Fenst's Farm Report: Now Arriving, Matt Weiters!

Welcome back to another edition of Fenst's Farm Report. In this edition I will feature a number of the recent call ups from around the league along with a few players who were just sent down that will have an impact again in the big leagues this year. Let's start with the top two prospects in the minor leagues with David Price, the top pitching prospect, and Matt Wieters, the top hitting prospect.

Price has been on the radar for over a season now (really, since he was drafted out of Vanderbilt) and he may finally get his permanent crack at the rotation. It was the injury to the ace lefty of the staff that brought up the future left-handed ace in Price. Kazmir's injury vaulted Price to the big league squad when things were starting to look like Price might be down for a while. It was only a matter of time before he took the job of Jeff Niemann or the struggling Andy Sonnanstine. I think this move will keep Price in the rotation and be most likely the end of Niemann in the rotation. Sonnanstine needs to turn it around real quick or another top pitching prospect in Wade Davis will take his job in the rotation as well.

Expect a very high K/9 ratio from Price as he is one of the premier strikeout pitching prospects. He may struggle with his command at times, but that is something that comes with the inexperience. He is capable of coming out and striking out 10+ at any time. That kind of talent is undeniable. He should provide a well needed boost to a struggling rotation. He will be sitting comfortably in the four spot of the rotation by the end of the year with endless potential to fill.

Price has some new competition in his own division that he is going to have to deal with come this Friday. One of my newest man crushes, Matt Wieters, is getting the call to the majors and will make his debut on Friday. Now I will have a reason to want to watch Orioles games. Wieters will be considered by many to be a top 5 hitting catcher day 1 in the major leagues. There is a lot of pressure on him to help turn things around in Baltimore. Hopefully he doesn't fold under the pressure that comes along with being the #1 prospect. Alex Gordon was talked as being the start of the turnaround for the Royals, but they have thrived without him in the lineup during his DL stint and when he was in the lineup there was little to no production.

His ability and potential are, again, hard to deny. I know I sound like a broken record, but this kid is a polished hitter and all the tools of a superstar are there. Baseball, however, is a mental sport as well as physical. If he starts off slumping right out of the gates it will be interesting to see how he handles adversity. There is always the other factor with a catcher of managing a major league staff, which is never easy. Even with all the risk that comes along with Wieters I am a Strong Buy for him. Try and get him on your fantasy team now before he starts making his name in the bigs.

There are a few other call ups that also happened this week. I talked about Jake Fox and his insane numbers a few weeks ago. He is getting his shot with the Cubs and could be an outfielder to keep your eye on. He was leading the Pacific League in arguably every category 40 R, 17 HR, 50 RBIs, .423 AVG, .503 OBP, .886 SLG. Every time I have looked at his numbers I feel like its from a video game and my created character in Road to the Show mode is just having an insane first half because I am still playing on the rookie level. Mets prospect, Fernando Martinez, is going to see some playing time with all of the injuries that are destroying the Mets roster. Martinez is still very raw at 20 years old and his numbers were good in the minors this year, but not outstanding. I don't see him coming into New York and being an instant success. It is a tough place to play and the fans expect so much of that team this year after choking in back to back Septembers. With top players getting hurt the pressure will fall onto others shoulders, including their top hitting prospect.

A player who was recently sent back to AAA that I feel will be back hitting homers in bunches by seasons end is Matt LaPorta. He is a masher, there is no other way to put it. I think that the Indians will be out of the race soon enough in the Central and there are a lot of injury prone vets in front of him that will bring him back up into the everyday lineup. Don't give up on him yet if you are in a deep league and can spare the bench spot. Well, that's all I got for this edition. Come back in two weeks for another exciting edition of Fenst's Farm Report.

Fenst's Farm Report: Pacific Coast League

Welcome to another installment of Fenst's Farm Report. Two weeks ago I shared with you all a few players who are making a name for themselves in the International League. This week I am going to take a look at a few players who are turning heads in the other AAA leage, the Pacific Coast League. Let's get right into it with the unreal year that a 7 year minor leaguer is having.

Jake Fox (OF- Cubs)

Fox has had a tremendous start to his 2009 campaign. He already has belted 14 and knocked in 42 RBIs, which both lead the league. He is still hitting over .400 at .405 and his OPS is an astronomical 1.426. When I look at some of his numbers I still question if they are accurate because of how amazing they are. The next highest OPS in the Pacific Coast League is Hector Luna's 1.109. Fox has had 120 ABs so far in the PCL this year, which happens to be the same amount of ABs he had last year in the PCL. The comparisons are almost from one extreme to another. He was hitting .220 last year with just 6 home runs and had an OPS of .720. Talk about a guy figuring something out over the off-season. If Fox continues to put up these numbers people will have to take notice. He just got himself on my radar.

Chris Coghlan (2B- Marlins)

Coghlin's play has just earned him a call up to the major league squad. He is now seeing some time with the Florida Marlins after a very productive month and a half in New Orleans. Coghlan showed his versatility by doing a bit of everything with the bat including a couple of home runs and handful of steals at 9. He has shown versatility in the field as well. He has played left field and second base for the Marlins so far and is also listed as a third baseman. That kind of versatility is important to a young player looking to make an impact on his new team. Chris has shown great plate discipline in the minors so far this year (6:5 BB:K ratio). It will be important to see if that translates over to the big leagues.

Luke Hochevar (SP- Royals)

The highly touted prospect has been the Zach Greinke of the PCL thus far. His strong performance and the struggles of Sidney Ponson has resulted in Hochevar back up with the surprising Royals. If Hochevar can keep his confidence up and add another strong arm to that rotation the Royals could become the favorites in the tight AL Central. Hochevar struggled against Oakland in his first start and Ponson had to relieve him early in the game so keep an eye on that situation if you are in need of a pitcher for your fantasy squad. Hochevar has great upside. He isn't overpowering, but he can strike batters out at a solid clip. If he can come into his next start with some confidence and face the adversity ahead of him, he could be in for a quality season. The Royals are capable of run production for the first time in many seasons and since Alex Gordon (yes, I'm still on the band wagon) is still going to break out this year they will have even more firepower to their offense when he comes back. So far Hochevar's PCL ERA of 0.90 has translated over into an ERA of 36.00 in the MLB. I'll say if Hochevar locks down a rotation spot look for low to mid 4 ERA with an average to above average strikeout rate.

Round Table Discussion: Who's Hot, Who's Not

Welcome to the first installment to another former SJ column, the Round Table. In these articles a group of SportsJudge writers (with the occasional guest writer) will contribute their thoughts on a fantasy relevant discussion (or other sports related topic). Each will give their opinions concerning the round table subject while commenting on all previous opinions. As with all SportsJudge content, please feel free to give your opinions and ask questions.

