10 Dec 6 - Challenging Days

Volume XV, No. 5 - 10 Dec 6 - [] Top 25 Ballot

Challenging Days

The BIG 10 won its head-to-head CHALLENGE against the ACC 6-5 for the second straight year (after 10 straight losses). Worse for the ACC, it was 5-2 at the top (with only Duke beating Michigan State, @84-79, and Virginia upsetting Minnesota, 87-@79).
     With its biggest preseason game behind it in the win column (and no other league team even ranked in the Top 25), it's time for Duke to start seriously thinking about the "U"-word. (Florida '07 lost its preseason showdown and goofed around in conference before regrouping for a TiTo repeat national title; the Blue Devils are already ahead of that pace.)
     Freshman pKyrie Irving is actually leading the way for DU. It's no coincidence that the two most impressive first-year players so far (pIrving and Ohio State's cJared Sullinger) are also the ones who have stepped into the situations with the most talent around them among all the newcomers.

The BIG 12 got off to a commanding 5-0 lead on the PAC-10 in its head-to-head HARDWOOD SERIES, but with Washington getting to play twice, things might actually wind up tied by the end if Stanford could pull off a road upset at Oklahoma State in the final game Dec 21st.

The MWC reversed its 5-4 loss last year with a dominant 8-1 rout of the MVC (with only Northern Iowa's road win at TCU avoiding a complete sweep).

This week's BIG EAST/SEC INVITATIONAL double-headers are highlighted/marred by virtual home games in the marquee matchups: Pittsburgh hosting Tennessee, and Kentucky hosting Notre Dame in Louisville.

-- Ron

P.S. I'll get the 4th Annual Pigskin Pool Party (http://www.RonMcBay.US/Pigskin/index.html) [Ron's College Football Bowl Season Pool] ready to accept entries next (before I get back to hoops).

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Top 25 - 10 Dec 6 - [] Column

1. Duke (8-0)
2. Ohio State (6-0)
3. Connecticut (7-0)
4. Pittsburgh (9-0)
5. Baylor (6-0)
6. Kansas (7-0)
7. Kansas State (6-1)
8. UNLV (8-0)
9. Tennessee (6-0)
10. Notre Dame (8-0)
11. BYU (8-0)
12. Vanderbilt (7-1)
13. Purdue (7-1)
14. San Diego State (7-0)
15. Illinois (8-1)
16. Louisville (6-0)
17. Georgetown (8-0)
18. Michigan State (5-2)
19. Kentucky (5-2)
20. Washington (5-2)
21. Syracuse (8-0)
22. Minnesota (7-1)
23. Arizona (7-1)
24. Memphis (7-0)
25. Villanova (6-1)

Honorable Mention:

Central Florida (6-0).