TSHQ’S Early Preseason Top 25(April 14^th)

By Gus Elvin

With the 2011-12 college basketball season over, it’s time to look ahead to next season and take an early look at some of the top teams. It’s preseason top 25 time, and with the deadline for the NBA Draft passed and most of the top high school seniors committed for next season, here is my top 25. Although it’s early to even start think about next season, here goes nothing as I give you my projected top 25 teams for the 2012-2013 season.

1.)Indiana-After 3 tumultuous seasons, Tom Crean’s Indiana Hoosiers experienced a revival last season as IU rose from the ashes with a 27-9 record that culminated in a Sweet 16 berth.  While Tom Crean and IU had a great season in 2011-2012, they could be even better next season as almost every key player returns led by Christian Watford and Cody Zeller. IU also welcomes in a top 10 recruiting class, making the Hoosiers an early favorite to win the Big Ten.  IU will not only be the frontrunner in the Big Ten but maybe nationally as the Hoosiers have a strong returning nucleus in Zeller, Watford, Jordan Hulls, Victor Oladipo and Will Sheehey and add 3 consensus Top 100 recruits in Indiana products Yogi Ferrell, Jeremy Hollowell and Hanner Mosquera-Parea.  IU also returns Maurice Creek who missed all of last season with an injury but as a freshman in 09-10 averaged 16.4ppg, including a memorable 31 point exhibition against then #4 Kentucky. IU does lose point guard Verdell Jones III to graduation but with Hulls, Remy Abell and the freshman Ferrell expect IU to improve on last season’s momentum and compete for a nation title.

With most Recruits signed or committed where will the top 5 Remaining Prospects Land?

While the College Basketball season is over in term of games, with recruiting, coaching changes and the early NBA Draft deadline (April 10^th), college basketball has developed into a year round sport.  While I am waiting on the April 11^th early entry deadline until I give you my 1st 2012-2013 preseason top 25, I figured I’d start out my offseason coverage with a little recruiting piece. At this point in the year most of the top recruits have already made up their minds and committed or signed with a school but some of the nation’s top recruits are still undecided as of April 10^th. Most notably among this group are the top 2 ranked recruits in this year’s class, Shabazz Muhammad of Las Vegas and Nerlens Noel of Boston. These 2 have decided to announce their decision on Wednesday night on ESPNU, while other top recruits still are biding their time making a decision on their college futures.  Although there are not too many remaining unsigned players, some of the highest ranked players in the class remain unsigned, all of whom should have a major impact on next year’s college basketball season.  As the 2012 recruiting period winds down I will take a look at the top 5 remaining unsigned players and try and handicap where each of the 5 will be playing college ball next season.  Having all just witnessed a freshman laden Kentucky team win a national title, there is no overstating how important freshmen are in this age of “one and dones” or how much they can impact the college basketball landscape.  Nevertheless, these 5 players should make an immediate impact next season for whatever school they choose, as they all have the potential to change the fortunes or goals of a program. To start this list we will 1^st take a look at the #1 overall recruit according to most outlets, Nerlens Noel.

TSHQ’s NCAA Title Game Preview

by Gus Elvin

We are down to the last college basketball game of the season as after 5 months of basketball we are down to just 2 teams and 1 game. Those 2 teams, Kansas and Kentucky are 2 of the most prestigious and historic college basketball programs and will take center stage Monday night in New Orleans. It has been another amazing college basketball season, filled with surprises, intrigue and drama and Monday night either Kentucky or Kansas will be left standing as the NCAA Champion. I have thoroughly enjoyed this college basketball season and it has been a privilege to follow and cover college basketball all season long. In the coming weeks I will be releasing early projections for next year, an NBA Draft preview, and much more so just because the games are over, don’t think that out coverage at TSHQ will stop, so stay tuned and I hope you all enjoy the game. Well here it is my final game preview of the season as #1 seed Kentucky takes on 2^nd seeded Kansas.

