The greatest time of the year is upon us: college football is back! And that means 15 straight Saturdays of tailgating, bar-b-queuing, TV-watching fun! It also means that I am back on the blog, to provide you with a viewing guide for each week. If you watch everything I tell you to watch, you will have maxed out your quality football watching experience each week. Of course, you'll want to tune in to see your favorite team play, but this should give you a good guide of what the action is in week 1.
Thursday August 29th, 2013
It's the first week, which means college football kicks off on a Thursday. Make sure you beat that rush hour traffic and get home a little early, because there are some great games, starting with:
6:00 PM: North Carolina @ #6 South Carolina (ESPN):
This is a perfect way to kick off the year, with a good old fashioned battle for Carolina. While both teams have more important rivals, there will be no love lost between these two squads. Watch for: Jadeveon Clowney, because he is a beast.
8:00 PM: Utah State @ Utah (Fox Sports 1):
If the UNC-USC game is good, make sure you have this one on "last" for something to watch during commercials. If it's a snoozer, then switch over to Fox Sports 1 for this battle of Utah. These long-time rivals are always good for a close game. Utah State, however, has been the better program of late. Watch for: This is Fox Sports 1's first ever game that they will be covering. Lets see how they do.
9:15 PM: Ole Miss @ Vanderbilt (ESPN):
This game will be following the completion of the UNC-USC game, and is a great way to kick off the SEC season. Vanderbilt has been good as of late, and Ole Miss comes in with lots of hype, and potentially the #1 incoming recruiting class. Watch for: Ole Miss' freshmen, and how they impact the game.
10:30 PM: Rutgers @ Fresno State (CBS Sports):
It may not seem like a great matchup, but it is. Both teams are coming off of very good 9-4 seasons, and both have a real shot at winning their respective conferences. Watch for: how Rutgers responds to the road environment and Fresno State's fast paced offense.
Friday August 30th, 2013
Well, work is done for the week. Yeah, you stayed up too late last night, but it's okay, because this is the first college football weekend of the year!
8:PM: Texas Tech @ SMU (ESPN):
This is the only matchup on Friday worth watching, and it's a good one. This in state battle will feature points, points, and more points. Two of the better offenses in the nation clash in Dallas. It will definitely be worth your time. Watch for: points.
Saturday August 31st, 2013
Oh, how we have waited for this day. Call your buddies, and fire up the grill! It's football time!
11:45 AM: College Gameday (ESPN):
This might just be the best part of Saturdays in the fall. Watch the crew pick all of the big games, and see Lee Corso don some ridiculous mascot head. College football doesn't officially start until that happens.
12:00 PM: Purdue @ Cincinnati (ESPN U):
I'm sorry, but I want to see good football, not Ohio State crushing Buffalo from the first snap. This will be an even, back and forth affair. Watch for: Both of the quarterback situations; and kickoffs and punts: both teams have great return men.
3:30 PM: Mississippi State vs #13 Oklahoma State (ABC/ESPN2):
The 3:30 window has some great games, and this is one of them. Played at a neutral site in Houston, it will be a much needed win for both teams to jump-start their seasons. Watch for: Lots of passes: both teams love the "spread and shred" philosophy.
3:30 PM: Syracuse vs Penn State (ABC/ESPN2):
This is the opposite of the previous game, as points will probably be kept to a minimum, as both teams will try and grind their way to a victory. Watch for: the QB situation for both teams, as both teams lost their starting QBs, both of whom led their respective conferences in passing.
5:30 PM: #1 Alabama vs Virgina Tech (ESPN):
Virginia Tech is not supposed to win, but this is Alabama's biggest non-conference test, and it comes in week 1. Played at a neutral site in Atlanta, this is going to be a great game between two very hungry teams. Watch for: If VT gets behind in this game, it's all over. See if they can jump out to a lead and put some pressure on Alabama.
8:00 PM: #5 Georgia @ # 8 Clemson (ABC):
If you only watch one game this week, I suggest you watch this one. By now, your tailgate should be in full swing, and you can watch what is going to be a high powered, back and forth battle. Watch for: everything, really. UGA's offense should be great, but they are replacing a lot of players on defense, and we will see how that stacks up against Clemson's offense.
