Davidson

2008-09 All-American Projection: Post-Decision Update

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 08:27:17 -0700

A few days after the 2008 NCAA Championship game, I made an early projection of the 08-09 All-Americans to go along with Top 50 and All-Freshman projections. Now that players have officially entered or withdrawn from the Draft, we have a much better sense of how next year's landscape will look: First Team G - Brandon Jennings - Arizona G - Stephen Curry - Davidson F - Kyle Singler - Duke** F - Luke Harangody - Notre Dame F - Tyler Hansbrough - North Carolina ** Originally, I had slated DJ Augustin into the All-American team. He's been replaced by Singler, who could be a major breakout candidate despite Duke's balanced attack. Second Team G - James Harden - Arizona State G - Darren Collison - UCLA** G - Tyrese Rice - Boston College F - Chase Budinger - Arizona** F - Jon Brockman - Washington ** I thought Collison would go pro, but he returns to form a solid backcourt with Jrue Holiday (though perhaps Holiday will end up stealing Collison's thunder..). Budinger always seems to disappoint, but now that he's back in school, its hard to imagine he wont score 20 ppg next year. Third Team G - AJ Price - UCONN G - Nick Calathes - Florida** G - Demar Derozan - USC** F - Blake Griffin - Oklahoma F - Patrick Patterson - Kentucky ** Trent Plaisted was an original Third Team member, but is now hoping to be a 2nd round pick in next week's Draft. Tyreke Evans was originally in Derozan's place, but the return of Antonio Anderson, Robert Dozier, etc to the Tigers make Evans less likely to put up huge numbers. Fourth Team G - Ty Lawson - UNC** G - Eric Maynor - VCU F - Tyler Smith - Tennessee** F - Terrence Williams - Louisville** C - AJ Ogilvy - Vanderbilt ** Williams was originally on the 2nd Team, but the return of Collison and Lawson knock him down a peg. Smith's return was huge for Tennessee, and he could end up as high as the First Team. Lawson's return was somewhat of a surprise, and he gets slotted into the Third team. Next in Line: Jrue Holiday - UCLA Dominic James - Marquette Hasheem Thabeet - UCONN BJ Mullens - Ohio State Tyreke Evans - Memphis Samardo Samuels - Louisville Looks like a lot of big men get squeezed into the "Next in Line" group. All-American voters are swayed by numbers, and forwards like Brockman and Patterson have a chance to light up the scoreboard in ways that a Thabeet never could.

Early 2008-09 All-American Projections

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 09:16:37 -0700

Following my projected 2009 Field of 65, here is an early look at the 2008-09 All-Americans.

First Team
G - DJ Augustin - Texas
G - Stephen Curry - Davidson
G - Brandon Jennings - Arizona
F - Luke Harangody - Notre Dame
F - Tyler Hansbrough - North Carolina

Second Team
G - James Harden - Arizona State
G - Terrence Williams - Louisville
G - Tyrese Rice - Boston College
F - Kyle Singler - Duke
F - Jon Brockman - Washington

Third Team
G - AJ Price - UCONN
G - Tyreke Evans - Memphis
F - Blake Griffin - Oklahoma
F - Trent Plaisted - BYU
F - Patrick Patterson - Kentucky

Fourth Team
G - Jrue Holiday - UCLA
G - Eric Maynor - VCU
G - Dominic James - Marquette
F - Samardo Samuels - Louisville
C - AJ Ogilvy - Vanderbilt

*Of course I've had to make a lot of assumptions about who will go pro or not. For example, DJ Augustin and Tyler Hansbrough may very well enter the Draft, but for now I'm going on the premise they return. This list will be updated in a couple weeks once all decisions are made.

**Coming soon are my early All-Rookie teams for next season.

2008 CollegeHoops.net Program & Conference of the Year

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 14:18:53 -0700

After a lengthy run of individual awards, we finally reach CHN's program and conference awards. As always, CHN writers voted for the best of the best:

CollegeHoops.net Program of the Year: Drake

By now, Drake’s surprise success has been discussed many times over. The 28-5 record, the MVC Championship, the Top 25 Ranking. The unknown players like Adam Emmenecker turning in all-star seasons, and a first year coach earning National Coach of the Year plaudits. But every time you read about the success of Keno Davis’s squad, the more shocking it truly seems.

