08 Nov17 - Triple-Threat

Volume XIII, No. 2 - 08 Nov 17 - [] Top 25 Ballot

Triple-Threat

Nothing much happened in Week 1 as most teams continued with exhibition games (both official and unofficial). It's much too soon to draw any conclusions about the season as a whole, but early on there have already been some horrific stats for the longer three-point shot: (Kansas shot 1-for-13 in its @71-56 win over Missouri-Kansas City.) It may wind up that the (Three) Haves versus the (Three) Have-Nots may be more of a distinction than BCS versus MM this season.
     Before the three-point era, commentator Al McGuire used to talk about psychological "plateaus" in the score of games: a one-point lead, a seven-point lead (i.e., more than three possessions back then) and then the mental back-breaker of a double-digit lead. Once a team got to each plateau, they slowly tightened their grip on an eventual victory. When the three-pointer came in, teams could make a 10-point run inside of two minutes routinely and that aspect of the game went by the wayside. In the short-run at least, with this new distance (which some teams can still hit comfortably while others really can't), we're probably in for fewer runs and a return toward plateaus.

The SEC has stumbled twice already. VMI's run-and-gun attack shocked Kentucky 111-@103 at Rupp Arena. Last year (when UK lost early on at home to Gardner-Webb), the excuse was that the team was suffering with injuries and adjusting to a new coach's system. They can't claim that this time around. Billy Gillispie was supposed to be an improvement on Tubby Smith in recruiting (but he lost in-state star tScotty Hopson to Bruce Pearl at Tennessee) and now he's developing a pattern of early season underachievement. The Keydets hit 14-of-31 three-pointers while the Wildcats struggled 3-for-16. Not even 39p from gJodie Meeks could bring them all the way back from a 23-point deficit. Meanwhile, Alabama (despite 25p from a healthy gRonald Steele) fell at home @69-73 to Mercer.
     The ACC escaped with some iffy performances. Duke had to come from behind at home to beat a game Rhode Island team @82-79 (thanks to gJon Scheyer's 23p1a;13/13ft and tKyle Singler's 21p5a5r; despite 8-for-10 three-point shooting from URI's gJimmy Baron). Virginia Tech hung on to beat Gardner-Webb @65-62, while Florida State pulled out a 59-@57 win at Jacksonville.
     The Colonial nabbed a couple of nice road wins: Northeastern won 70-@66 at Providence (in a game featuring 10 returning starters from last year); George Mason edged Vermont on the road 80-@79(OT).

Clemson won the inaugural CHARLESTON CLASSIC, beating Temple in the final, @76-72, (holding TU's tDionte Christmas to 14p after he'd posted 26p in each of the first two rounds).

The preseason landscape continues to evolve. The TOP OF THE WORLD CLASSIC, hosted by {Alaska-Fairbanks}, has been priced out of the market and won't be held this year (for the first time since 1996). In its place we get a second Thanksgiving tournament in Las Vegas: The final two rounds of the new GS CLASSIC will take place at the end of November at UNLV's Thomas & Mack Center while across town the LAS VEGAS-THANKSGIVING INVITATIONAL concludes at the Orleans Hotel Arena. [Next year, we'll get the new DIAMOND HEAD CLASSIC in December 2009 in Hawaii.]
     Some events have modified their strutcutre in order to ensure four games for everyone involved while also guaranteeing marquee matchups in the final rounds. The CBE CLASSIC has a preset semifinal in Kansas City this year (Syracuse-Florida, Kansas-Washington) while the preset consolation teams will have two separate round-robin sessions in Miami and Ft. Myers, FL. So also with the LEGENDS CLASSIC which has its preset semifinals in Newark, NJ (Pittsburgh-Texas Tech, Mississippi State-Washington State) and separate consolation round-robins in Teaneck, NJ. The NIT SEASON TIP-OFF still features a 16-team bracket, but extra third- and fourth-round on-campus consolation games will been scheduled for the first- and second-round losers so that every team will get four games. The 5-team GLENN WILKES CLASSIC and LSU INVITATIONAL are pure round-robins with everyone getting four games.

The top teams are spread out among the preseason tournaments, but we should get at least a couple of Top-10 matchups (and plenty of Top 25 showdowns along the way). And don't forget the ACC-BIG 10 CHALLENGE, BIG 12/PAC-10 HARDWOOD SERIES as well as the BIG EAST/SEC INVITATIONAL pair of double-headers.

