The out come was no surprise on Stanford.
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Comment -
THANKS SONNY WE DO HAVE BOTH GOOD KARMA AND FRIENDS ABOVE WATCHING OUT FOR US THAT ARE STILL HERE RIP RELL AND FUSTY AND CHUCKIE AND THE OTHERS.WE POUR OUT SOME HENNY FOR YOU !
LET'S GET IT TOMORROW BOYS GOOD LUCK HAPPY NEW YEAR SONNY AND FELLAS!
Comment -
Ya no doubt but it is funny to watch the hype machine of espn to make them look good there 1-25 ats away vs top 5 teams all you need to know in this one !Comment -
Cash minny and the underComment -
I'll look tomorrow guys i'll concentrate on college hoops tommorowComment -
CASH THE UNDER AND STANFORD
PARLEY STANFORD AND UNDER
Comment -
Back to college hoops lets get that list of nasty teams that peeps don't know about together .Comment -
Gooig to look now at tomorrow be back soonComment -
Lets get it bean!Comment -
Hey fellas go take a look at today games and lets me know who you like and small reason why
leans only
college hoops
~pitt -6 i think they have to much fire powerand will be ready this year for providence ! Providence has one of the best home court advantages in the big east!plus ,they beat pitt last year at home 81-73 and later that season lost at pitt by 2pts 73-71!what do you guys think ? Ilike providence too torn on this game providence is my team !
~INDY +9 A LOT OF PTS BUT NOT SURE THEY PULL IT OFF WHICH INDY SHOWS UP?
~CONN +5 VS ND I THINK THIS WILL BE A BATTLE !
~BRADLEY -2
~WEST VIRGINA -11
~OHIO ST -12.5
WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK ?IF YOU LIKE THE OTHER WAY LET ME KNOW?
~Creighton +1Comment -
GoIng to look at these closer let me know what you like and we can bounce crap back and forth.Comment -
nba plays early
knicks +6 1x
det +12 1xComment -
Bradley the points have shifted 4 pts ?????Comment -
Loving uconn +5 and ohio state -13/12.5...I pulled th trigger on both..On th bubble on the knicks.Comment -
1X BRADLEY-2 ~Southern Illinois Salukis/BRADLEY -2 1X ~ GENE TEAGUE THE 6'10 CENTER AND LEADING SCORER AND REBOUNER OF SALUKIS DOUBTFUL TUES DIDN'T PLAY SUNDAY VS N.IOWA!~THE POINTS ARE SHIFTING THAT WAY I TAKE IT THAT TEAGUE IS NOT GOING CAUSING THE POINTS GOING FROM -2 S.ILLI TO +2 S.ILLI
NBA
KNICKS +6 1X
DET+12 1XComment -
Ya i like both of those good luck rebel!Comment -
Knicks are a bubble play !Comment -
pitt -5.5 10x
only play for today lets get it
LETS GET ITComment -
I actually like Creighton at home, tough place to play. I know Missouri St is good but give me the home dog in this one.Comment -
Ya holding aces i'm going the blue jay way too!after looking deeper into it!thanks for the heads up !
~sonny you like pitt tooComment -
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HERE'S A GOOD BREAK DOWN OF PLAYERS BY
Andy Glockner
Senior Norris Cole has been instrumental in leading his Vikings to a 15-1 start.
AP
Plenty of players put up big numbers, but not many are truly irreplaceable. Through a combination of roster composition, overall workload and devastating effectiveness, these 10 players may mean more to their teams than anyone else in the nation.
(All players listed alphabetically. All advanced stats taken from kenpom.com)
Norris Cole, G, Cleveland State
Cole is the epitome of a mid-major player who blossoms and lifts his entire team with him. Even with practically everyone back from last year's team, Cole has blown up this season, currently posting clear career highs in virtually every offensive category. He's averaging 20.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.9 assists a game while equaling Jimmer Fredette's scoring efficiency and possession usage. As a result, the Vikings currently sit in the top 60 in both offensive and defensive efficiency after ending last season at 126th and 205th, respectively.
Jimmer Fredette, G, BYU
The most lethal pure scorer in the nation, Fredette is pouring in more than 24 points a game for a team with a nice supporting cast but minus several key pieces from last season. He's the eighth-most efficient high usage player in the nation, and even for high-usage players, he uses a ton of BYU's possessions, with more than one out of every three Cougars trips when he's on the court ending with something he does. He also finds time to chip in 4.4 assists a game and is almost 90 percent from the free throw line.
Josh Harrellson, F, Kentucky
He's not allowed on Twitter (after criticizing coach John Calipari for not sufficiently praising his efforts in a preseason scrimmage) and his nickname is Jorts, but right now Harrellson is one of the major keys to talented-but-thin Kentucky's Final Four aspirations. Unless Enes Kanter gets an NCAA reprieve and/or Calipari gains more faith in Eloy Vargas, Harrellson is it as far as legit size for the Wildcats. Already averaging almost 10 rebounds a game this season, he's starting to become more of an overall threat, as witnessed by his 23-14 against rival Louisville and the 12-11 with six blocks in Monday's win over Penn.
