Transfer Math

I heard a few broadcasters on ESPN sell tonight's Duke v Arizona State game packaging it as "Eric Botang's return to face his former team." For those of you who are not college basketball diehards; Botang originally enrolled at Duke. You are forgiven if you don't remember the Eric Botang Era.

Transfer math is a pretty simply equation; a player leaves a big name school to head somewhere less attractive - he was likely over recruited and not a big impact player. When a player does the converse (see: Wesley Johnson) he was under recruited and much better than people realized.

Let's do a few easy Duke examples. Seth Curry is heading from Liberty to Duke. He's really good. Dahantay Jones to Duke = NBA talent. Eric Botang leaving? Not really the stuff that makes bulletin boards sizzle. Suffice it to say no extra motivation will be gleamed tonight for the Devils.

This isn't to say Botang isn't a quality basketball player. Not being able to crack Coach K's famously slim rotation is not an indictment; just simply an indication he is not elite. That might be good enough to help Arizona State hang around a down Pac-10.

It's probably not enough tonight against the Blue Devils.

Maniac's Pick: Duke -9

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