Creighton

Bracketology: Saturday Night NCAA Tournament Projection

Shawn Siegel — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 20:08:23 -0700

The latest Bracketology projection as of 11:00 PM, March 16th. One more day until Selection Sunday.

Why Pay Attention to What I Have to Say: Collegehoops.net's projections have consistently proven to be the best in the business. Over the last 5 years, Shawn Siegel is one of the Top 5 Bracketologists according to the Bracket Project. This ranking includes the likes of Joe Lunardi, Gary Parrish, Jerry Palm, and Andy Glockner.. none of whom come close.

As always, the field below is a prediction of what the committee would do as things stand today, not what they should do. This is done by taking into account standings, polls, computer rankings, and the committee's historical biases. Check out the follow up Bubble Watch for updates about teams on the NCAA Tournament Bubble, and NITology for a ranking of the best of the rest.

Notes:

Arrows indicate how many seeds a team has moved up or down since the previous update. Conference Champ.

ONE

Gonzaga 7

Louisville 3

Duke 1

Kansas 5

TWO

Indiana 10

New Mexico 2

Georgetown 9

Miami 4

THREE

Ohio St 11

Michigan St 8

Florida 6

Marquette 13

FOUR

Michigan 18

Syracuse 12

Kansas St 16

Oklahoma St 27

FIVE

UCLA 23

Saint Louis 22

Arizona 15

Wisconsin 28

SIX

Memphis 14

Pittsburgh 42

Creighton 26

North Carolina 17

SEVEN

Butler 21

VCU 25

Notre Dame 36

Colorado St 19

EIGHT

UNLV 24

Missouri 35

North Carolina St 30

Illinois 40

NINE

Oregon 49

San Diego St 32

Saint Mary's 33

Iowa St 44

TEN

Temple 41

Oklahoma 40

Villanova 52

Cincinnati 48

ELEVEN

Wichita St 37

Minnesota 34

Belmont 20

Ole Miss 50

TWELVE

Boise St 43

Akron 46

Colorado 38 / Tennessee 59

La Salle 45 / UCONN 47 California 53

THIRTEEN + 2

Bucknell 51

South Dakota St 63

New Mexico St 57

Valparaiso 58

FOURTEEN

Davidson 61

Montana 83

Florida Gulf Coast 93

Harvard 94

FIFTEEN

Northwestern St 96

Iona 97

Pacific 105

Western Kentucky 150

SIXTEEN + 2

Albany 128

Long Island 175

James Madison 182 / Liberty 288

Southern 181 / North Carolina A&T 211

Last In: California, Tennessee, La Salle, Colorado

First Out: Maryland 66, Middle Tennessee 31, Kentucky 56, Southern Miss 29

Non-BCS Top 25: Creighton, Colorado St Rise

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 19:08:29 -0700

The Non-BCS Top 25 is a CollegeHoops.net original, copied by multiple major outlets. As a weekly companion to our popular CHN Top 50 ranking, it takes an in-depth look into the underrated universe of teams outside of the big six. The original Non-BCS ranking.

Non-BCS Top 25: March 10th

by Shawn Siegel: Collegehoops.net Editor

	Team	Record	Last
1	Gonzaga	30-2	1
2	New Mexico	26-5*	2
3	Colorado St	24-7	9
4	VCU	24-7*	3
5	Creighton	27-7	10
6	Saint Louis	24-6*	4
7	Memphis	27-4	6
8	Butler	24-7	8
9	UNLV	23-8*	7
10	St. Mary's	27-5	12
11	Temple	23-8	14
12	Wichita St	26-8*	11
13	Belmont	26-6	15
14	MTSU	28-5*	5
15	San Diego St	21-9*	13
16	La Salle	21-8*	17
17	Bucknell	27-5	19

Not in CHN Top 50 Ranking

	Team	Record	Last
18	Akron	24-6*	18
19	Boise St	21-9*	20
20	Louisiana Tech	26-5**	16
21	Stephen F Austin	26-3	21
22	Davidson	25-7	23
23	Valparaiso	25-7	24
24	Southern Miss	23-8*	22
25	Ohio	23-8	25

last = last week's ranking

* = Losses this week

Next 5: Denver (21-8), UMASS (19-10*), New Mexico St (20-10), Weber St (24-5), Stony Brook (24-7*),

Further 5: Xavier (17-13*), Air Force (17-12*), North Dakota St (22-8), BYU (21-11*), Florida Gulf Coast (24-10)

Out of Top 25: None

Agree/Disagree? Post your thoughts below or join us @collegehoopsnet

Check out last week's Non-BCS Top 25 Ranking

College Hoops Top 50: Creighton & Gonzaga Intop Top 10

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 20:27:05 -0800

Collegehoops.net's Top 50 Power Ranking is your weekly dive into the national college basketball scene. The CHN Top 50 is brought to you before all the other polls late Sunday night. Arrows represent notable moves. (Also: Check out the weekly Non-BCS Top 25 Ranking.)

