15 Dec 7 - Mega-Ten
Volume XX, No. 5 - 15 Dec 7 - [] Top 25 Ballot
Mega-Ten
With the BIG 12/SEC CHALLENGE moved to a single-day event at the end of January, and with the MOUNTAIN WEST/MISSOURI VALLEY CHALLENGE held on eight separate days over a month's time, the ACC/BIG 10 CHALLENGE had the week all to itself. Having already settled for a 4-4 split with the BIG EAST in the GAVITT GAMES, the BIG 10 came in as the underdog, but emerged with an 8-6 win over the ACC. Despite its deserved "Mega" status, the ACC hasn't beaten the BIG 10 head-to-head since 2009. Since the ACC won the first 10 CHALLENGES, the BIG 10 has now gone 5-0 with two ties in the past seven years.
North Carolina beat Maryland (@89-81) as pMarcus Paige(20p5a) played for the first time this year (injured hand) while pMelo Trimble(23p12a) didn't get enough help. Duke routed slumping Indiana (@94-74) as freshman fBrandon Ingram(24p6r;10/15fg) starred. No surprise: pDenzel Valentine(25p7a5r) was great in Michigan State's win (@71-67) over Louisville; more surprising was that the Cardinals made it that close on the road. Key to the BIG 10's overall win was Wisconsin's 66-@58 road win at Syracuse (thanks to 18p15r from cEthan Happ). Also winning on the road were Miami(Florida), Virginia, Notre Dame and Wake Forest for the ACC and Purdue, Penn State, Northwestern and Michigan for the BIG 10.
State Title, Border War and city-rivalry grudge matches also feature heavily in the preseason. New Mexico State handled UTEP (@73-59) in the first of two home-and-home clashes as cPascal Siakam(24p23r5b) continued his spectacular (yet under-the-radar) season -- (Round Two comes in two weeks). Providence edged host Rhode Island (74-@72) on fBen Bentil(23p8r)'s game-winner. BYU split on the week, falling at Utah (75-@83 as cJakob Poeltl[26p13r5b;11/16fg] starred) and edging Weber State (@73-@68) on neutral ground in Salt Lake City. San Diego State fell @48-@53 on neutral ground versus San Diego. Belmont routed Lipscomb (@105-89) in the first of two chapters of their BATTLE OF THE BOULEVARD home-and-home series (with the return game on Monday).
Kentucky's aura of invincibility faded away with a road loss at up-and-down UCLA (77-@87) (who couldn't manage to beat Monmouth at home early on); once again an unheralded post player racked up big numbers against UK as 7-0 cThomas Welsh had 21p11r. Arizona and Gonzaga took their NCAA rivalry into the regular season with AZ winning on the road (68-@63, despite 33p9r;14/27fg from tKyle Wiltjer and 18p16r5to from cDomantas Sabonis) -- both teams played without their foot-injured 7' centers (UA's cKaleb Tarczewski and GU's cPrzemek Karnowski) but it's the 'Zags who have no backcourt to match their formidable frontcourt. Butler got the resume-making win it needed to go with its lofty rating, edging Bluegrass rival Cincinnati on the road (78-@76) on fRoosevelt Jones' game-winner.
Syracuse dropped its second decision of the week -- this time to former BIG EAST rival Georgetown (72-@79). Texas A&M fell at Arizona State (54-@67). Oregon couldn't counter the home-away-from-home-court advantage of UNLV at the MGM GRAND, falling (69-@80) at the LAS VEGAS-SHOWCASE. Northern Iowa's bubble burst on the road at hot-shooting Richmond, tanking (67-@82). UTEP also dropped a second decision -- at home to unheralded Texas-Arlington (@62-76).
Highly rated Vanderbilt nearly had a real win to go with its gaudy numbers, but fell just short at Baylor (67-@69 as Taurean Prince had 30p for BU). Creighton dropped two tough endplays -- tripping at home (@77-79) to Arizona State and then on the road (65-@68) at disappointing Loyola(Illinois).
In a no-name tournament, three teams (Texas-Arlington, Memphis and Louisiana Tech) all went 3-1 to share the crown at the HALL OF FAME-C INVITATIONAL -- favored Ohio State went 1-3 (including a 76-81[OT] loss to Memphis on neutral ground in Miami).