Our first topic this year will have to do with fantasy baseball. There are many players that have shot out of the gates and had an incredible month of April, while perennial All-Stars have been hurting your squads early in this long season. The SJ Team will go over which breakouts they feel will keep their shine or lose their luster, as well as discuss what players will break out of their slump or you should trade away before they become too much of a burden.

Kevin Fenstermacher: The first player I want to talk about this year that has been off to an unbelievable start is Zach Greinke. Greinke was a recent topic in Rob Burckhard’s “First to Third” article about how he came back from psychological issues. He always had the talent and he is finally putting it all together and much more. His insanely miniscule ERA is obviously not going to stay that low all year, but you can expect him to continue to be one of the most dominant pitchers in the game. Coming into the season I had Greinke ranked in my top 15 SP’s and in turn have him in 3 of my 4 leagues (the league I don’t have him I decided to keep Edinson Volquez over him as my 10^th and final keeper…) and I’m reaping the rewards so far. If you looked at his numbers last season he put together a very good season and now with a better team around him and another year of development and some confidence, which may be the biggest factor, Greinke has turned into an elite pitcher.

On the other hand there a few veteran pitchers whose numbers are a little too good compared to their career trends. A pair of former Phillies pitchers, Kyle Lohse and Kevin Millwood, I feel are two players that you will see a sharp decline over the next few months. Now, I know you probably aren’t relying on these guys to put up ace-like numbers and I’m sure they aren’t the anchor of your pitching staff. But, be sure that you don’t overestimate their ability and trade away one of your top pitchers banking on them to put up similar numbers. Millwood’s ERA has been above 5 in each of the past two years in Texas and Lohse’s low K/9 scares me and I think will lead him to occasional trouble.

Chris Carmona: I like Grienke but one person that I see on a daily basis that has jumped out to a hot start is Michael Young. I got some grief for taking him in our league but his numbers thus far, +.310 and 7 HR. Young hit just 22 HR his last 2 years and is 4 seasons removed from his career high of 24 HR in 2005. The emergence of Nelson Cruz as a fulltime starter and Andruw Jones back to form, Michael Young will continue to climb this season. He has made a smooth transition to third base defensively and we all know that the ball flies further in the hot summer in Arlington. The Rangers are near the top of the league in HR hit and in stolen bases. It’s not hard to see Young going 20-20 this year.

I’ll disagree with your statement about Millwood. The guy is comfortable in Texas and he is in a contract year. The Rangers have a $10 million option for next year and this guy wants to be paid. I expect Millwood to get run support all year long so a 3.50 ERA, while not the best, will be enough to get him 15 wins this year. He has a 2.13 ERA now. The AL seems to be a bit down this year with power so Millwood will be a great starter for any fantasy team all year long. His 22:8 strikeout:walk ratio in 38 innings is very good too. Millwood hasn’t had a year in Texas under 4.57 ERA but I think he can keep it at <4.00>

I don’t see Raul Ibanez keeping it up all year. He is currently the 6^th ranked player on Yahoo! Fantasy Baseball. Sure he has a great cast around him this year in Philadelphia but in 8 full seasons, Ibanez has hit over .300 just once. He will be turning 37 this year so he is passed his prime but his OPS of 1.157 is near the top in the league. I can’t see this going on much longer so I’d trade him for as much as you can get for him.

How about those getting off to a slow start? There is Jose Reyes, who usually doesn’t start slumping until September, sorry Mets fans, but now he only has 9 runs scored and 4 stolen bases. Reyes will pick it up and finish with 50 SB and 100+ runs.

I also expect Mark Teixeira to step his game up for the rest of the year. This is tough though because the fans and media will jump on him even more if things don’t turn around fast. Teixeira has always started slowly and this year is no different. This is his 4^th team in the last 3 years so I don’t think we have seen the full potential of Teixeira yet. Get him cheap in your league if you can, the future is bright.

Mike Colligan: I totally agree with your opinion there. Teixeira is a proven hitter and that’s the reason he was in such demand at the trade deadline and in free agency. With the Arod circus due into town any day now, that will not only draw the attention away from his terrible start, but it’ll be a huge boost to that Yankees lineup.

Kevin Fenstermacher: Not only that, but Teixeira is traditionally a slow starter and if you are an owner of Teixeira for a few seasons you should be used to this by now. He is one of the most complete players in the game and will find his bat sooner or later. I can only imagine the numbers he will put up once his bat heats up with the weather while sitting in the middle of that potent lineup.

Brian Doyle: While Zach Greinke is the feel good story of the season so far, I’m going to go ahead and steer everything in another direction. There’s one position in particular where the top tier of players have underperformed or been unable to perform due to injury: catcher. Among the top tier catchers, Russell Martin has been off to a slow start, hitting .224 with no home runs, but still maintains a solid 12 RBI batting towards the end of the Dodgers potent lineup. Meanwhile, Geovany Soto is hitting .158, has an OBP under .300, and has just 3 RBI. Joe Mauer spent the first five weeks of the season on the DL with back problems, and has been the exception to the rule with struggling catchers, starting his season off 7 for 10 with and has already matched Soto’s RBI output (and almost his hit total, Soto has 9 so far this year). Atlanta’s Brian McCann, suffering from an infected eye, is also on the DL after starting the season hitting .195.

It doesn’t get much better below the first tier of catchers. Highly touted Baltimore prospect Matt Wieters didn’t even get the chance to start the season in the Bigs and has been hampered with a bad hamstring since landing with Triple-A Norfolk, where he’s hitting .259. Chris Ianetta, after a solid performance in the WBC has struggled to a .173, with 4 of his 9 hits being homeruns.

Mike Colligan: You could even look as far as Pablo Sandoval. While not exactly a catcher, he was the sexy pick on draft day this spring in Yahoo! Sports leagues as a result of his catcher eligibility. In most leagues I’m involved in I’ve seen him available at some point this season. He was such a hyped prospect that you knew it’d be difficult to live up to the hype but if you can plug this guy in at catcher you’re going to reap the rewards as he continues to find his stroke.

Brian Doyle: On the flip side, Victor Martinez is back to his old self with a .461 OBP, 5 homeruns and 13 RBI. Meanwhile Brandon Inge has come out to a hot start, already with 8 home runs, 19 RBI and an Austin .316 batting average. Just keep in mind that he’s a 31 year-old .239 career hitter who averages about 10 home runs a season (his high was 27 a few years ago, which appears to be an…anomaly). I say sell high and sell now. Shop him to the guy who scooped up Emilio Bonifacio back in the first week of the season while you still can. Old-timer Jorge Posada is also off to a solid start, which proves that purposefully peeing on your hands isn’t just puerile, it’s productive too.

