs to refine his game and also mature physically. Luckily, he still has three years before he heads to college.

More importantly, Murphy is not going to rest on his laurels – he knows he needs to get better, and is willing to work.

“[I need to work the most on] my strength,” he said. “Speed and quickness, too. But also everything else.

"You gotta keep working on all aspects of your game if you want to be the best player you can be.”

Isaiah Sykes has a favorite

2010 forward Isaiah Sykes is an interesting case study.

He is only rated as a two-star prospect by Scout.com, and a three-star player by Rivals. However, Sykes has five offers on the table, including ones from some of the top programs in the country.

Right now, Sykes claims offers from Michigan, Tennessee, Okahoma, Syracuse and Temple, he told me on Tuesday.

He also has other schools showing interest, but could not name all of them.

The Detroit native has taken only two visits, to Tennessee and Michigan.

“I’ve gotta visit the rest,” Sykes said, although he did mention that both schools he saw have great programs.

For now, though, one school stands out.

“I like Tennessee a lot,” he said. “They’re my favorite.”

Don’t count out the lone Big East program in the group, though, as he is still strongly considering Syracuse.

“[I like] their style of play, great coaches and the history they have,” Sykes said.

Although he does not have a timetable for his decision, he did say that he is looking closely at style of play and coaching, and will likely pick a school after the season.

It will be interesting to see which is closer to Sykes’ true rating: the high-major coaches offering him or the scouting services potentially underrating him.

Full-Court Press, Dec. 31

New Year's Eve news and notes from around the nation:

- Easily one of my favorite annual articles: Luke Winn of SI.com’s “Early Warnings List.”

- Another one of my favorites (and perhaps my favorite annual column): Seth Davis’ “Jigsaw Man” column.

- Indiana State guard Jake Kelly, a former Iowa transfer, will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL.

- Way to be a Debbie Downer, Joe Lunardi. Neither Northwestern and St. John’s – and several other feel-good teams – will make the NCAA Tournament, according to ESPN’s resident bracketologist.

- FOXSports.com’s Jeff Goodman writes that West Virginia could have problems in the postseason unless Darryl Bryant and Joe Mazzulla improve at the point. We’ll have more on this in the coming days.

- Perfect example of taking a quote out of context: discussing the shot balance between himself, Jon Scheyer and Kyle Singler, Nolan Smith says that all three are going to get their fair share. The title of the Sporting News interview? “Nolan Smith: ‘I’m gonna take mine.’” The rest of the quote was: “They’re gonna get theirs too.” 

- A day-by-day account of the most important non-conference games thus far and how they will impact the NCAA Tournament, from SI.com’s Andy Glockner.

- Jason King of Yahoo! Sports’ Midseason All-American Team: Damion James, Wesley Johnson, Luke Harangody, John Wall and Sherron Collins with Jim Boeheim as the coach.

- Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com’s Midseason All-American Team: John Wall, Wesley Johnson, Da’Sean Butler, Damion James and Luke Harangody.

 - 50 best sports quotes from the past year, per ESPN.com's Page 2.

Wednesday, Dec. 30 Predictions

Prediction Record: 105-36 (ATS: 68-66-1)

• UAB at Virginia (-2.5): Prediction: UAB 67, Virginia 63
  
• Duquesne at Old Dominion (-13.5): Prediction: Old Dominion 68, Duquesne 54
  
• South Florida at Louisville (-13): Prediction: Louisville 74, South Florida 64
  
• Connecticut at Cincinnati (-2): Prediction: Cincinnati 70, Connecticut 66
  
• William & Mary at Maryland (-13): Prediction: Maryland 81, William & Mary 71
  
• Northwestern at Illinois (-7.5): Prediction: Illinois 66, Northwestern 61
  
• South Carolina at Boston College (-5.5): Prediction: Boston College 69, South Carolina 62
  
• Providence at Notre Dame (-8.5): Prediction: Notre Dame 91, Providence 80
  
• Baylor at Arkansas (+4): Prediction: Arkansas 79, Baylor 75
  

Full-Court Press, Dec. 30

News and notes from around the nation:

- Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo told Kalin Lucas not to practice on Tuesday. “I just decided there were some leadership issues on this team that I don’t think people are living up to what I need done,” Izzo said. “And what I do tomorrow, I have no idea yet.”

- Can John Wall run an offense and take care of the ball? He seems to have answered that with 16 assists and one turnover against Hartford last night.

- “They treat us like slaves.” A must-read in the Boston Globe about the exploitation of African basketball players in the United States.

- UCLA is going to finish third in the Pac-10? Didn’t the first two months of the season mean anything?

- St. John's forward Justin Burrell has a chance to return Thursday, while Anthony Mason Jr. could come back on Jan. 3, according to Jeff Goodman's Twitter.

- Surprise, surprise: Illinois guard Alex Legion is leaving the program and plans to transfer. Legion originally committed to Michigan before heading to Kentucky and then transferring to Illinois.

- Oregon State freshman Roberto Nelson was partially cleared to play two weeks ago, but head coach Craig Robinson is considering redshirting him.

- Georgia Tech point guard Iman Shumpert is expected to return for the Yellow Jackets on Jan. 2, according to Jeff Goodman of FOXSports.com.

- Jeff Goodman of FOXSports.com reported that former UCLA forward Drew Gordon visited San Diego State on Tuesday and plans on deciding between the Aztecs, New Mexico, Notre Dame and UNLV in early January.

- Looking ahead to Saturday’s contest between Kentucky and Louisville, John Clay of the Lexington Herald-Leader writes that the Wildcats will need to do a much better job defending the three-pointer against the Cardinals.

Justin Coleman tripping to Louisville this weekend

One of the more difficult recruitments to read this year has been that of Justin Coleman.

The 6-5 swingman from Virginia was relatively unknown until he excelled at the NBA Players Association Camp in June and leaped onto everyone’s radar. Since then, there has been little news about his recruitment, and many say it is due to academic troubles.

As a result, most expect Coleman to end up at prep school or junior college next season. He is not throwing in the towel just yet, however. He transferred to Huntington Prep in West Virginia this season and plans on visiting a Big East school in the near future.

On Tuesday, Coleman told me in a text message that he will be taking a trip to Louisville this weekend.

“Yes,” Coleman confirmed.

The Cardinals recently received a verbal commitment from 2011 swingman Wayne Blackshear.

Rhoomes holds four offers, will reclassify

A fast-rising big man in the New York area, Ryan Rhoomes came onto the scene after a strong summer performance at several events, including the Reebok U All-American Camp. 

Not surprisingly, Rhoomes’ school list has grown considerably since July.

Currently, he has offers from St. John’s, West Virginia, Virginia Tech and Cincinnati, with interest from Pittsburgh, Marquette and Iowa State.

“I had two home meetings with St. John’s and Virginia Tech,” Rhoomes said. “And West Virginia came to my school.”

Furthermore, Rhoomes told me that he plans on reclassifying to the class of 2011.

“[I need] to develop more,” said Rhoomes, who will attend South Kent (Conn.) next season.

With his college decision pushed back for another year, Rhoomes does not have a timetable for when he will pick a school.

“I want to [choose a school this year],” he said. “But I don’t really know what I want in a school yet.”

Jelani Hewitt awaits offers

As the number of available 2010 point guards diminishes, one player who expects his recruitment to pick up is Jelani Hewitt.

The 6-3 Florida native is an explosive scorer who can fill it up in a hurry. His offensive ability has led to plenty of interest from a variety of schools.

“My recruiting is going to increase a lot as the season goes on and as my team keeps winning,” Hewitt told me on Tuesday.

Right now, he has offers from James Madison and Nebraska, but he says that more are on the way.

“Schools like Georgia, Fresno State, UCLA and Alabama are about to offer,” Hewitt said.

He added that he has no visits planned, but will make a decision in the spring.

Players of the Week: Mike Gerrity, Devin Ebanks

Co-Players of the Week: Mike Gerrity, USC and Devin Ebanks, West Virginia 

A holiday-shortened week that featured zero games on Thursday, four games on Friday and only one game on Saturday had no shortage of outstanding games and performances across the country. There were upset-spurring showings from Brett Harvey of Loyola (Md.) (25 points in a win at Indiana); UAB’s Aaron Johnson (12 points and 10 boards against Butler); South Alabama’s Tim Williams (21 points and seven rebounds at Florida); and Oral Roberts’ Michael Craion (18 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists vs. New Mexico). There were standout individual performances from Charleston Southern’s Jamarco Warren (37 points), Hawaii’s Dwain Williams (58 points in two games), Lipscomb’s Adnan Hodzic (34 points and 13 boards) and Morgan State’s Kevin Thompson (23 points and 25 rebounds). Don’t forget about big-time weeks from Georgia’s Trey Thompkins, Louisville’s Samardo Samuels, Alabama’s JaMychal Green, Missouri’s Kim English, UTEP’s Randy Culpepper, Maryland’s Greivis Vasquez, BYU’s Jimmer Fredette, Georgetown’s Chris Wright, Texas’ Damion James – and Seton Hall’s Jeremy Hazell and his 41 points in a losing effort.

When it came down to it, the last two finalists for Player of the Week were Mike Gerrity of USC and Devin Ebanks of West Virginia – and we couldn’t separate the two. Gerrity, a transfer from Charlotte who became eligible just four games ago, has completely transformed the Trojans. They have not lost since he arrived, and they went to Hawaii for the Diamonds Head Classic and won the title. In the three games in Hawaii, Gerrity averaged 15.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. Sure, the numbers aren’t All-American quality, but the way USC has gone from Pac-10 cellar dweller to potential conference contender under his leadership has been tremendous.