9:00 PM: #12 LSU vs #20 TCU (ESPN):
It's the battle of the three letter acronym schools, as LSU and TCU take the field for the Cowboy Classic in Arlington, Texas. LSU thinks they can hang with the best in the SEC, and they will have to prove that against a TCU team that is favored to do well in the Big12 this year. Watch for: LSU to come out firing. If they win this, there's a good chance they will be 4-0 going into their showdown @ Georgia.
10:30 PM: #22 Northwestern @ California (ESPN 2):
By now, everyone has probably gone home, and once the two above games finish, turn to this one to see what will probably be a good finish. Normally excelling in the classroom, these two schools have been on the rise as of late. Watch for: Northwestern to handle the Cal defense easily with their edge speed.
And that's it. Enjoy your weekend, and try and recover before work on Monday! Because we have to do it all over again in week 2! 'Til next time.
Showing posts with label Virginia Tech. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Virginia Tech. Show all posts
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Friday, December 21, 2012
2012-13 College Football Bowl Preview (Part II)
Here is the second installment of my College Football Bowl Preview series (all times Eastern):
The Independence Bowl: Friday December 28th, 2:00 pm.
Ohio (8-4) vs Louisiana-Monroe (8-4) - Both these teams had some of the biggest upsets of the year: Ohio took down Penn State, and Louisiana-Monroe won a thriller against Arkansas. Led by dual-threat quarterback Kolton Browning, UL-Monroe is one of the most exiting teams to watch in football. After starting 7-0, Ohio lost 4 of their last 5, including their last 3 games of the year. Straight Up Pick: Ohio
The Russel Athletic Bowl: Friday December 28th, 5:30 pm.
Rutgers (9-3) vs Virginia Tech (6-6) - Virginia Tech had a huge letdown this year, coming in with big expectations, but barely managing to become bowl eligible. Virginia Tech has the ability to play better than their record suggests. It all comes down to the decision making of junior quarterback Logan Thomas. Meanwhile, Rutgers was one of football's biggest surprises before they lost their last two games after coming so close to a possible BCS bowl bid. Straight Up Pick: Rutgers.
The Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas: Friday December 28th, 9:00 pm.
Minnesota (6-6) vs Texas Tech (7-5) - Minnesota has reached their goal of getting to a bowl game. The only problem is it's against Texas Tech who boasts the number 2 ranked passing offense in the nation. Minnesota has won games this year by playing good defense, but that will be very difficult in this game. Texas Tech is much the more seasoned unit, having played 6 ranked teams this year, and beating 2 of them. Their only other loss was against a very good Baylor team who had just knocked off #1 Kansas State. Straight Up Pick: Texas Tech.
The Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl: Saturday December 29th, 11:45 am.
Air Force (6-6) vs Rice (6-6) - Both of these teams finished their season in opposite ways. Air Force finished by losing 3 of their last 4 games, their unique triple-option attack failing them down the stretch. Rice, on the other hand, had to win their last 4 games to become bowl eligible, and they were able to do just that. Rice is very balanced in all aspects of the game, while Air Force relies on their running attack to generate enough points to win. Straight Up Pick: Rice.
The New Era Pinstripe Bowl: Saturday December 29th, 3:15 pm.
West Virginia (7-5) vs Syracuse (7-5) - Usually when these teams meet it's on the hardwood, not the gridiron. West Virginia seems to have steadied the ship after a 5 game losing streak in the middle of the year by winning their last two. Syracuse boasts several quality wins over the likes of Louisville and Missouri. Both of these teams score lots of points, and I'm still not sure if West Virginia fields a defense. Straight Up Pick: West Virginia.
The Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl: Saturday December 29th, 4:00 pm.