Kevin Fenstermacher: Inge has been off to a great start and is sitting in another quality lineup. I don’t expect these numbers all season, but I don’t expect him to drop down to his career numbers. As with Greinke getting over his psychological issues that we have mentioned before, Inge no longer has to focus on catching. There is a lot that goes into calling a game and the fact that Inge is finally able to concentrate on one position instead of bringing a truckload of different gloves is going to help him at the plate. Not having to call a game and work with pitchers will turn into more production at the plate. Having an identity is a sometimes underrated factor for a player.

Brian Doyle: From an offensive standpoint, Kevin Youkilis surprises me, even though I guess he shouldn’t. They say never judge a book by its cover…but look at him. Does he look like he should be hitting over .400? No, not at all. In fact, throw some red plaid flannel on him and he’s the bad guy from this tragedy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSEaHyzbqTA). Plus, he drives a Touareg. I couldn’t make that up, he really does.

Kevin Fenstermacher: Speaking of Boston, another player who hasn’t shown his bat at all this year is Big Papi, David Ortiz. Still without a homer to this point in the season, is it even right to still call him by that name? His bat has disappeared and left a hole in the middle of the Red Sox lineup. The Sox will need him to become the player he was before all of his injury issues and provide the left handed power bat they need, but I think his days of being one of the most feared hitters are over. I think a slip down into mediocrity is what Ortiz owners should expect from now on. He will still hit for decent power, but by what I have seen from him thus far it is hard to see him as a premier power hitter in the game anymore. If you can still get good value for him from a diehard Sox fan, pull the trigger.

Mike Colligan: This is a more difficult one to decipher. I think I agree that he’ll never have the power he once had, as long as he’s in the meat of the Red Sox lineup, how can you really argue against owning Big Papi on your team? He doesn’t have a homer yet, but his numbers aren’t as bad as some of the previously mentioned players, and with so many deadly hitters around him, it’s only a matter of time until he breaks out in a big way I think.

There is a quick look at some of the players that are off to some surprising starts this year. Thanks for checking in with our first Round Table for this baseball season. We look forward to bringing you more coverage and arguing with each other over various topics for the next several months. Please feel free to chime in and give you opinion as well. Tell us what you think.

Fenst's Farm Report: International League

Welcome back to the second edition of SportsJudge.com's Fenst's Farm Report. Baseball is nearly a month into its season and some prospects are heating up all over the minor leagues before the weather even has a chance. This edition will take a look at some of the top prospects in the International League (AAA) that are off to a hot start. Many of these players you may see on your favorite major league team in the upcoming months.

Matt LaPorta (OF-CLE)

LaPorta was Milwaukee's top pick in the 2007 First Year Player Draft. The power hitter was the 7th overall selection in the draft and was a centerpiece in the CC Sabathia deal last summer. The power hitting prospect has shined in the first month of this short season for Cleveland's AAA affiliate, Columbus. For the Clippers, LaPorta has 11 extra base hits in 68 AB's, 5 of which are home runs. The righty's .368 average is tied for 7th in the international league and his whopping 1.142 OPS is fourth. If he continues and builds on his strong performance Cleveland will be forced to call him up to the majors and find him some regular playing time. LaPorta is able to play both corner outfield positions and first base as well. With LaPorta being one injury away from a call up he could see regular time at DH as well. If he does get the call up expect solid power numbers in Cleveland's lineup, but I wouldn't expect him to be a .300 hitter. Cleveland looks as if they may have received a middle of the order guy for many years from the deal of the galaxy known only as CC Sabathia.

Austin Jackson (OF- NYY)

The young speedster Austin Jackson is off to a great start for Scranton Wilkes-Barre hitting .357 with 10 RBI so far. Where Jackson's true value comes in is his speed and he has not disappointed so far this season. Jackson has 5 steals so far this young season and added two triples as well. With the health/age concerns in the Yankees outfield, as with many prospects, Jackson is a play away from the major leagues. Jackson is striking out at a regular basis, but that is expected from a player that raw and that young. Jackson has the potential to be a 30+ base stealer once he arrives in the majors. He will need to work on his strikeout count for him to sit atop a lineup like the Yankees.

Michael Bowden (RHP- BOS)

Michael Bowden seems to be the next in line of young Red Sox pitchers ready to make an import for the big league club. Bowden is leading the International League in ERA for the Paw Sox with a 0.64 ERA in 3 starts. He is striking out more than a batter per inning and has shown good control with just 5 walks in his first three outings. Drafted in the first round out of high school back in 2005, Bowden is cruising through the competition and looks ready for the next level. The biggest problem for him is the logjam of pitchers ahead of him. Even with injuries already in the rotation he is still stuck with the Paw Sox waiting for his shot. Clay Buchholz is also pitching well and would probably be considered before Bowden as well. If your league has a minor league system, don't let this kid slip under the radar and someoen else get rewarded in the future. On a side note, if Bowden was on the Pittsburgh Pirates he probably would have already been called up, had a dominant rookie season, and then fizzled out already by this point in his career. (Yes, I know the Pirates staff has been amazing this year, but look at the past with these kids.)

Phil Hughes (RHP- NYY)

The injured Wang has vaulted Phil Hughes up into the Yankees rotation. He shined in his first opportunity this year with the parent club, winning his first game for the Yanks since 2007 (he had no wins in his brief stint last season). Hughes didn't allow a run and struck out six through six innings. If Hughes continues to pitch well he might be able to solidify himself as a full-time starter for the big league Yankees. It is always nice to see a highly touted prospect seemingly right the ship after such an awful, injury plagued season (even if he is a Yankee and for the first time in three years not on my fantasy squad...). During his time in the minors he had a 1.86 ERA and 1.03 WHIP ((walks + hits) / innings pitched).

Tommy Hanson (RHP- ATL)

Baseball America top 5 prospect Tommy Hanson has been spectacular thus far for the Gwinnett Braves. His K/9 has been incredible as he has 29 strikeouts through just 20.2 innings pitched.
I wrote two weeks ago to keep an eye on Hanson in my first installment of the Farm Report and nothing has changed. If you have a deep roster or a minor league system he is a must on your fantasy team. When Hanson comes up to the majors he will make an immediate impact for the Braves and your roster. Strikeouts will come in bunches and I don't think he will hurt your ERA, in fact he might improve it. Like I have said before, a mid 3 ERA is a good estimate for where he will be after he arrives with Atlanta.

Fenst's Farm Report

Welcome to the first installment of SportsJudge.com’s newest article, Fenst's Farm Report. Here, you’ll uncover the action that is taking place in the minor leagues; the hitting, the pitching, and the top prospects to watch carefully, because these are the guys that you will count on to shape your fantasy squad in the future.

