Ranking the Big East Chances in the Dance

Because someone far more relevant than me will probably live-blog the games on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (Friday I'll be sneaking out of work early to see which puns Jim Nantz can employ in his coverage of the Raleigh first-round games; Sunday I'll be drunk), I'm gonna take a stab at evaluating the Big East's 8 entrants and their chances in the Dance. Since I like building towards a stunning climax (ask your mom. Zing!), I'll go worst to first, like the '91 Twins.

8. Villanova

Quote from an e-mail my friend sent me: "I can't wait to see Clemson make Jay Wright eat sh*t for lunch." Indeed, neither can I. James Mays is gonna have a field day in that game. Honestly, how the hell is this team even here?

7. Notre Dame

People will disagree heavily with this one, if anyone actually reads my posts. Here's my logic: I hate Notre Dame, and not just for the people (I actually like some of the people). My issue is with the fact that everyone wants to get on their jock, but they have shown absolutely no ability to beat a more athletic team. I'm not necessarily saying that G-Mason is a more athletic team, but I think Mason's about to break off a mini-run that will inspire talk of '06 (let's hope Verne is doing that Regional), and I see ND biting it in Round One.

6. Marquette

Tom Crean terrifies me; I think he should have been cast as McGreevey in Little Children. The mascot makes me make up sweating (it's a vengeful eagle). I also think Billy Gillespie pretty much lives life like this: hoops, crap, hoops, hoops, hoops, hoops, "french fried po-taters," hoops, hoops, hoops, hoops, brush teeth, hoops, hoops, hoops, hoops, hoops, VividEntertainment.Com, hoops, hoops, hoops, hoops, sleep. He'll prepare for this one well. Golden Eagles, goodbye - Round 1.

5. WVU

I want to believe that a Huggins/Coach K rematch from the '98 Great Alaska Shootout in the second round will give K another early exit. I really want to believe this, desperately, like a child wants to believe in the Tooth Fairy. However, Duke will probably pull it out; Joe Alexander would have to go ape for them to lose, and I don't think he has enough primate in him. So, the Mountaineers will end the Kevin O'Neill Era Part 1 on a down note, but then send Huggy Bear into a shame spiral with a second-round loss.

4. Connecticut/Pittsburgh

I got both these cats rolling out in the Sweet 16, despite everyone's upset special of San Diego over UConn and everyone getting on Pittsburgh's jock because of how they rolled Georgetown in the BE Finals (during that game, intoxicated, I told my friend about six times, "Man, DeJuan Blair is a LOAD down there, isn't he?") Connecticut vs. UCLA could be one of those deceptively interesting games, where you assume UCLA wins by 15, but really, it's close all the way - Thabeet can kinda body Love for a while, and Price might be able to run with Collison for at least a half. Pittsburgh vs. Memphis (or Mississippi State, if you believe in the power of Jamont) will be close too, but Memphis has so many weapons, even though Joey Dorsey is a complete biatch and could get pushed around by my load-bearing friend Mr. Blair.

2. Georgetown

Is anyone else projecting a Georgetown vs. Vanderbilt Elite Eight game? The ultimate revenge match for the Jeff Green travel no-call? I think it could happen. Kansas chokes it more than a 12 year old with a Jenna Jameson poster he found in a trash can, so you figure they go down to Clemson or Vandy in the Round of One-Six. Georgetown may have issues with Davidson/Gonzaga, but if they get by that winner, Wisconsin shouldn't be tremendously hard (but man, talk about a boring-as-hell game). What if, for the purposes of this study, Shan Foster just gets white hot from three and drops 40 on the Hoyas, becoming the new D-Wade (for his performance in a Regional Final) in the process? What if Bill Raftery just yells "JAMBALYA!" for no reason during said game? Oh man, what a Dance this will be.

1. Louisville

Look, UNC is good. They're very good, in fact, and their best player has a motor that doesn't quit. But, Roy Williams is a horribly overrated coach. If Bruce Weber had turned off the three-bomb green light in that '05 final, there's a legitimate chance Williams still wouldn't have a ring.

Last year in the Elite Eight, what happened? His team can't score for six minutes, Tyler is completely out of the game, and the dude doesn't call a timeout? WHAT? That's good coaching? Nay. He will choke himself out of his Tournament at some point - it could even come against Indiana. DJ White on Tyler? Gordon playing to get himself a Top 4 pick? You never know.

Tennessee is a joke too. How long has Chris Lofton been in college? Did he play with Allan Houston? Remember 2 years ago when they needed a last second shot to beat Winthrop? Might happen again in their 2/15 game. My point is, Louisville - despite entering the Tournament on a down note of two straight losses - will win the East, thus advancing farther than any other Big East team.

Man, it should be fun watching this blow up. STF 4-Eva, and I'll see you when Scottie Reynolds wins Tournament MOP and I'm back here to eat my hair pie in public.

STF Conference Report - Big Ten

Right now, as you read this, the first round of the Big Ten Tournament is taking place over at ESPN2. I'll give you a minute to flip the channel...