Top 50 Ranking: November 25th

by Shawn Siegel: Collegehoops.net Editor

	Team	Record	Last
1	Indiana	6-0	1
2	Michigan	5-0	2
3	Duke	6-0	4
4	Syracuse	4-0	5
5	Ohio State	4-0	6
6	Louisville	5-1*	3
7	Florida	5-0	7
8	Kentucky	4-1	8
9	Creighton	6-0	11
10	Gonzaga	6-0	12
11	Arizona	3-0	13
12	Michigan State	5-1	17
13	North Carolina	5-1*	9
14	Kansas	4-1	18
15	Missouri	5-1*	16
16	Colorado	5-0	19
17	Oklahoma St	5-0	20
18	Cincinnati	6-0	22
19	New Mexico	6-0	33
20	San Diego St	4-1	24
21	Illinois	7-0	NA (+5)
22	NC State	4-1	25
23	Minnesota	6-1*	27
24	UNLV	3-1*	15
25	UCONN	5-1*	21
26	Ohio	5-0	34
27	Pittsburgh	5-1*	31
28	Wichita St	6-0	44
29	California	6-0	NA
30	Notre Dame	5-1	28
31	Georgetown	4-1*	NA
32	Murray St	4-1	36
33	Kansas St	5-1*	39
34	Baylor	4-2*	23
35	Alabama	5-0	35
36	Wisconsin	4-2*	26
37	Marquette	4-1*	37
38	Santa Clara	5-0	45
39	Oregon	5-1*	NA(+5)
40	Memphis	3-2**	14
41	Colorado St	4-0	43
42	St. Joseph's	3-1	38
43	Florida State	4-1	39
44	Temple	3-0	48
45	Northwestern	6-0	NA
46	Tennessee	3-1	42
47	Xavier	5-1*	NA(+5)
48	UCLA	4-2**	10
49	Saint Louis	3-2*	46
50	Belmont	5-1*	49

* = losses this week

last = last week's ranking

Next Five: Butler (3-2*), VCU (3-3**), Arizona St (4-1*), Bucknell (5-1*), Saint Mary's (4-2**)

Top 50 Drop Outs

		Week
St. Mary's	4-2**	2
Texas	3-2**	2
Northern Iowa	3-3***	2
Iowa St	4-2**	2
South Alabama	2-3***	2
VCU	3-3**	2

week = week dropped out of Top 50

During the season, don't forget to check out the CHN Top 50 Power Ranking every Sunday night!

For more depth, check out the weekly the Non-BCS Top 25 ranking.

You can also revisit the Top 50 archive and view this week's AP Top 25.

2012-13 Non-BCS Top 25: November 19th

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 21:11:57 -0800

Non-BCS Top 25: November 19th

by Shawn Siegel: Collegehoops.net Editor

	Team	Record	Last
1	Creighton	3-0	x
2	Gonzaga	3-0	x
3	Memphis	2-0	x
4	UNLV	2-0	x
5	San Diego St	2-1	x
6	St. Mary's	3-0	x
7	New Mexico	3-0	x
8	Ohio	3-0	x
9	Murray St	3-1*	x
10	St. Joseph's	2-1*	x
11	Northern Iowa	3-0	x
12	South Alabama	2-0	x
13	Colorado St	3-0	x
14	Wichita St	4-0	x
15	Santa Clara	2-0	x
16	Saint Louis	1-1*	x
17	Temple	2-0	x
18	Belmont	3-0	x
19	VCU	2-1*	x

Not in CHN Top 50 Ranking

	Team	Record	Last
20	Bucknell	5-0	x
21	Butler	1-1*	x
22	Xavier	3-0	x
23	CS-Northridge	6-0	x
24	Akron	3-2**	x
25	Illinois St	3-0	x

last = last week's ranking

* = Losses this week

Next 5: UCF (3-0), Dayton (3-1*), Davidson (1-2**), Detroit (2-1*), Utah St (2-1*)

Further 5: SMU (3-0), Drexel (1-2**), Southern Miss (2-0), BYU (2-2**), Cleveland St (2-1*)

Agree/Disagree? Post your thoughts below or join us @collegehoopsnet

Check out last week's Non-BCS Top 25 Ranking

Early 2012-13 Ranking: A Look Ahead

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 21:39:08 -0700

Although the Sweet Sixteen looms later this week, its still time to start looking ahead to the 2012-13 season. Sure, the usual assortment of stars like Anthony Davis, Thomas Robinson, and Jared Sullinger will be heading to the NBA, there's still a ton of talent returning next year. Especially in the non-BCS ranks, many of this year's top teams were led by juniors and sophomores.

