2009-2010 NBA All-Star Teams and The biggest All-Star snubs?

2009-2010 NBA All-Star Teams
www.espn.com
The 2009-2010 Eastern All-Stars

Allen Iverson
Dwyane Wade
LeBron James
Kevin Garnett
Dwight Howard
Chris Bosh
Rajon Rondo
Joe Johnson
Gerald Wallace
Paul Pierce
Derrick Rose
Al Horford

So, who is missing from that list? Let's look at some of the players who will be most chapped to learn that they won't be headed to Dallas to show off on Valentine's Day weekend.

Josh Smith
Quoting John Hollinger's Twitter feed: "Horford and Johnson made the All-Star team and Josh Smith didn't. I guess nobody actually watched the Hawks this year." One theory is that Smith has a reputation as being hard to coach. When coaches do the choosing that can hurt you. There is really no analysis by which Allen Iverson has outplayed Josh Smith this year. If someone can't play because of injury (or if writer Sherman Alexie's poetic plea to Iverson to stand down takes root), Smith is a logical replacement.

David Lee
John Hollinger wrote the other day that, thanks to an improved jumper, Lee's offensive production makes him an easy pick to be an All-Star, even if you acknowledge that he is far from the world's best defender. Worth noting, however, is that of the 14 All-Stars picked by the coaches (seven for each East and West) not one came from a team with a losing record. Maybe this one was over before it started for David Lee.

Antawn Jamison
Jamison has been downright heroic, playing his brains out as the Wizards burst into flames all around him. And yet, fashionable though the pick may be, even if he didn't play for such a bad team, his numbers all on their own make him a borderline All-Star at best. For instance, he has the League's 36th best PER (among qualified players), and in plus/minus, even on his own team Brendan Haywood is much better.

Andre Iguodala
This hasn't been his best season and Iguodala has never been an All-Star in the past. So why worry about this now? Because he's certainly a far better player than the other A.I. on his team, who is starting in this game. (There's a reason Iguodala has an $80 million guaranteed contract, while Iverson had to make good on a minimum deal.)

Ray Allen
Ray has been an All-Star nine out of the last ten years, and while 34-year-old wing players always slow down a little, it's not like he has fallen off a cliff in terms of productivity. It seems like Ray may be a victim of the rise of Rajon Rondo. The Celtics are good, but four All-Stars (Garnett and Pierce are in) is a very tall order.

Andrew Bogut, Joakim Noah, Anderson Varejao
After Dwight Howard, who is the best big man in the East? Hard to say. But this squad was always going to need more than one big. Al Horford won the "next best big man" spot, but it could have easily gone to Bogut, who anchors a good Bucks team, Horford's college teammate Noah, who has been the engine that drives the Bulls, or Varejao, who -- despite a reputation as a low-skill energy player -- is clearly the best big man on what has been the NBA's best team in the first half.

The 2009-2010 Western All-Stars

Steve Nash
Kobe Bryant
Carmelo Anthony
Tim Duncan
Amare Stoudemire
Kevin Durant
Chris Paul
Dirk Nowitzki
Brandon Roy
Zach Randolph
Deron Williams
Pau Gasol


And some of the notable players who are not on that list:

Chauncey Billups
When the rookie team was announced, Ty Lawson was left off. Now the Nuggets endure a couple of more snubs, with perennial All-Star Billups off the list. Somewhere, George Karl's blood is boiling. By many measures, Billups is playing better than last season when Denver's rise to prominence was attributed almost entirely to him.

Chris Kaman
Kevin Arnovitz of ClipperBlog says that Kaman is good, but probably not an All-Star for his play this season: "Kaman has done a admirable job restoring his career and establishing himself as a strong post presence who demands a double-team. He's also an above-average defender. These are achievements, and he's very useful to his team. We should recognize his value -- but not with an All-Star bid. Among centers, Kaman is second in the league in usage, but only 14th in PER. His true shooting percentage is 53.9, low-ish for an All-Star candidate. And his rebounding rate is the lowest of his career since his rookie season. Once a premier shot-blocker, Chris is now only 50th in the league in block rate among guys who play 15 minutes per game. My only beef is that Kaman was beaten out by the wrong Gasol."

Marc Gasol
The Grizzlies have been extremely good of late. Why is that? If you watch the games, it's undeniable that a mammoth part of the story is Marc Gasol, who is huge, strong and agile. He moves well with or without the ball, and sees the floor well for a big man -- often he is the focal point of the offense. (Wednesday night in Detroit, Memphis was down 93-91 in the game's closing minutes, then Gasol scored the game's last eight points for a six-point win.)
Grizzlies' stat guy Aaron Barzilai says that Gasol is a star: "Gasol is actually our team leader in plus/minus. He has a little quieter stats. Different kinds of contributions. But he has also played very, very well." I asked him if enough of the season passed for us to have a big enough sample size to believe plus/minus stats on something like that. His response was: "I think so. The numbers say it's by a pretty wide margin. So, even if the margin isn't as wide as it looks right now, he's definitely a very valuable contributor."

Carlos Boozer
The Jazz have been unbelievably good of late, and Boozer -- a player who disappointed many in Utah by opting in to his contract to keep playing for the Jazz -- has been the eye of the storm.

Nene
According to plus/minus, Nene is a top 10 NBA player. And when you watch the Nuggets play, it's not hard to understand. He's enormous, powerful and quick, which lets him influence plays all over both ends of the court. His scoring is efficient, his defense is tenacious and he rebounds like a maniac. He was excellent last season, and is probably even better now.

Carl Landry
The big problem the Rockets were supposed to have (besides issues with Yao Ming's foot and Tracy McGrady's expectations) was the lack of a star to take over games by scoring in crunch time. Aaron Brooks and Carl Landry have done plenty of that, with Landry -- one of the NBA's best post scorers -- particularly efficient in the fourth quarter. His PER is better than Garnett's or Stoudemire's.

Andrew Bynum
He has a good PER, even though his numbers are surely hampered by all the touches that go to Bryant, Gasol, Odom and Artest. If Pacer Roy Hibbert -- who tried to guard Bynum last night -- had an All-Star vote, it's a good bet he'd vote Bynum.



The biggest All-Star snubs?
www.si.com
NEW YORK -- When Knicks coach Mike D'Antonio faced the media before Thursday night's game against Toronto, he wasn't asked the usual questions. He wasn't quizzed about what it would take to stop Chris Bosh. He wasn't peppered with queries about Nate Robinson or Eddy Curry's health. And he wasn't asked about the prickly Larry Hughes.
No, on Thursday the only player anyone wanted to talk about was David Lee. Specifically why Lee, the Knicks energetic power forward, was left off the Eastern Conference All-Star roster.
So, Mike, do you think David deserved to be an All-Star?
Hey Mike, why do you think David wasn't selected as an All-Star?
Uh, Mike, what does David have to do to become an All-Star?
D'Antoni, undoubtedly, won't be the only coach asked these questions over the next week. Because for every smiling All-Star there is an equally annoyed snub. Let's take a look at a few who have a right to be upset.

The Should Write A Letter To The League List

Chris Kaman, L.A. Clippers
Stats: 20.2 points, 9.1 rebounds, 50.1 FG percentage

The Clippers have been far from world-beaters this season -- L.A.'s 20-25 record has it a distant 12th in the Western Conference -- but imagine where they would be without Kaman, who assumed the role of primary post scorer when Zach Randolph was traded and rookie Blake Griffin hurt his knee in the preseason. Kaman will never be Dwight Howard; he may never be as good as his frontcourt mate, Marcus Camby, was in his prime. But to omit him for Pau Gasol, who has played in 29 games this season (compared to Kaman's 41) is a pretty significant slight.

Marc Gasol, Memphis
Stats: 15.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, 60.4 FG percentage

Randolph -- deservedly -- gets a lot of credit for Memphis' turnaround. But it is Gasol, who dropped 10 percent of his body fat in the offseason and is the most intimidating force on the Grizzlies front line. He leads the team in plus/minus and is swatting away 1.6 shots per game. It would have been difficult for coaches to vote for two Grizzlies players and one Laker but in this case, the coaches selected the wrong Gasol.

The Have A Right To Make A Snide Comment To The Media List

David Lee, New York
Stats: 19.4 points, 11.4 rebounds, 55.4 FG percentage

Swap New York's record with Charlotte's and Lee probably gets in. But the Knicks woeful 1-9 start (not to mention last Sunday's 50-point blowout loss to Dallas) probably stuck in the minds of a few coaches. Still, there is no question Lee is deserving. His numbers are better than Gerald Wallace's and his field goal percentage is at a three-year high, noteworthy considering Lee has relied more on his jump shot this season than ever before.

Josh Smith, Atlanta
Stats: 15.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.2 blocks

Of all of Smith's numbers this season, his case for All-Star selection can be made with one: three, as in number of three-point attempts Smith has attempted this season. J-Smoove's more controlled play has been a key reason why the Hawks look more dangerous than ever this season and his Camby-like defense has opponents looking over their shoulders every time they drive the paint. Is Smith having a better season than Wallace or Paul Pierce? It's debatable.

Andrew Bogut, Milwaukee
Stats: 15.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.1 blocks

It's worth noting at this point that none of the All-Star reserves came from teams with losing records. But Milwaukee, which at 19-25 is ninth in the Eastern Conference, has been competitive enough that Bogut has an argument that he is a more worthy candidate than Al Horford. Bogut's numbers are better and he is the biggest reason the Bucks have withstood Michael Redd's season-ending injury and Brandon Jennings' season-long fade to remain in contention for a playoff spot.