- -
Oklahoma and Villanova face their toughest opponents so far, each other, in the new PEARL HARBOR INVITATIONAL (Monday). Iowa State's reputation so far is last year's name-recognition of its star players, but a home win over arch-/state-rival Iowa in their CY-HAWK SERIES game (Thursday) will be a real achievement for this year. Kentucky needs to regain its swagger with a solid win over upstart Arizona State (Saturday). Both teams have rarely been ranked so highly at the same time when Xavier hosts Cincinnati in this year's CROSSTOWN SHOOTOUT (Saturday). Veteran Boise State gets yet another chance to show it's more than just a Paper Tiger when it hosts Oregon (Saturday). Gonzaga hopes for an easy home win against giant-killer UCLA (Saturday) -- but don't count on it. The JIMMY V CLASSIC (Tuesday) gives Connecticut a chance at a claim to fame against a Maryland team on the rebound and Border War-rivals Virginia and West Virginia each get a shot at their biggest win of the season. Vanderbilt hosts Dayton (Wednesday) with a chance to be ranked likely on the line. If Wichita State doesn't sweep UNLV (Wednesday as part of the MVC/MWC CHALLENGE) and Utah (Saturday), there is no at-large bid waiting for it in March, thanks to the disastrous showing of the entire MISSOURI VALLEY in the preseason. Wisconsin hosts Marquette in their State Title grudge match (Saturday) with at-large bid implications in March likely in play. Lipscomb tries to return the favor against Belmont in the second half of the BATTLE OF THE BOULEVARD (Monday).
-- Ron
P.S. Don't forget: the deadline for this year's Pigskin Pool Party (Ron's free College Football Bowl Season Pool) is
SATURDAY, 19-DECEMBER (12Net).
Top 25 - 15 Dec 7 - [] Column
Mega-Ten
With the BIG 12/SEC CHALLENGE moved to a single-day event at the end of January, and with the MOUNTAIN WEST/MISSOURI VALLEY CHALLENGE held on eight separate days over a month's time, the ACC/BIG 10 CHALLENGE had the week all to itself. Having already settled for a 4-4 split with the BIG EAST in the GAVITT GAMES, the BIG 10 came in as the underdog, but emerged with an 8-6 win over the ACC. Despite its deserved "Mega" status, the ACC hasn't beaten the BIG 10 head-to-head since 2009. Since the ACC won the first 10 CHALLENGES, the BIG 10 has now gone 5-0 with two ties in the past seven years.
North Carolina beat Maryland (@89-81) as pMarcus Paige(20p5a) played for the first time this year (injured hand) while pMelo Trimble(23p12a) didn't get enough help. Duke routed slumping Indiana (@94-74) as freshman fBrandon Ingram(24p6r;10/15fg) starred. No surprise: pDenzel Valentine(25p7a5r) was great in Michigan State's win (@71-67) over Louisville; more surprising was that the Cardinals made it that close on the road. Key to the BIG 10's overall win was Wisconsin's 66-@58 road win at Syracuse (thanks to 18p15r from cEthan Happ). Also winning on the road were Miami(Florida), Virginia, Notre Dame and Wake Forest for the ACC and Purdue, Penn State, Northwestern and Michigan for the BIG 10.
State Title, Border War and city-rivalry grudge matches also feature heavily in the preseason. New Mexico State handled UTEP (@73-59) in the first of two home-and-home clashes as cPascal Siakam(24p23r5b) continued his spectacular (yet under-the-radar) season -- (Round Two comes in two weeks). Providence edged host Rhode Island (74-@72) on fBen Bentil(23p8r)'s game-winner. BYU split on the week, falling at Utah (75-@83 as cJakob Poeltl[26p13r5b;11/16fg] starred) and edging Weber State (@73-@68) on neutral ground in Salt Lake City. San Diego State fell @48-@53 on neutral ground versus San Diego. Belmont routed Lipscomb (@105-89) in the first of two chapters of their BATTLE OF THE BOULEVARD home-and-home series (with the return game on Monday).
Kentucky's aura of invincibility faded away with a road loss at up-and-down UCLA (77-@87) (who couldn't manage to beat Monmouth at home early on); once again an unheralded post player racked up big numbers against UK as 7-0 cThomas Welsh had 21p11r. Arizona and Gonzaga took their NCAA rivalry into the regular season with AZ winning on the road (68-@63, despite 33p9r;14/27fg from tKyle Wiltjer and 18p16r5to from cDomantas Sabonis) -- both teams played without their foot-injured 7' centers (UA's cKaleb Tarczewski and GU's cPrzemek Karnowski) but it's the 'Zags who have no backcourt to match their formidable frontcourt. Butler got the resume-making win it needed to go with its lofty rating, edging Bluegrass rival Cincinnati on the road (78-@76) on fRoosevelt Jones' game-winner.