Navy (8-4) vs Arizona State (7-5) - Navy brings one of the nation's top 10 running games into this game. They finished the year on a 7-1 run, capping off the year with a 17-13 victory in the Army-Navy game. Arizona State brings in a very balanced team. They limit opponent's opportunities and take care of the football on offense. All of their loses this year came against top level competition, while Navy had a couple of games where nothing clicked and they lost to someone they shouldn't have. This is the type of game where you have to throw records out the window. Straight Up Pick: Arizona State.
The Valero Alamo Bowl: Saturday December 29th, 6:45 pm.
#23 Texas (8-4) vs #13 Oregon State (9-3) - Oregon State was not on very many people's radars going into this season. But after rattling of impressive victory after impressive victory, they finished the year with a great record and a high ranking. Oregon State has a very good defense and passing offense, something they will try to utilize against a Texas secondary that has been susceptible to the big play. Texas went into the year with huge expectations and came out with what many call a disappointment (and a quarterback controversy). What was to be a top ranked defense turned out to be not as good as advertised. Both of these teams will scheme very well and try to play to the other's weaknesses. Straight Up Pick: Oregon State.
The Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl: Saturday December 29th, 10:15 pm.
TCU (7-5) vs Michigan State (6-6) - Both of these teams are 2-3 against ranked teams. Both have had quarterback problems. TCU kicked starter Casey Pachall off the team, and Michigan State has had to deal with the woes that accompany starting a true freshman. It seems like TCU has found an answer at quarterback in freshman Trevone Boykin, who since becoming the starter has played exceptionally well. Michigan State hasn't found any answers on the offensive end this season, but the defense is anther story. They have the number 10 scoring defense in the country, giving up an average of 16.3 points per game. Straight Up Pick: TCU.
The Music City Bowl: Monday December 31st, 12:00 pm.
North Carolina State (7-5) vs Vanderbilt (8-4) - North Carolina State is in a tough situation, facing a good Vanderbilt team with a new coach. Having fired Tom O'Brien, NC State hired Dave Doeren from Northern Illinois. But NC State did have some high points this year, including a comeback 17-16 win over then #3 Florida State. Vanderbilt, on the other hand, is riding just about as much momentum as one team could possible have. They were just 2-4 to start the year, but finished strong with 6 straight victories, 4 of them coming against SEC opponents. Straight Up Pick: Vanderbilt.
The Hyundai Sun Bowl: Monday December 31st, 2:00 pm.
Southern California (7-5) vs Georgia Tech (6-7) - The USC Trojans had everything going their way. A #1 ranking, a quarterback projected to win the Heisman, and pick by almost every expert to reach the national championship game. The only problem for USC was that all of this was preseason. They had an okay year for a team without all the hype that USC had gotten, with 4 of their 5 losses coming to ranked teams. Georgia Tech has had their share of issues too: A defense that can't stop anyone, and losses to the likes of Middle Tennessee BYU, and Miami. But through the luck of bad seasons, self imposed bowl bans, and the luck of being in the easy division, Georgia Tech found themselves in the ACC Championship against Florida State. They made a game of it, but lost 21-15. Both of these teams have something left to prove, and both of their coach are beginning to feel a little warmth under their chairs. Straight Up Pick: Southern California.
The AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Monday December 31st, 3:30 pm.
Iowa State (6-6) vs Tulsa (10-3) - It's a rarity that a two teams play each other in the same season. Usually that second game takes place in a conference championship game. But on September 1st in Ames, Iowa, Tulsa and Iowa State took the field against each other. Tulsa jumped out to a 16-7 lead, but Iowa State took control by scoring 24 unanswered points, eventually cruising to a 38-23 victory. Both teams played well from that point on, with Tulsa winning Conference USA, and Iowa State struggling a bit to a 3-6 record in the Big 12. Who will win the rematch? Straight Up Pick: Iowa State.
The finale (Part III) is coming up soon. Also: don't miss the exclusive BCS National Championship Preview coming your way soon. Enjoy the football! 'Til next time.
The Independence Bowl: Friday December 28th, 2:00 pm.