Tu Holloway, G, Xavier
Edges Washington State's Klay Thompson for the do-it-all guard threat based on his primary point guard responsibilities and how hard he has to work night in, night out. Holloway currently has logged the seventh-highest percentage of minutes played in Division I yet is well above average in scoring efficiency and has elite assist and free throw rates. Holloway has taken 50 more free throw attempts than 6-foot-8 banger Jamel McLean. In raw terms, he's averaging 21.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5.6 assists a game.
JaJuan Johnson, C/F, Purdue
He's the only size Purdue has and he's also chipping in 20 points a game to help make up for Robbie Hummel's absence. In the advanced stats realm, Johnson is a superb defensive rebounder and shot-blocker, doesn't foul much (which is remarkable given Purdue's overall lack of size), gets to the line a good amount and converts well when he gets there. With Purdue at 13-1 and with the offense improving as it goes, Johnson is the primary reason Purdue fans shouldn't give up hope for a deep March run.
Jon Leuer, F, Wisconsin
The Badgers currently are the slowest team in Division I at just under 60 possessions a game, so Leuer's raw stats (19.5 pts and 7.3 rebs a game) don't come close to representing how terrific he's been. Even with the standout play of Jordan Taylor (himself very valuable given the lack of depth behind him), Leuer takes almost one out of every three Wisconsin shots when he's in the game and still is in the nation's top 75 in offensive efficiency. He also is a terrific defensive rebounder, blocks shots, never turns the ball over and gets to the free throw line a healthy amount.
David Lighty, G/F, Ohio State
Lethal big man Jared Sullinger is a strong contender for national player of the year honors, but ask Buckeyes fans who the most crucial piece to this team is, and many will say Lighty. Therefore, he earns the glue guy honors for this list. With multiple freshmen playing such important roles, it's nice to have a fifth-year senior available to do a little of this and a little of that. His improved three-point shooting has made him a very efficient scorer and he's been much more careful with the ball this season, too.
Demitri McCamey, G, Illinois
McCamey is doing a better job this season of balancing his role as the team's best player while also getting everyone else involved. His remarkably improved three-point shooting is allowing him to score more points while using fewer possessions, which, in turn, is helping the supporting cast be more efficient. The result: last season, Illinois finished 65th in offensive efficiency; now they're 16th with essentially the same cast, thanks to scoring seven more points per 100 possessions, which is a big difference.
Kemba Walker, G, Connecticut
An obvious no-brainer. Walker is a leading national player of the year candidate carrying a young UConn team to extremely unexpected heights. Even having cooled off slightly, Walker is still, by far, the most efficient heavy-usage scorer in the nation for a team that lacks a legitimate second option despite Alex Oriahki's solid play inside and the improvements of the freshmen. Walker also is very careful with the ball, gets fouled a ton and rarely fouls himself despite maintaining on-ball pressure.
Jordan Williams, F, Maryland
The slimmed down Williams is similar in standing to Purdue's Johnson, except he doesn't have anyone close to as productive as E'Twaun Moore helping him out, which makes him even more crucial to the Terps. Williams is a very effective scorer given his usage rates, generates a lot of free throw attempts (although struggles from the line) and is an outstanding rebounder at both ends of the floor. With so many teams of comparable quality behind Duke, Williams' presence should be worth a ton in terms of Maryland's eventual ACC finish.
Others considered
Arsalan Kazemi, F, Rice: An amazingly productive and efficient one-man gang for Rice, but the team's not good enough for his superior performance to mean as much as those who made the list.
Kawhi Leonard, F, San Diego State: Has a lot of quality around him, but he's the guy opponents have to account for the most, and he delivers as a very efficient scorer and a lethal rebounder at both ends.
Chris Singleton, , F, Florida State: Top defender and offensive threat on a Seminoles team that is brutal offensively.
Klay Thompson, G, Washington State: A better player than Holloway but doing similar things with a slightly better supporting cast and not the primary ballhandler.
Derrick Williams, F, Arizona: Possibly too unselfish for his team's own good, Williams is taking only 23 percent of the Wildcats' shots while on the floor despite remarkable conversion rates.
Comment -
More opinions on Pitt please...Another bubble for me...Strength of schedule is iffy is it not?Comment -
i really like uconn. i think they can win the game outright. got em at +5.5.Comment -
Nice write up..love the infoComment -
[quote=WIZARDOFBEANTOWN;8207708]HERE'S A GOOD BREAK DOWN OF PLAYERS BY
Andy Glockner
Senior Norris Cole has been instrumental in leading his Vikings to a 15-1 start.
AP
Plenty of players put up big numbers, but not many are truly irreplaceable. Through a combination of roster composition, overall workload and devastating effectiveness, these 10 players may mean more to their teams than anyone else in the nation.
(All players listed alphabetically. All advanced stats taken from kenpom.com)
Norris Cole, G, Cleveland State
Cole is the epitome of a mid-major player who blossoms and lifts his entire team with him. Even with practically everyone back from last year's team, Cole has blown up this season, currently posting clear career highs in virtually every offensive category. He's averaging 20.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.9 assists a game while equaling Jimmer Fredette's scoring efficiency and possession usage. As a result, the Vikings currently sit in the top 60 in both offensive and defensive efficiency after ending last season at 126th and 205th, respectively.