Syracuse dropped its second decision of the week -- this time to former BIG EAST rival Georgetown (72-@79). Texas A&M fell at Arizona State (54-@67). Oregon couldn't counter the home-away-from-home-court advantage of UNLV at the MGM GRAND, falling (69-@80) at the LAS VEGAS-SHOWCASE. Northern Iowa's bubble burst on the road at hot-shooting Richmond, tanking (67-@82). UTEP also dropped a second decision -- at home to unheralded Texas-Arlington (@62-76).
Highly rated Vanderbilt nearly had a real win to go with its gaudy numbers, but fell just short at Baylor (67-@69 as Taurean Prince had 30p for BU). Creighton dropped two tough endplays -- tripping at home (@77-79) to Arizona State and then on the road (65-@68) at disappointing Loyola(Illinois).
In a no-name tournament, three teams (Texas-Arlington, Memphis and Louisiana Tech) all went 3-1 to share the crown at the HALL OF FAME-C INVITATIONAL -- favored Ohio State went 1-3 (including a 76-81[OT] loss to Memphis on neutral ground in Miami).
- -
Oklahoma and Villanova face their toughest opponents so far, each other, in the new PEARL HARBOR INVITATIONAL (Monday). Iowa State's reputation so far is last year's name-recognition of its star players, but a home win over arch-/state-rival Iowa in their CY-HAWK SERIES game (Thursday) will be a real achievement for this year. Kentucky needs to regain its swagger with a solid win over upstart Arizona State (Saturday). Both teams have rarely been ranked so highly at the same time when Xavier hosts Cincinnati in this year's CROSSTOWN SHOOTOUT (Saturday). Veteran Boise State gets yet another chance to show it's more than just a Paper Tiger when it hosts Oregon (Saturday). Gonzaga hopes for an easy home win against giant-killer UCLA (Saturday) -- but don't count on it. The JIMMY V CLASSIC (Tuesday) gives Connecticut a chance at a claim to fame against a Maryland team on the rebound and Border War-rivals Virginia and West Virginia each get a shot at their biggest win of the season. Vanderbilt hosts Dayton (Wednesday) with a chance to be ranked likely on the line. If Wichita State doesn't sweep UNLV (Wednesday as part of the MVC/MWC CHALLENGE) and Utah (Saturday), there is no at-large bid waiting for it in March, thanks to the disastrous showing of the entire MISSOURI VALLEY in the preseason. Wisconsin hosts Marquette in their State Title grudge match (Saturday) with at-large bid implications in March likely in play. Lipscomb tries to return the favor against Belmont in the second half of the BATTLE OF THE BOULEVARD (Monday).
-- Ron
P.S. Don't forget: the deadline for this year's Pigskin Pool Party (Ron's free College Football Bowl Season Pool) is
SATURDAY, 19-DECEMBER (12Net).
- Key games this week:
- Monday:
- (new)PEARL HARBOR INVITATIONAL DblHdr @ PearlHarborHI
-(Oklahoma-Villanova, Oregon-@Navy),
BATTLE OF THE BOULEVARD RndRob2/2 on-campus
-(@Lipscomb-Belmont[NashvilleTN]),
- Tuesday:
- @MiamiFL-Florida(FL), @Gonzaga-
Montana, @Tulsa-Iona, @Towson-LoyolaMD(BalitmoreMD),
JIMMY V CLASSIC DblHdr @ NewYorkNY/MSG/
-(Maryland-Connecticut, Virginia-WVirginia),
- Tuesday-Tue 22 Dec:
- GS-B CLASSIC 2x4 RndRob2 on-campus; 3rd/Semis @ LasVegasNV/UNLV/
-(A: Wyoming, Marshall, Omaha, Southern;
B: Houston, {GrandCanyon}, EaIllinois, NCCentral),
- Wednesday:
- @Purdue-
Howard, @Vanderbilt-Dayton, @BYU-UtahSt(UT), @Creighton-Nebraska(NE), @Penn-@Temple(PhiladelphiaPA)(BIG5)(/PALESTRA/), @Hartford-Quinnipiac(CT)(CT6), @UTValley-WeberSt(UT),
WOODEN LEGACY/ANAHEIM CLASSIC CoolDown1/1 on-campus
-(@Providence-BostonCol),
- Wednesday-Sun week:
- MWC[2-1;1]/MVC[1-2;1] CHALLENGE on-campus -- MWC leads 4-1
[San Jose State does not play.]