Ebanks came into the season expected to have a breakout season, but those plans were derailed when he missed the first three games due to a personal leave of absence. However, he showed his lottery pick potential this past week in two wins over Mississippi and Seton Hall. Ebanks went for 14 points, 13 rebounds and four assists against Ole Miss, but followed that up with 22 points, 17 rebounds and seven assists in an overtime win at Seton Hall to open Big East play. Furthermore, he played all 45 minutes and was essentially the point guard for WVU at Seton Hall.

It’s not protocol to select co-Players of the Week, but it felt necessary to give coverage to both Gerrity’s impact on USC and Ebanks’ dominant statistics. On the season, Gerrity is averaging 14.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists, while Ebanks is putting up 13.2 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists.

Jimmer Fredette drops 49 on Arizona

In what might be the most impressive individual performance this season, BYU guard Jimmer Fredette finished with 49 points, seven rebounds and nine assists to lead the Cougars to a 99-69 win at Arizona.

Fredette's 49 points set both a BYU single-game record and a McKale Center record. He was 16-for-23 from the field, including 9-for-13 from three-point range. 

"It's an amazing feeling. It's not like any other," said Fredette, who added that he knew what was in store once he hit two threes in a row to put BYU up 22-5.

"At that point I was looking at the basket and it was looking pretty big. I just had a good stroke tonight, and that's kind of when I thought it could be a pretty good night.”

The win improves BYU to 13-1, while Arizona falls to 6-6. For the season, Fredette is now averaging 21.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game.

For Arizona, the loss marks the first time since 1983 that the Wildcats have lost two home games in December.

Sitting at only .500 with no wins over any potential postseason teams, we could be witnessing the end to Arizona’s 25-year streak of consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. The young Wildcats will need to turn things around in Pac-10 play in order to have a chance.

For BYU, the Cougars are coasting despite a disappointing season from swingman Jonathan Tavernari, who is averaging just 9.5 points and 4.4 rebounds per game after putting up 15.7 points and 7.2 rebounds a year ago. Along with New Mexico, they are the Mountain West favorites.

Maurice Creek likely done for season

An Indiana team that can ill-afford a loss of talent will likely be without its best player for the rest of the season. 

Freshman guard Maurice Creek fractured his left knee on Monday while driving to the basket against Bryant. Indiana head coach Tom Crean said after the game that Creek would undergo surgery on Tuesday and miss the rest of the year.

"My initial hope before I spoke with Dr. Rink was that it would be a dislocation, but I knew that would be the best-case scenario," Crean said. "But that wasn't the case. It turned out to be the worst case scenario."

Creek, one of the best freshmen in the country, was leading the Hoosiers in scoring, averaging 17.6 points per game. He was shooting 53 percent from the field and 45 percent from three-point range.

In his absence, expect Jordan Hulls, who started his first game of the season against Bryant, to take Creek’s spot in the lineup, while Jeremiah Rivers will likely be moved back to starter after coming off the bench on Monday.

The Week Ahead

The last few days of December and the first weekend of the New Year is always an exciting one for college basketball. It still features some marquee non-conference games that could not fit in the previous calendar year, but it also marks the first full week of conference play for nearly every conference around the country. It is the week where teams begin to show their true colors – if they are a contender or a pretender. This year is no different, as this week is absolutely loaded with must-watch games, both inter-conference and intra-conference. Also, don’t look now, but there’s just ten weeks until Selection Sunday – the stretch run starts now.

Monday

• Rutgers at No. 10 North Carolina (Monday, 8:30 PM, ESPN2)
  
• BYU at Arizona (Monday, 9:00 PM, Regional TV)
  
• Portland at Nevada (Monday, 10:05 PM)
  

Tuesday

• Cornell at La Salle (Tuesday, 4:00 PM)
  
• Long Beach State at No. 7 Duke (Tuesday, 7:00 PM, Regional TV)
  
• Marquette at No. 6 West Virginia (Tuesday, 7:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt/Regional TV)
  
• LSU at Xavier (Tuesday, 7:00 PM, ESPNU)
  
• Northern Iowa at Creighton (Tuesday, 8:05 PM, Regional TV)
  
• Wichita State at Illinois State (Tuesday, 8:05 PM, Regional TV)
  
• No. 9 Syracuse at Seton Hall (Tuesday, 9:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt/Regional TV)
  
• Penn State at Minnesota (Tuesday, 9:00 PM, ESPN2)
  
• No. 22 Texas Tech at No. 13 New Mexico (Tuesday, 9:00 PM, CBS College Sports)
  

Wednesday

• UAB at Virginia (Wednesday, 7:00 PM)
  
• Duquesne at Old Dominion (Wednesday, 7:00 PM)
  
• South Florida at Louisville (Wednesday, 7:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt/Regional TV)
  
• Connecticut at Cincinnati (Wednesday, 7:00 PM, ESPN2)
  
• William & Mary at Maryland (Wednesday, 7:30 PM, Regional TV)
  
• Northwestern at Illinois (Wednesday, 9:00 PM, Big Ten Network)
  
• South Carolina at Boston College (Wednesday, 9:00 PM, ESPNU)
  
• Providence at Notre Dame (Wednesday, 9:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt/Regional TV)
  
• Baylor at Arkansas (Wednesday, 9:00 PM, ESPN2)
  

Thursday

• Michigan at Indiana (Thursday, 12:00 PM, ESPN2)
  
• No. 17 Ohio State at Wisconsin (Thursday, 2:00 PM, ESPN2)
  
• No. 16 Tennessee at Memphis (Thursday, 4:00 PM, ESPN2)
  
• Arizona State at UCLA (Thursday, 4:30 PM, FSN)
  
• Oregon at Washington State (Thursday, 6:30 PM, Regional TV)
  
• Wisconsin-Green Bay at No. 20 Butler (Thursday, 7:00 PM, Regional TV)
  
• Arizona at USC (Thursday, 7:00 PM, Regional TV)
  
• Richmond at Wake Forest (Thursday, 7:00 PM, ESPNU)
  
• St. John’s at No. 14 Georgetown (Thursday, 8:00 PM, ESPN2)
  
• Oklahoma at No. 25 Gonzaga (Thursday, 10:00 PM, ESPN2)
  
• Oregon State at No. 22 Washington (Thursday, 10:00 PM, Regional TV)
  

Friday

• No. 6 West Virginia at No. 4 Purdue (Friday, 2:30 PM, ESPN)
  
• Illinois State at Missouri State (Friday, 8:05 PM, Regional TV)
  
• Dayton at No. 13 New Mexico (Friday, 9:00 PM, CBS College Sports/Regional TV)
  

Weekend Preview

The weekend surrounding Christmas is always a light one, especially when it’s the two days directly after the holiday. The story of the week thus far is clearly USC’s shocking turnaround due to the additions of Mike Gerrity and Leonard Washington. The Trojans have won six in a row – including a victory over Tennessee and a Diamond Head Classic championship – since starting the season 2-4. Will anything top that this weekend?

No. 6 West Virginia at Seton Hall (Saturday, 3:30 PM, CBS): Easily the best game of the weekend, and the type of the game that will set the stage for a wide-open Big East campaign. West Virginia is one of six undefeated teams left in college basketball, as the Mountaineers sit at 9-0, including wins over Mississippi and Texas A&M. They are led by a terrific forward tandem in Da’Sean Butler and Devin Ebanks, while Kevin Jones has developed into a very good third option up front. Guards Darryl Bryant and Casey Mitchell need to provide outside punch. On the other side, Seton Hall started off the season with eight straight wins before losing at home to Temple. The Pirates bounced back with a 38-point victory over Navy on Tuesday, though. Jeremy Hazell is a big-time scorer, while Robert Mitchell and double-double lock Herb Pope anchor the frontcourt. Eugene Harvey and Missouri transfer Keon Lawrence are two more perimeter options. Against Ole Miss’ outstanding perimeter group, West Virginia started five forwards and absolutely destroyed the Rebels on the glass. Will Bob Huggins try a similar strategy against Seton Hall? The difference in this game will be the WVU defense. Prediction: West Virginia 76, Seton Hall 71

Radford at Louisville (Sunday, 1:00 PM, Regional TV): Louisville has won three in a row since moving Preston Knowles to the sixth man role, but need to continue its winning ways against Radford, the Big South favorite. The Highlanders have the nation’s best rebounder, Art Parakhouski. It will be interesting to see him go against Samardo Samuels of Louisville. Prediction: Louisville 86, Radford 73

Iona at No. 11 Connecticut (Sunday, 2:00 PM, ESPNU): On paper, this looks like a blowout – and it very well might be. However, Iona has won four in a row, including a road game at Providence. The Gaels also own a win over Creighton. Furthermore, Connecticut has struggled against far inferior teams at points this season, although it has not cost them yet. However, UConn has too much talent – will this be the game Ater Majok breaks out? Prediction: Connecticut 74, Iona 60

Austin Peay at Missouri (Sunday, 3:00 PM, Regional TV): Another game that could be a blowout on paper, but has a chance to be closer than expected. Austin Peay has won six of its last seven since starting the season 2-4; the Governors are also tied for first in the Ohio Valley at 2-0. Wes Channels and Anthony Campbell form a good 1-2 scoring combo on the wing. Missouri is coming off of a very impressive win over Illinois on Wednesday, the Tigers’ third victory in a row. The deep and balanced Tigers are beginning to hit their stride. Prediction: Missouri 83, Austin Peay 64

Site Update and Schedule

First of all, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone -- I hope you all are enjoying it.

