On the Hardwood: Coaches vs. Cancer Preview
Who will advance to the championship game?
Posted on Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 3:40 PMPop the champagne! College basketball is in full swing, and on Thursday night Madison Square Garden will play host to four of the top teams in the country.
Here's a preview of the 2009 Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament:
Great frontline versus great guards. Hmm, let's think about this. I love Jim Boeheim's front line with Arinze Onuaku, Rick Jackson and Shawn Marion-clone Wesley Johnson, but college basketball is and always will be a guards game.
Cal has two of the best in seniors Patrick Christopher and Jerome Randle and also sports a deadly sharpshooter in Theo Robertson. Their perimeter should be enough to get them past the Orange.
PREDICTION: Cal 72, Syracuse 66
Ohio State has no true point and no true center, and that's why I love them to win this game. The Buckeyes entail multiple players that can provide matchup problems for any team in college basketball and have maybe the most underrated player in the country in 6-foot-5, undersized power forward David Lighty.
They also have Evan Turner. And on most days, that's going to mean they have the best player on the floor.
PREDICTION: Ohio State 82, UNC 77
THIS AND THAT:
- Lewis Jackson's injury is a huge loss for Purdue. The undersized PG was the perfect general for the Boilermakers' offense.
- I don't care how many games Tennessee wins or how much they win them by. I'm not a Bobby Maze fan and don't believe he can be the point guard on a team that goes deep in the NCAA Tournament.
Volunteers head coach Bruce Pearl is still searching for a floor general since Ramar Smith was booted from the program last year.
- Siena is better than last year. Yes, seriously. The Saints won't miss a beat with Clarence Jackson replacing last year's MAAC Player of the Year Kenny Hasbrouck in the off-guard spot and the more I see Ryan Rossiter, the more he reminds me of former Pitt garbage man Levon Kendall.
- People need to start talking about the job John Dunne is doing at St. Peter's. Dunne had the Peacocks on the verge of a major upset over Seton Hall before the Pirates won last Friday at the buzzer, and yesterday, St. Peter's dominated Monmouth as part of ESPN's 24 hours of college basketball. This team is ready to climb the MAAC standings.
- St. John's escape over St. Bonaventure last night was a huge road win for the Red Storm and is just one part of an ambitious non-conference schedule. Norm Roberts' team still have to play Siena and Temple next week in the Philly Classic, along with a trip to Duke and a matchup with Hofstra at MSG as part of the Holiday Festival.
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