I've had to make many assumptions about the NBA Draft in compiling the following list. Once players make their official decisions, this ranking will be updated later in the summer. Also uncertain is where some remaining unsigned recruits will end up. In particular, Shabazz Muhammad (#1 by Rivals.com), Anthony Bennett (#7), Devonta Pollard (#9), and Nerlens Noel (#3 in 2013) remain up for grabs. I purposely made no assumptions about where unsigned prospects will end up.

For now, here are next year's Top 60 teams, starting with the first 15. (16 to 30 can be found here.) All prospect rankings are using the Rivals 150 ranking.

Early Top 15

1 Duke Miles Plumlee is the only senior on the roster, and although Austin Rivers could certainly go pro, his season didn't warrant a top 10 selection. The addition of guard Rasheed Sulaimon, ranked 32nd by Rivals helps overcome a potential Rivers loss. This will be revisited if Rivers (and to a lesser extent Mason Plumlee) do in fact enter the Draft.

2 Indiana Assuming Zeller doesn't go pro, the top 5 scorers return from a Sweet Sixteen team. Add a loaded class that includes Rivals #16 Hanner Parea, #17 Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell, and #48 Jeremy Hollowell, and you got yourself a title contender.

3 Michigan Rivals #3 Mitch McGary joins a squad that was already Top-20 caliber this year. Glenn Robinson III, 34th ranked, is another solid prospect that can offset the loss of senior Steve Novak. If Trey Burke were to go pro, this ranking would certainly change.

4 Baylor Perry Jones is as good as gone, and Quincy Miller could be tempted to bolt as well. But the cupboard isn't bare with the likes of Jackson and Heslip returning. Scott Drew also adds future pro Isaiah Austin along with 2 other 4-star recruits.

5 North Carolina Zeller graduates after a fine career, and Harrison Barnes, John Henson, and Kendall Marshall are likely to bolt for the pros. But players like Bullock, Hairston, and McAdoo are ready to step out of the shadows. #40 prospect Marcus Paige and #49 Brice Johnson are solid additions, but UNC could use one more superstar recruit.

6 Wisconsin While senior Jordan Taylor had a disappointing season according to some, he was still the main cog in the Badgers wheel. However, the other key players from this Sweet Sixteen team return, and will be joined by Sam Dekker, Wisconsin's first 5-star recruit since Joe Krabbenhoft in 2005.

7 Louisville Although Kyle Kuric and Chris Smith graduate, expect more of the same from Louisville next year: a starless team that wins by defense. PG Terry Rozier is the only recruit locked up right now.

8 Syracuse While Kris Joseph and Scoop Jardine are major losses, Syracuse's 2012-13 hopes rest on offseason Draft decisions. Dion Waiters could go pro and Fab Melo is as good as gone. There's still talent remaining on the roster and the addition of #27 prospect DaJuan Coleman will help as well.

9 NC State Mark Gottfried inherited a talented roster, and did the best of it with a surprise Sweet Sixteen run. CJ Williams is a senior and CJ Leslie could decide to turn pro, but the rest of the roster returns intact. Even if Leslie leaves, NC State re-loads with 6th ranked prospect Rodney Purvis, #23 TJ Warren and #55 Tyler Lewis. Expectations will be higher than they've been in years.

10 Kentucky Kentucky's roster will most likely be decimated as Anthony Davis and Terrence Jones will undoubtedly leave, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is 70% gone (even if he says he's staying), and Doron Lamb and Marquis Teague are certainly First Round worthy. Plus Darius Miller and Eloy Vargas are seniors. Archie Goodwin, Alex Poythress, and Willie Cauley are all Top 40 prospects, but not as good as the guys they're replacing.

11 Creighton While Antoine Young is a major loss, the return of Doug McDermott gives Creighton one of the country's top handful of players. Along with 3 other returning starters, Creighton will be the class of the MVC.

12 Ohio St Jared Sullinger will presumably leave after his sophomore season, and William Buford is a senior. The x-factor is Deshaun Thomas. He played well enough down the stretch to warrant going pro, but he could certainly return as well. OSU does not have any reinforcement on the way as of now.

13 San Diego St The Aztecs were a surprise team this year, thanks to emerging stars Jamaal Franklin and Chase Tapley. Besides their return, the squad also welcomes a solid recruiting class, including 40th ranked Winston Shepard.

