6:07 pm – #5 Michigan State vs. #5 Butler The winner of this game will have a built-in motivational mechanism, since this game is popularly considered the “Who will lose to West Virginia or Duke on Monday?” game.  Best be careful, because as we know, there’s almost no better way to get your guys ready to play than to tell them that it’s them against the world.  That nobody respects them.  That everyone expects them to lose and lose big.  In the case of Butler, I know I wouldn’t want to face a team playing in their home city and with that motivational tool.  A lot is being made of the home crowd advantage that Butler supposed to enjoy this weekend, but I ask you: because people love the storyline of a mid-major getting to the Final Four, in what city could you play this thing where Butler wouldn’t have most of the fans in the arena rooting for them?  I’ll tell you — East Lansing, Durham, and Morgantown (or anywhere else in West Virginia).  Well, we’re not in any of those towns.  Let me just add this…walking around this downtown area, I see mostly Butler fans, which is understandable.  But it’s not like the Duke, Michigan State, and West Virginia fans stayed home.  It’s Lucas Oil Stadium, people.  It seats over 70,000 (it must, to qualify to host this thing).  The freakin’ Colts play here.  The Butler cheers might be loud, but the other squads will have their supporters, too.  As to what’s going to happen on the floor, watch the boards.  This will be a rebounding battle for the ages, because it’s the biggest disparity between the two teams.  It’s not something Butler does particularly well, and it’s Michigan State’s greatest strength.  Brad Stevens knows his boys have to swarm the glass to have a chance.  They’ve done everything else he’s asked of them in each tournament game, not to mention the rest of the season, and I wouldn’t doubt that you’ll see them turn in their biggest effort on the boards this whole year on Saturday evening. Can Butler do it but still stay out of foul trouble?

We only picked against you three times, Coach Izzo. And we're sorry. (AP/Al Goldis)

What you’ll also see in this game are two of the most efficient basketball teams in the country.  Butler might be a little more famous for it, but the Spartans can match them.  It’s a strange delight to watch two teams that excel at that aspect of the game; you’ve got perfect offensive sets, multiple players moving without the basketball, screens, rolls, back door cuts, great interior passing, scores on almost every possession, and exemplary shooting…and yet you’ll look at the scoreboard and be flummoxed to find that both teams have combined for only about 80 points with five minutes left.  This game gives us two of the best at this.  Butler will not back down from a physical battle.  Of any ranked team this year, the ‘Dawgs are one of the most bullying — they’re just really sneaky about it (except Matt Howard).  They don’t just turn and look at the rim; they box out, hard.  They don’t just give up position down low; they’re right at home in wrestling with you on the block; they don’t just let guys cut through the lane without letting the cutters feel it.  And most impressively, they don’t stand on defense; they — gasp! — get down in a defensive stance and play guys tight in the backcourt.  The individual matchups are even remarkably appealing on paper — Korie Lucious and Durrell Summers vs Shelvin Mack and Willie Veasley, Matt Howard and Gordon Hayward vs Raymar Morgan and Draymond Green (and Delvon Roe).  It’s going to be a pleasure to watch.

The Skinny:  To make a prediction seems like an insult to one of these teams, and that’s tough to do, having enjoyed them both all season.  We’ve picked against Tom Izzo and his Spartans in all but one of their tournament games this time around, and look where that’s gotten us.  Our readers in the MSU camp probably wish we’d do it again, but we can’t do that.  High-scoring, low-scoring…who cares?  What fun it will be.  If we have to go on the record, though, we’ve learned our lesson, Spartan fans.  Trusting Butler doesn’t go on a three-point barrage early behind Mack, Hayward, and Zach Hahn, we’ll take Michigan State to pull away with about three minutes left as the Bulldogs’ foul trouble takes its toll.  Now you know why we’re not telling any of these Indianapolis people where we’re staying.

Will they remember? We think...yes.

8:37 pm – #1 Duke vs. #2 West Virginia.  This semifinal has been touted as the de facto national title game by some media members. While we don’t agree with that assessment we do agree that the winner will be a pretty heavy favorite heading into Monday night. The Mountaineers come into this game as slight underdogs, but after their performance against Kentucky last weekend most analysts would probably consider this game a toss-up. Even though West Virginia comes into this game as the lower seed and underdog, they will not be the ones with chips on their shoulders. That distinction belongs to the Duke Blue Devils, who lost to West Virginia two years ago and then were mocked in the post-game comments by several Mountaineer players. It was one thing for the Blue Devils to be mocked by the Mountaineers star Joe Alexander (now with a career 4.2 PPG and 1.8 RPG average as the #8 overall pick in 2008) who, when told by a reporter that eight Duke players had been McDonald’s all-Americans, responded by asking, “Who?”  It was quite another thing to be shown up by little-used (at the time) Mountaineer guard Joe Mazzulla who entered the game by mocking the Duke floor-slap, then proceeded to torch the Blue Devils for 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists prompting Coach K to refer to him as a “mini-Jason Kidd” after the game. And then there was Cam Thoroughman (averaging 1 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 0.5 APG, and 1.4 fouls per game) who, when told that Greg Paulus had been a McDonald’s all-American, replied  ”Oh, my God. Are you kidding?”  While it may seem like a distant memory with all of Duke’s recent NCAA Tournament failures, and while Krzyzewski has downplayed the significance of those comments leading up to this game, we guarantee you that several of Duke’s upperclassmen who played in that game — that is, Kyle Singler, Nolan Smith, Jon Scheyer, Brian Zoubek, and Lance Thomas – are well-aware of those barbs.

Mazzulla hopes he and his boys have one more upset in them. (Getty/Win McNamee)