Ohio (8-4) vs Louisiana-Monroe (8-4) - Both these teams had some of the biggest upsets of the year: Ohio took down Penn State, and Louisiana-Monroe won a thriller against Arkansas. Led by dual-threat quarterback Kolton Browning, UL-Monroe is one of the most exiting teams to watch in football. After starting 7-0, Ohio lost 4 of their last 5, including their last 3 games of the year. Straight Up Pick: Ohio
The Russel Athletic Bowl: Friday December 28th, 5:30 pm.
Rutgers (9-3) vs Virginia Tech (6-6) - Virginia Tech had a huge letdown this year, coming in with big expectations, but barely managing to become bowl eligible. Virginia Tech has the ability to play better than their record suggests. It all comes down to the decision making of junior quarterback Logan Thomas. Meanwhile, Rutgers was one of football's biggest surprises before they lost their last two games after coming so close to a possible BCS bowl bid. Straight Up Pick: Rutgers.
The Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas: Friday December 28th, 9:00 pm. Minnesota (6-6) vs Texas Tech (7-5) - Minnesota has reached their goal of getting to a bowl game. The only problem is it's against Texas Tech who boasts the number 2 ranked passing offense in the nation. Minnesota has won games this year by playing good defense, but that will be very difficult in this game. Texas Tech is much the more seasoned unit, having played 6 ranked teams this year, and beating 2 of them. Their only other loss was against a very good Baylor team who had just knocked off #1 Kansas State. Straight Up Pick: Texas Tech.
The Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl: Saturday December 29th, 11:45 am.
Air Force (6-6) vs Rice (6-6) - Both of these teams finished their season in opposite ways. Air Force finished by losing 3 of their last 4 games, their unique triple-option attack failing them down the stretch. Rice, on the other hand, had to win their last 4 games to become bowl eligible, and they were able to do just that. Rice is very balanced in all aspects of the game, while Air Force relies on their running attack to generate enough points to win. Straight Up Pick: Rice.
The New Era Pinstripe Bowl: Saturday December 29th, 3:15 pm.West Virginia (7-5) vs Syracuse (7-5) - Usually when these teams meet it's on the hardwood, not the gridiron. West Virginia seems to have steadied the ship after a 5 game losing streak in the middle of the year by winning their last two. Syracuse boasts several quality wins over the likes of Louisville and Missouri. Both of these teams score lots of points, and I'm still not sure if West Virginia fields a defense. Straight Up Pick: West Virginia.
The Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl: Saturday December 29th, 4:00 pm.
Navy (8-4) vs Arizona State (7-5) - Navy brings one of the nation's top 10 running games into this game. They finished the year on a 7-1 run, capping off the year with a 17-13 victory in the Army-Navy game. Arizona State brings in a very balanced team. They limit opponent's opportunities and take care of the football on offense. All of their loses this year came against top level competition, while Navy had a couple of games where nothing clicked and they lost to someone they shouldn't have. This is the type of game where you have to throw records out the window. Straight Up Pick: Arizona State.
The Valero Alamo Bowl: Saturday December 29th, 6:45 pm.#23 Texas (8-4) vs #13 Oregon State (9-3) - Oregon State was not on very many people's radars going into this season. But after rattling of impressive victory after impressive victory, they finished the year with a great record and a high ranking. Oregon State has a very good defense and passing offense, something they will try to utilize against a Texas secondary that has been susceptible to the big play. Texas went into the year with huge expectations and came out with what many call a disappointment (and a quarterback controversy). What was to be a top ranked defense turned out to be not as good as advertised. Both of these teams will scheme very well and try to play to the other's weaknesses. Straight Up Pick: Oregon State.
The Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl: Saturday December 29th, 10:15 pm.
TCU (7-5) vs Michigan State (6-6) - Both of these teams are 2-3 against ranked teams. Both have had quarterback problems. TCU kicked starter Casey Pachall off the team, and Michigan State has had to deal with the woes that accompany starting a true freshman. It seems like TCU has found an answer at quarterback in freshman Trevone Boykin, who since becoming the starter has played exceptionally well. Michigan State hasn't found any answers on the offensive end this season, but the defense is anther story. They have the number 10 scoring defense in the country, giving up an average of 16.3 points per game. Straight Up Pick: TCU.