Here at CHN, we pride ourselves on our top quality season preview and preseason rankings. Yet when it came to Drake, like everyone else, we were completely wrong. 165^th place was our prediction.. and we were only about 140 places off. In fact, Drake was projected to be 85 places worse than the 2^nd lowest team (Western Kentucky) that ended up in our Final Top 40. For shocking CHN’s experts and college basketball nation, Drake is a worthy program of the year.

Runner Up: Texas

After losing NBA All-Rookie performer Kevin Durant to the Draft, many thought that the Longhorns would regress. But instead, Rick Barnes led Texas to a record 31 win season as well as their 3^rd Elite Eight trip of the last six years. Amazingly, not one major contributor from the co-Big 12 champion is a senior, and the program’s continued success seems like a lock.

CollegeHoops.net Mid-Major Program of the Year: Davidson

Davidson was arguably the national Program of the Year due to their amazing Elite Eight tournament run, but their success wasn’t nearly as surprising as Drake’s. After losing some close games to major Top 10 powers like UNC and UCLA, the Wildcats bounced back to utterly dominate the Southern Conference. They won all 20 league games, and swept the conference tournament with an average margin of victory of 26 points. Their overall 25-game winning streak was the best in the nation, and helped Coach Bob McKillop and star guard Stephen Curry amass some impressive hardware. More impressive than their 29-7 record or any individual’s numbers is the way they captivated the country by letting it all out during the NCAA Tournament.

Runner Up: South Alabama

The Jaguars had an impressive season this culminated in at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. This was the first time in 14 years that a Sun Belt team had received at-large consideration. Their 26-7 overall record included two wins over Sweet Sixteen team (and conference rival) Western Kentucky, as well as tournament squads Mississippi State and San Diego. Coach Ronnie Arrow won Sun Belt Coach of the Year honors, returning to a position he once held 13 years ago.

CollegeHoops.net Conference of the Year: Pac-10

Simply put, no league offered more exciting individual and team matchups than the Pac-10 on a weekly basis. With the exception of Oregon State, every team in the league was capable of beating every other team.. and this overall depth of talent lead to an amazing 9 postseason bids for the 10 team league.

At the team level, UCLA was the true class of the league leading the way with a 16-2 record. The Bruins were led by Kevin Love, just one of many potential NBA lottery picks scattered throughout league rosters. Brook Lopez, OJ Mayo, Jerryd Bayless, Ryan Anderson and others lit up the scoreboards on a nightly basis.

Overall, the Pac-10 ended up 2^nd in RPI to the ACC, but the league members led the country with an amazing .798 out-of-conference winning %. This is even more impressive when you consider that as recently as 2004, the Pac-10 was 9^th in overall RPI. With big time coaches and big time programs, there’s no reason not to expect another great Pac-10 run next year.

Runner Up: Atlantic 10

This was somewhat of a renaissance season for the A10, as the league finished 7^th in overall RPI, easily its best season in a decade. Conference leader Xavier made an impressive run to the NCAA Tournament's Elite Eight, and they were joined in the Big Dance by conference tournament winner Temple and St. Joseph’s. Even more impressively, the league had great depth as teams like Dayton, UMASS, and URI all made strong claims to Top 25 consideration at one point or another.

Check out all the: CHN 2007-08 Postseason Awards

All-Americans, All-Rookie, Top Coaches & more

2008 CollegeHoops.net Coach of the Year Awards

CHN — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 09:32:20 -0700

CollegeHoops.net Coach of the Year: Keno Davis (Drake)

In the category of “first year coaches taking over for their father’s somewhat struggling program”, Tony Bennett’s 2006-07 campaign seemed to be as good as it got. Bennett took over for his father Dick, and won 26 games while finishing 2^nd in the Pac-10. However, Keno Davis took things to new levels this year when he led the Drake Bulldogs to a shocking 28-5 record and an MVC Championship. Not since 1971 had Drake won 20 games, and it was that same season the program last made the NCAA Tournament. Thirty seven lean years later Drake was back in the Big Dance, and would have advanced to the Second Round if not for WKU’s last second prayer. Davis was handed a bunch of relatively unknown players like Adam Emmenecker and turned them into stars. Who knows what kind of success awaits Davis in the future, but Bulldog nation couldn’t be happier with what they’ve got.

