It is kind of hard to believe that Selection Sunday for the NCAA Tournament is only five weeks away.  It is becoming time when college basketball teams are separating themselves as either tourney contenders or pretenders.  Here is The Sports Bank‘s latest Bracketology?  I have more than held my own the past couple of years against ESPN’s Joe Lunardi and with my extreme college hoops nerdom, plan to do so again this year.  Check back every week for an update.

UPDATED: 2/6/12

SOUTH REGIONAL-Atlanta

AT LOUISVILLE
1. Kentucky 23-1 (SEC)
16. UNC-Asheville 18-7 (Big South)/Mississippi Valley State 11-11 (SWAC)

8. Notre Dame 15-8 (BE)
9. Illinois 16-7 (B10)

AT PORTLAND
5. San Diego State 20-3 (MWC)
12. VCU 20-5 (CAA)/N.C. State 17-7 (ACC)

4. St. Mary’s 22-2 (WCC)
13. Nevada 19-4 (WAC)

AT  OMAHA
6. Mississippi State 18-5 (SEC)
11. California 18-6 (P12)

3. Kansas 18-5 (B12)
14. Oral Roberts 21-5 (Summit)

AT COLUMBUS
7.  Virginia 18-4 (ACC)
10. Kansas State 16-6 (B12)

2. Michigan State 18-5 (B10)
15. Akron 16-7 (MAC)

MIDWEST REGIONAL- St.Louis

AT LOUISVILLE
1. Ohio State 20-3 (B10)
16. Norfolk State 16-8 (MEAC)

8. Wichita State 20-4 (MVC)
9. New Mexico 19-4 (MWC)

AT COLUMBUS
5. Louisville 18-5 (BE)
12. Miami FL 14-7 (ACC)

4. Murray State 23-0 (OVC)
13. Middle Tennessee 21-4 (Sun Belt)

AT PITTSBURGH
6. Indiana 18-6 (B10)
11. BYU 20-6 (WCC)

3. Marquette 19-5 (BE)
14. George Mason 19-6 (CAA)

AT OMAHA
7. Vanderbilt 16-7 (SEC)
10. Memphis 16-7 (CUSA)

2. Missouri 21-2 (B12)
15. Belmont 17-7 (A-Sun)

EAST REGIONAL-Boston        

AT PITTSBURGH
1. Syracuse 23-1 (BE)
16. Long Island 17-7 (NEC)/Stony Brook 15-7 (AEC)

8. Temple 17-5 (A10)
9. Harvard 20-2 (Ivy)

AT ALBUQUERQUE
5. Creighton 21-3 (MVC)
12. Minnesota 17-7 (B10)

4. Florida State 16-6 (ACC)
13. Long Beach State 17-6 (Big West)

AT NASHVILLE
6. Southern Miss 20-3 (CUSA)
11. Cincinnati 16-7 (BE)

3. Florida 19-4 (SEC)
14. Cleveland State 20-4 (Horizon)

AT GREENSBORO
7. UConn 15-7 (BE)
10. Iowa State 17-6 (B12)

2. Duke 19-4 (ACC)
15. Bucknell 18-6 (Patroit)

WEST REGIONAL-Phoenix

AT GREENSBORO
1. North Carolina 20-3 (ACC)
16. UT-Arlington 17-5 (Southland)

8. West Virginia 16-8 (BE)
9. Alabama 15-7 (SEC)

AT PORTLAND
5. Wisconsin 18-6 (B10)
12. Seton Hall 15-8 (BE)/Xavier 15-8 (A10)

4. UNLV 21-4 (MWC)
13. Iona 19-5 (MAAC)

AT NASHVILLE
6. Michigan 17-7 (B10)
11. Washington 16-7 (P12)

3. Georgetown 18-4 (BE)
14. Davidson 17-5 (Southern)

AT ALBUQUERQUE
7. Gonzaga 18-4 (WCC)
10. St. Louis 18-5 (A10)

2. Baylor 21-1 (B12)
15. Weber State 18-4 (Big Sky)

Wrong Side of the Bubble:
Purdue 15-8 (B10)
Oregon 16-7 (P12)
Colorado 16-7 (P12)
Central Florida 17-6 (CUSA)
Arkansas 16-7 (SEC)
UMass 17-6 (A10)
Arizona 16-8 (P12)
Ohio 19-4 (MAC)

Multiple Bid Conferences:
Big East (9)
Big Ten (7)
ACC (6)
Big 12 (5)
SEC (5)
A10 (3)
MWC (3)
WCC (3)
CAA (2)
CUSA (2)
MVC (2)
Pac-12 (2)

Click here for a list of RPI and SOS

David Kay is a senior feature NBA Draft, NBA, and college basketball writer for the Sports Bank.  He also heads up the NBA and college basketball material at Walter Football.com and is a former contributor at The Washington Times Communities.  David has appeared on numerous national radio programs spanning from Cleveland to New Orleans to Honolulu.  He also had the most accurate 2011 NBA Mock Draft on the web.