Jimmer Fredette, G, BYU
The most lethal pure scorer in the nation, Fredette is pouring in more than 24 points a game for a team with a nice supporting cast but minus several key pieces from last season. He's the eighth-most efficient high usage player in the nation, and even for high-usage players, he uses a ton of BYU's possessions, with more than one out of every three Cougars trips when he's on the court ending with something he does. He also finds time to chip in 4.4 assists a game and is almost 90 percent from the free throw line.
Josh Harrellson, F, Kentucky
He's not allowed on Twitter (after criticizing coach John Calipari for not sufficiently praising his efforts in a preseason scrimmage) and his nickname is Jorts, but right now Harrellson is one of the major keys to talented-but-thin Kentucky's Final Four aspirations. Unless Enes Kanter gets an NCAA reprieve and/or Calipari gains more faith in Eloy Vargas, Harrellson is it as far as legit size for the Wildcats. Already averaging almost 10 rebounds a game this season, he's starting to become more of an overall threat, as witnessed by his 23-14 against rival Louisville and the 12-11 with six blocks in Monday's win over Penn.
Tu Holloway, G, Xavier
Edges Washington State's Klay Thompson for the do-it-all guard threat based on his primary point guard responsibilities and how hard he has to work night in, night out. Holloway currently has logged the seventh-highest percentage of minutes played in Division I yet is well above average in scoring efficiency and has elite assist and free throw rates. Holloway has taken 50 more free throw attempts than 6-foot-8 banger Jamel McLean. In raw terms, he's averaging 21.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5.6 assists a game.
JaJuan Johnson, C/F, Purdue
He's the only size Purdue has and he's also chipping in 20 points a game to help make up for Robbie Hummel's absence. In the advanced stats realm, Johnson is a superb defensive rebounder and shot-blocker, doesn't foul much (which is remarkable given Purdue's overall lack of size), gets to the line a good amount and converts well when he gets there. With Purdue at 13-1 and with the offense improving as it goes, Johnson is the primary reason Purdue fans shouldn't give up hope for a deep March run.
Jon Leuer, F, Wisconsin
The Badgers currently are the slowest team in Division I at just under 60 possessions a game, so Leuer's raw stats (19.5 pts and 7.3 rebs a game) don't come close to representing how terrific he's been. Even with the standout play of Jordan Taylor (himself very valuable given the lack of depth behind him), Leuer takes almost one out of every three Wisconsin shots when he's in the game and still is in the nation's top 75 in offensive efficiency. He also is a terrific defensive rebounder, blocks shots, never turns the ball over and gets to the free throw line a healthy amount.
David Lighty, G/F, Ohio State
Lethal big man Jared Sullinger is a strong contender for national player of the year honors, but ask Buckeyes fans who the most crucial piece to this team is, and many will say Lighty. Therefore, he earns the glue guy honors for this list. With multiple freshmen playing such important roles, it's nice to have a fifth-year senior available to do a little of this and a little of that. His improved three-point shooting has made him a very efficient scorer and he's been much more careful with the ball this season, too.
Demitri McCamey, G, Illinois
McCamey is doing a better job this season of balancing his role as the team's best player while also getting everyone else involved. His remarkably improved three-point shooting is allowing him to score more points while using fewer possessions, which, in turn, is helping the supporting cast be more efficient. The result: last season, Illinois finished 65th in offensive efficiency; now they're 16th with essentially the same cast, thanks to scoring seven more points per 100 possessions, which is a big difference.
Kemba Walker, G, Connecticut
An obvious no-brainer. Walker is a leading national player of the year candidate carrying a young UConn team to extremely unexpected heights. Even having cooled off slightly, Walker is still, by far, the most efficient heavy-usage scorer in the nation for a team that lacks a legitimate second option despite Alex Oriahki's solid play inside and the improvements of the freshmen. Walker also is very careful with the ball, gets fouled a ton and rarely fouls himself despite maintaining on-ball pressure.
Jordan Williams, F, Maryland
The slimmed down Williams is similar in standing to Purdue's Johnson, except he doesn't have anyone close to as productive as E'Twaun Moore helping him out, which makes him even more crucial to the Terps. Williams is a very effective scorer given his usage rates, generates a lot of free throw attempts (although struggles from the line) and is an outstanding rebounder at both ends of the floor. With so many teams of comparable quality behind Duke, Williams' presence should be worth a ton in terms of Maryland's eventual ACC finish.
Others considered
Arsalan Kazemi, F, Rice: An amazingly productive and efficient one-man gang for Rice, but the team's not good enough for his superior performance to mean as much as those who made the list.
Kawhi Leonard, F, San Diego State: Has a lot of quality around him, but he's the guy opponents have to account for the most, and he delivers as a very efficient scorer and a lethal rebounder at both ends.
Chris Singleton, , F, Florida State: Top defender and offensive threat on a Seminoles team that is brutal offensively.
Klay Thompson, G, Washington State: A better player than Holloway but doing similar things with a slightly better supporting cast and not the primary ballhandler.
Derrick Williams, F, Arizona: Possibly too unselfish for his team's own good, Williams is taking only 23 percent of the Wildcats' shots while on the floor despite remarkable conversion rates.