Secondly, I wanted to give a few updates and notifications about the site. With 2010 on the horizon, we only have about two and a half months left until Selection Sunday -- and things are already starting to heat up around the country. With that in mind, I've decided to let everyone know the content schedule around here. It is subject to change, but this is what it will be until February or so, when I start doing the Bubble Watch, projected brackets, "Road to Selection Sunday," etc. Anyway, here it is (of course, this is tentative and subject to change):

Sunday Night: Power Sweet Sixteen Rankings
Monday: The Week Ahead
Tuesday: CHN Player of the Week
Wednesday: NCAA Tournament Stock Report
Thursday: Alternating stories about various things
Friday: Weekend Preview

Also, I'm going to resume the "Full-Court Press" column that ran every morning last season. It includes links to various stories and news items from newspapers and other outlets from around the country. And, of course, don't forget about my Daily Predictions every evening. Furthermore, I will be continue to write stories and columns for the NBE Basketball Report, so I will definitely post links to those works as they appear.

As always, thank you for visiting March Madness All Season, and continue to do so in 2010!

Don't pin hopes on midseason additions

The Philadelphia Phillies made it to the World Series largely on the shoulders of their midseason acquisition, Cliff Lee. Without him, they didn’t have the pitching to dominate the National League in the playoffs. However, prior to him, it is difficult to remember a recent big-time trade deadline acquisition that had such an enormous impact on the new team.

College basketball’s semester break is similar to the trade deadline in professional sports. It is usually the time that new players become eligible, whether as a result of transferring from another school, sitting out because of a suspension or academic ineligibility, or coming back from injury. Many of these new players receive plenty of hype and anticipation – and the majority of them disappoint. Of course, there are a few who make an immediate impact on their new team and help them in the postseason, but the majority are busts – there was a reason they left their former team or were suspended in the first place. Let’s take a look at some of the major additions in the past week or so:

• Ater Majok, Connecticut (newcomer): Two starts, totaling six points, seven rebounds and two blocks.
  
• Jeff Robinson, Seton Hall (transfer from Memphis): Averaging 7.0 points and 3.5 rebounds in two games.
  
• Keon Lawrence, Seton Hall (transfer from Missouri/return from suspension): He is shooting 4-for-11 from the field, averaging 8.0 points and 3.5 rebounds.
  
• Reggie Redding, Villanova (return from suspension): In his first game back from suspension, he had 15 points, nine rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks.
  
• Derrick Caracter, UTEP (transfer from Louisville and return from hiatus): Take out his debut against New Mexico State, and he is averaging 15.7 points and 11.7 rebounds. The Miners beat Oklahoma on Monday.
  
• Michael Gerrity, USC (transfer from Charlotte): In two games, he is averaging 36.0 minutes, 14.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 6.5 assists. He led the Trojans to a win over Tennessee.
  
• Gilbert Brown, Pittsburgh (return from suspension): He had 11 points in his debut.
  
• John Riek, Mississippi State (newcomer): He has played one minute in two games.
  
• Jai Lucas, Texas (transfer from Florida): He is averaging 2.5 points in 9.0 minutes in his first two games. Fighting for minutes behind Dogus Balbay and J'Covan Brown.
  
• Ibrahima Thomas, Oklahoma State (transfer): Played only 11 minutes in his first two games combined, but started the last two and averaged 10.5 points and 4.5 boards.
  
• Jermaine Dixon, Pittsburgh (return from injury): He only had nine points in his first three games, but broke out in his fourth game, finishing with 14 points, six rebounds and six assists.
  
• Dino Gregory, Maryland (return from suspension): He immediately started his first two games, averaging 4.0 points and 3.0 rebounds.
  
• Brady Morningstar, Kansas (return from suspension): Averaging 4.5 points and 5.0 assists in two games.
  
• Jeff Withey, Kansas (transfer from Arizona): Has not played a minute yet.
  

Obviously, this is a very small sample size and many of these players are still getting into game shape and becoming used to how their systems are being implemented in an actual game. However, how many of these players really made an immediate impact on their new teams? Redding, Caracter and Gerrity? Maybe Brown, Thomas and Dixon? Lucas and Majok might have been the most hyped out of any of these additions, and they have done next-to-nothing.

Caracter might be the key to UTEP contending in Conference-USA, while Gerrity is clearly making a huge difference at USC. Outside of those two, is anyone going to be counted on to carry the team to wins? Redding and Morningstar add defense to their particular teams, and Dixon and Brown will provide options for Pitt, but none are making Cliff Lee-esque impacts.

Like I said, it is a small sample size and it is still very early to judge what sort of impact these players will have on their new teams, but the bottom line remains the same: semester break additions – like their trade deadline counterparts in professional sports – are, more often than not, overhyped disappointments that don’t make a noticeable impact as the season progresses.

Tuesday, Dec. 22 Predictions

Prediction Record: 93-36 (ATS: 62-62-1)

Michigan State at Texas (-9.5): Prediction: Texas 78, Michigan State 69

Butler at UAB (-2): Prediction: UAB 61, Butler 56

Texas A&M at Washington (-7.5): Prediction: Washington 73, Texas A&M 66

LSU at Washington State (-5.5): Prediction: Washington State 67, LSU 54

Oakland at Syracuse: Prediction: Syracuse 93, Oakland 68

Marshall at North Carolina (-13): Prediction: North Carolina 89, Marshall 71

Stanford at Texas Tech (-7): Prediction: Texas Tech 74, Stanford 62

Murray State at Western Kentucky (-1): Prediction: Western Kentucky 76, Murray State 73

Player of the Week: Dexter Pittman

Player of the Week: Dexter Pittman, C, Texas

There was certainly no shortage of candidates for Player of the Week honors this week in college basketball, despite the relative lack of games prior to the weekend. First of all, there was Duke’s Jon Scheyer averaging 29 points, 6.5 rebounds and 8.5 assists in two blowout wins. There was Florida State’s Solomon Alabi coming through with 17.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.3 blocks in three important wins for the Seminoles. Ole Miss’ Chris Warren dropped 32 points in an overtime win over UTEP, while South Florida’s Dominique Jones averaged better than 24 points, nearly five rebounds and four assists in three wins. On the non-BCS level, UAB’s Elijah Millsap averaged 16 points and 15 rebounds in wins over Cincinnati and South Alabama. Perhaps the best two-game effort came from Omar Samhan of Saint Mary’s, who averaged 29.5 points and 12.5 rebounds in two wins.

However, the best – and most important – week belonged to Texas’ Dexter Pittman. In the top game of the week, Pittman and No. 2 Texas knocked off No. 10 North Carolina on Saturday, 103-90, behind 23 points and 15 rebounds from Pittman. 12 of those rebounds came on the offensive glass. Pittman thoroughly dominated the vaunted UNC frontcourt, finishing with his first double-double of the season. Earlier in the week, Pittman went for 14 points and seven rebounds in just 12 minutes against Texas-Pan American. Overall on the week, Pittman averaged 18.5 points and 11.0 rebounds in 19.0 minutes per game.

This season, Pittman has been a force whenever he gets enough playing time. Although he is a starter, he averages fewer than 20 minutes per game, due to a combination of foul trouble, fitness and competition. However, in the five games he has played more than 20 minutes, Pittman has put up All-America-caliber numbers: 18.6 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game, while shooting 73 percent (38-52) from the field. His overall numbers on the season are 14.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game, shooting 73.4 percent from the field. Pittman gets another chance to make an impact on the national stage against Michigan State on Tuesday.

The Week Ahead

Finals are behind us. College football’s regular season is behind us. Following an exciting weekend that saw five ranked teams lose to unranked squads, will this week be able to keep that momentum going? Despite a relatively “short” week until the weekend because of Christmas and Christmas Eve, there are still several quality contests to keep an eye on while wrapping those holiday gifts.

Top Games

No. 9 Michigan State at No. 2 Texas (Tuesday, 7:00 PM, ESPN2): Two preseason top-five teams battle in the week’s marquee match-up. Michigan State has lost to its two toughest opponents, Florida and North Carolina, but did beat Gonzaga. Texas is coming off of an impressive victory over the Tar Heels. The key match-up could be how the young Longhorns backcourt matches up with Kalin Lucas and co.

No. 20 Butler at UAB (Tuesday, 8:00 PM): Don’t sleep on this game. Butler has struggled somewhat this season, despite beating Ohio State and Xavier the past two weekends. On the other side, UAB has won nine in a row en route to a 10-1 start, including a blowout win over Cincinnati last week. Elijah Millsap is going to have another monster game for the Blazers to pull the upset.

California at No. 1 Kansas (Tuesday, 9:00 PM, ESPN2): Heading into the season, this game was expected to potentially pit two top-10 teams against each other. However, California is only 6-3 thus far, mainly as a result of Theo Robertson missing multiple games due to injury. Kansas has been rolling, winning its first 10 games of the season. Jerome Randle vs. Sherron Collins at the point will be great.

No. 19 Texas A&M at No. 22 Washington (Tuesday, 11:00 PM, FSN): Another Big 12 vs. Pac-10 battle. Texas A&M, projected to be a top-four or five conference team, has already defeated Clemson and Minnesota, and lost to West Virginia and New Mexico by seven or fewer points. Washington is the cream of the crop in a terrible Pac-10, but the Huskies don’t have a win over a BCS team yet – they could get it this week.