The Music City Bowl: Monday December 31st, 12:00 pm.
North Carolina State (7-5) vs Vanderbilt (8-4) - North Carolina State is in a tough situation, facing a good Vanderbilt team with a new coach. Having fired Tom O'Brien, NC State hired Dave Doeren from Northern Illinois. But NC State did have some high points this year, including a comeback 17-16 win over then #3 Florida State. Vanderbilt, on the other hand, is riding just about as much momentum as one team could possible have. They were just 2-4 to start the year, but finished strong with 6 straight victories, 4 of them coming against SEC opponents. Straight Up Pick: Vanderbilt.
The Hyundai Sun Bowl: Monday December 31st, 2:00 pm.
Southern California (7-5) vs Georgia Tech (6-7) - The USC Trojans had everything going their way. A #1 ranking, a quarterback projected to win the Heisman, and pick by almost every expert to reach the national championship game. The only problem for USC was that all of this was preseason. They had an okay year for a team without all the hype that USC had gotten, with 4 of their 5 losses coming to ranked teams. Georgia Tech has had their share of issues too: A defense that can't stop anyone, and losses to the likes of Middle Tennessee BYU, and Miami. But through the luck of bad seasons, self imposed bowl bans, and the luck of being in the easy division, Georgia Tech found themselves in the ACC Championship against Florida State. They made a game of it, but lost 21-15. Both of these teams have something left to prove, and both of their coach are beginning to feel a little warmth under their chairs. Straight Up Pick: Southern California.
Iowa State (6-6) vs Tulsa (10-3) - It's a rarity that a two teams play each other in the same season. Usually that second game takes place in a conference championship game. But on September 1st in Ames, Iowa, Tulsa and Iowa State took the field against each other. Tulsa jumped out to a 16-7 lead, but Iowa State took control by scoring 24 unanswered points, eventually cruising to a 38-23 victory. Both teams played well from that point on, with Tulsa winning Conference USA, and Iowa State struggling a bit to a 3-6 record in the Big 12. Who will win the rematch? Straight Up Pick: Iowa State.
The finale (Part III) is coming up soon. Also: don't miss the exclusive BCS National Championship Preview coming your way soon. Enjoy the football! 'Til next time.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
College Basketball November Recap
2011-2012 was a great year for college basketball. But if what has happened so far this year is any indication for this season, we are in for a treat! Here is my recap of the first month of college hoops:
Team of the Month: The Duke Blue Devils. Ranked #2 in the nation at 8-0, Duke went into November facing an absolute gauntlet of a schedule. They beat then #3 Kentucky, and in back to back games toppled #2 Louisville and #4 Ohio State. The #1 ranked team, Indiana, has impressed as well, but has only faced one ranked team, a #14 North Carolina squad, who they crushed by 24 points. The rest of the road was not a cake walk for Duke however: they beat now ranked Minnesota, and a tough VCU team. One interesting thing to watch with Duke is the fact that they have yet to play in a true road environment, with four of their eight wins coming on neutral court. They will play two more neutral court games against Temple and Davidson before heading down the road to take on NC State on January 12th. Mark that one on your calender!
Dark Horse of the Month: This was a tough category for me to pick one team, but I went with the 8-1 Bucknell Bison. Bucknell started the year off well with a 15 point road win against Purdue, and has built on that upset with wins against New Mexico State, Columbia, and Kent State. They did lose to a decent Penn State team on the road, but look for Bucknell to turn some heads in the Patriot League and be very dangerous come March and tournament time.
Surprise Team of the Month: Everyone likes surprises. The Virginia Tech Hokies, who entered the season with low expectations and a new coach, like them too. Off-season hire James Johnson has turned this team around in an unbelievable way. At 7-0, the Hokies look like ACC contenders under the leadership of senior guard Erik Green, who is averaging almost 25 points per game. After playing a pretty soft schedule early, Virginia Tech beat Iowa and then upset Oklahoma State (then ranked #15) by ten points. This team still has challenges before conference play starts, like a tough road matchup against West Virginia, but it's time to start believing in the Hokies!