You can follow him on Twitter at DavidKay_TSB.

WCC (3)
CAA (2)
CUSA (2)
MVC (2)
Pac-12 (2)

The Big Ten’s leading rebounder, and best player on the nation’s 9th ranked team may be out for awhile. Michigan State forward Draymond Green seriously hurt his left leg in tonight’s mild upset loss to the Illini, and left the game with 3:50 left, unable to walk on his own power.

Green was down on the Assembly Hall floor in Champaign for quite awhile, and after examination was able to hop over on his one good leg to the MSU bench.

“I have no idea, he didn’t walk off, that’s for sure. I’m not sure exactly what it is, they’ll examine him,” Spartans Coach Tom Izzo said.

Tomorrow, we’ll know more, but it looks like he’ll be out for awhile.

According to a tweet from MSU beat writer for MLive.com Diamond Leung

“Green just left the arena on crutches and had his left knee iced. He’ll be evaluated in the morning.”

“You hope for Draymond Green that he’s ok, you don’t want anyone like that to be hurt. But you have to take advantage of that when he’s gone,” said Illini coach Bruce Weber.

Green, the man nick-named both “Dey-Dey” and the “Dancing Bear” is a pillar of strength for this Spartans team. In addition to being their leading scorer and rebounder, here’s their emotional leader. His hopping was his best attempt to show strength while he was down.

“He had been sicker than a dog, and he let it all get to him,” Izzo said.

It was also quite possibly one of Green’s worst games as he picked up a technical in the first half at 10:56. He got whistled for an offensive foul, his third, and his reaction warranted a T.  Naturally, he sat the remainder of the half.

“Obviously, he’s a great player, he’s Mr. Everything for them,” said Illini alpha dog Brandon Paul.

The Big Ten is having one of the most memorable basketball seasons we’ve seen in some time. The conference leads the country with five top-25 teams and ranks number one in the RPI/Sagarin ratings.

Along with being regarded as the best conference in the nation, the Big Ten is full of intriguing stories. Here are the top five on the year thus far:
1.) Welcome Back Indiana Hoosiers

Not sure anyone, but Head Coach Tom Crean saw this one coming. The Hoosiers are ranked #20th in both polls and have a 17-7 record with wins over big-dawgs Kentucky and Ohio State. Yeah, they may 5-5 in the conference, but not even the Buckeyes are running away with the Big Ten title.

This Hoosiers team is nothing like you’ve seen the past few years, mostly because they can fill up the scoreboard. Just ask the Hawkeyes who yielded 103 points to the Hoosiers in a loss this past weekend. Indiana leads the conference with a robust 79.5 points per game.

2.) Big Ten is the Best Conference in the Country

From top to the bottom, the Big Ten has been the most competitive conference in the nation. Only the Big Ten has six teams with 16 or more wins and nine teams with an RPI in the top 51. Moreover, the Big Ten is the only conference in America to have each and every one of it’s teams ranked in the top 131 in RPI.

This should bode well for the conference come tourney time, meaning the Big Ten will most likely see eight or nine teams go dancing.

3.) Draymond Green for Player of the Year

Everyone’s player of the year in the preseason was Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger. No disrespect to Sully, but Green has been better. Green has eleven double-doubles to Sullinger’s nine and has been instrumental in helping the Spartans reach the top ten in both polls. He also has 14 games of double-digit rebounds to Sullinger’s nine. Granted Sullinger hasn’t been healthy all season, that’s more of a reason to give Green the award at the end of the season.

Mark your calenders for February 11th because it marks the first meeting between Green and Sullinger when the Spartans travel to Columbus.

4.) Cody Zeller is No Boy, But Rather a Man

Who knew Zeller would have this much of an impact when he committed to play in Bloomington? He’s no doubt the Big Ten’s Freshman of the Year, but more importantly he’s the key to the Hoosiers resurgence in 2012 (see story one). His inside game has opened it up for the Hoosiers sharpshooters on the perimeter.