Great info here thanks for the post....Glad to see 2 players on the list from my picks tonight.Comment -
Prediction Time (ET) Location Venue Thrill
Score 1 32 Connecticut at 28 Notre Dame Notre Dame 73-68 (69%) 7:00 PM South Bend, IN Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce 71.7 2 6 Pittsburgh at 63 Providence Pittsburgh 80-73 (76%) 7:00 PM Providence, RI Dunkin' Donuts Center 67.1 3 52 Missouri St. at 85 Creighton Missouri St. 68-67 (53%) 8:05 PM Omaha, NE Qwest Center Omaha 64.7 4 73 Indiana at 60 Minnesota Minnesota 75-69 (72%) 7:00 PM Minneapolis, MN Williams Arena 57.9 5 1 Ohio St. at 72 Iowa Ohio St. 72-59 (91%) 9:05 PM Iowa City, IA Carver-Hawkeye Arena 46.8 6 77 Arkansas at 20 Texas Texas 75-63 (88%) 9:00 PM Austin, TX Frank Erwin Special Events Cen 42.9 7 150 Southern Illinois at 179 Bradley Bradley 63-61 (58%) 8:05 PM Peoria, IL Carver Arena 36.7 8 163 Illinois St. at 148 Indiana St. Indiana St. 64-60 (68%) 7:05 PM Terre Haute, IN Hulman Center 34.0 9 26 West Virginia at 168 DePaul West Virginia 77-65 (88%) 9:00 PM Rosemont, IL Allstate Arena 34.0 10 149 Vermont at 248 Stony Brook Vermont 66-63 (62%) 7:00 PM Stony Brook, NY USB Sports Complex 31.7 11 334 Prairie View A&M at 340 Alcorn St. Alcorn St. 75-74 (56%) 8:30 PM Lorman, MS David L. Whitney Gymnasium 28.0 12 322 Mississippi Valley St. at 342 Arkansas Pine Bluff Mississippi Valley St. 68-67 (57%) 8:30 PM Pine Bluff, AR H.O. Clemmons Arena 26.6 13 174 Wyoming at 93 Colorado St. Colorado St. 75-64 (85%) 9:00 PM Fort Collins, CO Moby Arena 26.6 14 177 Evansville at 83 Northern Iowa Northern Iowa 64-54 (87%) 8:00 PM Cedar Falls, IA McLeod Center 22.8 15 271 Jackson St. at 329 Alabama St. Jackson St. 57-54 (66%) 9:00 PM Montgomery, AL Dunn-Oliver Acadome 22.7 16 338 Grambling at 335 Alabama A&M Alabama A&M 64-60 (69%) 8:30 PM Normal, AL Elmore Building 22.1 17 323 Longwood at 303 Navy Navy 83-75 (76%) 7:30 PM Annapolis, MD Alumni Hall 21.5 18 306 Texas Pan American at 268 Texas St. Texas St. 79-70 (79%) 8:00 PM San Marcos, TX Strahan Coliseum 19.8 19 198 Drake at 45 Wichita St. Wichita St. 77-60 (95%) 8:05 PM Wichita, KS Charles Koch Arena 17.5 20 279 New Hampshire at 181 Boston University Boston University 65-55 (87%) 7:00 PM Boston, MA Case Gym 14.5 21 193 Lehigh at 336 NJ Inst of Technology Lehigh 72-61 (87%) 7:00 PM Newark, NJ Fleisher Center 13.9 22 258 Delaware St. at 98 Texas Tech Texas Tech 74-59 (94%) 8:00 PM Lubbock, TX United Spirit Arena 13.0 23 230 Morgan St. at 25 Baylor Baylor 81-57 (98%) 8:00 PM Waco, TX Ferrell Center 12.6 24 259 Texas Southern at 344 Southern Texas Southern 69-57 (90%) 8:30 PM Baton Rouge, LA F.G. Clark Center 11.1 25 316 South Carolina St. at 101 South Carolina South Carolina 83-60 (98%) 7:00 PM Columbia, SC Colonial Life Arena 8.6 26 326 Colgate at 23 Maryland Maryland 89-53 (99.7%) 8:00 PM College Park, MD Comcast Center 7.0 27 333 Howard at 97 Virginia Virginia 72-49 (99%) 7:00 PM Charlottesville, VA John Paul Jones Arena 6.3 28 NR Louisiana College at 272 Lamar
8:35 PM Beaumont, TX Montagne Center 0.0 28 NR Hiwassee at 294 North Carolina A&T
7:00 PM Greensboro, NC Corbett Sports Center 0.0 28 NR Union KY at 299 Louisiana Monroe
8:00 PM Monroe, LA Fant-Ewing Coliseum 0.0 28 NR LSU Shreveport at 275 Northwestern St.
8:45 PM Natchitoches, LA Prather Coliseum 0.0 28 NR Ferris St. at 281 Eastern Michigan
7:00 PM Ypsilanti, MI Convocation Center 0.0 28 NR La Sierra at 283 UC Riverside
10:00 PM Riverside, CA Student Recreation Center 0.0 28 NR Haskell at 274 Utah Valley
9:00 PM Orem, UT Events Center 0.0 28 NR Ecclesia at 321 Central Arkansas
8:30 PM Conway, AR Farris Center 0.0 28 NR Carver Bible at 300 Bethune CookmanComment -
no problem fellas that's what i was thinking too let peeps see who these kids are!Comment -
the thing above is the kenpom.com report on tonights games and factors luck and pace of the game !he sees if the spreads are off in vegas .Comment -
hey fellas i like this arkansas +10Comment -
sonny having trouble throwing money on -6 with pitt!Comment -
anyone else liking blazers against a dirkless
and butlerless mavs?Comment -
Seth Davis>
Seth Davis>
tock Report: Buy UNC and Kentucky, sell UConn and Purdue
Story Highlights
Terrence Jones and the Wildcats look like a team that could do some serious damage in March.