There are already many top prospects starting up in the majors that you should keep an eye on, such as Oakland pitchers Brett Anderson and Trevor Cahill. Young studs Colby Rasmus, Elvis Andrus, Travis Snider, Rick Porcello, Cameron Maybin and Dexter Fowler are all on major league rosters as well. Even with all of these young players already up in the majors, though, there remains plenty to pay attention to down on the farm. With the season just getting underway, I will highlight some of the top prospects that are waiting for their chance to impact their major league organization as well as your fantasy team.

David Price (SP- Tampa Bay)

Price has been on the radar ever since he was drafted first overall in the ’07 draft out of Vanderbilt. He proved during his September call-up at the end of last season and throughout the ’08 playoffs that he is the real deal. He had a 1.93 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 14 innings in September, and was just as dominant in the post-season. Look for Price to get the call-up very soon after receiving the Longoria treatment this year starting in the minors. He has already demonstrated that he is major league ready and should supplant Jeff Niemann in the Rays rotation in the near future. Price was a mid-round draft pick, but may be undervalued with his start in the minors. Jump on him quick if possible, and expect to reap the rewards for the remainder of the season.

Matt Wieters (C- Baltimore)

Wieters is a rare talent in what is considered by far the weakest position in fantasy baseball. After his call-up – which will be sooner rather than later – he will already be considered to be in the upper echelon of catchers. I am already on the bandwagon, as I have stashed him away in every league I could. You may think it is crazy to value a player this much before a major league at bat, but look at Longoria last season. Expect a .280+ avg. and 15+ homers even though he will be getting a late start to the season. Wieters hit .355 with 27 home runs in 2 leagues in the minors last season. He also shows great plate discipline and has a fantastic approach at the plate for such a young player (more walks than strikeouts last year).

Gordon Beckham (SS/2B- Chicago {AL})

Beckham was the 8^th pick in the 2008 First Year Player Draft by the Chicago White Sox. It is very rare that a player makes it on an opening day roster the year following their draft (which is what Beckham was trying to do this year) but he came extremely close. Even with Chris Getz winning the starting job in Chicago, it is hardly locked in and Beckham could see a lot of time up in the majors this season. If he, does expect solid numbers from him including some decent pop from the second base position (tied for the DIV-1 NCAA lead with 28 homers during his last year at Georgia). He will also have shortstop eligibility, which is a huge bonus considering both positions are quite weak this season. In just 22 at-bats, Beckham is tearing the cover off the ball in AA after a very good campaign in the South Atlantic League (Low A) last season. He might not have the impact of Wieters or Price, but make sure he is on your radar if he does get the call.

Tommy Hanson (SP- Atlanta)

This young strikeout machine is waiting in the wings to take over a rotation spot in Atlanta. In two starts so far this young season, he has 17 strikeouts and an ERA under 1 for Atlanta’s AAA affiliate- Gwinnett. Hanson had over 160 K’s in 138 innings between two levels last year (high-A and AA). With Glavine also contemplating retirement, the move to Hanson could be right around the corner. If Hanson can use his tools effectively at the next level, he is a future ace. As for this season I could easily see him posting a mid 3 ERA and close to a strikeout per inning. Keep an eye on this situation as it could change quickly. If he is sitting in free agency in deep leagues he makes a better option to fill out your roster than a back-end-of-the-rotation starter without much upside. Keep him on your watch list.

Justin Smoak (1B- Rangers)

Smoak was the Rangers’ first round pick in the ’08 First Year Player Draft (11^th overall). He has drawn many comparisons to former Rangers slugger Mark Teixeira and had 63 home runs in his three-year career at South Carolina. Just like Teixeira, Smoak is a switch-hitter with power to all fields and the first baseman of the future for the Rangers. The issue he is dealing with now is the logjam of infielders in front of him in the Rangers organization. They have Hank Blalock and young slugger Chris Davis that both will spend some time at first base this year. Both players can play third base, but longtime shortstop Michael Young has slid over to third this year to make room for prospect Elvis Andrus. If Smoak does get some time up in the majors this year expect plus power numbers, especially in that lineup and the “Bandbox in Arlington.”

As with all SportsJudge articles, feel free to comment with any opinions or questions and stay tuned for the next installment of the new and improved Down on the Farm!

March Madness Preview: Midwest Regional Breakdown

2009 Tournament: Schedule and Preview (can be found here)
Tuesday 1pm ET: South Regional Preview (can be found here)
Tuesday 5pm ET: East Regional Preview (can be found here)
Wednesday 9am ET: Midwest Regional Preview (can be found here)
Wednesday 11am ET: West Regional Preview (can be found here)
Thursday 9am ET: An inside look at entertaining announcer Gus Johnson (can be found here)
Thursday 12:20 ET: 2009 Tournament tips off with Butler and LSU from Greensboro, NC

Bracket to View can be found here

Bracket to Print can be found here

If you haven’t had enough wonderful analysis from the SJ Staff, I’m here to provide you with some more insight for the NCAA Tournament. I will be previewing the Midwest bracket, which starts its play on Friday. Yesterday, Brian Doyle provided you some great information with the statistical analysis he brought to each team, and Mike Colligan did a fantastic job of relating the momentum and traveling that teams have to do heading into the tournament. I have always looked at all of these factors when picking my teams to advance in the bracket, but there is always one more thing to consider before writing down that team that advances to the next round (or should I say, clicking the team). I am going to break down each match-up and concentrate on the individual players who are going to be the key factors into a deep tournament run.

#1 Louisville v. #16 Morehead State

This game won’t be close. Expect Louisville to get out ahead and dominate Morehead State. If you are looking for that 16 over 1 upset keep waiting, because this year is not the year. After a slow start, the Cardinals have been picking up momentum and steamrolling over opponents. They took the conference regular season and tournament championships in the best conference in basketball, the Big East, and look to make a long tourney run. Pitino and his roster have great tournament experience, so an early round exit is highly unlikely for the Cardinals. The coaching staff will not let them look over early round competition. I feel they are a lock for the Sweet 16. The player that will make the difference between stopping there or pushing on will be Terrence Williams. Williams is one of the most versatile players in the country and possibly the most athletic. He can line up anywhere on the floor for the Cardinals. Even though Earl Clark leads the team in scoring (he will have to continue his numbers as well) Williams is the X-Factor. He averaged 12.3 PPG and 8.5 RPG throughout the season this year. Look for a breakout tournament for Williams and a final four appearance for the top-seeded Cardinals.

