North Carolina

College Basketball Top 50: North Carolina Tumbles

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 19:46:46 -0500

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: December 23rd

by Shawn Siegel: Collegehoops.net Editor

Note: Sunday's 11:30 PM games between Arizona/Miami and Virginia Tech/Colorado St will not be a part of this week's ranking.

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

* = losses this week

last = last week's ranking

Next Five: Iowa St (9-3), MTSU (9-2), Santa Clara (11-2), Saint Louis (8-3), Illinois St (9-3)

Top 50 Drop Outs

			Week
	Xavier		6
	Alabama		6
	Virginia		6
	St. Joseph's		5
	Ohio		5
	California		4
	Santa Clara		3
	Tennessee		3
	Northwestern		3
	UCLA		3
	Florida State		3
	Saint Louis		3
	Texas		2
	Northern Iowa		2
	Iowa St		2
	South Alabama		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.

Jon Teitel's McDonald's All-American Lineup Projections

Jon Teitel — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 15:04:19 -0400

Projected lineups for all 31 teams with McDonald's High School All-Americans on their rosters,
Plus 2 teams whose All-American will no longer be with his prior team
(All-American year in parentheses)
Incoming 2012 All-Americans in Bold
Underclassmen who have declared for draft in italics
TRANSFERS IN UPPERCASE

UCLA (7)
G: Larry Drew II (2008)
G: Tyler Lamb
F: Shabazz Muhammad (2012)
F: Travis Wear (2009)
F: David Wear (2009)
BENCH: Kyle Anderson (2012), Tony Parker (2012), Joshua Smith (2010)
KEY LOSSES: Lazeric Jones

DUKE (6)
G: Quinn Cook (2011)
G: Seth Curry
F: Rasheed Sulaimon (2012)
F: Mason Plumlee (2009)
F: Ryan Kelly (2009)
BENCH: Marshall Plumlee (2011), Amile Jefferson (2012)
KEY LOSSES: Austin Rivers (2011)

NORTH CAROLINA (5)
G: Dexter Strickland (2009)
G: Reggie Bullock (2010)
G: PJ Hairston (2011)
F: James Michael McAdoo (2011)
F: Desmond Hubert
BENCH: Marcus Paige (2012)
KEY LOSSES: Tyler Zeller (2008), Kendall Marshall (2010), Harrison Barnes (2010), John Henson (2009)

NC STATE (4)
G: Rodney Purvis (2012)
G: Lorenzo Brown
F: CJ Leslie (2010)
F: Scott Wood
F: Richard Howell
BENCH: Tyler Lewis (2012), TJ Warren (2012), RALSTON TURNER
KEY LOSSES: CJ Williams

KENTUCKY (3)
G: Archie Goodwin (2012)
G: Ryan Harrow
F: Alex Poythress (2012)
F: Kyle Wiltjer (2011)
C: Nerlens Noel
KEY LOSSES: Doron Lamb (2010), Terrence Jones (2010), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (2011), Anthony Davis (2011), Marquis Teague (2011), Darius Miller

FLORIDA (3)
G: Kenny Boynton (2009)
G: Mike Rosario (2008)
F: Patric Young (2010)
F: Erik Murphy
F: Will Yeguete
KEY LOSSES: Bradley Beal (2011), Erving Walker

OHIO STATE (3)
G: Shannon Scott (2011)
G: Aaron Craft
G: Lenzelle Smith, Jr.
F: Deshaun Thomas (2010)
C: Amir Williams (2011)
KEY LOSSES: William Buford (2008), Jared Sullinger (2010)

SYRACUSE (3)
G: Michael Carter-Williams (2011)
G: Brandon Triche
F: DaJuan Coleman (2012)
F: Rakeem Christmas (2011)
F: CJ Fair
KEY LOSSES: Kris Joseph, Scoop Jardine, Fab Melo (2010), Dion Waiters

MICHIGAN STATE (3)
G: Gary Harris (2012)
G: Branden Dawson (2011)
G: Keith Appling (2010)
C: Derrick Nix
C: Adreian Payne
KEY LOSSES: Draymond Green, Brandon Wood

MEMPHIS (3)
G: Joe Jackson (2010)
G: Chris Crawford
F: Shaq Goodwin (2012)
F: Adonis Thomas (2011)
F: Tarik Black
KEY LOSSES: Will Barton