Got it? Great. So there you have it. Things could not be more un-exciting in the first round of the Big Ten Tourney. But have no fear - business is about to pick up. With arguably four teams in the hunt to win the tournament (Wisconsin, Purdue, Indiana and Michigan State) and three teams who could easily play the role of spoiler (Illinois, Minnesota and Ohio State), simple math tells me that there are seven quality teams in this tournament. Unfortunately, for myself and the rest of the Big Ten analysts this year, math has doesn't sh*t to help.

With that said, here's a quick preview of this year's tournament, despite it already having started:

Team to Beat - Wisconsin. The Badgers battled through their Big Ten schedule en route to a regular season title. Don't expect them to skip a beat in the conference tournament and into the NCAAs, as long as Brian Butch can act like the 6-foot-11 big man that he is.

Team to Watch - Purdue. The Boilermakers have arguably the most upside and potential out of any of the Big Ten squads. With young talents such as Robbie Hummel, Scott Martin and E'Twaun Moore, there's no question that Purdue will be a dangerous foe in the tournament. But will inexperience hurt them in the end? Stay tuned to find out.

Team to Fear - Michigan State. The preseason favorites. The wise elders. The Spartans. Michigan State has been here before, and with Drew Neitzel and Raymar Morgan leading the way, the Spartans could easily plow through the tournament and head into the NCAAs with the momentum they've been searching for all season long.

Player to Watch - Eric Gordon, Indiana. This may seem like a no brainer, but it's not for the reason you may think. Gordon, who many scouts have slated as a lottery pick in next year's NBA Draft, is NOT ready for the pros. I repeat, Eric Gordon is nowhere near ready to enter the NBA. Therefore, the Big Ten Tournament - and subsequently the NCAA Tourney as well - will be his final auditions for the big stage. If the last few weeks are any indication, Gordon is going to get eaten alive by the bigger guards of the NBA.

Quick Prediction - Purdue will win the Big Ten Tournament.

STF Conference Reports: Atlantic 10

(By Brett Kahn)

The field is set for what could be the most unpredictable conference tournament yet. The four coveted byes in this year’s tournament went to Xavier, Temple, UMass, and Richmond. Certain teams are getting hot at the right time and certain teams could not be getting colder. Right now, this conference is lucky if it gets two NCAA bids, but if Xavier runs the table, it might be the loan gunman in a field full of trigger-happy cowboys.

TEAM WITH THE BEST WEEK

After a so-so stretch from January to February, there isn’t a team hotter in the A-10 right now than UMass. Winners of six straight, the Minutemen are ready to do battle in this fierce tournament. Gary Forbes continues to make his case for conference player of year as he dropped 26 points and 11 rebounds in a 100-63 win over La Salle. He also added yet another 20-pt. effort in a 67-63 win at G.W that clinched a bye for the Minutemen. UMass is slated to play the winner of Charlotte and URI in the second round. They beat both of those teams during the regular season.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

I would probably give this coveted award to Gary Forbes again, but there is another player who is doing something remarkable this year. Christmas is said to come all-year round and that’s no exception in the A-10. Temple’s Dionte Christmas continues to score the basketball at a ridiculous level. Christmas averaged 22 points and 5.3 rebounds in Temple’s three straight wins this week. He also set a new school record for most 3-pointers in a season with 96. He is now tied with Forbes with a 20.3 scoring average to lead the conference. His play is coming at the right time as Temple has won four straight to lock up the #2 seed and a first round bye.

TEAM WITH THE WORST WEEK

After being a lock earlier in the season to go dancing, the Rhode Island Rams are now anything but. They have lost six of their last seven and go into the conference tournament as the #11 seed facing the #6 seed Charlotte, whom they just lost to. It is anything but smooth sailing for the Rams. For them to have any chance to make another magical run, like last year, Jimmy Baron has to give them a spark shooting the ball. The Rams have a nice inside presence with Will Daniels and Kahiem Seawright, but they need to shoot better than 33% from the field, which they did against Charlotte.

GAMES TO WATCH

A-10 Tournament 1^st round- Wednesday 3/12

Game 1 - #8 Dayton vs. #9 Saint Louis - 12:00

Game 2 - #5 Saint Joseph's vs. #12 Fordham - 2:30

Game 3 - #7 La Salle vs. #10 Duquesne - 6:30

Game 4 - #6 Charlotte vs. #11 Rhode Island - 9:00

STF Conference Reports: The ACC

Alright, everyone knows that Duke/UNC is tomorrow. Big Deal. I can't hype it up more than anyone else has, so let's just assume that this game will be amazing and very, very important. Although Carolina is playing great, I still like the Dukies, by three at home. I will even be in Durham tomorrow for the contest (though not at Cameron - dang). But still, now I can die happy.

Instead, the real intrigue lies in the last weekend games that will make an even bigger difference -- the ones that will help solidify/destroy a team's hopes of making the Dance.