This time, West Virginia is more of a known entity, but it still has a defined superstar in Da’Sean Butler and Mazzulla can still fill up a box score (just ask any Kentucky fan about that), and Duke still has a bevy of McDonald’s all-Americans. However that is where the similarities stop. In 2008, Duke was a talented team that was either unwilling or unable to compete on the boards against the Mountaineers getting out-rebounded 45-19 (that’s not a typo). That will not be the case on Saturday night with this Duke team that works as hard in the paint as any team in the country, to which Scott Drew, Ekpe Udoh, and the rest of the Baylor Bears can attest. This time Devin Ebanks, Kevin Jones, and Butler will have their hands full underneath the basket with Zoubek, Singler, Thomas, and the Plumlees. While Duke won’t dominate them offensively under the basket like DeMarcus Cousins did, they certainly will compete with the Mountaineers for every rebound and might even hold the rebounding advantage. On the perimeter the game will probably come down to a few key factors: Duke’s shooting from the outside, whether or not Truck Bryant will play, and Duke’s ability to defend Butler. While much of the attention following the Mountaineers’ win was focused on Mazzulla and their great 3-point shooting, the real key to the game was Kentucky’s atrocious shooting from beyond the arc (4-32). Even though Duke lacks the long-range bomber in the mold of Trajan Langdon, Jason Williams, and J.J. Redick, they still manage to shoot 38.5% from 3-point range as a team, so we highly doubt that the Mountaineers will be able to accumulate such a big advantage from the perimeter. On the other end, Duke will need to find a way to contain Butler and quite frankly they don’t have an individual defender who can match-up with him, so they will need to utilize a team-oriented approach to defending him — or hope that Bob Huggins forgets to utilize him for large stretches of the game like Scott Drew did with LaceDarius Dunn in the Elite 8.  Even with Butler’s brilliance, the Mountaineers will need another player to step-up and provide Butler with some support offensively. The question is, which Mountaineer will it be?  Jones, the almost forgotten man on this team?  Ebanks, the potential lottery pick? Mazzulla, the one who has shown up in big games again and again? If the Mountaineers are able to find that secondary scorer, they just might be able to push Coach K’s “title-less” streak to nearly a decade. If they don’t, the Yankees of college basketball could be playing for yet another title on Monday night.

The Skinny:  In the Elite Eight, Kentucky couldn’t hit a shot from outside to save their season. West Virginia won’t be so fortunate on Saturday, as Singler, Scheyer, and Smith will find a way to hit from the outside. Even if one of them has an off night, the other two should be enough to push Duke over the top and Coach K will return to the title game for the first time in nearly a decade.

Steven Moore is the RTC correspondent for the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Predicted Order of Finish:

1. North Carolina (13-3)
2. Duke (12-4)
3. Clemson (10-6)
4. Maryland (10-6)
5. Georgia Tech (9-7)
6. Wake Forest (8-8)
7. Boston College (8-8)
8. Virginia Tech (7-9)
9. Florida State (6-10)
10. Miami (5-11)
11. Virginia (5-11)
12. North Carolina State (3-13)

All-Conference Team (with 2008-09 per-game averages):

• Greivis Vasquez (G), Sr., Maryland – 17.5 points, 5 assists, 5.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 33% 3-pt
• Malcolm Delaney (G), Jr. Virginia Tech – 18.1 points, 4.5 assists, 4 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 35% 3-pt
• Kyle Singler (F), Jr., Duke – 16.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals, 39% 3-pt
• Trevor Booker (F), Sr., Clemson – 15.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2 blocks
• Ed Davis (F), Soph., North Carolina – 6.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.7 blocks

6th Man. Gani Lawal, F, Georgia Tech – 15.1 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks

Impact Newcomer. Derrick Favors, F, Georgia Tech

What You Need to Know.

With Tyler Hansbrough off saving puppies in cell phone commercials, and Greg Paulus quarterbacking a sub-par college football team, who is left to watch in the ACC this year?  Well, as you might have expected, the prime candidates will both wear a shade of blue and still play on Tobacco Road.

But don’t sleep on those in purple, red, or even Yellow Jacket gold.

North Carolina and Duke set a new record for ACC equality this season when they equally shared the top spot in the coaches’ preseason poll. Their Feb. 10 showdown in Chapel Hill is already circled on every hoop fan’s calendar, while their season-ending tilt in Durham (March 6) already has Dick Vitale in a tizzy. The reigning National Champs lost not only Hansbrough, but also Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green. And still, they are expected to win the ACC, thanks to a new shift of power to the frontcourt (more on that later). Duke also may rely heavily on its big men, which is a change of pace, since jump-shooting, floor-slapping guards usually reign supreme at Cameron Indoor.

Without those big names, you might think the ACC is lacking in star power this season. But if you want to be the smartest guy (or girl) in the room, tell your friends to watch Greivis Vasquez play. Make them sit down and watch a Maryland game. Just do it. The guy is pure energy, and always looks like he’s having the time of his life. Kyle Singler and even Trevor Booker might be the names you hear in 2010 NBA Draft projections, but Vasquez will have more to do with his team’s success than any other player in the conference.

While the Heels and Devils battle it out, the most interesting ACC subplot may lie in the race for NCAA Tournament berths. Don’t be surprised to hear Digger and Bilas discussing as many as eight or even nine possible candidates come February. While Clemson, Maryland, Georgia Tech and Wake Forest seem like prime candidates for dance tickets (and even top-6 seeds) come March, Virginia Tech, Florida State and even Boston College and/or Miami could be in the conversation with a few key wins.

That’s the one great equalizer for the lower-tier teams in a conference like the ACC. Steal one or two big wins against the Dukes, North Carolinas and Clemsons (especially on the road), and you’ll be hard to ignore in that selection room.

Predicted Champion.  Maryland (NCAA Seed: #3).  Go ahead, laugh at me. Be my guest. But when I watch college hoops, I love energy and do-it-all kind of players. So while the coaches may go the safe route and pick the Dukes and North Carolinas (I still think they finish 1-2 in the regular season), I’m gonna go out on a limb and take the Terrapins to make a run to the ACC Tournament title in Greensboro come March (if I’m right, you know where to find me – if I’m wrong, well, it’s just a blog, right?).  Vasquez is the kind of player who can take over an entire tournament, and who won’t be troubled by four games in four or five days. Look for Adrian Bowie to help Vasquez with some of the offensive load, and Sean Mosely to help defend some of the league’s top stars. I still like North Carolina to be the last ACC team standing in the Big Dance, but don’t sleep on the Terps, who could easily make a Sweet 16 run.

NCAA Teams.

• North Carolina (NCAA Seed: #1)
• Duke (NCAA Seed: #2)
• Clemson (NCAA Seed: #5)
• Georgia Tech (NCAA Seed: #6)
• Wake Forest (NCAA Seed: #8)

Maryland may be my pick to win the always-tough ACC Tournament, but North Carolina and Duke (surprise, surprise) are most likely to go deep into the Dance. With depth all around, these two teams have the bodies to survive the grind, and the coaches to put them in the best positions to win. UNC and Duke will both rely heavily on their frontcourts, as UNC counts on Ed Davis, Tyler Zeller and big-time recruit John Henson, while Coach K looks to Kyle Singler, Brian Zoubek and Lance Thomas – along with a pair of 6-10 McDonald’s All-Americans in Ryan Kelly and Mason Plumlee.

With Trevor Booker up front, Clemson may be the one team in the league with the size that matches up with the Devils and Heels. As long as Clemson can avoid yet another late-season swoon, the Tigers should be a top-6 seed with a real shot at the second weekend. As for Georgia Tech, the Yellow Jackets may be the biggest wild card in the league. With the return of big-man Gani Lawal, and the emergence of Atlanta-product Derrick Favors – who was nearly unanimous choice as preaseason Rookie of the Year for his hometown team – the Ramblin’ Wreck could easily jump into the upper tier of the league.