LOUISVILLE (3)
G: Wayne Blackshear (2011)
G: Peyton Siva (2009)
G: Russ Smith
F: Chane Behanan (2011)
C: Gorgui Dieng
KEY LOSSES: Kyle Kuric, Chris Smith

ARIZONA (2)
G: Nick Johnson
G: Kevin Parrom
F: Brandon Ashley (2012)
F: Grant Jerrett (2012)
F: Solomon Hill
KEY LOSSES: Kyle Fogg, Jesse Perry

INDIANA (2)
G: Yogi Ferrell (2012)
G: Jordan Hulls
G: Victor Oladipo
F: Cody Zeller (2011)
F: Christian Watford
KEY LOSSES: None

TEXAS (2)
G: Myck Kabongo (2011)
G: Julien Lewis
G: Sheldon McClellan
F: Jonathan Holmes
C: Cameron Ridley (2012)
KEY LOSSES: J'Covan Brown

OKLAHOMA STATE (2)
G: Marcus Smart (2012)
G: Markel Brown
G: Brian Williams
F: Le'Bryan Nash (2011)
F: Michael Cobbins
KEY LOSSES: Keiton Page

UNLV (2)
G: Anthony Marshall
G: Justin Hawkins
F: Anthony Bennett (2012)
F: Mike Moser
F: Carlos Lopez
BENCH: KHEM BIRCH (2011)
KEY LOSSES: Chace Stanback

PITTSBURGH (1)
G: Travon Woodall
G: Lamar Patterson
F: Dante Taylor (2009)
F: Talib Zanna
F: JJ Moore
KEY LOSSES: Ashton Gibbs, Nasir Robinson

VILLANOVA (1)
G: James Bell
G: Darrun Hilliard
F: JayVaughn Pinkston (2010)
F: Maurice Sutton
C: Mouphtaou Yarou
KEY LOSSES: Maalik Wayns (2009), Dominic Cheek (2009)

BAYLOR (1)
G: Pierre Jackson
G: Brady Heslip
G: AJ Walton
F: Cory Jefferson
F: Isaiah Austin (2012)
KEY LOSSES: Quincy Acy, Perry Jones III (2010), Quincy Miller

WASHINGTON (1)
G: Abdul Gaddy (2009)
G: CJ Wilcox
F: Desmond Simmons
F: Shawn Kemp, Jr.
C: Aziz N'Diaye
KEY LOSSES: Terrence Ross, Tony Wroten

FLORIDA STATE (1)
G: Michael Snaer (2009)
G: Ian Miller
G: Terry Whisnant II
F: Terrance Shannon
F: Okaro White
KEY LOSSES: Bernard James

CLEMSON (1)
G: Rod Hall
G: TJ Sapp
F: Milton Jennings (2009)
F: Devin Booker
F: KJ McDaniels
KEY LOSSES: Andre Young, Tanner Smith

DETROIT (1)
G: Ray McCallum (2010)
G: Jason Calliste
G: Donovan Foster
F: Doug Anderson
F: Evan Bruinsma
KEY LOSSES: Eli Holman, Chase Simon, Nick Minnerath

LSU (1)
G: Andre Stringer
G: Anthony Hickey
F: Johnny O'Bryant III (2011)
F: Eddie Ludwig
F: Jalen Courtney
KEY LOSSES: Justin Hamilton, RALSTON TURNER

KANSAS (1)
G: Travis Releford
G: Elijah Johnson
F: Perry Ellis (2012)
F: Kevin Young
C: Jeff Withey
KEY LOSSES: Tyshawn Taylor, Thomas Robinson

PROVIDENCE (1)
G: Kris Dunn (2012)
G: Vincent Council
G: Bryce Cotton
F: LaDontae Henton
F: Kadeem Batts
KEY LOSSES: GERARD COLEMAN

GEORGIA (1)
G: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (2011)
G: Vincent Williams
F: Donte Williams
F: Marcus Thornton
F: Nemanja Djurisic
KEY LOSSES: Gerald Robinson

MISSISSIPPI (1)
G: Jelan Kendrick (2010)
G: Nick Williams
G: Jarvis Summers
F: Murphy Holloway
F: Reginald Buckner
KEY LOSSES: Terrance Henry

