dantheman4250

Link: http://www.onlinesportsfanatic.com/
?page_id=27

Overview: First off I must apologize for not having the “daily bracketology” up over the last few days. On Thanksgiving, I had to be taken to the emergency room and yesterday I had my appendix removed. I was released from the hospital today and got this up as soon as possible. Over the last three nights we’ve had some huge movers. Florida knocked off #2 Michigan State, Portland has rolled through ranked teams, Marquette has knocked off Michigan and Xavier, and Duke beat Connecticut. That leaves us with the Blue Devils as a #1 seed, Florida and Marquette as #4 seeds, and Portland as a #10 seed. There are a lot of changes in the bracket below. Six teams fell out of at large bids and were replaced by six others. At this point the bracketology is 75% on court performance and 25% preseason expectations.
Fell Out: Oklahoma, UCLA, Illinois, Wake Forest, LSU, Tulsa, Notre Dame
Moved In: Wisconsin, Marquette, Portland, Northwestern, UTEP, Missouri State

I will write more later, but for now I must get some rest. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

It's not the best preview in the world, but we put together a Duke-Connecticut podcast preview. If you like the podcast let us know so that we can do more. My bracketology should be up tomorrow night (it's a holiday so I took a day off ) in updating the bracket.

http://www.onlinesportsfanatic.com/
?p=359



Have a great Thanksgiving everyone!

Bracketology: Purdue is now a #1 seed, Cincinnati storms into the bracket

Tonight's Bracket (a little info): We have a new #1 seed in the daily bracketology as Purdue grabs a #1 following its victory over Tennessee. The Vols fall to a #2 seed for now. Cincinnati storms into the field after reaching the Maui Invitational Finals (where the Bearcats will meet Gonzaga). Wisconsin and Arizona, two teams that met last night, have been unimpressive in their two wins in Maui and dropped out of the field. Florida rises a spot for its impressive victory over Florida State.  Vanderbilt drops the farthest in this addition in part due to their lackluster play versus Cincinnati (and even for the first half against Chaminade) and in part due to Florida’s win. The Gators take Vandy’s spot in the SEC pecking order at this point.

Risers:

Purdue: The Boilermakers are now a #1 seed (in the South Region) after their win over Tennessee.

Cincinnati: The Bearcats have wins over Maryland and Vanderbilt on back to back days. A win over Gonzaga would help add to what appears to be an incredible out of conference resume for the Bearcats.

Florida: The Gators jumped out early on FSU, allowed a huge Seminoles run, and then finished off the game with a big run of their own. We will know more about Florida when they play Michigan State on Friday, but for now they rise one spot.

Fallers:

Arizona/Wisconsin: Many have described the Wildcats/Badgers game on Monday as "ugly" and "hard to watch". Neither team was extremely sharp. Arizona went on to be taken to overtime by Colorado (after leading by eight with :40 left) before pulling out a win. Wisconsin lost to Gonzaga in a game the Bulldogs controlled most of the way. Both teams are out of my bracket for now.

Vanderbilt: The Commodores fell mainly due to their loss to Cincinnati, but also because they did not impress me during their win over Chaminade. Florida's win moves them temporarily ahead in the SEC's "pecking" order for at large bids, but there's a whole league season left to be played to decide the true pecking order.

Every other move in today's edition is mainly due to other teams moving up/moving down. Teams do not have to be in action on a given night to move up or down. A lot of the movement is based on what other teams do around the country.

Opening the Mailbag....
I will begin answering questions each night for anyone that has a bracketology question. For now, I ask that you just post the questions here. I may answer it in a comment and still use it for this section of my blog. Who knows, I may not get any questions.

There weren't a lot of changes tonight, outside of Syracuse's early surge to the top two seed lines. The Orange now own wins over North Carolina, the favorites in the ACC, and California, the favorites (along with Washington) in the Pac 10. For now, that's good enough to vault them to a 2 seed. Two days ago I had them as an 8 seed.

There's weren't many other adjustments tonight though. Mississippi moves in after beating Kansas State and takes the Wildcats spot in the process. Vanderbilt's two point win over St. Mary's gets the Commodores a spot, clearly in the field as a 9 seed. Northern Iowa fell out after a loss to DePaul.

Every other change is mainly things I thought should've been done already. For example, I lowered UCLA to a 10 seed. Right now the Bruins look like an iffy NCAA Tournament team to me. I know that's hard to read, but I said it. If Kentucky can miss the NCAA Tournament, UCLA can. I don't think the Bruins will, but they just might the way their playing now.

Like always I welcome all questions/comments/opinions on my bracket.

Link: Tonight's Bracketology | Forum Discussion: Tonight's Bracketology

Bruce Pearl has to love what's going on in Knoxville right now. His Volunteers are averaging 104. PPG and allowing just 56.3 a game after three blowouts to begin their season.

Tennessee has made 39 three pointers in three games, an average of 13.0 per game. That puts the Volunteers at fourth best in the country, based on the numbers coming into Friday night. The team numbers are a little skewed a little though. Red hot Scotty Hopson has made 14 of 18 (78%) three pointers this season and is averaging 22.0 PPG. When a player shoots like that, your team three point shooting is usually very high.