Andy Lyons/Getty Images
The holidays may be over, but that doesn't mean you have to stop unwrapping presents. And there's no better way to ring in the New Year than by reading the annual Hoop Thoughts Stock Report. Who's headed up? Who's headed down? Everything you need to know about where (and where not) to invest is right here.
Longtime readers of this space know all about the HTSR -- indeed, you've probably been waiting breathlessly for it for weeks -- but for the uninitiated, allow me to explain. The ratings below are meant to assess where a team's stock is headed relative to where it is today. The "price" is measured by records and rankings, which are provided below, as well as that hard-to-measure-but-you-know-it-when-you-see-it factor called buzz. This year, I assigned ratings to a record 40 teams, and I've added my usual five sleepers and five duds to dump. That means a total of 50 "stocks" have been assessed.
Though I like to think of myself as being a discriminating shopper, it turns out I'm in a spending kind of mood. Of the 40 teams listed below, I've rated 18 as Buys (including one Buy-Plus), 10 as Sells and 12 as Holds. This may not be quite a booming bull market, but there's still plenty of room for growth.
Because the purpose of this exercise is to predict direction, it yields a twisted logic. The higher a team is ranked, the less likely I am to rate it a Buy, because it doesn't have as much potential to move up. If a team is ranked low, or not ranked at all, I'm more likely to rate it a Buy, because even if it doesn't appreciate you haven't lost much "money" by purchasing it. In other words, just because I rate one team a Buy and another a Sell, it doesn't necessarily mean I think the first team is better. Got it?
Of course you do. You are a devoted hoophead. You get me. And your loyalty is about to yield some major dividends. So without further ado, I present 2011 Hoop Thoughts Stock Report.
Happy shopping.
ARIZONA (12-2, NR): HOLD
I was ready to rate Arizona a Buy, but I downgraded them after the Wildcast lost at Oregon State Sunday night. Still, the Pac-10's reputation has gotten so bad that I think a lot of its stocks have become deflated. Arizona is a prime example. The Wildcats haven't beaten anyone significant, but both of their losses were to good teams (Kansas on a neutral court and BYU on the road). Arizona's guards are just OK (they turn it over too much and don't create enough steals), but this team has a potential lottery pick in sophomore forward Derrick Williams. The Pac-10 will be the primary beneficiary of the expansion of the NCAA tournament to 68 teams. If Arizona is in the field, this will turn out to be a smart purchase.
BAYLOR (9-3, NR): BUY
Scott Drew did not do his team any favors with the way he set up his schedule. The Bears started off playing a bunch of really low-caliber opponents, and while that eventually earned them a No. 9 ranking, it also left them unprepared to face better teams. The result: Baylor lost three out of four to plummet out of the rankings. That, of course, makes this an ideal time to Buy its stock. I think Baylor will figure out its problems (getting freshman center Perry Jones more involved in the offense would be a start), and the Bears also have a very favorable Big 12 schedule -- they only play Kansas, Kansas State and Missouri once. They may not be one of the nine best teams in America, but they're at least in the top 25.
BUTLER (10-5, NR): SELL
These are not your one-year-older-brother's Bulldogs. Brad Stevens tried to play down the idea that his team might have trouble wearing a bull's-eye in the wake of last year's run to the championship game, but the Bulldogs were clearly uncomfortable in that role. They've played their usual dirt-under-the-fingernails defense from the start, but while their offense appeared to be coming around, they got blitzed by 24 points at Wisconsin-Milwaukee Monday night. Butler has a chance to improve its stock by beating Cleveland State at home this Friday, but I wouldn't bet the mortgage on it.
BYU (14-1, No. 15): SELL
BYU might well be a Sweet 16-caliber team, but the Jimmers -- sorry, the Cougars -- have done little to justify their ranking. Their best wins were against Saint Mary's and Arizona and they lost to UCLA by seven points in Anaheim. The Mountain West is strong enough that BYU will drop a few games, perhaps as early as Wednesday when the Cougs play at UNLV. Not saying this stock will plummet, but I also don't think it will get any higher.
CONNECTICUT (11-1, No. 8): SELL
The Huskies have been the season's big surprise, but I'm far from convinced they're the eighth-best team in the country. In the first place, now that they've entered league play, they're learning that it's not enough to rely on Kemba Walker to beat teams single-handedly. Losing at Pitt wasn't nearly as concerning to me as the fact that instead of taking out their anger on the next opponent, the Huskies needed overtime to beat South Florida at home. This is also a great time to sell this stock because UConn has Notre Dame and Texas next on the road, and later this month the Huskies have Villanova and Tennessee at home. This is a tournament team (which I would not have said at the start of the season), but at this point it has nowhere to go but down.
DUKE (12-0, No. 1): HOLD
How good are the Blue Devils without Kyrie Irving? Who knows? Since the freshman point guard injured his toe on Dec. 4, Duke won four games over low-caliber teams by an average of 36 points before opening ACC play with an 11-point win at home over Miami Sunday night. This team can still win a title, but it has much less margin for error than before Irving was hurt. For me to rate a team a Buy when it is ranked No. 1 would have to mean I'm virtually guaranteeing it will win the title. And I'm far from ready to do that.
