#3 Arizona Wins the EA Sports Maui Invitational

#3 Arizona defeated #15 San Diego State to win the Maui Invitational last night.  Arizona won 61-59 in a hard fought battle for both sides.

Arizona's freshman Stanley Johnson stole the show.  He ended the night with 18 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 block.  He was a hound on defense all night and picked up disrupted the flow of San Diego's offense.  The freshman is impressive in all facets of the game and continues to shock many.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson also played great.  He had 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks.  Hollis-Jefferson was amazing in transition and was running out in the open all game.  He has made a huge improvement from last season thus far and is showing many how good he truly is.

San Diego State received a great effort from both Winston Shepard and Trey Kell.  They both led the team in scoring with 14 points each.

Arizona has not shown their true potential yet this season and has been playing many close games.  But as Stanley Johnson said, right now it only matters that they win.  And right now they are 6-0 and seem to be finding some bounce in their step.

Jarbari Parker beats Andrew Wiggins

Last night the Milwaukee Bucks and Minnesota Timberwolves faced off.  It was the first time Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker got to face off.  They were drafted #1 and #2 in this years past draft.

The Bucks ended up winning 103-86 over the Timberwolves, but it wasn't the game everyone expected.  The rookies were just a side story to the game.  

Milwaukee was led by Larry Sanders and Brandon Knight who both finished with 15 points.  

Corey Brewer finished with 19 points for the Timberwolves, and led the team in scoring.

Andrew Wiggins finished with 14 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks.  One of his blocks was on fellow rookie Jabari Parker.  Parker drove the lane and put up a shot, only to find it flying into the crowd.  Although Wiggins couldn't win the game, he definitely sent a message with this swat.

On the other hand, Parker finished with 11 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists.  He put up similar stats as Wiggins and he got the win.  Let it be known, Jabari won the first battle between the top picks.

Gonzaga is Starting to Climb the Rankings; Don't Sleep On Them

Last night #10 Gonzaga beat Georgia 88-76.  Their win makes them 5-0 this season.

Gonzaga's Kyle Wiltjer goes up to the
basket for an easy two.

Kentucky transfer Kyle Wiltjer went off and scored 32 points to lead the Zags.  He also had 4 rebounds and 2 blocks.  Wiltjer got off to a hot start and had 16 of his 32 points in the first half.  He then continued his same pace in the second half, and led his team to victory.  The Zags forward only shot 1-6 from three point land, but said, "Not a lot of my 3s went down, but Kevin was finding me on those pocket passes on open side ball screens. They were having a tough time guarding us down low so we just tried to keep going at it and that's where we got easy points" (Via ESPN).  Wiltjer's all around game proved to be important tonight, when he scored a career high without shooting the three ball well at all.

Kevin Pangos also had a great game for Gonzaga.  He added 22 points, 6 assists, and 3 steals, and led the team's offense all night.  Pangos is one of the nation's best players because he is so well rounded.  He can score the ball inside or outside, but he also sets up teammates for easy buckets.

Kyle Wiltjer and Kevin Pangos make a deadly combo together.  They can both shoot the ball with range and already seem to have great chemistry.  They are one of the early favorites for best duo in college basketball.

#10 Gonzaga is sure to move up in the rankings this week after #5 UNC lost to Butler.  The Zags may gain a few spot over teams who haven't lost yet, just because of their great play thus far.

Although they look great right now, the question is: Can Gonzaga keep on playing this way?  Yes, they can and they will.  Amazing production from Kevin Pangos, who only has 1 turnover through 5 games, already sets this team up to be successful.  They also have 5 players averaging double digit scoring figures.  Lastly, they are averaging 93.4 PPG, which is the 4th best in the NCAA Division 1, and they are 2nd best averaging 21.4 APG.

Gonzaga's true test will be against #3 Arizona on December 6th.  Although Arizona has come out of the gate slow this season, they seem to be picking up some steam after winning the Maui Invitational.  Gonzaga is bound to give Arizona all they can handle, so don't be shocked if they knock off the nation's third ranked team.

Gonzaga's explosive offense is the real deal.  Right now they look like a top team in the country, but only time will tell.  They may encounter nights where their shots just won't fall.  It will be interesting to see how they respond in that case.  But for now, #10 Gonzaga is moving up the rankings and is on their way to be one of the top teams in the country.

#3 Arizona Moves On In Maui Invitational

Arizona Freshman
Stanley Johnson

Last night #3 Arizona defeated Kansas State in the Maui Invitational Semifinals.   They won 72-68 but held a lead for almost the whole second half.

Arizona was led by Kaleb Tarczewski who scored a career high 18 points.  He cleaned up the glass for the Wildcats and also provided easy buckets all night long.

Kansas State was led by Marcus Foster.  He finished with 23 points, the leading scorer in the game.  Foster hit multiple clutch three pointers to keep K-State in the game late, but it was not enough.  Although he came up short, Foster still shot the ball great hitting 6 three pointers on the night.

As the game was in its final minutes, Arizona freshman Stanley Johnson wanted the ball in his hands.  The game was starting to wind down, when he started to bring the ball up and run the offense.  Johnson also received the ball to shoot the late game free-throws.  Although he is one of the only freshman on the team, they have a deep trust for him.  Stanley  Johnson finished with 14 points and showed off his ice-cold and mature style of play.

With Arizona's win they move on to the finals of the EA Sports Maui Invitational.  They will play #15 San Diego State at 10 ET on ESPN.