He’s rough around the edges and can definitely improve on the defensive end, but what else can you expect out of a freshman. If Zeller decides to stay around another year or two, he will be the talk of the conference for some time to come.

5.) Conference Title Still Up for Grabs

What makes Big Ten basketball even more exciting is the fact that four or five teams are still in the mix for the conference title. While the Buckeyes appear to be the cream of the crop, they are not invincible, evident from their two road losses at Illinois and Indiana. They have another tough road venture when they travel to Wisconsin this weekend to take on the Badgers who sit just one game back in the standings. Michigan State is only a half game back from the Buckeyes while Michigan is a full game back. For these four teams, a strong finish in the conference could mean a number one or two seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Honorable Mention: Could this be the year that Northwestern Goes Dancing?, Minnesota’s Mbakwe Out for the Year, Badgers Do it On Defense Again

What do you think of these story-lines in the Big Ten this season? Did I miss something significant? Let me know by commenting below!

Nick Grays is a senior writer at the Sports Bank where he covers the Wisconsin Badgers, Green Bay Packers, and Milwaukee Brewers. He also enjoys to share Fantasy Advice from time-to-time. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here or visit his blog Nick Knows Best.

OTHER BIG TEN BASKETBALL RELATED ARTICLES:

- David Kay’s latest Bracketology with EIGHT Big Ten teams dancing
- Paul Banks’ latest Big Ten Power Rankings

It is kind of hard to believe that Selection Sunday for the NCAA Tournament is only six weeks away.  It is becoming time when college basketball teams are separating themselves as either tourney contenders or pretenders.  Here is The Sports Bank‘s latest Bracketology?  I have more than held my own the past couple of years against ESPN’s Joe Lunardi and with my extreme college hoops nerdom, plan to do so again this year.  Check back every week for an update.

UPDATED: 1/30/12

SOUTH REGIONAL-Atlanta

AT LOUISVILLE
1. Kentucky 21-1 (SEC)
16. UNC-Asheville 16-7 (Big South)/Mississippi Valley State 9-11 (SWAC)

8. Southern Miss 19-3 (CUSA)
9. Illinois 15-6 (B10)

AT COLUMBUS
5. Wisconsin 17-5 (B10)
12. BYU 18-6 (WCC)/Notre Dame 14-8 (BE)

4. Murray State 21-0 (OVC)
13. Middle Tennessee 20-3 (Sun Belt)

AT  NASHVILLE
6. Florida State 14-6 (ACC)
11. New Mexico 17-4 (MWC)

3. Georgetown 16-4 (BE)
14. Davidson 15-5 (Southern)

AT ALBUQUERQUE
7.  California 17-5 (P12)
10. Wichita State 18-4 (MVC)

2. Baylor 19-2 (B12)
15. Weber State 16-4 (Big Sky)

MIDWEST REGIONAL- St.Louis

AT LOUISVILLE
1. Ohio State 19-3 (B10)
16. Norfolk State 16-6 (MEAC)

8. Kansas State 15-5 (B12)
9. Memphis 15-6 (CUSA)

AT PORTLAND
5. St. Mary’s 21-2 (WCC)
12. Oregon 16-6 (P12)/Ole Miss 14-7 (SEC)

4. Creighton 20-2 (MVC)
13. Nevada 18-3 (WAC)

AT PITTSBURGH
6. Virginia 17-3 (ACC)
11. Xavier 14-7 (A10)

3. Marquette 18-4 (BE)
14. George Mason 18-5 (CAA)

AT OMAHA
7. Michigan 16-6 (B10)
10. Alabama 13-7 (SEC)

2. Missouri 19-2 (B12)
15. Akron 14-7 (MAC)

EAST REGIONAL-Boston        

AT PITTSBURGH
1. Syracuse 22-1 (BE)
16. Long Island 15-7 (NEC)/Stony Brook 13-7 (AEC)

8. Temple 15-5 (A10)
9. Harvard 18-2 (Ivy)

AT NASHVILLE
5. Indiana 17-5 (B10)
12. UMass 16-5 (A10)

4. Florida 17-4 (SEC)
13. Iona 17-5 (MAAC)

AT COLUMBUS
6. San Diego State 18-3 (MWC)
11. St. Louis 16-5 (A10)

3. Michigan State 17-4 (B10)
14. Cleveland State 18-4 (Horizon)

AT GREENSBORO
7. UConn 14-6 (BE)
10. Iowa State 15-6 (B12)