TSHQ Final Four Preview

By Gus Elvin

Well we are down to the Final Four and with just 3 NCAA Tournament games remaining it is time to preview the National Semifinals and project a winner.  The remaining teams: Kentucky, Louisville, Kansas and Ohio State have all won 4 games up to this point, but all 4 still stand 2 wins from the ultimate prize.  In terms of seeds, we have Kentucky as the lone remaining #1 seed, Kansas and Ohio State as #2 seeds, and Louisville as a bit of a surprise as a #4 seed.   If you have been following the site you are well aware of my 1^st weekend struggles, but I have rebounded since, bouncing back with an 8-0 Sweet 16 round, and a 3-1 record in the Elite 8(lone loss UNC vs. Kansas). I look to continue that run with my Final Four projections as I will preview the 2 semifinal games and give you my unbiased and professional opinion on who the winner will be. If you don’t believe me, I agonizingly picked against my Alma Mater, Syracuse last round, in a move that truly made my stomach turn.  So here we go we have finally reached New Orleans and it is time to preview the 2012 Final Four with TSHQ.  We will start with the 2 semifinal matchups and then I will complete my NCAA Tournament Preview segment with my Championship Game Preview this Sunday, April 1^st.

Saturday’s National Semifinals

*6:09pm 1 Kentucky vs. 4 Louisville (New Orleans, La)-  If a Final Four tilt didn’t have enough drama, how ‘bout an instate rivalry game in the Final Four? Well that’s what we have this weekend as the Bluegrass state of Kentucky takes center stage in the world of college basketball, as Louisville meets Kentucky with a bid in the NCAA Championship game on the line. Add in that Louisville’s coach used to coach Kentucky and we have even more drama. The question is will the game live up to all the pregame hype and story lines? Or will this game be a one sided affair between the overall #1 seed Kentucky and an upstart Louisville team that really didn’t look convincing until the Big East Tournament.? Well we will find out this weekend as top seeded Kentucky and 4^th seeded Louisville tangle in New Orleans in our 1^st NCAA semifinal. The Wildcats come into this game as the favorite as they are the team with the 4 potential lottery picks and the team with the 36-2 record. Add in that UK beat Louisville earlier this season (69-62) and the Wildcats are a popular pick to advance past the Cardinals. The Wildcats have been the best team this season wire to wire thus far as their blend of talented freshmen and sophomores have led them to the Final Four. UK particularly relies on their frontcourt as Terrence Jones, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Anthony Davis key this team both offensively and defensively. As good as Jones and Kidd-Gilchrist are, the biggest key to UK’s success is their center Anthony Davis. Davis, just a freshman, has been without a doubt the most influential player in the country this season as he not only leads the team in scoring (14.6ppg) and rebounding (10rpg) but also leads the nation in blocked shots, averaging 4.5 blocks per contest. This is where Davis has the biggest impact as the future #1 overall pick, completely takes over games on the defensive end because of his length, athleticism and timing. UK offensively is also extremely unselfish as a team, as they rarely force shots and seem to value winning collectively than individual statistics, which is rare for such a young team. On the perimeter the Wildcats are also quite capable as they shoot 39% from 3-point range as a team, led by marksmen Doron Lamb (47%) and Darius Miller (38%). While the Wildcats have rarely been threatened this season and in this tournament have yet to be seriously challenged , Coach Cal know it just takes 1 off day or 1 slipup and it’s all over.  The team rooting for that slipup is the challenger, the Louisville Cardinals who once again have overshadowed an inconsistent season by getting hot late and making a late season run. In what has become Rick Pitino’s trademark the Cardinals have thrived late in the season building on their Big East Championship run by advancing all the way to the Final Four. The key difference for the Cardinals has been the improvement of their defense, as Louisville has turned up their pressure defense and thus have forced more turnovers and created more chaos for opponents. The 2 players at the center of this change have been speedy guards Peyton Siva and Russ Smith, as both have stepped up their play of late and been the sparkplugs of Louisville’s tournament run. Siva who emerged late in the season as the catalyst for the Louisville offense, has been at his best of late, as he is the team’s best penetrator, distributor and pressure defender. Siva is not Louisville’s only guard to take note of, as 3-point marksman Kyle Kuric, Chris Smith and the energetic Russ Smith are all capable of leading the team on a given night. In their last game against Florida, Russ Smith proved to be the key as the sophomore led the team with 19 points. In this rematch against Kentucky, the Cardinals will need solid production from all of their guards but in particular the guy they need to get going is Kyle Kuric. Kuric (13.1ppg, 4.4apg) who has been Louisville’s best player over the past 2 seasons has been nonexistent so far in this NCAA Tournament as the senior has amassed just 38 points in the 4 NCAA games. If Louisville is to have real ambitions of winning this game, more production from Kuric is not just a hope but a must. The final individual to keep an eye on for Louisville is Gorgui Dieng, their 6-11 Senegalese center. Dieng who has vastly improved all aspects of his game as a sophomore, may be the biggest key to this game as his matchup with Anthony Davis could go a long way in determining a winner. Dieng will need to slow down Davis defensively and also control the glass for the Cardinals if Louisville is to have any chance of knocking off their instate rival. In the end Kentucky has just too much talent and too much athleticism upfront for Louisville and will pull away late in the 2^nd half. The Cardinals will compete in this game because of the 3-point shot and their pressure defense but in the end, Louisville just doesn’t have an answer for Anthony Davis and MKD, as Kentucky advances to Monday night’s NCAA Championship game. Kentucky has been the best team all year for a reason and going against a Louisville team that finished in the middle of the pack, the Wildcats will flex their muscles.