Runner Up: Matt Painter (Purdue)

Last Year: Tony Bennett (Washington State)

CollegeHoops.net Mid-Major Coach of the Year: Bob McKillop (Davidson)

The general public might not have been aware of Bob McKillop’s Wildcats until this season’s magical Elite Eight run. But those in college basketball circles have known for years that Davidson has done nothing but win under his reign. In 12 of the last 13 seasons, McKillop’s Cats have finished either 1^st or 2^nd in their Southern Conference division. In that same period, he’s led Davidson to 5 NCAA Tournaments, 7 postseason bids, and 7 twenty wins seasons. Not bad considering when McKillop took over 18 years ago, the program was reeling to the tune of a 4-24 record. But this year’s Mid-Major Coach of the Year award is not about career success, but an outstanding 29 win season that included 25 straight over a four month period. With a little help from friends Stephen Curry and Jason Richards, the Wildcats blazed an impressive NCAA Tournament trail, knocking off three big name programs along the way, and winning over the hearts of the American public.

Runner Up: Darrin Horn (Western Kentucky)

Last Year: Gregg Marshall (Winthrop)

Check out all the: CHN 2007-08 Postseason Awards

All-Americans, All-Rookie, Top Coaches & more!

NCAA Tournament: Weekend Review

Jason Brubaker — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 08:13:09 -0700

Is there any better time of year than March? When else could millions of people sit on a couch all day long, and not feel the least bit guilty? When else could you carry on an in-depth conversation at a bar about UNC's press break or Kevin Love's outlet passes or Stephen Curry's ability to move without the ball with a total stranger... and feel like it's perfectly normal? When else could you field a phone call at 3 a.m. because a friend's team lost and they just need to vent? I know June brings the warm weather, and December brings Christmas and days off work...but for my money, nothing beats March. And this weekend was a testament to that.

- What else can be said about Tyler Hansbrough that hasn't been said already? The unrelenting UNC big man simply would not let the Heels lose to Louisville on Saturday, draining some late jumpers to thwart a Cards comeback. Hansbrough was bothered early with Louisville's athleticism and size down low, but like he always does, he just kept attacking. Perhaps the highlight of the night was a thunderous tip dunk off a Danny Green miss that pushed the lead back to six points and got the pro-UNC crowd on their feet.. Hansbrough's monster effort and will helped the Heels finally shake off the sting of last year's Elite 8 collapse to Georgetown, and they enter the Final Four as hot as anyone. With Hansbrough leading the way, the Heels have a great chance to cut down the nets in San Antonio this year.

- Similarly, we're running out of superlatives to describe UCLA's freshman phenom Kevin Love. On a veteran team with two Final Fours under their belts, it was Love who carried this team to San Antonio, providing scoring, rebounding, and at least one how-did-he-do-that outlet pass every game. Love has not only lived up the massive hype surrounding his arrival in Westwood, he's exceeded it with a remarkable season. He's an absolute beast down low, using his strength to get into position wherever he wants. However, the big man has no problem stepping out to the perimeter, where he drained two clutch three-pointers to keep a pesky Xavier team at bay. Enjoy him now Bruins fans - this will probably be your only shot.

- Speaking of Memphis - think they were a little upset that they were the most commonly picked #1 seed to get upset? The Tigers played all weekend with a chip on their shoulder, absolutely destroying Michigan State before dispatching Texas easily to reach their first Final 4 since 1985. In both games, freshman guard Derrick Rose set the tone, using his superior athleticism to get the Tigers off and running. The game against the Spartans featured no fewer than three one-on-zero fast breaks for Memphis, including a double-pump reverse stuff for Rose, who appeared to be jumping off a trampoline. Then, they simply overwhelmed the tremendous Texas backcourt of DJ Augustin and AJ Abrams, holding them to 10-34 shooting as they took all the drama out of the game early on. If they continue to play as focused as they did all weekend, they just might walk away with their first-ever national title.

- Finally, Kansas managed to put an end to the Stephen Curry show, but not before a little drama to wrap up the weekend. The Jayhawks played sloppily all day, despite the presence of veteran guards, and they were a missed Jason Richards three-pointer at the buzzer away from another disappointing exit from the tournament. However, there’s no denying Kansas' talent, as they have a ton of offensive weapons both inside and out. When Brandon Rush is dialed in, he's among the most lethal scorers in the country. The same can be said of Darrell Arthur down low, who has the potential to dominate whenever he wants, but doesn't always showcase it. Throw in Russell Robinson, Mario Chalmers, Darnell Jackson, Sherron Collins and Sasha Kaun, and the Jayhawks have more than enough firepower to grab their first title since 1988.

