Miami began the year with an extremely easy non-conference schedule. Many coaches do this to build the confidence of their players prior to league play. Sometimes it works, but obviously not in this case. After opening the ACC year with a win against Wake, the Hurricanes have since gone 3 and 11, and are not in a “must win” situation. With such a weak strength of schedule outside of the ACC, Miami will most likely need to get to the Championship game if not win it.

They are a well balanced team that does not have any standout players. Dwayne Collins leads the team in scoring with a 12 point per game average. James Dews is the only other Hurricane player that averages over 10 points per game. However, they have 5 players that contribute solid minutes and over 5 points per game. Their ability to keep their line-up fresh is what keeps them in games, but the lack of star-power is why they have failed to finish teams off late in games.

Wake Forest has the potential to be a bracket buster. They started the season with a difficult schedule, taking on solid mid-major teams. They beat Gonzaga, Richmond and a tough Xavier squad prior to starting ACC play. Although they are 9-7 in the ACC, they have taken down many reputable teams that will be high seeds in the NCAA tournament. Wins against Maryland, Georgia Tech and Clemson should be more than enough to earn them a reasonable seeding. They only blemish to their year was a 4 game losing streak in which they played Virginia Tech, NC St, N. Carolina and Florida St. Two of those 4 games should have been easy wins, but sometimes teams find it hard to get their confidence back during a losing streak.

The last game of the year may have given the Demon Deacons the lift they needed to get them back on track. A 70-65 win against Clemson sends this squad into the ACC tourney on a high note, and could potentially get them started on a deep run in the Big Dance.

Al-Faroug Aminu leads Wake in scoring with a 16 ppg average. He also contributes almost 11 boards per game, and is clearly their defensive stopper. The key to this teams success is the balance on offense. They have a true center in Chas McFarland that scores 7 points and grabs 7 rebounds per game. Their guard play is outstanding as Ishmael Smith, C.J. Harris and L.D. Williams combine for 32 points, 12 rebounds and 9 assists per game. Everyone knows they are one of the best teams in the country despite not being ranked, but they will need to forget about the past and focus on one team at a time.

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South Florida’s style of play is similar to the Hoyas as they slow the pace of play on offense, and play solid lock-down defense that frustrates opponents and leads to easy transition baskets. Dominique Jones leads the Bulls offensively with a 21.3 point per game average. He a stat sheet stuffer as he also contributes over 6 rebounds and almost 4 assists per game. The two headed forward combination of Augustus Gilchrist and Jarrid Famous are equally as talented on both ends of the floor. They combine for 25 points and 14 rebound per game, all while holding opponents to just over 66 points per game.

The Big East conference is without question the toughest in the country. Although S. Florida has a 9-9 record in conference play, they can hang their hats on several big wins as they have taken down Seton Hall, Providence, Pittsburgh and Georgetown this season. They are clearly on the bubble and may need a win Wednesday to secure an NCAA tournament spot. Even though they beat the Hoyas earlier this year, they will have to be at their best to take them down in the Big East tournament.

Georgetown is a hard team to figure out. They are one of 5 ranked teams in the best conference in the country, but they only have a 10-8 record in Big East competition. While wins against Temple, Butler, UCONN, Pittsburgh, Villanova and Duke are impressive, they seem to play down the level of their opponent as they have lost games to Old Dominion and Rutgers. If they intent to get a good seeding in the “Big Dance” they will need at least 2 wins in the Big East tournament.

The focal point of the Georgetown offense is center Greg Monroe. He is having a phenomenal sophomore season as he’s averaging 16 points and almost 10 boards per game. He is a true “Big Man” that can clog up the paint and make scoring inside very difficult for the Hoyas opponents. Along with Monroe, Georgetown has a three guard attack that keeps other teams on their heels. Austin Freeman leads the team in scoring with a 17.3 point per game average, while Chris Wright and Jason Clark contribute 24 points, 6.5 rebounds and 6 assists per game combined.

The Big East tournament is always the most competitive and has the most story lines. This game is no exception. Watch as the Hoyas and Bulls battle it out for a chance to prove to selection committee that they are each deserving of an NCAA tournament invitation.

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Wright St. is much better than their record indicates. They have lost several close games, and have only lost by double-digits 3 times this season (twice to Butler, once to Mississippi St.). They play a lock-down style of defense that suffocates their opponents. At 60.5 points per game allowed defensively, they are 2nd to only Butler in the Horizon league.