I can’t say I like North Carolina to repeat as national champs (still undecided on that front), but I can say I expect four ACC teams in the Sweet 16 – UNC, Duke, Clemson, and Maryland or Georgia Tech – with at least one reaching the Final Four.

NIT/CBI Teams.

• Boston College (NIT)
• Virginia Tech (NIT)
• Florida State (CBI)
• Miami (CBI)

Expect BC and Virginia Tech to pull off a few of those big ACC wins that at least merit a few swings of Digger’s highlighter during late-February “bubble” discussions. But the overall body of work, combined with a lack of depth that could cost them a few winnable games, will also cost the Eagles and Hokies any shot at the Big Dance. As for the Seminoles and Hurricanes: Toney Douglas and Jack McClinton are not walking through that door.

Other Teams.

• Virginia
• North Carolina State

Times are tough right now in Charlottesville and Raleigh – and they won’t get any easier. Despite having mostly his own players after four years at N.C. State, Sidney Lowe won’t be able to push the Wolfpack any higher than ninth or tenth. As for the Cavaliers? Look at this way: A loss to Duke won’t be nearly as embarrassing as the football team’s defeat to the Blue Devils.

Top 10 RPI Boosters. There will be plenty of chances to boost league RPI during the conference slate, given the ACC’s overall strength. But these non-conference matchups will not only provide insight into the ACC’s tourney chances, but also give all of us some must-see-TV. A few of these games are potential matchups, given the right results in early-season tournaments.

• Nov. 17, 2009. Clemson at Liberty – 10 a.m. (ESPN).  One of the stranger games on any team’s schedule, the Tigers are paying the Flames back for being a last-minute fill-in last season. And as part of ESPN’s 24-hour hoops marathon, you can have some bacon and eggs while you watch Booker lead one of the ACC’s big boys into the tiny Vines Center.
• Nov. 19, 2009. North Carolina vs. Ohio State (in New York City) – 9 p.m. (ESPN2).  Part of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, this will be the first test for the Tar Heels. The Buckeyes may not be as strong as last season, but they were still picked to finish third in the Big Ten.
• Nov. 20, 2009. North Carolina vs. Syracuse or California – 5 p.m./7 p.m. (ESPN2).  Yes, the Coaches vs. Cancer classic has subregionals, but somehow there are still just four teams guaranteed to reach MSG: UNC, Ohio State, Syracuse, and California. Whether it’s the title game or consolation game, we should be in for a good affair.
• Nov. 20, 2009. Georgia Tech vs. Villanova or George Mason – 1p.m./3 p.m. (ESPNU).  Provided the Yellow Jackets top Dayton and Villanova fends off George Mason, we could be in for a real slugfest down in Puerto Rico. Back-to-back wins over Dayton and Nova could fill up the Yellow Jacket bandwagon very quickly. Tech could then meet Indiana or even a strong mid-major like Boston University (hooray, alma mater!) in the final on the 21st.
• Nov. 22, 2009. Boston College vs. Purdue – 8:30 p.m.  Assuming the Eagles can beat St. Joseph’s and Purdue can get past South Dakota State, we should see a strong matchup – at least on paper. The Boilermakers are a sexy Final Four pick this year, while the Eagles are lacking in depth and expectations. A win – or even a close finish – for the Eagles would make a big statement for the ACC.
• Nov. 23 thru Nov. 25, 2009. Maryland at the Maui Invitational – (ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU).  Assuming the Terps top host Chaminade (ask Ralph Sampson), they could face some tough tests in a bracket that is always one of the toughest of the preseason (not to mention having better weather than the Great Alaska Shootout). The second round would see Maryland face Vanderbilt or Cincinnati, followed by the likes of Colorado, Gonzaga, Arizona or Wisconsin. A strong showing here, and the Terps won’t be under the radar, anymore.
• Nov. 16 thru Nov. 27, 2009. Duke in NIT Season Tip-off – (ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU).  Potential games against Charlotte, Arizona State or TCU are all well and good, but the reason juicy matchup could take place on the 27th at MSG, as Duke vs. UConn could be one of the best games of the non-league season. We all root for upsets in the Big Dance, but in this bracket, I want to see the heavyweights.
• Nov. 29, 2009. Clemson vs. Butler or UCLA – (ESPN2/ESPNU).  The Tigers would have to first get past Texas A&M and probably West Virginia, but could see the Bulldogs or Bruins in the final of the 76 Classic in Anaheim.
• Dec. 1:, 2009. Big Ten/ACC Challenge – Wake Forest at Purdue, Maryland at Indiana, Michigan State at North Carolina.  As usual, the Big Ten/ACC Challenge provides some juicy matchups, including these three. Wake Forest vs. Purdue would be the one to watch, if not for the Tar Heels and Spartans. These teams have become very familiar foes the last few years, so don’t expect many friendly glances during this showdown.
• Dec. 5, 2009.  North Carolina at Kentucky – 12:30 p.m. (CBS).  This one could be the non-conference game of the year in the entire nation. With Calipari and his prized recruits in Lexington, expect Rupp to be rocking as the big bad Tar Heels come to down. With Nantz and Kellogg on the call, it’ll even feel like a National Championship game (minus “One Shining Moment”, of course). And as if you needed a second course, Wake Forest travels to Gonzaga later in the day (5:30 p.m., ESPN2).
• Dec. 19, 2009. North Carolina at Texas – 2 p.m. (ESPN).  As if the Tar Heels road schedule wasn’t tough enough, we get another potential Final Four preview in Austin.

Others.

• Nov. 24, 2009. Florida State at Florida
• Nov. 26, 2009. Clemson vs. Texas A&M (Anaheim, Calif.)
• Dec. 6, 2009. Villanova at Maryland (in Washington, D.C.) – 7:30 p.m.
• Dec. 9, 2009. Harvard at Boston College (Remember last year?…..)
• Dec. 19, 2009. Gonzaga vs. Duke (in New York City) – 4 p.m. (CBS)
• Dec. 31, 2009. Richmond at Wake Forest – 7 p.m. (ESPNU) – Don’t sleep on the Spiders.

Key Conference Games.