#8 Ohio State v. #9 Siena

Ohio State isn’t making friends with the selection committee. The Buckeyes were rewarded for their Big 10 tourney run with a first round match-up against the Siena Saints and a possible second round match-up with the #1 overall team in the tournament. For the Buckeyes to get past the Saints and have a chance against the Cardinals they need their young sophomore sharpshooter, Jon Diebler, to continue shooting the 3-ball so well. He has 10 threes over the past two contests (shooting at a 50% clip). If Diebler can give the Buckeyes instant offense from beyond the arc, they can hang in there with almost any team. The Saints don't shoot the 3-ball as well as Ohio State and barely take any shots from long range (25.3% of all FG’s from 3-pt land). They still manage 50% of their scoring from the guards even though they aren’t popping left and right from 3. The Saints best two wins come against Niagara, so without any big wins it is tough to have them advancing against a team as hot as Ohio State. Alex Franklin needs to be a dominant force inside for the Saints if they want to see the second round of the tournament. Another problem the Saints suffer from (and another reason why the Buckeyes will win) is their poor free throw shooting (66%). Against a team that can shoot the three as well as Diebler and Ohio State can, clutch FT shooting could determine the outcome.

#5 Utah v. #12 Arizona

The Utah Utes put together a great campaign this season and won the Mountain West Conference Tournament. The MWC could have received up to 4 teams in the NCAA’s this year (SD State and UNLV were on the wrong end of the bubble) so they have been facing tough competition even though they aren’t in a power conference. For a deep tournament run, the Utes will go through their big man, Luke Nevill. Nevill has been a four year star for the Utes and he is their go to guy in clutch situations. Nevill needs to be the rock inside for Utah to make some noise on behalf of the smaller conferences across the nation. Nevill has averaged just less than 17 PPG this season and over 9 RPG. He has the size and ability to take over at any time. Arizona is the team that many feel got lucky and didn’t deserve to be in the tournament. I do feel that they deserve to be in the tournament, just not as much as St. Mary’s or a few other teams. You can’t take away from their ability because they were the surprise bubble team to get in. I feel that this only makes the Wildcats play with a chip on their shoulder to prove that they deserve to be in the field of 65. I think this fire will make them a much more dangerous team and will help them defeat Utah and pull the upset. Arizona will need all three members of their big 3 (Jordan Hill, Chase Budinger, and Nic Wise) to lead the way. I think the X-Factor for the Wildcats is their former highly touted recruit, Chase Budinger. It won’t just be Budinger’s scoring that will be the difference. He has the ability to see the floor and is a good passer as well as a good low-post rebounder. He has all the intangibles of a leader and will be the deciding factor for the big first round win.

#4 Wake Forest v. # 13 Cleveland State

Wake Forest was once thought of as a #1 seed for the tournament, but they have slipped of late. Wake Forest has had some issues with following up big wins with another strong performance. After their win over Duke, they lost to Georgia Tech and Miami. They also lost to Virginia Tech after beating a strong Clemson team. They are easily the most feared four seed in the tournament and have the talent to beat anyone in the field. Their weakness comes from beyond the arc, but they don’t force shots from deep and they play very balanced on both sides of the ball. Jeff Teague is one of the best guards in the country, but if Wake wants to make some noise this tournament they will need another player to be their March hero along with him. James Johnson (14.8 PPG and 8.5 RPG) is another awesome athlete that is having his second fantastic season for the Demon Deacons. The sophomore’s presence on the floor and ability to beat you in a variety of ways will be far more than Cleveland State can handle. Cleveland State bursted some bubbles this year and snuck into the tournament by winning the Horizon conference tournament. The three point upset of Butler got them into the field of 65, but a very tough first round match-up will get them out just as quick. J’Nathan Bullock is Cleveland State’s go to guy. If Wake overlooks the Vikings, Bullock and his team could bust a lot of brackets on Friday, but don’t expect this one to be close.

#2 Michigan State v. #15 Robert Morris

The Spartans may not be a one seed, but they have played well enough to be considered one of the top teams in college this year. MSU doesn't blow you away with any of their numbers. They have one of the better rebounding margins and have a solid 3-PT % and a good assist/turnover ratio. They also play very strong on the other side of the ball with a good defense. Kalin Lucas is the leader of the Spartans this season. Lucas runs the show on offense and does a lot of the scoring along with dishing out the rock over four times a game. Another Sophomore who will be in the limelight this postseason, Lucas will need to keep his teammates involved. The Spartans have not lost a game in which he posted more than 5 assists. Robert Morris won the lowly NEC. They don't have a strong case for an upset, but Jeremy Chappell and Rob Robinson will do their best to get the Colonials going. Michigan State should get by RMU easily and the 7/10 match-up shouldn’t slow them down. Will they be able to get by the returning champs will be a bigger question that Izzo and company will have to answer.

#7 Boston College v. #10 USC

Boston College put together a strong campaign this season with the highlight being their early season conference win over UNC. Boston College has quietly fallen into a 7 seed facing off against the surprise PAC-10 winner, USC. The little man running the show for BC, Tyrese Rice, is one of the more exciting guards to watch. He has the ability to take over the game and the quicks to scoot by any opponent on his way to the rim. He has been making a serious impact for the Golden Eagles for three seasons now and don’t be surprised if he caps off his bright collegiate career with a strong performance against USC. Boston College does have tendency to fall in love with the 3-PT shot. The problem with that is they aren’t overly spectacular from beyond the arc (.337). I expect a sloppy game against USC with neither team sporting a spectacular A/T ratio or turnover margin. The PAC-10 Champion USC Trojans got a strong seed in going from a team on the wrong side of the bubble before its conference tournament to a 10 seed after. USC lacks bench depth (starters are scoring 88.6% of their points) and experience. They have no seniors in their starting 5. USC freshman DeMar DeRozan could be the deciding factor for USC this postseason. DeRozan took over for USC in the PAC-10 tournament scoring 17 against Cal, 21 against rival UCLA, and 25 in the conference championship against Arizona State. DeRozan also made three of his six 3-pointers on the season in the tournament. If he can step behind the arc and add another level to his game USC could provide a tough out for BC and possibly Michigan State.

#6 West Virginia v. #11 Dayton

West Virginia put together a solid season with 24 wins this season. Their last win of the season was against #1 seeded Pitt. That was a win that propelled them into the 6th seed in the Midwest region. Da’Sean Butler is one of the best players you never heard of this year. Ruoff is the Mountaineer who gets a lot of the attention because of his long range ability, but Butler is the reason this team is sitting as a six seed. He's performed strongly game in and game out against strong Big East opponents and had a stretch of 6 Big East games where he scored 20+ in a row and also an amazing 43-point game against Villanova. I expect more of the same big numbers against tough competition from Butler. It will be interesting to see if Dayton has an answer for him. The Dayton Flyers are one of three teams representing the Atlantic-10 Conference. They have wins over Temple, Xavier, and Marquette this year. All three of these teams get a lot of their scoring from the guard position. WVU statistically gets under 50% of its points from their guards. Chris Wright is another young superstar looking for a breakout tournament. Wright had 5 double-doubles this season and was a force on the glass as well as on offense. I think the A-10 was strongly overlooked this season, and I feel a first round upset over a middle-of-the-pack Big East team.