• COACHES VS CANCER CLASSIC (Semis: Nov 20-21 at New York NY /MSG/): UCLA-Michigan and Duke-Southern Illinois are just appetizers for the Final Four-calibre showdown between the Bruins and Blue Devils.
• CBE CLASSIC (Semis: Nov 24-25 at Kansas City MO): The preset semis, Syracuse-Florida and Kansas-Washington, are where it's at. The consolation round-robins at Miami FL (Cleveland Sate, Toledo, @Florida International) and Ft. Myers FL (Bradley, Richmond, @{Florida Gulf Coast}) are afterthoughts.
• PHILLY CLASSIC (Semis: Nov 28-29 at Philadelphia PA /Palestra/): Villanova may get a test from Rhode Island in the final.
• LAS VEGAS-THANKSGIVING INVITATIONAL (Semis: Nov 28-29 at Las Vegas NV /OHA/): Kentucky, West Virginia, Kansas State and Iowa headline.
• SOUTH PADRE ISLAND INVITATIONAL (Semis: Nov 28-29 at South Padre Island TX): Texas A&M, Illinois, Kent State and Tulsa are the top four.
• CANCUN CHALLENGE (Semis: Nov 29-30 at Cancun MEXICO): New event has 10 teams in two groups, headed by Vanderbilt, New Mexico, Drake, VCU, San Diego State and Central Florida.
• GLENN WILKES CHALLENGE (Rnd Rob: Nov 16-29 on-campus): A pure round-robin format for Mississippi, Utah, Marshall, Wisconsin-Green Bay and Morgan State.
• NIT SEASON TIP-OFF (Semis: Nov 26,28 at New York NY /MSG/): Oklahoma, Purdue, Davidson, Arizona, UAB, Cornell and Boston College.
• PUERTO RICO TIP-OFF (Qtrs: Nov 21-23 at San Juan PR): Memphis, USC, Xavier and Virginia Tech highlight an 8-team bracket.
• CHICAGO INVITATIONAL CHALLENGE (Semis: Nov 28-29 at Hoffman Estates IL): Marquette should roll past Dayton, Auburn, Northern Iowa and Chicago State.
• LEGENDS CLASSIC (Semis: Nov 29-30 at Newark NJ): Pittsburgh-Texas Tech and Mississippi State-Washington State are preset semifinalists; Fairleigh Dickinson hosts the also-rans for consolation round-robin games in Teaneck.
• GS CLASSIC (Semis: Nov 28-29 at Las Vegas NV /UNLV/): New 8-team event has UNLV hosting the likes of Cincinnati, Florida State and California.
• LSU INVITATIONAL (Rnd Rob: Nov 20-30 at Baton Rouge LA): LSU hosts all games for pure round-robin with Troy, Northwestern State, Centenary and Alcorn State.
• PARADISE JAM (Qtrs: Nov 21-24 at St. Thomas USVI): 8-team bracket features Connecticut, Miami(Florida), San Diego and Wisconsin.
• MAUI INVITATIONAL (Qtrs: Nov 24-26 at Lahaina HI): North Carolina, Texas, Notre Dame and St. Joseph's top an 8-team bracket.
• GREAT ALASKA SHOOTOUT (Qtrs: Nov 26-29 at Anchorage AK): San Diego State, Louisiana Tech and Portland State in an 8-team bracket.
• OS CLASSIC (Qtrs: Nov 27-30 at Orlando FL): Tennessee-Siena, Michigan State-Maryland, Georgetown-Wichita State and Gonzaga-Oklahoma State open an 8-team bracket.
• ANAHEIM CLASSIC (Qtrs: Nov 27-30 at Anaheim CA): St. Mary's, Baylor, Arizona State, Wake Forest and Providence in an 8-team bracket.
• BIG 12/PAC-10 HARDWOOD SERIES (Nov 29-Dec 23 on-campus): @Texas-UCLA, @Oklahoma-USC, @ArizonaState-Nebraska, @Arizona-Kansas, @TexasA&M-Arizona, @WashingtonState-Baylor, @Washington-OklahomaState, @Oregon-KansasState, @Missouri-California, @Stanford-TexasTech, @IowaState-OregonState, @Stanford-Colorado.
• ACC-BIG 10 CHALLENGE (Dec 1-3 on-campus): @MichiganSt-NorthCarolina, @Purdue-Duke, @MiamiFL-OhioState, @WakeForest-Indiana, @VirginiaTech-Wisconsin, @Illinois-Clemson, @Maryland-Michigan, @BostonCollege-Iowa, @Northwestern-FloridaState, @Minnesota-Virginia, @GeorgiaTech-PennState.
• BIG EAST/SEC INVITATIONAL (Dec 16,18 at Nashville TN, Cincinnati OH): A pair of double-headers: (@Tennesse-Marquette, @Vanderbilt-SouthFlorida) and (@Louisville-Mississippi, @Cincinnati-MississippiState).
• LAS VEGAS-CHRISTMAS CLASSIC (Semis: Dec 22-23 at Las Vegas NV /OHA/): Creighton, DePaul, St. Louis and Fresno State are the top four.
• RAINBOW CLASSIC (Qtrs: Dec 27-30 at Honolulu HI): Colorado, Pepperdine, George Washington and Vermont are the best of the bunch.

