College Basketball Power Rankings: March 12

The regular season is over and we are only a week away from the NCAA tournament.  Some teams showed us what they were made of to close out their season (Duke and Indiana) while others seemed to be looking ahead (Kansas and Florida).  Duke and Gonzaga are tops with Indiana and Louisville hot on their heels.  There's a lot more to be told as the major conference tournaments start this week.  Let's get it.

1. Duke (27-4, LW 3) - Duke's rout of North Carolina on the road 69-53 and the return of Ryan Kelly puts the Blue Devils back on top.  Kelly not only provides a scoring lift but he makes the rest of the team better just by being on the court.  Case in point, Mason Plumlee had his best in the past month game at UNC (23 pts, 13 rebs) because of the spacing of Kelly.
2. Gonzaga (30-2, LW 1) - Gonzaga could have been listed as 1B because I still feel they are a legit team, Duke is just a little better.  They closed out their undefeated conference season with a 65-51 win over St. Mary's last night.  The WCC was no match for them but people just want to see if they are worthy of the #1 seed they will receive.
3. Indiana (26-5, LW 2) - Earlier is the week Indiana lost at home to Ohio State 67-58 which opened the door for the Big Ten championship.  It all came down to their road game at Michigan and Cody Zeller made a layup with 14 seconds left for their first out right Big Ten title since 1993.
4. Louisville (26-5, LW 7) - The Cardinals avenged their 5 OT loss to Notre Dame 73-57 behind Gorgui Dieng's 20 and 11.  This team is poised to make a strong run in the Big East and NCAA tournaments after winning 10 of their last 11.
5. Georgetown (24-5, LW 4) - Georgetown is another Big East team that's playing really well.  The lost to Villanova to begin the week 67-57 but came back with holding Jim Boeheim's team to its lowest points of his career 61-39.  The Big East tournament will be one of the best of Championship week.
6. Kansas (26-5, LW 5) - Kansas lost to Baylor 81-58, their worst loss in seven years.  They could have won't the Big 12 title outright but instead had to share it with their rival Kansas State.  The Jayhawks might have been looking ahead to the tournaments because they seemed uninterested.
7. Michigan State (24-7, LW 11) - Sparty finished their season with a solid win over Wisconsin 58-43.  Keith Appling has gotten back on track scoring 35 points in his last two games.  This team is also dangerous come tournament time and this year is no different.
8. Michigan (25-6, LW 8) - Ugh.  The entire Big Ten was watching, Michigan State and Ohio State fans were even cheering for them, but Michigan choked away their game against Indiana and a four way tie for the Big Ten title.  The Wolverines lost a five point lead with 50 seconds left because of missed FREE THROWS by Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr.  Next up Penn State in the B1G tourney, great.
9. Florida (24-6, LW 9) - The Gators had a SEC title all wrapped up before they played Kentucky so losing 61-57 only hurts their seeding for the time being.  Florida didn't score in the last seven and a half minutes of the game, we'll see if they were looking ahead or if there's problems in the swamp after losing three of six.
10. Ohio State (23-7, LW NR) - OSU ended the year with five straight wins and took out Indiana on the road last week thanks to Aaron Craft's 15 points on 7-10 shooting.  The Buckeyes will Craft's play to stay consistent to go with Deshaun Thomas if they want to continue their recent success.
11. Miami FL (24-6, LW 6) - The Canes won 14 straight but lost three of five to end the year including shockers to Wake Forest and Georgia Tech.  Miami needs a strong showing in the ACC tourney believers back on their side.
12. Oklahoma State (23-7, LW 13) - OK-State lost at Iowa State 87-76 earlier but finished the week with a good 76-70 victory over Kansas State.  This team surprised the Big 12 finishing third in the conference and are a team to watch for a Big 12 tournament title.
13. Marquette (23-7, LW 14) - Buzz Williams' team needed a last second shot by Vander Blue to secure an OT win over St. John's 69-67.  More importantly the win secured a share of the Big East regular season title with Louisville and Georgetown, Marquette's first since joining the league.
14. Kansas State (25-6, LW 10) - Despite a loss to end their season, the Wildcats still managed to share the Big 12 title with Kansas.  This team was only 2-5 against ranked opponents, it will be interesting to see how they fare in the tournaments to come.
15. New Mexico (25-4, LW 12) - New Mexico is known for its defense but couldn't get a stop when it mattered against Air Force.  The Falcons hit two 3's in the final 16 seconds to pull off the upset 89-88.  The Lobos still hold a 3-seed in Joe Lundari's bracketology but need a strong showing in a difficult Mountain West tournament to keep it.

Biggest Jump - Ohio State up 5
Biggest Drop - Miami FL down 5

New Editions - #10 Ohio State
Old News -  Saint Louis



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College Basketball Championship Week Previews

Championship week.  The tournaments before THE tournament.  This week starts the conference tournaments for all the major conferences in college basketball.  The mid-majors started last week with Florida Gulf Coast (24-10), Liberty (15-20), Creighton (27-7), and Belmont (26-6) already punching their tickets for the big dance.  This is what starts the madness in March (although this whole season has been madness).  This is the last chance for bubble teams to get quality wins over ranked teams and Cinderellas have a chance to get hot and take a spot from a team on the bubble.