RUTGERS (1)
G: Eli Carter
G: Myles Mack
G: Jerome Seagears
F: Wally Judge (2009)
F: Dane Miller
KEY LOSSES: None

MISSOURI (1)
G: Michael Dixon
G: Phil Pressey
G: KEION BELL
F: ALEX ORIAKHI (2009)
F: Laurence Bowers
KEY LOSSES: Marcus Denmon, Ricardo Ratliffe, Kim English

ALABAMA (1)
G: Trevor Releford
G: Trevor Lacey
G: Levi Randolph
F: Devonta Pollard (2012)
F: Nick Jacobs?
KEY LOSSES: JaMychal Green (2008)

MISSISSIPPI STATE (0)
G: Jalen Steele
G: Shaun Smith
G: Tyson Cunningham
F: Roquez Johnson
C: Wendell Lewis
KEY LOSSES: RODNEY HOOD, Dee Bost, Renardo Sidney (2009), Arnett Moultrie

CONNECTICUT (0)
G: Shabazz Napier
G: Ryan Boatright
F: Tyler Olander
F: DeAndre Daniels
F: Niels Giffey
KEY LOSSES: ALEX ORIAKHI (2009), Jeremy Lamb, Andre Drummond, ROSCOE SMITH

Kansas vs North Carolina: Prediction

Greg Mengelt — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 11:52:29 -0400

(1) North Carolina vs. (2) Kansas: Midwest Region

Records

North Carolina 32-5, 14-2 ACC (Regular-season Conference Champions; At large)

Kansas 30-6, 16-2 Big 12 (Regular-season Conference Champions; At large)

Time: 5:05 p.m. Sunday

TV: CBS

Location: Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis

Winner will face: (1) Syracuse or (2) Ohio State, Saturday in New Orleans

Tournament Results

North Carolina def. Vermont, 77-58; def. Creighton, 87-73; def. Ohio, 73-65 (OT)

Kansas def. Detroit 65-50; def. Purdue 63-60; def. N.C. State, 60-57

Rankings

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

Kansas No. 6 AP; No. 6 ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll

RPI Ratings

North Carolina 4

Kansas 6

Line: Kansas -2 (O/U 143½)

Players to Watch

North Carolina: F Tyler Zeller, 7-0 Sr. (16.4 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 55.2% FG); F John Henson, 6-11 Jr. (13.8 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 3 bpg); G Stilman White, 6-0 Fr. (4.3 mpg, 0.7 ppg, 0.6 apg). White certainly isn’t Kendall Marshall, but the freshman wasn’t bad in his first start of the season in Friday’s overtime win over Ohio with a season-high six assists against zero turnovers.

Kansas: F Thomas Robinson, 6-10 Jr. (17.7 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 52.1% FG); G Tyshawn Taylor, 6-3 Sr. (16.9 ppg, 4.7 apg, 1.2 spg); C Jeff Withey, 7-0 Jr. (9.1 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 3.3 bpg). After subpar games in the Jayhawks’ first two tournament wins, Withey was big in Kansas’s victory over N.C. State on Friday with eight points, five rebounds, a steal, an assist and 10 big blocked shots.

Why Each Team Dangerous

North Carolina: The Tar Heels dominated the paint Friday, no different than they have the entire season. UNC out-rebounded Ohio 56-26, including 17 offensive boards, blocked eight shots and held the Bobcats to 23-of-71 shooting. For the season, Carolina out-rebounds opponents by 10.9 boards per game, blocks 5.8 shots per contest and opponents manage only 39.2 percent from the floor against the Tar Heels. UNC is deep up front and on the wings, especially compared to the Jayhawks.

Kansas: The Jayhawk defense was excellent against N.C. State. The Wolfpack managed just 19-for-67 from the floor, 6-of-21 from the 3-point line and Kansas forced 14 turnovers and got nine steals and 11 blocked shots. It was perhaps its best defensive performance of the season. Of course, Kansas is also a capable offensive team. For the year, Kansas ranks 21^st in the nation in field goal percentage (47.6) and averages 74 points per game. The Jayhawks have a plus-5.6 rebounding margin and a 1.16-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Why Each Team is Vulnerable

North Carolina: The Tar Heels clearly weren’t the same without Marshall. They turned the ball over 24 times against 18 assists. For the season, Carolina turned the ball over just 12 times per game, had a plus-1.5 turnover margin and a 1.44-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, but that was with Marshall. If Marshall can’t go Sunday – and coach Roy Williams said he won’t – the Tar Heels will have to be much more careful with the basketball against Kansas. They’ll also have to hit perimeter shots. They went just 7-for-22 against Ohio and shoot just 34.1 from behind the arc this season.