2. North Carolina 18-3 (ACC)
15. Bucknell 17-6 (Patroit)

WEST REGIONAL-Phoenix

AT GREENSBORO
1. Duke 18-3 (ACC)
16. UT-Arlington 15-5 (Southland)

8. West Virginia 15-7 (BE)
9. Minnesota 16-6 (B10)

AT PORTLAND
5. Vanderbilt 16-5 (SEC)
12. Washington 14-7 (P12)

4. Gonzaga 17-3 (WCC)
13. Long Beach State 16-6 (Big West)

AT ALBUQUERQUE
6. Louisville 17-5 (BE)
11. Purdue 15-7 (B10)

3. UNLV 20-3 (MWC)
14. Oral Roberts 20-4 (Summit)

AT OMAHA
7. Mississippi State 17-5 (SEC)
10. Seton Hall 15-6 (BE)

2. Kansas 17-4 (B12)
15. Belmont 15-7 (A-Sun)

Wrong Side of the Bubble:
Dayton 14-7 (A10)
Cincinnati 15-7 (BE)
Stanford 15-6 (P12)
N.C. State 15-7 (ACC)
Arkansas 15-6 (SEC)
VCU 18-5 (CAA)
Wyoming 17-4 (MWC)
Central Florida 15-6 (CUSA)

Multiple Bid Conferences:
Big East (8)
Big Ten (8)
SEC (6)
Big 12 (5)
ACC (4)
A10 (4)
Pac-12 (3)
MWC (3)
WCC (3)
MVC (2)
CUSA (2)

Click here for a list of RPI and SOS

David Kay is a senior feature NBA Draft, NBA, and college basketball writer for the Sports Bank.  He also heads up the NBA and college basketball material at Walter Football.com and is a former contributor at The Washington Times Communities.  David has appeared on numerous national radio programs spanning from Cleveland to New Orleans to Honolulu.  He also had the most accurate 2011 NBA Mock Draft on the web.

You can follow him on Twitter at DavidKay_TSB.

This what #9 Michigan State has given up in scoring in their four losses: 67 to North Carolina, 74 to Duke, 81 to Northwestern, 6o to Michigan.

In their 16 wins, they’ve held everyone under 70 with the exception of Lehigh; a game they won 90-81. The losses to the Wolverines and Tar Heels were much more on the offense than the D, but the pattern is still obvious: when the Spartans play defense like a traditional Tom Izzo team is known to do, they are elite.

They look like an Elite Eight, Final Four team. But when they have those occasional defensive lapses, which have been few and far between, they look like an ordinary team.

Purdue was victorious in their last two trips to East Lansing so to get blown out 83-58 yesterday was surprising. And you could say the Spartans’ defense was the best it’s been all year in that game. They harassed Boilers star Robbie Hummel into having his worst game of his college basketball career (0-11 from the the floor, 0-6 from 3) and Purdue suffered the worst loss of Hummel’s career.

Of course, the Spartans had a helping hand in shutting down a player as celebrated as Hummel: weather, followed by vehicle delays forced the Boilers to really be sleep deprived.

But this win was built on lessons learned in MSU’s very humbling loss at Northwestern.

“We didn’t lose that game on the offensive end, we lost it on the defensive end, we’re not allowed to give up 81 points, it’s ridiculous,” Tom Izzo said after the defeat. And he talked about making sure the loss stung enough so his young players learned from their mistakes.

“I wanted them to remember why we didn’t win this game. I wanted it to be fresh in their minds while we’re on the court. The freshmen I wanted them to know that this is not accpetable and Brandon Wood to understand that you came here to try and get in the tournament cause you didn’t think you could do that, part of the reason is you didn’t help Valpo do that, you have got to man up in the big games,” MSU Coach Tom Izzo said.

“And I wanted them all to know that we have t be more consistent if we’re going to win game sn the road when the margin for error is very slim, no matter if we were 4-0 or 6-0 or 8-0,” he continued.

What did MSU in in the Northwestern game was the Princeton Offense and all it’s back door cuts. Other people in the league don’t really run Bill Carmody’s system so I wouldn’t expect too many future MSU opponents to duplicate it. Still it’s a red flag in their defense.

Freshman guard Obie Trice on the Princeton offense:

‘coming in i thought we were really prepared, we did a good job against it in practice, but tonight we kind of fell apart.”

It was mostly the freshmen and Valparaiso transfer Brandon Wood who got beat on the back door cuts. The veterans knew how to stop from getting back-doored. Sophomore guard Keith Appling talked about the anxiety of getting back-doored.