• Jan. 23, 2010.  Duke at Clemson – 9 p.m. (ESPN w/Gameday).  With the Gameday crew on hand, the entire state of South Carolina will be ready for this one, as Duke faces its toughest road test this side of the Dean Dome. If Booker can anchor the middle against Duke’s big front-court, we could be in for a slugfest.
• Jan. 19 and Jan 26, 2010. Clemson at Georgia Tech; Clemson at Boston College.  With the campus and team looking forward to the Duke game on the 23rd, the Tigers need to watch out for these sandwich road trips on either side. Clemson heads south to face the Jackets, stops home for the showdown with Duke, then heads all the way north to meet the Eagles. With three wins in seven days, Clemson becomes a national force. But 1 or 2 losses, and they could be the same-old disappointing Tigers.
• Feb. 7, 2010.  North Carolina at Maryland – 2 p.m. (FSN).  The only meeting between the schools should see a raucous crowd at the Comcast Center. If Vasquez can win this one, and play well against North Carolina’s complex defense, he may legitimize what I think could be Naismith consideration.
• Feb. 9, 2010.  Boston College at Wake Forest - 7 p.m.  This one may not seem too glamorous, but it could go a long way in telling how many NCAA bids will be given to the ACC. If BC can steal this one, and maybe one against Duke or UNC, the Eagles could surprise some people and stay in the tourney discussion.
• Feb. 13, 2010.  Maryland at Duke – 1 p.m. (CBS).  With the national audience watching, Maryland – just six days removed from a home date with UNC – could propel itself into the national spotlight, or wither under the Cameron pressure. Only time will tell. The teams will also meet in the penultimate game of the year, March 3 in College Park.
• Feb. 10 and March 6, 2010.  Duke at North Carolina; North Carolina at Duke – both at 9 p.m. (ESPN).  Big shocker, but these two games will not only raise the hype-meter to astronomical proportions, but they will also likely tell us which ACC power will have a better shot at cutting down the nets in April.

Digging Deeper. Other than North Carolina and Duke, which combine to boast 27 current NBA players, the ACC school with the next highest total is Georgia Tech with seven. Wake Forest has six alums in the NBA, followed by Boston College (3), Maryland (3), Florida State (2), Miami (2), N.C. State (2), and Virginia (1). Six NBA head coaches and 11 assistant coaches are also from ACC schools.

Fun With KenPom. What’s interesting about the ACC the last few years is that although there have been a lot of very good teams in the league, there has only been one great team.  UNC in 2007, 2008 and 2009 was the only ACC squad that finished in the top five in Pomeroy, and Duke in 2008 was the only other team to finish in the top ten.  Compare that with the Big East putting three teams into the Pomeroy top five just last season.  Virginia and Georgia Tech were the only pretty-bad teams in the league last year, as both hovered around the #100 mark.  Again, compare with the bottom of the Big East, which was simply abominable.  Yet the ACC was a more highly-rated league than the ACC last year because their bottom-feeders were far worse than the ACC’s.  This illustrates that there are different ways to evaluate “conference strength” and either way — looking at only the top teams or looking at the entire thing — has its merits.

NCAA Tournament History. When you have two teams with nearly 200 wins in the NCAA Tournament between them (actual: 188, which isn’t all that far behind the SEC and Pac-10), you’re going to have a really strong record.  That much is true, as the ACC has gone 341-174 (.662), which is easily the best record among conferences all-time.  Would you believe that Clemson is the only school that, as an ACC member, has a losing record in the Big Dance?  And barely.  The Tigers are 8-9 in the NCAAs, while every other school is .500 or better.  Furthermore, every team (even the recently hapless NC Staters from Raleigh) has made the NCAA Tournament since 2006, which shows that teams in this conference (outside of the top two) tend to cycle between pretty good to not so good relatively quickly.

Final Thoughts. With 179 national TV appearances this season, much of the country will get rightfully sick of the ACC hype. But with 53 current NBA players, including eight rookies, the talent is never in question. What the league really needs is for a team NOT from Tobacco Road to make a strong statement and get into the Final Four mix. With Maryland and Clemson on their heels, North Carolina and Duke will have to earn their way through March, and could easily watch one of their conference foes cut down the nets. And with so many tough non-conference games, no one can accuse this BCS conference of cupcake scheduling. Judging by the love/hate relationship most college basketball fans have with the ACC and its member schools, the conference is obviously doing something right.

Irving tonight denied this report, as he stated below on Twitter:

We know Zagoria doesn’t go around making things up, though, and he cited three separate confirmations from assistant coaches at rival schools who claim that Irving’s recruitment is over because Duke has locked him up.  We’ll go with Zagoria on this one, as it’s more fun to speculate anyway, but we’ve been saying for a while that if Duke has plans on becoming Duke again, players like Irving and forward Harrison Barnes are must-gets.

Since Luol Deng arrived on campus as the #2 player (Rivals.com) in the class of 2003, the top ten players that Duke has signed are Kyle Singler (#5 in 2007), Josh McRoberts (#2 in 2005) and Shaun Livingston (#2 in 2004, but went NBA), while Greg Paulus (#11 in 2005) and Gerald Henderson (#11 in 2006) were near-misses.  Of that group, none have had the game-changing NBA-quality ability that earlier-era Dookies such as Grant Hill, Elton Brand, Shane Battier and Jason Williams shared, and not coincidentally, Duke hasn’t sniffed the Final Four since Deng left campus.

Assuming Irving has already committed to Coach K and he manages to lure Barnes to Durham as well (Barnes is expected there this weekend), the 2010-11 Blue Devils could be shaping up as a nasty team, with the following starting lineup:

• PG – Kyrie Irving, Fr.
• SG – Seth Curry, So.
• SF – Kyle Singler, Sr.
• PF – Harrison Barnes, Fr.
  
• C – Ryan Kelly, So./Mason or Miles Plumlee, So./Jr.

The weak spot is at the center position, but we’re assuming one of the three-headed monster of Kelly/Plumlee/Plumlee will have stepped up by then.  Still, that’s a very powerful projected lineup, and one that with tonight’s news should be sending shivers up and down the Atlantic seaboard for fear that Duke is one step closer to becoming a powerhouse again.

Paulus Had His Ups and Downs Today (AP/Kevin Rivoli)

However, it was what happened in the overtime that will mark Paulus’ first game as disappointing.  At third and goal from the Minnesota five, Paulus peeled left and threw into triple coverage in the end zone rather than dumping the ball into the stands.  The pass was intercepted by Nate Triplett, setting up Minnesota’s FG to win the game 23-20 on its next possession.  This will be written off as a rookie mistake by a player who had an otherwise solid debut game, but to our untrained eyes it was vaguely reminiscent of several end-of-game scenarios involving a young Paulus at Duke (this one especially).  Rather than making the smart, simple decision, he choked on it at a critical juncture and ended up hurting his team.

It’ll be interesting to see how Paulus plays the rest of the season and if he learns from this mental error.  At minimum, Syracuse appears better than they were last year, which has to give Orange fans something to rally around.