No. 15 Mississippi at No. 6 West Virginia (Wednesday, 7:30 PM, ESPN2): This game could be a classic. Mississippi has only lost one game this season, to Villanova back in mid-November. The Rebels have one of the best perimeter groups in the country, led by Chris Warren. West Virginia is coming off a two-point escape at Cleveland State to remain 8-0. The Mountaineers need to use their advantage in the frontcourt.

Other Games to Watch

UTEP at Oklahoma (Monday, 6:30 PM, ESPN2): UTEP is a completely different team with Derrick Caracter in the lineup, while Oklahoma has won six in a row since starting the season 2-3.

La Salle at Oklahoma State (Monday, 8:30 PM, ESPN2): The Atlantic-10 is going to feature a crowded title race, and La Salle has a chance to be in the mix. Oklahoma State is 9-1 and has plenty of perimeter talent.

Cornell at St. John’s (Monday, 9:00 PM, Regional TV): Two of the best teams in New York go at it. Cornell is the Ivy League favorite, and could be a sleeper in March, while St. John’s is off to its best start in years.

BYU at Nevada (Tuesday, 3:00 PM, Regional TV): The west is down this season, but these two teams could be factors down the stretch. BYU is 10-1, while Nevada has won four in a row since starting 2-4.

LSU at Washington State (Tuesday, 10:00 PM, CBS College Sports): These two teams have gaudy records, but no meat on their resume. A win here would look good. LSU has won five in a row, while WSU is 9-2.

Illinois at Missouri (Wednesday, 9:30 PM, ESPN): Two teams that have not lived up to expectations this season, but have a chance to turn it around. Illinois is just 8-3, but has wins over Clemson and Vanderbilt, while Mizzou has a loss to Oral Roberts.

North Carolina State at Arizona (Wednesday, 10:30 PM, FSN): Interesting game between the ACC and Pac-10. NC State is 8-2, but needs to prove it can compete, while Arizona is 4-5 and can’t afford another loss.

Keep an Eye On

Tulsa at Nebraska (Tuesday, 5:30 PM): Tulsa is 9-1 and could be the C-USA favorite, while Nebraska needs a good win.

Oakland at No. 5 Syracuse (Tuesday, 7:00 PM, Regional TV): Oakland is a talented mid-major, but Syracuse has been the biggest surprise this year.

Marshall at No. 10 North Carolina (Tuesday, 7:00 PM, Regional TV): How will UNC bounce back? Marshall is an impressive 9-1.

Western Carolina at No. 24 Clemson (Tuesday, 7:30 PM): Western Carolina is 10-1 and beat Louisville on the road – can they win at the Tigers too?

Stanford at No. 23 Texas Tech (Tuesday, 8:00 PM): Stanford looked plucky against Kentucky and Oklahoma State, and Texas Tech needs to bounce back.

Murray State at Western Kentucky (Tuesday, 9:00 PM, Regional TV): Two of the better mid-majors on a yearly basis go head-to-head.

Harvard at No. 11 Georgetown (Wednesday, 12:00 PM): Harvard beat Boston College on the road, and G-town is coming off a loss to Old Dominion.

Long Beach State at No. 3 Kentucky (Wednesday, 1:00 PM, Regional TV): LBSU won’t beat Kentucky, but they have the athleticism to hang with the Wildcats.

Charlotte at Old Dominion (Wednesday, 7:00 PM): Charlotte is 9-1 and could be a sleeper in the A-10, while ODU defeated Georgetown on the road.

Rider at Siena (Wednesday, 7:00 PM): The winner gets the inside track to a MAAC regular-season title. Both teams have underachieved to this point.

Weekend Preview

After easily the least enticing week of the college basketball season thus far, we have several marquee match-ups this weekend. Furthermore, conference play is around the corner and non-conference games are winding down – finally. For many fans, we are reaching the point of the college basketball season where things really start mattering – the meat and potatoes of the season. Before we get there, though, there are still some loose ends to tie up in 2009. While there are only a couple of days left for Christmas shopping, don't forget to tune into a ton of college basketball on Saturday. It might be tough to find your last-minute gifts, but that can wait. There are not many games next week, so be sure to get your fill of college hoops with the handful of must-see match-ups and dozens of other quality contests this weekend.

• Michigan at No. 1 Kansas (Saturday, 12:00 PM, ESPN): Prediction: Kansas 79, Michigan 65
  
• Xavier at No. 21 Butler (Saturday, 2:00 PM, ESPN2): Prediction: Butler 63, Xavier 54
  
• No. 10 North Carolina at No. 2 Texas (Saturday, 2:00 PM, ESPN): Prediction: Texas 85, North Carolina 75
  
• Stanford at Northwestern (Saturday, 2:00 PM, Big Ten Network): Prediction: Northwestern 69, Stanford 57
  
• UCLA at Notre Dame (Saturday, 2:00 PM, CBS): Prediction: Notre Dame 81, UCLA 70
  
• Mississippi State at Houston (Saturday, 2:00 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: Mississippi State 77, Houston 75
  
• No. 15 Gonzaga vs. No. 7 Duke (Saturday, 4:00 PM, CBS): Prediction: Duke 74, Gonzaga 66
  
• Western Kentucky at Louisville (Saturday, 4:00 PM, ESPN2): Prediction: Louisville 84, Western Kentucky 75
  
• No. 9 Tennessee at USC (Saturday, 4:30 PM, FSN): Prediction: Tennessee 72, USC 62
  
• Richmond at No. 13 Florida (Saturday, 6:30 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: Florida 69, Richmond 61
  
• San Diego State at Arizona State (Saturday, 6:30 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: Arizona State 67, San Diego State 60
  
• UAB at South Alabama (Saturday, 6:30 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: UAB 76, South Alabama 66
  
• Temple at Seton Hall (Saturday, 7:00 PM): Prediction: Seton Hall 86, Temple 77
  
• Old Dominion at No. 11 Georgetown (Saturday, 7:00 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: Georgetown 66, Old Dominion 54
  
• Charleston at Clemson (Saturday, 7:30 PM): Prediction: Clemson 81, Charleston 60
  
• Missouri State at Saint Louis (Saturday, 8:00 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: Missouri State 64, Saint Louis 61
  
• No. 16 Texas Tech at Wichita State (Saturday, 8:05 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: Wichita State 73, Texas Tech 69
  
• No. 17 Kansas State at Alabama (Saturday, 8:30 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: Kansas State 77, Alabama 72
  
• Creighton at No. 19 New Mexico (Saturday, 9:00 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: New Mexico 81, Creighton 67
  
• Portland at No. 24 Washington (Saturday, 10:00 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: Washington 78, Portland 69
  
• Florida State at No. 22 Georgia Tech (Sunday, 5:30 PM, FSN): Prediction: Georgia Tech 75, Florida State 70
  
• North Carolina State at Wake Forest (Sunday, 7:45 PM, FSN): Prediction: Wake Forest 73, North Carolina State 62
  

Game of the Night Preview, Dec. 17

Game of the Night: Auburn at Florida State (7:00 PM, Regional TV)

It is a very light week in college basketball, with colleges and universities taking final exams and winding down their semesters. On Thursday, there are only 18 games, with no ranked teams in action. Furthermore, just two games pit two .500-plus teams against each other, with only four BCS teams in action. Despite that, there is an interesting game on the docket, with Auburn travelling to Tallahassee to take on Florida State. Auburn has split its two games against the ACC this season, beating Virginia but falling to North Carolina State. Florida State has only lost two games this season, road contests at Florida and Ohio State, while Auburn has lost to Troy and Central Florida and has won only one road game.

Auburn has a very solid perimeter group, led by three double-figure scorers. DeWayne Reed has struggled shooting the ball, but is still averaging 15.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.0 steals. Starting next to him is Frankie Sullivan, a very effective three-point shooter who has scored in double-figures in every game but two this season. The team’s best shooter, Tay Waller, missed the first six games of the season, but he has returned and been a good scorer. Earnest Ross started seven games in his absence. Up front, Lucas Hargrove has really come on strong lately. Over the past four games, he is averaging 16.0 points and 10.8 rebounds. Brandon Knox and Johnnie Lett split time down low.

Florida State looks like it could be a sleeper in the ACC this season, mainly because the Seminoles have some of the best frontcourt talent in the league. Center Solomon Alabi is an excellent shot-blocker who has vastly improved his offensive game this season, while forward Chris Singleton has plenty of potential and has become a very good all-around performer this year. Xavier Gibson and Ryan Reid combine to average 12.0 points and 7.8 rebounds at the other starting spot. In the backcourt, journeyman Derwin Kitchen is a double-figure scorer, while Deividas Dulkys is the team’s best three-point shooter. Freshman Michael Snaer could eventually be an all-conference guard.

Can Auburn win the rubber match in its three-game series against the ACC? Doubtful. The Tigers have won only one road game this season, and don’t have enough frontcourt firepower to deal with Florida State. Alabi leads a deep and tall post group that should be able to corral Hargrove, while the Seminoles are also ranked No. 29 in the country when it comes to defending the three-point shot. If Auburn is not able to knock down its outside shots, and Hargrove can’t continue his outstanding stretch, this game could get out of hand quickly.

Prediction: Florida State 73, Auburn 57

And MMAS is Finally on Twitter...

