Early Highs & Lows

As the saying goes, You can't win 'em all. Especially when you are the big boy on the block with a big target on your back for most of your non-conference games as smaller schools ramp up for one of the precious few chances to get some national attention.  Every year several mid or low majors jump up and pick off one of the big boys, and just a short week into the season, this year is proving no exception.

Here's a quick rundown of what you might have missed in the opening week; five teams that have underwhelmed and a few more that have impressed.  With about a half-dozen preseason tournaments going on this weekend, this list is sure to grow rapidly.  The Maniac will provide another solid recap on Monday, as well as issuing some "Upset Alerts" for this weekend, so be sure to check back tonight and tomorrow

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Five Underwhelmers:

1.  Boston College - When you lose at home to Yale, you immediately earn the top spot on our ignominious list.  With dates with Texas A&M, Indiana and Providence looming, the Eagles better straighten up and fly right in a hurry or this season could get ugly.

2.  LSU -  It seems like the Tigers seem to find their way into the Maniac's doghouse every Winter.  Usually it's for their dreadful non-conference schedule.  This year, it's for their dreadful schedule AND getting blasted at home by Nichols State.  This Sunday's date with Memphis will be a good indication as to whether it was just a rough night or the start of a rough season.


3.  Wake Forest - Perhaps no team in the country has been hit harder by early NBA entrants than the Deacons.  Kentucky may have lost more players, but at least there it is sort of expected.  It's also far easier to reload in the Bluegrass than it is in the pale shadow of Duke and UNC.  It's an excuse for the Deacons to be down this season.  It's not an excuse for opening with a home loss to Atlantic Sun also-ran Stetson .  Following it up with a 90-69 drubbing, again at home, to Virginia Commonwealth has it looking like Wake could be near the bottom of a down ACC.

4.  Xavier - How does a 2-0 team make this list?  Easy if you have caught any of their first two home games.  The season opened with a comeback three point win over Western Michigan.  Two night ago they needed overtime to tackle the mighty Mastadons of IPFW.  Xavier may not technically be in a "power" conference, however being the only team in the country aside from Michigan State to earn a spot in the last three Sweet Sixteens lends for "power" conference expectations.  Their first two contests didn't meet them.

With one of the nation's toughest non-conference schedules (Wofford, Iowa, Butler, Gonzaga, Georgia, LSU, Cincinnati and Wake Forest - plus possible meetings with either Old Dominion/Clemson or Seton Hall/Alabama) the Muskies better see some improvement quickly or it could be more than their Sweet 16 streak in jeopardy, it could be their tourney appearance streak as well...


5.  South Florida - Last year the Bulls became media darlings of sorts as they made a daring run towards the NCAA Tournament despite being projected 14th or 15th in preseason BEast coaches polls.  The Bulls came up just short, but entered this season with high expectations, despite Dominique James leaving early for the NBA.  With losses to Southern Miss and UCF, the Bulls are not only digging a nearly-impossible to climb out of ditch, they would also be in last place in Conference USA.

And a Few Pleasant Surprises...

*  Gardner Webb - Yes, they got boat raced down in Tallahassee, but the opening win over Charlotte was impressive.  With upcoming dates with Michigan, Oklahoma, Arizona State and Louisville the Bulldogs will get a few more chances to add another profile win.  Don't laugh, one of those wins could be the difference between a #13 and a virtually unwinnable #15 or #16 seed in March.

*  Georgia - Florida, Kentucky, and Tennessee enter the season ranked and Vanderbilt is considered a fringe tournament team by most.  However, don't sleep on Georgia in the slightly overrated SEC East.  Their win over Colorado is a better win that it appears at first blush, and the 'Dawgs handled them with relative ease.  A Thanksgiving date with Notre Dame and early December hookups with Georgia Tech and UAB will give the 'Dawgs a chance to build a solid profile before conference play.