The Clench Your Teeth A Little But Keep Your Mouth Shut List

Joakim Noah, Chicago
Stats: 11.3 points, 12.1 rebounds, 1.7 blocks

The argument for Noah is the same as Bogut's: where would the Bulls be without him? Noah's intensity on the floor -- you won't see him take too many plays off -- and outstanding rebounding (he's third in the NBA in offensive boards) make him the heart and soul of a Bulls team that occasionally looks devoid of both. Again, team records likely came into play when coaches were ranking backup centers.

Andrew Bynum, L.A. Lakers
Stats: 15.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, 57.2 FG percentage

Think Bynum looks across the Lakers locker room and wonders how voters can think Gasol has had a more productive season than he has? I do. While Gasol has been in and out of the lineup with injuries, Bynum has been a rock. He is averaging career highs in points, rebounds and field goal percentage and is in the top 15 in the league in total blocks (70).

College Hoops Early Player of the Year Candidates

College Hoops Early Player of the Year Candidates



Scottie Reynolds
Senior, Villanova
Reynolds may be the most lethal crunch-time player in the nation. The cold-blooded senior guard has improved every season at Villanova and headlines a stellar backcourt, averaging a team-high 18.7 points per contest. Thanks in large part to Reynolds, the 18-1 Wildcats are unquestionably a national title contender.


Wesley Johnson
Junior, Syracuse
Jim Boeheim hasn't taken many transfers during his time at Syracuse, but it's no wonder that he warmly welcomed Johnson, who played his first two years at Iowa State. As one of the most versatile and unselfish players in America, Johnson leads 20-1 Syracuse in points (17.1) and rebounds (9.0) and ranks second in steals (2.4) and blocks (1.9). Johnson's a key component in the Orange's 2-3 zone, which has been as effective as ever this season.


Damion James
Senior, Texas
James flirted with entering the NBA draft after last season, but returned when he was not graded out as a high enough pick, and Texas couldn't be happier. The hyper-athletic, 6-foot-7 senior is the key cog for the 17-2 Longhorns, leading the team in points (17.6) and rebounds (10.8).



John Wall
Freshman, Kentucky
As the most recognizable player on the nation's No. 1 team (and presumed No. 1 pick in this year's NBA draft), Wall may be the current leader in the race for player of the year. John Calipari's latest point guard prodigy leads the Wildcats in points (17.0), assists (6.9) and steals (2.1) per game. The electrifying athlete has also shown a knack for staging late-game heroics.


Jon Scheyer
Senior, Duke
Scheyer has flourished in his first full season running the point for the Blue Devils. The senior, who leads Duke in scoring (18.6) and assists (5.7) per game, has a fabulous grasp for the game. He ranks fourth in the country with a spectacular 3.72 assist-to-turnover ratio and shoots 89.5 percent from the free-throw line. What Scheyer lacks in pure athleticism, he makes up for with stellar decision-making.

Sherron Collins
Senior, Kansas
Collins is the unquestioned leader of the loaded Jayhawks, who could return to the No. 1 spot after Kentucky's loss to South Carolina on Tuesday night. The senior leads Kansas in scoring (15.5) and assists (4.2) and has the ability to completely take over a game down the stretch.

Luke Harangody
Senior, Notre Dame
The two-time All-American and 2008 Big East Player of the Year leads the conference in scoring (24.7) and ranks fourth in rebounding (9.9). The 15-5 Fighting Irish look to ride their senior stud to a third NCAA tournament appearance in four seasons.




Ohio State's Evan Turner should lead all Player of the Year debates
by: Glockner www.si.com

Ohio State coach Thad Matta has coached a national Player of the Year before, so when he quickly compares current Buckeyes star Evan Turner to former Xavier standout David West, it's instructive.
In Turner, he sees the same kind of intelligent approach to the game and a refined sense of the moment that allows him to deliver whatever his team needs at the most crucial junctures.
Then Matta tosses this on top.
"I think [Evan] is probably one of the most ultracompetitive kids I have ever coached," Matta said. "Winning is very, very important to him. He's just the type of the guy in practice that he needs a score, he needs time on a clock. There's got to be a prize at the end, and I think that's what great players all seem to have."
That competitive drive helps explain what you're seeing now, the completion of Turner's evolution from freshman-year complement (capping that season by combining for 37 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists in the NIT Final Four) to sophomore leading man to genuine national Player of the Year candidate. Not to mention Turner basically switched positions before this season. When Matta suggested some summer drills to prime the forward for extended work at point guard, his star dove in eagerly.
"He's one of those guys who's very critical of his game and is not afraid to admit he has faults," Matta said. "A lot of kids don't want to admit that, 'Hey, I'm not good at this.' And they sure as heck don't want to work on it. Evan is a kid who knows the game, he knows what he needs to get better at, and he's going to put in the work."
All that work on his supposed flaws? It has Turner positioned to end up in some very rarefied air.
First, let's examine this season. Despite a fractured back that cost him close to seven games, Turner should be the leading candidate for the Naismith Award (along with the bevy of other Player of the Year awards). With due respect to the other top candidates, a comparison of performance right now isn't all that close:


Player % Poss. Off. Rating eFG% Assist Rate OR%/DR%
Evan Turner 33.8 110.8 59.2 37.6 10.1/26.3
John Wall 27.3 114.1 53.2 36.2 2.3/9.2
Damion James 26.2 113.2 53.8 4.6 11.4/26.3
Wesley Johnson 21.8 117.7 61.6 10.7 8.7/19.0

Notes: %Poss is the percentage of time a team's possession ends in a player's hands. Offensive rating measures a player's individual offensive efficiency. Effective FG% accounts for the extra value of three-pointers. Assist rate is the percentage of teammate baskets created while on the court. Offensive and defensive rebound rates track the percentage of team's total rebounds grabbed by a player while he's on the court. All figures taken from KenPom.com for games through Jan. 24.
Turner is almost as efficient offensively as John Wall and Damion James, the two other high-usage players on the list, despite handling the ball a lot more. His effective field goal percentage also is significantly better than either of them, even though he's made only six three-pointers all season (Wall has made 16; James has 20). Meanwhile, Turner's assist rate is better than the best point guard in the land, and he's almost the glass-cleaning equal of James, an elite rebounder, and much better than Wesley Johnson.
Simply put, he's essentially a combination of the best traits of each of his competitors: Johnson's shooting, Wall's dishing and James' board work.
For high-usage players (greater than 28 percent of a team's possessions) in major conferences, Turner is second in possessions used and has the nation's best assist rate while still ranking eighth in offensive efficiency. And that doesn't even account for his overall defensive impact or the seemingly seamless way he stuffs his stat lines.
"I don't go in saying I have to get 10 assists today or something. I just play basketball," Turner said. "If I see an open man, I pass the ball. If I see an open shot, I take the shot. I always try to rebound, play defense, and when it's time to take the game over, that's what I do."
That's what he's usually been able to do, even against more rugged competition. The Buckeyes are 5-3 against RPI Top 100 teams with Turner -- and 0-3 without him.
Bottom line: If he keeps this up, POY should be his, and the better debate might be where Turner's season would place in the modern history of college basketball.
Right now, Turner is averaging 18.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game. However, if you exclude the seven-minute outing against Eastern Michigan (when he was injured) and his 20-minute return against Indiana, those averages jump to 20.7, 11.0 and 5.8. If Turner can maintain those standards (technically, he'd need about a 0.5 ppg bump in scoring), he will complete one of the most statistically improbable seasons in modern basketball history.
How rare is a 20/10/5 year in college hoops? According to Ohio State's sports information department, which consulted with Stats Inc., no Division I player has completed one since at least 1996. Stats Inc.'s best guess as to the last player to do it is Larry Bird at Indiana State in 1978-79, and that wasn't even in a major conference. Searching independently, the last player who did it in a top-tier league may have been Bill Walton at UCLA in 1972-73.
Think about what that means. Grant Hill (17.4/6.9/5.2) never got there. Neither did Dwayne Wade (21.5/6.3/4.4). Tim Duncan came moderately close (20.8/14.7/3.2), but still didn't do it. Even less-remembered one-man wrecking crews like N.C. State's Tom Gugliotta (22.5/9.8/3.1) couldn't get there.
The best proxies? The two most freakishly multitalented stars of the modern era: Magic Johnson (17.0/7.9/7.4 and 17.1/7.3/8.4 in his two seasons) and Jason Kidd (16.7/6.9/9.1 his sophomore season). Both had outrageously impactful seasons, but each still missed on two of these three specific metrics.
More recently, there have been only 19 20/10 guys in Division I in the last five seasons combined, and none averaged more than 2.7 assists per game. Yes, it takes a perfect confluence of events -- a multidimensional star playing with a solid supporting cast that lacks a true second go-to guy -- but the sheer rarity of the feat hints at both Turner's uniqueness and his quality.
If Kentucky ends the season at No. 1, Wall rightly will get a long look for Player of the Year. He's lived up to all expectations and team success, especially for a point guard, should be strongly considered. That said, if Turner does make it to 20/10/5 and Ohio State continues to thrive, the POY debate should be settled. If you deliver arguably the most dynamic season of the last 30 years, you have to be considered the best player in the land.

Buckeye Wednesday

Ohio State
Commits: 17 | ESPNU 150: 4

The Buckeyes currently trail Penn State in the class rankings, but still remain a force on the recruiting trail within the conference. This class is currently not as strong as their previous two, but is still a good haul. They have four ESPNU 150 prospects on board, including two Under Armour All-Americans in wide receiver James Louis (Delray Beach, Fla./Atlantic Community) and the versatile Corey Brown (Springfield, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara). The Buckeyes are also bringing in a quartet of defensive linemen led by the physically impressive Darryl Baldwin (Solon, Ohio/Solon) and David Durham (Charlotte, N.C./Christian). Durham is a versatile and physical defender who could develop into a Thaddeus Gibson-like player for the Buckeyes.
Top prospect: Despite landing one of the top running backs in last year's class, the Buckeyes' 2010 class is once again headed by a running back. Roderick Smith (Fort Wayne, Ind./Harding) is a big back with an impressive size-to-speed ratio. While he is a physically impressive back he is athletic and can hit the cutback lane, make defenders miss and create big plays.
Don't be surprised if: The Buckeyes' class makes a run at the top spot within the conference. Linebacker Jordan Hicks (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) may be a bit of a long shot, but top offensive line prospect Seantrel Henderson (Saint Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall), offensive tackle Matt James (Cincinnati/Saint Xavier) and safety Christian Bryant (Cleveland/Glenville) remain strong possibilities.