3/8 NC State @ Wake -- Wake has a microscopic chance of getting into the tournament. The losses last week probably killed them. But, they are my super "darkhorse" bid to win the ACC tournament and lock up an automatic bid. Chances of making the dance, 1%. Chances of winning the ACC tournament and getting the automatic bid, 2 %.

3/9 VTech @ Clemons -- Tigers are in. That is for sure. However, they will need momentum from this game the conference tournament to get a better seed. The last thing these guys want is and 8-9 matchup. Get to the ACC semi-finals and make a strong showing, they could get as high as a 5. Probably a 6 or 7. Hokies also right on the bubble.

3/9 Maryland @ Virginia -- Maryland is probably in to. Though, not a slam dunk like Clemson. Pound on UVa and don't have a blow up in the ACC tournament. Chances of a blow up, 30%. They are still probably in, blow up or not.

This last weekend, plus the upcoming tournament (which will be previewed, along with my picks for ACC POY, ROY and COY) will decide a lot. Although the ACC is rated highly as a conference, they could get as few as 4 teams in. If things go the right way, they could get 6. I will take the middle ground and say 5.

Cheers, to the most wonderful time of the year.

STF Conference Reports: SEC 3/6

I LOVE THE SMELL OF MARCH BASKETBALL IN THE MORNING!!!11!1!

And with that, welcome to one of the last SEC Reports of this peculiar basketball season. I've certainly enjoyed bringing you them and I hope you've enjoyed reading them. And as long as the Eric and Marco want me around, I'm definitely happy to keep bringing them.

I also hope my UK fanhood didn't stand out too badly. With that, let's talk some SEC Basketball.

It was another interesting week in the SEC. The teams in the West, save Mississippi State, seem unwilling to do anything to address the modicum of control they have/had over their post-season destiny.

For the past couple of weeks, five, or perhaps six SEC teams have been mentioned in regards of making the NCAA Tournament. However, now that the dust of conference play is starting to settle, only Tennessee, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt are locks. The Arkansas Razorbacks are a probable/maybe while Kentucky and Florida reside firmly on the proverbial bubble.

At most, only two of these last three teams will make it. The one left on the outside, looking in will have an opportunity to play in Madison Square Garden... and hey, college-sponsored field-trips to New York City can't be all bad, right? ;)

Stop. Update time:

Team of the Week - Tennessee
Bruce Pearl's SEC Champ squad was the only team to win two games during this past week, dispatching Kentucky on Sunday and the Florida Gators Wednesday night in Gainesville. Wednesday's tough win gave the Vols their first outright SEC regular-season title since 1967. All that's left for Tennessee is a decent SEC Tournament showing and they should lock up a two-seed in the Big Dance.

Worst Team of the Week - Florida
Well, Gators. You've done gone and did it: you just may have played your way right out of the Big Dance and into the NIT. A first for a modern defending National Champion? To wit, Billy Donovan's young `uns have lost six of 10 and two-in-a-row during the week between the SEC Reports (To Tennessee and Mississippi State). Florida finishes the season in Lexington, as UK celebrates the last home game of Ramel Bradley and Joe Crawford -- not the easiest environments to secure an NCAA Tournament-worthy win.

Player of the Week - Shan Foster
What can you say about Mr. Foster that hasn't already been said. His 42-point/3-pointer-to-win-the-game performance against Mississippi State Wednesday night can easily go down amongst the SEC's all-time best. While Vandy split this week, dropping one to Arkansas on the road (never the easiest place to play), Shan still put up 22 points while hitting six 3-point bombs to keep his team within reach at Fayetteville.

Against the Bulldogs, Foster hit nine from downtown. Folks, say "Hello" to your SEC Player of the Year.

Games to Watch
3/8 Vanderbilt at Alabama
3/8 LSU at Mississippi State
3/8 Ole Miss at Georgia
3/8 Auburn at Arkansas [ESPN Classic] 6:00
3/9 Florida at Kentucky [CBS] Noon
3/9 South Carolina at Tennessee

Remember, at STF, we are College Basketball. ;)

STF Conference Report - Big Ten

And then there was one. The Wisconsin Badgers have now (nearly) assured themselves the Big Ten title, after weeks of battling with the Hoosiers and Boilermakers. Unfortunately, it was kind of a weak finish to a somewhat interest and heated stretch of games for the three squads that culminated with the Hoosiers being absolutely demolished by Michigan State and Purdue bowing out to Ohio State on the road. But, after all, it's just the Big Ten, right? As we quickly approach the postseason, stay tuned - I'll be giving all of you loyal Stormers the rundown on the Midwest region for March Madness. Man it feels good to say that...

Team with the Best Week - Wisconsin Badgers. The Badgers have now earned at least a share of the Big Ten title for the third time in seven seasons with their victory yesterday (and with Purdue and Indiana choking the big one lately). But regardless of how they did it this year, one thing remains clear - Bo Ryan is one hell of a coach. Sure it was a "down" year in the Big Ten, but Ryan got the absolute most out of his players, yet again, and has guided them to six straight wins heading into the season finale against Northwestern. Quite simply, the Badgers are the team to beat and won't be losing anytime soon.