While Kansas, Michigan State, Texas, and Kentucky get the national headlines, Pearl's Volunteers are getting the job done better than any other team in the country. That's why the Vols moved up to a one seed in my latest bracketology, although it didn't go over well with the Kentucky faithful. Right now I have Tennessee as the favorites in the SEC and as the top seed in the South bracket.

With DePaul, #7 Purdue/Saint Josephs, Charleston, East TN State, Middle TN State, Wyoming, USC, NC A&T up next, it's very likely that Tennessee will go into the Memphis game on December 31st with a near perfect or perfect record and a top five ranking.  Imagine that.

For now, it's clear Tennessee is one of the elite teams in the country. While others have had their scares, Tennessee continues to roll.

Edited: Had to add in the DePaul, Purdue/Saint Josephs matchups that aren't listed on the schedule.

LINK: Bracketology: Through November 19th's Games

Before tonight I had been only updating the records on my bracketology. I felt that was the only fair way to do it until each team had at least two or three games completed. Tonight, after three top 25 showdowns, I finally changed seedings and moved teams up/down based on the results thus far. From this point on, expect the bracketology to be updated nightly (like always).

Remember: I know we are only two weeks into the season, but a lot of people love this stuff all the time. They want to know where their team stands at all times. This bracketology is based on what has happened so far, along with preseason expectations. It won't be long before preseason expectations are factored out completely, but at this point they have to be included.

Here's some of the risers/fallers:

Risers:

Tennessee Volunteers (2-0): The Vols move up due to a combination of their own stellar play, and Kentucky's lackluster defense so far. I now have Tennessee projected as the SEC champs and have given them the #1 seed in the South. The other three #1 seeds remain unchanged.

Dayton Flyers (2-0): Although many haven't noticed what Dayton has done so far (neither one of their wins was on TV), I have. Wins over Creighton and Georgia Tech has Dayton on the top five seed line. If you want to argue it, name another team with two wins that can compare to Dayton's.

Syracuse Orange (3-0): Syracuse crushed California tonight and moved up four seed lines in the process. I didn't see that win coming, especially after Syracuse's poor offensive play in its first two outings. Their reward is a 5 seed in my bracket.

North Carolina Tar Heels (4-0): North Carolina, like Syracuse, benefited from a win today over Ohio State. I expected the Buckeyes to win, but outside a big Ohio State run to finish off the game, the Tar Heels were in control. UNC, a team I thought was overrated in the preseason due to last season's title, is a #2 seed in tonight's bracket.

Memphis Tigers (1-1): Memphis fans, it's too early for me to say I was wrong (because were only two games into the season), but I think I was wrong about the Tigers. I've had them just out of all of my brackets until this update. How can I not put a team that took the nation's #1 team to the wire as a top 7 seed? I've adjusted, and due to their seeding (compared to Tulsa's) I have also made Memphis the projected Conference USA champs.

Gonzaga Bulldogs (1-1): Gonzaga fans, I think I might've been wrong on the Zags too. I did have Gonzaga in my field, but I had the Bulldogs as an 11 seed in the preseason. After taking #2 Michigan State to the brink, and leading most of the game, I have rewarded Gonzaga with a #8 seed.

Fallers:

Kentucky Wildcats (3-0): Kentucky is 3-0 and really, that's all that matters, but it hasn't been a pretty start. None of the three wins, Morehead State, Miami (OH), and Sam Houston State, have Wildcat fans pounding their chests in approval. The Wildcats three point defense has been awful and it will bite them if they don't fix it before better competition comes calling. For now, Kentucky falls to a 3 seed.

Mississippi State Bulldogs (1-1): I feel like I should probably move Mississippi State down a few more spots (their a 7 seed) due to their opening loss to Rider, but have hesitated to do so. At this point, preseason expectations are the main reason Mississippi State is still seeded where they are.

UCLA Bruins (1-1): The Bruins opening night loss to Cal State Fullerton had me banging my head on the wall. Why did I have UCLA as a 4 seed anyway? I thought everyone was overlooking them, but I see now that they should be overlooked. I moved the Bruins down to a 6 seed, but might even adjust to move them lower soon. Someone has to make the tournament from the Pac 10, outside Washington and California, right ?

NOTE: Most of the others teams that fell, fell because of lackluster play or another team moving up.

Wizardking and I started a new poll on OnlineSportsFanatic.com, that isn't based on any preseason polls. As he puts it:

If you’re expecting a regurgitation of the AP Poll here, I suggest you to any number of college basketball sites that will give you that. That’s not how we do it at OSF. No, at OSF, we don’t base our poll off of the preseason poll. Why? We don’t have one. These are the way the teams should be ranked according to our carefully formulated balance between results and potential. Barring an upset (which could happen) Kentucky (calm down, ‘Cat fans, you’re just an example) will be in the top 5 once again next week. It won’t matter if they turn it over 50 times and win by a total of five points against Sam Houston State and Rider. The AP and Coaches Polls will see Kentucky won twice, and see no reason to drop a team that is 4-0. The OSF T25D will see a young team struggling to find it’s footing, while others win impressively.