Top NBA Performances of the Night 11/24/14

Last night many players had huge games leading their teams to victory.  Below we have highlighted the best performances of the night.

James Harden - He led the Rockets with 36 points and 6 assists.  They ended up winning 91-86 and Harden willed them to victory late with multiple clutch shots.

LaMarcus Aldridge - He had 33 points and 11 rebounds in a close game against the Sixers.  Yes the Sixers.  Aldridge scored 15 of his 33 in the third quarter allowing Portland to pull away.  Portland ended up winning 114-104.

LeBron James - The Cavs were led by his 29 points and 11 assists.  James also shot 9-11 from the free throw line.  Cleveland stopped their 4 game losing skid with a 106-74 win over the Orlando Magic.  The Cavs are hoping they have found something new and that it will lead to more wins like last nights.

Jonas Valanciunas - The Raptors big scored 27 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in their big win over Phoenix.  Toronto had a big third quarter and held on late to win another game.  The Raptors are now 12-2, tied with Memphis for the best record in the NBA.

Blake Griffin - His 22 points, 16 rebounds, and 9 assists helped lead the Clippers to a big win over the Hornets.  Griffin delivered the complete package last night and played up to his ability.  The Clippers have struggled early in the season, but they have turned it around.  With their 113-92 victory, they improved to 8-5.  But on the other hand, the Hornets are in trouble as they are now 4-11.  They need to make changes an quick.

Donald Sloan - The Pacers guard led his team to a huge win over the Dallas Mavericks.  He scored 29 points and dished out 5 assists.  Indiana improved to 6-8 with their victory, and the Mavericks are now 10-5.  Indiana ended up winning 111-100.

Pau Gasol - An all around game by the Bulls big led to a road win over the Jazz.  Gasol had 23 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals.  Gordon Hayward missed a shot at the buzzer which gave Chicago a 97-95 victory. The Bulls are now 1-2 on their road trip and their next game is against Denver tonight.

Rick Pitino Admits Reason For Playing White Kids

Skip to 4:00 Minute Mark

After routing Savannah State 87-26 Louisville coach Rick Pitino delivered a questionable line.

When asked if he felt bad running the score up at all, Pitino responded by saying "I tried everything, I played four white guys and ann Egyptian."

Come on Rick.  You know better than that.  Pitino may want to get his wallet out now, as fines are surely coming his way.

But they really did beat Savannah State that bad.  He also said it was not even worth watching the film to the game because they won by so much.

Louisville next plays Cleveland State on Wednesday night.

#17 UConn Survives Scare From Dayton

The UConn Huskies won 75-64 over the Dayton Flyers in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off Tournament.

Dayton was down 12-5 after the first 5 minutes of play.  But from that point they turned the energy level again and brought the game to within one.  The Flyers' run was led by Kendall Pollard who attacked the basket and pushed the ball down the floor continuously.  Pollard finished with 15 points and 7 rebounds.

UConn Seinor
Ryan Boatright

Dayton also received great contribution from Jordan Sibert.  He racked up 19 points and 4 rebounds.  Sibert provided dependable scoring throughout the game for the Flyers and was their to turn to when they needed a bucket.

Although Dayton gave UConn a tough battle it was not enough.

Sophomore transfer, Rodney Purvis, hit several three pointers in the opening minutes of the game.  A good start was all he needed.  He ended up with 19 points and was crucial in the Huskie's win.  Purvis has surprised many with his improved shooting, and is proving to be a great pickup for Kevin Ollie's offense.

UConn has also gotten great contribution from freshman Dainel Hamilton.  He scored 12 points today and gave the Huskies an early push.  He also hit a three with 5:57 left in the game giving UConn the momentum needed to win the game.

Ryan Boatright led the Huskies to their win by scoring 20 points, grabbing 5 rebounds and 3 steals.

With 4:09 left in the game Dayton was only down four points being down 64-60.  From that point they only scored 4 more points... The late deterioration of Dayton's offense robbed them of a huge win today.  Although they lost, the fact that they could play a close game with the defending national champion will give them a huge boost in confidence.

College Basketball Basketball Recap of 11/20

Tonight was full of important games to start off the college basketball season.  We got to see Harvard try to bounce back from their loss to Holy Cross, #10 Texas go against one of the Big Ten's best teams in Iowa, and #23 ranked Syracuse play California.

#10 Texas 71 - Iowa 57 - Isaiah Taylor proved himself tonight in the Longhorns' win over Iowa.  The Wooden Watch point guard scored 15 points and showed his skills to lead a team.  Although the game was close at first Texas ended up pulling away with the game.  Their second half push was led by Jonathan Holmes who finished with 19 points.  Aaron White was Iowa's high scorer with 23 points and he also grabbed 8 rebounds.  Texas now plays California for the 2k Classic Championship tomorrow night in the Madison Square Garden.

Harvard 71 - FAU 49 - After Harvard's tough loss to Holy Cross on Sunday the Crimson planned to bounce back tonight.  But to send his message, Tommy Amaker started all bench players to motivate his starters who played poorly on Sunday.  The response was great and was led by Wesley Saunders who scored 19 points and also dished out 6 assists.  FAU's high scorer was Justin Massey who scored 17 points.  Their only other player that scored double digits was Marquan Botley who scored 12.  Harvard, now unranked, looked like the old Harvard with great defense and a great sense of team basketball.