2010 Buckeye Football RecruitsFB PG Carlos Hyde
OT 2 Andrew Norwell
MLB 3 Scott McVey
OLB 6 Jamel Turner
K 6 Drew Basil
RB 8 Roderick Smith
CB 8 Christian Bryant
WR 25 Corey Brown
WR 29 James Louis
WR 32 Tyrone Williams



Cleveland (OH) Glenville senior Christian Bryant committed to Ohio State Tuesday afternoon. Bryant, long rumored to be a Buckeye lean, pledged to Ohio State, after naming North Carolina as his second choice. The four-star defensive back is commitment number 18 for Ohio State in the class of 2010. Bill Greene attended the ceremony at the school, and filed this report.


Turner, Buckeyes Looking to Put WVU Loss Behind Them
By Brandon Castel www.theozone.net

The 9th-ranked Mountaineers rallied from a 40-28 deficit to knock off the Buckeyes in their last non-conference test of the season, and Turner said Tuesday he is looking to put the loss and his second-half performance in the rearview mirror.
“It’s hard to get over giving up a lead like that, but it happened and it’s in the past and you’ve got to get over it and get ready for the next game,” said Turner, who missed all five of his shots in the second half and went just 5-of-9 from the free throw line down the stretch.
Despite the loss, the Buckeyes 14-6 (4-3 Big Ten) moved up one spot in the Associated Press Top 25 rankings to No. 20 this week based primarily on the fact they outplayed one of the top 10 teams in the country on their own floor for more than 20 minutes.
“There were stretches at West Virginia where we played as well as we have in a long time,” said Ohio State Head Coach Thad Matta, who watched his team shoot 55 percent from the floor and the three-point line in the first half.
“That was one of the best teams we’ve played this year. They are going to make plays. We weren’t able to get the stops we needed. We got split on our traps a couple of times and they made us pay for it. We didn’t switch a couple times when we were supposed to switch. We were just slow to rotate a couple of times.
“You can get away with that against a lot of teams, but not against them.”
Not against Iowa either.
After starting the season 5-11, the Hawkeyes 8-12 (2-5) have won three of their last four games, including a 58-43 win at Indiana Sunday. They gave Michigan State all they could handle in a 70-63 loss in East Lansing and Matta believes coach Todd Lickliter has his team peaking as the Buckeyes head to Iowa City for Big Ten matchup with the Hawkeyes Wednesday (8:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network).
“I think so. They’ve won three of their last four games. They played Michigan State in a tight battle. They have some young guys on the team. It appears they are definitely playing their best basketball,” said Matta, who was quick to point out that Iowa played Ohio State tough in both games last season, with the Buckeyes coming out on top 68-65 in Columbus and 60-58 at Iowa.
“I have always viewed Iowa as dangerous. … Every Big Ten opponent is going to be dangerous. The fact is once you get to a point in the season, every game – regardless of who you’re playing and the name on the jersey – you’re going to be in a dogfight.”
The Buckeyes weren’t so fortunate during Turner’s rookie season at Ohio State, as they were upset 53-48 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena as the Hawkeyes knocked down 11 threes, including 6-of-10 in the second half while the Buckeyes went just 3-of-21 from behind the arc.
“We have to do what we do. The game two years ago, we didn’t do what we do. We didn’t go in there with the right mentality,” Turner said Tuesday.
“We looked at it as a non-serious game and we got killed for that. One kid hit eight threes. As long as we come in and play our defense and run our offense and execute, we will be fine.”
That one kid was Justin Johnson, and while he is no longer around, the Hawkeyes are taking nearly 48 percent of their shots from behind the arc this season. Sophomore Matt Gatens is the team’s leading scorer at 12.8 points per game this season and he has launched 109 of his 212 shots from long range.
Fellow guard Anthony Tucker is second on the team at 11.9 points a night, and 96 of his 124 shots have come from three-point land.
“You have to keep your hands up and come out aggressive. At this level, if you have your hands down at any point it’s going up,” Turner said.
The Buckeyes have allowed at least nine threes in each of the past four games, including 10 to West Virginia and 10 to Purdue – eight of which came off the hands of Robbie Hummel in the first half – so they know they will need to tighten up the defense for the stretch run.
“You’ve got to have a great sense of energy when you cross that half court line to play defense,” said Matta, who drilled his team on getting low on defense and closing out on shooters during practice Monday.
They will get a chance to put Matta’s lessons to the test against Iowa on the road, where they are just 1-5 this season.

Iowa Projects Starting Lineup:

F 50 Jarryd Cole (6-7, Jr.)

F 24 Aaron Fuller (6-6, So.)

F 25 Eric May (6-5, Fr.)

G Matt Gatens (6-5, So.)

G Cully Payne (6-1, Fr.)

NCAA College Basketball Rankings, Projections, etc....

Minutes: 10 teams that can win it all
Pat Forde www.espn.com
Good article by forde on college hoops.

Forty names, games, teams and minutiae making news in college basketball (outspoken Facebook accounts subject to cancellation in Lawrence, Kan.):
First things first: There should be renewed hope in Evanston, Ill., today. If the Saints can make the Super Bowl, Northwestern (1) can make the Big Dance. All things are now possible.

Ten that can win it all
By the end of January, the best teams have pretty well identified themselves, so The Minutes has settled on nine solid potential national champions. And one flier. And left one blueblood out. Here's the list (RPI numbers taken from Joe Lunardi's InsideRPI):

Kentucky (2). Why the Wildcats can win it: Having the best talent is a nice place to start. Having a coach who has been to two Final Fours* helps as well (*not that he got to keep them). Kentucky is big, athletic and nasty -- and is 5-0 in games decided by five points or fewer or in overtime. UK is remarkably adept at winning the close ones, despite its youth. That youth is also a reason why the Cats have room to get even better.

Why they might not: They're the least-tested team on this list, so far having faced just one team in the RPI top 40 and five in the top 100. The early schedule featured several big-name opponents that have slumped. There will be several teams more seasoned come March.
Record against RPI top 50: 2-0.
Record against RPI top 100: 5-0.

Kansas (3). Why the Jayhawks can win it: They have an elite, big-shot-making point guard (Sherron Collins) and a center who can control the paint against just about anyone (Cole Aldrich). They have an armada of athletic parts in between (Xavier Henry, the Morris twins, Tyshawn Taylor, Brady Morningstar, etc.). They also have a coach with a recent national championship ring.

Why they might not: The Jayhawks sometimes forget Aldrich is alive, and he sometimes fails to remind them. (He's averaging just seven field goal attempts per game.) It is reasonable to wonder where Taylor's head is, after he injured himself fighting a KU football player in the fall and then allegedly griped about his role on Facebook last week -- before his page disappeared into the ether.
Record against RPI top 50: 6-1.
Record against RPI top 100: 8-1.

Texas (4). Why the Longhorns can win it: They have size and athleticism comparable to Kentucky and Kansas, and perhaps even more depth. Damion James is a future pro who presents a matchup problem to just about everyone. Backcourt depth and quickness can wear down opponents.

Why they might not: Rick Barnes has never inspired the utmost confidence, and his team's shaky two weeks at the top of the polls makes The Minutes wonder how it will handle the pressure of March and April. Avery Bradley, J'Covan Brown and Jordan Hamilton have jacked up 516 shots among them -- which means a lot of the offense is in the hands of occasionally fickle freshmen.
Record against RPI top 50: 3-2.
Record against RPI top 100: 6-2.

Michigan State (5). Why the Spartans can win it: Seven players in the rotation were key parts of their 2009 run to the national championship game, and guard Kalin Lucas apparently has gotten the leadership message his coach sent a while back. Izzo is as good a coach as there is in the country, and you know his teams will rebound and defend until the last dog dies. Their 7-0 Big Ten start shows that Sparty is locking in right on time.

Why they might not: Michigan State doesn't have anyone taller than 6-foot-8 in the regular rotation, which could eventually create a problem despite the surplus of biceps in Izzo's lineup. The Spartans also could find themselves a step slower than some elite competition.
Record against RPI top 50: 2-1.
Record against RPI top 100: 7-3.

Purdue (6). Why the Boilermakers can win it: Given Michigan State's obsessive drive to reach the Final Four in its home state last year, the same dynamic could work in Purdue's favor in Indianapolis this year. The Boilers' big three of Robbie Hummel, E'Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson can play with anybody's. Chris Kramer is an annoyance to any and all guards. And coach Matt Painter said Monday that injured point guard Lewis Jackson -- the missing ingredient thus far for the 16-3 Boilers -- is very close to being ready to play.

Why they might not: There remains a chance that Jackson will never be 100 percent, or that he'll choose to redshirt this season. ("He has to understand that if he gets knocked out after two games, that's his year," Painter said. "That's his season. We have to paint a couple worst-case scenarios for him so he understands.") Purdue's three-game losing streak earlier this month was enough to instill doubt. And it might be a lot to ask for a group of players and a coach who have never been to a Final Four to jump up and win it all.
Record against RPI top 50: 3-2.
Record against RPI top 100: 7-3.

Villanova (7). Why the Wildcats can win it: Another team flush with Final Four experience after last year's run to Detroit. Nova might have the best collection of guards in the country, led by the clutch-shooting All-American Scottie Reynolds. Jay Wright's team already has four Big East road wins, including at Louisville, where they rallied from 17 points down to win going away. The return of Reggie Redding from first-semester disciplinary action rounds out a talented rotation.