Player of the Week - Brian Butch, Wisconsin. This is definitely the first time this season that Butch has received this award. He's had a solid year for the Badgers - not great - and has hit some big shots with games on the line (on the road against Indiana and Michigan State). Though his stats haven't been that impressive, it's the fact that this guy finally recognizes his role and plays it out that has impressed me the most. Mostly Butch just sits in the paint and waits for the occasional rebound before deciding that his home is beyond the arch, but I guess whatever he can do to help Bo and the Badgers is a good thing for them. The Badgers will certainly need Butch to man up in the next few weeks as they head into the postseason.

Team with the Worst Week - Indiana. The Hoosiers blew it. They absolutely blew it. With a Big Ten title (or at least a share of it) within their grap, the Hoosiers collapsed/fell apart/absolutely sucked against Michigan State up in East Lansing earlier this week. It was an absolutely pathetic showing by an uninspired and flat IU squad that will now be limping a bit heading into the postseason. The Hoosiers have been able to string together some wins in recent weeks, but they're not playing very impressive basketball whatsoever. Defense wins games (as the Badgers are finding out) - not the occasional defensive stop mixed with DJ White and Eric Gordon switching off on offense.

Bruce Weber Moment of the Week - TBD. Senior Day is coming up on Saturday for the Illini. How will Bruce send off the beloved Brian Randle and Shaun Pruitt? Hopefully with a few screechy words and a kick in the ass. But we shall find out soon enough.

Games to Watch - 3/6 Michigan State @ Illinois
3/8 Wisconsin @ Northwestern
3/9 Michigan State @ Ohio State
3/9 Indiana @ Penn State
3/9 Purdue @ Michigan

STF Conference Reports: Pac-10 3/6/08

Team Of The Week - Arizona State. Though only one victory last week the Sun Devils put themselves firmly on the good side of the bubble with Saturday's win over Souther Cal. Despite the beating UCLA handed them Thursday. With the win they're on the verge of locking up a tournament bid one year after finishing 2-16 in conference. It's been a great year for ASU when you consider where they were at this time last year and with the Oregon schools on tap it appears the Sun Devils and fabulous freshmen James Harden will reach their goal. A truly fantastic coaching job by Herb Sendek.

Player Of The Week - Kevin Love. Nothing like a pair of double-doubles to go with a sweep through Arizona for one of the conference many freshmen stars. Kevin Love has been as good as advertised this season for the Bruins and I'm sure the best has yet to come with the season's largest stage looming just over the horizon. He's the ultimate weapon for the leagues best team as he can knock it down from the perimeter and get the tough buckets on the block as well. Regardless of how it all shakes out for UCLA though, I expect him to return next season and be even better. If you can imagine that.

Team With The Worst Week - Arizona. Their streak of winning one and losing two continued this week as they followed up their win at Washington State with a pair of home losses to USC and UCLA. Neither of which was terribly close and has placed this squad just as close to the fringe as their in-state rivals. Like those rivals, however, they've got the Oregon schools remaining on their schedule and have a great shot to reach .500 in conference with a two game winning streak. Without those wins (against Oregon State especially) they'll be sweating buckets come Selection Sunday regardless how good their computer numbers look. I think they pull it off as both Arizona squads sweep through Oregon and put the final nail in the Ducks coffin.

Games To Watch -
3/6 - Arizona State @ Oregon - Oregon's last shot to try and sneak in starts here.
3/6 (7) Stanford @ (3) UCLA - The Bruins look to strengthen their case for a #1 seed with a sweep of the Cardinals.
3/8 - Arizona @ Oregon - A virtual must-win for the 'Cats and their crumbling resume.
3/8 (7) Stanford @ USC - A win here locks in the Trojans, but could leave the Cardinals a seed line lower.

STF Conference Reports: The ACC

Looks like this post (much like Matt Causey) is going to be short and sweet. Didn't get to see as much ball this week as I would have liked (damn you, real job), but I have read enough to be relevant on this post. Screw this whole leap year excitement. Anyone ready for the Duke/UNC rematch to decide the East #1 seed?

Team of the Week: North Carolina

Was there any doubt? Besides the game at Duke, UNC has rolled over its opponents on way to regaining the #1 ranking in the polls this coming week. Hansbrough has been unstoppable, Quentin Thomas has been viable and the rest of the rosters has started playing some defense. I do not see another loss coming until they get to that awesome March 6th showdown in Cameron. Then, who knows. Oh, and in case you haven't heard, Ty Lawson is back. So, that's kind of a big deal.

Worst of the Week: Wake Forest

Sorry Deacs. You had all this NCAA Tournament momentum after that huge win against Duke. Then, you come out and are barely competitive against UNC. That is understandable, seeing how well they have been playing, but you didn't even scare them a bit. Then, you get to polish that resume a bit more by getting Maryland at home... and you blow it. You live by the freewheelin' style, you die by the freewheelin' style. If you are trying to make the tournament, you should start by knocking off another probably tournament team on your home turf. Not the way to keep the momentum going.