14 Kansas Tyshawn Taylor is the major senior loss, and Thomas Robinson will probably declare for the Draft. Its also conceivable that Jeff Withey declares for the pros as well. This would leave only 2 players that averaged over 5 ppg. Perry Ellis will be expected to come in and contribute from day one.

15 Michigan St Besides losing their leading everything in senior Draymond Green, Brandon Wood and Austin Thompson also graduate. Next year's freshmen class is similar in talent to this year's that produced Dawsen and Trice.

Teams 16 to 30: Kansas St, Memphis, Texas, and more.. Check back next week for teams 31 to 60.

UNC vs Creighton: Prediction

Greg Mengelt — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 20:38:38 -0700

(1) North Carolina vs. (8) Creighton: Midwest Region

Records

North Carolina 30-5, 14-2 ACC (Regular-season Conference Champions)

Creighton 29-5, 14-4 MVC (Conference Tournament Champions)

Time: 5:15 p.m. Sunday

TV: CBS

Location: Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C.

First round results

North Carolina def. Vermont, 77-58

Creighton def. Alabama, 59-58

Winner will face: (12) South Florida or (13) Ohio, Friday at St. Louis

Rankings

North Carolina No. 4 AP; No. 5 ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll

Creighton No. 19 AP; No. 20 ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll

RPI Ratings

North Carolina 4

Creighton 25

Line: North Carolina -8½ (O/U 159)

Players to Watch

North Carolina: F Tyler Zeller, 7-0 Sr. (16.5 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 55.5% FG); G Kendall Marshall, 6-4 So. (7.8 ppg, 9.7 apg, 1.2 spg); F Harrison Barnes, 6-8 So. (17.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 37.7% 3s). Marshall earned his fifth double-double of the year – and his fourth in the Heels’ last five games – with an 11-point, 10-rebound performance in Friday’s win over Vermont.

Creighton: F Doug McDermott, 6-7 So. (23.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 61% FG); G Antoine Young, 6-0 Sr. (12.5 ppg, 4.5 apg, 2.1 rpg); C Gregory Echenique, 6-9 Jr. (9.8 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 61.4% FG). McDermott earned his 10^th double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 boards in Friday’s win. The sophomore, who is the nation’s third-leading scorer, has scored in double-figures in every game this season.

Why Each Team Dangerous

North Carolina: The Tar Heels are a chic national championship pick for good reason. They lead the nation in points per 40 minutes (72.7), total points (2,864), rebounds per game (44.8), offensive rebounds (548) and defensive rebounds (1,021). They’re second in points per game (81.2) and third in rebounding percentage (56.2). UNC is long, athletic and skilled. On Friday, they held Vermont to 39.7 percent from the field, 16.7 from the 3-point line, blocked six shots and forced 19 turnovers, even without C John Henson, who missed his third straight game with a wrist injury. Behind Marshall, the Tar Heels are sixth nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.45-to-1) and fourth in college basketball in assists per game (17.3).

Creighton: The Blue Jays are one of the best shooting teams in the country, making them a threat to beat anyone on any given day. The Blue Jays are one of only three teams that shoot better than 50 percent from the field and they lead the country at 50.8 percent. They’re also one of three teams to shoot better than 40 percent from beyond the 3-point line at 42.5. They are ninth nationally at 79.4 points per game and second in points per possession. Creighton allows offensive rebounds on 26 percent of opponents' shots and they have a 1.47-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Why Each Team is Vulnerable

North Carolina: Henson’s injury continues to be an issue. He was expected by many to return Friday. While his absence may have been a precaution against a physically inferior Vermont team, Tar Heel fans have to be concerned. Without Henson, the Heels were out-rebounded by the Catamounts for just the seventh time against season. UNC is not a great perimeter shooting team and will not be able to go blow-for-blow with the Blue Jays from deep.

Creighton: The Blue Jays have decent size, but not when compared to UNC. The Tar Heels have forwards taller than Creighton’s center. They only out-rebounded Alabama 30-29 and Alabama is no North Carolina. Creighton applies almost no pressure to opposing offenses, getting steals on only seven percent of opponent’s possessions and forcing just 10.4 turnovers per game. That could allow Marshall to survey the Blue Jay defense and pick it apart.

The Bottom Line: If John Henson doesn’t play and Creighton hits 3s, which it is capable of doing, this could game could upset a lot of brackets.

The Pick: North Carolina 84, Creighton 77

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 216-165-6 (Through Friday, March 17)

Round of 32 Against the Spread: 19-12-1

Friday's NCAA Tournament Games to Watch

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 07:44:42 -0700

After an "opening" day that went mostly according to form, the hope of many is that Friday's slate provides some upsets. And with some of the matchups providing a nice contrast in styles as well as talented players on mid-major squads who may not be household names just yet, there's a good chance that an upset does happen. Here's the schedule for today along with a game from each site that you should keep track of.