Vaughn Duggins and Todd Brown lead the way on offense, combining for over 27 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists per game. The Raiders don’t have a ton of size, but they do go 4 deep at the guard position. It takes a fast cohesive defensive unit to keep Wright St’s guards in check. N’Gai Evans and Try Tabler average just over 9 points apiece, and have the ability to shut down opposing guards. They will need to be at their best if they are to have any chance of winning the Horizon league title game against Butler.

The Bulldogs resume’ is far more established in terms of strength of schedule. They have taken down Xavier and a very good Ohio St team, and lost to Clemson by just 1 point. Gordon Hayward is having a breakthrough season for the Bulldogs as he’s averaging career highs in both points (15.6) and rebounds (8.6). Forwards Matt Howard and Willie Veasley are contributing 22.6 points and almost 10 boards per game combined, and have played outstanding defense all season long. This squad is more than just a good mid-major team, and has the ability to make a run in the NCAA tournament. Tuesday night’s clash may be more closely contested than the 2 previous contests between these teams as Butler will get in to the tourney even if they don’s win. Wright St on the other hand will need to win the conference championship to get the automatic bid for the tourney.

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Cleveland has a 2.5 game lead over the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, and 3 more home games to play than the Lakers down the home stretch. The Cavs haven’t missed a beat with Shaquille O’Neal being out as they have won 9 out of 10. LeBron James has been a beast all season, and has legitimized himself as the best player in the league at the age of 25. There is no team in the league that revolves more around one player than Cleveland. James sat out Saturday against the Bucks due to a “coach’s decision”, and Milwaukee won 92-85. There is definitely some talent on this Cleveland team, but not nearly as much as many other teams in the league. Even Kobe Bryant has a above average supporting cast that can handle business when he’s not able to play. We saw this last month when Bryant sat out 6 games because of an ankle injury. The Lakers went 5-1 with him on the bench. The Cavs don’t have that luxury. Without LeBron, they are an average team that would most likely not even make the playoffs.

San Antonio has been bit by the injury bug again this year. Tony Parker has missed several games this season, and Manu Ginobili still doesn’t look to be himself after coming back from a major injury. Many experts feel as though the Spurs window for success is closed due to their age, but they still believe that have the players to make a run at another championship.

Tim Duncan may not be the same player he was 10 years ago, but he’s still averaging 19 points and almost 11 boards per game. Defensively he has lost a step, but he’s so fundamentally sound that he can get away with it. Parker, Ginobili and Jefferson are contributing 43 points per game, while 2nd year point guard George Hill has stepped up his game and is averaging almost 12 points per game.

This should be a hard fought defensive battle as both teams are in desperate need of a win for different reasons. The Spurs currently sit as the 6th seed in the Western conference playoff race, and will need to have a strong finish if they hope to overtake Oklahoma City for the 5th spot. LeBron and the Cavs know how important it is to retain home court advantage throughout the playoffs. The Lakers are a tough enough team to beat at home, and having to play 4 games in Staples Center would be a tough task to overcome. Tune in Monday night as the Spurs and Cavaliers face off in what may be a decisive game for each team in regards to the playoffs.

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Despite the recent trends, Texas has the upper hand in this match-up due to their depth. They go 7 deep on offense, which gives them the ability to increase leads when the starters are out. Damion James leads the way with a 17.7 point per game average. His 10+ rebounds are also tops on the team. They have a well balanced attack as their guards Avery Bradley and J’Covan Brown contribute 22 points per game, and their center Dexter Pittman pours in 10.5 points and 6 boards per game. Gary Johnson and Varez Ward are more than adequate off of the bench as they combine for almost 18 points, 9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.

Texas has had troubles in conference due to their lack of defense. They can shut teams down when they want to, but have too many lapses during the course of games to sustain any type of consistency. The Longhorns have allowed over 74 points in 5 of their last 8 conference games, and will be in serious trouble against a very capable Baylor offense if they don’t establish themselves early on the defensive end of the floor.

LaceDarius Dunn leads the Baylor offense with a 18.8 point average. However, Tweety Carter and forward Ekpe Udoh are also considered “go-to” players, and lead the team in assists and rebounds respectively. The Bears main concern is the serious drop off of talent after their starters come out. It is extremely hard for this squad to maintain a lead as their bench has a difficult time staying with their opponent’s starters. As a whole, the offense can score with any team in the Big-12 conference, and excels against opponents with mediocre defenses. If a team allows them to get up and down the floor at will, they will make you pay the price.

Texas will need to slow the pace of play, and force the Bears to play a half-court style of offense. Getting the opposition out of their rhythm and forcing them to play your style of ball is very important when playing at home. This should be a competitive game just like their previous match-up. It will be interesting to see which team will dictate the pace of play. Both of these squads are in desperate need of a strong finish as they try to impress the selection committee a day before the brackets are announced.