Cal 73 - #23 Syracuse 59 - With Syracuse's loss tonight they will not move on in the 2k Classic Tournemnt, nor will they be ranked after Sunday.  California pulled away at the beginning of the second half and never let up.  Jordan Matthews led their surge and finished with 22 points.  Syracuse freshman Chris McCullough had a nice game with 12 points and 6 rebounds and showed he is still capable of producing more.  California will now play Texas in the 2k Classic Championship tomorrow night.

#22 SMU 68 - Indiana 74 - Upset alert! The Indiana Hoosiers pulled it off.  Not that it's to much of a feat at the beginning of the season, but with doubts of their ability this year it's a big win for the Hoosiers.  Freshman James Blackmon Jr. scored 26 and grabbed 7 rebounds.  On other hand, the story of the night was SMU's turnovers. They had 19 compared to Indiana's 7.  SMU will now most likely fall out of the rankings now and will have to fight their way back in as the season continues.

#17 UConn 65 - Charleston 57 - Ryan Boatright helped will the UConn Huskies to slim margin of victory over Charleston.  He had 19 points and 5 assists in 37 minutes.  Daniel Hamilton also played great and scored 15 points along with 5 rebounds.  For Charleston, Anthony Stitt led them in scoring with 17 points.  UConn is now 2-0 while Charleston fell to 1-2 on the season.

Boston College 69 - New Mexico 65 - BC bounced back from Sunday's loss to UMass with a big win over the Lobos of New Mexico today.  Olivier Hanlan led BC to victory with 20 points and 6 assists.  He carried much of the weight for the Eagles all night and will continue to all season long.  For the Lobos Hugh Greenwood dominated.  He had 24 points and led the team in scoring.  New Mexico was behind BC all game and tried to make a late push but it just was to little to late.

Milwaukee Bucks Defeated the Brooklyn Nets in Triple OT

The Milwaukee Bucks beat the Brooklyn Nets 122-118 in a triple overtime thriller last night.

At the end of the first overtime the Bucks gave the ball to Brandon Knight to attempt the game winning shot.  Knight drove the lane and completely choked by missing a wide open layup.  This forced the game to go into a second overtime.

In the second overtime, the Bucks gave the ball back to Knight trying to extend the game again.  This time he succeeded in hitting a game tying three pointer to force a third overtime.

Now, in the third overtime Brandon Knight had another try at winning the game.  With 5.6 seconds left Knight knocked down two crucial free throws to lock up the game.

Although Knight struggled from the field all night, only shooting 5-20, he still showed up late to win the game.  After the game he said he was glad that they could still fight to win the game after his earlier struggles.

Knight finished the game with 18 points and 8 assists.  He was helped out by rookie Jabari Parker, who scored a career high 23 points.

The Greek Freak, Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 18 points and also grabbed 12 rebounds for the Bucks.  This season he is slowly starting to break out of his shell and to becoming a great player.  So far this season he has almost doubled his scoring production from last season. It's up from 6.8 PPG to 12.3 PPG.  If the Greek Freak continues to improve he has the ability to be a star in the league.

Brook Lopez led the game in scoring with 26 points, he also grabbed 7 rebounds.  Lopez is playing great for the Nets, and they can only hope he stays healthy this season. 

Although Lopez has played good, the Nets have been struggling to win and have a record of 4-7.  They have not shown any improvement since last season.

Last night, Jason Kidd won a game, something that was difficult for him to do last season with the Brooklyn Nets.  This year he is 7-5 with a young Bucks team that is still developing.  Don't be surprised if the Milwaukee Bucks carry on success all year long.

#1 Kentucky Dominates #5 Kansas in the Champions Classic

The Kentucky Wildcats dominated Kansas in a 72-40 victory.

Kentucky's depth led to their stellar performance.  The Wildcats went 10 men deep to their bench and used two "plantoons." Of the 10 players, 9 were McDonalds All Americans.

All game long Kansas had no control over the game.  They killed in the paint by Kentucky.  They had shot after shot blocked and let up easy buckets inside all night.  The Jayhawks were no match for the nation's best team.  As a matter of fact, they looked lost all night and had no command of leadership.

On the other hand, Kentucky played like an NBA All-Star team.

Willie Cauley-Stein helped lead the way for them with 7 points, 10 rebounds, and served as a great rim protector all night with numerous shots changed or blocked

Kentucky's depth and dominating performance stole the show tonight.  They solidified themselves as the best team in the country.  As of now, the Wildcats look unbeatable and seem to be a lock for the Final Four in April.  But wait, it's only November and they still has a long time until the tournament.  All in all, Kentucky played with a dominating style and only hinted at their true potential this season.

Duke Defeats Michigan State in Game 1 of Champions Classic

The freshmen lead Duke Blue Devils defeated Michigan State 81-71 tonight.

In the first few minutes of the game Duke freshman Jahlil Okafor went off.  He scored 8 points, 2 steals, and an assist.  The top ranked freshman did a beautiful spin move to get to the bucket and then finished with a reverse layup.  Although he got into foul trouble later in the game, he still proved he is the real deal.

As the first half progressed, Michigan State stayed within striking range, but Duke held control of the game.  At halftime the Spartans were only down 40-33.

Travis Trice and Michigan State came out of the locker room, they slowly started to pick away at the Duke lead.  At one point they got the lead down to 3 points, but right after Duke responded with a 7-0 run.  The Spartans proved they could hang with Duke, but down the stretch they could not get a leg up on the Blue Devils.