“In the back of our minds, the whole time guys were kind of worried about getting back-doored. So we just wanted to stay as solid as we possibly could, sometimes it works sometimes it didn’t,” he said.

So what’s the key to not getting beat on the back-side cuts that often lead to easy lay-ups?

“You can never relax, because at any given point in any given game, someone can cut back, and you just gotta be in a defensive stance and always ready to snap your neck,” Appling responded.

Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports

A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio all over the world; and he’s a member of the Football Writers Association of America, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and Society of Professional Journalists. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too.

With conference play underway, we begin to get a better feel for how college basketball teams stack up in our Bracketology?  I have more than held my own the past couple of years against ESPN’s Joe Lunardi and with my extreme college hoops nerdom, plan to do so again this year.  Check back every week for an update.

UPDATED: 1/23/12

SOUTH REGIONAL-Atlanta

AT LOUISVILLE
1. Kentucky 19-1 (SEC)
16. UNC-Asheville 14-7 (Big South)/Mississippi Valley State 7-11 (SWAC)

8. Southern Miss 17-3 (CUSA)
9. Dayton 14-5 (A10)

AT COLUMBUS
5. West Virginia 15-5 (BE)
12. Iona 15-4 (MAAC)

4. Indiana 16-4 (B10)
13. Mississippi 13-6 (SEC)/Oregon 15-5 (P12)

AT  NASHVILLE
6. Vanderbilt 14-5 (SEC)
11. Minnesota 15-5 (B10)

3. Georgetown 16-3 (BE)
14. Middle Tennessee 19-2 (Sun Belt)

AT ALBUQUERQUE
7. Florida State 13-6 (ACC)
10. California 16-5 (P12)

2. Baylor 17-2 (B12)
15. Weber State 15-3 (Big Sky)

MIDWEST REGIONAL- St.Louis

AT LOUISVILLE
1. Ohio State 17-3 (B10)
16. Norfolk State 15-5 (MEAC)

8. Temple 13-5 (A10)
9. Alabama 13-6 (SEC)

AT PORTLAND
5. St. Mary’s 19-2 (WCC)
12. Iowa State 14-5 (B12)

4. Creighton 18-2 (MVC)
13. Long Beach State 14-6 (Big West)

AT PITTSBURGH
6. Virginia 15-3 (ACC)
11. Central Florida 15-4 (CUSA)

3. Marquette 16-4 (BE)
14. Belmont 13-7 (A-Sun)

AT OMAHA
7. Michigan 15-5 (B10)
10. New Mexico 15-4 (MWC)

2. Kansas 16-3 (B12)
15. Akron 12-7 (MAC)

EAST REGIONAL-Boston        

AT PITTSBURGH
1. Syracuse 20-1 (BE)
16. Long Island 14-6 (NEC)/Stony Brook 12-7 (AEC)

8. Illinois 15-5 (B10)
9. Harvard 15-2 (Ivy)

AT NASHVILLE
5. Florida 15-4 (SEC)
12. St. Louis 15-4 (A10)/BYU 17-5 (WCC)

4. Murray State 20-0 (OVC)
13. Davidson 14-4 (Southern)

AT COLUMBUS
6. UConn 14-5 (BE)
11. Xavier 13-6 (A10)

3. Michigan State 16-4 (B10)
14. Cleveland State 17-4 (Horizon)

AT GREENSBORO
7. Mississippi State 16-4 (SEC)
10. Louisville 15-5 (BE)

2. Duke 16-3 (ACC)
15. Bucknell 15-6 (Patroit)

WEST REGIONAL-Phoenix

AT OMAHA
1. Missouri 18-1 (B12)
16. UT-Arlington 13-5 (Southland)

8. Wisconsin 16-5 (B10)
9. Wichita State 17-3 (MVC)

AT PORTLAND
5. San Diego State 17-2 (MWC)
12. Purdue 14-6 (B10)

4. Gonzaga 16-3 (WCC)
13. Nevada 16-3 (WAC)

AT ALBUQUERQUE
6. Kansas State 14-4 (B12)
11. Cincinnati 15-5 (BE)

3. UNLV 18-3 (MWC)
14. Oral Roberts 18-4 (Summit)

AT GREENSBORO
7. Seton Hall 15-4 (BE)
10. Memphis 13-6 (CUSA)

2. North Carolina 16-3 (ACC)
15. George Mason 15-5 (CAA)

Wrong Side of the Bubble:
Stanford 15-5 (P12)
N.C. State 15-5 (ACC)
Marshall 13-6 (CUSA)
Colorado State 13-5 (MWC)
Arkansas 14-5 (SEC)
Colorado 13-6 (P12)
Northwestern 12-7 (B10)
Texas 12-7 (B12)