FLORIDA (11-3, NR): BUY
I realize Xavier is not exactly the '86 Celtics, but the Musketeers had won 30 home games in a row before the Gators came in and beat them last Friday. They followed that up by whupping a decent Rhode Island team in Gainesville by 25. That has to be encouraging for a team that began the season ranked ninth before dropping out of the Top 25. Florida's three-point loss at UCF doesn't look quite so bad now as it did two weeks ago. UF walloped Kansas State by 13 before falling on its face at home to Jacksonville the next time out. In other words, the world has a low opinion of the Gators. You may not get rich with this purchase, but you'll earn a little extra beer money.
FLORIDA STATE (11-4, NR): SELL
I realize the Seminoles are unranked so there's not much to sell, but I still get the sense that people think they're better than they are. Yes, Chris Singleton is one of the top five defenders in America, but at some point you've got to put the biscuit in the basket. That's where this team comes up short, scoring just 51, 44, 64 and 60 points in losses to Florida, Ohio State, Butler and Auburn (Auburn!), respectively. Even when Florida State upset Baylor in Hawaii on Christmas Day, it still failed to muster 70 points.
GEORGETOWN (12-3, No. 13): BUY
Even though the Hoyas have started Big East play with a pair of road losses to Notre Dame and St. John's, I still think they have the type of makeup that bodes well for postseason success. This team's four-man nucleus includes three seniors and a junior. It's not uncommon for Georgetown to stumble early in the conference season because Big East teams, unlike nonconference foes, are accustomed to playing against the Princeton offense. I also like Georgetown's league schedule, which has the Hoyas playing once against Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Villanova, Louisville and UConn.
ILLINOIS (11-3, No. 20): BUY
In the twisted logic of the Hoop Thoughts Stock Report, if the Illini had beaten Missouri instead of falling apart down the stretch, they would be less likely to warrant a Buy. Ditto for their overtime loss to Texas in Madison Square Garden back in November. This group is never going to play as tough as I'd like them to, but they showed some moxie when they out-rebounded a gritty Wisconsin team by seven in their win Sunday night. I also like the way the early Big Ten schedule sets up. Illinois will play Michigan State and Ohio State in Champaign later this month. You've got to figure they can at least get a split, possibly a sweep. That means their price is about to go up. Timing is everything, folks.
KANSAS (12-0, No. 3): HOLD
Even though I picked the Jayhawks to win the national championship on CBS last month (and in the Crystal Ball today), I am still waiting to see whether they can acquire efficiency and discipline that's commensurate to their talent. Yes, they have upside awaiting as Josh Selby gets more comfortable running the show, but they are a lousy free-throw shooting team that turns the ball over too much. On Jan. 9, they begin a stretch of six out of nine games on the road. The recent indefinite suspension to senior guard Mario Little following his arrest on battery charges does not help.
KANSAS STATE (12-3, No. 17): SELL
The Wildcats' ranking dropped appropriately following recent losses to Florida and UNLV, but I still get the sense most fans think of them as a Final Four challenger. I don't. I'm sure they'll be a tough out, but I think Kansas State's overall lack of skill, poor foul shooting and questionable leadership will offset its many positive qualities. Jacob Pullen's three-game suspension for accepting extra benefits is over, but Curtis Kelly still has two more to go. Plus, this team is about to encounter the toughest part of its Big 12 schedule. Beginning on Jan. 17, the Wildcats play at Missouri, at Texas A&M, home against Baylor, and at Kansas. Early February might be a good time to repurchase this stock, but in the short term I think things are going to get worse before they get better.
KENTUCKY (12-2, No. 10): BUY
You might assume I think pretty highly of the 'Cats to rate them a Buy when they're ranked 10th and coming off a big win at Louisville. And you're right. It's ironic that this team is both younger and less talented than last year's, yet it appears to be more mature, efficient, poised and therefore more capable of reaching the Final Four. A lot of that is attributable to the preternaturally poised freshmen, but the team's upperclassmen (Darius Miller, DeAndre Liggins and Josh Harrelson) have provided critical stability. Instead of constantly looking for the right combinations and trying to keep everybody happy, John Calipari has settled in to a steady seven-man rotation, which helps continuity. While I tend to pick against young teams in the NCAA tournament, they make for great stock purchases in early January because they tend to get better quickly. This rating also reflects my low opinion of the SEC East, which has been a major disappointment outside of UK.
LOUISVILLE (11-2, NR): SELL
I'm not sure exactly what the Cardinals did to get ranked before dropping out of the AP poll following last Friday's drubbing by Kentucky. They beat Butler and UNLV at home, but also lost to Drexel. Now they have to play for up to six weeks without their leading rebounder, Rakeem Buckles, who is out with a broken finger. If you want to hold on to this stock for another couple of weeks, go ahead, but beware the gauntlet that begins on Jan. 29: at UConn, at Georgetown, home versus DePaul, at Notre Dame, home versus Syracuse. Anyone want to predict Louisville will be ranked after that?
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If Michigan State is looking to make another run in March, Durrell Summers needs to become a much more consistent threat.