Why they might not: Nova is (again) undersized, which leaves it open to being challenged inside and can lead to excessive fouling and chronic foul trouble. Might be too Reynolds-reliant, especially at crunch time.
Record against RPI top 50: 4-1.
Record against RPI top 100: 8-1.

Syracuse (8). Why the Orange can win it: Wes Johnson gives them an elite-level player, which is a necessity. Their 2-3 zone is even more effective than usual -- long and active outside and very difficult to penetrate. It's not Jim Boeheim's first rodeo. They're shooting a remarkable 53 percent as a team. Like Villanova, they're 4-0 on the road in the Big East.

Why they might not: A bit underwhelming at point guard, and turnover-prone as a team. (Twenty-two percent of their possessions end in turnovers, according to Ken Pomeroy's numbers.) Stop The Minutes if you've heard this before, but Syracuse isn't great at the foul line (65 percent).
Record against RPI top 50: 4-1.
Record against RPI top 100: 12-1.

Georgetown (9). Why the Hoyas can win it: Greg Monroe is playing like the budding star he was billed to be out of high school in 2008. He didn't play well against Syracuse, but the 6-11 sophomore is a solid scorer, an aggressive rebounder and an underrated passer. Monroe has capable co-stars in leading scorer Austin Freeman and fellow guard Chris Wright. The Hoyas take good shots and make them -- and John Thompson III has loosened the reins a bit. His team scored more than 70 points in five straight Big East games before Monday, something it hasn't done since 2007, when Georgetown made the Final Four.
Why they might not: This is a six-man rotation -- if someone gets hurt, the Hoyas are toast. Thompson might be too dogmatic for his own good, often refusing to alter the system to fit the situation. The Hoyas don't foul much, but they don't get to the line much, either, averaging just 19 free-throw attempts per game. The way they played at Syracuse on Monday -- at least in the final 35 minutes -- didn't inspire visions of April splendor in Indianapolis.
Record against RPI top 50: 4-3.
Record against RPI top 100: 8-4.

West Virginia (10). Why the Mountaineers can win it: This typical Bob Huggins team is tough, thick, athletic and willing to maul opponents on the offensive glass. They have a clutch shot-maker in Da'Sean Butler and a next-level talent in Devin Ebanks. Point guard Joe Mazzulla, out virtually all last year with injury, is gradually rounding into table-setting form and is starting to provide a solid complement to sophomore Truck Bryant.

Why they might not: A typical Bob Huggins team usually flames out well before the Final Four -- his one and only visit was in 1992. Ebanks can be a high-maintenance, hit-or-miss guy -- seven turnovers against Mississippi, 22 points and 17 rebounds three nights later against Seton Hall. Butler was 14-for-47 in the Mountaineers' three losses.
Record against RPI top 50: 3-2.
Record against RPI top 100: 8-3.

Now, the flier:
BYU (11). Why the Cougars can win it: Impressively efficient offensive team that shoots extremely well from the field (55 percent from 2-point range, 41 percent from 3) and phenomenally from the foul line (77.4 percent, best in the nation). They take care of the ball, too, and play better-than-suspected defense. Guard Jimmer Fredette might be the most underrated player in the country. (You'll read more about him below.) They've already played 10 road or neutral-site games, winning nine of them.
Why they might not: Can a school that hasn't won an NCAA tournament game since 1993 suddenly jump up and win six? Doubtful.
Record against RPI top 50: 2-0.
Record against RPI top 100: 8-1.

And the one left out:
Duke (12). Why the Blue Devils can't win it: We've seen this movie before. Duke blazes impressively out of the gates, is confronted by its limitations (size, depth or athleticism) in the latter third of the regular season, then hits the wall in March. The Devils haven't won more than two games in an NCAA tournament since 2004, despite having No. 1 seeds twice and No. 2 seeds twice as well.
This is yet another good Duke team, with yet another set of apparent flaws. The big men (the young Plumlee brothers, Lance Thomas, Brian Zoubek) are still nothing special. The leading men, Jon Scheyer and Kyle Singler, are still overworked. (Scheyer hasn't played fewer than 36 minutes in a game since December, and Singler has gone the full 40 in each of Duke's last two games.)
The Minutes will believe Duke might have a chance to win it all when it sees the Blue Devils actually advance past the Sweet 16 for the first time since Chris Duhon was in uniform.

Out-of-body experience
Just about everyone who has ever played the game has had a moment at some level of play, however brief, when they were touched by the basketball gods: when you couldn't miss. You're always open, the basket is huge, the ball is coming off your hand as if trailing stardust on its way through the net, and Ashley Judd (13) is cheering every time you score.
For the gifted, that moment recurs frequently. For everyone else, you take it where you can find it, and you never forget it.
The patron saints of the career game: Harold Jensen, Villanova, 1985. Jensen was an unremarkable guard when he went 5-for-5 from the field and 4-for-5 from the line in Nova's epic 66-64 upset of Georgetown in the national title game. Just three games earlier, Jensen had gone 0-for-5 in the Wildcats' Sweet 16 win. He clearly picked his spot well for a career game.

This year's career-game nominees:

John Hart (14), Purdue. When the desperate Boilermakers visited Illinois last week, they were on a three-game losing streak and Hart was on a six-game DNP streak. But when Painter trashed the normal rotation and put the freshman guard in, the career 1.7 ppg scorer responded with 14 vital points in 18 minutes.
"When you go 14-0 [as Purdue did to start the year], you don't really want to mess with anything," Painter said. "… When we lost three straight, I thought it was time to give that next guy in line a shot at it.
"I think it really put some guys on alert. I like a set rotation, but I also like guys to feel some uncertainty. If it made guys feel the hair stand up on their necks and play harder, great."

Jamel Jackson (15), Seton Hall. There is no team shooters like to see coming more than defense-optional VMI -- but Jackson was an extreme case. He made 12 of 15 3-pointers against the Keydets and 14 of 17 shots total, scoring 40 points. He also had six assists and four steals. Since then, Jackson has scored a total of 28 points, three assists and one steal in 10 games. His season average is 6.5 points per game.

Dorenzo Hudson (16), Virginia Tech. Seton Hall was on the receiving end of a career game from Hudson, a junior who averages 12.8 points per game but erupted for 41 on the Pirates in Cancun. Hudson made just nine field goals but established residency at the foul line, making 20 of 21 free throws. In five games since then, he's shot a total of 13 free throws.

Jimmer Fredette (17), BYU. The previously mentioned Fredette has been an important Cougar for three seasons, but what he did against Arizona on Dec. 28 dwarfed his previous production. Fredette scored a school-record 49 points (on the road), hitting nine 3s and adding seven rebounds and nine assists.

Dominique Jones (18), South Florida. The underexposed junior guard knows his way to the hoop -- he'd had eight career 30-point games before Saturday. But what he did against Providence was extraordinary. Jones dropped 46 points on the Friars, tied for the third-highest single-game total in the nation this year. The fact that Jones added 10 rebounds, eight assists and three steals probably makes it the premier stat line in South Florida history, and one of the best in Big East history.

Rotnei Clarke (19), Arkansas. Bombarded Alcorn State for 51 in the season opener, still the highest single-game total in the nation this year. Clarke is a deluxe shooter with a quick release, which is how he hit 13 3s against the winless Braves. But Clarke can be stopped -- Kentucky just handcuffed him, holding him to 2-for-9 shooting from 3-point range.

And one career-moment nominee, following in the tradition of NC State's Lorenzo Charles in 1983:

Mustafa Abdul-Hamid (20), UCLA. The junior, a former walk-on, had spent his entire career filling out the layup line until the Bruins wound up short of talent and healthy bodies this season. Suddenly, a guy with 45 career points wound up with the ball in the final seconds against Washington last week, with UCLA down one. Abdul-Hamid squeezed off the winning jumper from the top of the key as time expired, vaulting from zero to hero in a flick of the wrist.

Rescuing the rookies

Not everyone can be John Wall. Some talented freshmen nationwide are feeling the grind of conference basketball -- precisely when their teams need the most out of them. A few frosh who need to elevate their play:

Lance Stephenson (21). He leads Cincinnati in scoring, but something strange happened to him during the Bearcats' key loss at Louisville on Sunday. Stephenson scored 12 points in the first 6 minutes and 2 seconds, almost single-handedly staking his team to an early 11-point lead. He scored zero in the next 33:58, and Cincy lost by 8. Stranger than that, he did not take a shot in the final 23 minutes -- and it wasn't as though he was sitting with foul trouble. Stephenson played 30 minutes. Whether his teammates quit looking for him or Stephenson quit trying, it was an odd performance that raises questions going forward.

The entire freshman class at North Carolina (22). The Tar Heels' touted quintet of freshmen -- John Henson, Dexter Strickland, Leslie McDonald, and brothers David and Travis Wear -- are combining to contribute just 18.8 points, 9.5 points and 4.6 assists per game. Fab Five they ain't. Henson in particular has been slow to adapt to the college game; he has a total of five points and seven turnovers in ACC play.

Brandon Paul (23). The Illinois guard opened his career with consecutive 20-point games, then had another 20-point night at Clemson in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. But he's made just 13 of 52 shots in Big Ten play, and just three of his last 18 from 3. (He's just part of a struggling team that has lost three straight games. Illinois coach Bruce Weber said Monday that the team had a players-only meeting that he hoped might help turn things around.)

Michael Snaer (24). The Florida State guard has been a consistent contributor to a team that is steadily building a solid NCAA résumé -- but it would help if the guard stopped turning the ball over. Snaer has two assists and 11 turnovers in ACC play, and the overall numbers are 18 assists and 41 turnovers.