Elite 8 Preview

By Gus Elvin

Well I promised a bounce back week and so far I’ve had exactly that, as an 8-0 Sweet 16 round has me alive in both of my brackets as we begin Elite 8 play. As good as 8-0 sounds in the Sweet 16, it is all for nothing if I can’t continue my streak with Elite 8 picks. Now we get into the money games as we have top dogs going top togs and perennial powers meeting fellow perennial powers. Matchups like Syracuse vs. Ohio State and Kansas against North Carolina, illustrate just how tough these games will be to project.The picks are not as easy now that we have reached the Elite 8 as all 8 of the remaining teams have what it takes to cut down the nets in New Orleans. It’s winning time , so here we go with our Elite 8 previews and picks.

TSHQ’s 2^nd Weekend NCAA Preview

by Gus Elvin

Well how those brackets looking everybody? Well like you all know mine took some serious body blows in week 1, as I was adversely affected by monumental upsets by Lehigh and Norfolk State and also had most of my upset picks flop. As poor as my bracket might have done in weekend 1, I am far from done yet as 7 of my Elite 8 are still alive, as well as 3 of my Final Four (Missouri being the exception in both cases). It’s a new week and hopefully my luck has changed as it is time to preview the 2^nd weekend matchups starting with the Sweet 16 contests and concluding with my Elite 8 picks. The 2^nd weekend is often where brackets are won and lost as with more points on the line and differences in picks, the weekend provides a chance to pull away from the pack for some or makeup some serious ground for others like myself.  Yes, right now your Guru may be battered but he is far from beaten and with a chance at redemption this weekend, I am ready to knock these picks out of the park and maybe help you guys win some money. No more stalling from me, it’s Judgment day and your boy is ready to deliver you his picks starting with the Sweet 16.

TSHQ’s 1ST and 2nd Round Region Previews

By Gus Elvin

No more Bracketology…I promise, as the Brackets are finally finalized….well almost finalized. Nevertheless, it is time to start giving you my projections as we have just 2 days until the most exciting month of college basketball tips off. We have all the matchups with the exception of the “First Four” games, so lets dive into the bracket and start talking favorites, upsets and final four picks. It is the best time of the year as over the next month the world will watch anxiously as favorites will fall, cinderellas will emerge, and brackets will be busted.  68 teams have reached their goal of reaching the Big Dance but now that they have reached this point, only 1 team will earn the ultimate prize.  It’s March, so expect the unexpected as buzzer beaters, upsets, triumph and heartbreak will all be on display as 68 teams begin the road to the Final Four in New Orleans. It’s time to take an inside look at all 68 teams in the field as I will go through each game round by round and give you the best teams, best players and best matchups to look out for in each region. Like last season I will go through the first weekend of games region by region and give you my picks, storylines, sleepers, and players to watch.  Hold onto your seats folks …Let the “Madness” begin!