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Currently the Jazz have a 2 game lead in the loss column over Phoenix, who as of right now are in the 5th spot and will have to go on the road for at least the first round. The Suns have been extremely inconsistent this season on offense. They do lead the league in scoring with a 109 point per game average, but have taken many night off which has led to their 24 losses.

Phoenix has a phenomenal starting lineup, but suffers from a lack of depth. With defense not being a priority to this team, it really hurts to have a second unit that is incapable of keeping pace with their opponent. Robin Lopez has turned out to be a solid pick-up by the Suns. His 8 points and 5 rebounds per game have been helpful when Channing Frye is on the bench. However, the rest of the reserves struggle from the field, and have no offensive flow. Steve Nash is still playing at a high level as he dishes out over 11 assists, and is second on the team in scoring with a 17 point average. Amare Stoudemire is still a beast in the middle, and has played like he has a chip on his shoulder after all of the trade rumors surrounding him this season. When the Suns are clicking offensively they are virtually unstoppable. They problem is they don’t always click.

The Jazz have a tendency to play down to the level of their competition. They have several big wins against some of the best squads in the league, but struggle to stay motivated versus team that they should handle with ease. Losses against the Clippers and Sacramento this month are an example of why they have been close every year, but can never get over the top.

Carlos Boozer leads the team in scoring with a 20 point per game average, but point guard Deron Williams is the team leader on the floor. He is one of the best guards in the league, and can take over a game at any time. This all-star caliber duo makes up for the lack of scoring out of the rest of the starting line-up. Mehmet Okur is average at best, and Paul Millsap can be a solid defensive presense, but his offensive abilities need improvement.

Expect a low scoring game as both of these teams know exactly what is at stake in regards to conference seeding and home court advantage in the playoffs.

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The Big-12 conference may have 5 teams currently ranked in the top-25, but is top heavy and is not considered one of the top 3 conferences in the country. There is a huge disparity between the best and worst teams in the standings which is why there are 7 teams with 20+ wins. Texas has proven to be a fraud after their terrific start, while Baylor and Texas A&M are average at best. The Big-12 will have a tough go of it in the NCAA tournament due to the defensive style of play that is required to make a deep run. Kansas may have the best chance to go far as they allow just under 64 points per game.

The Jayhawks are led by point guard Sherron Collins. Collins is having his best season with a 15 point and 4 assist per game average. As a whole, the Jayhawk starting 5 is as solid as any in the country. Guard Xavier Henry, and forwards Marcus Moore and Markieff Morris play their roles extremely well. Center Cole Aldrich is a 6’11” shot blocker that makes it difficult for opposing offenses to penetrate the lane and score easy buckets. His numbers are down slightly this season due to a decrease in minutes, but he is still averaging a double-double and almost 4 blocks per game.

Kansas St hasn’t missed a beat over the last couple seasons after losing their superstar Michael Beasley to the NBA. They have only 4 losses this season, and they’re all to tournament caliber teams (Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma St, Kansas). This team likes to run as their top 2 scores are guards. Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente average 34 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists per game. Jamar Samuels and Curtis Kelly control the boards from the forward position as well as they should be expected to, but the Wildcats still lack size. They have allowed over 70 points in all four of their losses mainly due to losing the rebounding battle. It will take a ton of offense for this squad to get to the elite-8 or final-4 of the NCAA tournament.

This should be a hard fought game as both teams are in need of a win for different reasons. Anticipate a much lower scoring game than their first meeting due to the fact that there is so much at stake.

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This match-up may be the deciding factor for one of these two teams as they head into post-season action. On paper they are very similar in offense and defense, but they do it in different ways. West Virginia has one guard that truly contributes to their offense. Darryl Bryant is leading the guards in scoring with a 10.8 point per game average. After him, the next best guard is Casey Mitchell who contributes just 4 points per game in limited time off of the bench. The bread and butter of the Mountaineers team is their forwards. Da’Sean Butler, Kevin Jones and Devin Banks are the key reasons for their success this season. Combined they average 43 points, 22 rebounds and 7 assists per game. They all have the ability to shoot from the outside, but make their presence known in the key. Three of their 5 losses have come to top-25 teams, and the other two (Notre Dame, Connecticut) are good Big East squads that would most likely be at the top of any other conference.