Kansas: Although the KU offense has been good all year, it struggled Friday, shooting 37.5 percent from the field and hitting one of its 14 3-point shots. Taylor struggled, in particular, going 2-for-14 overall and 0-for-6 from deep. It has struggled from behind the arc all season, shooting just 34.6 percent, while allowing opponents to shoot 34.3 percent from deep. The Jayhawks were also out-rebounded 43-42 by the Wolfpack and have been prone to giving up offensive rebounds all season. Frontcourt depth is also an issue. Against the big UNC front line, foul trouble may be a concern.

The Bottom Line: If Marshall plays and is himself, Carolina wins going away. If he doesn’t, this one goes down to the wire.

The Pick: North Carolina 77, Kansas 75

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 215-171-6 (Through Regional Semis)

Friday's Sweet 16 Thoughts

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 15:58:56 -0400

Thursday's Sweet 16 Preview

When compared to Thursday's slate the four matchups on Friday may leave a little to be desired for the casual fan, with a double-digit seed playing in three of the four games. The lone exception is Kentucky/Indiana, who staged a classic back in December. Here are some thoughts on the four games to be played in Atlanta and St. Louis.

South Region (Atlanta)

(3) Baylor vs. (10) Xavier (7:15 PM, CBS)
When looking solely at the match-ups in the paint the battle between the Bears and Musketeer could look a lot like Baylor's 2010 Sweet 16 game against Saint Mary's. Scott Drew's team had the edge in terms of both depth and size as the overwhelmed Omar Samhan and company to advance to the Elite 8. Baylor enjoys an advantage inside against Xavier as well, with the biggest question being which Kenny Frease shows up: the one who struggled mightily against St. Bonaventure in the A-10 tournament title, or the one who played well in wins over Notre Dame and Lehigh last weekend?

With the Musketeers having two of the best guards remaining in the field in Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons, they're going to need Frease, Andre Walker and even Travis Taylor to hold their own in the paint. The word "warrior" fits Baylor's Quincy Acy perfectly, and in Perry Jones III and Quincy Miller the Bears have two likely lottery picks whenever they decide to head to the next level. Cory Jefferson and Anthony Jones also factor into the rotation, and if they can rebound at a solid rate (Baylor rebounds 38% of their misses) it could be a rough evening for the Xavier bigs.

Clearly Xavier's chances of winning lie on the shoulders of Holloway and Lyons, and if those two can control the flow of the game it's more than possible that they win. Both shoot 43% from the field with Lyons being the better three-point shooter, and they'll need to post solid assist-to-turnover ratios as well. Dezmine Wells, who sprained his ankle in the win over Lehigh, will also factor into the Musketeer attack. Baylor's guards have improved as the season has progressed, which should make for a fun match-up on the perimeter.

Brady Heslip, nicknamed the "Downtown Canadian", shot the ball extremely well in Albuquerque last week and it will be interesting to see if he can continue to do so with the sight lines of the Georgia Dome. Pierre Jackson is their best playmaker and A.J. Walton has increased his impact down the stretch. As a team Baylor has a slightly better A/T ratio (1.08 to Xavier's 1.04) but they turn the ball over on a higher percentage of their possessions (20.5% to 18.6%). If Frease and company can hold their own inside Xavier has a shot, making that the biggest key to tomorrow's game.

(1) Kentucky vs. (4) Indiana (9:45 PM, CBS)
Lost count of how many times ESPNU has shown the replay of their December 10th meeting in Bloomington this week? Can't blame you if you have, but with that being the Wildcats' lone regular season defeat (losing to Vanderbilt in the SEC tournament final) there's good reason why many would look back to that game for keys on how to beat Kentucky. But to be fair John Calipari's team is a different group now than they were back in December, with the play of Terrence Jones and Marquis Teague being two reasons why.