#3 Kansas v. #14 ND State

Last and not least is the defending champion Kansas Jayhawks. There are a lot of differences between this years team and last. Bill Self is still coaching, which might be the single most important factor. The only two players with significant tourney experience are Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich. With a slew of young talent around them, Aldrich and Collins have taken turns dominating games and have Kansas in a great position for a repeat. Kansas dominated the Big-12 this year and I think the early round exit from their conference tournament will work out to their advantage. The time to rest up is invaluable and will be an advantage they have on many teams heading into the tournament. The added swagger and confidence is something that this team definitely doesn’t lack (even though many players had little impact or weren’t around for last season). Aldrich and Collins will get their points and keep Kansas competitive against any team, but the X-Factor of this team is Tyrel Reed. Reed only scores 6.7 PPG, but he has come up with countless big shots for the Jayhawks this season. He has the confidence to make any shot with the clock counting down. ND State is a team that nobody would want to face this in the first round of the tournament because of their ability to shoot the three (over 41%). If Kansas takes ND State lightly, Ben Woodside (22.8 PPG), could be the third team in the past several seasons to upset Kansas in the first round.

Look for a few upsets in the first round of the Midwest Region. I see Dayton, USC, and Arizona all moving on to the second round (but advancing no further). A tough Elite Eight match-up will come down to the #1 overall seed and defending champion. Will Tyrel Reed be able to step up and make a big shot for the Jayhawks again, or will Terrance Williams, Earl Clark and Louisville be able to hold of the youthful champs?

*Midwest Region previewed by Kevin Fenstermacher

Have a history of disputes in your Fantasy Baseball league? We've got you covered. Head over to SportsJudge.com and sign up for our Fantasy Baseball '09 dispute resolution season package. Fully-customized League Constitutions are also on sale for a limited time only. Don't wait...sign up today!

Weekend Wrap-Up: Bracket Busters

14 Villanova (22-5) v. 25 Syracuse (19-8)

Villanova and Syracuse are heading in opposite directions as the Big East season rolls on. That continued this weekend after the Wildcats traveled into the Carrier Dome and walked away with their 10th Big East victory of this season, defeating the Orange 89-86. Syracuse had three 3-point tries in the closing seconds of the game, but was unable to get one to go. Syracuse is on its way to getting dangerously close to that bubble that burned them so many times in the past. They have plenty of opportunities to right the ship in the stacked Big East conference. Villanova had six different players in double figures and have shown that they can beat the best this season. Their style of play could prove tough to handle come tourney time. Watch out for Jay Wright and his Wildcats.

22 Butler (23-4) v. Davidson (22-6)

Butler stopped a two game skid after their “Bracket Buster” victory over Davidson. The spectacular Stephon Curry struggled in his return from his sprained ankle (even though he had 20 points) starting off 0-8 from the floor and finishing under 20% from down town for the game. It will be interesting to see how the tournament considers Davidson if they stumble during their conference tournament this year.

23 Utah State (25-3) v. Saint Mary’s (22-5)

The Gaels got a must win victory over the 23rd ranked Utah State Aggies, 75-64 despite the Aggies hitting 40% from beyond the arc. Mickey McConell led the way for St. Mary’s with a career high 22 points. Omar Samhan chipped in with a double double and the Saint Mary’s Gaels showed that they can beat a quality opponent without superstar point guard Patty Mills. The injury still might be the reason you don’t see the Gaels dancing come tournament time. There is still a lot of basketball left to play and St. Mary’s is one of the teams you should keep an eye on.

3 North Carolina (24-3) v. Maryland (17-9)

In the biggest shocker of the week the Maryland Terrapins needed overtime to take down the top team in the Atlantic Coast Conference, North Carolina. Greivis Vasquez had a career game with the Terrapins first triple-double in 22 years. Vasquez scored 35 points, grabbed 11 boards, and had 10 dimes to go along with the huge upset win. The Terrapins rallied from 16 points to put themselves back in the bubble picture for the NCAA Tournament. Vasquez led off the game scoring Maryland’s first 16 points, but got some serious help from his teammates off the bench as they dropped in 41 points and 18 assists (compared to just 5 of each from the thin Tar Heels bench).

Weekend Wrap-Up: One Month Away

5 Duke (20-5) @ Boston College (19-8)

Coach K and his Blue Devils drop another ACC match, this time to BC. Boston College got its first ACC win against Duke with a score of 80-74. This was their first victory over Duke in over 24 years. The Blue Devils have shown some weakness this year with spotty shooting from behind the arc, which was once known as one of Duke’s biggest strengths. They shot 3-16 from 3-point land. Kyle Singler hit all three of them as he continued his powerful play along with Gerald Henderson. The problem is that these are the only two players who show up night in and night out. Coach K might get an early start to concentrating on USA Basketball or working on his golf swing, because I expect an early exit from Duke in this year NCAA tournament.

3 North Carolina (23-2) @ Miami (FL) (15-9)

Miami played well against another top team, but it wasn't enough to topple Ty Lawson and the Tar Heels. Lawson had 17 of his 21 points in the second half as UNC held off the Hurricanes in a 69-65 victory. Jack McClinton led all scorers with his third straight 30+ point effort as he dropped in 35 for the Hurricanes. He was also 7-12 from downtown, scoring more than half of his team’s points. Miami has showed it can play with the nation’s best teams this season, but as of right now it looks like they are on the outside looking in for an NCAA tournament birth. UNC scored over 20 points below their season average, but good teams find a way to win games even when they’re not at their best.

11 Clemson (20-4) @ Virginia (8-13)

It took overtime for Virginia, but they managed to pull off the huge upset over 11th seeded Clemson. Clemson came out flat in the first half trailing by eight points at the break. This was a sloppy contest as each team had over 20 turnovers and 19 or more fouls. Every time Clemson loses a game like this, the players must be haunted by flashbacks of their epic collapse just a few seasons ago. This might have ruined all chances of a regular season conference championship for the Tigers as North Carolina now has a two-game lead in the loss column. Still, I really like the way this Tigers team plays. Their press is too much to handle for some teams, so it should be interesting to see how their energetic style plays out come tourney time.