*  South Dakota State - 3-0 with a road win at Iowa is an encouraging start for the Jackrabbits (yes, that's really their mascot).  They'll get two more shots; hosting Nevada and visiting Minnesota.  They'll get some stiff competition from Oral Roberts and IUPUI (and possibly Oakland) in the Summit league, but early season BCS-conference wins are what keep low majors off that 15/16 line come March.

*  St Mary's - They've played two non D-1 throwaways, but the 76-71 win over an improved St John's squad could be a nice chip to pile in March.  Omar Samham is gone, but don't make the mistake of overlooking the Gaels.  They'll get their chance on December 1st to do something conference rival Gonzaga could not; beat San Diego State.

*  San Diego State - Speaking of which, the Aztecs might be the best mid-major in the country this season.  Their road win in the Kennel is as impressive a win as a team has notched so far in this young season.  If "best" seems like hyperbole, it isn't.  They have to be considered no worse than co-favorite with BYU to win the Mountain West, and appear to be ahead of Gonzaga, Memphis, Xavier, Butler and the other usual suspects.

And the recap wouldn't be complete without a tip of the beanie to the Yale Bulldogs, despite losses to Quinnipiac and Providence, they were still able to go into Chestnut Hill and pull off the stunner. 

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Memo to BC - STOP Scheduling Ivy League Schools!

Stop me if you've read this article before on MarchManiacs... do not adjust your monitor.  It IS a new article.

This time it's even worse as BC is felled on their home floor by titans of the Ivy... Yale.  The Eagles dropped the contest 75-67 in front of just under 4,000 stunned fans.

Last year, at least Harvard had future NBA player Jeremy Lin on the roster.  No such story for the Yalies.  Tough loss for the Eagles, who better recoup quickly with Texas A&M, Indiana, UMass, Providence and Maryland all coming up in the next three weeks.



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2K Sports Classic Matchup Preview

It doesn't get much better than back-to-back non-conference matchups in Madison Square Garden.

In the 7PM game, Maryland tackles BEast favorite Pitt.  Maryland found themselves a lead guard in Pe'Shon Howard in their opener against Charleston.  Howard got a lot of attention for hitting the game winning basket, however he really won them the game far before that, with his defensive effort in the the final five minutes on Andrew Goudelock who was running rampant on the Terps for 35 minutes.

Howard will have his hands full tonight with veteran Brad Wannamaker and the Pitt Panthers.  Pitt is big and tough, and Ashton Gibbs is a legitimate BEast P.O.Y. candidate.  Maryland has some athletes, but lacks the shooting, size and ballhandling to hang with the Panthers.  Give me Pitt is a double-digit win.

The nightcap is an intriguing one, featuring two teams who late season sputters torpedoed promising season in 2009-2010.  Texas was ranked #1 in the country as the calendar turned to 2010.  Halfway through Big Ten play, Demitri McCamey looked like a challenger to Evan Turner for Big Ten POY candidate, and the Illini were in a five-way tie for first place.

By the end of the season Texas bowed out in the first round of the tourney as a #9 seed, and the Illini headed for the NIT.

Both have much higher expectations for rebounding this season.  Texas lost some size and scoring, but might actually be better for it.  Rick Barnes squad struggled with shot selection all season long, perhaps with too many self-proclaimed All-Stars taking wild shots.  They also had tremendous issues at the point, both with injuries and erratic play.  Illinois returns McCamey and enters the season ranked in the Top 25.  Both teams fancy themselves as deep participants in March.  Tonight will be an interesting barometer of how far along they really are.

I like Texas's athleticism and defensive pressure to stiffle an already suspect Illini offense.  If Texas can avoid their oft brutal foul shooting, I like the Horns in a good early season matchup.