Teague, who played well in the regular season meeting between the two, has improved in regards to knowing when to establish his own offense and when to get Kentucky's other weapons involved. The Indianapolis native has a better A/T ratio (1.7) than any of Indiana's guards, and unless the Hoosiers give the responsibility of defending Teague to Victor Oladipo it remains to be seen who can slow him down. Jones' issue is similar to that of Baylor's Perry Jones III. When he's engaged and fully invested in the action, he's very difficult to slow down. And when paired with Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, that trio can wreak havoc when clicking on all cylinders.

Indiana was able to get Davis in foul trouble, limiting his impact on the game. Davis can clearly move his feet on the perimeter but it wouldn't be a surprise if the Hoosiers looked to run some early pick and roll action with Cody Zeller to not just take Davis away from the rim but to also see if they can pick up an early foul (or two) on the phenom. Zeller will be a key figure for the Hoosiers but so will Christian Watford, whose ability to play on the perimeter should match up well with Kidd-Gilchrist. The key for Watford will be to hit the glass; playing outside is fine but not at the expense of those "tough" plays in the paint.

Kentucky's the better team on the glass and they're the more efficient of the two both offensively and defensively as well. But IU won the first meeting by being the more efficient team in spite of 18 turnovers, a result of their ability to hold their own on the glass (30-30) and shooting 60% from three. Clearly if those things happen again Indiana will be in good position to win, but that's asking an awful lot of the Hoosiers. Jordan Hulls and Will Sheehey will be key figures on the perimeter, with Indiana needing to win the backcourt battle if they're to advance.

Midwest Region (St. Louis)

(1) North Carolina vs. (13) Ohio (7:47 PM, TBS)
North Carolina hasn't enjoyed the greatest of luck with wrists this month, first having John Henson injure his left wrist during the ACC tournament and then having Kendall Marshall break his right wrist against Creighton on Sunday. Marshall's injury is the one to watch approaching Friday night's battle with Ohio, with it being unlikely that the sophomore plays despite getting the cast removed. Whether or not Marshall plays however, UNC is going to have a heck of a time figuring out how to slow down Bobcat point guard D.J. Cooper.

Cooper leads the Bobcats in scoring and assists while also grabbing 3.8 rebounds per game, and with an A/T ratio of 2.0 he's a more than sound decision-maker as well. Be it Justin Watts or Stilman White's who's at the point at any given time, UNC has to figure out a way to slow down Cooper. Do that and they slow down John Groce's offense as a whole. Nick Kellogg and Walter Offutt are both solid shooters with the latter also being Ohio's second-leading scorer, yet as a team they shoot just 43% from the field and essentially break even on assists (13.1 per game) and turnovers (13.0).

UNC has been far better in that area thanks in large part to Marshall, but it remains to he seen how well they do if he can't go. Ohio's forced 17 turnovers per game this season, and if they can approach that number on Friday night the Bobcats would have a shot. But can Ivo Baltic and company play well enough inside against Henson and Tyler Zeller? That's the biggest question mark for Ohio, who doesn't have a player taller than 6-8 in their rotation. Reggie Keely will be another banger in the paint for Ohio but UNC is the far superior rebounding team, and with Harrison Barnes on the wing there will be some difficult match-ups for Ohio to address.

North Carolina averages 1.13 points/possession on the season, but two of their losses (Duke at home at Florida State in the ACC title game) have come when they've exceeded that number. The reason against Florida State was defense, as the Seminoles scored 1.21 points/possession. Duke was able to pull off a miraculous comeback in the final three minutes, so there may not be as much to read into there. But Ohio doesn't have the size that Florida State has, making it tough to see them being able to go blow for blow with Henson and Zeller. That doesn't mean that the Bobcats can't win; just means that completing the task will be very difficult.

(2) Kansas vs. (11) NC State (10:17 PM, TBS)
The nightcap in St. Louis will be a very interesting battle as the Wolfpack have interior depth to throw at Kansas. Purdue was able to be physical with the All-American, rotating players on Robinson to take advantage of the five fouls afforded to each. But Mark Gottfied, while he may have the bodies to do so, can't afford to have a Richard Howell, C.J. Leslie or C.J. Williams to end up in early foul trouble. That's been a problem for NC State when they've struggled this season, and it's a battle that the Pack have been able to avoid for the most part through two games in the Big Dance.