Yes, that's right, we've taken the plunge and joined the rest of the 21st century by creating a Twitter account. In the past, we had refused to get into Tweeting, but soon began to receive multiple requests and invitations to join the network. Furthermore, we realized that it can only spread the word of March Madness All Season and expand our audience.

Therefore, if you want multiple 140-character updates on a daily basis from Jeff Borzello, the founder and lone writer of March Madness All Season, follow me at http://twitter.com/jeffborzello !

Also, we have been a staff writer for a new college fantasy basketball website, College Fantasy Hoops Insider, since the summer. It is run by the same guys who started the popular site, College Fantasy Football Insider. Anyway, I've written a roundup of the top most improved sophomores in the Big East and ACC. Feel free to check it out by clicking here.

Wednesday, Dec. 16 Predictions

Prediction Record: 72-30 (ATS: 49-48-1)

• Cincinnati at UAB (+1.5): Prediction: Cincinnati 71, UAB 64
  
• Richmond at South Carolina (-4): Prediction: South Carolina 69, Richmond 63
  
• UTEP at Mississippi (-7): Prediction: Mississippi 79, UTEP 68
  
• Oklahoma State at Stanford (-2): Prediction: Oklahoma State 75, Stanford 65
  

The Week Ahead

After an solid weekend of college basketball that featured several upsets and top-25 showdowns, it will be interesting to see if this week can continue the trend. With final exams sweeping the nation, there aren’t too many marquee match-ups on the docket in the next couple of days, but there are still several intriguing battles. To wit, there are only 10 games on Monday, 22 on Tuesday, 18 on Thursday and 11 on Friday. There are just a couple of weeks left for teams to improve before conference play, so don’t overlook these games.

No. 25 Cincinnati at UAB (Wednesday, 7:00 PM, CBS College Sports): Cincinnati has not lost a game in regulation yet this season, but the Bearcats are coming off of a loss in the Crosstown Shootout against rival Xavier. UAB has not beaten anyone of note yet, but the Blazers are undefeated at home and Elijah Millsap can really fill it up. Cincinnati doesn’t want to drop two road games in a row.

Richmond at South Carolina (Wednesday, 7:00 PM, Regional TV): I wouldn’t be surprised if one or both of these teams were on the bubble come March. They are both inconsistent but have talent and some decent wins. Richmond has defeated Missouri and Mississippi State but the Spiders have yet to win a road game. Meanwhile, South Carolina has struggled with injuries; Devan Downey needs to carry the Gamecocks.

UTEP at No. 20 Mississippi (Wednesday, 8:00 PM): This game became a lot more interesting over the weekend because UTEP gained the services of former prep phenom Derrick Caracter. Combine him with Randy Culpepper and four other double-figure scorers and the Miners have some firepower. Ole Miss might have the most underrated perimeter group in the country, and the Rebels are the favorites to win the SEC West.

Oklahoma State at Stanford (Wednesday, 11:00 PM, FSN): This game doesn’t really stand out, but it could be closer than it should be. Oklahoma State is 8-1 and is more talented than Stanford, but the Cowboys lost their only road game this season by 21. Stanford took Kentucky to overtime and has one of the most productive players on the west coast in forward Landry Fields. He is putting up 23.0 and 8.4 per game.

Auburn at Florida State (Thursday, 7:00 PM, Regional TV): Auburn has split its two games against the ACC this season, beating Virginia but falling to North Carolina State. Can the Tigers win the rubber match? Doubtful. Florida State has only lost two games this season, road contests at Florida and Ohio State, while Auburn has lost to Troy and Central Florida and has yet to win a road game this season. 

Pacific at Saint Mary’s (Friday, 10:05 PM): Battle on the west coast between two teams that have been better than anticipated this season. I projected Pacific to be at the bottom of the Big West, but the Tigers have defeated Nevada, Fresno State and San Diego State and are 7-2. On the other side, Saint Mary’s looks to be a contender again in the WCC. The Gaels have defeated Utah State, San Jose State and Oregon on the road, and also beat New Mexico State and San Diego State. Omar Samhan has been dominant.

Utah State at Long Beach State (Friday, 10:05 PM): Another interesting contest pitting two west coast teams against each other – two west coast teams that have not hit their strides yet. Long Beach State owns a win over UCLA, but they are only 3-4 against Division-I teams right now. Utah State beat BYU, but lost to Saint Mary’s, Northeastern and Utah. Both of these teams could easily win their conferences and get an NCAA bid.

Player of the Week, Dec. 14

Player of the Week: Jacob Pullen, Kansas State

With final exams beginning across the country at many colleges, it was something of a light week in college basketball – but that does not mean there weren’t plenty of fantastic individual performances. Georgetown’s Greg Monroe finally performed to his potential against Butler, going for 24 points and 15 rebounds in a row; Kentucky’s John Wall lit it up on a national stage, getting 25 points and six steals against Connecticut at Madison Square Garden; Roman Martinez of New Mexico kept the Lobos undefeated after averaging 24 points and four rebounds in a couple of wins; San Diego State stud freshman Kawhi Leonard averaging 18 points and 15 rebounds; and don’t forget Kansas freshman Xavier Henry dropping 31 on La Salle and shooting 71 percent from three on the week. Also, how about Jamel Jackson of Seton Hall hitting 12 three-pointers and scoring 40 points off the bench? Or Jeremy Lin scoring 25 to lead Harvard to another upset over Boston College?

Needless to say, whoever wins this week’s Collegehoops.net Player of the Week had to do something special. The award goes to Kansas State’s Jacob Pullen. The 6-0 junior led the Wildcats to two very solid wins, beating Xavier by 15 at home and then going on the road to beat No. 17 UNLV by 15 as well. Against the Musketeers, Pullen scored 16 points and dished out three assists, but he really came alive against UNLV. On Saturday, Pullen hit seven three-pointers en route to a 28-point effort, to go along with six rebounds. For the week, Pullen averaged an impressive 22 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists.

Kansas State has now won six in a row, including wins over Dayton, Washington State, and the two wins this week over Xavier and UNLV. Pullen is a major reason for the 9-1 start, as he is averaging 19.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. He is also snatching 1.5 steals per game and hitting better than 80 percent of his free throws and nearly 40 percent of his three-point attempts. Pullen will attempt to continue his impressive play – 22.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game during the winning streak – at Alabama on Saturday. 

Weekend Preview

After an exciting week that featured plenty of top-notch battles between top-25 teams, another jam-packed weekend of quality contests is upon us. With final exams starting up at universities around the nation, there will likely be a lull in big-time games over the next week or so – you can even tell by the relative lack of teams in action this weekend. However, there is still plenty of hoops to keep an eye on this weekend.

Top Games

No. 13 Ohio State at No. 22 Butler (Saturday, 12:00 PM, ESPN): A Midwest battle between two teams with something to prove. Butler is coming off of a loss to Georgetown and has struggled somewhat against top teams this season, while Ohio State has yet to be tested since Evan Turner’s injury. Without Turner, Ohio State will rely on the perimeter trio of Jon Diebler, William Buford and David Lighty. On the other side, Butler will need more consistent production from Gordon Hayward, Matt Howard and Shelvin Mack than it received against Georgetown. Prediction: Butler 64, Ohio State 56

No. 15 Georgetown vs. No. 17 Washington (Saturday, 2:00 PM, FSN): Another top-25 contest between two teams that seem to be finding themselves despite hot starts. Georgetown is unbeaten and coming off of a win over Butler, but it will need more 20-and-10 outings from Greg Monroe if it wants to continue to be successful. The Hoyas are improved from last season, and the improvement of Jason Clark is a major reason. Washington has only one loss, an overtime defeat at Texas Tech, but the Huskies are relying too heavily on Isaiah Thomas and Quincy Pondexter. A consistent third option needs to step forward. Prediction: Washington 74, Georgetown 70

No. 16 Texas A&M vs. New Mexico (Saturday, 6:00 PM, Regional TV): Two surprising teams square off in a Southwest battle. Texas A&M owns wins over Clemson and Minnesota from the 76 Classic, and sits at 8-1. The Aggies are deep and have plenty of options, including the backcourt of Donald Sloan and Derrick Roland. New Mexico is unbeaten up to this point, but the Lobos don’t own any impressive victories outside of a home win over California. This would add to their resume. The forward tandem of Darington Hobson and Roman Martinez form one of the better duos in the Mountain West. Prediction: Texas A&M 72, New Mexico 65

Kansas State at No. 18 UNLV (Saturday, 7:00 PM, Regional TV): Another Big 12-Mountain West contest between a couple of surprising clubs. Kansas State has gotten off to an 8-1 start, including a couple of solid victories over Atlantic-10 favorites Dayton and Xavier. Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen form a dynamite backcourt, but Connecticut transfer Curtis Kelly has been key. UNLV is still undefeated, and owns home wins over Louisville and Nevada and a road victory at Arizona. The Runnin’ Rebels have 11 players playing more than 12 minutes per game, and are led by big-time scorer Tre’Von Willis. Prediction: UNLV 78, Kansas State 73

Siena at Northern Iowa (Saturday, 8:05 PM, Regional TV): While neither team has a gaudy record or owns a boatload of quality wins, these are two of the best mid-majors in the country and will be teams to watch come March. Siena has lost to its three toughest opponents, but Edwin Ubiles, Alex Franklin and Ronald Moore form one of the best trios around, although Ubiles has struggled this season. Northern Iowa, on the other hand, has solid wins over Boston College and at Iowa State. Guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe and forward Adam Koch are the go-to scorers for the Panthers, but whichever team plays better defense will get the win. Prediction: Northern Iowa 66, Siena 60