Multiple Bid Conferences:
Big East (8)
Big Ten (8)
SEC (6)
Big 12 (5)
ACC (4)
A10 (4)
CUSA(3)
MWC (3)
WCC (3)
MVC (2)
Pac-12 (2)

Click here for a list of RPI and SOS

David Kay is a senior feature NBA Draft, NBA, and college basketball writer for the Sports Bank.  He also heads up the NBA and college basketball material at Walter Football.com and is a former contributor at The Washington Times Communities.  David has appeared on numerous national radio programs spanning from Cleveland to New Orleans to Honolulu.  He also had the most accurate 2011 NBA Mock Draft on the web.

You can follow him on Twitter at DavidKay_TSB.

Michigan State may have absolutely slaughtered Purdue 83-58 yesterday, but the battle between the two traditional Big Ten powers still had some embarrassing, and down-right dark moments in the lop-sided win.

Spartans leader (in scoring, rebounding and emotion) Draymond Green accidentally stuffed the ball home for Purdue (watch video after the jump). But much worse, the Izzone, the MSU student cheering section went really low and class-less in heckling Boilermakers star Robbie Hummel.

Quick refresher on Hummel: his junior year, he tore his right ACL, costing the Boilermakers a #1 seed in the NCAA Tourney and derailing (pun intended) the what looked like a potential train to the Final Four. When he finally recovered to make it to his senior year, he re-tore it in his very first practice after midnight madness. After another long journey of convalescence, Hummel finally returned to the court this year.

For all that he has had to endure, and for all the moxie Robbie has shown, he has to be considered one of the most respected and likable players in all of college basketball.

That said, here’s a clip from Rant Sports, which summarizes the disgusting classlessness of a few MSU fans, and shows that the cadre of neanderthal fans do not represent Spartan Nation.

I was sitting about 6 rows back from the Purdue bench when a fan to my left yelled out, “Hummel don’t tear your ACL.” I was completely stunned when I heard this.

More stunned was Purdue coach Matt Painter who turned around and yelled at the students saying “That’s pushing it.” And he continued to try and make the students stop these comments.

Witnessing all this, I was completely embarrassed and furious at the kids around me who were all laughing and jeering Painter.

This is not how a student section should behave, especially one of Michigan State’s stature. All students should respect their opponents, our’s failed. Personal attacks like that are ridiculous and a complete disregard of sportsmanship.

As a student of Michigan State and a member of the Izzone, I would like to apologize to Robbie Hummel, Matt Painter, and Tom Izzo. As a College Basketball fan I have the utmost respect for Robbie Hummel and his accomplishments. I hope that fans everywhere realize and respect the accomplishments of all students athletes and represent their universities to the fullest.

And here’s the Draymond link from Lost Lettermen:

Check out the video below in which Green clearly jams the ball into his own hoop. We’ve seen players inadvertently score on their own baskets before but this is the first time we can recall someone dunking on their own hoop.

We’re not sure if Green forgot he was on defense or what other explanation he has, but expect the next film session with Tom Izzo to be unpleasant.

Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports

A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio all over the world; and he’s a member of the Football Writers Association of America, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and Society of Professional Journalists. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too.

With conference play underway, we begin to get a better feel for how college basketball teams stack up in our Bracketology?  I have more than held my own the past couple of years against ESPN’s Joe Lunardi and with my extreme college hoops nerdom, plan to do so again this year.  Check back every week for an update.

UPDATED: 1/16/12

EAST REGIONAL-Boston        

AT PITTSBURGH
1. Syracuse 20-0 (BE)
16. Long Island 12-6 (NEC)/Stony Brook 10-7 (AEC)

8. Harvard 15-2 (Ivy)
9. Wisconsin 14-5 (B10)

AT ALBUQUERQUE
5. Murray State 18-0 (OVC)
12. Dayton 13-5 (A10)

4. Vanderbilt 13-4 (SEC)
13. Long Beach State 12-6 (Big West)

AT PITTSBURGH
6. Florida 14-4 (SEC)
11. Marshall 13-4 (CUSA)

3. UConn 14-3 (BE)
14. Belmont 12-6 (ASun)

AT COLUMBUS
7. Kansas State 12-4 (B12)
10. Temple 11-5 (A10)

2. Michigan State 15-3 (B10)
15. Akron 11-6 (MAC)

WEST REGIONAL-Phoenix

AT ALBUQUERQUE
1. Baylor 17-0 (B12)
16. UT-Arlington 11-5 (Southland)