Keith "Tiny" Gallon (25). The Oklahoma wide-body has yet to record an assist in conference play. His minutes have been curtailed in the Sooners' past three games, and he's averaged just five points and five rebounds in that time. Gallon fouled out in 16 minutes in Saturday's loss at Texas Tech.

Avery Bradley (26). He's been a distinct positive for Texas, but even great talents can hit a midwinter wall. After hitting 9 of 10 3s in wins over Arkansas, Colorado and Iowa State, he's made only 2 of 11 in three games since then. And he's committed more turnovers (5) than assists (4) and made just three of his last nine free throws.

Solomon Hill (27). Arizona has shown signs of life, winning three Pac-10 road games already, but if it wants to contend in that wide-open league, it could use a bit more from Hill. The 6-6 forward had six double-figure scoring games in nonconference play but has not scored more than six in a league game as Sean Miller has whittled down his minutes.

Coaching pressure gauge
The Minutes watched Kentucky hand Arkansas its worst-ever SEC loss Saturday and left Rupp Arena wondering how the Razorbacks got so bad. The program stagnated in the final years under Nolan Richardson and did not get any better in five years with Stan Heath -- but John Pelphrey (28) has not done much to reassure the fan base that a return to glory is imminent.
Full disclosure: There are few people in college basketball The Minutes has enjoyed more than Pelphrey, having known him since he was a heady, overachieving forward at Kentucky in the late '80s and early '90s. But given his 3-17 record in Arkansas' last 20 SEC games, it seemed fair to inquire about Pelphrey's job security.
Arkansas media members believe he will be back next year for a fourth season. That's fair. After all, he's the only Arkansas coach to win an NCAA tournament game this century. After that, though, it will be time to produce.
With that in mind, The Minutes has identified one coach in each of the power-six conferences who may not have the luxury of waiting until next year to show their bosses something:

ACC -- Sidney Lowe (29), NC State. His league record over three-plus seasons stands at a dismal 17-37, with zero NCAA tournament bids. Lowe's predecessor, the much-pilloried Herb Sendek, looks like Dean Smith by comparison.
Big 12 -- There might not be a coach fully on the griddle in this league, but Nebraska's Doc Sadler (30) could use a reversal of fortune over the next six weeks. Sadler has improved the Cornhuskers' league record by one game every year -- from 6-10 to 7-9 to 8-8 -- but this year has started 0-4 in Big 12 play. The school's first NCAA bid since '98 doesn't seem likely this year.
Big East -- Fred Hill (31), Rutgers. This honor would go to Jerry Wainwright at DePaul, but they've already whacked him. Hill will be next. His Scarlet Knights are 0-7 in the league and are a gruesome 8-51 in his tenure.
Big Ten -- Ed DeChellis (32), Penn State. Time to find out whether they actually care about basketball in Happy Valley. If they do, DeChellis is probably a short-timer; he's into his seventh season without an NCAA bid in sight. With guard Talor Battle returning from last year's NIT champions, there was some hope -- but an 0-7 Big Ten start has extinguished it.
Pac-10 -- Ernie Kent (33), Oregon. Kent has taken the Ducks to their best NCAA performances since the Tall Firs won the first tournament in 1939 -- but there hasn't been much good in between those high points. After making the final eight in 2002, Oregon went 32-40 in the league over the next four years. Since making the final eight in '07, the Ducks are 13-30 in the Pac-10 -- and that's despite recruiting assistance from the world's greatest "person of influence," William Wesley.
SEC -- Jeff Lebo (34), Auburn. Zero NCAA bids his first five years, little hope for one here in year six. With a new arena scheduled to open next season, there figures to be a new coach working in it.

Minutes crush of the week

Who among us cannot love a 6-foot-7, 310-pound 3-point shooter? Wrap your arms (partway) around Milwaukee's Round Mound from Downtown, James "Big Lumber" Eayrs (35) -- a fan favorite for obvious reasons.
In 52 games as a Panther, Eayrs has hoisted 222 3-pointers, making 70. He might be the most rotund perimeter shooter since Dwight "Fat Flight" Stewart was jacking jumpers for Arkansas in its mid-'90s heyday.
Like many big men, Eayrs is a point guard trapped in an offensive tackle's body. He said he grew about five inches one year in high school, and the pounds came with the inches until he'd outgrown the backcourt.
But the fact is, this is the slimmer, trimmer Eayrs, who is averaging 12 points and 6.2 rebounds for the 12-9 Panthers. He used to be Bigger Lumber -- up to around 350 pounds during his high school days in Roseville, Minn. Eayrs started trimming down as a senior and continued to do so at junior college in North Dakota. Now, he says, he eats prudently but still has an abiding weakness for Chipotle burritos.
"I'm still a fanatic for those," he said. "That's the one thing I can't give up."
He's also a fanatic for the Minnesota Vikings -- which made Monday a pretty miserable day to be living in Packers territory, where most didn't mind seeing Brett Favre throw a season-ending interception while wearing another uniform.
"I'm crushed," Eayrs said. "That was terrible. I'm hearing it from everyone, especially the coaching staff. They're diehard Packer fans. I'm going to hear it for a couple more weeks."
Hopefully that won't affect Eayrs' shooting. It surely won't affect his eating.


Twitter star

Ohio State walk-on Mark Titus (36), who can be found on Twitter under his nom de blog, Clubtrillion. Titus is the humorous bench jockey who writes a blog titled Club Trillion (a trillion being what someone's box score looks like if they play one minute and record zero statistical contributions). He brings some of that same wit to Twitter. Among last week's tweets:
"I want to wish a happy birthday to my good friend Greg Oden today. I hope your next 40 years are just as much fun as your first 40 were."
And this Sunday night, from the diehard Vikings and Cubs fan:
"Two most painful days in my life as a sports fan were caused by S. Bartman and G. Hartley. I'm more athletic than both of them. This blows."

Coach who earned his comp car this week

Georgia's Mark Fox (37) took over a struggling program and hasn't seemed to notice that the Bulldogs are supposed to be terrible. Fox's team drilled No. 8 Tennessee on Saturday and upset rival Georgia Tech a couple of weeks ago. In between, UGA played Kentucky closer than anyone else has to date in the SEC, and they lost close games to Ole Miss and Mississippi State. At this rate, Georgia has a shot at a wholly unlikely .500 league record.

Coach who should ride the bus to work this week

Air Force's Jeff Reynolds (38) is riding a 21-game losing streak in Mountain West Conference regular-season games. The Falcons haven't come closer than nine points yet this season, as the school's relative halcyon days from 2003 to '07 recede further from view.

The Minutes' non-obvious game of the week

Harvard at Cornell (39), Saturday in Ithaca, N.Y. Seriously -- an Ivy League game absolutely worth monitoring. The Big Red are No. 41 in the RPI. The Crimson are No. 59. It is not inconceivable that the league could be gunning for two teams in the Big Dance. But with that far from certain, and given the Ivy League's lack of a postseason tournament, the two meetings between these teams will be critical in deciding who gets the automatic bid to the NCAAs.

Buzzer-beater

When thirsty in the ugly, lousy-weather town of Newport Beach, Calif., The Minutes highly recommends a visit to the Yard House (40) in the Fashion Island shopping compound (for lack of a better term). It boasts the world's largest selection of draft beers, and it might not be a hollow boast. And yes, they do come in yards, which are occasionally more easily spilled than sipped -- but they're fun to try.

AP Top 25 Jan. 26th, 2010
No. School Record Points Prev
1 Kentucky (65) 19-0 1625 2
2 Kansas 19-1 1519 3
3 Villanova 18-1 1503 4
4 Syracuse 20-1 1455 5
5 Michigan State 17-3 1324 6
6 Texas 17-2 1307 1
7 Georgetown 15-4 1124 12
8 Duke 16-3 1120 7
9 West Virginia 15-3 1113 11
10 Purdue 16-3 977 13
11 Kansas State 16-3 960 10
12 Brigham Young 20-1 894 14
13 Gonzaga 16-3 847 15
14 Tennessee 15-3 837 8
15 Temple 17-3 707 16
16 Wisconsin 16-4 635 18
17 Pittsburgh 15-4 599 9
18 Mississippi 15-4 411 22
19 Connecticut 13-6 286 27
20 Ohio State 14-6 270

21 Vanderbilt 15-3 264 26
22 Georgia Tech 14-5 194 19
23 New Mexico 18-3 180 28
24 Baylor 15-3 157 25
25 UAB 17-2 125 29



Projecting the NCAA Field of 65:
by Jordan Schwartz www.cbssports.com

The four No. 1 seeds are easy to pencil into the draw with Kentucky, the lone undefeated team remaining in the country, followed by three one-loss teams—Syracuse, Kansas, and Villanova.
But it gets a little more difficult from there with several top 10 schools dropping games this past week.
As always, I am not trying to guess how teams will finish the year; I am simply seeding them based on their current resumes.
I like to break teams down into three categories:
"Wallflowers" are bubble teams because everyone wants to get into the Big Dance, but not all have the guts to ask a girl out onto the dance floor.
Elite teams are safely in the field—"Dancing with a hottie"—and in the middle are the schools that are "Dancing with their sister."

ACC
Dancing with a Hottie: Duke (3 seed)
Dancing with Their Sister: Wake Forest (6), Georgia Tech (6), Clemson (8), North Carolina (8)
Wallflowers: Florida State (10), Maryland (11), Virginia Tech (12), Virginia (16th out)
It's been quite a down year for the ACC so far. When the season began, not many could've imagined that North Carolina would be trailing first place Maryland and Virginia by two games in the final week of January.
Along with the Tar Heels, which are riding a three-game slide, Georgia Tech (lost at Florida State) and Clemson (fell to the Yellow Jackets and Duke) are also struggling.
The bubble is littered with Atlantic Coast Conference squads. FSU, Maryland, and Va Tech all held strong this past week by going a combined 5-0.
Virginia could've jumped into the field with a win at Wake Forest, but will instead have to settle for at least getting its first mention in my projections this season.
The Cavs lead the ACC after running off eight in a row with nice wins over UAB and Georgia Tech, but ghastly non-conference losses to South Florida, Stanford, Penn State, and Auburn leave UVA far from a bid.