Don't forget ESPN's COLLEGE HOOPS TIP-OFF MARATHON begins MONDAY OVERNIGHT (12:01AM Tuesday) and runs ALL-DAY TUESDAY featuring the likes of North Carolina, Oklahoma, Memphis, Purdue, St. Mary's, Davidson, Syracuse, Kansas, Baylor, Arizona, UAB, Washington, Kentucky, Cleveland State and Cornell.

-- Ron

Key games this week:

Monday:

@Georgetown-Jacksonville, @UAB-SantaClara, @VirginiaTech-MtStMarys,

Monday; Thursday-Friday,Sunday:

PUERTO RICO TIP-OFF Warmup on-campus; Qtrs @ San Juan,PR
- (Mon: @Missouri-Chattanooga,
   Thu: Memphis-Chattanooga(TN), USC-SetonHall, Xavier-Missouri, VirginiaTech-Fairfield),

Monday-Tuesday; Monday week-Tuesday week; Wednesday week,Friday week:

NIT SEASON TIP-OFF 1st/16s on-campus; 3rd/Cons on-campus; Semis @ New York,NY /MSG/
- (Mon-Tue @ Norman,OK: @Oklahoma-MSValleySt, Davidson-JamesMadison,
   Mon-Tue @ West Lafayette,IN: @Purdue-EaMichigan, Georgia-LoyolaIL,
   Mon-Tue @ Tucson,AZ: @Arizona-FLAtlantic, UAB-SantaClara,
   Mon-Tue @ Chestnut Hill,MA: @BostonCol-LoyolaMD, StJohns-Cornell(NY)),

Monday-Tuesday week; Friday week-Saturday week:

PHILLY CLASSIC RndRob on-campus; Semis @ Philadelphia,PA /Palestra/
- (A: @Villanova, Towson, Niagara, Monmouth;
   B: @PennSt, RhodeIsland, Hartford, {NJIT}),
CHICAGO INVITATIONAL CHALLENEGE RndRob on-campus; Semis @ Hoffman Estates,IL
- (A: @Marquette, NoIowa, @ChicagoSt, TexasSo;
   B: @Dayton, Auburn, BethuneCookman, Mercer),
SOUTH PADRE ISLAND INVITATIONAL RndRob on-campus; Semis @ South Padre Island,TX
- (A: @Illinois, @KentSt, TexasA&MCC, JacksonvilleSt;
   B: @TexasA&M, @Tulsa, UNCWilmington, {NCCentral}),

Tuesday:

@Tennessee-TNMartin(TN), @SanDiego-Nevada, @SoMississippi-AlabamaSt,
*ESPN COLLEGE HOOPS TIP-OFF MARATHON* (24-hours beginning MONDAY OVERNIGHT)
- (12Met): @Memphis-Massachusetts,
- (2Aet): @StMarys-FresnoSt(CA),
- (4Aet): @Hawaii-IdahoSt,
- (10Aet): @Penn-@Drexel(/The Palestra/)(Philadelphia,PA),
- (12Net): @UNCAsheville-Liberty,
- (4Pet): @Baylor-Centenary,
- (6Pet): @Syracuse-Richmond(CBE CLASSIC),
- (7Pet): @Purdue/EaMichigan-Georgia/LoyolaIL(NIT TIP-OFF),
- (7:30Pet): @BostonCol/LoyolaMD-StJohns/Cornell(NIT TIP-OFF),
- (9Pet): @NCarolina-Kentucky,
- (9Pet): @Kansas-{FLGulfCoast}(CBE CLASSIC),
- (9:30Pet): @Oklahoma/MSValleySt-Davidson/JamesMadison(NIT TIP-OFF),
- (11:30Pet): @Arizona/FLAtlantic-UAB/SantaClara(NIT TIP-OFF),

