by Andrew Hardison
Earlier it was the Top-25 and Bracketology.
Now it’s Tuesday afternoon and two more games played last night are in the books that have immediate impact on the outcome of the 2009-2010 season.
The much anticipated matchup against #1 Kansas and #14 Texas had been talked about before the season started, but would take a backseat to the first game of the night compliments of the Big East.
#5 Villanova had a huge statement victory against #4 West Virginia who used the weekend to jump up two spots. The ‘other’ Wildcats were paced by elite guards Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher. They combined for 38 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, and 5 steals. The duo also has a knack for creating contact and getting to the rim. Reynolds was perfect from the line with Fisher knocking down seven of his own.
The effort along with stifling defense led Villanova to an 82-75 victory over Big East rival West Virginia who was exposed by poor shooting and getting outrebounded by a much smaller ‘Nova team.
#1 Kansas then took on #14 Texas who has been in a free-fall since losing to Kansas State in Manhattan just weeks ago. The Jayhawks held strong once more and won on the road defeating the Longhorns 80-68. If Kansas can continue to outplay the rest of the Big 12, they may be able to hold the #1 ranking for the rest of the season. If they lose again it’s a totally different story.
Kentucky plays Alabama on Tuesday. Syracuse hosts UConn on Wednesday.
In light of Monday’s games and more to come, let’s take a look at the Top ‘Four’ teams in the nation:
#1 Kansas 23-1 (9-0), Big 12
The Jayhawks continue to roll along behind the play of senior point guard Sherron Collins and sophomore Marcus Morris. Collins does it all: scores, defends, rebounds, looks-for-teammates, pushes- the-ball-in-transition, slows-it-down-when-necessary and anything else you could think of. The Bob Cousy Award Finalist just came out and Collins is clearly a candidate to receive the award, justified by his recent play.
The team still has some tough games—@ Texas A&M, @ Oklahoma State, @ Missouri—that could pose some potential problems during the final stretch of the regular season. Kansas is clearly the best team in the Big 12 with Texas losing control and the Jayhawks taking care of Kansas State just a week ago. Prediction: Final Four-National Champions
#2 Kentucky 22-1 (7-1), SEC
The only blemish for the Wildcats came at the hands of South Carolina. As Kentucky ascended the #1 ranking in the nation, the Gamecocks were able to steal a win at home against one of the nation’s most talented teams. The Cats have reeled off three straights wins—Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, LSU—looking more refined and polished as the season moves forward.
The sheer amount of talent has given Kentucky a lot of options this season. Players like Darnell Dodson, Darius Miller, and Ramon Harris are all integral to the Wildcats success, mixed in with the play of the starters. Freshman center DeMarcus Cousins continues to impress, dominating opponents left and right. His sixth double-double came at the expense of LSU on Saturday, as Kentucky rolled to an 81-55 victory. If all the pieces can come together for the Cats, they may be the most dangerous team in America. Prediction: Final Four-National Champions
#3 Syracuse 23-1 (10-1), Big East
The Orange has caught everyone’s attention this season, due to the fact that Jim Boehiem lost several key players from last year’s team. Eric Devendorf, Paul Harris, and Johnny Flynn all decided to bolt for different sceneries leaving Boehiem with a depleted roster. Don’t tell that to the savvy head coach, who put together one of his best teams in years. They get solid contributions from at least eight players every single night and Iowa State transfer Wesley Johnson has been tremendous.
Boehiem mainly runs a zone defense which causes a lot of problems for teams who can’t create their own interior presence. Syracuse can use this to their advantage during the NCAA Tournament, as many teams become frustrated when they aren’t ‘hitting it’ from outside. It looks like the Orange will continue their run to a Big East regular season championship. Prediction: Final Four
#5 Villanova 21-2 (10-1), Big East
Another Big East team stands to separate them from the rest of the pack. The Wildcats defeated a very good West Virginia team Monday night, further highlighting why the Big East is the best conference in the nation. Villanova features a boat-load of talented guards—not surprising for a Jay Wright team—who create a lot of havoc for opposing teams. It was no different Monday, as the starting four guard lineup Wright threw at the Mountaineers combined for 53 of the 82 points scored. Freshman guard Dominic Creek came off the bench to score an additional 7 points in only eight minutes of action.
Out of the top teams in college basketball, Villanova will create a lot of matchup problems for opponents. Teams like Kentucky would try to expose the height advantage they hold over Villanova and pound it inside to All-American Patrick Patterson and POY candidate DeMarcus Cousins. ‘Nova, like many other Big East teams will be extremely prepared come tournament time and will make plenty of noise for the rest of the season. Prediction: Final Four
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