Big East
Dancing with a Hottie: Syracuse (1), Villanova (1), Georgetown (2), West Virginia (2)
Dancing with Their Sister: Connecticut (5), Pittsburgh (5)
Wallflowers: Seton Hall (11), Louisville (ninth out), Cincinnati (10th out), Notre Dame (13th out)
Georgetown's impressive win at Pittsburgh—one of two Panthers losses this past week—not only helped to drop Pitt three seeds, but it also sets up a huge showdown between the Hoyas and Orange at the Carrier Dome on Big Monday. The winner will walk out holding great position for a top seed.
Connecticut pulled off one of the bigger shockers of the week when it handed No. 1 Texas its second consecutive loss.
The Huskies entered the contest having dropped three of four and without the services of head coach Jim Calhoun, who missed the game for medical reasons. But UConn scored 54 in the second half to jump back into the national spotlight.
Seton Hall also experienced a resurgence by beating Louisville and Pittsburgh to get back into the draw. All five of the Pirates' losses are to teams that I have in the field, and SHU has four top-50 victories.
Marquette is removed from consideration after becoming DePaul's first conference victim in two years.

Big Ten
Dancing with a Hottie: Michigan State (2), Purdue (3), Wisconsin (4)
Dancing with Their Sisters: Ohio State (8)
Wallflowers: Northwestern (12)
Ohio State's defeat at West Virginia not only reasserts the Big East's dominance over college basketball, but it also dropped the Buckeyes, who are now a dismal 1-5 on the road.
Northwestern lost at Ohio State but beat Illinois to barely hang on to one of my last at-large spots in the bracket. The Wildcats recently beat Purdue, and really haven't had a bad loss all season.

Big XII
Dancing with a Hottie: Kansas (1), Texas (2), Kansas State (3)
Dancing with Their Sister: Oklahoma State (7), Baylor (7), Texas A&M (8)
Wallflowers: Missouri (12), Texas Tech (13)
Oklahoma State was the big riser this past week, beating Colorado before winning at Kansas State, which must've been suffering a hangover following its enormous victory over Texas. The Cowboys are ranked 24th in the RPI.
Missouri's loss at Oklahoma has the Tigers on the brink of missing the field, but that was their first defeat in 10 games and Mizzou is 3-2 against the top 50.
Texas Tech grabs my last at-large spot after beating Iowa State and OU. The Red Raiders don't have any top-50 victories, but they also don't have any bad losses, and their computer numbers are strong (RPI 33, SOS 37).

Pac-10
Wallflowers: California (9), Washington (first out), Arizona State (15th out)
With the Pac-10 shaping up to be a one-bid league, I'm not even sure why I continue giving this conference its own space. Cal is in first place but is 0-4 against the top 50. Washington drops from the field after being swept at the Los Angeles schools, and Arizona State just lost at home by 19 to Arizona, which is 10-9.

SEC
Dancing with a Hottie: Kentucky (1), Tennessee (3)
Dancing with Their Sister: Vanderbilt (4), Mississippi (6)
Wallflowers: Mississippi State (9), Florida (11)
Mississippi State's loss at Alabama drops the Bulldogs a few seed lines, while Chandler Parsons continues to single-handedly keep Florida in the field, sinking his second game-winning trifecta in three weeks to beat South Carolina on Saturday.

Mid-Majors
Dancing with a Hottie: Temple (4), Gonzaga (4)
Dancing with Their Sister: BYU (5), New Mexico (5), Butler (6), UAB (7), Xavier (7)
Wallflowers: Dayton (9), Northern Iowa (9), UNLV (10), Cornell (10), Old Dominion (10), Rhode Island (11), Siena (12), St. Mary's (second out), Northeastern (third out), VCU (fourth out), William & Mary (fifth out), Charlotte (sixth out), Richmond (seventh out), San Diego State (eighth out), Wichita State (11th out), Harvard (12th out), Tulsa (14th out)

The Atlantic 10 continues to be one of the best conferences in the nation. Xavier bounced back from a loss at Temple to knock off Rhode Island. It was the Musketeers' fourth top-50 win of the season, and they have excellent computer numbers (RPI 13, SOS 2).
Charlotte, meanwhile, is quietly moving up the ranks and finds itself just outside the field after reeling off three straight wins, including a 12-point victory at fellow wallflower Richmond. The 49ers only have two top-100 wins, but all five of their losses have come against teams that should be dancing.
Northern Iowa didn't deserve to be ranked this past week, and it quickly showed why with a nine-point loss at Wichita State. Just because you have a great record, doesn't mean you're a great team. The Panthers' best win is over Siena, and their strength of schedule is 91st.
The Colonial had an interesting week. VCU and Old Dominion both beat William & Mary to move into a first-place tie with Northeastern, which has won 11 in a row, including a sweep of Virginia Commonwealth.

Automatic Bids
13 seeds: Louisiana Tech, Oakland, Kent State
14 seeds: Murray State, College of Charleston, Weber State, Pacific
15 seeds: Sam Houston State, Coastal Carolina, Morgan State, Arkansas State
16 seeds: Stony Brook, Lehigh, Campbell, Quinnipiac, Texas Southern

The End Has Come for Brett Favre

We got vintage Favre in what may have been the legend's final game
www.si.com
NEW ORLEANS -- The moment was deeply routine, and yet it was not routine at all. Brett Favre sat on a stool in front of a cubicle in the visitors' dressing room in the belly of the Superdome. His pads and helmet were stuffed into a purple canvas bag with the Minnesota Vikings' logo on the outside. His shoes and socks sat on the floor. Slowly he peeled off his white game pants and pulled a sleeveless undershirt over his head. He squirted white, gooey shampoo into his grey buzz cut and it began running down off his head. All of this he has done hundreds of times since he was a little boy, flinging footballs around fields in Mississippi.
He rubbed a sort left wrist and a bruised right thigh. He hobbled on a sprained left ankle. He grimaced when he moved.
Yet in other ways it was not routine at all. Vikings' defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier sat down next to Favre and hugged him, speaking into Favre's left ear. When Frazier stood, quarterbacks coach Kevin Rogers approached, showered and wearing a suit, and hugged Favre.
Next came wide receiver Sidney Rice. Over the course of their one season together, Rice flourished with Favre, with 83 receptions in the regular season and then three touchdown catches last week in the divisional playoff victory over the Cowboys. Rice is 23 and Favre is 40. Rice made Favre young; Favre made Rice grow up. They were good together. Now Rice stood in front of Favre with a towel around his waist and they embraced until Favre dropped his head into the crook of Rice's neck and his eyes welled with tears.
Defensive tackle Pat Williams was next, all 317 pounds of him, wrapping Favre in an embrace and then walking out of the locker room without turning back. Those were four. "You probably missed the other 50 guys I gave a hug to," Favre would say after all this when a reporter asked him about speaking just with Frazier.
Maybe this is the way it finally ends for Favre, with a one-season grab at a last Super Bowl falling one game short, an exasperating 31-28 overtime loss to the Saints. There were no pronouncements from Favre late Sunday night in the Dome. "In a situation like this, I really don't want to make a decision right now based solely on what's happened," Favre said after the game. Had he offered a conclusion either way, he wouldn't have been believed, not with his history of indecision.
This much is safe to say: There's a pretty reasonable chance that Sunday's loss was the last game of Favre's career. And if that's the case, it was in many ways a snapshot of his career. He was brilliant and ballsy, competing his aging old butt off in the face of relentless pressure from the Saints. He threw 46 passes and completed 28, for 310 yards and one touchdown, and for most of the night kept the Vikings pushing toward a game that they should have won. Instead, they lost with five turnovers and two other crucial mistakes. And the worst mistake was Favre's.
There was 2:37 to play when the Vikings took possession at their own 21 with the game tied, 28-28. They had lost three fumbles, including one by rookie Percy Harvin that gave the Saints possession on the Minnesota seven and quickly led to a 28-21 New Orleans lead. There had been another by veteran wide receiver Bernard Berrian late in the third quarter in the red zone. And one credited to Favre on a sloppy handoff to Adrian Peterson, one of three times Peterson put the ball on the ground. Favre had suffered a nasty sprained ankle late in the third quarter and was hobbling now.
But there was a chance to end it and quiet the Dome, which had been deafening most of the night. On third-and-eight from the 23, Favre threw 10 yards to Berrian for a first down. On the next play he hit Rice for 20 yards, and on the next, Chester Taylor ran 14 yards to the Saints' 33. Favre could have taken three knees and then let his buddy, Ryan Longwell, kick a 50-yard indoor field goal to send the Vikings to the Super Bowl.
Two running plays gained nothing and then, inexcusably, the Vikings were flagged for having 12 men in the huddle on third-and-10 from the 33. Those five yards took them out of Longwell's range. They had to run a play.
Favre rolled right. There was open field in front of him, but instead Favre made the gunslinger's play and knifed a throw across his body toward Rice in the middle of the field. It was a crazy pass. Every young quarterback is taught: Never throw late over the middle. Trouble lurks. Saints' cornerback Tracy Porter read Favre's eyes and intercepted the pass. "I probably should have ran it," Favre said afterward. "I don't know how far I could have gotten, but in hindsight that's probably what I should have done. I don't know how many yards we needed for a field goal, but I knew we needed some." He paused.
"I was just late to Sidney."
The outcome seemed almost fated at that point, and it was. The Saints won the coin toss and the game on Garrett Hartley's 40-yard field goal less than five minutes into overtime. They are going to the Super Bowl for the first time in the franchise's 43-year history.
The Vikings' Favre experiment cuts two ways. He was signed to take a very good team to the Super Bowl. They knew it. He knew it. "This was all about winning another Super Bowl," Favre's wife, Deanna, told me after the Vikings' win over Dallas a week ago. That didn't happen, and by that measure the season is a disappointment. That Favre committed the most crucial error in a game full of them only underscores the failure.
And it's fair to say: This is what you get with Favre. He will make the great play, but he will also risk the critical mistake. He has not only the most touchdown passes in NFL history, but also, by a wide margin, the most interceptions. (His last pass as a member of the Packers was also a crucial pick on a bitter cold night in January 2008, all but handing the Giants a berth in the Super Bowl). But that would also be too simple.
A larger story was written, too. Favre made the Vikings much better. You can argue that they went just two games deeper into the postseason than they did with Tavaris Jackson and Gus Frerotte at quarterback, but that ignores a 12-4 regular season and a dominant playoff win over Dallas, which had been the hottest team in the NFL. And it ignores that Favre made the NFL a more interesting place. Granted, the money-minting league hardly needs help in drawing eyeballs, but ratings soared this fall and Favre was surely a big reason for that.
Sports history is full of great players who stay too long, yet Favre was vintage. And the season touched him. "Even though it was one year," he said, "it felt like 50." He meant that in a good way.
"All I can say is it's been a great year," said Favre. "This is a great group of guys. I'd love to win the Super Bowl. Who wouldn't? I didn't have anything to prove coming in. But I'm going out on top one way or the other."
When he was finished talking, he walked through long corridors in the basement of the Superdome until he found his family and put an arm around his wife. It had the feeling of something coming to an end and it wasn't all sad. Two teams move on, Favre stays behind. He deserves to be remembered not just for the last pass he threw, but also for the hundreds that came before it.