Georgetown is coming off of an embarrassing loss to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at home. They allowed the Irish to do what they wanted to offensively, which is surprising due to the strength of the Hoyas defense. Guard play is essential to the Georgetown attack. Austin Freeman leads the team in scoring with a 17 point per game average. Chris Wright and Jason Clark have contributed over 24 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists per game, and are contributing equally as well on the defensive side of the ball.

This is the only meeting between these 2 teams this season, and may be the deciding factor as to who gets a favorable bracket for the NCAA tournament and who doesn’t. Tune in Monday Night at 7pm ET as the Big East shows why they are the most well rounded conference in the country.

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Nova is fresh off of a blowout victory against S. Florida on Thursday. This win was much needed as they had lost 2 in a row to UCONN and Pittsburgh prior to that. The Wildcats are led by senior guard Scottie Reynolds who is having his best season with a 19 point per game average. Reynolds is a sure bet to be selected early in the first round of the NBA draft, and will be a fine addition to any team that selects him.

Villanova’s strength is their depth of the bench. They currently have 7 players that average over 7 points per game, and can increase any lead with their back-ups in. Corey Fisher, Antonio Pena and Corey Stokes are all part of the Wildcats starting line-up that scores an average of almost 84 points per game. They will be put to the test as they take on a Orange team that is equally as capable offensively. A win Saturday would put Nova in a tie with Syracuse for the regular season conference title, and would give them the tie-break advantage due to their head-to-head win.

Syracuse is having one of their best seasons in school history. A 26-2 record has placed them in the top 5 in the country, and will put them in a great position to earn a number 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. However, the Orange have a tough final 3 games as they take on the dynamic offense of Villanova, St Johns, and a Louisville squad that gave them their second loss of the season earlier this month.

Wesley Johnson leads the scoring attack for the Orange with a 15.8 point per game average. Syracuse also has 7 players averaging over 7 points per game, and is equally as impressive on the defensive end of the floor. They are only allowing 65 points per game, which gives them an average margin of victory of 16 points per game. It will be a tall order to do that against a Villanova team that has looked unbeatable at times this season. Andy Rautins, Kris Joseph and Arinze Onuaku all average over 10 points per game for the Orange and combine for 13 rebounds and 7 assists per game.

The Big East has proven to be the toughest conference in the nation as they have 5 teams in the top 16 in the country, and only 2 teams out of 16 with a record below .500. Although these teams have dynamic offensive attacks, you have to anticipate a defensive battle as they fight for what may be the deciding game for the conference title. Tune in Saturday as the best two teams from the best conference go toe-to toe to determine who will get a number 1 seed come selection Sunday.

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Generally, most teams have trouble keeping their intensity at a high level after a big win. Kentucky is clearly the better team in all phases of the game, but it’s almost a certain that the Gamecocks will be playing with more intensity as they try to fight for a post-season selection in either the NCAA or NIT tournaments.

S.Carolina should know that they have the ability to compete with the best as they are the only team this season to take down the Wildcats. Last week they gave Tennessee a scare as they took a 4 point halftime lead into the locker room before falling apart in the second half. Despite scoring an average of almost 73 points per game, USC has had a tough time in the ACC. Their 5-7 conference record is due to a lack of consistency on the defensive end of the floor.

Offensively they are led by senior point guard Devan Downey. Downey is averaging a career high 22.7 points per game, but has trouble handling the opposing team point due to his lack of size (5’ 9”). Dominique Archie and Sam Muldrow are a pair of above average college forwards that contribute most of the defensive pressure for the Gamecocks. They combine for 24 points and 12.5 rebounds per game, which is what keeps them in contention the majority of the time. It will take a all-out effort from S. Carolina on both ends of the court to keep Kentucky from running away with this one.

Kentucky’s success derives from their guard play. Freshman John Wall has taken over this team, and shown why he was the top rated recruit coming out of high school last year. He almost a lock for the #1 pick in this years NBA draft, and will most likely leave UK after this season. His 16.8 points and 6.3 assist lead the team, and he has shown that he is equally as good on defense. A key block and a pair of clutch free throws by Wall sealed the game for the Wildcats against Vanderbilt. He already has put together a phenomenal highlight reel of dunks, crossovers and passes that would make the And-1 crew proud. Patrick Patterson has been over-shadowed by Wall’s play, but he has been exceptional this season in points (14.8 per game), and rebounds (7.6 per game).

Despite the outstanding guards that Kentucky has, they are anchored by forward DeMarcus Cousins in the middle. Many opponents tend to give Wall and Patterson too much attention which has left Cousins one on one in the middle. His 10.1 rebounds per game has given their offense the ability to get out and get easy break-away baskets. This team is without question deserving of a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament, and should be a lock for the Final-4.

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