The key for Kansas inside will be the play of their rotation guys not named Robinson, with Jeff Withey clearly being the most important. Withey, who has improved a great deal since last season, has scored in double figures just three times in the last nine games with all three being 11-point outings. Of greater importance will be his work on the glass, where after grabbing nine (and blocking five shots) against Detroit he was only able to corral two in 15 minutes of action on Sunday. Justin Wesley and Kevin Young also stand to see some action with Young grabbing seven boards against Purdue.

Leslie's a slender four who can run the floor with the best of them, and of his current stretch of 15 straight games in double figures he's shot below 42% from the field just twice with one being a 41.7% outing against Boston College. The Jayhawks and Wolfpack are rather similar when it comes to hitting the offensive glass (State has a OR% of 35.6% while Kansas is at 35.0%) but Kansas has done a better job of keeping their opponent from doing so. That could make a difference down the stretch, especially if NC State is dealing with foul trouble in the paint.

The battle at the point between Lorenzo Brown and Tyshawn Taylor should be fun to watch, with Young playing very well and Taylor looking to rebound from a subpar outing against Purdue. But at this point it's known what Taylor will bring to the table, making the production of Elijah Johnson and Travis Releford all the more important.

Johnson was outstanding on Sunday; without him this is a preview of Purdue/NC State as opposed to Kansas. If he can bring a similar performance (18 points, four rebounds) to the table Kansas will be tough to beat. Defensively they need to keep an eye on Scott Wood, one of the ACC's best shooters, and if NC State can get some open looks without relying on the three too much they're more than capable of springing the upset.

North Carolina vs Ohio: Prediction

Greg Mengelt — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 11:07:13 -0400

(1) North Carolina vs. (13) Ohio: Midwest Region

Records

North Carolina 31-5, 14-2 ACC (Regular-season Conference Champions; At large)

Ohio 29-7, 11-5 MAC (Conference Tournament Champions)

Time: 7:47 p.m. Friday

TV: TBS

Location: Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis

Winner will face: (2) Kansas or (11) North Carolina State, Sunday

Tournament Results

North Carolina def. Vermont 77-58; def. Creighton 87-78

Ohio def. Michigan 65-60; def. South Florida 62-56

Rankings

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

RPI Ratings

North Carolina 4

Ohio 43

Line: North Carolina -10½ (O/U 143)

Players to Watch

North Carolina: F Tyler Zeller, 7-0 Sr. (16.5 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 50.2% FG); F Harrison Barnes, 6-8 So. (17.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 37.6% 3s); F John Henson, 6-11 Jr. (13.8 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 2.9 bpg). Henson returned from a wrist injury with an impressive 13-point, 10-rebound, 4-block performance in the Tar Heels’ impressive win over Creighton.

Ohio: G D.J. Cooper, 5-11 Jr. (14.7 ppg, 5.7 apg, 2.3 spg); G Walter Offutt, 6-3 Jr. (11.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.8 apg); G Nick Kellogg, 6-3 So. (8.8 ppg, 1.1 spg, 41.8% 3s). Offutt is a great story. After several knee injuries and a couple of transfer, Offutt proved that he still has the talent to play the game on Sunday, putting up 21 points on 7-of-9 from the field, including hitting all four of his 3-pointers.

Why Each Team Dangerous

North Carolina: With Henson back in the fold, no team rebounds and defends the basket better than the Tar Heels. Against Creighton, Carolina had a 43-34 rebounding advantage, got 11 offensive boards and blocked nine shots. UNC shot 50.8 percent from the field and hit half of its 3s. The Heels also held Creighton – the nation’s leading field goal shooting team – to 28-of-68.

Ohio: The Bobcats win with steady guard play and defense. Cooper, Offutt and Kellogg make up a strong backcourt. The Bobcats average 13.1 assists per game and has a plus-4.3 turnover ratio. Defensively, Ohio allows opponents to shoot just 41.2 percent from the floor and 29.3 from the line. They force 17.3 turnovers and get 9.3 steals per game. They had nine steals, among five different players, in the win over South Florida.

