By David K.
My DVR is cleared out. I will set my over/under at watching 225 college basketball games this year. Seriously. As of Thursday evening, I was already at twelve games and it isn’t even Thanksgiving yet. Call it a sickness or an obsession, and I certainly won’t argue. College hoops is to me what cigarettes and crack are to Amy Winehouse.
(Note: With Pete, Dave and I all alluding to Amy Winehouse in the past couple weeks, it’s true that AW analogies are to Sports Bank writers what…..pretty much any controlled substance is to Amy Winehouse…allusion #4 ha ha –Paul M. Banks)
I’ve already broke down the Big Ten and Big East in-depth. Since I have a life (somewhat), I can’t break it down like that for EVERY conference, so consider this my college basketball Cliff’s Notes.
ACC
Champs: North Carolina- obviously
Overrated: Duke- Always my early exit team come tourney time
Sleeper: Wake Forest- yes, they’re unranked but could be the 2nd best team in the ACC
All-Conference:
Tyler Hansbrough, F, UNC
Ty Lawson, PG, UNC
Jack McClinton, G, Miami
Tyrese Rice, PG, Boston College
Greivis Vasquez, PG, Maryland
POY: Hansbrough- assuming he can stay healthy
Freshman of the year: Al-Farouq Aminu, F, Wake Forest- likely one and done
My favorite player in the conference: Wayne Ellington, UNC- gorgeous jump shot
A-10
Champs: Temple- tough non-conference schedule will get the Owls ready
Overrated: Xavier- lost a lot from last year including their backcourt
Sleeper: Richmond- scrappy team impressed me at loss to Syracuse
All-Conference
Jimmy Baron, SG, Rhode Island
Derrick Brown, F, Xavier
Dionte Christmas, SG, Temple
Rob Diggs, PF, George Washington
Ahmad Nivins, PF, St. Joseph’s
POY: Christmas- college basketball is “the most wonderful time of the year…â€
Freshman of the year: Kwamain Mitchell, PG, St. Louis- from Whitefish Bay, WI
My favorite player in the conference: Christmas comes but twice a year in this category
Big 12
Champs: Texas- all-around complete team… size, shooters, athletes
Overrated: Kansas- just lost too much from last year’s team
Sleeper: Oklahoma St.- best guard play in the conference
All-Conference:
A.J. Abrams, G, Texas
James Anderson, G, Oklahoma St.
Blake Griffin, PF, Oklahoma
Damion James, F, Texas
Curtis Jerrells, PG, Baylor
POY: Griffin- will average 20+ points and 10+ boards a game
Freshman of the year: Willie Warren, G, Oklahoma- a perimeter compliment to Griffin
My favorite player in the conference: James- the definition of versatile
Conference USA
Champs: Memphis- will probably own this conference forever
Overrated: None- Memphis is the only team getting love and deservedly so
Sleeper: Tulsa- seven-footer Jerome Jordan and guard Ben Uzoh could surprise
All Conference:
Robert Dozier, F, Memphis
Tyreke Evans, SG, Memphis
Jermaine Taylor, SG, Central Florida
Robert Vaden, SG, UAB
Jeremy Wise, G, Southern Mississippi
POY: Taylor- one of the best scorers in the country
Freshman of the year: Evans- will be one and done, so don’t get used to him as a Tiger
My favorite player in the conference: Desmond Wade, G, Houston- D-Wade… get it?
Missouri Valley
Champs: Southern Illinois- defense will carry the Salukis once again
Overrated: Drake- won’t have near the season as last year
Sleeper: Illinois State- Redbirds barely missed the tourney last year
All Conference:
Osiris Eldridge, SG, Illinois State
Shy Ely, SG, Evansville
Carlton Fay, F, Southern Illinois
P’Allen Stinnett, G, Creighton
Josh Young, G, Drake
POY: Stinnett
Freshman of the year: Kevin Dillard, PG, Southern Illinois- reigning Mr. Illinois
My favorite player in the conference: Dillard
Mountain West
Champs: UNLV- Lon Krueger’s team is the most balanced in the conference
Overrated: Utah- lost to Southwest Baptist? Is that even a school?
Sleeper: San Diego St.- only if Lorenzo Wade is re-instated from his suspension
All Conference:
Wink Adams, G, UNLV
Lee Cummard, SG, BYU
Tony Danridge, G/F, New Mexico
Luke Nevill, C, Utah
Marcus Walker, G, Colorado State
POY: Cummard- one of the best scorers out west
Freshman of the year: Afam Muojeke, G/F, Wyoming
My favorite player in the conference: Ryan Amoroso, F, San Diego St.- former MU’er
Pac-10
Champs: Arizona St.- I’m that high on James Harden
Overrated: Arizona- wouldn’t be saying this if Brandon Jennings was a Wildcat
Sleeper: Washington St.- lost a lot, but defense will keep them in games
All-Conference
Jon Brockman, PF, Washington
Darren Collison, PG, UCLA
DeMar DeRozan, SG, USC
James Harden, G/F, Arizona St.
Jordan Hill, PF, Arizona
POY: Harden-absolute stud on the wing
Freshman of the year: DeRozan-fills in for the departed O.J. Mayo
My favorite player in the conference: Lil’ Romeo, G, USC- Make ‘Em Say UGH!!!!
SEC
Champs: Florida- not Billy Donovan’s first rodeo
Overrated: Tennessee- the loss of Chris Lofton will hurt more than expected
Sleeper: Alabama- good nucleus of experience and youth
All Conference:
Nick Calathes, G, Florida
A.J. Ogilvy, C, Vanderbilt
Patrick Patterson, PF, Kentucky
Tyler Smith, SF, Tennessee
Ronald Steele, PG, Alabama
POY: Patterson- double-double machine will be a beast inside
Freshman of the year: JaMychal Green, F, Alabama-
My favorite player in the conference: Wayne Chism, PF, Tennessee- just because of how he wears his headband
West Coast Conference
Champs: St. Mary’s- Mills carries this squad
Overrated: Gonzaga- I just don’t see them as a top 10 team in the country
Sleeper: San Diego- don’t forget, this team knocked off UConn in the tourney last year
All Conference:
John Bryant, C, Santa Clara
Josh Heytvelt, PF, Gonzaga
Rob Jones, F, San Diego
Dior Lowhorn, F, San Francisco
Patty Mills, PG, St. Mary’s
POY: Mills- aka, the new Stephen Curry
Freshman of the year: Keion Bell, G, Pepperdine
My favorite player in the conference: Mills- may need a restraining order against me
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