8. California 15-4 (P12)
9. Louisville 14-5 (BE)

AT PORTLAND
5. UNLV 16-3 (MWC)
12. Iona 14-4 (MAAC)

4. Gonzaga 14-3 (WCC)
13. Davidson 12-4 (Southern)

AT NASHVILLE
6. Creighton 15-2 (MVC)
11. Southern Mississippi 16-3 (CUSA)

3. Georgetown 14-3 (BE)
14. Middle Tennessee 17-2 (Sun Belt)

AT LOUISVILLE
7. Alabama 13-4 (SEC)
10. BYU 15-4 (WCC)

2. Ohio State 16-3 (B10)
15. George Mason 13-5 (CAA)

SOUTH REGIONAL-Atlanta

AT LOUISVILLE
1. Kentucky 17-1 (SEC)
16. UNC-Asheville 12-6 (Big South)/Texas Southern 5-11 (SWAC)

8. San Diego State 15-2 (MWC)
9. Memphis 12-5 (CUSA)

AT NASHVILLE
5. Seton Hall 15-3 (BE)
12. Florida State 11-6 (ACC)

4. Indiana 15-3 (B10)
13. St. Louis 14-4 (A10)/Oregon 13-5 (P12)

AT  OMAHA
6. Michigan 14-4 (B10)
11. Cincinnati 14-4 (BE)

3. Kansas 14-3 (BE)
14. Weber State 14-3 (Big Sky)

AT GREENSBORO
7. West Virginia 13-5 (BE)
10. Purdue 13-5 (B10)

2. North Carolina 15-3 (ACC)
15. Bucknell 13-6 (Patriot)

MIDWEST REGIONAL- St.Louis

AT GREENSBORO
1. Duke 15-2 (ACC)
16. Norfolk State 13-5 (MEAC)

8. Xavier 12-5 (A10)
9. New Mexico 15-2 (MWC)

AT PORTLAND
5. Mississippi State 15-3 (SEC)
12. Northwestern 12-5 (B10)/Iowa State 12-5 (B12)

4. Marquette 15-4 (BE)
13. Nevada 14-3 (WAC)

AT COLUMBUS
6. Virginia 14-2 (ACC)
11. Stanford 15-3 (P12)

3. Illinois 15-3 (B10)
14. Oral Roberts 16-4 (Summit)

AT OMAHA
7. St. Mary’s 17-2 (WCC)
10. Wichita State 15-3 (MVC)

2. Missouri 17-1 (B12)
15. Milwaukee 13-6 (Horizon)

Wrong Side of the Bubble:
Central Florida 13-4 (CUSA)
Minnesota 12-5 (B10)
Texas 12-5 (B12)
Colorado State 12-4 (MWC)
N.C. State 13-5 (ACC)
Arizona 12-6 (P12)
Notre Dame 11-7 (BE)
Northern Iowa 13-6 (MVC)

Multiple Bid Conferences:
Big East (9)
Big Ten (8)
Big 12 (5)
SEC (5)
ACC (4)
A10 (4)
Pac-12 (3)
MWC (3)
CUSA(3)
WCC (3)
MVC (2)

Click here for a list of RPI and SOS

David Kay is a senior feature NBA Draft, NBA, and college basketball writer for the Sports Bank.  He also heads up the NBA and college basketball material at Walter Football.com and is a former contributor at The Washington Times Communities.  David has appeared on numerous national radio programs spanning from Cleveland to New Orleans to Honolulu.  He also had the most accurate 2011 NBA Mock Draft on the web.

You can follow him on Twitter at DavidKay_TSB.

Was this a huge upset? On one level, yes. Any time the most prominent college basketball program in the Big Ten falls to the program with the least amount of tradition in the conference, it’s huge!

Not to mention it ended the biggest win streak that prominent

On the other hand, Northwestern came in with a RPI of 28 while Michigan State’s number is 6, so it’s not that big of a spread.

Also, last year’s meetings were an OT defeat in East Lansing and a one possession final score in Evanston.

However, when Northwestern defeated Michigan State 81-74, this one seemed to look like a “season definer.”

Maybe it was the all black uniforms.

They looked a lot cooler and menacing than in college football.

The halftime numbers truly fore-casted this upset. At intermission, you had to be really optimistic if you were a Northwestern fan. Michigan State was shooting 65% field goal, 71% from 3. Versus NU going 46%  field goal shooting and 50% from 3. Yet it was the Cats who held  a 2 point lead.

