10 Nov29 - Kemba Lives!

Volume XV, No. 3(wk4) - 10 Nov 29 - [] Top 25 Ballot

Kemba Lives!

Kemba Walker had a tremendous week, averaging 30+ in three games at the MAUI INVITATIONAL, as Connecticut surprised veteran Michigan State 70-67 and then ran away from young Kentucky 84-67. On paper, it seems like the Big East has lost a lot of talent from last year, but the league has dominated the preseason so far, taking 7 tournament crowns. (That'll be it, alas, as they don't have any teams entered in either DIAMOND HEAD or the new CANCUN-CHRISTMAS GOVERNOR'S CUP.
     Richmond pulled off a shocker, knocking off Purdue 65-54 in the final of the CHICAGO INVITATIONAL CHALLENGE. Notre Dame held off Wisconsin in the final to win the ORLANDO CLASSIC. St. John's made some noise, taking the GREAT ALASKA SHOOTOUT over disappointing Arizona State in the final. Old Dominion was the surprise winner of the PARADISE JAM past the likes of Clemson, Alabama, Seton Hall, and Xavier in the final.

As if pre-set semifinals wasn't annoying enough -- San Diego State went 5-0 at the CBE CLASSIC, but can claim no better than fifth place -- now the 2x4 tournaments are proclaiming the actual fifth place finisher as the "champion of the consolation bracket". The HALL OF FAME TIP-OFF round-robin didn't even bother to make sure all the teams played the same number of games.
     I counted five separate groups of teams all claiming to be playing in some kind of GS CHALLENGE, INVITATIONAL or SHOOTOUT. Four groups of five teams played a four-game round-robin among themselves, and the fifth group of four teams played three round-robin games each. (Not confusing at all!)

Only four years in, this is the final go around for the BIG 12/PAC-10 HARDWOOD SERIES. (Probably no love lost between those two leagues after all of the membership swapping coming next year driven by football. They didn't even seem to bother matching up placement in the standings to make the pairings like is done for the ACC/BIG 10 CHALLENGE; all they seem to have done is repeat the same matchups from last year but swap the home team.)
     The ACC has more home games in its head-to-head challenge, but the BIG 10 teams have looked better so far this early season. Not having Missouri State makes a second straight win for the MVC over the MWC unlikely. Kentucky vs Notre Dame in Louisville is an attractive game all on its own, but it's carrying the banner of the SEC/BIG EAST INVITATIONAL to boot this year.

-- Ron

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Top 25 - 10 Nov 29 - [] Column

1. Duke (6-0) [2v2:CBE]
2. Ohio State (5-0) [RR4GS-A]
3. Connecticut (5-0) [3:MAUI]
4. Pittsburgh (7-0) [2v2:CVC]
5. Baylor (4-0)
6. Kansas (6-0) [2v2:LAS VEGAS-THANKS]
7. Kansas State (5-1)
8. Michigan State (4-1)
9. Kentucky (4-1)
10. Richmond (6-1) [2v2:CHICAGO]
11. Minnesota (6-0) [3:PUERTO RICO]
12. UNLV (6-0) [3:UNLV]
13. Tennessee (5-0) [2v2:NIT TIP-OFF]
14. Notre Dame (7-0) [3:ORLANDO]
15. BYU (6-0) [2v2:SOUTH PADRE]
16. Vanderbilt (5-1)
17. Texas (5-1)
18. Purdue (5-1)
19. Washington (3-2)
20. San Diego State (5-0)
21. Illinois (6-1)
22. Louisville (4-0) [RR4GS-C]
23. Georgetown (6-0) [3:CHARLESTON]
24. Missouri (5-0) [2v2:CANCUN-THANX]
25. Syracuse (6-0) [2v2:LEGENDS]

Honorable Mention:

St. John's (4-1) [3:GREAT ALASKA], Massachusetts (6-0) [RR4HALL OF FAME], Old Dominion (5-1) [3:PARADISE JAM], Memphis (5-0) [RR4GS-B], Iowa State (5-0) [RR4GS-D/HV].