• Preaching to the Choir.  Gary Parrish wrote an article that was ostensibly about the A10′s financially-motivated decision to move from its ancestral home of Philadelphia to its Sun Belt environs of Newport News, Virginia, but morphed into a scathing critique of the rapidly increasing revenue gap between the power conferences and the mid-majors.  We liken this a little bit to what has happened in major league baseball over the past twenty years or so.  It’s not an issue of there once being equality where now there is none; it’s more an issue of relative inequality being much larger than it ever has been (and only increasing).  The Yankees and other major market franchises in MLB always had more money to spend on players, marketing, etc., and were summarily rewarded with larger media deals and ticket prices.  This is similarly true for the power conferences in football and basketball.  But in the modern era of 100-million dollar contracts for baseball players and billion-dollar contracts for media rights, what we’re witnessing is an acceleration of the revenue gap between large and small to a future point that is completely unsustainable.  As an example of the disparity, the $2.2B television contract that the SEC has with ESPN is probably worth more than the contracts of every mid-major league in existence has ever had, combined.  Seriously.  As Parrish points out, this sort of exposure leads to recruits, and the cycle starts all over again.  We’re really uncertain as to how the NCAA plans to deal with this over the next decade, but if we know anything about the entity at all, we’re betting that they’ll be completely behind the curve when something happens.        
• Vegas Watch: Big 12 Preview.  We mentioned this in a previous FBs, but Vegas Watch is leading an exercise previewing each of the six BCS conferences using last year’s Pomeroy rankings, this year’s incoming recruits, and the sharp eye of his respected cronies (Money Line Journal and Sports Investments).  He invited RTC along for the ride this time around, and we tried to provide some value where we could.  Keep an eye out for the remaining installments over the next several weeks.  (note: not even a regression analysis is needed to determine KU is #1 in the Big 12)
• Get Creative, SEC Schools.  Look, it’s not every year that a player named Nimrod Tishman comes into your league as a freshman, assuming that the NCAA clears his amateur status in the next few weeks.  But Billy Donovan’s Florida Gators picked up the 6’6 Israeli to replace Nick Calathes and you should expect to see his curious name all over the place next season.   So here’s our request of the other 11 SEC schools – get creative.  Come up with some really clever signs and chants for when Florida visits your house this winter.  If we hear a school derisively chanting his first name with no further thought or effort put into it, we’re going to be extremely disappointed.  Come on, UK and UT fans, we know you’ve got something up your sleeves – an opportunity like this only comes around once a decade. 
• SI’s 25 Things We Miss in Basketball.  This wasn’t exclusively a list of college basketball memories, but the ones chosen by Grant Wahl, Seth Davis and others were exceptional.  It’s not every day we can honestly say we learned something completely new about the modern era of CBB, but the piece about Bo Ellis designing Marquette’s national title year “untucked” jerseys indeed was (image here).  It was so ugly that the NCAA banned it a few years later.  We also enjoyed the pieces on great team nicknames, Len Bias and the SEC in the 80s.  Give it a read.  You won’t regret it.
• Closing Out Pitino/Sypher.    An awful lot of bandwidth was used writing about the Pitino/Sypher Scandal, and presumably there’s more to this story coming down the road.  But the best piece we read last week was this one on CNNSI by Pablo Torre, who attempts to describe Pitino’s inner circle and how intertwined they all are.  The worst one was this abomination by Jason Whitlock.  Then there was this hard-hitting interview from WLKY in Louisville… 
• Comings and Goings.  J’Covan Brown was cleared to play at Texas this season.  Ditto with Mississippi St.’s John Riek, who will sit out the first nine games of the season over extra benefits.  Pitt’s Gilbert Brown, on the other hand, will be sitting out the fall semester due to academic troubles.  South Carolina picked up a heckuva transfer in walk-on Malik Cooke, who averaged 9/5 for Nevada last season.  Darryl “Truck” Bryant’s legal troubles don’t appear to be too burdensome – he’ll face no jail time after leaving the scene of an accident and striking a WVU student with his vehicle in separate incidents this summer.  What’s that get you under Huggins?  A one-game suspension?  Finally, in the let’s-keep-our-fingers-crossed dept., BYU’s Dave Rose got a clean bill of health after his pancreatic cancer surgery earlier this summer.  He’s hopeful that he’ll be back on the court this season (his next scan is in two weeks).
• Quick Hits.  John Wooden: On death, penises and politics.  Calipari: disappointed in Memphis penalties.  NCAA Selective Enforcement: we need as many people writing as many articles about these inconsistencies as possible.  Tom Crean: Marquette HOFer.  Kevin Stallings: forgoes $100k raise for team trip Down Under.  Greg Paulus:  starting QB at Cuse.  Goodman: impact transfers for 09-10.  Patrick Christopher: the new JJ Redick.  Eric Bledsoe: better than Wall?  Scout: summer all-americans and class of 2011 rankings.   Delaware: looks like NFL parlays or nothing at all, folks.  Arizona: can the Cats scratch their way to 26 in a row?  Billy Clyde: the least hirable coach in America?  FIU: caves, will play UNC after all.  Jarvis Varnado: heading home, but what caused his sudden illness?  Ed Davender: ticket scammer.  BBall Prospectus: careful slurping that class of 09 just yet…  Nebraska: inventing new ways to hold scholarship players.  Teddy Dupay: 30 days in jail.  NCAA Ethics: John Beilein is the head man, and here’s what coaches want to see.  Bank Robber Recruit: Anthony DiLoreto signs with Utah St. 

Ed. Note: for all of the posts in the RTC 09-10 Class Schedule series, click here.

The ACC has been North Carolina’s league for three straight seasons now. With four prolific stars departing from Roy Williams roster, this could be the year Duke re-claims supremacy in the most fabled conference in college basketball. The loss of athletic swingman Gerald Henderson early to the riches of the NBA hurts, but the late inclusion of a young point guard to compliment two potential blue-chip power forwards and the dynamic duo of Jon Scheyer and Kyle Singler means Duke has the goods to capture their first ACC regular season title since J.J. Redick and Shelden Williams manned the Cameron Indoor Stadium floor.

Let’s face it: this program hasn’t quite featured the mystique and aura that normally comes with Duke basketball since the heartbreaking loss to UConn in the 2004 Final Four. Duke’s pinnacle has been the Sweet 16 since that crushing blow and critics are lining up over whether coach Mike Krzyzewski‘s Olympic conquests are hurting the program. Still, a top-two ACC finish and an Elite Eight seem like reasonable goals for this Duke team that only lost Henderson, transfer Elliot Williams, quarterback Greg Paulus and glue guy David McClure. Three top-50 recruits and four of the Blue Devils’ top five scorers return for a squad looking to knock an inexperienced North Carolina team off the mantle.