Columbus: (8) Memphis vs. (9) Saint Louis
6:50 PM EST, TBS

Both of these teams have the potential to give Michigan State fits on Sunday, albeit for different reasons. Josh Pastner's Tigers were a team many expected to be in the Top 10 to start the season, but losses against the better teams on their non-conference schedule reuslted in Memphis likely being underseeded. Will Barton has been outstanding all season long, and the emergence of Chris Crawford has been another factor in their current run. The keys for Memphis are simple: make sound decisions without the basketball and make sure Tarik Black doesn't end up in early foul trouble.

Rick Majerus' Billikens get it done in a different way, as they're more comfortable with a game played in the half court. Kwamain Mitchell has played well at the point and despite his height Brian Conklin will battle inside for 40 minutes. SLU is one of the best coached teams in the tournament, so in that regards it may be safe to assume that at some point Saint Louis could have something special lined up Memphis especially if Barton gets rolling early. Both teams have been very good in regards to their efficiency numbers this season on both ends of the floor, which should lead to a tight contest. The team that does the better job of influencing the tempo of the game likely wins.

Other games in Columbus
(6) San Diego State vs. (11) NC State; 12:40 PM EST (truTV)
(3) Georgetown vs. (14) Belmont; 3:10 PM EST (truTV)
(1) Michigan State vs. (16) LIU Brooklyn; 9:20 PM EST (TBS)

Greensboro: (8) Creighton vs. (9) Alabama
1:40 PM EST, TBS

Xavier/Notre Dame is another contest to keep tabs on in Greensboro, but the first game of the day will be interesting in regards to how the Crimson Tide go about guarding Doug McDermott. With Tony Mitchell dismissed from the team a few weeks ago the most likely option for Anthony Grant is no longer present. But that doesn't mean that Alabama is without hope, as they allow opponents to shoot just 38.8% from the field. That's five percentage points better than Creighton, who's had issues defensively for much of the season. If McDermott and Antoine Young can get things going offensively the Bluejays should be able to create their kind of game.

But that's easier said than done, and they'll have to get stops at some point. Trevor Releford leads the way on the perimeter, and Alabama's going to need a Trevor Lacey or Levi Randolph to step up scoring-wise alongside him if they're to win. The battle in the paint between JaMychal Green and Gregory Echenique could be determined early if one of them gets into early foul trouble. The winner gets North Carolina and while most of the country likely hopes that it's Creighton who advances, they're going to need to bring a higher level of intensity on the defensive end if they're to move on.

Other games in Greensboro
(1) North Carolina vs. (16) Vermont; 3:10 PM EST (TBS)
(2) Duke vs. (15) Lehigh; 7:15 PM EST (CBS)
(7) Notre Dame vs. (10) Xavier; 9:45 PM EST (CBS)

Nashville: (4) Michigan vs. (13) Ohio
7:20 PM EST, TNT

All four games in Nashville have the potential to produce wins by the lower-seeded team, so don't be surprised if the Bobcats give Michigan a run for their money. Point guard D.J. Cooper has played very well for John Groce, leading the team in both points and assists. Cooper was also a member of that team that knocked off Georgetown two years ago so the experience shouldn't be a concern either. Ohio's got some talented players alongside Cooper such as Ivo Baltic, Walter Offutt and perimeter shooter Nick Kellogg. The key for the Bobcats: defending the three.

Michigan may not have the most impressive percentage from beyond the arc (35.2%) but that doesn't deter John Beilein's team from taking the shot, as they score 36.8% of their points via the three. Trey Burke has been outstanding at the point for Michigan, and joining him on the perimeter are Stu Douglass, Tm Hardaway Jr. and Zack Novak. If Jordan Morgan can control things in the paint that would bode well for the Wolverines as neither team is particularly good in the rebounding department. Ohio also forces more than 17 turnovers a game, but with Michigan averaging just 10.9 something has to give there. How well Ohio defends the three will likely determine the outcome.

Other games in Nashville
(6) Cincinnati vs. (11) Texas; 12:15 PM EST (CBS)
(3) Florida State vs. (14) St. Bonaventure; 2:45 PM EST (CBS)
(5) Temple vs. (12) USF; 9:50 PM EST (TNT)

Omaha: (7) Saint Mary's vs. (10) Purdue
7:27 PM EST, truTV

This has the potential to be one of the best games of the day due to the point guard position. Saint Mary's relies heavily on Matthew Dellavedova and rightfully so, as the WCC Player of the Year leads the team in both points and assists. On the other side is senior Lewis Jackson, who is one of the toughest players in college basketball. The Boilermakers need Jackson to keep Dellavedova out of his comfort zone on the floor, forcing him to both take challenged shots and make passes from tougher angles. If Jackson can do that the Boilers are more than capable of winning.