6 UCLA (19-6) @ Arizona (18-8)

Arizona strengthens its tournament resume with a big home win over number 6, UCLA. This 84-72 win broke an eight-game losing streak against the Bruins for the Wildcats. The PAC-10 has been extremely competitive this season as they are beating up on each other just like the teams of the Big East. I don’t really believe there is too much of an east coast bias in sports, but I myself feel like I am not aware of all the good teams in the PAC-10. These teams are all going to be tourney tested with the competition that they are dealing with in their own conference. Conceivably, five to six different teams could end up winning this conference (depending on the outcome of the USC v. ‘Zona State game which is going on while I write this in-depth article; currently 51-40 Sun Devils). I don’t think that the PAC-10 has the depth of the Big East and I feel the top teams aren’t as good, but this conference should not be overlooked.

On a Side Note: We are a just under a month away from Selection Sunday. The NCAA Tournament is nearly here. The most exhilarating atmosphere in all of sports is coming and I couldn’t be more excited. I don’t think there is anything else that rivals the field of 65 in all of sports. Not only is the tournament extremely exciting, but so is the buildup. Conference tournaments and all the big games that we still have to play leading up to this glorious annual occasion will provide some of the most memorable moments in the sports year. As it approaches, SportsJudge will provide even more coverage of the college basketball season leading up to Tournament. Stay tuned.

Weekend Wrap-Up: Seminoles Going Dancing?

20 Syracuse (18-6) @ 16 Villanova (19-4)

Dante Cunningham took control as Villanova exploded to a big conference victory over #20 Syracuse, 102 to 85. Cunningham matched a career high with 31 points and added 9 rebounds to his stat line in ‘Nova’s fifth straight win. The Orange’s vaunted zone couldn’t handle the guard oriented Wildcats as the put up over 100 points. This is the first season in which Syracuse has allowed 100 points more than once in a season since the ageless Jim Boeheim has reigned as coach. Syracuse could have used Otto the Orange off the bench for some support as Villanova outscored the ‘Cuse 32-12 off the bench. The two Coreys - (not the ever popular Haim and Feldman) - Fisher (14 points) and Stokes (16) gave ‘Nova the depth they needed to turn this match into a laugher (not as big a laugher as Feldman’s singing career; seriously, check this stuff out).

Florida State (18-5) @ 10 Clemson (19-3)

After dominating Duke on national television, the Clemson Tigers’ follow-up act was less than impressive, blowing a 19 point second-half lead. It was almost expected that the letdown would occur as the Tigers were probably exhausted from watching highlight sessions of Trevor Booker dunking the ball through the face of E.T…(I mean Kyle Singler). I get to share a computer with a Duke fan and a Clemson fan at work, so the new background of Booker throwing it down on a couple of Dukies is truly a marvelous sight. After being on the outside of the bubble looking in several times in his coaching career, Florida State Head Coach Leonard Hamilton might finally get to dust of his dancing shoes. This win puts Florida State in very solid position to make the field of 65. Solomon Alabi was the big man on campus for the Seminoles on both ends of the floor with 17 points, 9 rebounds (4 offensive), 5 blocks, and 2 steals.

9 Xavier (20-3) @ Duquesne (15-7)

In yet another upset this week (possibly the biggest) Duquesne surprised the ninth ranked Xavier Musketeers after shooting 81 percent in the first half. No, that isn’t a typo. I will repeat it just to make sure, 81%! Shooting 81 percent, especially against a top 10 team, is as mind boggling as the fact that Duquesne is pronounced “do cane.” Xavier couldn't climb out of the 15 point deficit it faced at halftime after Duquense’s hot start. Although they’ve had 24 opportunities, this is their first win over a ranked opponent since 1997. It is nice to see that an Atlantic-10 team can take down the conference powerhouse, because that is the only way this is a two-bid conference at this point in the season. Xavier is a very experienced and talented team, so I don’t expect a slip-up to occur in their conference tournament. Sorry A-10 fans, nobody has stood out so far to join them come March Madness.

15 Memphis (20-3) @ 18 Gonzaga (17-5)

Memphis spiced up the second half of their season with a road game into Spokane for a meeting with the Gonzaga Bulldogs. They had not played a team quite this strong in a while, but Memphis seemed fully prepared for the tough Bulldogs and blew them out of their own building 68-50. Memphis has been running through Conference USA (another one big “major” conference) and is on a 14 game win streak - which is second longest in the nation after Utah State (18 games). Freshman standout, Tyreke Evans, led the way for Memphis with 22 points and 6 rebounds. Robert Dozier also chipped in a double-double and Memphis cruised to the non-conference victory. Look for both of these teams to continue to dominate their conference and make some noise come tourney time. Analyst Len Elmore has predicted Gonzaga as a final four “lock.” Don’t be surprised if he grows an Adam Morrison ‘stache to prove his support. I sometimes wonder what goes through the minds of color commentators after they make a comment they know they are going to regret. The laugher from their colleagues has to sting.

On a Side Note: The Big East is truly a BEAST this season. If you look all around college basketball, the teams falling the most into obscurity are teams in the Big East because the competition is so tough. Notre Dame is all but out of hope for making the tournament this year when they were ranked just a few weeks ago. Georgetown is almost right there with them, clinging onto their last hopes of making the dance. Syracuse is falling fast and if they don’t recover quickly, they could find themselves in the same sinking boat (their road doesn’t get any easier traveling to #1 UConn). I think they should just give the Big East one bracket in the tournament and let the rest of the conferences fight it out for the other three. The bottom of the Big East (Rutgers, DePaul, St. John’s) would have more of a chance than your average 14 to 16 seeds. There are too many good teams in this conference and they are beating themselves out of the tournament. It no longer looks like the super conference is going to easily get in 8 or 9 teams.

Weekend Wrap-Up: Golden Eagles Still Soaring

Penn State (17-5) v. 9 Michigan State (17-4)

The big surprise this Sunday was dealt to Michigan State after falling to PSU 72-68. This is the Nittany Lions’ first win ever in East Lansing. This also gives PSU a quality road victory to put on their resume for their surprise run at a birth in the NCAA Tourney. Poor shooting at the line almost cost PSU the game as they went from trailing by 13 to pulling out a 12-point lead that they were barely able to hold onto. The Spartans still look like a top squad as they are 7-1 against the RPI Top 50. I think that is something worth repeating...7-1 against the top 50! Come tourney time, watch out for Izzo’s Spartans. This upset also sparks another debate as well...

4 Wake Forest (17-2) v. Georgia Tech (10-10)

What is with Wake Forest? They fell into what could be considered a trap game and overlooked a very resilient Yellow Jacket squad. The buzzer beater victory (76-74) was Georgia Tech’s first ACC win this season. Wake has two wins over #1 squads this season, but has two disappointing losses on their resume that will hurt them if they want a #1 seed. Things should be interesting in the top-heavy Atlantic Coast Conference. Brothers Al-Farouq Aminu (Wake Forest) and Alade Aminu (Georgia Tech) each had double-doubles in the contest with Al-Farouq dropping in 17 points and snagging 11 rebounds. Older brother Alade had 10 points and 13 boards, but got the most important stat of the night, a W.