No. 19 Cincinnati at Xavier (Sunday, 7:00 PM, ESPNU): One of the best rivalries in college basketball, the Crosstown Shootout. Cincinnati is looking like a potential sleeper in the Big East behind freshman Lance Stephenson and the inside-outside duo of Deonta Vaughn and Yancy Gates. The Bearcats have defeated Maryland and Vanderbilt and fell in overtime to Gonzaga. Xavier is down from last season and is 0-3 against BCS conference teams this year. A win here would get the Musketeers back on the right track, but someone besides guard Jordan Crawford will need to step up offensively. Expect a tightly contested, hard-fought battle. Prediction: Cincinnati 70, Xavier 67

Other Games to Watch

No. 4 Kentucky at Indiana (Saturday, 12:00 PM, CBS): Two of the historically best programs in the country square off in what looks like a mismatch on paper, but could be closer than people think. Kentucky has been prone to playing down to its competition, and Indiana is coming off of a win over Pittsburgh. Prediction: Kentucky 72, Indiana 60

La Salle at No. 1 Kansas (Saturday, 2:00 PM, ESPN): While La Salle likely won’t threaten Kansas too much, the Explorers have their best team in awhile, led by do-it-all guard Rodney Green. An interesting battle to watch will be La Salle freshman center Aaric Murray taking on All-American Cole Aldrich. Prediction: Kansas 85, La Salle 68

Oklahoma at Utah (Saturday, 4:00 PM, Versus): While Oklahoma has won four in a row since its three-game losing streak, the Sooners need a road win here to pad their non-conference resume. Utah is coming off of a dominant victory over Michigan, and has also defeated Illinois. The Utes are always tough to beat at home. Prediction: Utah 68, Oklahoma 61

Mississippi State at UCLA (Saturday, 4:30 PM, FSN): Can UCLA finally snap out of its funk with a win at home? The Bruins are struggling mightily and need to bounce back. However, Mississippi State has five players averaging in double-figures, led by shot-blocking extraordinaire Jarvis Varnado. Prediction: Mississippi State 70, UCLA 62

Marquette at No. 20 Wisconsin (Saturday, 5:00 PM, ESPN2): An intra-state battle between two teams looking to find some consistency this season. Marquette has been surprising, but the Golden Eagles have lost two of three. Wisconsin followed up its win over Duke with a loss to Wisconsin-Green Bay a week later. Prediction: Wisconsin 59, Marquette 54

Richmond at VCU (Saturday, 7:30 PM): Another intra-state contest. Richmond has defeated Mississippi State, Missouri and Old Dominion, and could contend for an A-10 title. VCU lost its CAA opener to William & Mary last weekend, but the Rams do own victories over Oklahoma, Nevada and Rhode Island. Prediction: VCU 84, Richmond 76

No. 5 Purdue at Alabama (Saturday, 9:00 PM, ESPN2): Purdue is one of the top teams in the country and could compete for a Final Four berth, but Alabama has some quality pieces and owns wins over Michigan, Baylor and Providence. If the Crimson Tide are going to pull the upset, JaMychal Green will need to dominate the interior. Prediction: Purdue 77, Alabama 65

Arizona at San Diego State (Saturday, 10:00 PM, Regional TV): A couple of west coast teams that will get better as the season progresses go at it. Arizona is young and has lost three of four, while San Diego State is still finding ways to mesh all of its quality newcomers and transfers with its returnees. Prediction: San Diego State 71, Arizona 59

No. 3 Villanova at Temple (Sunday, 3:00 PM, CBS College Sports): A Big Five battle in Philly. Villanova looks like it could be even better than its Final Four team of a year ago, while Temple took Georgetown to the wire and beat Siena. On paper, Villanova should blow out the Owls, but that never happens when these city rivals get together. Prediction: Villanova 72, Temple 63

Rhode Island at Boston College (Sunday, 6:45 PM, FSN): Two New England squads looking for a win go head-to-head. Rhode Island is 7-1, but needs a solid road win for its resume, while Boston College is coming off of a home loss to Harvard and can’t afford another defeat on its home floor. Prediction: Boston College 65, Rhode Island 57

CHN Game of the Night Preview, Dec. 10

Game of the Night: No. 7 Syracuse vs. No. 10 Florida (ESPN, 9:00 PM)

The best thing about the proliferation of these conference challenges is the number of big-time games it brings to the non-conference season. The SEC/Big East Invitational features two of the pleasant surprises of November in Florida and Syracuse. Although I was higher on the Gators than most pundits in the preseason, not many expected them to defeat Michigan State and be undefeated at this point. As for Syracuse, the Orange dominated the NIT Season Tip-Off, handling California and North Carolina with ease.

Both teams have plenty of talent across the board. Syracuse has been led by Iowa State transfer Wesley Johnson, who is averaging 17.0 points and 7.2 rebounds. He has been one of the most impressive players in the country up to this point. Andy Rautins is shooting better than 50 percent from three-point range, and his passing ability and defensive skills have been key. The big man duo of Arinza Onuaku and Rick Jackson are combining to average 20.7 points and 10.9 rebounds. Furthermore, the Orange are getting excellent point guard play from freshman Brandon Triche and Scoop Jardine, while forward Kris Joseph is averaging nearly double-figures off the bench.

Florida has been successful due to offensive balance and excellent defense. The go-to-guy for the Gators is freshman guard Kenny Boynton. He is averaging 13.9 points and has a variety of offensive abilities that make him very difficult to defend. His backcourt mate, Erving Walker, is tough to keep out of the lane and is averaging 5.0 assists. Georgetown transfer Vernon Macklin and Alex Tyus are a solid big man duo, and Dan Werner is versatile. Chandler Parsons is averaging 11.1 points off the bench for the Gators. The only other player seeing double-digit minutes is swingman Ray Shipman, who had 10 points in the win over Michigan State.

There are several interesting keys to this game. The first is the fantastic defense both teams have been playing; Syracuse is ranked No. 7 in defensive efficiency by Kenpom.com, while Florida is No. 23. Both teams have plenty of length and athleticism, and can be disruptive in the half-court. The difference will be Syracuse’s versatility on offense. The Orange have players who can score inside, players who can penetrate, as well as guys who can knock down the three. At this point, Florida is not at its peak offensively. The Gators struggle to shoot the three, making them easier to contain, especially with the Syracuse 2-3 zone. The most important player will be Wesley Johnson – Florida has no one to defend him.

Prediction: Syracuse 71, Florida 64

Full-Court Press, Dec. 10

We have done the "Full-Court Press" on a daily basis here at March Madness All Season in the past, and we will start to do it much more frequently as the season progresses. It is normally a collection of links and analysis from the previous night's games, and a look ahead to the top games of the day. Today, it will be mostly analysis from last night's jam-packed docket of games.

- First, we have to start with the battle between Kentucky and Connecticut. It lived up to all the hype, and it looks like Madison Square Garden was yearning for some competitive basketball -- we all know it doesn't get enough with the Knights. John Wall was sensational down the stretch, scoring 12 of the Wildcats' final 15 points. He was the biggest difference, while fellow freshman DeMarcus Cousins was also a huge factor in the second half, dominating the paint. For Connecticut, its inability to consistently get points in the half-court was the downfall.

- When Wall is out of the game, Kentucky's offense stagnates tremendously. He missed considerable minutes in the first half, and the Wildcats looked lost at the offensive end. Wall is the catalyst for everything the Wildcats do offensively, but they are going to need to find other ways to score if they want to make a deep run in March.

- I know that Patrick Patterson was somewhat hampered in the second half, but he needs to get more touches. He had good position a few times down low, but his teammates don't look to him often enough. Patterson has expanded his game, but he is not getting enough opportunities to demonstrate that.

- Going into the game, I thought that both teams would at least try some zone defense during the course of the contest. Neither team can shoot the three-pointer well at all -- they combined to shoot 4-for-18 from behind the arc -- and both teams struggle to create consistent offense in the half-court because of turnovers -- the two teams combined for 36 turnovers. Naturally, I figured that there would be plenty of zone defense being played. However, that was not the case. Throughout the season, I wouldn't be surprised if both of these teams were zoned on a near-nightly basis in conference play.

- There were plenty of upsets throughout the night: Harvard went into Conte Forum and knocked off Boston College; Oral Roberts nipped Missouri on a Michael Craion lay-up with 0.9 seconds left; and Wisconsin fell at Wisconsin-Green Bay in overtime (way to get some momentum from the Duke victory).

- What happened to Michigan? The Wolverines came into the season with high hopes and were thought to be a Big Ten contender. However, after their 68-52 loss to Utah on Wednesday, the Wolverines are now just 4-4 with losses to Marquette, Alabama, Boston College and Utah -- none of which are likely NCAA Tournament teams. Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims are doing their part, but they need help.

- Not surprisingly, California looks like its old self now that Theo Robertson is back from injury. Robertson didn't start and only scored eight points, but the Golden Bears beat Pacific 79-54, and looked completely differently than they have in the past few games without Robertson. 

- How about Rutgers senior center Hamady Ndiaye? He went into Wednesday averaging 7.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.3 blocks per game, but finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds and eight blocks in a win over Monmouth. 