Player of the Month: Many players impressed in November with great stats like Lehigh's C.J. McCollum who averaged 26.3 points per game to lead the nation. But the best player was Duke's Mason Plumlee. The 6 foot 11 inch senior has been the key to Duke's undefeated start, averaging 19.9 points and 11 rebounds per game. The combination of his smart play and size make Mason Plumlee someone to be feared in the ACC this year.
Freshman of the Month: Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State. Smart has led the Cowboys to a 5-0 record in November. He is averaging an incredible 13.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game. How good is that? Well, the last freshman to reach those numbers in November was Dwyane Wade in 2001. Smart will try to lead his Cowboys to a championship in what looks like a pretty wide open Big 12 this year.
6th Man of the Month: Just because you don't start doesn't mean you don't have game. Syracuse senior forward James Southerland would agree with that statement. The Bayside, New York product is averaging an extremely efficient 16.7 points off the bench this year in 26 minutes per game. His presence has been felt off the bench, helping Syracuse to an undefeated start.
Shot of the Month: You can always count on Butler for some drama. Brad Stevens' squad was down 2 points late against Marquette in the first round of the Maui Invitational when this happened:
Upset of the Month: Non conference play is always good for some upsets, and we are going to stay in Maui for this one, where Division II host school Chaminade knocked off the Texas Longhorns. It wasn't a fluky upset either. After leading by 4 at the half, Chaminade outpaced the Longhorns in route to a 86-73 victory. Thirty years after upsetting Ralph Samson's #1 ranked Virginia Cavaliers, the Chaminade Silverswords struck once again, and took down another quality opponent in the Maui Invitational.
Game of the Month: With so many tournaments and high powered non conference matchups, it was hard to choose just one, but Duke's nail biting win over Louisville in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament final got my vote. Featuring two of the top 5 teams in the country, Duke jumped out to an eight point halftime lead before Louisville clawed their way back, forcing Duke to nail several clutch threes down the stretch to close the deal, 76-71. It looked like a preview of what we might see come tournament time in March.
November was an awesome month for college basketball, and I can't wait to do the December Recap. Here are some great high-powered games that you can't miss for December (rankings are as of December 6) (all times Eastern):
December 8th:
#8 Arizona @ Clemson (8:00 pm), #13 Illinois @ #10 Gonzaga (10:00 pm)
December 15th:
#1 Indiana @ Butler (2:00 pm EST), West Virginia vs #3 Michigan (8:00 pm), #6 Florida @ #8 Arizona (10:00 pm)
December 19th:
Xavier @ #11 Cincinnati (7:00 pm)
December 22nd:
#9 Kansas @ #7 Ohio State (4:00 pm), #13 Illinois @ #12 Missouri (6:00 pm)
December 27th:
#18 New Mexico @ #11 Cincinnati (9:00 pm)
December 29th:
Kentucky @ #5 Louisville (4:00 pm)
December 31st:
#11 Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh (12:00 pm), #19 Michigan State @ #14 Minnesota, #10 Gonzaga @ #23 Oklahoma State (6:00 pm)
There you have it. Happy watching! 'Til next time.
Team of the Month: The Duke Blue Devils. Ranked #2 in the nation at 8-0, Duke went into November facing an absolute gauntlet of a schedule. They beat then #3 Kentucky, and in back to back games toppled #2 Louisville and #4 Ohio State. The #1 ranked team, Indiana, has impressed as well, but has only faced one ranked team, a #14 North Carolina squad, who they crushed by 24 points. The rest of the road was not a cake walk for Duke however: they beat now ranked Minnesota, and a tough VCU team. One interesting thing to watch with Duke is the fact that they have yet to play in a true road environment, with four of their eight wins coming on neutral court. They will play two more neutral court games against Temple and Davidson before heading down the road to take on NC State on January 12th. Mark that one on your calender!