Why Each Team is Vulnerable

North Carolina: If Marshall is out – and he likely is for at least this game – who runs the point for Carolina? Marshall is arguably the nation’s best point guard and almost undoubtedly the most important. The Tar Heels already turn the ball over 12 times and allows six steals per game. Without Marshall, Ohio’s defense becomes very dangerous. Carolina is not a great shooting team, hitting just 34.2 percent from behind the 3-point line and 68.4 from the free throw line.

Ohio: The Bobcats can not contend with North Carolina on the boards. They were out-rebounded on the season and South Florida had a plus-7 rebounding margin on Sunday. For the season, they shoot just 43 points from the field, 34.2 from the 3-point line and 68.8 from the foul line. Ohio also turns the ball over 13 times per game. Against a longer, more athletic UNC team, taking care of the basketball could prove difficult.

The Bottom Line: Ohio’s been a nice story, but the teams the Bobcats have beaten have had serious flaws. North Carolina may have a flaw or two, especially if Marshall isn’t able to play, but it’s hard to imagine the Bobcats getting many rebounds or points in the paint.

The Pick: North Carolina 79, Ohio 61

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 214-164-6

NCAA Tournament (through first two rounds): 27-21-1

Early 2012-13 Ranking: A Look Ahead

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 00:38:44 -0400

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.

Poll: How Many of the #1 Seeds Will Advance to the Final Four?

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:55:08 -0400

UNC vs Creighton: Prediction

Greg Mengelt — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 23:38:14 -0400

(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

UNC vs Vermont: Prediction

Greg Mengelt — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 00:26:16 -0400

(1) North Carolina vs. (16) Vermont: Greensboro Region

Records

North Carolina 29-5, 14-2 ACC (Regular-season Conference Champs)

Vermont 24-11, 13-3 America East (Conference Tournament Champions)

Time: 4:10 p.m. Friday

Location: Greensboro Arena in Greensboro, N.C.

Winner will face: (8) Creighton or (9) Alabama, Sunday

Rankings

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

RPI Ratings

North Carolina 4

Vermont 140

Players to Watch

North Carolina: 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); F Tyler Zeller, 7-0 Sr. (16.5 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 55.5% FG). Zeller – the ACC Player of the Year – had a nice performance in Sunday’s 85-82 ACC title game loss to Florida State. In the defeat, Zeller went 7-for-12 from the field with 19 points and 12 rebounds.

Vermont: F Brian Voelkel, 6-6 So. (4.8 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 5.2 apg); G Four McGlynn, 6-2 Fr. (12 ppg, 1.1 apg, 1.6 rpg); F Matt Glass, 5-8 Sr. (11.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 46.4% FG). McGlynn is an excellent scorer and he had a great all-around game in the Catamounts’ opening round win over Lamar. The freshman came off the bench and hit five of his nine shots, 3-of-5 3s and 5-of-6 from the foul line. He also had three boards and three assists.

Why Each Team Dangerous

North Carolina: The Tar Heels are big, strong, athletic and run the floor well. There’s no better floor leader in college basketball than Marshall, who leads the nation in assists. Zeller, Barnes and John Henson, if he’s healthy, will cause anyone in the tournament matchup nightmares. UNC is second in the nation at 82 points per game while holding opponents to 66.9. The Tar Heels’ 56.3 rebound percent is third-best in the country. They also defend the rim, blocking 8.8 shots per game and altering many more.

Vermont: The Catamounts are a very good defensive team. They hold opponents to 60.5 points per game, 40 percent from the floor and 31.9 from the 3-point. Vermont are a decent shooting team, hitting 34.6 percent of their 3s and 74.2 percent from the foul line. The Cats’ 52.1 rebounding percentage is 52^nd nationally and they get 11.1 offensive boards per game.

Why Each Team is Vulnerable

North Carolina: At some point, UNC’s lack of perimeter game and free throw shooting could be factors in this tournament, but it won’t be an issue on Friday.

Vermont: The Catamounts have some size, but nothing compared to UNC. Vermont plays great defense, but it won’t be able to slow the Tar Heels. It just isn’t a good matchup for the Cats.

The Bottom Line: This won’t be close, but the Heels will call off the dogs early, making this a difficult spread.

The Pick: North Carolina 72, Vermont 51

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 198-150-6 (Through Tuesday, March 14)

NCAA Tournament Preview: Frontcourts to Watch

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 23:27:10 -0400

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.