AP
MARYLAND (9-4, NR): HOLD
Given that the Terps are unranked and unnoticed, it's pretty pointless to rate them a Sell. But I don't see them rising too high, either, especially with road games at Duke and Villanova looming in the next two weeks. There's a lot to like about sophomore forward Jordan Williams, who is fifth in the nation in rebounding (11.8 per game) and ranks third in the ACC in scoring (18.1), but Maryland is getting absolutely nothing out of its guards. When you can't even beat BC at home, you don't have much basis for optimism.
MEMPHIS (11-2, No. 21): SELL
Even if you think Tennessee is a lousy team, the fact that Memphis is playing in Knoxville Wednesday night makes this a perfect time to sell. Conference USA is better than it has been in a while, and according to Kempom.com the Tigers are ranked 336th nationally in experience. They're fortunate that junior forward Wesley Witherspoon came back a little quicker than expected from injury, but given how young this team is, there's no way it's going to go through the league and hold on to its ranking.
MICHIGAN STATE (10-4, No. 18): HOLD
I'm not ready to jump off the Spartans' bandwagon, but I'm not driving it anymore either. It has been a long time since I've seen a team go into the Breslin Center and embarrass Michigan State the way Texas did on December 22. I feel pretty confident that Kalin Lucas will steadily improve as his surgically repaired Achilles tendon gets stronger, but to me the biggest X-factor is Durrell Summers, who was the catalyst for last year's surprising Final Four run. Consider that in the first half against Minnesota last Friday, Summers had five points and the Spartans trailed by six. He scored 14 in the second half and they won by nine. He followed that up by going 4-for-14 as the Spartans almost blew a late 13-point lead at Northwestern Monday night. Whether or not you want to buy this stock depends on which Summers you believe will be in uniform the next three months.
MINNESOTA (11-3, NR): HOLD
I might have recommended a Sell here because I think the Gophers have been ranked a little too high given that their best win came on a neutral court against North Carolina. (Not to mention Devoe Joseph's indefinite suspension.) But their back-to-back road losses to Wisconsin and Michigan State served as a fitting market correction. Minnesota will never wow you offensively, but they can grind you out and beat you up as well as any team in the Big Ten. The Gophers have to play at Ohio State on Sunday, but after that they have relatively smooth sailing until early February.
MISSOURI (13-1, No. 9): BUY
It's hard to measure buzz with precision, but for a team ranked ninth it seems that nobody is talking about the Tigers. That might be because there is no signature player -- at Missouri, the system is the star -- but this team has shown a lot of heart and resilience, especially down the stretch of games. Mizzou trailed Georgetown by 18 points in the first half before rallying to send the game into overtime, where it lost by nine. The Tigers also beat a good Vanderbilt team in overtime and beat Illinois with a 14-2 run to end the game. As good as the Tigers have been, they could get better in the next couple of weeks if 6-foot-8 freshman forward Tony Mitchell gets cleared academically to play.
NORTH CAROLINA (10-4, NR): BUY-PLUS
Last year, I gave this unusually bullish ranking to Baylor. Like these Tar Heels, those Bears were also unranked, but they ended their season in the Elite Eight. So you might want to take my advice on this one. For some reason -- and my guess is the embarrassment of last season -- people have not been properly applying the transitive property to North Carolina. The Heels beat Kentucky at home, and look at what Kentucky just did to Louisville on the road. They lost to Texas in Greensboro on a last-second bucket, and look what the Longhorns did to Michigan State. I realize nobody will ever call Larry Drew II the second coming of Phil Ford, but as a group North Carolina's perimeter guys are actually pretty good. Witness Leslie McDonald and Justin Watts, who provided a combined 24 points off the bench in last week's rout of Rutgers. Lots of people look at Harrison Barnes and see a disappointment, but I see a very talented young man who is learning a little bit more with every dribble. Finally, look around the ACC and find me a team besides Duke that's better than North Carolina. It's only a matter of time before the Heels are back in the rankings to stay, so you better buy 'em now while they're dirt cheap.
NORTH CAROLINA STATE (9-4, NR): BUY
This purchase has very little downside, because nobody thinks the Wolfpack are very good. Yet, all four of their losses have been to respectable teams (Georgetown, Wisconsin, Syracuse and Arizona), and they had to play 10 games without their best player, senior forward Tracy Smith, who was out with a knee injury. Smith returned to score 16 points in a win over San Diego on Saturday. N.C. State is extremely young (after Smith, the Pack's four top scorers include three freshmen and a sophomore), so this team has a lot of potential to get better quickly. Might as well take a flyer.
NOTRE DAME (12-2, No. 14): BUY
Notre Dame's heavy reliance on three-point shooting will not lead to a whole lot of success on the road. (The Irish were 7-for-21 from behind the arc in their 12-point loss at Syracuse on Saturday.) Still, I don't think this team is going anywhere. I love the all-senior starting five, and this could be the best defensive team that Mike Brey has had in South Bend. The X-factor moving forward is freshman point guard Eric Atkins, who has been providing a nice spark off the bench but has yet to prove himself in the crucible of the Big East.