Player of the Week: Tyler Hansbrough, UNC

I have done my best to keep him off this list so far this year, but in the end, much like every team he competes against, you just have to give up at some point. The kid has been absolute dynamite since Ty Lawson went out and if it weren't for this pesky freshman in Manhattan, KS, ole Tyler would have National Player of the Year all locked up. Perhaps the Lawson injury was the best thing that could have happened to this team. With him out, they have been forced to rely on the burly shoulders of their dominant All American. Which seemingly everyone knew (except for Roy Williams). Fate forced your hand there, Roy, and now you look like a genius. Keep Hansbrough on the court and you won't be leaving the state again until you (potentially) get to San Antonio.

What To Watch For:

3/1 Duke @ NC State (could decide Freshman of the Year in the ACC)

3/1 Wake @ Georgia Tech (on thin ice, the Deacs need this for a NCAA Tournament push)

3/1 Virginia @ Miami (read the parenthetical analysis directly above me. Substitute Canes for Deacs)

3/2 Clemson @ Maryland (one team will rise, another will fall -- in the NCAA Tournament seeding)

3/4 FSU @ Carolina (you think Uche Echefu wishes he would have picked the Tar Heels now?)

STF Conference Report - Big Ten 2/28/2008

Here it is, the moment we've all been waiting for. Fellow Stormers, in the next week or so we will finally know who this year's Big Ten champion is! Please, please - hold your applause until the very end. Michigan State, a preseason favorite of mine, is no longer in contention for the title. However, the Spartans could easily play the role of spoiler with games at Wisconsin and against Indiana in East Lansing. A win against either team could spell their demise. And while all of that drama is taking place, don't forget about those Boilermakers - they are still right there in contention, just waiting for the Badgers and/or Hoosiers to slip up.

Team with the Best Week - Northwestern. Well there you have it, folks - the first and only time this season that this prestigious award will be bestowed upon the Wildcats. But in all honesty, they sort of deserve it. It all started last Saturday...the Wildcats went the distance with the Indiana Hoosiers and, while they failed to prevail, they were impressive nonetheless. Then, to follow up that performance, the Wildcats picked up their first conference win against Michigan. Way to go, fellas - way to go.

Player of the Week - Armon Bassett, Indiana. Bassett is one of the most underrated and underappreciated players in all of the Big Ten. He's only a sophomore, yet he has been the most clutch player for the Hoosiers this season. He's consistently the most reliable ball handler and passer, and when the game's on the line, Armon is by far the most reliable free throw shooter. His stats have skyrocketed over the past week, (albeit against Northwestern and Ohio State) but consider this more of a season-long achievement award. Regardless of what happens with the Hoosiers in the nearby future, Bassett is the key to this team's success.

Team with the Worst Week - Illinois. Three straight losses - including road defeats at Penn State and Michigan - does not bode well for the struggling Illini. They're now 3-12 in the Big Ten and 11-17 overall. But at least Alex Legion is transferring in next year. Right?

Bruce Weber Moment of the Week - The Illini scored 43 points in a loss to Michigan last Saturday. So what did Brucey have to say about it after the game? "We keep trying to be enthusiastic and positive," Weber said. "But our guys are beaten down. You can just see it emotionally. The body language is not great." Stop complaining, Bruce and do something about it already.

Games to Watch - 2/28 Michigan State @ Wisconsin (If Wisconsin wins, they're essentially conference champs)

3/1 Ohio State @ Minnesota (a battle of the bubble teams?)

3/2 Indiana @ Michigan State (another key game for the conference title race)

3/4 Purdue @ Ohio State

STF Conference Reports: SEC 2/28

It was an interesting seven days in the SEC, that's for sure. Since Saturday, we've seen an SEC team beat the number one team in the country; gain the vacated top spot; and then lose it less than 48 hours later.

Business as usual, wouldn't you say.

A few reports ago, I mentioned something about Joe Lunardi predicting six SEC teams would make the Big Dance. As of today, this number has been reduced to five, with Tennessee, Vandy, Florida, Arkansas, and Mississippi State being the recipients. Not too bad for a conference that's supposed to be mediocre this year, aye?

Don't be surprised if this number winds up increasing by one, either... I'm looking at you, UK. OK, on with the update:

Team of the Week - Vanderbilt
This award was decided Tuesday night when Vandy beat the Volunteers in Nashville. Had UT won that game, they'd be sitting here right now. Just how good are the Commodores? Well, during the last seven days, Vandy beat Georgia and Tennessee (both home games). Currently, their SEC record stands at 9-4, one game behind Kentucky and two behind Tennessee.

This should be one hell of an SEC Tournament in a couple of weeks.

Worst Team of the Week - Ole Miss
After a brilliant 14-0 start to their season (albeit, against a cupcake schedule) the Rebels have found conference play to be a much tougher animal. After last night's loss to UK (a game that saw Ole Miss trail by 20-plus points, only to lose by four), Andy Kennedy's bunch stands at 4-9 in the SEC. What makes Ole Miss' record even more confounding is after beating rival Mississippi State last Wednesday, they turn around and lose by 20 to LSU.