So what made the difference for the Cats today, and how do they build on this going forward?

“I thought we executed better offensively, I haven’t been displeased with our defense, but tonight I thought we improved with that,” NU Coach Bill Carmody said.

Also, the Cats made a major move in the starting lineup. Actually, they did it at #13 Michigan Wednesday night, when they led the entire regulation period before losing it in overtime. Today, the Cats were able to close.

That move was swapping Davide Curletti for Luka Mirkovic in the starting lineup. John Shurna moved over to the 5, with NU playing a smaller lineup.

“I really thought today, we were hitting on all cylinders,” said Curletti who finished with 17 points and 6 rebounds. Curletti’s coach, Bill Carmody referred to him as the “Energizer Bunny” and he proved to be the spark the Cats needed.

“We lost this on the defensive end, we’re not allowed to give up 81 points,” Spartans coach Tom Izzo said.

Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports

A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio all over the world; and he’s a member of the Football Writers Association of America, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and Society of Professional Journalists. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too.

The NBA Draft Stock Report checks in on which college basketball players have made a name for themselves in the past week; either helping or hurting their future draft position.  With conference play underway, we get a better understanding of how NBA Draft prospects respond to playing better competition than some of the cupcake opponents they face in the non-conference.

Click here for The Sports Bank’s 2012 NBA Mock Draft.

BUY:
Dion Waiters, G, Syracuse, Soph.
Waiters continues to be an integral piece of Syracuse’s unbeaten run due to his breakout sophomore season.  He has become the Orange’s best player due to his ability to score the basketball from the outside or attack the rim, and his tenacity on the defensive end.  I actually see a little bit of a young Dwyane Wade in Waiters at times.  He would certainly be a first round pick in the 2012 NBA Draft and could possibly sneak into the late lottery if he continues to play at a high level.

Draymond Green, SF, Michigan State, Sr.
Averaging nearly a double-double a night, Green has been a huge reason for Sparty’s fifteen game win streak.  The main concern with Green is that he is undersized to be a power forward in the NBA but not quick enough to be a small forward.  Still, Green possesses all the intangibles to be an energy guy off somebody’s bench at the next level and I would not be shocked at all if he slips into the first round.

Brandon Paul, SG, Illinois, Jr.
Illini fans were saying, “FINALLY!” after his 43-point outburst in an upset of Ohio State.  Paul was obviously in the zone hitting eight of his ten three-point attempts.  It shows the potential that this young man has and now it will be interesting to see if he can snowball that performance to the rest of the season.  Besides his hot shooting, I was really impressed with his play on the defensive end as well against the Buckeyes as he came up with a couple of big blocked shots and rebounds.  He still has some flaws to his game; turns the ball over and relies on his inconsistent jumper too often.  Still, he caught a lot of people’s attention against the Buckeyes.

Trey Burke, PG, Michigan, Fr.
Burke might be flying under the radar more than any other freshman on the national scene.  He is logging a ton of minutes for the Wolverines and looking like a veteran running the show.  Burke can score off the bounce, has a decent perimeter shot, and can effect the game in a number of ways; defense included.  At 5-11 he is a tad small compared to other NBA point guards and I don’t think there’s any real chance of him turning pro this summer, but Burke is certainly somebody to keep an eye on going forward.

Jordan Theodore, PG, Seton Hall, Sr.
This is the third Pirate I’m buying in as many weeks (Herb Pope and Fuquan Edwin have appeared here) as Seton Hall continues to be one of the surprise teams in the nation.  Theodore has been a terrific floor leader this season as he leads the Big East in assists.  He wasn’t even on my draft radar coming into the season but might have worked himself into second round consideration.

SELL:
Ashton Gibbs, G, Pitt, Sr.
Since he is a shooting guard trapped in a point guard’s body, there was little chance of Gibbs being drafted.  Still, the possibility was alive due to his ability to shoot the rock.  With Pitt’s struggles have come Gibbs’ cold shooting as his three-point percentage has dropped 15% from last season.  There is really no chance he gets drafted this summer.

David Kay is a senior feature NBA Draft, NBA, and college basketball writer for the Sports Bank.  He also heads up the NBA and college basketball material at Walter Football.com and is a former contributor at The Washington Times Communities.  David has appeared on numerous national radio programs spanning from Cleveland to New Orleans to Honolulu.  He also had the most accurate 2011 NBA Mock Draft on the web.

You can follow him on Twitter at DavidKay_TSB.