How does everyone’s favorite hoops team stack up schedule-wise? Let’s examine:

Non-Conference Schedule Rank: 8. Duke normally doesn’t back down from challenging their team in non-conference play, so their participation in the NIT Season Tip-Off and neutral/road games against Georgetown, Wisconsin, Gonzaga, Iowa State and St. John’s doesn’t surprise me. The Blue Devils normally excel in November and their only formidable foe in the NIT tournament this year is Connecticut. They’d match up in the finals if Duke can slide past Coastal Carolina, Charlotte and most likely an Arizona State team that lost both James Harden and Jeff Pendergraph. A November 27 final against UConn at MSG would certainly not lack for entertainment. The ACC-Big Ten challenge pits Duke a difficult road game at the Kohl Center, a venue where Wisconsin rarely loses. Neutral floor games against Gonzaga in NYC and Iowa State in Chicago are included, along with a January 30 visit to Georgetown to face a Hoya team that could be a well-oiled machine at that point. Conference USA favorite Tulsa also makes a trip to Cameron in late February, which has the potential to be dangerous for Duke. The non-conference slate certainly presents challenges, and credit Coach K for agreeing to send Duke to places other than Durham for tests that will certainly benefit the Blue Devils come ACC play.

Cupcake City: Only six true cupcakes on the slate for Duke this season as UNC Greensboro, Coastal Carolina (part of the NIT), Radford, Gardner-Webb, Long Beach State and Penn travel to Durham (although I should count Charlotte the way they played last season). A program with Duke’s stature doesn’t have to schedule Gonzaga in NYC or travel to Chicago to play Iowa State, but they do anyway. Unlike Washington, Duke will be battle-tested for conference play and their computer numbers will give the Blue Devils a boost when it comes to seeding debates. Duke is usually in the top-ten in RPI every single season and there’s a reason why.

Toughest Early Season Test: While it’s never smart to assume crazy things won’t happen in November, the battle with Connecticut at MSG for the NIT Season Tip-Off Final will surely be the most challenging early season game for Duke, especially with Gonzaga and Wisconsin lacking the talent usually associated with such programs. The two legendary coaches manning the sidelines will be a perfect Dickie V talking point for the entire broadcast, but let’s delve into the actual game: who will defend Kemba Walker at the point? Scheyer? Nolan Smith? Will it be baptism by fire for freshman Andre Dawkins? Will Stanley Robinson present a matchup problem for Duke and Kyle Singler? While Duke may actually be more frontcourt-oriented this season with Singler, Lance Thomas, Brian Zoubek and the freshman duo of Ryan Kelly and Mason Plumlee, UConn should be more perimeter-oriented with Walker, Jerome Dyson, freshman Darius Smith and Robinson’s tendency to drift outside. This should be one of the top non-conference games on the season slate.

Easiest Conference Stretch: This wasn’t easy to find, but Duke does have a stretch in mid-February that could provide a nice boost. The two road games are against Miami and Virginia. While the Hurricanes have some interesting athletes like Dwayne Collins and freshman Durand Scott, they look like an NIT team and the Canes home court doesn’t provide much of an edge. Virginia should improve under new coach Tony Bennett and super sophomore Sylven Landesberg, but it won’t be enough to reach any type of meaningful postseason. The home dates are with Maryland and Virginia Tech. Unless the Terps make big strides early in the year, Duke should be double-digit favorites in both contests.

Hardest Conference Stretch: Just prior to that easier stretch could be Duke’s hardest. A slight reprieve with a mediocre Florida State team at home is included, but the four other games are very challenging with three road contests at Clemson, Boston College and North Carolina along with a home date with Georgia Tech (the road game at Georgetown is also involved). If Duke can tread water at 2-2 during those four games, they should win the conference title. Clemson may have lost K.C. Rivers and Terrence Oglesby, but Trevor Booker and transfer Noel Johnson can lead the way. BC returns their entire team besides Tyrese Rice and we all know about North Carolina…

Most Difficult Road Test: The general consensus here would say the Heels…and I’ll side with the general consensus. Duke has certainly had their problems in Boston College recently, and while Clemson (remember this thrashing) and Maryland also can produce raucous atmospheres, North Carolina is the co-favorite in the ACC this season. The Heels will certainly throw out a formidable frontcourt test for the oft-soft Blue Devils with Ed Davis and Deon Thompson manning the paint while Tyler Zeller can stretch the floor. The one edge for Duke, especially on the road, could be backcourt experience led by Smith and Scheyer. Marcus Ginyard will play a huge role in shutting down those two Duke guards.

Most Anticipated Home Date: Is this even up for debate? The season finale on Saturday night (with ESPN College Gameday in the house) when North Carolina makes their 8-mile trek to rival Duke takes the cake in a knockout. There’s a very real chance the ACC title could be on the line on the last weekend of the season for the greatest rivalry in college sports. There may be riots, brawls, bloodied observers and plenty of controversy…and that’s only in the stands. Whenever these two storied rivals meet, it’s must-see TV, and considering it’s a March primetime game to close out the regular season, it could be something special.

Upset Watch: Duke’s first ACC road game is a trip to Atlanta to take on Georgia Tech, a team that went 2-14 in the conference last season under head coach Paul Hewitt, who was firmly entrenched on the hot seat until Derrick Favors saved his job. There’s some optimism abound for the Yellow Jacket program, though, with Favors in the fray and the returns of Gani Lawal and Iman Shumpert. Losing Lewis Clinch stings (get it?) but Georgia Tech has the athletes to run with Duke. It would be a huge resume-building win for Hewitt and his program in a year where they could be on the fringe of reaching the Dance.

Best Individual Matchup: The two best pure shooters in the ACC this season could be Maryland’s Greivis Vasquez and Duke’s Jon Scheyer. The two scoring guards will face off twice this season with Maryland’s favorite player Scheyer making a trip to College Park and Duke’s prodigal son Vasquez having to show his face in Cameron after last year’s epic beatdown. Both Scheyer and Vasquez love to come off screens and pop three-pointers, but both of these senior leaders will have to play a larger role in their respective teams’ attacks this season with responsibilities running the offense. While Scheyer does have some help in clutch situations, it’s all Vasquez all the time for the Terps when they desperately need a bucket.

Duke should be primed for another solid season. While solid doesn’t always play at a school where Final Fours are the expected minimum, a top-two ACC finish and another Sweet 16 berth is likely in the cards. 2010-11 could be the year Duke is truly back. Losing Scheyer will hurt, but Coach K is hot on the pursuit of Harrison Barnes, Brandon Knight, Kyrie Irving and Josh Smith for the Class of 2010, all top-ten players in the nation. Grab two of those, hope Singler sticks around and the potential for a national championship all of a sudden becomes realistic. Duke doesn’t have the firepower for such a feat this season, but they’ll still be a feared powerhouse capable of beating nearly anyone in the country.

Ed. Note: Check the category team of the 2000s for our other entries in this feature.