-(Wed: @WichitaSt-UNLV;
Sat: @Nevada-Drake;
Wed week: @IndianaSt-Wyoming;
Sun week: @BoiseSt-Bradley, @FresnoSt-Evansville),
- Wednesday-Wed 23 Dec:
- GOTHAM CLASSIC RndRob4 on-campus; Feature @ NewYorkNY /MSG/
-(Davidson-Pittsburgh, WeCarolina, MoreheadSt, EaWashington),
- Thursday:
- CY-HAWK SERIES on-campus
-(@IowaSt-Iowa[IA][BIG4]),
- Thursday-Wed 23 Dec:
- LAS VEGAS-CHRISTMAS CLASSIC 2x4 RndRob2 on-campus; 3rd/Semis @ LasVegasNV/ORLEANS/
-(A: SMU, KentSt, LAMonroe, Canisius;
B: Colorado, PennSt, NichollsSt, Hampton),
- Friday:
- Saturday:
- @Oklahoma-OralRoberts(OK), @Kentucky-ArizonaSt, Oregon-@BoiseSt, @Gonzaga-UCLA, @WichitaSt-Utah, @Dayton-
Chattanooga, @Wisconsin-Marquette(WI), @CMichigan-TexasSo, @AirForce-ArmyWP(MIL), @VMI-TheCitadel(MIL), @Siena-Albany(AlbanyNY),
CROSSTOWN SHOOTOUT on-campus
-(Cincinnati-@Xavier[CincinnatiOH]),
KANSAS CITY SHOOTOUT 1Off @ KansasCityMO
-(@Kansas-OregonSt),
BB&T CLASSIC 1Off @ WashingtonDC
-(@Georgetown-UNCWilmington),
- Saturday, Tue 22 Dec-Fri 25 Dec:
- DIAMOND HEAD CLASSIC WarmUp1 on-campus; 2nd/Qtrs @ HonoluluHI/Hawaii/
-(Sat Warm1/1: @NewMexico-NoIowa;
Tue 22 Dec 2nd/Qtrs: Oklahoma-WashingtonSt, @Hawaii-NoIowa, BYU-Harvard, NewMexico-Auburn),
- Sunday:
- @Villanova-LaSalle(PhiladelphiaPA)(BIG5), @NotreDame-LoyolaIL, @Temple-StJosephs(PhiladelphiaPA)(BIG5),
- - - - - - -
- Monday week:
- Monday week:
- @Hartford-SacredHeart(CT)(CT6).
Top 25 - 15 Dec 7 - [] Column
- Michigan State (9-0) [v3:WL/ANAHEIM] (@@CHAMPS)
- Oklahoma (4-0)
- Iowa State (6-0) [2v2:EMERALD]
- Kentucky (7-1) [4rrvHOF-A] (@@CHAMPS)
- Miami(Florida) (7-1) [3:P.RICO] (@BIG10)
- Butler (6-1)
- North Carolina (7-1) [2v:@CBE] (vBIG10)
- Providence (8-1)
- Arizona (7-1)
- Cincinnati (8-1) [2v2:BRK-T-A]
- George Washington (7-1)
- Duke (8-1) [2v2:2K] (vBIG10)
- Kansas (5-1) [3:MAUI]
- Xavier (7-0) [3:A/ORLANDO]
- Maryland (7-1) [2v2:CANCUN] (vBIGE)
- Oregon (6-1) [rr5vGS-A]
- Gonzaga (5-2)
- Virginia (7-1) [3:CHARLESTON] (@BIG10)
- West Virginia (6-0) [2v2:LVI-T]
- Villanova (7-0) [2v2:NIT.T-O] (vBIG10)
- Little Rock (5-0)
- SMU (6-0) (@DFW)
- South Carolina (8-0) [3:PARADISE]
- Baylor (6-1)
- Louisville (5-1) [rr3v:BRK-T-B]
- Honorable Mention:
- UCLA (6-3), Georgetown (4-3), Wisconsin (6-3), Arizona State (6-2), UNLV (5-1), Richmond (5-3), Texas-Arlington (7-2),
New Mexico State(5-3).
posted by Ron @ Wednesday, January 06, 2016
<< Home