- As with every tournament, there's always some bittersweet moments, no matter who you're rooting for. Davidson, who captured the country with their magnificent run, saw their season end on Sunday, but there should be no head-hanging in that locker room. Undersized and outmanned athletically in all four games of the tournament, the Wildcats refused to back down, knocking off the Big East champ (Georgetown) and the Big 10 champ (Wisconsin), and nearly knocking off Big 12 champ Kansas before bowing out. Sophomore Stephen Curry played his way into the heart of every college basketball fan over the past two weeks, draining 22 three-pointers on his way to averaging 32 points per game. Senior guard Jason Richard also had an incredible run, averaging 13 points and nine assists. The Wildcat faithful should be proud of this team for showing the heart and determination that makes college basketball so special.

- The same can be said of Western Kentucky, who started the tournament with a buzzer-beater to upset Drake, and never let off the gas pedal after that. Even facing a 21-point deficit against the big, bad UCLA Bruins, the Hilltoppers staged a valiant comeback, leaving everything they had on the floor. Senior point guard Tyrone Brazelton nearly brought the 'Toppers back by himself, dropping in 25 second-half points. Though their season ended in the Sweet 16, these kids certainly made their fans proud.

- A remarkable run by Xavier also ended over the weekend, as the rock-solid Musketeers were simply overmatched by UCLA. Under the radar all season, Xavier was a team in every sense of the word, with six players averaging between nine and 12 points per game. The Muskies made quite a run themselves in the tournament, staging a second-half comeback to beat Georgia, holding off a solid Purdue team and then surviving an overtime scare against West Virginia before being humbled by the Bruins. A terrific senior class of Josh Duncan, Stanley Burrell and Drew Lavender shed tears and shared hugs as they exited the floor Saturday night, but these guys have nothing to be ashamed of. They played the game the right way, and made their fans proud as they visited the Elite 8 for only the second time in school history after dominating the A-10 regular season. Commentator Bll Raftery referred to Lavender, all 5'7" of him, constantly throughout the weekend as the "little guy with a big ticker", a label I think is appropriate for everyone on this tough, gritty, never say-die squad.

- Tennessee's fantastic season, which saw them reach the #1 ranking for the first time ever, ended Thursday, amidst some bizarre decisions by Coach Bruce Pearl. A close friend of mine, who happens to be a Tennessee fan, wondered aloud, "Why change the rotation now? We won 31 games, and now he's gonna mess with the line-up? Give me a break!"

Indeed, Pearl's decision to take the ball out of Ramar Smith’s hands and let JP Prince assume more ball-handling duties backfired, as the Vols couldn't handle the Louisville pressure. Combine that with Lofton's cold streak, and the Vols were no match for the Cards, losing by 19 in what was thought would be a close match-up. Pearl has certainly instilled energy and enthusiasm into the program, but his in-game coaching may be questioned this off-season.

- Stanford, Washington State, Villanova and Wisconsin also took their final bows, exiting with double-digits losses. Stanford simply couldn’t contain the Texas guards, even though head coach Trent Johnson stuck around the entire game and theoretically could have made adjustments. Villanova's hot streak ran out against Kansas, while Wazzou's defense proved to be little more than a minor annoyance to UNC, who still won by 21 points despite scoring only 68 points. As already noted, Wisconsin ran into a buzz-saw named Stephen Curry, who riddled them for 33 points as the Badgers were blown out. Thanks for playing guys - see you again next year.

- And finally, for the first-time ever, all four #1 seeds will play in the Final Four, meaning the potential of this coming weekend is through the roof. In one match-up, basketball blue-bloods UNC and Kansas will battle, pairing UNC's Roy Williams against the school he led to the Final Four as recently as 2003. Both teams are deep, talented, well-coached and hungry.

In the other match-up, UCLA and Memphis are also out on a mission. The Bruins return to the Final Four for the third straight season, yet are still searching for their first title since 1995. Memphis on the other hand, finally broke through after two straight Elite 8 losses Ironically, although both teams have veteran players, the key may be how well the two superstar freshmen - Love and Rose - handle the bright lights. Neither has appeared phased so far, I look for UNC to knock off Kansas, while UCLA will outlast Memphis, setting up a great championship game on Monday. When it’s all said and done, I look for Roy Williams to hoist his second national title trophy since returning to his alma mater, as the Heels cut down the nets in San Antonio.