Tuesday,Thursday; Monday week-Wednesday week:

CBE CLASSIC Warmup on-campus; 3rd/Cons RndRob @ MiamiFL, Ft.MyersFL; 3rd/Semis @ Kansas City,MO
- (A: @Syracuse, @Florida;
   A Cons: ClevelandSt, Toledo, @FLInternational, {WGeorgia}, {LeMoyne}, {StLeo};
   B: @Kansas, @Washington;
   B Cons: Richmond, Bradley, MOKansasCity, @{FLGulfCoast}),

Tuesday; Friday-Sunday; Saturday week:

GLENN WILKES CLASSIC RndRob on-campus; RndRob @ Daytona Beach,FL; RndRob on-campus
- (Mississippi, Utah, Marshall, WIGreenBay, MorganSt),

Tuesday-Tuesday week; Friday week-Sunday week; Friday week-Saturday week:

LEGENDS CLASSIC RndRob on-campus; 3rd/Cons RndRob @ Teaneck,NJ; 3rd/Semis @ Newark,NJ
- (A: @Pittsburgh, @TexasTech;
   A Cons: Akron, EaKentucky, {IndianaPA}, {ECentralOK}, {Thiel};
   B: @MississippiSt, @WashingtonSt;
   B Cons: @Fairfield, {NAlabama}),

Tuesday-Monday week; Friday week-Saturday week:

GS CLASSIC RndRob on-campus; Semis @ Las Vegas,NV /UNLV/
- (A: @UNLV, @ California, NCA&T, TXPanAmerican,
   B: @Cincinnati, @FloridaSt, WeIllinois, CoCarolina),

Wednesday-Wednesday week; Saturday week-Sunday week:

CANCUN CHALLENGE RndRob on-campus; Semis @ Cancun,MEXICO
- (A: @Vanderbilt, @Drake, CFlorida, MoreheadSt, {CArkansas};
   B: @NewMexico, @VCU, SanDiegoSt, Grambling, TheCitadel),

Thursday-Friday:

COACHES VS CANCER CLASSIC Semis @ New York,NY /MSG/
- (UCLA-Michigan, Duke-SoIllinois),

Thursday-Tuesday week; Friday week-Saturday week:

LAS VEGAS-THANKSGIVING INVITATIONAL RndRob on-campus; Semis @ Las Vegas,NV /OHA/
- (A: @Kentucky, @KansasSt, SEMissouriSt, Longwood;
   B: @WVirginia, @Iowa, Oakland, DelawareSt),

Thursday-Sunday week:

LSU INVITATIONAL RndRob @ Baton Rouge,LA
- (@LSU, Troy, @NorthwesternSt, @Centenary, AlcornSt),

Friday:

@Tennessee-MidTennessee(TN), @Maryland-Vermont,

Friday-Monday week:

PARADISE JAM 1st/Qtrs @ St. Thomas,USVI
- (Connecticut-LaSalle, MiamiFL-SoMississippi, SanDiego-Valparaiso, Wisconsin-Iona),

Saturday:

@Oklahoma-GardnerWebb, @Siena-Cornell(NY), @Campbell-UNCAsheville(NC), @Jacksonville-American.

---

Top 25 - 08 Nov 17 - [] Column

1. North Carolina (1-0)
2. Louisville
3. Connecticut (1-0)
4. UCLA (2-0)
5. Oklahoma (1-0)
6. Duke (2-0)
7. Tennessee (1-0)
8. Memphis (1-0)
9. Texas (1-0)
10. Michigan State (1-0)
11. Pittsburgh (1-0)
12. Villanova (1-0)
13. Notre Dame
14. Purdue (1-0)
15. Georgetown
16. Marquette
17. Gonzaga
18. St. Mary's
19. Davidson
20. UNLV (1-0)
21. Siena
22. Miami(Florida)
23. Syracuse
24. Florida (2-0)
25. USC (1-0)

Honorable Mention:

VMI (1-1), Northeastern (2-1), Mercer (1-1).