Duke's strong play was led by freshmen Jahlil Okafor, Justise Winslow, and Tyus Jones.  Okafor finished with 17 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 2 steals.  He gave the Blue Devils early momentum which carried over throughout the game.  On the other hand, Tyus Jones provided a late boost.  He scored 17 points and capitalized on a 4 point play that lead to Duke winning the game.  Justise Winslow brought the best of both worlds and produced steadily all night long.  He finished with 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists.  The Duke freshmen proved they can lead the 4th ranked team through a tough battle against another one of the nation's top ranked teams.

Although Michigan State lost, Travis Trice still played an impressive game.  He scored 15 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds.  Trice led the shorthanded Spartans team through a hard-fought game tonight.  Although it's a tough loss, Michigan State can learn from this game and use it to better the rest of their season.

Tonight's game had a high excitement level all night.  Even in dull moments, the intense atmosphere still made the action seem interesting.  Tonight was only the start to a great season of college basketball.  Right after Duke proved they are a legitimate top team in the country, Kansas and Kentucky stormed the court to get their battle underway.  Come back later for a review of their game.

Phoenix Suns Barely Defeat the Boston Celtics

Tonight the Phoenix Suns entered their game against the Boston Celtics with a confident attitude.  But, as the game got underway they realized they were in for a challenge.

Throughout the first half the Suns and Celtics were in a high-scoring battle.  In the second quarter the Suns began to pull away with the lead with great play for Gordon Dragic.

Coming out of the half the Sun's lead was closed up to within a few points.  Markief Morris and Jeff Green traded buckets, both trying to will their team to the win.  Morris finished the game with 30 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals in a monster game.  On the other hand, Green finished with 28 points, 2 blocks, and 3 steals.

In the fourth quarter both teams continued to trade buckets.  With about a minute left, Jeff Green decided to flash his dunking ability and absolutely through home a vicious dunk over Marcus Morris.  The dunk was sure to lead into Celtics momentum and fuel them up on their way to victory. 

The Celtics fell short down the stretch though.  Coach Brad Stevens failed to draw up a successful plays coming out of several timeouts in the final minutes.  But don't place all the blame on him.  Rajon Rondo choked in the final minutes once again.  The Celtics are now 2-6 in close games, and show an inability to close out games.

Eric Bledsoe cliched the Suns 118-114 victory with two steals in the final minute.  The Suns also received key contribution from center Alex Len who added in 19 points and 7 rebounds.  

The Celtics received a great game from center Tyler Zeller.  He scored 19 points on 9 of 10 shooting and added in 7 rebounds.  He normally plays limited minutes only to run a pick and roll offense with Rajon Rondo.  But after his impressing performance tonight he will see an increase in minutes.  Rajon Rondo had a great game assisting Zeller, but was one assist away from a triple-double.  The Celtics point guard finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists.  

The Phoenix Suns won in all important game tonight, which will help them in a tight playoff race in the Western Conference.  But the Celtics also lost another close game, a crucial indicator of the trend of their season.  Overall, the night was filled with excitement and provided all spectators with a great game.  

Trey Burke Wins the Game at the Buzzer

The Utah Jazz beat the New York Knicks tonight 102-100.  Trey Burke drilled a buzzer-beater to win the game in Tim Hardaway Jr.'s face.  This is a demoralizing loss for the Knicks as they fall to 2-8.  Carmelo Anthony dropped 46 points tonight, but still fell short.  As for the Jazz Burke scored 13 and Gordon Hayward scored 33 points, along with Derrick Favors' 21 point and 12 rebound performance. The Jazz are now 4-6.

LeBron and Cavaliers Barely Hang on to Beat the Celtics

It took LeBron James 41 points to defeat the Boston Celtics tonight.  The Celtics out scored the Cavaliers 42-25 in the third quarter, but yet still managed to lose their lead.  With 7 seconds left in the game Rajon Rondo had the ball in his hands, the Celtics down one point.  Rondo failed to get a shot or pass off and the Celtics fell 121-122 to Cleveland, despite a mighty effort.  Rondo had 16 assists, 8 rebounds, and 6 points, but failed to execute when it mattered most.  Kyrie Irving helped out LeBron by adding in 27 points, 5 assists, and 3 steals.  For the Celtics, this is a devastating loss.  They have played Dallas, Toronto, and now Cleveland in one point games this year, but lost them all.  They are 3-5, and need to start winning these close games.

2014-15 Buzzer Beater Basketball College Basketball Rankings Continued

Today is one full of excitement and nerves.  Many players are filled with both emotions just hours away from the tip off of a new college basketball season.  To go with the excitement we are finishing our top 26 rankings today, with teams 10-1.  Let's get underway.

Louisville's Montrezl Harrell
Slams Home the Dunk

10.  Louisville - Montrezl Harrell.  It's simple, he is the heart and soul of this team.  The vicious 6-8 forward is one of the top players in the country.  He averaged 14.0 PPG and 8.4 RPG last season, second only to Russ Smith in points.  But there is something more to him than just the stats.  He affects the game with just his presence and sheer intensity.  Harrell is the type of guy a college basketball coach dreams about.  Along with Harrell the Cardinals have sophomore guard Terry Rozier.  He is expected to make a big leap this year production wise.  In the backcourt with him will be Chris Jones.  Jones will be filling in the void left by Russ Smith, but he won't ler that overshadow him.  Last year he averaged 10.2 PPG but that will only improve this season.  Other notable players include Wayne Blackshear and freshman Shaqquan Aaron.  Louisville is one of the best teams in the country, but has to make it through a loaded ACC alive this season.