You see, those polls are based off of last week’s polls. Which are based off of last week’s polls. Which are based off of…you get the point. And where are all these polls coming from? The infamous Preseason Poll, which is entirely speculative in nature. At OSF, you’re rewarded for winning and doing it in impressive fashion. Not necessarily winning by 50, but by limiting turnovers, looking crisp on offense and playing tough defense. Between myself and fellow poll contributor Daniel Evans, no college basketball games fly off our radar. So rest at ease, little guys. If you put on a show and you’re in Division One, you’ll be noticed.

Our poll is unique in the sense that it includes 27 teams. The top 26 are who we feel are the best 26 teams in the nation-again, based on a combination of results and potential (primarily results). The 27th is our Flavor of the Week pick, the forgotten squad who performed well but won’t receive any AP Poll votes. We live in a world where small market teams are bamboozled by the BCS every year. While the college basketball landscape provides every team with a legitimate shot at the title a chance, the schools that perform very well in the opening weeks are shortchanged. The schools that start off high remain high, through lackluster performances, through close wins against bad teams and through contests that should be won handily-but aren’t.

What else does the T25D bring? How about comments from people who actually watch the teams they rank? Crazy, huh?

 

The top 5 in the poll are....

1. Kansas (1-0): Just what the T25D likes to see, a top team taking care of business in its opener. Not only did the Jayhawks win by 46 in their opener, but they also turned it over only 12 times while shooting 40.7% from the three point line.

2. Michigan State (1-0): Tom Izzo may have found his big man of the future in a lambasting of Florida Gulf Coast. Freshman Derrick Nix totaled 11 points and 14 caroms in just 15 minutes of action. Up next, a pesky Gonzaga squad.

3. Texas (1-0): The Longhorns, like their Big 12 counterparts Kansas, put on a show against UC Irvine.  The Anteaters shot just 27.4% against the stiff Texas defense. Something tells us, Mack Brown would be proud.

4. Purdue (1-0): The Boilers knocked off Northridge fairly easily despite having a whole bunch of foul calls leveled on them in rapid succession. A telling stat-Purdue connected on 30 shots from the field. 24 were assisted.

5. Ohio State (2-0): If you haven’t seen Evan Turner play, shame on you.  Through two games he’s averaging 19.0 PPG, 17.0 RPG, and 7.0 APG. Through one week of the season, he’d be be the Player of the Year.

You can see the rest here .


Latest Daily Bracketology :  I haven't made any changes yet (probably going to wait until at least tomorrow's games to change teams seeds around), but you can check it out.

Tomorrow's Picks : At this point I'm still waiting on a few more lines, but will get them up in the morning.

I was probably one of the few fortunate college basketball fans to see Creighton-Dayton on Saturday, since this weekend was dominated by college football on television. I found the game online and enjoyed the entire thing, as Dayton survived Creighton 90-80.

What did I see?

What I expected to see. Two future NCAA Tournament teams playing tough and making other mid majors around the country proud. Although Creighton played the better first half, Dayton was within striking distance to make a run in the second half. The Flyers did just that, thanks to 25 points from Chris Wright.

Honestly not much else happened on Saturday. After a Friday night filled with games featuring top ranked teams, and some surprising upsets (like Texas A&M Corpus Christi murdering Oregon State), Saturday was pretty quiet. I had Cornell beating Alabama , and they did in Tuscaloosa. Instead of going to that game I chose to watch games at home on my computer. That should tell you how good I expect 'Bama to be this year, although Anthony Grant will turn things around soon.

Texas A&M Corpus Christi did give Texas Tech all they wanted and more today, but the Red Raiders ended up winning with a late surge.  Ranked teams were 6-0 on Saturday. 

Picks Update: I had a comment about the "Road to the Final Beer", a picks competition we did last year here on CBS. I haven't had a chance to speak with Beer about it, so I'm not sure what the plan is for that this year. I am picking games on my site (OSF) nightly along with a few writers on my site (one of them is Wizardking). Here's my picks for tomorrow . Anyone that wants to pick along for fun in the comments section is welcome to do so, and if we get a few more people I will create a standings for each post.

Bracketology: This year my bracketology link will stay the same all year long. You can check out my bracket here all year long.

While Ohio State, Michigan State, California, and North Carolina take on powderpuffs to begin their seasons, real games are about to begin.

Not that anyone will notice.

Don’t worry, college football will still be the main story on your TV screen come Saturday. Non-college basketball fans will still be able to roll around in their fall college football, but there will be games that matter in March on the hardwood on Saturday.

For instance, Creighton-Dayton. I know most fans look forward to the Duke-North Carolina type battles between mammoth programs, but these are the games true fans really love. These teams will be fighting for national attention all year long, but won’t get it because they play in mid major conferences.

It’s too bad too, because, neither Creighton or Dayton play mid major basketball. Both teams should be in the NCAA Tournament this year. Unfortunately, this will be one of the games that helps decide that, but nobody will notice until Selection Sunday.