 TSHQ’s Conference Tournament Previews and Projections  Continued…

By Gus Elvin

16.)MEAC(March 5th-10th, Winston-Salem)- The MEAC Tournament kicked off earlier this week  and  with the tournament now down to the quarterfinal stage it’s time preview the MEAC. The MEAC which has not had a lot of success in the NCAA Tournament with just 2 victories is always dangerous as the conference has pulled off 2 of the biggest upsets in NCAA history with Hampton beating 2nd seed Iowa State and Coppin State also beating #2 Seed South Carolina in 1997. This season the MEAC seems to be wide open as Savannah State, Norfolk State and Delaware State all finished within 2 games of each other at the top of the league. Don’t put it past a Cinderella to make a run in the MEAC Tournament either as the MEAC has sent below .500 teams to the NCAA’s before, teams who have gotten hot at the right time. Teams like Hampton and Morgan State who were picked highly before the season but have struggled still have a chance to shine as players like Darrian Pellum(18.3ppg) of Hampton or Morgan’s Kevin Thompson(10.8ppg, 8.2rpg) have the ability the to lead their teams on a run this week. In this tournament I still like Norfolk State though, as the conference’s regular season runner-up has won 5 straight and 7 of 8. The  Spartans are led by Kyle O’Quinn one of the better bigs in the mid-major ranks as O’Quinn averages 16ppg, 10.7rpg and 2.8bpg. Norfolk State’s top challenger will likely be Delaware State as the Hornets swept the Spartans during the regular season led by Fab freshman Tahj Tate(16ppg). The Spartans remain my pick as I like Norfolk State’s size in the post and see O’Quinn leading the Spartans to their 1st ever NCAA Tournament appearance.

Bracketology (March 10^th 2012 -11am Update)

by Gus Elvin

It’s Championship Week and like I promised I am going to be delivering Bracketology updates all week long, and “a bubble watch” breakdown nightly.  As we begin many of the conference tournaments we have a pretty good idea of most of the at larges teams, as I figure there are about 30 teams competing for about 15 remaining at large spots. While seeds, bubble teams and mid-major conference auto bid winners will without question change as we approach Selection Sunday, I will keep you updated on everything regarding the bracket, including who’s in, who’s out and seeding. If you followed the site last year you will remember the general concept of Bracketology as I will list you the 68 teams in my field and tell you the teams who are still in play but just outside the field at the time of publication. Like last year I am not going to match the teams up because this is a waste of time and there is almost zero chance I or anyone else will get the matchups correct.

Secondly, like last year the team that is currently in 1^st or 2^nd in their conference will be selected at my digression as the conference’s automatic berth when dealing with mid-majors until the conference tournament final is completed. Although I’d like to just project the conference winners, this will ensure that my picks are more objective and not just affected by biases or my personal opinions. While in my previous installments I have added a small writeup to accompany each team, because it is Championship Week and I want to keep this up to date, we will abandon that system for the duration of the season. Finally the seeds are not ranked 1-4, with the exception of the #1 seeds and the “Last 4 and First 4 Out Categories” which will be ranked 1-4 in order to designate the top overall seed and the last teams in and last teams out. As a disclaimer remember that over the next week a lot will change and seeding and bubble teams will change on a nightly basis.  I will be constantly updating this post, specifically the last 4, first 4 out element, so stay tuned and check back in for updates. Finally these projections are reflected on Monday March 5^th, so a major loss or win after this date will not impact or be reflected in this version of Bracketology. Lastly, since some conference tournaments have been completed all teams that are in bold have already clinched an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament while an asterisk denotes my projected conference winner.That’s about it from me I officially declare class in session.

*Denotes Current Conference leader

Bold Denotes Conference Champion-Automatic Bid