Archive for August, 2012

Fast 25: The 25 Quickest Guys in College Basketball

Posted by Scott Polacek on August 28 2012 Add Comments
Speed kills. It’s something that all serious sports fans know, but how much it matters often depends on the sport. I would venture to guess that most baseball teams would rather have a slow first baseman who hits 50 home runs than one who legs out a few infield singles. The argument could even be made (although perhaps not too successfully) that a slow, power-run based attack in football is more effective than a speed-based ...

Maryland Basketball: Game-by-Game Breakdown of the Terps 2012-13 Schedule

Posted by Ryan Satsky on August 28 2012 Add Comments
Maryland only graduated two seniors from its 2011-12 roster, but ended up with five departures this offseason.ACC leading scorer Terrell Stoglin and small forward Mychal Parker were both suspended for one season following a drug test, and both opted to leave the program for good. Ashton Pankey transferred to Manhattan.This season, the Terps bring in five freshmen replacements, led by ESPN 100 players Shaquille Cleare and Jake Layman.As Maryland looks to improve on its 17-15 ...

The 25 Sketchiest Programs in College Hoops History

Posted by Todd Stevens on August 28 2012 Add Comments
College basketball has a rich, storied tradition that’s steeped in championships, competition, and oftentimes, chaos.Which programs are known for running afoul of the NCAA? Which ones have been associated with sleazy headlines?Here are this writer’s 25 sketchiest programs in hoop history.Begin Slideshow

UNC Basketball: Predicting Every Game on Tar Heels’ 2012-13 ACC Schedule

Posted by Rollin Yeatts on August 28 2012 Add Comments
The ACC basketball schedule for the 2012-13 season was released on Wednesday, with UNC seemingly having toughest road of them all. In an effort to have some fun—and possibly dig myself a deeper hole, during this long offseason haul—I will give you my predictions for every ACC game on the Tar Heels' schedule.The conference schedule consists of 18 games for the first time, and they certainly didn't take it easy on Carolina in year one. ...

Big Ten Basketball: The Ugly Truth About Each Big Ten Team

Posted by Scott Polacek on August 28 2012 Add Comments
The Big Ten is arguably the strongest conference heading into the 2012-13 college basketball season. Indiana will likely be No. 1 in the nation to start the year, Ohio State returns key contributors from its Final Four team, Michigan has its strongest roster since the days of the Fab Five and Michigan State still has Tom Izzo. But every team, no matter how strong, has concerns heading into a new campaign. The squads that make ...

College Basketball’s Top 5 Players at Each Position

Posted by Thad Novak on August 28 2012 Add Comments
Here’s a different kind of preseason Top 25 to get you ready for the college hoops season. We’ll look at the best of the best at all five positions on the court, for a total of 25 of the top players in the country. Obviously, in this era of four-guard lineups, defining who’s a shooting guard vs. a small forward or a center vs. a power forward gets a bit arbitrary. Still, after last year’s ...

Kentucky Basketball: What If John Calipari Misses Out on the Harrison Twins?

Posted by Matt Overing on August 28 2012 Add Comments
It's a scenario Big Blue Nation would prefer to never see come to fruition: Aaron and Andrew Harrison not selecting Kentucky. With the news that the twins will not visit Kentucky, Dave Telep's notion that "Maryland closed the gap" is a very real possibility. On the bright side, the Harrisons have nothing bad to say about the Kentucky program and John Calipari. The Wildcats have long been considered the leader for the pair of guards, and their familiarity with ...

The Most Ruthless Players in College Basketball

Posted by Ryan Hubler on August 28 2012 Add Comments
Who are the toughest, most ruthless players in college basketball today?Who are the guys who aren't afraid to get their nose dirty, cause some ruckus and commit a hard foul every now and then?When thinking about the most ruthless players of all time, names like Karl Malone, Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman and the artist formerly known as Ron Artest come to mind. But "ruthless" as a definition is subjective. What some may say is tough, ...

Pac-12 Basketball: USC’s Kevin O’Neil Is Sitting on the Hottest Seat in CBB

Posted by Doug Brodess on August 28 2012 Add Comments
USC Trojan's Kevin O'Neil is facing a make-or-break season in 2012-13.After three years in Troy, he has registered a disappointing 41-55 record.Last season, with a team that was ravaged by injuries and internal conflict, Southern Cal went a dismal 6-26, 1-17 in the inaugural year of the Pac 12.Attendance at 2011-12 home games at the 10,000+ seating capacity Galen Center was 3,970, the third lowest among BCS-Conference schools.If O'Neil had an extensive winning record with ...

College Basketball 2012-13: The Top 15 Long-Range Bombers in the Country

Posted by Derek Piper on August 28 2012 Add Comments
There were plenty of sharpshooters who scorched the nets from long range last season. With the likes of Murray State's Isaiah Canaan and Indiana's Jordan Hulls topping the ranks, college basketball will once again have a stellar collection of game-changers behind the arc. Hot shooting from deep can carry teams throughout the season. Here are the top 15 long-range bombers in 2012-13.Begin Slideshow