When you add in last night's near miss, the positive vibes from the MSU win are all gone.

Player of the Week - Shan Foster
Not much debate this week. Against the Vols on Tuesday, Foster had 32 points. During the Georgia win last Saturday, Foster scored 29. These back-to-back performances by Foster may have also shut the door on the SEC Player of the Year race.

In order for him not to win it, Vandy will have to go completely in the tank, led by an incredible Foster slump. Of course, Chris Lofton could catch even more fire and decide he too wants to score 30 points a game and might just start launching as soon as he crosses half-court.

During his torrid two-game stretch, Foster was 9-18 from the 3-point arc and 12-15 from the free throw line.

Games to Watch
3/1 Alabama at Ole Miss
3/1 Vanderbilt at Arkansas
3/1 Mississippi State at Florida [CBS] 4:00
3/1 South Carolina at Auburn
3/2 Kentucky at Tennessee [CBS] Noon
3/2 Georgia at LSU
3/4 Arkansas at Ole Miss [ESPN] 9:00
3/5 Kentucky at South Carolina
3/5 Georgia at Auburn
3/5 Alabama at LSU
3/5 Mississippi State at Vanderbilt
3/5 Tennessee at Florida

STF Big East Report 2/28/2008

Cool story of the past week: I get my STF t-shirt in the mail from the leadership of this here site, and immediately, I wear it to the gym. I'm on the treadmill, doing a hearty 5.3 (it's basically like walking a little fast, but it hurts), and the girl next to me, a blond I'd evaluate superficially at the 6.7 - 7.4 range, looks over at me and smiles, just a smidge. This has never really happened to me, so I halfway trip on the edge of the treadmill and almost bite it straight backwards to the vulcanized floor. I regain my balance, with "Flashing Lights" blasting in my ears, as she says, "I've seen that site."

And that was basically the extent of the conversation. Still, I love hope. Sweet, sweet hope.

Now onto the Big East.

TEAM WITH THE BEST WEEK: LOUISVILLE
The last time Louisville lost was January 28th; Johan Santana was still contemplating throwing to Joe Mauer for another season, and a different Castro was running Cuba. In that time, they've waxed Marquette, Georgetown, 'Cuse, and Pittsburgh, and every mid-level CBB analyst in America seems to anoint them as a sleeper team for a Final Four run. My take, as if it matters: I love Pitino, and think he's about 18 times the coach Roy Williams is, but gets about 3/4 of the credit. I think they're athletic, and they're going to enter the NCAAs hot (they may win the BE Tournament). Still, I'm not about to ride Padgett's baloney pony like the rest of the CSTV/ESPN 2pm Saturday/RayCom Sports gang. He's good, but he's not super. He'll get eaten alive in a competitive Sweet 16 game.

PLAYER WITH THE BEST WEEK: JEFF ADRIEN
Adrien got runner up status in this category towards the beginning of the season. Right now, he's blowing up. Now, granted, his biggest game of the season numbers-wise took place against Rutgers, which is like saying you scored the Prom Queen when she was on rufies (too soon?). However, you just know Adrien is gonna have a monster performance in New York, and him and A.J. Price are clicking like Brian and Peter, Lindsay and one of the eight Italians she slept with on New Year's Eve, or T-Boz and Takeo. Is it me, or does he kinda look like Rudy Gay? (Not Takeo - Adrien. Man, I'm terrible with modifiers)

TEAM WITH THE WORST WEEK: PITTSBURGH
Remember when these guys were Top 10 material? They've dropped 3 of their last 4, mostly to ranked teams within the league - Louisville, Marquette, and ND. They're 8-7 in the league right now. While most likely they make the Dance, let's say they enter as a six/seven. I say Six West, and they bite it to the 11. If they get a 5, they're definitely going down. A 12 always beats a 5 somewhere, right? (Note: I got killed two years ago picking three 12 over 5 games. I'm a moron)
THE SKED
TONIGHT - Notre Dame vs. Louisville. I absolutely hate Notre Dame, and cringe when people say "they might make a run." Harangody is slow and gets too much credit. Mike Brey looks like a snake oil salesman. I dunno. Is that anti-Catholic?

SATURDAY - Georgetown vs. Marquette. This is exactly the type of game GU should win, because Marquette's presence at the 5 is kinda suspect. That means it's exactly the type of game they'll likely lose.

SATURDAY - Seton Hall vs. St. John's. "Hey Norm, don't you wish NYC had more talent to choose from? It totally screws us." "Yep, Bobby, you're soooo right."

MONDAY - Pittsburgh vs. WVU. If this was football, I'd care more.

GENERALLY IRRELEVANT FAMILY GUY QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Stewie: We're playing house...
Lois: But that kid is all tied up!
Stewie: Roman Polanski's house.