Mindless Dribble: Kansas Escapes With Win over Davidson

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 19:58:59 -0700

Four #1 seeds have never made the Fi.. oh well, I guess we can throw out Bracket Tactic #17 from next year's batch. Unlike Xavier, Louisville, and Texas.. at least Davidson seemed up the challenge. The Wildcats didn't necessarily bring their A-game, but it seemed like C+ was enough to get it done on Sunday evening. The national media has had their full share of thoughts on this game, but here are a few other nuggets to chew on: - People (mainly I'm talking about the announcers here) need to stop prodding and discussing and waiting for Brandon Rush to shoot more or take over games.. he's been at this college basektball thing for 106 games now, and nothing has changed since day one. - Even though he only scored 2 points in the second half, Mario Chalmers hit the key shots for Kansas. Just when Curry finally heated up after a sluggish 10 minute start, Chalmers also caught fire. He scored 11 of the Hawks 15 points in a 4 minute stretch when Curry scored 12 of Davidson's 14. Without Chalmer's hot streak (which included 3 threes.. the game would have turned out very different). - The turning point of the game seemed to occur at the 8:13 mark. Spurred by Bryant Barr, the Wildcats made a great push in the middle of the second half. Up 51-47, Curry missed a three that would have brought down the house. Once that shot rimmed out, it seemed like all the effort Davidson put into the last few minutes finally caught up with them. Noticing this, Bob McKillop smartly called a time out at the 7:35 mark.. but it wasn't enough to wake up his crew. - Davidson's final possession has been ripped to shreds in many circles. And rightfully so. It was a somewhat pathetic way to end what was an amazing run. Curry's decision to pass or not to pass wasn't the issue.. the game ended before Richard's even took the last second desperation three. Why not play for overtime and go for two? It's not like Kansas was dominating down the stretch.. the Jayhawks didn't hit a field goal in the final 4:57. - I've been critical of Bill Self's coaching ability over the years and I can't say I'm a big believer now. Prime example was when Kansas regained possession after a huge three by Curry cut the lead to two with 54 seconds left. Half way through the possession, he calls time out, and the resulting "play" led to Sherron Collins (who had a blah game) bombing a three from 40 feet away. Then again, he won.. so I'll hold back on the rest of my criticisms. - Man, did Self look relieved when his team won though. It wasn't even happiness, it was like "Thank god I recruited some really good athletes who got me to this point and that Rush rebounded so quickly from his injury and Curry missed some shots he hit last game.. because we didn't play very well." - Sasha Kaun (13 points and 7 boards) looks really good when he goes up against guys 3-5 inches smaller then him. This is why his other "good" games came against Washburn, Northern Arizona, and Loyola Maryland.. - I like how ESPN has a story about "sources" telling them that Stephen Curry will return for his junior year. Of course he is, do we need sources to tell us that? - More interesting than the possibility of Curry leaving will be the rumblings about jobs being offered to Coach McKillop. You never know what a coach will do, even one that's been in the same program for 20 years. So long as Curry's there, it's hard to see him leaving though.. then again, his "stock" is as high as it will ever be. - Did Kansas give me any reason to think they could beat UNC? Not really. - Not sure what I think about the Ford Field setup. It looked like half the fans were a couple hundred yards away from the action. Also, why don't the extend the raised floor just a bit and put all the coaches and the benches up there? - Richards, Sander, and Meno are seniors so it will be worth watching to see how the Cats fare next year. I don't follow Davidson enough to know who exactly is line to start next year.. but a lineup of Curry, Barr, Archambault, Lovedale, and one of Gosselin/Rossiter doesn't look too bad.

CHN All-Sweet Sixteen Team: Curry is MOP

Jeff Fox — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 08:31:26 -0700

The clock has struck midnight and the chariot has turned back into a pumpkin for all the Cinderellas except for Davidson. Not surprisingly their star is CHN’s Sweet Sixteen Most Outstanding Player.

CollegeHoops.net Sweet Sixteen MOP: Stephen Curry, Davidson
33 points, four assists, four steals, three boards

There really wasn’t much deliberation with this selection – everything about Stephen Curry’s Sweet Sixteen game was Most Outstanding. He totally scorched a very tough defensive team in Wisconsin and is off to the Elite Eight. Pretty amazing stuff considering he is only 12-years-old (What’s that you say? He’s actually 20?!? Seriously? Can someone verify that?!).

