December 6th

Joel’s Monday Mailbag

Each Monday, Joel Welser will be bringing you his Monday Mailbag.  If you have a question which you'd like Joel to answer, email jwelser_chn@ameritech.net.  He’ll post and answer as many questions as possible.  Please include your first name and home state when contacting Joel. 

One question each week is chosen as the "Question of the Week", and is answered by a few CHN staffers.  At the end of each Monday Mailbag, Joel presents his "Team of the Week" and his "Thoughts of the Week."  Visit the Mailbag Archive for past installments.

Joel,

Could Marshall be a top contender in the MAC this year if they keep winning, or if not where do they stand?

From Aaron,

Ashland, Kentucky

I don’t know if ‘winning’ is the right word to use with Marshall.  They do have a 1-5 record, but you are right, the Herd is looking better than many thought.  Three of their five losses to UAB, Eastern Michigan and UNC Wilmington have been by three points or less.  Marshall does have a nice mix of youth and experience.  Freshman Joe Miles has proven to be a legitimate scoring threat.  Senior A.W. Hamilton is an experienced and productive point guard.  They will still have a tough time reaching the top half of the MAC East.  Miami (OH), Buffalo and Kent State, at this point, are looking like the clear top three in the East. 

Joel,

Now that UCLA beat Pepperdine, does that make the Bruins the best team in LA?

From Joe,

Los Angeles, California

Yep.  If my geography is correct, there are six teams in Los Angeles County.  UCLA and Pepperdine were the best two, and I’ll give the Bruins the edge with their heads up victory.  The Waves are a close second and could still prove to be the better team as the season progresses.  USC is third, despite all their problems.  Cal State Northridge has to be next.  They might have a bad record at 1-5, but they hung in there against some tough competition and will compete for a Big West championship.  Loyola Marymount is fifth ahead of Long Beach State since they beat the 49ers handily by a score of 73-57 earlier in the season.

UCLA will most likely remain the best team in LA County.  Freshmen Arron Afflalo and Jordan Farmar are second and third on the team in scoring and each average over 31 minutes per game.  They will only get better and they have looked pretty good through six games.  Throw freshmen roleplayers Josh Shipp and Lorenzo Mata into that mix and the Bruins will have some experienced freshmen making a major impact come March.

Question of the Week

 - The question of the week is answered by multiple CHN staffers -

Joel,

How many teams from the Big XII do you estimate will make the NCAA Tournament and where will they be placed/seeded?  Also, what do you think the pecking order will be at the end of the regular season?

From John,

Texas

Shawn Siegel - Head Editor

Kansas and Oklahoma State are teams to beat in the Big 12, and will most likely be in contention for a 1 or 2 seed throughout the entire season.  Don't be surprised to see those team ranked #1 in the Albuquerque or Austin regions.  Texas will be the 3rd highest seeded team from the Big 12, most likely a 4 seed.

Last year, just 4 Big 12 teams made the Big Dance.  The biggest question is who outside of the big three in the conference will make it in.  I like Oklahoma to return as a 7 or 8 seed.  Sooners lone loss this year at Washington is nothing to be ashamed of.  The last team to make it from the conference will be either Texas Tech or Iowa St.  Texas Tech will make it as a 10 seed, simply because you can never count out a team coached by Bob Knight.  Iowa St showed signs in their win over Virginia, but that win was wrapped around two road losses.  Cyclones need to get the job done on the road before they can be considered for the Big Dance.
 

Joel Welser - Monday Mailbag & NCAA Preview Editor

At the moment Oklahoma State is the team to beat and a likely top two seed.  Kansas is close behind and, with so many impact freshmen, will continue to improve and be just as dangerous as the Cowboys in March.  Texas is another team that will continue to improve as the young players get more comfortable in the system.  If I must project this early, I’d put the Longhorns at a #4 or #5 seed.  Oklahoma, Iowa State and Texas Tech make up the next group.  I’d put the Sooners at a #6 or #7 seed, Cyclones at #8 or #9 seed and Tech sneaking in with a #9 seed. 

Texas A&M and Kansas State aren’t looking too bad early in the year, but they’ll get beat up too much in conference play.  Nebraska, Colorado and Missouri have the potential to make some noise in the conference, but will most likely fight each other for NIT berths. 

Have a question?  Email Joel at jwelser_chn@ameritech.net.  We’ll post and answer as many as possible.  Please include your first name and home state.

Joel’s Team of the Week

Oklahoma State Cowboys

Will Oklahoma State finally get the respect they deserve?  The Cowboys spent the week knocking off two Sweet Sixteen teams of a year ago.  Joey and Stephen Graham scored 16 points a piece in a 74-60 victory over #4 Syracuse.  Ivan McFarlin added 16 points and pulled down 12 boards.  The Cowboys then headed home to the Gallagher-Iba Arena to host UAB.  Oklahoma State had six players score in double figures, led by Joey Graham’s 20 points.  McFarlin put up his second double-double of the week, scoring ten points and grabbing 12 rebounds.  It was John Lucas that overcame the defensive pressure of the Blazers and managed to dish out eight assists and score 18 points, handing UAB their first loss of the season.  The Cowboys will continue to be tested with upcoming games against UNLV and Gonzaga. 

Joel’s Thoughts of the Week

How unlucky is the University of Michigan?  After years of scandal, controversy and disappointing basketball, the Wolverines looked to be contenders in the Big Ten this year.  And now the injury bug bites.  Last years leading scorer, Lester Abram was the first to go when it was decided that his nagging shoulder injury required season ending surgery.  Graham Brown, a major presence in the Wolverine frontcourt, is out 4-6 weeks after hernia surgery.  It might be the injury to starting point guard Daniel Horton that is the hardest to swallow.  Horton sprained his knee in practice and is expected to be out four weeks.  Even sparingly used Dani Wohl is sidelined with a shoulder injury, although Wohl was the go-to-guy with all the other injuries.  The senior played 30 minutes earlier in the week against High Point. 

The backcourt will struggle the most with the injuries.  At one point during Michigan’s game against South Florida, two walk-ons were manning the backcourt.  Besides Dion Harris, Tommy Amaker went with a make shift backcourt against South Florida.  A couple weeks ago, nobody would have guessed that John Andrews, Ronald Coleman, Sherrod Harrell and Ashtyn Bell would be seeing any significant minutes.  The good news?  Michigan beat USF 71-62.  If the backcourt can at least play defense and keep the turnovers down, than Michigan’s talented frontcourt could keep them in games while the maize and blue wait for the injuries to heal.

Have a question?  Email Joel at jwelser_chn@ameritech.net.  We’ll post and answer as many as possible.  Please include your first name and home state.