All favorites determined by Las Vegas odds

ACC

Bracket

When: March 14-17

Favorite: The ACC is not what it's been in years past with only two teams ranked in the top 25, but those two (Duke and Miami) are ranked in the top 10.  The return of Ryan Kelly for Duke definitely makes them the team to watch for.  It seems his foot is fully healed as he went off for 36 points with 7 three's in a huge home win over Miami in his first game back.  Mason Plumlee has been consistent all year averaging a double-double with 17 and 10.2.  Throw in Seth Curry's 17 ppg and you have guys at three positions that would make a great Gus Macker squad.

Contenders: Miami is the first team ever in the ACC to beat Duke and North Carolina by 25 or more in the same year.  The Canes have struggled to close the season losing three of their last five but are still very dangerous.  Speaking of UNC, they finished strong winning six of seven but lost 69-53 to Duke their last game.  Reggie Bullock had double-doubles in three of the last five games. 

Pick: Duke has dominated this tournament since 1999 winning 10 of the 14 titles and will add another trophy to their mantle.  Miami is on a big down slide and UNC can't match-up with Duke's talent, as they just showed us.  The Blue Devils have too many players that can hurt you as five average double figures.


BIG 12

Bracket

When: March 13-16

Favorite: Other than a nasty three game losing streak, Kansas was near the top of the rankings all year led by Ben McLemore (16.5 ppg) and Jeff Withey (13.8 ppg and 8.6 rpg).  They were the victim of the upset of the year when TCU beat them 62-55 but got back on track and won seven of their last eight to end the season.

Contenders: Kansas State had four losses in conference play and two were to Kansas.  K-State won't shoot you out of the gym (44% FG on the season) but they play tough tenacious defense.  Rodney McGruder is a games changer that can take over at any time.  Oklahoma State is the other team to keep an eye on.  They are led by Markel Brown (15.6 ppg) and the possible freshman of the year in Marcus Smart (14.9 ppg).  The Cowboys have one win over Kansas on the road and lost in double overtime at home to the Jayhawks.  They were one of the surprise teams in the country.

Pick: Kansas is another team that has had a hold on the regular season and tournament titles in the Big 12 in the past.  But, Oklahoma State has the size and athleticism to compete with them.  They have proven to be a tough match-up for KU in both games and Jayhawks are a team that has been shaky all year.  OK-State will take the tournament title.


BIG EAST

Bracket

When: March 12-16

Favorite: The Big East is very top heavy with five teams ranked in the top 25 but the Louisville Cardinals have one of the best defenses in the country (#1 in KenPom's adjusted defense) and good offense led but Russ Smith's 18.4 ppg.  Gorgui Dieng is solid in the middle averaging a double-double and Peyton Siva is one of the best point guards in the league at managing a game.  If not for a 5 OT loss at Notre Dame they could be on an 11 game win streak.

Contenders: Georgetown finished the season winning 12 of 13 with wins over ranked teams Louisville, Syracuse (twice), Marquette, and Notre Dame.  In that time Otto Porter Jr. made his case for POY with 16.6 ppg and 7.4 rpg.  Syracuse started the season 18-1 but lost four of its last five.  But don't let that fool you, this team is still dangerous.  C.J. Fair, Brandon Triche, and James Southerland all average over 14 ppg and Michael Carter-Williams is a do-it-all point guard.  Pittsburgh is a sleeper team to also watch out for as KenPom has them ranked 7th overall.

Pick: Louisville and Georgetown are like mirror images of each other.  Both have been playing really well but the Cardinals have more help to offer Russ Smith than Georgetown has for Otto Porter Jr. 


BIG TEN

Bracket

When: March 14-17

Favorite: No conference has beat itself up and has been more unpredictable than the Big Ten.  However, Indiana is the one team that has been the most consistent.  Cody Zeller started as the POY favorite but now it's his teammate, Victor Oladipo, that is in the hunt for the honor.  Zeller still averages 16.5 ppg and 8 rpg while Oladipo is putting up 13.7 ppg, 6 rpg, 2.3 steals and shooting an amazing 63% from the field.  Let's not forget about the two seniors, Jordan Hulls and Christian Watford, who are ranked in the top 10 in 3-point percentage.

Contenders: Where do I start?  There are so many teams that fit in this category.  Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Wisconsin and even Minnesota can all make a run.  Michigan is viewed as next in line behind Indiana even with being the fifth seed and blowing their game against Indiana.  Trey Burke, who is the leader in the POY race is averaging 19.1 ppg, 6.9 apg, and leads the nation in assist to turnover ratio at 3.65.  Michigan State had a tough three game losing streak late but this is when Izzo's teams get hot.  They have a solid starting five with size and speed to match-up with anybody and a defense that keeps them in every game.  Deshaun Thomas leads the Big Ten in scoring at almost 20 a game and if Ohio State can get a consistent second scorer from either Aaron Craft or Lenzelle Smith Jr. this team goes from a top 15 team to a top 5 team nationally.

Pick: Indiana is still the team to beat in the Big Ten especially after their big win at Michigan.  They have the best starting five in the Big Ten with the preseason POY in Cody Zeller and possibly the end of the season POY in Victor Oladipo (also the best all around player in the country).  I won't be surprised if any of the teams mentioned above come out with the title but I will roll with the favorite right now.  Also, if Indiana or Michigan come out on top it will be their first Big Ten tournament title.


PAC-12

Bracket

When: March 13-16

Favorite: The Pac-12 is probably the hardest conference to determine a favorite and even though Arizona didn't win a regular season title they are looked at as the top team.  They started the year 14-0 with wins over Florida and Miami but had some struggles in conference play.  Xavier transfer Mark Lyons leads the team in scoring at 15.1 ppg.