- Is there a better group of combo forwards in the country than what West Virginia has on its roster? Da'Sean Butler and Devin Ebanks are both versatile and talented, but Kevin Jones has been impressive this year as well, averaging 12.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per game -- he went for 16 and nine on Wednesday.

- You have to love what Jamine "Greedy" Peterson is doing at Providence. He sat out last season, but has been absolutely dominant this year. He was averaging 17.6 points and 10.2 rebounds heading into Wednesday, and increased those averages with 18 and 12 against George Washington. Peterson is a difficult match-up because he can score inside and also step out and hit the three consistently.

- Oklahoma has bounced back from its disastrous trip to the Great Alaska Shootout. Behind 33 points -- 29 in the first half -- from Tony Crocker, the Sooners won their third straight game, beating Centenary.

- Two of the best centers in the country went head-to-head on Wednesday, as Kansas' Cole Aldrich took on Radford's Art Parakhouski. It certainly did not disappoint, as Parakhouski finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Aldrich went for 15 and nine -- but Kansas dominated Radford, 99-64.

- The two games involving teams from the CAA on Wednesday -- Delaware vs. Hampton and Manhattan vs. Hofstra -- combined for a total of 190 points. Just found that interesting, and likely terribly boring to watch.

- Missouri State improved to 8-0 with an easy victory over Tennessee-Martin, 79-51, while New Mexico had an impressive 82-78 victory at San Diego. Along with UTEP and Illinois State, the Bears and Lobos are two of four non-BCS teams still undefeated. 

- I watched the second half of the Washington State-Idaho game last night, and there might not be a smoother scorer in the country than WSU's Klay Thompson. Everything just looks so easy for Thompson. He can shoot it from deep, pull up in the mid-range and take it to the basket. Thompson struggled shooting the ball against Idaho, yet still looked like one of the best offensive players in the nation.

- The Pac-10 went 3-0 on Wednesday. Baby steps, people, baby steps.

- I think Georgia might be the worst BCS team in the country. Outside of Trey Thompkins, the Bulldogs are awful. The honor would probably be between Georgia, Iowa and probably whoever finishes last in the Pac-10 (right now, the worst record in the conference belongs to UCLA. But that won't last...right?)

- Gonzaga's starters got some much-needed rest in the Bulldogs' 79-40 victory over Augustana (Ill.) on Wednesday. Matt Bouldin, who normally plays 37.4 minutes, was in the game for just 11 minutes. If Gonzaga is going to be a threat come March, it needs to keep its starters healthy and fresh.

Harkless picks UConn

A pipeline from New York to Connecticut that started in recent years with Charlie Villanueva, and has also included the likes of A.J. Price and Kemba Walker, looks like it will continue in 2011.

Forest Hills (Queens, N.Y.) junior Maurice Harkless announced today that he will be headed to Storrs in two years.

Nathan Blue, Harkless’ advisor and AAU coach, said that Connecticut head coach Jim Calhoun was the key in Harkless choosing the Huskies.

“Maurice decided it was best to be taught the game by a Hall of Fame coach who really wanted him at UConn,” Blue said Wednesday afternoon. “He wants to win national titles – not one, but multiple – and he feels UConn will give him the best opportunity at reaching his long and short-term goals.”

Harkless chose Connecticut over Fordham, Kentucky, Seton Hall and St. John’s. The only school out of those that he didn’t visit was Kentucky – which made the decision to go to Connecticut a little less agonizing.

“We had planned to visit Kentucky, but when he broke his foot, we had to cancel,” Blue said. “Then we were told that the focus was on 2010 but they wanted him for 2011. They weren’t going to be showing a lot of 2011 recruits love, because they need 2010. It made the choice easier.”

Harkless is a lanky 6-6 swingman who can play multiple positions. He can handle the ball and drive to the basket and finishes very well at the rim. Harkless has decent form on his shot, too.

Interestingly enough, Blue said that Harkless is still growing, which could make him even more of a mismatch at the college level.

“[He will play] small forward at UConn,” Blue said. “They’ll have too many bodies for him to play the 4/5, but if he hits 6’10”, he will be a versatile four man. But he’s a real solid perimeter player who blocks a lot of shots.”

Harkless has yet to reach his potential, and does need to fine-tune his game – mainly his outside jump shot and his interior game.

However, Blue is confident that Harkless will make an immediate impact in the Big East, because of his natural abilities and commitment to winning.

“He’s going to be a great player at UConn – not a good player,” Blue said. “He has the bodily features to play the game that most don’t have. He works hard on his game and he’s selfish when needed.

"I think he will be one of UConn’s most talked-about players and he would rather win a title than win the Big East Rookie of the Year award.”

Harkless down to 5; deciding Wednesday

Although Maurice Harkless is only a junior in high school, he is ready to make his college decision on Wednesday.

Harkless will choose between Connecticut, St. John’s, Kentucky, Fordham and Seton Hall, confirmed Nathan Blue, Harkless’ advisor and AAU coach.

Blue added that Harkless does not have a favorite at this point – despite a New York Post story saying that Connecticut is in the lead – and will make up his mind Wednesday.

“Honestly, no [he doesn’t],” Blue said in a text message on Monday. “I will always support Maurice no matter what he chooses on Wednesday.”

Harkless has visited St. John’s, Connecticut, Fordham and Seton Hall but has yet to visit Kentucky. He does not plan to check out the Lexington campus before making his decision.

Blue said that Harkless is looking for one main thing in his future school – being successful.

“I think he’s looking to win a lot,” Blue said. “All the teams on his final five but Fordham have a combined, like, two losses.

“So he’s still undecided as of today.” 

Player of the Week, Dec. 7: Trevon Hughes

As college football winds down and December heats up – or, cools down, I guess – it is the perfect time to start the Collegehoops.net Player of the Week. This week, there were several noteworthy performances, including Texas Tech’s John Roberson going for 25 points and seven assists against Washington; North Carolina State’s Tracy Smith averaging 21 points and nine rebounds in two games; John Wall of Kentucky averaging 14 points and 10.5 assists; Charlotte’s Chris Braswell getting 21 points and 14 rebounds in a win over Louisville; and Illinois’ Mike Davis averaging 19 points and 10.5 rebounds in two solid wins.

However, the most important performance of the week belonged to Wisconsin’s Trevon Hughes. The 6-0 point guard from Queens, N.Y. knocked down four three-pointers en route to scoring 26 points in a win over Duke in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Wednesday. He followed that up with a well-rounded game of 20 points, seven rebounds and four assists against Grambling on Saturday. Against Duke, Hughes scored 19 of his 26 points in the second half, and hit several clutch shots to prevent a Duke rally.

Hughes is now averaging 16.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists on the season, helping the Badgers get off to a 6-1 start that includes victories over Duke, Maryland and Arizona. Wisconsin has two in-state battles coming up this week, against Wisconsin-Green Bay and Marquette. 

The Week Ahead

Long Beach State at Texas (Monday): The Big West favorite has already defeated UCLA; can they throw a scare into the Longhorns?

Butler vs. Georgetown (Tuesday): Butler struggled in the 76 Classic, while Georgetown  has coasted to a 6-0 record. Expect offensive efficiency by both teams.

Vanderbilt at Illinois (Tuesday): Illinois has been somewhat disappointing thus far, but the Illini have a chance to bounce back against Vandy.

Xavier at Kansas State (Tuesday): Xavier might no longer be the A-10 favorite, but the Musketeers aren’t going anywhere. KSU is coming off a 17-point thrashing of Washington State.

Pittsburgh at Indiana (Tuesday): After Pitt’s embarrassing offensive display against New Hampshire, Indiana might have more offensive talent than the Panthers.

Arizona State at BYU (Tuesday): Arizona State looks like it could be better than expected in the Pac-10, while BYU is still a MWC favorite.

Duquesne at West Virginia (Wednesday): Duquesne let a win over Pittsburgh slip through its fingers, but they have another shot at WVU.

Radford at Kansas (Wednesday): Radford is going to be one of the better low-majors in the NCAA Tournament, but threatening Kansas is too much to ask.

Kentucky vs. Connecticut (Wednesday): Storylines galore in this match-up. John Calipari and Jim Calhoun don’t like each other all that much, dating back to Cal’s days at UMass. Should be the best game of the week.

Idaho at Washington State (Wednesday): Idaho is coming off of a dominant win over Portland, while Washington State was blown out by Kansas State.

DePaul vs. Mississippi State (Thursday): DePaul has struggled without Mac Koshwal, while MSU has looked better since a couple of early losses.

Syracuse vs. Florida (Thursday): Another Big East-SEC showdown this week. Both teams have been very impressive in the early going, with ‘Cuse winning the NIT Season Tip-Off and Florida defeating Michigan State.

Old Dominion at Dayton (Friday): Two non-BCS teams to potentially watch come March. ODU is a CAA favorite, and Dayton is a legit Sweet Sixteen threat.

Western Kentucky at Vanderbilt (Friday): Western Kentucky has struggled so far this season, but a win at Vandy would really give them momentum. 

Shumpert out 3-6 weeks

All the talent that Georgia Tech head coach Paul Hewitt brought into the program this season is going to come in handy over the next month or so.

Starting guard Iman Shumpert will miss three-to-six weeks after undergoing surgery on his right knee. Shumpert suffered the injury when he slipped during a game in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off last month.

"I called him on my way home [Wednesday], he was just like ‘Coach, I can't move, I'm not the same player,'" Hewitt said. "You talk to different people and they say three-and-a-half , four weeks, that's how long it typically takes with the surgery he had. He'll be back for the bulk of the season."