I will have more on this game later tonight/tomorrow (including a pick).

Latest Bracketology (Thru Wed. Night): http://www.onlinesportsfanatic.com/
?page_id=27

Somewhere in the middle of escorting the national championship trophy back to Lexington, Kentucky ran into a problem. Superstar freshman guard John Wall might be ineligible because his former AAU coach was a certifield agent.

Although some Kentucky fans will tell you that this season is already a "wrap", there's still a lot of issues to work out with the player that Gary Parrish has already called the Player of the Year. It might be true that Wall could be cleared soon, Kentucky could march to Indianapolis, win the national championship and celebrate like they've never won anything before.

In all seriousness, this is the last thing Kentucky fans wanted to hear. Despite the major recruiting class, John Calipari's hiring and off-court success, this season is a mission to get back to the elite level in college basketball. The NIT just doesn't cut it in Lexington, and many high profile magazines have already predicted the Wildcats will reach the Final Four this season.

Without Wall, the key piece to that Final Four run, things get a little shaky.

Dantheman's SEC Preview: Kentucky picked #1 in the SEC East ahead of Tennessee

John Calipari joined the SEC and everything we know about the conference changed in an instant.

Last season the SEC was the laughingstock of the college basketball world with only three teams selected to the NCAA Tournament. Three years before that it was Florida, not Kentucky, celebrating back to back championships while Wildcat fans were promised that Billy Gillespie would turn their program around.

Meanwhile Calipari sat at Memphis, dominating Conference USA, reaching Final Fours, and bringing in top recruit after top recruit. The Tigers reached the national championship game against Kansas two seasons ago and led late before free throw shooting gave the Jayhawks a chance, and eventually the national championship. That was the Tigers one chance to change their mid-major label and become a true elite program.

That's why when Kentucky came calling, Calipari answered. Who wouldn't? Well there is Billy Donovan, Florida's head coach who turned down the Wildcats twice in four seasons, but honestly who wouldn't want the Kentucky job?

I don't want you to believe that SEC coaches are coaching harder just because of what Calipari has been able to do at Kentucky, because that's not true. It is true that the rest of the league knows big blue is back, will not go around soon, and is the team to beat in the conference this year. All that without even coaching a game at Kentucky.

Don't expect the rest of the league to just sit back and let Kentucky run through the league though. This year the SEC is back in a big way. There's a quiet murmur among SEC basketball fans discussing just how good this conference will be next season. Three SEC tournament teams this season? No way. Think more like five, at the minimum. On paper there are eight teams that appear to be potential NCAA Tournament teams for the SEC, but in this conference there's always the chance that another "Georgia" Cinderella run could take place in the Georgia Dome (site of the NCAA Tournament) to add another team to the mix.

And if you're looking for stars, look no further than the SEC. Jarvis Varnado, the big man you don't want to see when you get to the basket, Tasmin Mitchell, Patrick Patterson, and Devan Downey are among the players that will make highlight reels every night among the nation.

Here's my SEC preview (be sure to check out my preseason bracketology as well), along with a prediction of whether each team will be playing in March:

SEC East

1. Kentucky Wildcats: Let's be honest, Kentucky is loaded. Forget Patrick Patterson for a minute, the Wildcat big man that averaged 17.9 PPG and 9.3 RPG last season. Don't think about Perry Stevenson, the X-factor in a lot of Wildcat wins last season. In marches John Wall, the most anticipated freshman guard since Derrick Rose led Memphis to the national title game two seasons ago. In comes DeMarcus Cousins, the aggressive shot blocker that will join Patterson down low.

Biggest Question: We know that the Wildcats will be the most talented team in the SEC next season, by far. The only question in Kentucky is how the new players gel under Calipari. With Wall, Cousins, and Eric Bledose--all gifted freshman joining one of the nation's most prolific programs--the problem might be that there aren't enough basketballs on the floor at once for all the talent.

Key Non Conference Game: Vs North Carolina (December 5th)
Anytime you host the national champions and you're trying to get back to elite status the game can be used as a measuring tool for how far your team is away. The Tar Heels are less talented than they were less season and as vulnerable as the Tar Heels are ever going to be.

Key Conference Game: At Tennessee (February 27th)
Last year Jodie Meeks torched the Volunteers for 54 in Knoxville. This season Meeks isn't on the Wildcats roster. Tenneesee will have revenge in mind at home against the Wildcats. Make sure you tune in for this one. It could decide the SEC East champion.

Key Player: John Wall
Wall hasn't even played a game but has nearly reached legend status for the Wildcats already. All offseason he's been the talk of college basketball. If he lives up to expectations then Kentucky will be extremely good. From what I've seen of Wall, there's no way he doesn't become a star right away in Lexington.

Postseason: Elite Eight (NCAA Tournament)

2. Tennessee Volunteers: What Bruce Pearl has been able to accomplish in Knoxville is pretty remarkable. This offseason his Volunteers are flying under the radar with a roster flooded with talent due to Calipari's storylines at Big Blue. With J. P. Price, Wayne Chism, Bobby Maze, and Tyler Smith back hopes are very high in Knoxville.