Contenders: Oregon gave Arizona it's first loss of the year and have recently got their point guard, Dominic Artis, back from injury.  They don't have anybody that averages more than 11.2 (E.J. Singler) and balanced on offense.  UCLA is led by freshmen Shabazz Muhammad, Jordan Adams, and Kyle Anderson.  They also have three North Carolina transfers in Larry Drew II, Travis Wear, and David Wear.  This team is very talented but lack consistency.  Don't sleep on California or Colorado.

Pick: A year ago the Pac-12 only had one team reach the NCAA tournament, Colorado, who received the automatic bid for their conference tournament title.  This year I'm going with UCLA.  They have the players and scoring ability to beat anybody in the conference.  It comes down to whether their young players can stay focused against experienced teams like Oregon and Arizona.


SEC

Bracket

When: March 13-17

Favorite: Without question the favorite in the SEC are the Florida Gators.  This had been a down year for the SEC as the Gators are the only ranked team in the conference.  This team is first in KenPom's rankings and is one of the most balanced in the country.  They have the ability to beat you on the perimeter with Kenny Boynton and Mike Rosario (12.6 ppg each) or pound you inside with Patric Young and Erik Murphy.

Contenders: The defending National Champion Kentucky Wildcats are on the bubble but got much needed win over Florida in their final game.  The loss of Nerlens Noel for the rest of the year on Feb. 12 really set this team back.  Fellow freshman Archie Goodwin has stepped up his play in Noel's absence.  The Missouri Tigers are the other team to keep your eye on.  They like to push the ball as much as possible and have six players averaging double figures.  Phil Pressey is a great passer averaging 7.1 assists but is turnover prone (3.7 per game) and a terrible shooter (38%).

Pick: I have to go with Florida.  They dominated the conference all year, winning by almost 20 points a game in league play.  They have great inside-outside combinations and I have a hard time seeing this team lose at a neutral site.


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College Basketball Power Rankings: March 5

Ahh, March is finally upon us and we are only one week from the conference tournaments and two weeks away from the big dance.  I would say let the upsets begin but that's been happening all year.  Last week we saw one of the biggest upsets of the year when Michigan squandered a 15-point second half lead at Penn State.  Indiana, Duke, Florida, and Miami also lost as 5 of my top 6 teams tasted defeat.  The lone team to come out unscathed was Gonzaga, but will they top our list?  Let's find out.

1. Gonzaga (29-2, LW 2) - Since the 2008 Memphis team that made it to the NCAA championship game, no mid-major has been ranked #1 until now.  Gonzaga is a legit team this year.  Last week they finished their conference schedule undefeated at 16-0, the first time ever in the WCC.  If not for a sloppy out of bounds play to end the Butler game this team would only have one loss.  Like that Memphis team and Saint Joe's in 2004, the Zags have their doubters but it's hard to deny any team that will have 30 wins before the big dance starts.
2. Indiana (25-4, LW 1) - The Hoosiers lost to Minnesota 77-73 behind Trevor Mbakwe's 21 and 12.  Oddly enough Indiana's four losses have all been to unranked teams but they are 6-0 against ranked teams.  They will look to improve to 8-0 this week hosting Ohio State and traveling to Michigan.
3. Duke (25-4, LW 4) - Apparently Ryan Kelly is more important to Duke that anyone knew.  After missing 13 games due to a foot injury, Kelly returned against Miami and scored a career high 36 points on 10-14 shooting, including 7-9 from deep.  With Kelly's return to the lineup, this Duke team is back into discussion of the top team in the country along with Indiana and Gonzaga.  They head to Chapel Hill this week where anything can happen.
4. Georgetown (23-4, LW 7) - Georgetown survived a double OT scare at Connecticut 79-78.  Otto Porter Jr. continued to shine with 22 points and the game winning lay-up.  Syracuse comes in Saturday and it marks the last time these rivals will meet in the Big East conference.
5. Kansas (25-4, LW 8) - For the second time this year the Jayhawks needed late game heroics to get past Iowa State in overtime, this time by Elijah Johnson.  He finished with 39 points and had eight in the last 32 seconds to force OT.  A game at Baylor is all that stands in their way of getting at least a share to the Big 12 title for the fifth straight year.
6. Miami FL (23-5, LW 6) - The U might have lost to Duke but were in it down til the end.  They've lost two of their last three games but close the regular season with home games against Georgia Tech and Clemson.
7. Louisville (24-5, LW 10) - Louisville has now won six straight following their five OT game at Notre Dame, including a 58-53 road win at Syracuse last week despite Peyton Siva going scoreless.  To close their season they will host ND, we'll see if this game provides the same fireworks.
8. Michigan (24-5, LW 3) - Michigan started the week with its worst loss of the season at Penn State 84-78, but finished with its best win of the year over Michigan State 58-57.  Thanks in large part to Trey Burke who had finished with 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 steals.  His rip of Keith Appling lead to the game winning dunk.  They finish the season at Purdue, a game they can't overlook, they host Indiana.
9. Florida (23-5, LW 5) - The Gators had a bad loss to Tennessee 64-58, but rebounded against Alabama to clinch at least a share of the SEC title.  Florida's match-up at Kentucky to end the season will likely determine the champion.
10. Kansas State (24-5, LW 13) - A sloppy turnover by Baylor lead to Rodney McGruder hitting a buzzer beating three for a 64-61 win.  That win kept them in a tie with Kansas in the conference and K-State is looking for its first ever regular season title.  A game at OK-State will be the last hurdle.
11. Michigan State (22-7, LW 9) - MSU has now dropped three straight, all to ranked opponents.  They played one of their worst games at Michigan shooting only 35% and committing 18 turnovers.  Wisconsin comes into EL Thursday, which won't be easy.
12. New Mexico (25-4, LW 14) - With their 70-60 win over San Diego St and 53-42 over Wyoming, the Lobos have clinched the outright regular season championship in a tough Mountain West Conference.  They close their season with road games at Nevada and Air Force.
13. Oklahoma State (22-6, LW 15) - The Cowboys have two difficult games this week at Iowa State and home against K-State.  They are still in the hunt for a share of the Big 12 title and Markel Brown had a nasty dunk against Texas.
14. Marquette (21-7, LW NR) - Marquette had two huge home wins last week, 74-71 over Syracuse and 72-64 over Notre Dame.  The Golden Flashes still have a shot at Big East title as they are the surprise team in the conference.
15. Saint Louis (23-5, LW NR) - The Billikens are one of the hottest teams right now with 11 straight wins (two over Butler and one over VCU) and are first place in a good Atlantic 10 Conference.  They do it with defense holding teams to only 57.9 ppg.  They end with two tough games, at Xavier and against LaSalle.