MOP Runner Up: Josh Duncan, Xavier
26 points, five boards, 3-4 3pts

The senior Josh Duncan picked a fine time to come up with his career-high in points – the Musketeers needed every one of them to get by West Virginia.

All Sweet Sixteen Team:

Guard: Stephen Curry, Davidson

Guard: D.J. Augustin, Texas - 23 points, seven assists, five boards, two steals
The short Longhorn slays the Stanford giants.

Guard/Forward: Earl Clark, Louisville - 17 points, 12 boards, four blocks, two steals
It’s a nice luxury to be able to get a stat line like that from a bench player.

Forward: Kevin Love, UCLA - 29 points, 14 boards, four assists, four blocks
The man-child has another monster game. All other centers need not apply – the position has been filled.

Forward: Josh Duncan, Xavier

Poll: Is Stephen Curry a Legitimate NBA Prospect?

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:18:10 -0700

Three Stars of the Day: Curry, Lee, Abrams

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 09:26:59 -0700

Stephen Curry - Davidson

Forge the shooting %, Curry came up clutch when it counted, scoring 20 second half points to lead Davidson to a comeback win

Courtney Lee - Western Kentucky

The Hilltoppers earned a Sweet 16 trip thanks to Lee's 29 point effort against USD

AJ Abrams - Texas

Scored 26 points and hit six threes for the second game in a row, as Texas survived Miami's comeback effort

Other Top Performers

Jamont Gordon - Mississippi State - Behind his solid 21 point, 11 rebound, 5 assists game, the Bulldogs put a scare into Memphis

Scottie Reynolds - Villanova - 25 points, 8 boards, and 5 assists from one of the country's underrated stars

Previous Stars of the Day

March 23rd - Brook Lopez, Stanford

March 21st - Gerald Henderson, Duke

March 18th - Cavel Witter, Creighton

March 15th - Joe Alexander, WVU

March 11th - Jeremy Evans, WKU

March 10th - Kevin Kanaskie, MTSU

March 9th - Brandon Johnson, San Diego

March 5th - Marquis Weddle, UTM

March 4th - Joe Alexander, WVU

March 3rd - Kevin Love, UCLA

March 2nd - Tyrese Rice, BC

And Then There Were 16.. Weekend Review

Jason Brubaker — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 06:56:22 -0700

What a weekend in college basketball. A plethora of close games. A few Cinderellas trying on their dancing shoes. Buzzer-beaters. Fired-up coaches. Chest-thumping players. And at the end of it all, 48 teams have been sent packing, their championship hopes dashed. The final 16 teams includes two 12 seeds, as well as a 10 and 7 seed...who would've thought? Here's a look back at four days of Madness

- How in the world did every major school miss on Stephen Curry? The sharp-shooting Davidson sophomore averaged 35 points per game in leading the Wildcats to wins over Gonzaga and Georgetown on their way to the Sweet Sixteen. Lightly-recruited by bigger schools, Curry has proven time and time again he has no problem match-up up against elite players. He nailed 13 shots from beyond the arc in the first two rounds, using textbook form and a lightning-quick release. The Wildcats will again be giving up size when they face Wisconsin next round, but with Curry on the floor, you can't count them out.

- UCLA and Stanford occupied most of the spotlight in the Pac-10 this year, but don't forget about Washington State. The Cougars had as impressive of a weekend as anyone, pounding upstart Winthrop 71-40, and then shutting down Notre Dame in a 61-41 victory, holding them to an average of 27% shooting from the field. The Cougars calling card all season has been their defense, and they proved why, engulfing Big East POY Luke Harangody and holding him to just 10 points. Their defense will be tested in the next round however, by North Carolina, who has scored over 100 in each of their first two games.

- The RPI aside, most people would agree that the Pac-10 and Big East were the nation's toughest conferences this year, and the remaining teams are proof. Both conferences have three teams still standing, while the ACC and SEC each only have one. However, while the Pac-10 teams (UCLA, Stanford, Washington State) were somewhat expected, the three Big East might be a little surprising. No Georgetown, no Notre Dame and no Connecticut...replaced by West Virginia (5th in the conference) and Villanova (8th in the conference). Madness indeed.