As we mentioned in our earlier “Team of the 2000s” posts, we felt that the top-tier programs fell into a few clear clusters. There was some debate amongst the RTC braintrust about where certain teams fell within those clusters so we can understand if you disagree with where a team is ranked (that’s what the comment section is for). Teams in the top five either have made it to every NCAA tournament this decade (a sign of at least being respectable every season) or have a 2nd championship to bolster their case.

#4 – Duke

Overview. This will be the most controversial selection on the list because it is Duke. Love them or hate them (and I’m pretty sure that most college basketball fans hate them), the Blue Devils remain the standard that other programs are judged against. That is not to say that they are the best program of the decade (there are still three teams ahead of them), but much like the New York Yankees, who are experiencing a similar title “drought,” every fanbase judges their success against what the guys in Durham are doing. To be completely honest, I ranked Duke lower than any of the other voters, but in the end their consistency (particularly during the regular season) won out and put them ahead of some of the other elite programs. The case for Duke being ranked above the teams below it in our countdown: 82.6% (regular season winning percentage–Gonzaga is the only other team to crack 80% and they don’t play in the ACC); 7 post-season and 4 regular season ACC titles (just an absurd number when you are competing against UNC although UNC’s inconsistency helped inflate this); 10 NCAA tournament trips (look at the above summary to see how often many excellent programs have missed the NCAA tournament this decade); 8 Sweet 16 appearances (maybe Duke hasn’t been that successful during the 2nd weekend, but they have gotten there more than anybody else); and 1 national title (more on this in a bit). The case against the Blue Devils? I alluded to it earlier, as Coach K’s teams have struggled mightily in the NCAA second weekend making it to the Final 4 “just” two out of the eight times they made it to the Sweet 16. In addition, Duke’s absence of a 2nd title prevents it from claiming a spot in the top 3. Out of the team’s below it, Tom Izzo‘s Michigan State Spartans have the best argument, but Duke’s vastly superior winning percentage (82.6% vs. 72.1%) and huge edge in conference titles combined with playing in a better conference (the ACC may be down, but you never see an abomination like this come out of the ACC) and NCAA-best 8 trips to the Sweet 16 (versus 6 for the Spartans) are just enough to make up for Michigan State’s edge in Final 4 appearances (4-2 although both teams were only able to seal the deal once).

Pinnacle. As it is with any team that won a single title this decade, the choice here is simple: the 2001 title. After coming up just short with one of the most talented teams in recent history in 1999, Coach K reloaded with a class featuring Jason Williams, Mike Dunleavy Jr., and Carlos Boozer. Although not quite as dominant as the group that left just before they came in (Elton Brand, William Avery, and Corey Maggette – I know he was a year after the other two, but I wasn’t going to include Chris Burgess in there), the former was able to do something the latter failed to do – win a title.  Together with Shane Battier, who led the Blue Devils emotionally and in taking flops, this group made it to the Sweet 16 in 2000 before being upset by Florida. The following year the Blue Devils were able to give Coach K his 3rd title, but not before surviving three marginally tough games (vs. USC in the Elite 8, vs. Maryland in the national semifinals, and vs. Arizona in the championship game) to claim the title. The defining moment of that title game was Dunleavy Jr.’s 3-point barrage (three 3-pointers during an 11-2 run) that re-established Duke’s control of the game. One thing that will stick with Blue Devil fans forever though is their four games against Maryland, which were some of the best college basketball games you will ever see, the most memorable being the 10-point comeback in the last minute at College Park (although we are willing to debate with someone who argues that the 22-point comeback in the national semifinals might be better).

[Warning: Maryland fans may want to avoid this video.]

Tailspin. Other than the two UNC titles? The 2006-07 season. A rather mediocre Duke team went 22-11 in a season that included two separate four-game losing streaks. The latter of those losing streaks came to finish the season with the final insult coming courtesy of Eric Maynor and VCU. Much has been made on this site and others about the lack of elite talent in Durham lately, but fielding a team whose four best players were DeMarcus Nelson (junior),  Josh McRoberts (sophomore), Greg Paulus (sophomore), and Jon Scheyer (freshman)… you are in big trouble. The primary explanation for this was that outside of Shelden Williams and J.J. Redick, the Blue Devils had a long string of McDonald’s All-American busts from 2002 on, with Shavlik Randolph, who left prior to that, being the most famous example.

Outlook for the 2010s: Grade: B+. Duke is still Duke and can land 5-star recruits, but it’s not like it was at the end of the last decade when Duke had its choice of McDonald’s All-Americans. Back then, one of the big controversies was if Coach K made the right choice taking Mike Dunleavy Jr. instead of Casey Jacobsen (for the younger generation of readers trust us when we say they were both actually very good college basketball players). Now it is a big deal when Duke lands the #3 shooting guard in next year’s class instead of John Wall. Duke will still be able to get a couple of top-notch recruits every year because of their tradition (it goes back to before Coach K, youngsters), Notre Dame-like TV deal with ESPN, Coach K’s stature, and the fact that it’s one of the most prestigious academic institutions in the country (mothers like to brag about the Duke degree even if it is for the infamous Sociology major). However, the Blue Devils have fallen a notch below UNC in the hearts and minds of elite recruits and that will only get worse when Coach K retires (gasp!) as their is no clear successor in line for his throne.

• Academic Headstart.  This got almost no play over the weekend, but it should have because it has the smell of something that ends up being more important than anyone previously thought.  The NCAA Basketball Academic Enhancement Group (chaired by Derrick Rose?) recommended a requirement that each school should make an academic assessment of its incoming freshmen each season to determine whether the student-athlete is adequately prepared for college-level schoolwork.  If they are not (presumably using some objective measure other than the Jim Harrick, Jr., test), then they’ll be required to take six hours of classes over the summer (‘bridge’ summer coursework data shows a higher incidence of long-term academic success).  The big carrot is that, while they’re in summer school (and all players can attend if they like), they can work out for up to eight hours/week in athletic activities.  The catch, however, is that they must pass at least three of those hours to gain eligibility for the fall semester.  Should this recommendation come to pass (and it probably will), each school will have to balance a  fine line between the player assessment and player eligibility.  God forbid that the next Michael Beasley gets his high school grades and test scores in order, shows up at his school amidst great fanfare, only to fail college algebra over the summer and have to sit until December because the coach wanted those eight hours per week of court time.  It’s an interesting dilemma and it imposes a certain level of accountability on the schools themselves to take the academic side of things more seriously, which is a good thing.  Props to the NCAA for getting creative here. 
• Vegas Watch ACC Preview.  We’ll be sure to come back to this when we put up our conference previews later this fall, but we wanted to make sure that you guys alll have a chance to read the first installment in a really innovative series of posts breaking down each of the BCS conferences.  VW ran several regressions on the last three seasons to determine a fairly accurate predictor for future success using Pomeroy ratings, returning minutes and production and incoming recruiting rankings.  Looking at the projected 2010 rankings, it appears that those riding the Terrapin bandwagon have reason to believe, as Maryland is projected third, while those of us who were high on Georgia Tech (even prior to losing K. Holsey) may want to re-think that a little bit before October.  Keep an eye on this series because it’s fascinating stuff. 
• Deron Washington Hurdles into Eternity.  If, for some reason, you haven’t seen what Virginia Tech has done with its new practice facility yet…  It’s really too bad that Syracuse football doesn’t play Virginia Tech this year, or Paulus would have a fair opportunity to exact some revenge (he’s the third-string QB for the Orange as of this week). 