Biggest Jump - Marquette up 5
Biggest Drop - Michigan down 5

New Editions - #14 Marquette, #15 Saint Louis
Old News - Syracuse, Arizona


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Michigan Basketball Needs To Shake Its Funk

It wasn't too long ago that I had a conversation with a friend about how this years Michigan team has a legit shot at winning a national title.  That was when they started the season 16-0 then moved their record to 20-1 during conference play.  Since then they are 3-4 and looking like the Final Four hopes were a mirage

Wednesday's loss at Penn State is in the running for upset of the season in college basketball along with TCU over Kansas.  Until then they didn't have a loss to a team outside of the top 25 in RPI ranking and all of them were on the road at Ohio State, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan State.  It's tough to call the Wisconsin game a loss because the Badgers needed a half court shot by Ben Brust to send it to overtime.  But the loss at Michigan State was so bad that it counts for one and a half so it all evens out.  Every team is going to lose throughout the year and those were all acceptable, but the loss at Penn State is inexcusable.

The fact that they had a 15 point lead with a little over 10 minutes left in the game then proceeded to be outscored 33-12 by a team that was winless in the Big Ten is a cause for concern.  Usually when major upsets like this happen it's because the better team just has an off night like in the case of Kansas who shot 29% from the field.  Michigan doesn't have that excuse because they shot 52% and hit their scoring average.  What they didn't do is play defense and that's beginning to be a problem.  Penn State averages 62 ppg and shoots 39% ranking 292nd and 329th respectively but managed to score 84 points on 49% shooting against the Wolverines.  It's games like this you don't see the top teams losing.  They will have tough road games against lesser opponents that are close but will never lose the game.  If they want to get into the same class as consistently good teams like Duke and Michigan State this can't happen

We all know Michigan can score with anybody, averaging 76 ppg and shooting 49.5% from the floor, good for 6th in the country.  But defensively they rank 262nd nationally in both steals (5.8) and blocks (2.6) per game.  According Ken Pomeroy's adjusted defense, Michigan is the only top ten team ranked outside of the top 24.  In the last 10 years no National champion has been ranked lower than 19 according to Ken Pom's defensive rankings and Michigan currently sits at 57.

Trey Burke is the best point guard in the country and Tim Hardaway Jr. is a great compliment but the lack of an inside presence on both sides of the ball is a glaring weakness.  Jordan Morgan, Mitch McGary, and Jon Horford are serviceable at best.  This is Morgan's third year and his numbers have gone down in each one.  He shows flashes every now and then as he's posted three double-doubles this year but he's too inconsistent and missing time due to injury has helped his cause.  I think McGary is the best out of the bunch and reminds me of a bigger Zack Novak as far as determination.  Coming in I wasn't sure about him as I saw him get torn up by Nerlens Noel in high school and watched his recruiting rank plummet.  He has grown on me though, I love his hustle and passion for the game but his athleticism kills me.  There's been too many times I've seen him not be able to finish around the rim with a dunk or get out rebounded by a smaller more athletic player.  Horford is decent, he gets the occasional block but often looks lost on the court.  Teams with good post players will always give them trouble and are hard to beat unless Michigan's guards are hitting their shots.

The starting freshmen, Nik Stauskas and Glenn Robinson III, are key to the success of this team in the tournament.  Like I said, we know what to expect out of Burke and Hardaway, but they can't win big games by themselves and will need the scoring of the two young bucks.  Both average 11 points but seemed to have hit a wall of late, Robinson more-so than Stauskas.  In the murderers row of their schedule (at Indiana, vs Ohio State, at Wisconsin, at Michigan State) Robinson scored only 18 points on 7-24 shooting.  Stauskas started the year red hot from three point range ranking among the top five and hovering around 50%.  Since conference play started his numbers have dropped and he's had more than two 3's in a game only three times, whereas he had eight games out of conference.  It was a difficult pace to keep and defenses are tough in the Big Ten but his jumper doesn't seem as consistent as it once was.  Maybe it's because they are playing more games in college than a year ago in high school.  Either way UM needs to get these two back on track if they want to make a run in the tournament.