23 Georgetown (12-8) v. 8 Marquette (19-2)

Fans of the Hoyas have to be worried after Georgetown dropped its 5^th straight on Saturday. However, Marquette fans couldn’t be happier as their team sits on top of the deepest conference in college basketball, the Big East. The Golden Eagles have received stellar guard play all season from Wesley Matthews, Jerel McNeal, and Dominic James. Add in the versatile Lazar Hayward and the experience all these players bring to the court and it’s no wonder that they are finding such success. Team chemistry is something that is highly underrated and overlooked in the college game, but this team has it and it defines their winning success. The Golden Eagles could conceivably start 14-0 in conference play with only one game (@ Villanova) in its next six against a team in the top half of the Big East standings. Every game is a battle in the Big East so they could easily drop any one of them, but I feel that this team has the perseverance and experience to make it through this tough conference season without too many hiccups. Georgetown can say goodbye to the top 25, and if this play continues, goodbye to the NCAA Tournament. They face two must-win games at home against Rutgers and Cincinnati.

22 Notre Dame (12-8) v. 3 Pittsburgh (19-2)

The old adage “Live by the Three, Die by the Three” has never been more appropriate than with the Fighting Irish in their match up against the Panthers. I understand that this game took a backseat to Super Bowl (Congrats Steelers) but every Big East win is a big deal. After shooting 50% (11-22) from long range in the first half, Notre Dame hit just one in the final twenty minutes. Just like Georgetown, ND has dropped five straight in the daunting Big East, but I think the Irish are still in good shape for making the tournament because they have the hardest working man in college hoops, Luke Harangody. They need to turn it around quick before they dig themselves a hole too deep for even the luck of the Irish to help them come Selection Sunday. Pitt is hanging with the leaders of the B-East behind their dominant force in the middle, DeJaun Blair, who had 23 points and a career-high 22 rebounds in the 93-80 victory. The Panthers are a legitimate title contender come March.

18 Saint Mary’s (18-3) v. Portland (15-7)

The mid-majors took a serious blow to their chances with the injury of Gales superstar, Patty Mills. Saint Mary’s couldn’t handle conference foe, Portland, without Patty (this kid doesn’t have an Australian name, they really should check his visa) running the show. Mills is reportedly out for a month due to injury, and if the Gales can’t handle a team like the Portland Pilots (maybe the third best team in the WCC, but still a team St. Mary’s should take care of) they could be staring at the NIT in March. Gonzaga is up again in less than two weeks and I just don’t think the Gales have a chance in this must-win game without Mills running the offense. They still don’t have a win against the RPI top 50 (not many chances, 0-1 this season) but I like their style of play. I think they would be a great “unknown” team to spice up the brackets in March, but their entry might have to be through the WCC tourney and Gonzaga.

On a Side Note: There has been a lot of talk about not letting teams with a sub-.500 conference record into the NCAA tournament. I have to say I strongly disagree with this. I think you might see a team like Georgetown or Notre Dame finish under that threshold in the overloaded Big East. I don’t think that a team like Saint Mary’s, who will have no problem finishing well over that barrier in their conference, should be getting in over these teams. Maybe the Big East is the exception to this rule, I’m not sure, but what I am sure of is that when Selection Sunday arrives, Georgetown and Notre Dame will have more quality wins than Saint Mary’s and similar squads. I’m just glad I’m not on that committee come selection time.

Weekend Wrap Up: Hoyas Continue Fall, This Time to the Hall

12 Louisville (15-3) v. 8 Syracuse (17-4)

The Cardinals are flying high after another huge Big East win over a ranked opponent as they handed Syracuse its first home Big East loss of the season, 67-57. It was a knockdown drag-out Big East battle as the Orange shot under 40% from the field for the first time this year. Louisville is making a strong case for the Big East crown so far this season. They are tied atop the standings at 6-0 with the Golden Eagles of Marquette (who took down DePaul over the weekend).

14 Georgetown (12-6) v. Seton Hall (10-9)

This might be the only opportunity I get to sneak my alma mater into this column, so I’m taking full advantage. The Hall pulled out its first Big East win upsetting fourteenth ranked Georgetown 65-60. This was a very sloppy game featuring a lot of fouls, turnovers, and not much else. Neither team filled up the stat sheet, but Jeremy Hazell dropped in 23 points even while shooting 0-10 from 3-point range. It was the first time that the Pirates did not score a 3-point basket in a game since 1991, a span of 504 games. G-Town needs to rebound quickly to remain as much a contender in the Big East race as they have last their last 3 games.

11 UCLA (15-4) v. Washington (15-4)

There is a surprise leader on top of the Pac-10 so far this season, the upstart Washington Huskies. The Huskies have won 13 of their last 14 games (their only loss coming in overtime to Cal) and have a one game lead over Arizona State, California, and UCLA. Washington looks like they will be returning to the NCAA tournament this year and might be the most feared team in the Pac-10. The backcourt of Justin Dentmon and Isaiah Thomas (not the Thomas that ruins NBA franchises) lead the way for Washington shooting a combined 19-22 from the foul line and stepping up for the Huskies in key moments throughout the game.

23 Baylor (15-4) v. 5 Oklahoma (19-1)

To summarize this game you only have to mention one name: Blake Griffin. He has truly become a dominant force in the college game. As long as he continues to play at this level, you can’t count the Sooners out as legitimate title contenders. Griffin powered his way to his 16^th double-double of the season with 20 points and 17 rebounds. The eldest Griffin, Taylor, also had a big night on both ends of the floor (18 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, 4 blocks). There isn’t a much more enjoyable scenario in sports than watching brothers perform at such a high level. The Sooners had this game won by halftime taking a 27 point lead into the locker rooms. Oklahoma shot 58% from the floor and 47% from downtown in the blowout victory.

3 Connecticut (18-1) v. 19 Notre Dame (12-6)

The streak is finally dead. I thought the aforementioned Pirates of Seton Hall might have been the team to do it, but the streak is over nonetheless. UConn did what no team has been able to do in 45 games, grab a win in South Bend at the Joyce Center. The Huskies proved to be too much for ‘Gody and the Irish as Cool Hand Luke didn’t get much support from his teammates on his 24 point night. Kansas now holds the longest home win streak with 35 games.

I don’t know anyone who shows more effort play after play than Luke Harangody. It’s possible that Tyler Hansborough shows the same work ethic as ‘Gody, but for some reason Harangody seems to avoid getting popped in the face night after night. Hansborough has his own version of the critically acclaimed “Manning Face” that happens after an elbow, fist, knee, or whatever else flies at his face.