Biggest Question: Last season Tennessee's defense allowed 72.5 points per game. That's the nature of the full court press, but can Pearl's defense force more turnovers and allow less easy baskets this season? If they can then Tennessee will likely get a lot of easy wins, something they didn't have a whole lot of last season.

Key Non Conference Game: Vs Kansas (January 10th)
The preseason number one team in the country against a team that looks, on paper, like a top 15 team. This is what college basketball is all about. While a NCAA Tournament bid is not likely to be on the line, seeding for the tournament will be.

Key Conference Game: At LSU (February 4th)
There's a tough stretch for Tennessee in SEC play, following what looks to be a schedule allowing the Vols to get off to a great start in conference.  From January 27th to February 13th the Vols play six games against potential NCAA Tournament teams: Vanderbilt, Florida, LSU, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Kentucky. The game against LSU is sandwiched in the middle of that stretch. Going to Baton Rouge and winning could be the key to avouding a February letdown.

Key Player: Tyler Smith
There's a reason he's mentioned as one of the top players in the SEC.

Postseason: Sweet 16 (NCAA Tournament)

3. Florida Gators: Just two summers ago, Billy Donovan's Florida Gators were the talk of the sports world. They had just completed back to back national championships, a feat almost unheard of in the common era, and looked poised to stay an elite program. Fastforwarding to the current state of Florida basketball starts a barrage of questions. How could a team so dominant two years ago fail to make the NCAA Tournament the last two years? The talent level has fallen off, Nick Calathes is gone, and there are more questions than answers in Gainesville.

Biggest Question: Can Dan Werner actually become a dependable player for Donovan? Werner will be the lone senior for the Gators this season, but most Gator fans cannot wait until he leaves campus for good. That's how bad he's been in his career at Florida.

Key Non Conference Game: Vs Michigan State (November 27th)
If Florida wants to get back to the NCAA Tournament, they've got to get nice wins outside of SEC play. The last two seasons the Gators haven't even given themselves an opportunity to get those wins because they've chosen not to schedule tough teams.

Key Conference Game: At Vanderbilt (January 9th)
The Gators opener against the Commodores will be huge for their season with Kentucky and LSU up next. The last thing Florida needs on their mission to get back to the Big Dance is three straight losses to begin conference play.

Key Player: Kenny Boynton
It seems as if the entire existence of the Gators basketball program is hanging in the balance, and Boynton is really the only player left to give Florida fans hope this year. Everyone is expecting big things from Boynton.

Postseason: First Round (NCAA Tournament)

4. Vanderbilt Commondores: With A. J, Ogilvy back last season, the Commodores were expecting to go dancing. Instead, the SEC turned into the worst BCS conference in basketball by far, and Vanderbilt finished as one of nine teams sitting at home and watching the NCAA Tournament. With only George Drake gone, and notables like Ogilvy and Jermaine Beal back, Vanderbilt is expecting to make a push for the NCAA Tournament again this year.

Biggest Question: Can A. J. Ogilvy get tougher? Ogilvy has been a great player for Vanderbilt during his first two seasons, but he's also been a slight disappointment. Vanderbilt needs him to be tougher inside, grab more rebounds, and even become more of a scoring threat after averaging 15.4 PPG last year. How did Ogilvy respond this summer? Reports are that he spent the offseason working on his strength and conditioning. If he did, Vanderbilt will be a tough out in the SEC East.

Key Non Conference Game: Vs Missouri (December 2nd)
The Commodores need to beat other teams that could potentially be on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament. After playing Cincinnati on November 23rd, Vanderbilt gets a large nine day break before taking on Mike Anderson's Tigers. There's no excuse for losing that one, even with Thanksgiving smack in the middle of that break.

Key Conference Game: At Tennessee (January 27th)
When you begin SEC play with Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, and Auburn--four teams that figure to be decent but not overwhelming--then you've got to like your chances of a 3-1 or 4-0 start in conference play. The next two, at Tennessee and at Kentucky, might decide whether Vanderbilt is potentially playing for a higher NCAA Tournament seed in February, still on the bubble, or completely out of the tournament picture.

Key Player: A. J. Ogily
I don't want to pick the best player on every team at this spot, and I refuse to, but it's obvious that Ogilvy is the key to Vanderbilt's season. If he ups his game then Vanderbilt might be able to overachieve the expectations most "experts" have for them.

Postseason: NIT

5. South Carolina Gamecocks: Devan Downey might be the best player in the entire SEC, and he's also the main reason a lot of people think the Gamecocks can make a run at the NCAA Tournament.  With his sidekick Dominique Archie back too, and only Zan Fredrick gone, South Carolina is a gigantic sleeper in the SEC. It's hard to rank them in the absolutely loaded SEC East, but at this point I think the Gamecocks overachieved last season and will take a step back this season.

Biggest Question: How big of a role will Brandis Raley-Ross play for the Gamecocks this season? Last season he was the SEC's sixth man of the year. Now he's expected to get an expanded role in the offense while taking Fredrick's place.