Their game against Michigan State is the biggest one so far and will tell us if they are ready to take down top notch opponents.  Not only is this a rivalry game but they were utterly embarrassed in East Lansing losing by 23 and trailing by as many as 31.  Every loss has came on the road and with this game being played at Crisler it's a must win for this team and needs to do it convincingly without the threat of losing it at the end.  I don't want to sound like I'm calling this team overrated or I've lost faith in my team because they are very solid and better than most in the country.  But if they want to be considered a serious contender for a National Championship they need to beat MSU and if not get a win against Indiana at least a game down to the last possession.  The good thing for Big Blue is that there are no road games in the NCAA tournament.  The bad thing is they are susceptible to an early upset.


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College Basketball Power Rankings: February 25

More games, more upsets.  This week we saw three of the top four teams go down and Michigan State lost twice.  They had the most anticipated game with #1 Indiana which the Hoosiers pulled it out late 72-68 thanks to Victor Oladipo who is starting to be recognized as a candidate for POY.  Miami probably had the worst loss at Wake Forest 80-65.  And we're off.

1. Indiana (24-3, LW 1) - The Hoosiers win at Michigan State was huge and no player was bigger than Victor Oladipo.  He had 19 points, 9 boards, 5 steals, and the last six points for IU when they were down one.  This win solidified Indiana as the top team in the country.
2. Gonzaga (27-2, LW 5) - Gonzaga won their two games last week by a combined 74 points over Santa Clara and San Diego.  This week they will try to finish with a perfect record in conference play at BYU and hosting Portland.
3. Michigan (23-4, LW 6) - UM handled an Illinois team that was on a five game win streak 71-58.  Trey Burke had 28 points on 8-11 shooting and 8 assists.  They travel to Penn State Wednesday before MSU comes to Ann Arbor on Sunday.  The Wolverines will be looking to avenge an embarrassing 23-point loss by the hands of the Spartans.
4. Duke (24-3, LW 7) - Duke rebounded nicely after their loss to Maryland with easy wins on ACC bottom feeders Virginia Tech and Boston College.  Mason Plumlee got back on track recording a double-double in both games.  The Blue Devils now have their eyes set on a rematch with Miami this Saturday.
5. Florida (22-4, LW 4) - Florida seemed to be cruising to another win before Missouri was able to erase a 13-point deficit.  The Gators are still in good position for the SEC title and remain the only SEC team ranked in the top 25.
6. Miami FL (22-4, LW 2) - The U had flirted with losses to Clemson and Virginia before tripping up at Wake Forest.  Miami was never in the game as they trailed by 13 at the half and shot only 39% from the field.  They travel to Duke this week so we'll see if this team can find its groove again.
7. Georgetown (21-4, LW 11) - Georgetown was a hard team to get a read on when conference play started, now they find themselves on top of the Big East after a 57-46 win at Syracuse.  Otto Porter Jr. was the only Hoya in double figures but he scored 33 with 5 three's, 8 rebounds and 5 steals.  They are on a nine game win streak and head to UConn for a tough road test Wednesday.
8. Kansas (23-4, LW 8) - Kansas narrowly escaped with a double-overtime win at Oklahoma State 68-67.  The Jayhawks only made one field goal in either OT and that was a Naadir Tharpe jumper to go up one with 20 seconds left in the game.  A tough road game at Iowa State in next, in a rematch of a game that Kansas needed a strong push late to come out with the win.
9. Michigan State (22-6, LW 3) - I give the Spartans love last week and they let me down losing to Indiana at home and Ohio State on the road.  Don't get me wrong, both were tough games to win but I didn't expect two losses.  They let the IU game slip away late and their leading scorer Keith Appling has lost all his mojo shooting 2-14 with 9 points combined in the losses.  Michigan is licking their chops at a wounded MSU squad.
10. Louisville (22-5, LW 10) - Louisville stood pat after a 79-61 win over Seton Hall as Gorgui Dieng scored 28 on 10-11 from the floor.  The Cardinals are still the hunt for a Big East title and a matchup at Syracuse will determine the fate of one of those teams.
11. Syracuse (22-5, LW 9) - The Orange could not find any offense against G-Town as they only shot 34% and were held to a season low 46 points.  It doesn't get any easier for them either as they travel to Marquette tonight before hosting Louisville Saturday.
12. Arizona (23-4, LW 12) - Arizona looked good disposing of both Washington Pac-12 teams by 35 combined points.  They are getting contributions from multiple players and back on top of the Pac-12 standings after Oregon lost to Cal.
13. Kansas State (22-5, LW 13) - K-State still has hopes of a Big 12 championship but a road game this week at Baylor could kill that dream.  They are looking for their first conference title since 1976-77.
14. New Mexico (23-4, LW 15) - New Mexico was able to get a big win at Colorado State 91-82.  Kendall Williams scored 46 on a ridiculous 10-13 from beyond the arc.  This weeks brings Steve Fisher and San Diego State into town.  In the first meeting the Lobos scored 12 less that Williams' output against CSU, 34.
15. Oklahoma State (20-6, LW 14) - The Cowboys took Kansas to 2 OT's despite their stand-out Freshman Marcus Smart going 2-14 from the field.  Ok-State has a mild schedule this week with TCU and Texas on the docket.

Biggest Jump - Georgetown up 4
Biggest Drop - Michigan State down 6


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College Basketball Power Rankings: February 19

     For the first time in six weeks the #1 team in the country didn't lose.  Indiana remains at the top spot after two easy wins at home while Kansas stopped its three game losing streak.  Michigan State and Gonzaga cracked the top five for the first time but Duke and Michigan were top five teams that both suffered losses.  Let's do it.