Intensity. That's going to be the theme on March 8th, when Georgetown and Louisville lock horns presumably for the 1 seed in the Big East Tournament. Louisville's already taken down Georgetown once this season, in the famed Pitino-Changes-Suits-But-Doesn't-Grope-Erin-When-She-Asks-Him-About-It game, but this time'll be in DC. Not that the No. 1 vs the No. 2 in the BE Tournament really matters (ya both get a bye), but it'll be a humdinger nonetheless. Just like we imagine Roman's house is at any given time.

STF Conference Reports: Pac-10 2/28/2008

Team Of The Week - USC. After a 2-0 week that netted them a season sweep of both Oregon schools as well as putting them two games over .500 in conference it looks like the Trojans will be dancing again this year. This is after opening the season with a loss at home to Mercer by 15 points that created a California sized crater for them to climb out of. That said though this is technically only about the last week and it was a good one. Mainly because they showed resilience in climbing from a 15 point deficit to knock off the Ducks and didn't allow themselves to become Oregon State's first Pac-10 victim this season. It was the first time in over a week that USC looked like they belonged in the tournament and that they'd be a threat when they got there. I'm still not sure they'll be able to make any real noise in the dance, but if with the right draw they could reach the second weekend.

Player Of The Week - OJ Mayo. If you can believe it this is the first time all season OJ's managed to nab Pac-10 POTW honors this season. It's in large part for his ability to take care of the ball after a week in which turned it over 10 times in just one game. This week he managed only half of that, in BOTH game's combined. On top of that he dropped 32 and 21 points on the Ducks and Beavers respectively though he assist numbers remain low for a point guard (2 per game). Regardless as OJ goes the Trojans go and as long as he's shooting 5-7 from three like he did against the Ducks their should be a notch in the win column for the men of Troy.

Team With The Worst Week - Oregon. The Ducks really needed an LA split to feel even a little comfortable about their at-large chances heading down the home stretch but they didn't get it. The let halftime leads against both USC and UCLA slip away and are now certainly on the outside looking in. It doesn't help that they've tallied an abysmal 1-7 record against the conference's top 4 teams (USC, WSU, STAN, and UCLA) and currently sit a very disappointing 6-9 in conference. A position that leaves them in need of a strong 3 game finish just to reach .500 and even then they're far from a tournament lock. If the Pac-10 has any hope of 7 team's reaching the dance the boys in Oregon need to pick it up.

Upcoming Games -
2/28 USC @ Arizona - A USC win will all but officially punch their dance ticket.
2/28 (4) UCLA @ Arizona State - The Sun Devils get a great shot to help their cause at home.
2/28 (22) Washington State @ California - A virtual must win for the Bears if they're looking to reach the post-season.
3/1 USC @ Arizona State - Another great chance for ASU to help themselves out.
3/1 (22) Washington State @ (8) Stanford - Just a shot to enhance the winners bracket positioning.
3/2 (4) UCLA @ Arizona - The 'Cats should try and avoid another 30 point beat down in this one.

STF Conference Reports: The Big 12 2/25/2008

Texas seems to have gotten over their case of the yips before anyone else in the conference, and they're riding high on the cusp of Championship Week. The top three in the conference have been holding relatively steady, though they do switch places from time to time. The more interesting part is the next two or three teams, who are all fighting to build an at-large profile good enough to get in.

Shall we?

Team With the Best Week: Nebraska

This run is more than likely a case of far-too-little, far-too-late, but it cannot be denied that the Huskers are playing the kind of ball we felt they could at the beginning of the season. Aleks Maric and company have knocked off #25 Kansas State and #22 Texas A&M this week, running their conference record to 5-7. If the Huskers win three out of their last four (@ Texas seems like a bit of a stretch), and win a couple in the B12 tourney, do they merit our notice on Selection Sunday?

Team With the Worst Week: Texas A&M

This squad is listed in the dictionary under the word "streaky". They started the season 15-1 and solidly in the top ten. Then conference play handed the Aggies a three-game losing streak that ended after the epic 5OT battle with Baylor. Then it was five more wins, and now a poorly-timed three game donger. This team will make the dance, but their seed is going down the proverbial toilet.

Player of the Week: D.J. Augustin

This was a toughie. Michael Beasley is clearly the best individual player in the Big 12 and maybe the country right now. He scored 44 with 13 rebounds against Baylor. But his team lost twice this week. Augustin, on the other hand, is dishing out six assists per game to go along with his 23 point scoring average, and is helping his team win as a team. Results matter - it's Augustin in a split decision.

What to Watch

Texas @ Kansas State 2/25 - This is the last big regular-season road test for the Longhorns.

Kansas State @ Kansas 3/1 - Likely to decide second-place behind the burnt orange.

Texas A&M @ Baylor 3/5 - A battle with major NCAA tourney implications for slump-prone teams.

In the battle for seeding in both the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments, Baylor (Mizzou and A&M at home, Colorado and Tex Tech on the road) has the edge, while A&M (@ Baylor and OU, hosting Kansas) is going to have to slog through heavy fire.

STF Conference Report: The ACC

Obviously a disheartening week for yours truly. However, I will do my best to be objective in my weekly ACC analysis and not crap all over all the atrocities that troubled my Devils this past week. With that being said... here comes a big plate of crow, just waiting for me to eat it up.