Dark Horse of the Month: This was a tough category for me to pick one team, but I went with the 8-1 Bucknell Bison. Bucknell started the year off well with a 15 point road win against Purdue, and has built on that upset with wins against New Mexico State, Columbia, and Kent State. They did lose to a decent Penn State team on the road, but look for Bucknell to turn some heads in the Patriot League and be very dangerous come March and tournament time.
Surprise Team of the Month: Everyone likes surprises. The Virginia Tech Hokies, who entered the season with low expectations and a new coach, like them too. Off-season hire James Johnson has turned this team around in an unbelievable way. At 7-0, the Hokies look like ACC contenders under the leadership of senior guard Erik Green, who is averaging almost 25 points per game. After playing a pretty soft schedule early, Virginia Tech beat Iowa and then upset Oklahoma State (then ranked #15) by ten points. This team still has challenges before conference play starts, like a tough road matchup against West Virginia, but it's time to start believing in the Hokies!
Player of the Month: Many players impressed in November with great stats like Lehigh's C.J. McCollum who averaged 26.3 points per game to lead the nation. But the best player was Duke's Mason Plumlee. The 6 foot 11 inch senior has been the key to Duke's undefeated start, averaging 19.9 points and 11 rebounds per game. The combination of his smart play and size make Mason Plumlee someone to be feared in the ACC this year.
Freshman of the Month: Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State. Smart has led the Cowboys to a 5-0 record in November. He is averaging an incredible 13.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game. How good is that? Well, the last freshman to reach those numbers in November was Dwyane Wade in 2001. Smart will try to lead his Cowboys to a championship in what looks like a pretty wide open Big 12 this year.
6th Man of the Month: Just because you don't start doesn't mean you don't have game. Syracuse senior forward James Southerland would agree with that statement. The Bayside, New York product is averaging an extremely efficient 16.7 points off the bench this year in 26 minutes per game. His presence has been felt off the bench, helping Syracuse to an undefeated start.
Shot of the Month: You can always count on Butler for some drama. Brad Stevens' squad was down 2 points late against Marquette in the first round of the Maui Invitational when this happened:
Upset of the Month: Non conference play is always good for some upsets, and we are going to stay in Maui for this one, where Division II host school Chaminade knocked off the Texas Longhorns. It wasn't a fluky upset either. After leading by 4 at the half, Chaminade outpaced the Longhorns in route to a 86-73 victory. Thirty years after upsetting Ralph Samson's #1 ranked Virginia Cavaliers, the Chaminade Silverswords struck once again, and took down another quality opponent in the Maui Invitational.
Game of the Month: With so many tournaments and high powered non conference matchups, it was hard to choose just one, but Duke's nail biting win over Louisville in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament final got my vote. Featuring two of the top 5 teams in the country, Duke jumped out to an eight point halftime lead before Louisville clawed their way back, forcing Duke to nail several clutch threes down the stretch to close the deal, 76-71. It looked like a preview of what we might see come tournament time in March.
November was an awesome month for college basketball, and I can't wait to do the December Recap. Here are some great high-powered games that you can't miss for December (rankings are as of December 6) (all times Eastern):
December 8th:
#8 Arizona @ Clemson (8:00 pm), #13 Illinois @ #10 Gonzaga (10:00 pm)
December 15th:
#1 Indiana @ Butler (2:00 pm EST), West Virginia vs #3 Michigan (8:00 pm), #6 Florida @ #8 Arizona (10:00 pm)
December 19th:
Xavier @ #11 Cincinnati (7:00 pm)
December 22nd:
#9 Kansas @ #7 Ohio State (4:00 pm), #13 Illinois @ #12 Missouri (6:00 pm)
December 27th:
#18 New Mexico @ #11 Cincinnati (9:00 pm)
December 29th:
Kentucky @ #5 Louisville (4:00 pm)
December 31st:
#11 Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh (12:00 pm), #19 Michigan State @ #14 Minnesota, #10 Gonzaga @ #23 Oklahoma State (6:00 pm)
There you have it. Happy watching! 'Til next time.
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