1. Indiana (23-3, LW 1) - Indiana has been rolling since their buzzer-beater loss at Illinois but will face a tough test Tuesday on the road at Michigan State.  Victor Oladipo will be playing through an ankle injury and if he's not 100% it will be that much harder for the Hoosiers to get the win.
2. Miami FL (21-3, LW 2) - The Hurricanes struggled badly at Clemson but was able to escape with a win 45-43.  They only shot 34% but the mark of a good team is winning games when it's not your night and Miami is showing they are legit.
3. Michigan State (22-4, LW 8) - I expected MSU to beat Michigan at home but not the way they did.  The Spartans largest lead was 31 as they dominated from the from the jump.  Indiana now comes to town which starts a four game stretch of IU, OSU, Michigan, and Wisconsin who are all ranked.
4. Florida (21-3, LW 5) - Since their first SEC loss Florida has won three straight by an average of 24 points.  They visit Missouri on Tuesday for their hardest game left on the schedule.
5. Gonzaga (25-2, LW 6) - Gonzaga is garnishing a few #1 votes in both of the major polls and their 17-point win at rival Saint Mary's proved they might be deserving.  Kelly Olynyk is averaging 18 points and 7 rebounds for the Bulldogs.
6. Michigan (22-4, LW 3) - Michigan went 1-3 in their toughest stretch of the season and it ended in a blowout at MSU.  Then they struggled against Big Ten bottom feeder Penn State at home.  The freshmen look to have hit a wall and their lack of big men is a glaring weakness against top competition.  We'll see what they do after a week off when Illinois visits Ann Arbor.
7. Duke (22-3, LW 4) - Duke needed a second half comeback to beat North Carolina 73-68 but couldn't muster one at Maryland as they fell 83-81.  Mason Plumlee played his worst game of the season with only 4 points and 3 boards as the bigger Alex Len dominated the POY candidate.
8. Kansas (21-4, LW 11) - KU looks to be back on track after handling K-State and Texas each by more than 20 points.  We'll see if they are fully back when they head to Oklahoma State this week.
9. Syracuse (21-4, LW 7) - The road hasn't been kind to the Orange lately as they've lost three of their last four away from home.  They have a difficult close to their season as four of their final five games are against ranked teams.
10. Louisville (21-5, LW 12) - Louisville needed a break after a 5 OT game with Notre Dame and they get with four straight against the bottom of the Big East.  After easily disposing of St. John's and South Florida last week, they now face Seton Hall and DePaul.
11. Georgetown (19-4, LW 15) - The Hoyas had two big wins last week over Marquette 63-55 and at Cincinnati 62-55.  They did blow a 17-point lead at Cincy but managed to hang on.  They head to Syracuse this week for big matchup this Saturday.
12. Arizona (21-4, LW 9) - The Wildcats seem to be struggling as of late.  Colorado took revenge with a 71-58 win and then they had a tough time beating Utah 68-64.  However, they still have a chance to win the Pac-12.
13. Kansas State (20-5, LW 13) - K-State was ran out of the gym in Kansas but have bounced back nicely against Baylor and West Virginia getting wins by double digits.  They are fighting for a Big 12 title and travel to Texas this week.
14. Oklahoma State (19-5, LW NR) - The Cowboys have won seven straight and have one of the best freshmen in country in Marcus Smart.  They host Kansas Wednesday night as they look to sweep the Jayhawks on the year.
15. New Mexico (22-4, LW NR) - The Lobo's have a hard time scoring but opponents also have a hard time scoring on them.  They have a big road test this week at Colorado State.

Biggest Jump - Michigan State up 5
Biggest Drop - Butler down 6

New Editions - #14 Oklahoma State, #15 New Mexico
Old News - Butler, Pittsburgh

J & J's Top Ten Dunks

     This weekend is All-Star Weekend for the NBA and that brings us the Slam Dunk Contest.  A chance for the best leapers in the game to show off their creativity, gracefulness and power.  While some of the best players in the NBA have won titles (Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter), you still get guys you've never heard of come out and display their talents (Dee Brown, Fred Jones, Gerald Green, Jeremy Evans).  Everybody's opinion is different on how to judge dunks.  That's why I needed a second voice in this so I brought in the help of NBA guru, Jason Bradshaw.  Myself (Jason Shusteric) and Bradshaw are not only looking at dunk contest performances but also in-game dunks.  We will be looking at style, creativity, difficulty, and shock factor.  Or pretty much whatever we feel is the best.  To complete a dunk you must have thrown the ball through the net, grabbing the rim, sorry Dwight Howard.  You also won't see Nate Robinson on here because giving yourself 30 tries to make each dunk takes a lot of the excitement out of it.  So without further ado, let's start the debate.

Honorable Mention

For our picks here we went with the best facial dunks of all time.  It's one thing to dunk in a contest or on break away but to do it over a defender while he's trying to block your shot is impressive.  And dunking on someone is one of the best and most embarrassing feats in any sport.

#3 Scottie Pippen Over Patrick Ewing

Pippen wasn't the only Bulls player to put Ewing on a poster, Jordan had a nice one too, but pushing Ewing down and standing over him after makes it that much better.  You also can't go wrong when you get some Spike Lee taunting thrown in there.

#2 Shawn Kemp Finger Point Dunk On Alton Lister

Kemp was one of the better in game dunkers ever, Dominique Wilkins being the greatest, and his dunk on Lister is classic.  You see the lane open up and Kemp start barreling through.  Once he cups the ball you know something bad is about to happen.  Lister tried to get out of the way but couldn't.  The finger point though is what takes this dunk over the top.  Not only does Kemp dunk on Lister but makes sure he points it out just in case anyone missed it.