www.espn.com
NEW ORLEANS -- Brett Favre will never forget Sunday's NFC Championship Game.
His body won't let him.
Favre was pounded like a gavel, twisted like an Auntie Anne's pretzel. The guy got hit so hard and so often Sunday that Superdome officials should have a walking tour of the field.

Here's where Favre's left ankle went right.

Here's where Favre's right thigh took one for the team.

Here's where Favre's left wrist lost a chunk of flesh.

But most of all, here's where the Minnesota Vikings had their postseason crushed.

The New Orleans Saints beat the Vikings in overtime partly because -- no, mostly because -- they beat up Favre. That, and five Vikings turnovers, including one gruesome interception by Favre in the final 15 seconds of regulation.
By game's end, Favre's body color matched his helmet color: purple. He was 40 at kickoff. He was 60 at the final whistle. In between, he was knocked all the way to Kiln, Miss.
"How old are you?" said Favre to ESPN's Ed Werder as reporters formed a loose semicircle around his locker.
"Forty-nine," said Werder. "How old you feel?"
"Something around that," said Favre.
The Saints are going to their first Super Bowl thanks to a merciless defensive game plan designed to inflict pain. Favre was the inflictee.
You should have seen him sitting in front of that locker immediately after the loss. Red welts on his left arm. Blood on his upper right shoulder. A puffy left wrist. A raw gash on the same wrist. A swollen left ankle. A tender right thigh and lower back.
And red eyes.
One by one, Vikings coaches, teammates and staff made a beeline to Favre for handshakes, long hugs, backslaps and, yeah, tears. Were they thanking him or saying goodbye?
"I'd love to win the Super Bowl, who wouldn't?" Favre said later. "But, of course, I can't print anything for you guys, but I know I'm going out on top, one way or the other.
"My goal is to get to Miami. Obviously that's not going to happen. If it is [the last season], then there's no doubt I'm on top."
Favre said it won't take months for him to make his retirement-or-return decision. He first wants to remove himself from the emotion and physical pain of Sunday's defeat. Then he'll discuss the choice with his family.
"It's hard to even think about anything other than the loss," he said.
Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier spent at least five full minutes consoling Favre after the defeat. As Frazier leaned toward him and spoke, Favre dropped his head and pinched the bridge of his nose.
Wide receiver Sidney Rice hugged him for at least 30 seconds.
Guard Anthony Herrera was next. Then running back Adrian Peterson.
"'Preciate you," Favre said to Peterson.
Next came rookie wide receiver Percy Harvin, whose eyes were as misty as Favre's.
If this was the final game of Favre's Hall of Fame career, it ended with him standing near the sideline, helmet on, helpless as Saints kicker Garrett Hartley punched through the game-winning 40-yard field goal in OT. It was an inglorious end to a glorious season and, depending on Favre's decision, a glorious career.
Once again, Favre's final pass in an NFC championship resulted in a costly interception. It happened in the 2007 NFC Championship Game against the New York Giants. It happened Sunday against the Saints.
Favre deserves -- and accepted -- the blame for the forced throw intended for Rice on a third-and-15 play from the New Orleans 38. It cost the Vikings a chance at a long field goal and the win. Instead, the game went into overtime.
"I probably should have ran it," said Favre.
You mean, limp it. Favre couldn't run. He could barely walk, the result of a high/low hit that could have been called a penalty, but wasn't.
"Did it look bad?" Favre asked Sports Illustrated's Peter King.
King said it did.
"I thought I broke it," Favre said. "The lights went out. I could hear things crunching … Monday or Tuesday I promise the whole foot will be purple."
Favre's second interception -- his 30th postseason INT -- was a killer. It deprived the Vikings of what would have been a 55-yard field goal attempt by Ryan Longwell. That's no chippie, but the long try would have beat the alternative -- another Vikings turnover.
Blame Favre, if you want, but remember that Bernard Berrian's fourth-quarter fumble of a Favre pass at the Saints' 5 was also a killer. So was Harvin's fourth-quarter fumble at the Minnesota 22. So was a botched handoff exchange between Favre and Peterson at the Saints' 4 near the end of the second quarter. So was an inexplicable 12-men-in-the-huddle penalty the play before Favre's final INT.
In short, there aren't enough fingers to point at all the Vikings who screwed up Sunday. And by the way, the Saints and their crowd had a little something to do with the outcome.
If this was the end for Favre, he has zilch to apologize for. The Vikings wouldn't have reached the NFC Championship Game without him. As it was, he completed 28 of 46 passes for 310 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He was the best player on a really good team. At 40.
"I didn't think I had anything to prove coming in," said Favre, "but if there were doubters out there, maybe I served notice to them."
A few minutes later, he left the makeshift stage and walked slowly, very slowly, down a stadium corridor to meet his family. You got the feeling that it might be the last walk down one of these corridors he ever makes.

2010 NBA All-Stars Announced

2010 NBA All-Star Starters
NEW YORK -- Allen Iverson was voted to start in the All-Star Game Thursday, while Steve Nash and Tim Duncan made late moves to claim starting spots for the Western Conference.
Nash passed the inactive Tracy McGrady as the second guard, while Duncan disappointed Dallas fans hoping to see Dirk Nowitzki start by rallying past the Mavericks forward.
LeBron James was the leading vote-getter for the Feb. 14 game at Cowboys Stadium, becoming the first player to earn at least 2.5 million votes three times. He will make his sixth All-Star appearance, all as a starter.
"The fans still love and see what I do every night and they appreciate it, and I appreciate them for electing me as an All-Star starter," James said before the Cavaliers hosted the Los Angeles Lakers. "It's still special."
Joining James and Iverson as East starters were Miami guard Dwyane Wade, Orlando center Dwight Howard and Boston forward Kevin Garnett.


Eastern Conference

Position Player Games
Guard Allen Iverson 11th
Guard Dwyane Wade 6th
Forward LeBron James 6th
Forward Kevin Garnett 13th
Center Dwight Howard 4th

Lakers guard Kobe Bryant was picked in the West along with Phoenix center Amare Stoudemire and Denver forward Carmelo Anthony.
Starters were decided by fan balloting at NBA arenas and electronically. The reserves will be chosen by votes by the head coaches in each conference and will be announced next Thursday.
The fans still love Iverson, even though he's played only 19 games during the worst season of his career. He appeared on the West ballot since he began the season in Memphis, but he and the Grizzlies parted ways following only three games.
Iverson's votes counted in the East since he rejoined the Philadelphia 76ers, his longtime team. He is averaging only 14.8 points with the 76ers, but will get a shot at earning a third All-Star Game MVP award if he chooses to play.
Bothered by a sore knee, Iverson previously said he would consider his health before deciding whether to play in the All-Star Game for the 10th time. He's been an All-Star for 11 straight seasons, but missed the 2007 game because of injury.
"I just want to thank everybody for their support this season and it's an honor that the fans have voted me into the All-Star Game as a starter," Iverson said in a statement. "The fans are who make us and make the NBA so popular. This year is even more special because I'll be representing a city and fans that I love and a team that has been such a big part of my life throughout my career."


Western Conference

Position Player Games
Guard Steve Nash 7th
Guard Kobe Bryant 12th
Forward Carmelo Anthony 3rd
Forward Tim Duncan 12th
Center Amar'e Stoudemire 5th

A McGrady election would have been a bigger embarrassment for the NBA, since he has played sparingly in only six games for the Houston Rockets. The team gave him permission to leave the team and work out on his own while trying to find a trade, yet McGrady still was second among West guards when the most recent update was released on Jan. 7.
That sparked some criticisms of the voting process, but Nash and New Orleans' Chris Paul both moved ahead of McGrady in the final days of voting.
Duncan's late surge gives him a 12th All-Star appearance. Bryant, who claimed his third All-Star Game MVP last year when he shared it with Shaquille O'Neal in Phoenix, also will be appearing for the 12th time.
Garnett's selection was his 13th, trailing only O'Neal (15) among active players.
The NBA expects more than 80,000 fans, which would be the largest crowd ever to witness a live basketball game.
It's a return to Dallas for Nash, who spent six seasons with the Mavericks before signing with the Suns in 2004. He and Stoudemire give Phoenix two starters in an All-Star Game for only the second time, joining Charles Barkley and Dan Majerle in 1995.