9.  Virginia - Yes, back to back ACC teams.  Point proven their conference is filled with title contenders, with Duke and UNC yet to be ranked.  As for Virginia, junior guard Malcolm Brogdon will play a huge role.  As a sophomore last season, he averaged 12.7 PPG, 5.4 RPG, and 2.7 APG for the surprise contender Cavaliers.  This year his role will become more important in leading the team. Virginia also has junior guard Justin Anderson to help with the backcourt duties.  The Cavalier's style of play is unique and refreshing to college basketball spectators.  They have ben built from the ground up and play unselfish basketball.  They almost play with the same style the Spurs do in the NBA.  Virginia begins their season with hopes to end it just like the Spurs did last year... with a title.  But first they have to prove themselves in the almighty ACC.

Texas Freshman
Myles Turner

8.  Texas - The Longhorns possess a petrifying front court.  Cameron Ridley and Myles Turner are pairing up to form one of the most intimidating big man duos in college basketball.  Last year Ridley averaged close to a double-double with 11.2 PPG and 8.2 RPG.  The big bodied center uses his size well by carving out space to rebound the ball and bouncing off openents at the rim while finishing. Then on the other hand is Myles Turner.  College basketball has not seen a freshman big-man with this much potential in years.  The 7 footer was ranked the 2nd best high school player in the country last year, only behind Jahil Okafor.  Turner is going to bring this Texas program to the next level with his shot blocking ability and determination inside the paint.  Along with the big-man duo is the duo of guards in the backcourt.  Both Isaiah Taylor and Javan Felix will be able to pick apart defenses this year, especially with the big men down low to assist them.  Texas is sound all-around and will dominate opponents this season.

7.  Florida - The Gators are going to be overlooked in the SEC this year because of Kentucky, but don't be fooled.  Billy Donovan's team is loaded with talent.  Kasey Hill will receive the assignment of starting point guard this year.  The sophomore guard had an okay freshman year with injuries never allowing him to adjust to the college game.  This year will be different though, he will have plenty of time to shine and teammates to help him.  Three point assassin Michael Frazier II will carry the scoring load for this team.  He averaged 12.4 PPG last season, but will receive more touches to put his stamp on the game this year.  The Gators also have Chris Walker.  Walker is one of the most athletic bigs in the country, and will serve as a great rim protector.  Florida will have another great season under head coach Billy Donovan.

Unc Point Guard
Marcus Paige

6. UNC - Marcus Paige has a new look on his face this year.  The look of a kid on Christmas morning.  The look you have when you realize you have brand new toys to play with. Those toys are the freshman trio of Theo Pinson, Joel Berry, and Justin Jackson will provide Paige with new options to pick apart defenses with.  All three were ranked inside the top 20 of the ESPN 100 last year.  The Tar Heals also still have big man Kennedey Meeks.  Last year as a freshman he averaged 7.6 PPG and 6.1 RPG.  This years UNC team is one of the best in years, and has brought new life to the program.  They will be fighting for a top spot in the ACC all season.

Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky

5. Wisconsin - Frank Kaminsky may be the best player in country this year.  No, he won't be the #1 pick in the NBA draft, but he is the best player at the college level.  The Badger's 7 footer demonstrated his superior ability last year while averageing 13.9 PPG and 6.3 PPG.  This year he will construct an even better season.  He will also have help from junior forward Sam Dekker.  Together Kaminsky and Dekker make Wisconsin a title contender.  As always the Badgers will bring their own style to the college game, but this year they will finally receive the attention they have deserved.

4. Kansas - At this point of the rankings any team could be number one.  The amount of talent on these teams is crazy.  The Jayhawks have another one of the best freshman classes in the country.  Cliff Alexander, the 6-8, 240, man beast will serve as one of those top freshman.  He has the body needed to dominate college opponents down low, on both sides of the floor.  Kansas also has freshmen Devonte Graham and Kelly Oubre.  Both will prove themselves as top tier college players.  But wait, there's more.  The Jayhawks also have Wayne Selden, Frank Mason, Perry Ellis, and Brannen Greene returning from last year's team.  Ellis averaged 13.5 PPG and 6.7 RPG and was a focal point last year.  The Kansas Jayhawks will obviously win the Big-12 again this year, but the question is: Can they win a national championship?  Only time will tell.

3. Duke - When you have the top freshman in the country it's hard not to be considered a favorite.  But, Jahil Okafor is different.  He isn't just any freshman, he is one who is already NBA ready and will tear up the college scene this year.  Along with Okafor, Duke is filled with talent.  Freshman point guard Tyus Jones came to Duke along with Okafor in a package deal.  Jones was the highest ranked high school point guard in the country last year.  Wait, were not done.  Duke still has two other highly regarded freshman in Justice Winslow and Grayson Allen.  And the Blue Devils still have Quinn Cook, Amile Jefferson, Marshall Plumlee, and Rasheed Sulaimon.  Suliamon is expected to have a breakout season after the departure of both Jabari Parker and Rodney Hood.  Last year, in his sophomore season, the 6-5 swingman averaged 9.9 PPG.  This year with a large increase in playing time Suliamon is going to prove himself.  Although Duke is highly regarded as a top team in the country, they have to play in the ACC (Possibly the nation's best conference).  Besides that fact, Duke will still be one of the most dominant teams in the country.