#1 Shaq On Chris Dudley

Shaq dunked on a lot of people throughout his career but nothing like what he did to poor Mr. Dudley.  This is the definition of embarrassing.  We have a dunk facial, crotch to the face, push down, and then (the best part) Dudley throws the ball at Shaq.  I could watch this 100 times in a row and still get a good laugh.


Now onto to the real list.

#10 Shaq Brings Down The Basket

Jason Shusteric:  This is on here purely for shock factor.  We've seen guys like Darryl Dawkins and Darvin Ham shatter backboards but nobody ever, in the history of the game, has brought down the entire basket.  The rim, backboard, shot clock, and stanchion all came crashing to the floor.  We've never seen it before and never will again.  Shaq was the only player capable of making this happen, twice.

Jason Bradshaw:  When I saw this dunk for the first time I it was the coolest dunk I've ever seen.  It became a "manly" thing to do.  They already reinforced backboards so guy like Darryl Dawkins couldn't shatter them.  Yet they weren't "Shaqproof"!  Shortly after this my friend and I would actually try to bring backboards down!  Sadly, I've still never been able to do it!


#9 Dominique Wilkins One-Handed Windmill

JS:  Wilkins had the great ability to make normal dunks look amazing.  Part of it was because of his ferocity on the rim.  Every dunk he did it looked like he was trying to tear the rim down with it.  Wilkins won two dunk contests and rarely did anything but windmills, reverse pumps, and straight off the backboard.  The way he shows the rim the ball then brings it around with a ridiculous amount of velocity is unmatched.  This particular dunk was in the controversial 1988 contest.

JB:  Surely the man who defeated MJ in a dunk contest deserves a spot on our list.  But why the one-handed windmill?  Seems like many players could duplicate this.  Wrong.  The science of Dominique's windmill is like Tiger Woods' golf swing.  Dominique uses an amazing combination of strength, flexibility, and timing.  Add a 40+ inch vertical and you have an all time top 10 dunk.  Try recording yourself doing this dunk on a 7 foot rim and then watch the tape.  After you see how ridiculous you look you will understand the greatness of this dunk!


#8 Air Up There 720

JS:  I really tried to stay away from And 1 and Team Flight Brothers or anything done in a non-pro league or lonely gym but this is hard to overlook.  It's more of a 630 than a 720 because he travels past the rim but I'm still not taking anything away from this dunk.  The fact that he was able to spin that fast from take off and still find the rim is amazing.  It's one of those dunks where you had to see it again to know what happened.

JB:  When I first saw this dunk I replayed it at least 10 times in a row.  It's not actually a full 720 but its close.  If this was in a NBA dunk contest it would certainly be higher on our list.  Like the figure skater trying to land the double axle, I'm sure "Air Up There" spent hours perfecting this dunk!  We can only wish that "Air Up There" makes the NBA like James White did this year!


#7 Andre Iguodala Behind The Backboard, Reverse

JS:  Let me just say that this was the biggest robbery in NBA Slam Dunk Contest history.  There is no possible way you can tell me Nate Robinson won this contest after needing 14 attempts in the dunk off.  Anyway, this dunk has great creativity and difficulty.  This also is the only dunk on our list that features an assist.  The way Iguodala is able to contort his body to make it under the backboard and still have have enough air to get the reverse dunk is unbelievable.  It's a shame he didn't win but everybody knows he had the best dunk in 2006.

JB:  Once of the most difficult dunks on our list.  Sadly I missed this dunk live.  But after watching it, I was absolutely shocked he didn't win the contest.  But it's definitely the most dangerous dunk on our list.  He had to completely adjust his body mid-air in order to avoid hitting his head on the backboard.  Couple this with how creative this was and you have a top 10 dunk.

#6 Vince Carter Over Frederic Weis

JS:  Vince Carter had one of the better shock factors to his dunks, this one especially.  The Frenchman Weis is listed at 7'2" and Carter (6'6") jumped over him.  When we saw Carter about to take off we figured there might be a foul or Carter will push Weis backwards, but no, he cleared him!  Let me put it this way.  This might be the first and only dunk that ended another players career.  This happened in 2000 and in 1999 Weis was drafted by the New York Knicks at #15 overall.  The Knicks never bothered bringing him to the NBA and the dunk was called "the dunk of death" by the French media.

JB:  Like the great Hacksaw Jim Duggan put it: USA, USA, USA!!  Yes, this dunk represented what it means to be an American!  It came around the time when the world was catching up the U.S. in basketball.  Yet, Vince Carter reminded everybody that basketball is America's game.  I was very proud to be an American after seeing Vince Carter jump COMPLETELY over a 7 footer yet throw it down with so much power!

#5 Jason Richardson Backwards Between The Legs, Reverse

JS:  We've seen it over and over again of people go between their legs (eastbay) and dunk.  But this was the first time we saw a reverse eastbay into a one-handed reverse.  Incredible amount of style, difficulty, and creativity went into this dunk.  I'm not sure how many guys on this list would even be able to complete this dunk.  Not only going between his legs backwards but also dunking with his off hand!  When J-Rich dropped this gem on us we knew it was a wrap for the contest.