Funny Picture Captions

Two fat cheaks!

It can't be.......


Is that buttcheaks?


Is that a Penis?


Poor Tiger!


I cannot believe that the Kansas football team couldn't afford to put coach on a plane.


Enough said.


Looks like Lane Kiffin's girls recruited coach Pearl.


Those poor chiefs.


Don't bet against Bamma!

Ohio State Buckeye Wednesday

Bucks Maul Cats Behind Turner’s Near Triple-Double
www.theozone.net
COLUMBUS – Ohio State made its first seven shots Tuesday while Northwestern made only four in the entire first half as the Buckeyes (14-5, 4-3 Big Ten) made quick work of the visiting Wildcats (13-5, 2-4) in a 76-56 blowout out at Value City Arena.
Coming off a huge win over Purdue Saturday, the Wildcats looked like a team that may have celebrated a little too hard as they had more turnovers in the first half (6) than made baskets. They shot just 18 percent for the half as the Buckeyes got out to a 40-17 halftime lead.
“We had a lousy practice yesterday and I think it showed up today,” Northwestern Head Coach Bill Carmody said after watching his team fall behind 17-3 in the first seven minutes of the game.
“That’s not to take away from how well Ohio State played. Right from the get-go they jumped on us and we were never in the game.”
The Wildcats came out much hungrier in the second half, as they matched Ohio State point for point in the early going. They even outscored them 39-36 over final 20 minutes, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a 23-point halftime deficit or a near triple-double from Evan Turner.
“I thought Evan did a good job of getting inside (their defense) and that kind of shrunk it,” OSU Head Coach Thad Matta said of his star.
Coming off his fourth Big Ten Player of the Week award this season, Turner put on another show for the 13,324 fans attendance. Playing in his fifth game since returning from a lower back injury that cost him a month of the season, Turner fell just two assists shy of his third triple-double of the season.
After the game he said he still felt like he was only about 90 percent back to what he was before the injury.
“I still need a little bit more conditioning, and my feel for the game (isn’t back to where it was), but I felt I anticipated things a little better,” he said.
The 6-foot-7 junior out of Chicago led the Buckeyes with 20 points and 13 rebounds before leaving the game with over two minutes to play, just two assists shy of a triple-dip.
“I thought he got a little tired there down the stretch, but he’s getting back,” said Matta, who pulled Turner with 2:31 to play and a 73-51 lead.
The 13 rebounds came just three nights after Turner managed only one rebound against Wisconsin in a foul-plagued 60-51 win on the very same floor.
“For one I played in the game (tonight),” said Turner, who was noticeably upset after being called for two early fouls against the Badgers.
“I lost my rhythm sitting out 16 minutes but William Buford did a great job rebounding for us that game. I tried to focus on my defense and going to the boards. I wasn’t happy with the way I played defense and rebounded last game.
The Buckeyes outrebounded Northwestern 21-11 in the first half and 35-27 for the game, but it was the way they shared the basketball early on that seemed to impress Carmody the most.
“I thought they passed the ball around really well and got terrific shots,” he said after watching the Buckeyes shoot 56 percent in the first half and 52 percent for the game.
Ohio State had 19 assists on 27 made baskets, including a season-high five assists from junior Jon Diebler, who also added 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting against the Wildcats’ 1-3-1 zone defense.
“We told Jon going into this game that every time we play Northwestern he gets good looks. So we told him to be ready it was good to see him hit some shots,” Matta said.
Buford added eight points, almost all on tomahawk dunks, and David Lighty had seven, but it was center Dallas Lauderdale who stepped up to score a career-high 14 points in the paint to go with six rebounds against a Northwestern team that was playing without 6-8 forward Kevin Coble. The senior has been out the entire season with a foot injury, and without him the Wildcats shot 38 percent from the floor and 39 percent from behind the arc against Ohio State’s high-pressure defense.
The Buckeyes hope to continue that defensive intensity Saturday when they travel to Morgantown for a non-conference battle with No. 11 West Virginia (2 p.m. ET, CBS).

Game Notes:

*The Buckeyes are 12-0 in Value City Arena this season.

*Ohio State outscored Northwestern 14-2 in the paint in the first half.

*At 6:10 left in the first half, Ohio State was 12-of-17 (71 percent) from the floor and held Northwestern to 2-of-15 (13 percent), leading 28-10.

*Evan Turner garnered his seventh double-double of the season against the Wildcats and 18th of his career. It is Turner’s first double-double since he scored 25 points with 13 rebounds against Florida State Dec. 2, 2009.

*Turner’s eight assists makes him the second Buckeye in school history to record 1,000 pts. 500 rebounds and 300 assists - Jimmy Jackson is the only other Buckeye hold the honor. Turner has 1,127 points, 524 rebounds and 301 assists.

*Dallas Lauderdale scored a career-high 14 points to go along with six rebounds. Lauderdale has scored in double figures seven times this season.

*Lauderdale connected on 6-of-6 field-goal attempts. For the season, he is shooting 52-of-68 from the field (76.5 percent), tops in the Big Ten. He is 36-of-41 (87.8 percent) at Value City Arena.

*Jon Diebler has made at least one 3-pointer in his past 29 games, dating to last season. The last time Diebler went scoreless from behind the arc was Feb. 14, 2009, in an 0-of-3 effort against Wisconsin.




Turner, No. 21 Buckeyes make easy work of Northwestern
www.cbssports.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Evan Turner says he's about 90 percent back to where he was before breaking two bones in his back in early December.
After Turner had 20 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists in No. 21 Ohio State's 76-56 win over his team on Tuesday night, Northwestern coach Bill Carmody was asked if he thought Turner still was that far from being on top of his game.
"Next question," Carmody cracked. Then he added, "Yeah. He's doing OK."
Turner also keyed a fast start with five points in a 7-0 run as the Buckeyes (14-5, 4-3 Big Ten) broke out quick and cruised to their third win in a row.
"I think he's the best player in the country," said teammate Jon Diebler, who added 17 points. "The guy does everything."
As a 6-foot-7 point guard, Turner had the length that enabled the Buckeyes to throw the ball over Northwestern's trapping 1-3-1 halfcourt zone. As a result, the Buckeyes shot 56 percent from the field in opening up a 40-17 halftime lead that allowed them to breeze to the finish.
"In practice we attacked that 1-3-1 pretty well," Turner said. "We figured if we attacked instead of retreated or waited for them to attack us, we would be fine. As long as we were in attack mode, I knew we'd be fine."
Dallas Lauderdale had a career-high 14 points for Ohio State, which has won the last 30 times it has hosted the Wildcats, dating to 1977. The Buckeyes were coming off impressive wins over No. 6 Purdue and No. 13 Wisconsin last week.
"Coach has been stressing toughness, composure and attacking - not reacting," Lauderdale said. "We knew they were going to play different defenses and switch man-to-man and 1-3-1. We just wanted to attack whatever we did. The way we started is the way we knew we could start and the way we wanted to start."
John Shurna had 22 points and Drew Crawford 11 for Northwestern (13-5, 2-4), which played its third straight game against a ranked opponent. The Wildcats beat No. 6 Purdue 72-64 on Saturday, the highest-ranked team they had beaten in 31 years.
At one point in the second half, the Wildcats hit 8 of 10 shots from the field but cut only three points off what was a 23-point deficit at the break.
"They're playing as well as anyone," Carmody said of the Buckeyes, who are finding their groove after Turner missed 4½ weeks with the injury that caused him to miss six games. He's been back for the past five.
The Wildcats hit 9 of 23 3-pointers -- they're in the top 10 in the nation in shots made and attempted behind the arc -- but never had an answer inside against the more aggressive Buckeyes.
The Buckeyes broke out to a quick lead on a Turner jumper and a 3 sandwiched around Diebler's fast-break layup.
"Tonight was a good night," Turner said. "We're definitely getting our transition back, which is important. We really thrive in transition basketball. And we're all getting each other involved in the game and we're all playing well together."
Carmody said the Wildcats had a bad day Monday in practice and that seemed to carry over into the game.
"From the get-go they jumped on us and we weren't even in the game," Carmody said. "They passed the ball really well and they seemed to be hitting on all cylinders."
While Northwestern had difficulty getting space to shoot at the offensive end, the Buckeyes were at their best. They hit their first seven shots from the field while taking a 17-3 lead. After the Wildcats got as close as 10 points, the Buckeyes ran off 14 of the next 18 to go up 31-11.
Ohio State, now 12-0 at home this season, also got three highlight-reel tomahawk dunks from William Buford in the opening half.
The Wildcats, who had outrebounded Purdue 42-23, didn't get a rebound in the opening 9:15. Ohio ended up with a 35-27 upper-hand on the boards.
Turner became only the second Ohio State player (joining Jimmy Jackson) to have 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 300 assists.
"Having him back in the lineup just makes us that much of a better team," Diebler said. "We're getting our timing down both offensively and defensively."
Coach Thad Matta was asked where he thought Turner's game was.
"About 50 percent," he said with a laugh.

Big Ten
Team Conf. W-L Tot. W-L
Michigan St. 5-0 15-3
Wisconsin 4-2 14-4
Illinois 4-2 12-7
Michigan 3-2 10-7
Ohio St. 4-3 14-5
Purdue 3-3 15-3
Minnesota 3-3 12-6
Indiana 2-3 8-9
Northwestern 2-4 13-5
Iowa 1-4 7-11
Penn St. 0-5 8-9