Friday Look Ahead: OSU-UF isn't BCS title game, but it's close
Granted, it's not as big as the football game.
I'll concede that, if only because the football game will be for the national title, and that's hard to beat. But as far as December basketball games go, Ohio State and Florida -- the same two schools that will play for the BCS National Championship next month -- is about as nice as it gets.
• It's Greg Oden vs. Joakim Noah.
• It's Daequan Cook vs. Corey Brewer.
• It's Mike Conley Jr. vs. Taurean Green.
• It's No. 3 vs. No 5 at the O'Connell Center.
That's why the Buckeyes vs. the Gators is Saturday's main attraction. It's also why they are leading the Friday Look Ahead.
|
|
| Greg Oden is shooting 74 percent from the floor while averaging 15.5 points and 8.5 rebounds. (US PRESSWIRE) |
Game worth driving to see in person: Tennessee just beat a Big 12 team (Oklahoma State). Texas just beat an SEC team (Arkansas). On Saturday, both schools will try to do it again when the Vols and Longhorns meet in Knoxville. Right now, neither school is ranked in the AP poll. On Monday, the winner will be.
Game worth watching on TV: It's the undercard to OSU-Florida, to be sure. But Boston College at No. 11 Kansas on CBS is still a pretty good match-up, reason enough to make sure you get all your holiday shopping done Friday to ensure you don't have to leave the house Saturday. The Eagles are not ranked by the AP, but they should be. After losing two of their first three games (including one without the services of shot-blocking master Sean Williams), BC has won six straight, and three of those came against Michigan State, UMass and Maryland. As for Kansas, you know its story. Lots of talent, but still trying to find itself. A convincing win over Boston College could go a long way in doing just that.
An obvious prediction: No matter what happens Saturday against Dayton, Pittsburgh will be happy when its holiday break arrives. That's a safe prognostication considering the seventh-ranked Panthers haven't had an easy time in a while. On Dec. 9, they had to squeak out a 70-67 win at Buffalo, then they lost at Wisconsin last Saturday and to Oklahoma State in Oklahoma City in double-overtime Thursday. Now, Pitt returns home for a Saturday game with Dayton, and though that probably looked like an easy win during the preseason, it doesn't these days given that the Flyers are a surprising 10-1 with wins over Louisville and Creighton. That Dec. 30 game with Florida A&M can't get here soon enough.
A crazy prediction (but it might happen anyway): Remember what I wrote about UMass and Kentucky, about how Ford beating his alma mater the same month he beat his mentor would be a great storyline? Well, let's go with that storyline. And if it happens, the subsequent meltdown will be wild by any standard, even Kentucky's own crazy standard.
Player trying to keep rolling: Everybody likes to talk about how Oden will be the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, and he will be. But somewhat lost in that hype is the fact that the guy who will be the No. 2 pick in the draft, Kevin Durant of Texas, is having a huge season. He went for 28 points and 13 rebounds in Wednesday's win over Arkansas, and a devastating sign for the opposition -- including Tennessee on Saturday -- is that Durant has gone from shooting 6.0 3-pointers per game in his first seven outings to just 2.7 3-pointers per game in his past three outings. That means the 6-9 forward is starting to realize how dominant he can be without taking jumpers, and that doesn't seem like good news for the Vols, whose starting line-up featuring a pair of 6-2 guards, a 6-3 guard, a 6-4 power forward and a 6-8 center would probably be better off if Durant were launching shots from 21 feet away.