OHIO STATE (14-0, No. 2): BUY
I was one of the early skeptics about the Buckeyes because I was concerned about their lack of an experienced true point guard. But freshman Aaron Craft has been better than I expected off the bench, and seniors David Lighty and William Buford have been effective playmakers as well. I also believe freshman center Jared Sullinger is going to make a strong run at national player of the year. The Buckeyes' Big Ten schedule is backloaded, so they should be well-positioned to claim the No. 1 ranking should Duke lose in the next few weeks.
OKLAHOMA STATE (12-2, NR): SELL
This one's an easy call. The Cowboys have never been ranked this season and they've generated very little buzz, but they're clearly not as good as their record. We found that out last Friday when in their first real test of the season, they got blitzed by 21 at Gonzaga. (They also lost by five to Virginia Tech on a neutral court.) Even while amassing wins against overmatched opponents, Oklahoma State revealed a tendency to commit too many turnovers and an inability to make three-point shots. That will spell trouble during a Big 12 schedule that will have the Pokes in their first six games playing Kansas State and Texas at home, plus Texas A&M and Baylor on the road.
PITTSBURGH (13-1, No. 5): BUY
I was going to rate the Panthers a Hold until I looked at their schedule. I'm not sure how this happened, but Pitt only has to play UConn, Georgetown, Syracuse and Notre Dame once. (And the Panthers already beat UConn.) So while Pitt can hardly climb much higher in the polls, I also don't expect this team to fall too far. With no real dominant teams out there, this is a good year to be flush with intangibles like toughness and experience. For me, the difference-maker is 6-10 senior center Gary McGhee, not because he reminds anyone of Hakeem Olajuwon, but there are very few top teams that have a post player who is that big and reliable.
PURDUE (13-1, No. 11): SELL
Matt Painter doesn't play the weakest nonconference schedule around, but for some reason he never puts his team through the full Izzo. If ever there was a year to do so, this would have been it. (Painter obviously didn't know Robbie Hummel was going to blow out his knee the first week of practice.) Purdue is a good team, and I wouldn't count them out for a deep tourney run even without Hummel, but the Boilermakers' ranking is a tad inflated because of their schedule. Their toughest nonconference opponents were Virginia Tech, which they beat in overtime on the road, and Richmond (an 11-point loss on a neutral court). Expect the Boilermakers to get knocked down a few pegs toward the end of January, when they hit the teeth of their Big Ten schedule.
SAN DIEGO STATE (15-0, No. 6): SELL
I think very highly of the Aztecs, but this was the easiest call on the board. Talk about nowhere to go but down -- this team has risen to sixth in the AP poll on the basis of preseason expectations and a weak schedule (aside from the win at Gonzaga way back on Nov. 16). The Aztecs have a terrific (albeit undersized) frontline tandem in Kawhi Leonard and Malcolm Thomas, but they are bound to stumble a few times once Mountain West play gets under way, at which time their ranking and reputation will suffer. So dump the Aztecs now and be prepared to scoop 'em back up right before the tournament.
ST. JOHN'S (10-3, NR): HOLD
I might have rated the Johnnies a Buy in the wake of their inspiring win over Georgetown Monday night, but then I got a gander at their upcoming schedule. Holy Joe Lapchick, Batman: at Notre Dame, home vs. Syracuse, home vs. Notre Dame, at Louisville, home vs. Cincinnati (which is still undefeated), at Georgetown and home vs. Duke. What, the Spurs weren't available? Not to mention the big Feb. 5 date at Steve Lavin's former employer, UCLA. St. John's is the fourth-most experienced team in the country, but despite starting off league play with impressive road wins at West Virginia and Providence, you have to wonder if this will be a battered and bruised team come February.
SYRACUSE (15-0, No. 4): HOLD
I like the Orange, but I don't see how this stock can go any higher. That said, for a team that can't make threes or score in the post, the Orange can put a lot of points on the board. They're taking care of the ball (just 10.9 turnovers per game) and that zone defense is as riddling as ever. This team is typified by junior point guard Scoop Jardine, who only makes 30 percent from three-point range but is ranked in the top five in the Big East in assists, steals and assist-to-turnover ratio. As I said with respect to Pitt, this is a season where steady but unspectacular could very well win the race.
TEMPLE (9-3, NR): BUY
This rating reflects my high opinion of Temple, but also my low opinion of the Atlantic 10. Outside of Richmond, there are no teams in this league that would strike fear on Selection Sunday. I've been calling for senior center Lavoy Allen to be a more aggressive scorer, and he gave me hope by scoring 22 points in last week's loss at Villanova. Temple also has wins at Maryland and at home against Georgetown, so you know it's capable of beating just about anyone. With its experience (the Owls' leading scorers are junior guards Ramone Moore and Juan Fernandez) and unconventional style, Temple is going to be a tough out in March.
TENNESSEE (9-4, NR): BUY
This team can't possibly be this bad, can it? (Uh, maybe you shouldn't answer that.) There's not much upside to buying this stock, but there's basically no downside, either. So why not take a chance? This is still the group that beat two top-10 teams in Villanova and Pitt (the latter on the road no less). Maybe they'll start turning things around Wednesday night at home against rival Memphis. Or maybe not having Bruce Pearl for the first eight SEC games will serve as a rallying cry. Or maybe they'll pull off a big upset when Pearl is allowed to coach a nonconference game at Connecticut on Jan. 22. All I know is that if this team doesn't start digging down and rededicating itself to defense, its slide will never turn around.
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