Key Non Conference Game: At Clemson (December 6th)
If I told you I was impressed with South Carolina's out of conference schedule then I'd be lying. If the SEC wants to get back to being a conference taken seriously off the gridiron then its teams need to start playing good teams. Clemson, Boston College, and Baylor are the three BCS conference teams the Gamecocks play in the non-conference. All three are expected to be down this season, although the Tigers should still be a NCAA Tournament caliber team. I must also note that playing in the Charleston Classic gives the Gamecocks another chance to play a couple of good teams OOC.

Key Conference Game: At Vanderbilt (March 6th)
It's just a guess, because I could be wrong, but something tells me that the NCAA Tournament picture only has room for either Vanderbilt or South Carolina. Whoever wins this game, the Commodores' final regular season game, will likely stay in the picture. Obviously this is assuming a lot, but I can't see either team being completely out of the picture early in March.

Key Player: Dominique Archie
Archie will be overshadowed by Downey all offeason, and rightfully so. Downey will make the big shots and he will be the guy that helps the Gamecocks get where they go this season, but Archie is the man who will be expected to be the scorer when Downey isn't producing. For the Gamecocks to be tournament bound this year Archie is going to have to up his game to an even higher level than last season (when he averaged 10.9 PPG, 6.4 RPG) with Frederick gone.

Postseason: NIT

6. Georgia Bulldogs: New Georgia coach mark Fox looks up from the cellar of the conference at John Calipari, Bruce Pearl, Billy Donovan, and superstars everywhere. His team has no success to count on in tough moments and absolutely no experience in big games. Yet he expects to win, quickly. Two years ago the Bulldogs made an incredible run to the NCAA Tournament by winning the SEC Tournament, but last season the program fell back off the map with a 3-13 conference record.

Biggest Question: Will Troy Thompkins continue to develop into a dependable big man for the Bulldogs? Last season, a freshman, Thompkins averaged 12.5 PPG and 7.4 PPG. With Terrance Woodbury gone the scoring duty will now be put on Thompkins, Dustin Ware, and Albert Jackson. Thompkins represented the USA in the Under-19 World Championships this summer.

Key Non Conference Game: Vs Illinois (December 19th)
Let's be honest: Nobody sees Georgia making the NCAA Tournament, not even Georgia fans. It doesn't mean it can't happen. That's what is great about college basketball. If it is going to happen (and like I said chances are it won't) the Bulldogs have to find a way to win nice out of conference games. More than likely games like the one vs Illinois and Georgia Tech will probably have an impact on whether Georgia makes the NIT or CBI.

Key Conference Game: At Kentucky (January 9th)
Georgia wants to show the world it's on its way back. What better way to do that than by beating Kentucky, in Lexington, to begin SEC play? Who knows, in this crazy world of college basketball parity it might even mean something come March, should it happen.

Key Player: Troy Thompkins
With Woodbury gone, the scoring output might be more than Thompkins can handle as a sophmore. His experience this summer will help, but without huge performances from him in key games it's very unlikely that Mark Fox's team will be anything more than a spoiler in mid-February.

Postseason: None

SEC WEST

1. Mississippi State Bulldogs: Last year the Bulldogs won the SEC Tournament and saved the SEC from a great deal of embarrasment. This season the expectations in Starkville are higher than they've been the few seasons. With Jarvis Vanardo, the shot blocker extraordinaire, back along with Ravern Johnson, Bulldog fans want a Sweet 16 run (at the very least). If freshman Renardo Sidney is cleared to play then Mississippi State could be one of the nation's elite teams.

Biggest Question: Outside of Sidney's clearance (which Missisippi State cannot control) the key for the Bulldogs is whether Vanardo can develop offensively. Vanardo has been the best shot blocker in the country (this side of NBA bound Hasheem Thabeet anyways) for years. Now Rick Stansbury and Mississippi State are hoping he do more on the offensive end and produce big numbers on both sides of the floor. If he can then he will likely have NBA scouts salivating.

Key Non Conference Game: At UCLA (December 12th)
Any time you play at UCLA, one of the nation's most storied programs, it's a big deal. As a conference this is a huge game for the SEC in general, but it's also a gigantic test for Mississippi State. A win would likely propel the Bulldogs into a lot of December bracketologies and help them overcome some bad losses that are likely to occur over a long season.

Key Conference Game: Vs Kentucky (February 16th)
What a nice schedule the Bulldogs got from the SEC scheduling crew. They avoid any of the big dogs from the SEC (KY, TN, FLA, SC, VAN) until February. The first major game (not counting LSU January 30th) is when the Wildcats come to Starkville in what could be the best team in the East against the best team in the West.

Key Player: Barry Stewart
Stewart hasn't been mentioned thus far, but he is the leader for the Bulldogs. He scored 12.4 PPG last season and should add to that total a little this season. Ravern Johnson, another good choice for this spot, is hte sharpshooter for Missisippi State and will be trusted to take some big time shots.