Maniac's Picks:  Pitt -7.5, Texas +3.5
2010-2011 Record: 4-4

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Knight's Fans - Enjoy the Slingshot

The UCF Knights have garnered some national publicity for several reasons over the past five years; hiring "name" coach George O'Leary to deliver the football program to the next level, spawning NFL stars like Asante Samuel, Brandon Marshall and to a lesser extent Atari Bigby, Mike Sims-Walker and Kevin Smith.  They have stolen some surprising glances when it is often revealed during football broadcasts that UCF is now the second largest school in the country.  Really?  Is the usual response I hear from any non-alums (and occasionally even fellow alums) watching the game in my vicinity.

The 2010-2011 Knights are more than just "MJ's kids"

However in nearly every aspect, UCF continues to sit upon the precipice of the long anticipated thing they and their fans crave far more than any BCS bowl game.  Relevance.

Thanks in combination to a Florida-centric preconference schedule, new coach Donnie Jones and back-to-back unparalleled recruiting classes (including three big-school transfers), it might not be the football program that delivers the expected spot on the national map.  Tonight the Knights tackle their first of three in-state "BCS" schools when the South Florida Bulls travel to Orlando.  Many Knight fans would contend it is the Knight's fiercest rival.  Someone should let the Bulls know...

You see, there in lies the problem of relevance.  It can only occur when people care beyond one's own machinations.  It has to be reciprocal.  It has to be assumed, taken for granted, rather than implied.

Over four football seasons UCF attempted to play rival to the Big East's USF much in the way NC State rivals Duke, the way the Denver Nuggets rival the Lakers, the way the Tampa Bay Rays rival the Yankees; the rivalry existed predominantly in one direction.  For Big Brother, they merely swatted away the gnat from their BCS brow.

Rumors continue to proliferate of Big East expansion and the Knight's potential inclusion.  At that point, and only at that point, can a rivalry truly bloom.  Until then, UCF, despite how large the school may become will always be playing David to the Big Four's Goliath.

The Knights have perhaps their best basketball team in school history.  Yes, they have made the NCAA Tournament four times, but each time as a seed in the high teens included only on the merit of winning the Atlantic Sun's automatic bid.  While the Big Dance might still be a big dream this season with Memphis clearly the class of the conference, this Knights team is certainly a legit NIT contender who can put a little scare in the big boys on any given night.

The Knights get their shot at nearly every in-state big boy over the next four weeks.  Tonight they host the Bulls, at the end of December they travel to Miami and even get a rare opportunity to host a ranked in-state opponent when the Florida Gators come to town in early December.  A 2-1 record would not be unrealistic, and would signify a huge evolution in the growth of Donnie Jones's fledgling program.  3-0?  Well, let's not get too far ahead of ourselves.

Given the size of the school and the lucrative potential an exploding alumni base coupled with a Top-25 media market provide there is little doubt that someday soon UCF will join a "power" conference and be playing on a much leveler playing field with their in-state rivals.  And at that point, rivals will begin to be an apropos term.  Until then, enjoy something every bit as exhilarating as relevance, the intoxicating dream of potential.  Nothing in sports rivals the jubilation of the little guy jumping up and knocking off the giant, the wild frantic excitement that only Cinderella gets to feel in March.

Yes, someday sooner than later the Knights will stand toe to toe, fellow giants with the likes of the Gators, Seminoles and 'Canes.  But until then, enjoy something even more precious; the fanciful dreams of grandeur that only come with a slingshot in hand.

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Paging Keno Davis

Two years ago Drake basketball was on top of the world.  Or at least the top of the Missouri Valley.  The Bulldogs went 15-3 in what has long been considered one of the best mid-major conferences in the nation, earning the school's first Big Dance ticket in more than 35 years.

Things were looking great.

Keno is in Providence now, but will still have something in common with his former employer.  Neither has a shot in the world of making the tourney this season.  Drake suffered one of their worst defeats in school history last night to a very mediocre Iowa State club, 91-43.  Ouch.  It is looking like a long season for the Bulldogs in a pretty tough MVC.

It could be a long season in the MVC for the 'Dogs.

