Duke, Ohio State, UCLA
1. So, Duke's got a ten-man rotation. (Actually, it'll be an 11-man rotation once and if David McClure can return from off-season knee surgery). About time. Last year, the Devils wore down at the end of games and at the end of the season. This year, that shouldn't happen.
It's a decent bench, too. Sure, McClure, Martynas Pocius, and Brian Zoubek are nothing but high-energy role players, but Coach K does have some more productive pieces sitting next to him on the Cameron pine. Jon Scheyer, who made 32 starts last year as a freshman, is as deadly a shooter as you'll find in the country. Against New Mexico State, Taylor King showed he is a viable outside weapon. Though he didn't have a great game on Monday, I think Nolan Smith is capable of taking over for Greg Paulus at point guard, if the up-and-down junior reverts back to his turnover-prone ways from last year.
I don't think the Devils have the size to be considered among the nation's elite. But they won't wear down this year, and that should be good for an extra win or two.
2. Michigan State and Indiana are the clear front runners for supremacy in the Big Ten, but don't sleep on Ohio State. The losses of lottery picks Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr., as well as first-round selection Daequan Cook, obviously hurt, but let's look at what is left.
It starts with Jamar Butler, who averaged 10.1 points as a sophomore point guard, before stepping aside for Conley last season and seeing his scoring average drop to 8.5. There's also sophomore wing David Lighty, whose top-50 talents were lost among last year's remarkable freshman class. Both had strong games against Wisconsin-Green Bay, as did freshman big man Kosta Koufos. Othello Hunter, under-appreciated last year alongside Oden, is also a strong inside piece.
Outside of the Spartans and the Hoosiers, the Big Ten is wide open. A third-place league finish for the Buckeyes is well within reach.
3. Every article I've read about Kevin Love mentions his outlet passing. That theme carried over to tonight's game, as I counted no fewer than three references to said outlet passing, with at least two comparisons to Wes Unseld. (It should be noted, by the way, that none of these were in reference to a specific pass that Love threw).
The major advantage a great outlet passer gives you is a quick start to a fast break. However, Howland's teams are typically known for their defense and don't run much.
It's hard to judge from Monday's game if UCLA is going to push the tempo. Starting point guard Darren Collison was out with a knee injury, which may have made Howland reticent to encourage his charges to run (the coach abhors turnovers, and backup point Russell Westbrook, a sophomore, has yet to exhibit the ability to make good decisions).
Given Love's outlet passing, Collison's speed, and the Bruins' bigs' ability to run the floor, it seems to me that failing to get out on the break more would be giving points away by this UCLA team.
It's a decent bench, too. Sure, McClure, Martynas Pocius, and Brian Zoubek are nothing but high-energy role players, but Coach K does have some more productive pieces sitting next to him on the Cameron pine. Jon Scheyer, who made 32 starts last year as a freshman, is as deadly a shooter as you'll find in the country. Against New Mexico State, Taylor King showed he is a viable outside weapon. Though he didn't have a great game on Monday, I think Nolan Smith is capable of taking over for Greg Paulus at point guard, if the up-and-down junior reverts back to his turnover-prone ways from last year.
I don't think the Devils have the size to be considered among the nation's elite. But they won't wear down this year, and that should be good for an extra win or two.
2. Michigan State and Indiana are the clear front runners for supremacy in the Big Ten, but don't sleep on Ohio State. The losses of lottery picks Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr., as well as first-round selection Daequan Cook, obviously hurt, but let's look at what is left.
It starts with Jamar Butler, who averaged 10.1 points as a sophomore point guard, before stepping aside for Conley last season and seeing his scoring average drop to 8.5. There's also sophomore wing David Lighty, whose top-50 talents were lost among last year's remarkable freshman class. Both had strong games against Wisconsin-Green Bay, as did freshman big man Kosta Koufos. Othello Hunter, under-appreciated last year alongside Oden, is also a strong inside piece.
Outside of the Spartans and the Hoosiers, the Big Ten is wide open. A third-place league finish for the Buckeyes is well within reach.
3. Every article I've read about Kevin Love mentions his outlet passing. That theme carried over to tonight's game, as I counted no fewer than three references to said outlet passing, with at least two comparisons to Wes Unseld. (It should be noted, by the way, that none of these were in reference to a specific pass that Love threw).
The major advantage a great outlet passer gives you is a quick start to a fast break. However, Howland's teams are typically known for their defense and don't run much.
It's hard to judge from Monday's game if UCLA is going to push the tempo. Starting point guard Darren Collison was out with a knee injury, which may have made Howland reticent to encourage his charges to run (the coach abhors turnovers, and backup point Russell Westbrook, a sophomore, has yet to exhibit the ability to make good decisions).
Given Love's outlet passing, Collison's speed, and the Bruins' bigs' ability to run the floor, it seems to me that failing to get out on the break more would be giving points away by this UCLA team.
posted by H.S. Slam, Ph.D at 2:02 AM
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