Arizona Freshman Stanley Johnson

2.  Arizona - The Wildcats will be better than they were last season.  Even after they lost Aaron Gordon and Nick Johnson, they will still be better.  Freshman Stanley Johnson is going to lead this team to the wonderland.  Well, at least thats his goal.  The 6-6 small forward is like a more athletic Jabari Parker.  He is NBA ready with a silky smooth jumpshot and the ability to finish in traffic.  In high school, at Mater Dei, he won 4 California state titles and played every posisition.  Johnson is already a proven winner and it will carry over into the upcoming season.  Along with Johnson, the Wildcats have Kaleb Tarczewski, Brandon Ashley, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Gabe York, T.J. McConnell, and Boston College transfer Ryan Anderson.  The list goes on and on, talented player after talented player.  Arizona is set to have a historic year and dominate the west coast of college basketball.

1. Kentucky - Shocker... Right?  9 McDonalds All Americans in total are on Kenucky.  That means Coach Cal will have 4 McDonalds All Americans coming off of the bench.  That is unheard of...  Kentucky is by far the early season favorite to win the National Title.  Let's just list the players so you get the idea.  Marcus Lee, Devin Booker, Aaron Harrison, Tyler Ulis, Andrew Harrison, Karl-Anthony Towns, Willie Cauley-Stein, Alex Poythress, Trey Lyles, and Dakari Johnson.  Karl-Anthony was last years national high school player of the year, and is not even going to start this year.  Alex Poythress and the Harrison twins all had great off seasons and look to improve even more this year.  The Kentucky Wildcats are scary... very scary.  Watch out for them this season as they could very well run the table and go undefeated.

Review: All 26 Teams Listed
1. Kentucky
2. Arizona
3. Duke
4. Kansas
5. Wisconsin
6. UNC
7. Florida
8. Texas
9. Virginia
10. Louisville
11. Wichita State
12. Villanova
13. Gonzaga
14. Iowa State
15. UConn
16. Michigan State
17. VCU
18. San Diego State
19. Ohio State
20. Oklahoma
21. Harvard
22.  Syracuse
23. SMU
24. Utah
25. Nebraska
26. Stanford

Any team in the top 15 right now has a chance to win the National Title.  The ACC has 5 teams in our top 26 and plenty more talented teams.  This college basketball season is bound to be historic with some of the best talent in years. It all starts tonight, the start of history. 

2014-15 Buzzer Beater Basketball College Basketball Rankings Continued

Today we are working our way through the rankings.  With each team we inch closer to the reveal of the #1 ranking.

20. Oklahoma - The Sooners are looking to have another great year.  Last season they finished second to Kansas in the Big 12 and went 23-10 for the season.  This year junior forward Ryan Spangler is going to lead the team after a big year last season.  Last year he averaged close to a double-double with 9.6 PPG and 9.3 APG.  Oklahoma is also looking forward to freshman forward Dante Buford.  In the 2014 ESPN 100 he was ranked 72nd for all high school players in the nation.  Oklahoma is shaping up to have another great season, but will once again have to compete with Kansas to win the Big 12.

Ohio State Freshman D'Angelo Russell

19. Ohio State - D'Angelo Russell and Keita Bates-Diop will lead this years Ohio State team.  Russell is one of the best freshman in the country and can score the ball with ease.  He will be the centerpiece of this young team.  Last year he played for Montverde Academy (the high school national champion) and was ranked 13th in the ESPN 100.  The Buckeyes will also have another great freshman in Bates-Diop.  The 6-7 small forward was ranked 22nd in the ESPN 100 last season and will provide the Buckeyes with superb athleticism and an extra scoring option.  Seniors Amir Williams and Shannon Scott will also help shape the Buckeyes.  Ohio State is without Aaron Craft this year,  but they will roll right on without him and impress many in the Big-Ten conference.

SDSU Junior Winston Shepard Prepares for Takeoff

18. San Diego State - This is Winston Shepard's year to breakout.  The 6-8 small forward averaged 11.6 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and 2.1 APG last season.  The junior was a crucial piece in the Aztec's season last year and will be once again this year.  They are most likely going to win the Mountain West Conference, but it will be a challenge.  Alongside Winston will be freshman Malik Pope.  He was ranked 55th in the ESPN 100 last season.  As always SDSU will fly under the radar for the first half of the season, but don't be shocked when the Aztecs are highly ranked later on in the year.

17. VCU - Treveon Grahm will lead the Rams to the A-10 title this year.  The senior swingman averaged 15.8 PPG and 7.0 RPG last year.  He plays great on both ends of the floor and poses a real threat for opponents.  VCU will have an easier time in the A-10 this year because Saint Louis and UMass both lost a great amount of talent.  But both Dayton and George Washington will be fighting for the conference title along with VCU instead this year.  Freshman Terry Larrier will also push the Rams to another successful season.  Watch out for the development of VCU as the season progresses, they will play many close battles fighting for the A-10 title that will push them to their full potential.

Mich. St. Star Branden Dawson

16. Michigan State - The Spartans have lost Adrien Payne, Keith Appling, and Gary Harris since last season.  But they still have some other great players.  The loss of both Harris and Appling will be huge, but senior guard Travis Trice will be a great replacement.  Last season he averaged 7.3 PPG and 2.3 APG.  Although the numbers are low, Trice affects the game with just his presence on the court.  He will have great big men to help him carry the team also.  Denzel Valentine will also provide another option to help lead the offense. Lastly, Branden Dawson, who averaged 11.2 PPG and 8.3 RPG last season, will be this teams best player.  He has great ability to score the ball and plays with great intensity and hustle. The Spartans may not be as good as last year, but still have enough talent to compete in the Big-Ten once again.