• Quick Hits.  2009-10 Preseason Tourneys: more than you can shake a stick at.  Kammeon Holsey: Ga Tech frosh out for the season.  John Wall dunk: have you heard about this dunk over someone named Jerry Stackhouse?  Kyrie Irving: um, yeah, maybe find a fallback to your fallback plan?  John Calipari in China: what’s he doing there again?  Atlantic 10: moving outside its traditional footprint to tidewater Virginia?  Top 10 Conferences: seems about right (on paper).  Norm Stewart: out of the fundraising game.  Mark Payne: who is he and why should you care?  Gary Parrish: agrees on the Delaware FUBAR.  Jon Scheyer: yeah, might want to double-check that sandwich, Jon.  Ron Hunter: looking to expand his shoe missionaries. 

(1) How will this affect the Duke program?

It will probably hurt them. I don’t really buy the notion that coaching Team USA gets Coach K’s face out there in front of more 5-star guys. I can’t imagine any high school basketball players not knowing about Duke and Coach K. Coaching Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James will certainly give you more street cred than coaching Greg Paulus and Josh McRoberts, but I’m assuming most recruits are aware of the fact that Carmelo and LeBron were really, really, really good before Coach K decided how to tinker with the rotation and their minutes. The bigger impact on Duke will be the absence of Coach K from the recruiting trail. Committing to Team USA will mean that Coach K won’t be on the summer circuit and the guys at ABCD and every other crazy camp out there won’t see him in the stands. While Coach K and the Duke name are still able to land highly touted recruits like Paulus, McRoberts, and Shavlik Randolph (yes, they were all projected to be stars coming out of high school) in recent years he has been unable to land some major targets that he used to land (John Wall comes to mind although it could be argued that it is that he is simply against having one-and-dones).

(2) If Krzyzewski does not seek the position, which coach would be the most likely to replace him on the sideline?

Our top choices would be Tom Izzo, Rick Pitino, Jim Boeheim, John Calipari (no entrance exams required here), Mike D’Antoni and Gregg Popovich. Other than D’Antoni and Popovich, I can’t think of another suitable NBA coach who would be willing to give up his summers to coach a bunch of players that he might be coaching against during the regular season. If Coach K turns down a chance to repeat in London, the question is who Team USA would target as its top choice. Given the standardized test fiasco at Memphis it’s unlikely that Team USA would go with Calipari if other comparable coaches were available. Boeheim is probably the logical choice after serving as an assistant under Coach K, but personally I would like to see Pitino employ a pressing defense with the athletes and depth Team USA could field that would destroy international teams (despite what Malcolm Gladwell thinks).

• Here’s your Greg Paulus update from his recent trip to Nebraska; and it appears as if the Dookie won’t be the only basketball player making the transition to the gridiron next fall, as Miami (FL)’s Jimmy Graham will join the Hurricane football team.
• Credit where it’s due.  Tom Izzo will put his money where his mouth is.
• Remember the Toledo basketball and football point-shaving scandal involving our boy Sammy Villegas?  The other shoe dropped on Wednesday.
• Why announce a tournament field when the field isn’t even set yet?
• Pat Forde gives his breakdown of the Renardo Sidney recruitment to Mississippi St.
• Hey, Tennessee’s most eligible bachelor Bruce Pearl got engaged!  Meet Miss Brandy Miller (definitely boobalicious).

This Greg Paulus football story has gotten a lot of play in the national media the past few weeks as the former HS all-american quarterback has jetted around the nation working out with the Green Bay Packers, Michigan, Syracuse and Nebraska.  The guys at Page 2 (remember when that was cool?) have come up with a t-shirt to commemmorate Greg’s spring/summer world tour.  Good stuff.

• Florida’s Alex Tyus was transferring, now he’s not.  This confused us until we remembered that he learned from Donovan two-step from the master himself. 
• Bruce Pearl’s romantic overtures know no bounds… not even the head football coach’s wife (not that we blame him). 
• Oddly, USC is no longer recruiting big man Renardo Sidney (who moved to LA three yrs ago for marketing purposes).  Now he may be heading back home to Mississippi St?  Stay tuned on this one.
• Will Syracuse be the one-year football destination for Greg Paulus?
• The NBA’s early entry deadline was Sunday – here are a few of the last-minute entries:  Mississippi St.’s Jarvis Varnado (no agent), UConn’s Ater Majok (no agent), Tennessee’s Tyler Smith (no agent), USC’s Taj Gibson (no agent) and BYU’s Jonathan Tavernari (no agent). 
• Returning:  Iowa St.’s Craig Brackins (a major coup), Michigan’s Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims.
• Gary Parrish doesn’t believe that Davidson will recapture the Curry magic for quite some time. 
• It’s hard to believe this didn’t happen now that the FBI has brought charges against Karen Sypher for attempting to extort Rick Pitino for $10M, two cars, a paid-off house and college tuition.  Wow.  Regardless, we have to agree with Goodman when he says nothing good is ultimately coming from all of this.
• He was only “holding it” for someone named “Luck.”  Welcome to Nevada basketball in the post-Mark Fox era.
• Wichita St.’s Gregg Marshall got a one-year contract extension (to 2015) after an improved second year at the school.
• Good to see the NCAA gumshoes going after the big boys like Northeastern, who received two years probation on Friday.

That sound you just heard is from all the heads exploding along Tobacco Road. Apparently this was part of the UNC barnstorming tour, but I have no idea what Paulus was thinking. At first, I thought it might be his brother Mike (preposterous, but not much more than Greg Paulus in Carolina Blue), a QB at UNC, but he doesn’t look like Greg.

(h/t to 850 The Buzz)

Update: After looking at this picture a little more closely (and not posting at 3 AM), I’m beginning to think this is a Photoshop job. Paulus couldn’t possibly be dumb enough to pose for a picture like this wearing UNC clothing, right?

Update: According to our friends at 850 The Buzz, the picture is real and the baby was completely fine posing with the others players, but as soon as Paulus held her she started to cry.