Shumpert’s scoring numbers are down this season from 10.6 points per game to 8.3, but he leads the Yellow Jackets in assists with 4.7 per game. He has struggled since the injury, scoring just 11 total points in his final three games.

In his absence, freshman Mfon Udofia will have to run the point full-time; he is averaging 12.9 points and 3.3 assists this season. Shumpert did not play in the Georgia Tech win over USC on Saturday. Freshman Brian Oliver started in his place, hitting four three-pointers and scoring a team-high 18 points.

Turner out eight weeks

Every year, it seems that there is a season-changing injury to an All-American at some point in the season.

This season, we might have gotten it already – Ohio State junior swingman Evan Turner will miss eight weeks after fracturing two vertebrae in his back. He suffered the injury after falling on a missed dunk attempt during Saturday’s game against Eastern Michigan.

Head coach Thad Matta was initially optimistic about the injury after x-rays showed no serious injuries, but later tests discovered the fractures along the spine.

Turner has been one of the best players in the country during the first month of the season, averaging 20.6 points, 12.9 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game, including two triple-doubles.

Ohio State is currently 7-1, but will need seniors P.J. Hill and Jeremie Simmons to step up in Turner’s absence. Hill and Simmons combined for 35 points against Eastern Michigan.

Weekend Viewer's Guide

The last week of the college football season (sorry, Army vs. Navy) means one thing: college basketball is about to kick into high gear. Some conferences began league play this past week, and this weekend features several marquee match-ups, highlighted between a battle between two of the most storied programs in college hoops history. So when you want to take a break from conference championship games, feel free to switch over to college basketball – there are plenty of games to keep you interested.

• VCU at William & Mary (Saturday, 12:00 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: William & Mary 72, VCU 68
  
• North Carolina at Kentucky (Saturday, 12:30 PM, CBS): Prediction: Kentucky 89, North Carolina 81
  
• Southern Miss at Mississippi (Saturday, 1:00 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: Mississippi 77, Southern Miss 64
  
• North Carolina State at Marquette (Saturday, 3:00 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: Marquette 68, North Carolina State 59
  
• St. John’s at Duke (Saturday, 3:30 PM, ESPN2): Prediction: Duke 79, St. John’s 65
  
• DePaul at Vanderbilt (Saturday, 4:00 PM): Prediction: Vanderbilt 73, DePaul 54
  
• UTSA at Oklahoma State (Saturday, 4:05 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: Oklahoma State 84, UTSA 67
  
• Oregon at Missouri (Saturday, 5:00 PM, ESPNU): Prediction: Missouri 92, Oregon 78
  
• Wake Forest at Gonzaga (Saturday, 5:30 PM, ESPN2): Prediction: Gonzaga 79, Wake Forest 70
  
• Charlotte at Louisville (Saturday, 7:00 PM, ESPNU): Prediction: Louisville 71, Charlotte 53
  
• Washington State at Kansas State (Saturday, 9:00 PM, ESPNU): Prediction: Kansas State 70, Washington State 63
  
• Saint Mary’s at Utah State (Saturday, 9:00 PM): Prediction: Utah State 74, Saint Mary’s 65
  
• New Mexico State at New Mexico (Saturday, 9:00 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: New Mexico 82, New Mexico State 75
  
• San Diego State at UCSB (Saturday, 10:00 PM): Prediction: San Diego State 80, UCSB 71
  
• Iowa State at California (Saturday, 11:00 PM, ESPNU): Prediction: California 73, Iowa State 63
  
• South Carolina at Clemson (Sunday, 1:00 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: Clemson 85, South Carolina 71
  
• Miami (Fl.) at Boston College (Sunday, 3:00 PM, FSN): Prediction: Boston College 66, Miami (Fl.) 61
  
• Nebraska at Creighton (Sunday, 5:05 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: Creighton 60, Nebraska 48
  
• Kansas at UCLA (Sunday, 5:30 PM, FSN): Prediction: Kansas 89, UCLA 71
  
• Arizona at Oklahoma (Sunday, 7:00 PM, ESPNU): Prediction: Oklahoma 67, Arizona 58
  
• Villanova vs. Maryland (Sunday, 7:30 PM, FSN): Prediction: Villanova 81, Maryland 76
  

Pinkston commits to Villanova

After a whirlwind recruitment featuring many twists and turns, the top player in New York City has finally made a decision.

Jayvaughn Pinkston is headed to Villanova.

“I’m very excited to be committing to Villanova,” Pinkston said though his mentor, Kimani Young. “It’s one of the top programs in the country, I want to play with and against the best players in the country and playing for Villanova will afford me that opportunity. I’m excited and thankful.”

Pinkston is a powerful 6-6 forward who has steadily risen up the class of 2010 rankings over the past couple of years. He is capable of dominating around the basket and has also improved his perimeter game.

He chose Villanova over St. John’s, Marquette, Tennessee and Seton Hall.

Two weeks ago, Pinkston was expected to make his announcement, and all signs pointed to Tennessee. However, five-star forward Tobias Harris signed with the Volunteers, and Pinkston decided to postpone his decision.

At the time, Young said that Pinkston would wait until the spring to make his decision, but he has decided to end his recruitment now.

“I think his versatility coupled with his toughness and competitive nature will mesh well with the crop of young players they have now,” said Young, the director of Pinkston’s New Heights AAU team.

When asked if he thought Pinkston could make an impact in the Big East, Young replied emphatically: “Absolutely.”

Pinkston will sign with the Wildcats in the spring.

SEC News: Holmes injured, Forston returns to practice

Two SEC teams that were in action -- in separate games -- on Wednesday night, South Carolina and Arkansas, were without key starters -- and it is unclear when either will return.

South Carolina junior forward Mike Holmes is out indefinitely with a facial fracture and an eye injury, and underwent surgery on Tuesday. Head coach Darrin Horn said that Holmes' return "won't be anytime soon." Holmes injured himself "horsing around at home," where he was for Thanksgiving break.

The Gamecocks are already without forward Dominique Archie, who suffered a knee sprain against Miami (Fl.) two weekends ago. In the absence of Holmes and Archie, South Carolina started forward Austin Steed and swingman Brandis Raley-Ross. 

Also in the SEC, Arkansas sophomore point guard Courtney Fortson has returned to practice but there is still no timetable for his return. Fortson was one of five players suspended in mid-November for violating unspecified team rules. However, he is the only scholarship Razorback still on the sideline. In his absence, Arkansas is 2-5, including a four-game losing streak with defeats at the hands of Morgan State, East Tennessee State and South Alabama -- all at home.

Wednesday, Dec. 2 Predictions

Prediction Record: 37-11 (ATS: 24-21)

• Siena at Georgia Tech (-6): Prediction: Georgia Tech 84, Siena 77
  
• Western Kentucky at South Carolina (-5.5): Prediction: South Carolina 86, Western Kentucky 80
  
• Old Dominion at Richmond (-3): Prediction: Richmond 64, Old Dominion 58
  
• Pittsburgh at Duquesne (+5.5): Prediction: Duquesne 73, Pittsburgh 67
  
• Illinois at Clemson (-5): Prediction: Clemson 70, Illinois 64
  
• Minnesota at Miami (Fl.) (-2.5): Prediction: Minnesota 57, Miami (Fl.) 54
  
• Boston College at Michigan (-5): Prediction: Michigan 68, Boston College 58 
  
• Arkansas at Oklahoma (-13.5): Prediction: Oklahoma 74, Arkansas 64
  
• Northern Iowa at Iowa State (-6): Prediction: Iowa State 63, Northern Iowa 59
  
• Oklahoma State at Tulsa (-2.5): Prediction: Tulsa 84, Oklahoma State 75
  
• UNLV at Arizona (-3.5): Prediction: Arizona 66, UNLV 60
  
• Washington State at Gonzaga (-10): Prediction: Gonzaga 73, Washington State 60
  
• California at New Mexico (-5.5): Prediction: California 82, New Mexico 77
  
• BYU at Utah State (-1): Prediction: Utah State 67, BYU 63
  
• Duke at Wisconsin (+4): Prediction: Duke 71, Wisconsin 64
  
• Florida State at Ohio State (-6.5): Prediction: Ohio State 70, Florida State 62
  
• Missouri at Vanderbilt (-4.5): Prediction: Vanderbilt 77, Missouri 69
  

Radio Appearance

If anyone will be in the Honolulu area -- or near a computer -- today, Jeff Borzello, the founder and lone writer of March Madness All Season, will be appearing on ESPN Radio Honolulu at 12:40 p.m. EST. 

It will be 7:40 a.m. local time, and a link to listen online is: ESPN Radio 1420 Honolulu. 

Things get worse for UCLA: Gordon leaves team

After a rough Thanksgiving weekend in which UCLA went 0-3, including a loss to Long Beach State, it seemed like things could not get any worse for the Bruins.

Well, that was wrong.

Sophomore Drew Gordon, the team's third-leading scorer and second-leading rebounder, has decided to leave the team and will transfer at the end of the semester.

"This is not a spur-of-the-moment decision," UCLA head coach Ben Howland said. "Ultimately, it's what's best for all parties."

According to the Los Angeles Times, teammates said that Gordon and Howland had a few disagreements this season, but they did not think that it was serious enough for Gordon to leave.

Through six games, Gordon was averaging 11.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.0 blocks. With his departure, freshman Reeves Nelson will likely see increased playing time.