15. UConn -  Yes, they lost both Shabazz Napier and Deandre Daniels, but they still have plenty of talent to fill the void.  Ryan Boatright will assume Napier's role as the team's leader this season.  Last year he helped the Huskies win the NCAA Championship by averaging 12.1 PPG and 3.4 APG.  He will also have help from NC-State transfer Rodney Purvis.  Alongside Purvis and Boatright will be Ju-Co transfer Sam Cassell Jr. who was named an All-American in Ju-Co player last year.  But don't forget about the beast in the paint.  7 foot center Amida Brimah will serve huge for the Huskies this season.  Not only is he one of the best rim protectors in the nation, but he will also grab tons of rebounds.  UConn may not win the National Title again, but they sure do have another great team.

Iowa State Leader Georges Niang

14. Iowa State - Georges Niang has big shoes to fill.  Not just one pair either, two pairs.  Both Melvin Ejim and DeAndre Kane are gone.  Niang is going to have to carry this Cyclones team with his fierce interior play and drive from within.  He got smacked in the face during a game last year and had blood dripping off of him, but still wanted to play... He is a flat out animal, in the good way.  That is what will help him lead this team, along with his 16.7 PPG and 4.5 RPG.  Along with Niang will be guard Naz Long.  He averaged 7.1 PPG last season but serves as a great floor general.  Iowa State may have a tougher time competing in the Big-12 this season this year, but they still are one of the best teams in the conference and in the country.


13. Gonzaga - The Zags are going to have another great year.  Senior guard Kevin Pangos is one of the best guards in the country.  Last season he averaged 14.4 PPG and 3.6 APG.  He will be assisted by Kentucky transfer Kyle Wiltjer.  He averaged 10.2 PPG for Kentucky two seasons ago, but got lost in the Wildcats deep bench that was full of talent last year.  He has the ability to be one of the most dominant college players in the country this year, but will have to shake the rust off an adjust to a new system.  Gonzaga is going impress many early on with their ability to score the ball and their experienced leadership.

12. Villanova - Ryan Arcidiacono and JayVaughn Pinkston will form a deadly duo for the Wildcats.  Arcidiacono will score the ball in bunches and help run Villanova's offense this year.  Last season his great play carried them at the end of the season.  Pinkston will provide an intense post presence as he averaged 14.1 PPG and 6.1 RPG last season.  The Wildcats will also have help from Darrun Hilliard II and Dylan Ennis.  In a weaker Big East Conference this year, look for Villanova to dominate.

Wichita State's Ron Baker

11. Wichita State - Fred VanFleet, could he be the best point guard in the country?  Time will tell, but last year he certainly was up with the best of the best.  The 6 foot point guard averaged 11.6 PPG and 5.4 APG last season.  He helped lead the Shockers to a 35-1 record last year.  Also back again is junior swingman Ron Baker.  Baker plays with great intensity and is a true team player.  He averaged 13.1 PPG last year, but will look to assume a larger scoring role with the departure of Cleanthony
Early.  Although the Shcokers won't be as close to a perfect season this year, they will still be one of the most dominant teams in the country.

Kentucky Lands 2 Five-Star Recruits

Skal Labissiere and Isaiah Briscoe both committed to Kentucky tonight during ESPNU's basketball signing show.

Labissiere is the #11 player in the ESPN 100 and the 5th ranked center.  The 6-10 center is known for his incredible length and ability to challenge any shot the comes near the rim.  He can also finish with power around the rim, but is mostly known for his defensive abilities.

Coach Calipari also landed the #1 point guard in the 2015 class, who is ranked 13th in the ESPN 100.  Isaiah Briscoe is debatably the best high school point guard in the country.  He has great ability to score the ball inside the paint, but can also stretch out his game beyond the three point arc.  The 6-3 point guard averaged 19.2 PPG with his AAU team the New Jersey Playaz over the summer. 

Together, Labissiere and Briscoe already are forming an early push for top reciting class of the year.  Together they will embarrass opponents in the college game, with a great ability to play through each other.  Oh yeah... And they are going to Kentucky.  Coach Cal will surely bring in many more high name high school prospects from this years class.  Once again, Kentucky is shaping up to have the best recruiting class in 2015.

2014-15 Buzzer Beater Basketball College Basketball Rankings

Today we start off our 2014-15 College Basketball rankings.  This year is ready to be one of the best ever.  It will include one of the most loaded freshman classes ever, including Jahil Okafor, Stanley Johnson, and Karl Towns Jr.. Today we will start at the bottom end of our rankings.  In total we will rank 26 teams,  one extra to insure all the best teams are included.  Come back tomorrow for the reveal of the next set of teams.  But here they are, the 2014-15 preseason rankings.

Stanford senior Chasson Randle

26. Stanford - The Cardinals are looking to make another tournament run this season.   They will be one of the best teams in the Pac-12 behind Arizona.  Stanford will be led by senior point guard Chasson Randle.  Last year he averaged 18.8 PPG and 2.1 APG and was a crucial piece of the Cardinal's offense.  Stanford hopes to take advantage of their momentum from last season and continue to climb up the rankings.