Opening Statement

Welcome to college basketball stardom Jared Sullenger.

The Buckeye freshman exploded onto the stage last night, dropping 26 & 12 as the fifth ranked Buckeyes (2nd in our Bracketeering) laid the lumber to the Gators in Gainesville.

Granted, the Gators are probably not meritorious of a top ten ranking, but they are a NCAA tourney team returning all five starters playing at home to a sellout crowd. However, it was Ohio State that looked like the poised, veteran ballclub.

The game was close at halftime. Five minutes into the second half, it was a different story.

The reason why? Ohio State is going to be terrific this year. As the media machine machine begins to pump up Sullenger, it might be easy to overlook the glue to this year's team, David Lighty. If you are heading into a game against the buckeyes, I wouldn't recommend it. David Lighty is a well-seasoned leader,really well seasoned. Many might have forgotten he played a key reserve role as a lock-down defender in the National Championship Game. Huh? Yep. He was on the same team that boasted NBA one-and-doner's Greg Oden, Michael Conley and Daquan Cook. If it feels like Lighty has been in Colombus for a really, really long time... it's because he HAS.

As a matter of fact, this year's Buckeye squad reminds me a little bit of the Gator team that bested them to cut down the nets in 2006-2007. Lighty fits nicely in the role of Corey Brewer, while Sullinger can plug into the Al Horford role (more refined offensive game, and not quite as dominant a rebounder). Ohio State has a stable of athletic, defense/rebound first bigs who mimic the production and energy of Joakim Noah. Diebler gives the Bucks a gasp out loud every time he catches the ball open on the arc shooter, much in the way Lee Humphrey spread defenses for Billy Donovan.

Both teams, in addition to great talent, had players ideally suited to fulfill individual defined roles with aplomb (similar to Syracuse last year).

It's just one game, but it's a heck of an opening statement for Ohio State. If forced to gaze into the Maniac Crystal Ball, I'd put them on par with Duke, even up with Michigan State and better than Kansas State, Kansas, North Carolina, Kentucky, Pitt,Syracuse; anyone you want to throw out there.

For the Gators? Their opening impression is every bit as frightening as OSU's was energizing. As I wrote before the game, returning all five starters isn't as good of news as it might seem if none of those five starters were that outstanding to begin with. Florida has a good shot to make the tourney in a still-down SEC, however I'd be very surprised to see them playing after the tourney's opening weekend.



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Quick Picks - Nov 16th

Five for the Road

What a glorious day my amigos! 25+ consecutive hours of college hoops to get this season kicked into high gear. I can't think of a better reason before March to "catch a cold" cough cough...

This could quite likely be a foolish move given early season jitters, but the Maniac is staking his early season record on five road teams.

In the marquee game on a pretty packed day, give me the Buckeyes +3 traveling to the O-Dame to meet Billy D's Gators. Ohio State has the perfect blend of elite freshman talent and savvy veteran leadership to make a real run at a Final Four this season. The Gators return five starters, but they are five starters, none of whom are likely NBA players and who barely squeaked into the Dance last year.

If it sounds like I'm down on the Gators, perhaps I am. I just struggle to view this as the elite-level team it is being largely sold as. Beat up Brutus tonight like it's 2006 and I'll quickly change my tune.

The fact that Butler is getting points at Louisville speaks more to the power of the home gym than it does the power of the Cards. Somehow it seems like Butler has steeled their nerves on larger stages. Yes, Hayward left early for the NBA but the Bulldogs are still LOADED. Ronald Nored and Shelvin Mack might be the best backcourt in the country, and are certainly top five.

Give me Butler +3

For my final road trifecta, give me three teams you might want to remember cone March.

Colorado +5.5 at Georgia
San Diego State +8 in a sneaky great game at Gonzaga
Pacific +7.5 at UCLA (upset special, don't be surprised when the Tigers clip them straight up.)


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