- Out of the six mid-major at large teams, five lost in the first round, including ugly losses by Kent State and South Alabama. However, Xavier is still very much alive, having grinded out tough wins over a hot Georgia team and a scrappy Purdue squad. The Muskies have an incredibly balanced attack, and really get after teams defensively, denying passing lanes and just generally frustrating opponents. Diminutive point guard Drew Lavender, the heart and soul of the team, is a joy to watch as he speeds by defenders, while fellow seniors Stanley Burrell and Josh Duncan are as tough-minded as they come. Guards CJ Anderson and BJ Raymond are versatile players, while forward Derrick Brown has NBA-athleticism. If Jason Love continues to produce down low, Xavier should be able to knock off West Virginia in the next round, setting up a potentially interesting game with UCLA with a Final Four berth on the line.

- Duke haters can rejoice again after another tournament sees the Devils fail to make it past the first weekend. Last year, it was VCU shocking the Devils; this year West Virginia did the deed, exposing Duke's over-dependency on three-point shooting and lack of inside presence. Thought to be the weakest of the 2-seeds in the field, Duke did nothing to disprove that, barely escaping Belmont in the first round before bowing out to the Mountaineers. A severe lack of athleticism outside of Gerald Henderson once again doomed the Devils, who couldn't stay in front of anyone on defense. Another early exit next year, and the over-rated chants will be louder than ever.

- In other over-rated news, how does a team with Arizona's talent keep getting bounced early? The Wildcats boast two probably future lottery picks in Jerryd Bayless and Chase Budinger, along with future NBA player Jordan Hill, yet they won't see the second round of the tournament for the second straight year. It was a trying year to be sure, with the Lute Olson distractions and nagging injuries, but at some point, you'd like to see them start playing up to their potential.

- Indiana concluded their bizarre season by mailing in most of the game against Arkansas in bowing out in the first round. When Kelvin Sampson was replaced as head coach on Feb. 22 following an investigation into NCAA violations, the Hoosiers spiraled downwards, going 3-4 under interim coach Dan Dakich. Star freshman guard Eric Gordon struggled against Arkansas, going 3-15, and many of the Hoosiers appeared uninterested in playing defense. Indiana is too proud of a program to let this bog them down for too long, but there's no doubt this was not the same team that entered February at 17-3.

- Thanks for stopping by Michael Beasley and OJ Mayo. The two superstar freshmen, both likely headed to the NBA, saw their seasons over the weekend. Beasley showed why he's up for POY honors as he led the Wildcats to a first-round victory over USC and Mayo, totaling 23 points and 11 rebounds. The Wildcats then ran into an experienced Wisconsin team in the second round, bowing out despite another good effort from Beasley (23 and 13). But both kids should hold their heads high. They entered the season with enormous expectations and lived up to them, not an easy task for a young kid.

- It's hard to pin down the best game over the weekend, but there were a few that stood out. Western Kentucky and Drake put on a shoot-out for the ages in the first round, with WKU winning in OT on a Ty Rogers' 30-foot heave at the buzzer. Following that, San Diego stunned UConn, getting giant performances from Brandon Johnson and Gyno Pomare, plus a buzzer-beater of their own by De'Jon Jackson. UCLA needed late-game heroics from Darren Collison to hold off Texas A&M on Saturday, while Stanford got a baseline shot from Brook Lopez with one second left to knock off Marquette in overtime. Then, Tennessee needed late free throws to hold off a gritty Butler team in overtime on Sunday, while Memphis grinded out a three-point win over a tough Mississippi State squad. All in all, even though my brackets are destroyed (Siena anyone??), it was a great weekend for hoops.

- Similarly, it's hard to put out a list of the best individual performances of the weekend, since there was so many. But a few that simply can't be ignored: Davidson's Stephen Curry (40 pts vs. Gonzaga, 30 pts vs. Georgetown), Kentucky's Joe Crawford (35 pts vs. Marquette), Marquette's Jerel McNeal (30 pts vs. Stanford), West Virginia's Joe Mazzulla (13 pts, 11 reb, 8 ast off the bench vs. Duke), Arkansas' Sonny Weems (31 pts vs. Indiana), Miami's Jack McClinton (38 pts vs. St. Mary's), Stanford's Brook Lopez (30 pts vs. Marquette), WKU's Tyrone Brazelton (33 pts. vs. Drake), Xavier’s Drew Lavender (18 pts, 9 ast vs. Purdue), Duke's Gerald Henderson (21 pts, 7 reb, 5 stl vs. Belmont) and Villanova's Scottie Reynolds (25 pts, 8 reb, 5 ast vs. Siena).