Also of note are seniors Robbie Hummel (Purdue) and Rob Jones (Saint Mary's), with the latter being virtually a guaranteed double-double for much of the season. Hummel's bounced back from two ACL tears to lead the Boilermakers in scoring, and he'll have to continue that today. The Gaels also have Brad Waldow inside, and off the bench Clint Steindl can make teams pay with his ability to knock down the perimeter shot. Having Stephen Holt go down didn't derail Saint Mary's on their way to the WCC regular season and tournament titles, and they're more than capable of getting to the Sweet 16 as well.

Other games in Omaha
(7) Florida vs. (10) Virginia; 2:10 PM EST (TNT)
(2) Missouri vs. (15) Norfolk State; 4:40 PM EST (TNT)
(2) Kansas vs. (15) Detroit; 9:57 PM EST (truTV)

Creighton vs Alabama: Prediction

Greg Mengelt — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 22:27:32 -0700

(8) Creighton vs. (9) Alabama: Midwest Region

Records

Creighton 28-5, 14-4, MVC (Conference Tournament Champions)

Alabama 21-11, 9-7 (At large)

Time: 1:40 p.m. Friday

TV: TBS

Location: Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C.

Winner will face: (1) North Carolina or (16) Vermont/Lamar, Sunday

Rankings

Creighton No. 19 AP; No. 20 ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll

RPI Ratings

Creighton 26

Alabama 34

Line: Alabama -1½ (O/U 131½)

Players to Watch

Creighton: F Doug McDermott, 6-7 So. (23.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 61% FG); G Antoine Young, 6-0 Sr. (12.5 ppg, 4.5 apg, 2.1 rpg); C Gregory Echenique, 6-9 Jr. (9.8 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 1.6 bpg). Young – the Blue Jays’ only senior who sees significant minutes – was strangely absent from any of the four All-MVC teams. Young was second on the team in scoring, second in assists and second in steals and hit game-winning shots to give Creighton victories over Long Beach State and Indiana State.

Alabama: F JaMychal Green, 6-8 Sr. (14 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 54.4% FG); G Trevor Releford, 6-0 So. (11.9 ppg, 2.7 apg, 48.1% FG); G Trevor Lacey, 6-3 Fr. (7.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.8 apg). Green has played well since serving a 4-game suspension. In the five games since, he has scored 69 points and grabbed 43 boards, including a 22-point, 10-rebound performance in the Tide’s 3-point SEC quarterfinal loss to Florida.

Why Each Team Dangerous

Creighton: McDermott is a very difficult guard. He can score inside and outside and he makes plays for his teammates. The Blue Jays lead the nation in field goal percentage at 50.9 percent, and they’re third with a 42.5 3-point percentage. They have also made 521 of their 712 free throws this season. It’s not just McDermott who can beat opponents. Young is a great slasher and playmaker, Echenique can score in the paint and Grant Gibbs, Ethan Wragge and Jahenns Mangiat all shoot over 40 percent from deep.

Alabama: The Tide really defend, particularly from the perimeter. Opponents are shooting just 38.8 percent against Bama, including just 28.5 percent from the 3-point line. If they can keep the Blue Jays from going off from deep, they’ll have a shot at staying in this game. Alabama is young but really athletic, even after the expulsion of Tony Mitchell. Releford, Lacey and Andrew Steele will give the less physically talented Jays some trouble.

Why Each Team is Vulnerable

Creighton: The Jays’ defense is average. It has surrendered 68 points or more 14 times. Creighton allowed opponents to shoot 43.8 percent from the field and 35.6 from the 3-point line. It only forced 8.6 turnovers per game in MVC play. Opponents also get to the foul line over 17 times per game against the Jays.

Alabama: Bama really struggles to put the ball in the basket. It has scored 70-plus points just once since the beginning of February. For the season, the Tide are shooting just 45.2 percent from the floor and 28.5 from the 3-point line. They made only 129 3-pointers all season, fewest in the SEC and among the fewest in the nation. Despite its size and athleticism, Alabama only out-rebounded opponents by 2.2 per game during the regular season. It averages just 10.8 offensive rebounds per game, which is 203^rd nationally.

The Bottom Line: As good as Alabama’s perimeter defense has been, it can’t slow Creighton’s offense. This is one of the easiest picks (against the spread) of the first round.