Postseason: Second Round (NCAA Tournament)

2. LSU Tigers: Last season I correctly predicted that the Tigers would win the SEC West. This year I think the Tigers will once again be in the running to be the best team on the SEC's "lighter" side. With Tasmin Mitchell back to lead the way this team could be very good, or it could miss Marcus Thornton, Garrett Temple, and Chris Johnson as much as it looks like they will on paper. I feel like LSU will be the surprise of the conference, just like they were last season. While everyone continues to pick exactly what the media picks, I will mix things up since I've never seen a conference finish the way the media believes it will.

Biggest Question: How far can Tasmin Mitchell carry the Tigers? With the talent cellar running dry in LSU due to three of the team's best four players gone, it's going to be all on Mitchell and Bo Spencer offensively. Mitchell has shown us what he can do (16.3 PPG) and has to take his game to the next level (if that's even possible).

Key Non Conference Game: At Washington State (December 22nd)
After not playing any teams of note in their first seven the Tigers finally play a noteworthy opponent. The game against the Cougars begins a three game stretch of games against BCS, non conference foes: Washington State, Xavier, Utah.

Key Conference Game: At Mississippi State (January 30th)
Does the SEC West still go through Baton Rouge? If it does the Tigers will show the rest of the conference by winning in Starkville against the Bulldogs.

Key Player: Bo Spencer
With Thornton, Temple, and Johnson gone Mitchell is going to need some help. Who else is better to spotlight than the only other returning starter from Trent Johnson's squad? Last season he averaged 11.4 PPG, but he might have to take that total up to 15 PPG if the Tigers don't find some scoring help and hope to be competitive.

Postseason: First Round (NCAA Tournament)

3. Mississippi Rebels: Chirs Warren is back after blowing out his knee last season, and he's joined by two other guys with injuries that kept them off the court: Eniel Polynice and Trevor Gaskins. With everyone finally back and healthy, Andy Kennedy is expecting the Rebels to make their first NCAA Tournament since 2002.

Biggest Question: Can Ole Miss stay healthy? I know this is a big question for every team nationwide, but it's a big if for Mississippi. As I mentioned, Warren, Polynice, and Gaskins were all lost by the twelth game last season and it really hampered a Rebels squad that went 7-9 in a down SEC. If Mississippi can keep everyone on the court they will likely leave it with a lot more victories.

Key Non Conference Game: West Virginia (December 23rd)
The Rebels are one of eight SEC teams that look to have a defnitite shot at making the NCAA Tournament. Like I've stated many times in this article the first thing the conference has to do is establish itslef so that its wins will be taken seriously. A win over West Virginia would be great for Mississippi and give them a boost heading into conference play.

Key Conference Game: At Tennessee (January 16th)
Following what should be a sure win in Athens against Georgia, the Rebels get a chance to knock off the Volunteers in Knoxville. Games against South Carolina, LSU, Auburn, Arkansas follow this one, so a great start in conference is likely with a win.

Key Player: Terrice White
While all the talk is focused on Warren and the other injured players returning, the key to Mississippi's season might just be White. Last season he averaged 13.7 PPG and will likely take David Huertas place in the backcourt.

Postseason: NCAA Tournament (First Round)

4. Arkansas Razorbacks: Last season I had the Razorbacks ranked dead last in the SEC West, but quickly made corrections in my bracketology after Arkansas knocked off Texas and Oklahoma early in the season. Then, almost as quickly as it began, Arkansas fell off the map with a 2-14 conference record and became the team most "experts" thought they would be. This year they have to be considered a sleeper due to their big early wins last season and desire to get better.

Biggest Question: Can Courtney Fortson grow up and become one of the SEC's elite talents? Even head coach John Pelphrey said that Fortson was going to have to become an all-league player for the Razorbacks to have success this season. If he does Arkansas could exceed expections and have an outside shot at making the Big Dance.

Key Non Conference Game: At Louisville (November 17th)
Get ready for this early season gem. Not only do we get to see how Rick Pitino's Cardinals deal with a decent BCS league opponent after a turmoil-filled offseason, but we also get to watch Arkansas try to knock off another elite program. If Arkansas can pull off some non-conference upsets like they did last year, the hope in Fayetteville is that they won't go to waste this year.

Key Conference Game: Vs Alabama (January 16th)
It's tough to mark one game for a team with limited expectations. A win in their opener against Alabama would give a team that won only two conference games all of last season a taste of conference success and might propel them into a top three finish in the SEC West. A loss could send them flailing to another under .500 season.

Key Player: Michael Washington
With all five starters back, the Hogs really feel like they can make a big leap this year. While Fortson will get the headlines, Washington (15.5 PPG, 9.8 RBP) is the big man NBA teams want, and will lead the Razorbacks as far as they go. If he takes another step forward this Arkansas team can be very good as long as Fortson takes a step along with him.

Postseason: CBI

5. Auburn Tigers: Last season the Tigers were one of the last teams left out of the NCAA Tournament, but the overall strength of the SEC was the main reason why they weren't invited to the Big Dance. With Korvotney Barber, Quantez Robinson, and Rasheem Barrett gone the Tigers basically have to rebuild the team that took them to the fringe of the tournament last year. The good news is that DeWayne Reed, Tay Walker, and Lucas Hargrove return so the talent is still there.