JB:   We've come along way since J.R. Rider first introduced us to the "between the legs" dunk.  This dunk takes "between the legs" to a whole new level.  Try "between the legs reversed, off the bounce with the opposite hand".  What's really amazing is the fact that he did this dunk to WIN the contest.  Put together a dunk that's difficult, creative, shocking, and couple that with a pressure packed moment and you have a top 5 funk of all time!

#4 Michael Jordan Kiss The Rim

JS:  Esthetically, this is the greatest dunk I've ever seen.  MJ performed this dunk multiple times in dunk contests and even once in a game but never as good as in the 1987 contest.  The pure athletic beauty of this dunk in the replay is what gets me.  It's great in real-time but, like Chappelle said, everything looks better in slow motion.  When you see how graceful and how much his body is leaning in the air, you wonder how it's possible.  I give any other dunker 100 tries and they will never get it to look as good as this.  It's poetry in motion.

JB:  We debated this dunk as a possible #1.  Please watch this dunk in slow motion.  It's and incredibly beautiful looking dunk.  Watching it live looks good but certainly not top 10 worthy.  Yet when you see this in slow motion it blows your mind.  It's like watching a stunning piece of artwork.  I could never imagine myself using terms like gracefulness, elegance, and beauty to describe a dunk but I guess my "man card" has been stripped.  Similar to Dominique's windmill, although not the hardest dunk in the world, nobody could duplicate it.  It just looks too good.

#3 Vince Carter 360 Windmill

JS:  It was either this or the "Arm In Rim" dunk (the most underrated dunks of all time) but this has to be in here.  The big thing to realize with this dunk is that Vince is turning over his right shoulder.  Plenty of right-handed players have thrown down 360 dunks and every single one has turned left so their right arm is behind and coming to rim.  But for Carter to turn right and have his right arm through first, he almost has to stop his momentum mid-air to finish the dunk.  Then add in a powerful windmill, incredible.  Other than Jordan, Carter had the best style to his dunks and this proved that.

JB:  What amazed me more about this dunk was the hype before he even attempted it. Vince carter was the ONLY reason this dunk contest happened.  Two years prior the NBA cancelled the dunk contest because it became "too boring".  But after watching "Vinsanity" bring the house down with his in-game ridiculous dunks the public responded, and the dunk contest was back.  But could Vince Carter live up to the unbelievable hype?  I remember everybody on their feet as the announcer called his name.  30 seconds later...BOOM!  The 360 windmill!  INCREDIBLE!  He made one of the most difficult dunks look so easy.  This was his first dunk in one of the greatest dunk contest performances of all time.  The performance was so good people forget that Tracy McGrady and Steve Francis were also in it!

#2 Air Jordan

JS:  This dunk was very difficult to not put at #1 because not only was it great stylistically with Jordan pumping the ball mid flight, but his entire Jordan Brand is based off of this dunk.  This is the logo we've all grown to know.  Jordan did this dunk several times as it was his signature, but none were as good or clean as in 1988 in Chicago to beat Dominique Wilkins.  The thing that made Jordan the best dunk contest participant ever is his ability to dunk off either one or two feet.  Most dunkers are one or the other, not both.  Jordan could do both as he showed us two feet with "Kiss The Rim" and one foot with "Air Jordan".  But if there was one thing you could point out about this is that he never actually jump from behind the free throw line, which is the barometer of any free throw line dunk.

JB:  Yes the dunk that started it all!  MJ from the foul line!  I originally had this dunk lower on my list but when you look at it in slow motion and factor in the cultural impact that this dunk had, you realize that this dunk cannot be any lower than #2.  Similar to "Kiss The Rim", MJ made this dunk look prettier than anyone that's ever attempted it.  Pay attention to his left arm pulled back and his chest pushed forward and it looks as though he's really flying.  Add to that the double pump in mid air and MJ's version of Dr. J's foul line dunk becomes his OWN!

#1 James White Free Throw Line Windmill / Between the Legs

Some of you might think we are the craziest people ever for putting this #1 but let us explain.  First, the reason why we have a co-#1 is because we couldn't come to a consensus.  I think the windmill is better because he actually jumps from behind the line and JB takes the between the legs because of the degree of difficulty.  So we have two #1 dunks by the same guy in the same competition.

JS:  The free throw line dunk is one that happens almost every year in a dunk contest but nobody ever actually leaps from behind the line which is the whole purpose of doing this dunk.  Dr. J, Michael Jordan, Brent Barry, Dwight Howard, Scottie Pippen and many more have tried but all have failed.  The only other player to jump behind the line was Serge Ibaka, which was impressive but he's 6'10".  What James White was able to do at 6'7" by taking off behind the line further than any other player then add the windmill and this is the most impressive dunk I've ever seen.  We've never seen another guy even try a move while doing this dunk, let alone a windmill.  White was also able to successfully complete a free throw line between the legs dunk in this same contest but his foot was on the line.   It's a shame this took place in Russia and not many people have seen the video.  However White is in this year's contest and Las Vegas put him as the odds on favorite to win once the participants were announced.  He's 30 now but hopefully he still has it.

JB:  Well, we have a problem boys and girls.  I just discussed how amazing MJ's version of Dr. J's foul line dunk is, then I saw this!  Are you kidding me?  Is this real?  Did a man actually jump from the free throw line and go between his legs?  My friends, please just watch the video and tell me how I could possibly put MJ's dunk ahead of this.  This is the most incredible dunk you will ever see.  Which sets the stage fro tomorrow night!  Will James White land the "between the legs foul line" dunk?  Can't wait to find out!  Thanks for checking out our top 10 list!