The Pick: Creighton 79, Alabama 69

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 198-150-6

NCAA Tournament Preview: Frontcourts to Watch

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 20:27:34 -0700

While you definitely need guards to win a national title big men are very important in their own right. Whether a team has projected lottery picks or guys who have been solid throughout their careers, a team has to be able to hold their own in the paint. If not a tournament experience that can last two or three weeks gets derailed far sooner. Here are some front courts you'll need to know this week.

South Region

1. Kentucky
This one's pretty simple. The Wildcats have the nation's best freshman in Anthony Davis (who may also be the best player in the country regardless of class) and a wing in Michael Kidd-Gilchrist who is one of the best leaders as well as a very talented player. Terrence Jones has played well of late, and while the effort may still wane on occasion he's extremely talented. This group is a big reason why the Wildcats are the overwhelming favorite to win it all.

2. Baylor
The Bears aren't that far behind Kentucky as they can go five deep with a few lottery-caliber talents mixed in. The two lottery guys are Perry Jones III and Quincy Miller, with the former needing to remain engaged in the action consistently if the Bears are to make a deep run. Quincy Acy is the toughest of the bunch, a guy likely to enjoy a long pro career based on his effort and rebounding ability alone, with Cory Jefferson and Anthony Jones rounding out the group.

3. Connecticut
The Huskies may not win the vote in the South for best front court but it's a safe bet that they'd win for most frustrating. Andre Drummond and Alex Oriakhi get the most minutes while Tyler Olander and Roscoe Smith will also rotate in. If they all play consistently the Huskies can do some damage this week. If not, Iowa State's Royce White will put on a show in Louisville.

Biggest question mark: Ryan Kelly's foot (Duke)
Kelly missed the ACC tournament due to his foot injury, and the Blue Devils have been preparing for Lehigh as if they won't have him. Kelly's absence changes things offensively, as he's able to play on the perimeter. That opens things up for their guards, and without him Duke has two guys inside (Mason and Miles Plumlee) instead of one.

Guys you'll love: UNLV's Mike Moser and Wichita State's Garrett Stutz
Moser can play both inside and out for the Runnin' Rebels, and the UCLA transfer was instantly one of the best players in the Mountain West. As for Stutz, he played well enough to earn first team All-MVC honors, and the seven-footer is a tough matchup in the paint for most teams.

The difference-maker: Cody Zeller (Indiana)
Other than the improvement of their returning players a big reason for Indiana's return to the national stage was the play of Zeller, who with Michigan's Trey Burke was the best freshman in the Big Ten. He opens things up for the Hoosiers' capable shooters, and he'll need to be at his best against a New Mexico State team that can hit the boards.

West Region

1. Michigan State
Two words, one man: Draymond Green. The Big Ten player of the year is the biggest reason why the Spartans won a share of the Big Ten regular season crown and followed that up with the Big Ten tournament title. But with Branden Dawson done for the year with a torn ACL the play of Derrick Nix and Adriean Payne has become even more important. They've done well to to this point, and if they can do so four more times a trip to New Orleans is more than possible.

2. Davidson
Surprised, huh? Don't be. De'Mon Brooks is one of the best players in the country who isn't a staple on "SportsCenter", winning SoCon Player of the Year as well as MVP of the conference tournament. Alongside him is Jake Cohen, whose game has progressed a great deal due in part to a stint with the Israeli national team over the summer. If the Wildcats beat Louisville it's a safe bet that these two are a big reason why.

3. BYU
Whether or not the Cougars reach the main field remains to be seen, but in all honesty their two big men are far better than what you'd generally find on a 14-seed. Noah Hartsock is effective either inside or out, and Brandon Davies is a handful in the paint. The key for BYU is to make sure they get the ball consistently, which can be an issue on occasion.

The X-factor: Tarik Black and foul trouble (Memphis)
This was a serious problem for the Tigers earlier this season, and there's no coincidence that as he's remained on the floor the Tigers have played their best basketball. Ferrakhon Hall helps but when Black gets the ball around the rim he's tough to stop. Keep him on the floor and Memphis can win multiple games in the tournament.

Guys you'll love: Drew Gordon (New Mexico) and Mike Scott (Virginia)
Both guys are familiar names by this point, which means that the choices could have been Julian Boyd (LIU Brooklyn) and T.J. Robinson (Long Beach State). But both Gordon and Scott had very good cases to win Player of the Year honors in their respective conferences but neither did. Virginia needs Scott to be the best player on the floor against Florida as they're low on numbers, and Gordon't the kind of interior presence that can lead a team to the Sweet 16 and beyond.