Biggest Question: Can point guard DeWayne Reed get everyone involved and help the Tigers avoid what looks to be a year where they take a step back? It's not all on Reed, but he's got to be the leader when on the court for Auburn this year. Last season he averaged 13.2 PPG and 3.7 assists but with Barber on the floor his job was easier then it will be this season.

Key Non Conference Game: At Florida State (December 17th)
The Tigers play the worst non conference schedule of any SEC team this year with their biggest games being N. C. State, Florida State, and Virginia. If you're going to play the ACC, at least avoid playing North Carolina and Duke, right?

Key Conference Game: Vs Alabama (January 30th)
With Nick Saban in town and Auburn's football team becoming the state's second best team, Tiger fans will take any win over the Crimson Tide they can get. While this could conceivably be to avoid last place in the SEC West, it's not completely crazy to believe one of the two Alabama teams will compete for the West crown.

Key Player: Frankie Sullivan
With Robertson and Barrett gone in the frontcourt, Auburn will attempt to find a replacement that can score in bunches. Sullivan was one of the top high school players in Alabama two years ago and could break out this year.

Postseason: None

6. Alabama Crimson Tide: When I made my SEC preview for last season, I really felt like the Crimson Tide could compete for the West crown and a NCAA Tournament spot. Unfortunately the disappointing, injury-filled career of former star point guard Ronald Steele finally came to an end and left Alabama without anyone to lead the team on the floor. Without Steele, Alabama won only seven games in league play. With new head coach Anthony Grant, the forgotten man behind the scenes when Florida built their championship teams, the Crimson Tide have high hopes. For starters, they'd like to avoid the SEC West basement.

Biggest Question: Who will play point guard for Alabama? After Steele left the team last season, Mikhail Torrance became the main figure at the point. Grant will have to find a floor leader before he can venture into the season. A better question might be: How many dunks will Senario Hillman have on Sportscenter this year? Hillman is a dunker made for television and with the talent-well coming up dry in Tuscaloosa (at least on paper) he might be the single highlight off a bottom-feeding team.

Key Non Conference Game: Vs Purdue (December 12th)
If Alabama wants to compete for a postseason birth then it has to find a way to win some of their bigger out of conference games. The NCAA Tournament may be out of reach on paper, but a win over Purdue (even though it may sound unrealistic) might change expectations in Tuscaloosa quickly. Plus, it might be December 12th before Alabama football fans realize basketball season has started. Seriously.

Key Conference Game: At LSU (January 9th)
When your first conference game is a road game in Baton Rouge, it's best not to look too far ahead. It's not exactly LSU football on a Saturday night, but it is still a tough place to play for SEC opponents. If Alabama wins this one it might be best to blow up my SEC West predictions completely.

Key Player: JaMychal Green
To be honest, a lot of Alabama players are going to have to be a lot better than they were last season if the Crimson Tide expect to compete game in and game out in the SEC. With Alonzo Gee gone and Demetrius Jemison lost for the season, it will be guys like Green, Anthony Brock, Torrance, and Hillman that decide where this program is at the end of the year.

Postseason: None

There are some pretty good games in the first year of the Missouri Valley/Mountain West challenge. Here's the complete list:

11/13/09       Bradley at BYU (BYU, 2-1, last met 12/17/77)
11/20/09       Colorado State at Indiana State (tied, 1-1, last met 12/30/81)
11/21/09       Southern Illinois at UNLV (UNLV, 2-1, last met 12/23/83)
12/05/09       Air Force at Missouri State (first meeting)
12/12/09       TCU at Wichita State (WSU, 5-2, last met 12/8/08)
12/19/09       Creighton at New Mexico (UNM, 2-1, last met 11/16/08)
12/19/09      Illinois State at Utah (first meeting)
12/22/09      San Diego State at Drake (DU, 4-2, last met 11/25/77)
12/23/09       Wyoming at Northern Iowa (UW, 3-0, last met 12/13/08)

Source: MVC-Sports.com

David Pingalore from Orlando's WKMG-Channel 6 is reporting that Tebow will play tomorrow night against LSU. Just thought I'd let everyone see the report straight from the source.

My Pick: Will Tebow play? We don’t know. I’m guessing he will. All early signs are good and the Florida doctors are documenting how the plane ride goes and whether he has any symptoms during or after it. Either way Florida is in trouble. LSU, at home, is virtually unbeatable. Either the nation’s longest winning streak is going down or one of the most incredible stats in sports is ending (LSU’s 32 consecutive home night wins). Florida survives. Remember the blocked kick to beat South Carolina during their first championship run? Expect a game where Florida has to do all the little things right defensively and on special teams to survive unblemished.

Pick: Florida 26, LSU 24

Here's my other picks for Saturday.

Which team will win each conference this season? I've created voting for each of the major conferences and am working on adding a few more. Click the link to vote!

ACC
Big East
Big Ten
Big 12
Pac 10
SEC