25. Nebraska -  Terran Petteway and Shavon Shields hope to lead another great Cornhusker team.  Last season as a sophomore Petteway led the team in scoring at 18.1 PPG.  The junior forward is going to be a crucial piece in Nebraska's offense.  Alongside him will be junior swingman Shavon Shields.  He averaged 12.8 PPG last year and 5.8 RPG.  Nebraska will have an advantage with their experienced leadership this season and will have to fight hard in a tough Big-Ten conference.

Utah Senior Delon Wright

24.  Utah - Last season Utah impressed many people by recording a 21-12 record.  The true surprise was the emergent Delon Wright.  The junior guard led the team in scoring at 15.5 PPG, and also averaged 6.8 RPG and 5.3 APG.  The senior guard will be the focal point of a promising Utah team.  Watch out for the Utes as a powerful west-coast team this year.

23.  SMU - Last season the Mustangs had a great season, but were snubbed from the NCAA Tournament.  They ended up reaching the NIT final, and losing in the final minutes to Minnesota.  They were looking forward to incoming freshman Emmanuel Mudiay to lead the team this year, but he decided to go overseas to play. Instead, SMU will be lead by Keith Fraizer, Marcus Kennedy, and Nic Moore.  Watch out for the Mustangs in a depleted American Conference.

22.  Syracuse - The Cuse' will be lead by freshman Kaleb Joseph and Chris McCullough.  Joseph is a 6-3 guard who is playing great so far through the preseason.  McCullough is a 6-11 forward from Bronx NY.  He split his high school career at Brewster Academy and IMG Academy.  Both of them are going to bring the talent needed after the Orange lost Tyler Ennis and C.J. Fair last year.  Syracuse also has senior forward Rakeem Christmas.  He will help lead a young but talented lead in a loaded ACC conference.

Harvard's NBA bound backcourt of
Siyani Chambers and Wesley Saunders

21.  Harvard - Wesley Saunders and Siyani Chambers will lead the Crimson to another Ivy League title this season.  The only question about their team is whether they will be able to make a deeper run into the NCAA Tournament this season.  Harvard has an absolutely loaded team this year including Zena Endosomwan, Chris Egi, Steve Moundou-Missi, Corbin Miller,  Jonah Travis, and Kenyatta Smith.  Colombia and Yale will challenge Harvard for the Ivy League but won't be much of a match for the Crimson.  Watch out for Harvard led by coach Tommy Amaker this season.

Derrick Rose Had The Assist Of The Night

Last night Derrick Rose looked like the old Derrick Rose.  He dropped 24 points and 7 assists against the Detroit Pistons.  Rose made sure to give the fans a gift or two throughout the night with his incredible play making ability.  Watch his crazy passes below.  The assist to Joakim Noah has early potential to be pass of the year.  As for now, Derrick Rose is playing great lately and the Bulls most definitely hope he can keep it up.

Kyle Lowry Gets a Tripple Double Against The Wizards

Last night Kyle Lowry played an all around great game.  He ended the night with a triple double recording 13 points, 10 assists, and 11 rebounds.

Lately Lowry has been playing great for Toronto.  The other night in Boston, he scored 35 points in a narrow 110-107 victory.  He also had a late game steal on Marcus Smart that pretty much clinched the game for them.

The Toronto Raptors have gotten off to a hot start this season with a 5-1 record.  They may be one of the best teams in the east behind Chicago and Cleveland.  With Kyle Lowry averaging 18.5 PPG and 6 APG alongside 22.5 points per night from DeMar Derozan,  the Raptors backcourt is one of the most finely tuned in the NBA and is going to lead them through a successful season.

Lance Stephenson Wins The Game In Double OT

Last night the Charlotte Hornets and Atlanta Hawks played a grueling game of basketball.  They were neck and neck the whole night and needed 2 overtimes to decide the winner.  Lance Stephenson won the game by banking in a three at the buzzer.  Here is the creative inbounds play that won the Hornets the game improving them to 3-3.

The Boston Celtics Reveal New Alternate Uniforms

Tonight the Boston Celtics unveiled their new gray and green alternate uniforms.  They feature a design on the sign with the famous parquet floor.  Many think these new uniforms are very ugly and "look like they are wearing backpacks."  The NBA has been pushing both alternate and sleeved jerseys, but neither have been received well by fans.  There seems to be no good reason to mess with the historic uniforms of the Celtics.  Below are photos of the new uniforms.

Top NBA Plays Of The Night - 11/5/14

Last night the NBA was full of dunks and buzzer beaters.  Both the Utah Jazz and Orlando Magic won at the buzzer.  Also DeMar DeRozan and K.J. McDaniels threw down vicious dunks.  Watch all of the top plays below.

Gordon Hayward Buzzer Beater to Beat the Cavaliers

Tobias Harris Drills the Buzzer Beater to Beat Philly

DeMar DeRozan Throws Down the Hammer on Kelly Olynyk

K.J. McDaniels Completes the Obliterating Alley-Oop over Moe Harkless

The Top NBA Plays of the Night - 11/3/14

Last night the NBA was full of action across the league.  Many players flashed examples of brilliance or athleticism with spectacular top plays.  We narrowed the top plays of the night down to just a few.  Here are the top plays of the NBA from last night.

Block Of The Night: Nerlens Noel on James Harden

Dunk Of The Night: DeAndre Jordan Kills Rudy Gobert on the Alley-Oop

Put-Back of The Night: Marcus Smart Cleans Up For Jeff Green

Pass/Assist of The Night: Marcus Smart Goes Behind the Back To Sully