The difference-maker: Patric Young (Florida)
Young is a player talented enough to merit comparisons to Dwight Howard as a McDonald's All-American, and with his physical strength it's easy to see why. The key for Young: getting enough touches. That means no wild shot attempts from the Florida guards.

East Region

1. Ohio State
With Syracuse losing their most important piece Ohio State is now the favorite to win the East Region in the eyes of most people. Jared Sullinger and Deshaun Thomas are both tough to slow down, but Thomas will need to exercise good shot selection on a consistent basis. On the wing there's Lenzelle Smith Jr., a player most tend to underestimate offensively, and Evan Ravenel gives them solid defense off the bench.

2. Florida State
The Seminoles may not have an All-America candidate along the lines of Sullinger but they do have athleticism and depth, two factors that helped them win the ACC tournament. Bernard James and Xavier Gibson are the starters while Jon Kreft and Okaro White provide depth off the bench. FSU is one of the biggest teams in the country and all of these guys can move as well.

3. Kansas State
The Wildcat front court is the big reason why many are picking them to go to the Sweet 16, as they hit the offensive boards with the best of them and top-seed Syracuse is a subpar defensive rebounding team. Jamar Samuels was a big reason why they swept the season series with Missouri, and both Thomas Gipson and Jordan Henriquez-Roberts have improved as the season's worn on.

Biggest question mark: Syracuse without Fab Melo
The Orange have plenty of front court talent without the sophomore from Brazil (and would have a very good argument to be on the above list), but on a team blessed with so much depth Melo was the closest to being indispensable. Without him both Rakeem Christmas and Baye Keita will have to pick up the torch in the middle of their 2-3 zone.

Guys you'll love: Andrew Nicholson (St. Bonaventure) and Keith Wright (Harvard)
Vanderbilt's Jeffery Taylor deserves some mention here as well, but we'll go with the A-10 Player of the Year and one of the big reasons why Harvard's back in the Dance for the first time since 1946 instead. Nicholson finished two blocks short of a triple-double in the A-10 tournament final and his name will be called in June. Wright is the man the Crimson run their offense through and he's been extremely productive as a result.

The workhorse: Kevin Jones (West Virginia)
There are few players in America more valuable than Jones. Without him the Mountaineers most likely aren't playing in any tournament much less the Big Dance. The senior from Mount Vernon, NY led the Big East in both scoring and rebounding this season. "Money earnin'" indeed (that's the nickname for Mount Vernon).

Midwest Region

1. North Carolina
The expectation is that John Henson's left wrist is ready to go this week, and his presence on the court beside ACC Player of the Year Tyler Zeller makes UNC a much better defensive team. Henson's averaging more than three blocked shots per game, and when that's missing the Carolina perimeter defenders can get exposed some. James Michael McAdoo and Justin Watts will also see some time, with the undersized Watts more than willing to fill in wherever needed.

2. Kansas
If Anthony Davis doesn't win a particular National Player of the Year award it should go to Robinson. That's how much those two have separated themselves from the rest of the country. Robinson is essentially an automatic double-double for the Jayhawks, who also need Jeff Withey to show on the big stage that his improved play throughout the conference slate wasn't a mirage. It's highly likely that he will, although their battle with Detroit will provide a good test.

3. Creighton
The Bluejays have one of the best players in the country in sophomore Doug McDermott, who can score both inside and out for the Missouri Valley tournament champs. But there's also banger Gregory Echenique to account for, and those two have the ability to lead Creighton on a special run. The key for them will be defense, especially with a matchup with North Carolina awaiting them should the Bluejays take care of Alabama.

Most Improved: Henry Sims (Georgetown)
For three seasons Sims was essentially an afterthought for the Hoyas. Now he's an essential figure, leading the team in assists while also proving to be a capable scorer out to about 15 feet or so. If he's playing well the Hoyas offensively will prosper as a whole.

Guys you'll love: Rob Jones (Saint Mary's) and C.J. Leslie (NC State)
Jones has been a double-double machine this season for the Gaels, and while he's undersized at the four the senior can put opposing teams at a disadvantage regardless of his height. As for Leslie it would have been difficult to imagine him being in this spot a season ago, but that only displays how much he's improved. And he can finish well above the rim as well.

One last hurrah: Robbie Hummel (Purdue)
Hummel's absence last season due to a torn ACL was a major reason why the Boilermakers were bounced by VCU (but by no means should that take away from how well the Rams played). No JaJuan Johnson or E'Twaun Moore but the fifth-year senior can still get it done, and he'll have to if the Boilers are to get past Saint Mary's.

Bracketology Poll: Which Team Was Most Underseeded?

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 22:16:43 -0700