Team of the Week: Miami
Its too bad that Wake did not play/win another game this week, because they would have been a lock. However, they get a hearty runner-up vote in my book. Miami decided it was time to make a run for the NCAA tournament this week and managed to pull off two victories in very dramatic fashion. Both single point wins! Although most people did not see the Duke/Miami game on Wednesday (stupid local coverage), they missed seeing a team that, when properly motivated, can hang with anyone in the league. A total team effort, plenty of scoring and solid defense from everyone, big free throws from Jack McClinton and even bigger dunks by some guy named Dwayne Collins. Who knew? However, Miami, after looking like a tournament team early in the season has really started to turn things around. They have found their lost aggression and their athleticism can confound most of the teams left on their schedule. They are an extreme dark-horse, but if they can win out and put up a good showing in the ACC tournament, they could squeeze in. Definitely worth a follow the rest of the season.

Worst of the Week: Duke
Two tough away games. Two nights where this team walked out like they believed everything that was written about them just a week ago (not by me, but by major media). They look like they have lost that fighting spirit that they relied on earlier in the season -- when they had doubters and no one thought they were in UNC's class (and they still probably aren't). You can't blame those sorry performances on injuries (even though Gerald Henderson has been a complete non-factor since his wrist injury). They have had poor attitudes, poor teamwork, poor ballhandling and atrocious defense. Time to make some more adjustments, K. When you stop the passing lines, people drive on you (and that is an Achilles heel with this Duke team). So, now its time to stop the drives. What are you gonna do? Plus, I have remarked to my friends how hard it will be for a team to stop Duke's terrific 3-point attack, namely because they have so many people who are good (or great) shooters. Well, I was wrong. Thanks for making me look like a jackass, Blue Devils. Maybe the best thing that can happen to you is if you get crapped on a little by the media. You played better when that was happening.

Player of the Week: Jeff Teague, Wake Forest
Despite being the 9th best recruit entering the ACC this year (according to Rivals.com), Teague has become an absolute beast for Wake on both ends of the floor. He is nearly the leader for steals in the league, a dead eye shooter (when he is on a roll) and a crafty, speedy ball handler who can finish amidst tons of distractions. He has a killer attitude and plays with a huge chip on his shoulder. That is something Wake hasn't seen since the days of Josh Howard. His 26 point performance against Duke was incredible (as was teammate James Johnson's 24 point, 15 rebound performance) and he has gotten so much better as the season has gone along. On a team filled with burly big and lots of tweeners, he has provided new coach Dino Gaudio with an icy persona and a legit scorer. If he plays this strong the rest of the way, I could certainly envision an unheard of split ROY prize for Teague and Johnson. And just want til Amino & Co. make there way to Winston-Salem next year. YIKES!!

What To Watch For (Besides Duke falling apart):
2/26 Wake @ UNC (Can the Deacs pull a back-to-back beatdown?)
2/27 Miami @ Clemson (Clemson is probably already in the tournament, but Miami really needs this one)
2/27 Georgia Tech @ Duke (If Duke wants the East #1, they gotta start whipping people)
2/28 Maryland @ Wake (Substitute Maryland for Clemson and Wake for Miami, from 2 entries before)

STF Conference Report - Big Ten

And then there were three. Wisconsin, Purdue and Indiana are all seriously contending for the Big Ten title right now and we've got just a handful of games left in the season. I never said it would be pretty folks, but damn this is getting interesting. Michigan State, a team that almost everyone had as their preseason favorite, is slowly fading away with inconsistent play from Raymar Morgan and Drew Neitzel. But the big three are all hitting their stride at the perfect time, especially the Hoosiers, and should give the fans their money's worth from here on out.

Team with the Best Week - Indiana. Sanctions? What sanctions? Back-to-back wins against Michigan State and Purdue have solidified the Hoosiers, yet again, as serious contenders for a Big Ten title. Coach Kelvin Sampson may have very well coached his last game on Tuesday night against the Boilers, but it's a game that Hoosier fans will hold dear to their hearts for quite some time. It's incredible how a fan base can go from booing to cheering its coach in a matter of just a few days.

Player of the Week - DJ White, Indiana. He's a man among boys, playing in a different league, on a different planet. DJ White is the Big Ten Player of the Year, and there's not a single person in the world that can disagree with that. White was THE reason why the Hoosiers recently won back-to-back games against Michigan State and Purdue. Not only did his performance make Hoosier Nation forget about Sampson's transgressions, but it also made them temporarily forget about Eric Gordon. The senior White is showing the freshman Gordon that there is more to the game of basketball than driving wildly to the basket and getting fouled. He's also showing Gordon what four years at a major program can do for you.

Team with the Worst Week - Penn State. The Nittany Lions' 37-point loss to Michigan State on Wednesday night provides all the evidence one needs to declare this team hopeless. Now Penn State is no Northwestern (which remains winless in conference play), but the Nittany Lions' have lost 9 of their last 11 games, which surp