College Basketball Power Rankings

Mason Plumlee

1. Indiana
2. Duke
3. Miami
4. Gonzaga
5. Michigan
6. Kansas
7. Florida
8. Michigan State
9. Georgetown
10. Arizona
11. Syracuse
12. Louisville
13. Kansas State
14. New Mexico
15. Ohio State
16. Oklahoma State
17. Memphis
18. Wisconsin

Otto Porter

19. Saint Louis
20. Butler
21. Marquette
22. Oregon
23. Notre Dame
24. Pittsburgh
25. VCU

Others Considering:
Louisiana Tech
Akron
Colorado State
Saint Mary's
Wichita State

Havoc Defense

Head coach Shaka Smart

With March Madness right around the corner it's time to take a look at VCU's Havoc Defense as they suit up for another deep tournament run:


Havoc Setup

Havoc Defense

Havoc is a 1-2-1-1 press nicknamed Diamond. It uses incredible speed, precise timing and a lot of energy pouncing on point guards deep in their backcourts. Shaka Smart, head coach at VCU, stole the Diamond press at his time at Clemson under current DePaul coach Oliver Purnell. Smart loves to use the Diamond press with a small, guard-oriented four-man front with guys like Briante Weber, Darius Theus and Treveon Graham running like madman by the other team's basket.

Why is Havoc so Dangerous?
Many have run full-court, aggressive presses like the Rams' run. But, the Diamond allows players to be at the exact right spot at the same time. The Diamond does a fantastic job of destroying the point guard's composure pressuring him to make tough plays and beat athletic, long defenders. One of the most important elements of Havoc is the surprise. The Rams spring the trap at times you least expect it, even if you have watched film of it. Then it wears you down, possession by possession until the turnovers add up to the 20's.

The Players
You can't run Havoc effectively without the right players. Every player on the Rams' roster has speed, size, agility and a great basketball I.Q. Weber, a sophomore averages nearly three steals a game thanks to his location and ability to time when players are trying to get rid of the ball. Graham and Theus can run wild and Rob Brandenburg has spent enough time in the system to run it like an old pro.

How Good are the Rams?
Havoc has helped VCU go 22-6 overall and climb to second inside the Atlantic 10 in just their first year in the league after dominating the Colonial for years. Headed by Graham, who is just as dangerous on offense as on defense the Rams can score as well. If we see a Cinderella, it will likely be VCU who have already shown how dangerous Havoc can be in the tournament. The bottom line is, nobody is going to want to play the Rams in the Big Dance this year.

Clips of Havoc Defense click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovdKAAEIxc8

Big Ten Power Rankings

1. Indiana
The Hoosiers may be the best player in the nation, not just the Big Ten. They have a dominant scorer in transition in Cody Zeller and maybe the best defender in the country in speedy Victor Oladipo. Though they need more consistent point guard play from Yogi Ferrell in order to keep their spot above Michigan and surging Michigan State.
2. Michigan
Michigan is 9-4 inside the Big Ten but they still need to prove they can win big games. Coming off a 23 point loss to Michigan State we need more consistency from sometimes erratic point guard Trey Burke and a more dominant low post presence than Jordan Morgan. But, if they find those things they could still have a shot at knocking off Indiana.

The Spartans are on fire

3. Michigan State
Earlier in the season Michigan State did not look like a realistic contender. But, right now the Spartans are playing like a Final Four team. They have found consistent scoring threats in Keith Appling and Gary Harris. Gigantic center Derrick Nix could help the Spartans beat teams down inside. The game against Indiana this Tuesday could go a long way in proving just how good this team could be.
4. Ohio State
The talent is there for the Buckeyes. Aaron Craft is one of the best overall players in the conference and Deshaun Thomas can score everytime he touches the ball. Though, they haven't quite been able to translate this into too much success inside the nation's toughest conference. If they can figure out how to close out games they could still finish the season strong.
5. Wisconsin
Big Ten play is usually not kind to most teams. But, it has been great for the Badgers who seem to be playing better despite tougher games. Led by a stingy defense and a scrappy roster the Badgers have climbed to 3rd inside the conference. With Jared Berggren playing like a beast down low Wisconsin should keep on playing the way they are.
6. Illinois
At one point John Groce's Fighting Illini were undefeated and in the Top Ten but they have struggled mightily inside the Big Ten. Though maybe wins against Indiana and Purdue can propel Illinois back to the way they were playing earlier this year.
7. Iowa
Nobody is really paying attention to the Hawkeyes but they aren't out of the race to the tournament yet. They have a dangerous scoring threat in junior Roy Devyn Marble and play unselfish basketball, as they are 19th in the nation in assists per game. The talent is there to make a run they just need their upperclassmen to be smart.
8. Minnesota
The hype is over for Minnesota and the only hope now is that they somehow manage to start building momentum for a postseason run. When on their game Andre and Austin Hollins can form one of the best backcourts in the Big Ten but they have played terrible through much of the Big Ten schedule. The Gophers need a big win or else their season could be drawing to a close if it hasn't already.
9. Northwestern
The Wildcats aren't a postseason team by any measure but they could still end the season strong thanks to great guard play from Dave Sobolewski and Reggie Hearn as they look forward to next year.
10. Purdue
Coming off a beatdown from Indiana the Boilermakers are trying to look toward next year were they will get star center A.J. Hammons back.
11. Nebraska
Tim Miles' squad has fought hard this season but even with Dylan Talley scoring in bunches the Cornhuskers just don't have enough talent to contend in the Big Ten right now.
12. Penn State
The Nittany Lions are 0-13 inside the Big Ten and looking at their schedule they not win a conference game this whole season.

Is Miami Legit?

Miami Defense

The Miami Hurricanes are undefeated inside the ACC and ranked number three in the nation. No, this is not the football team I'm talking about. The 'Canes basketball team is on fire this season reaching a 20-3 record and 11-0 inside a tough conference. And, it hasn't been because of weak scheduling. Miami, led by star sophomore guard Shane Larkin, has destroyed Duke by 27, UNC by 26 and managed to escape with a victory over NC State. All that could help this squad emerge as a number one seed on Selection Sunday. But, are the Hurricanes a legit title threat? Larkin is the best player on their roster averaging 13.4 points per game and leading the team in assists. He is sometimes automatic from deep and has the ability to drive and finish. As fantastic of a player as Larkin is, the inexperienced guard could cost the team games due to the fact he can turn the ball over at an incredible rate. He's hit 5 or more turnovers twice this season. Miami has an advantage over many times though. They have a senior oriented roster led by Kenny Kadji, Reggie Johnson and Durand Scott that will play well in difficult situations and keep the time focused as we near the end of the season. Johnson is their most reliable big man, leading the team in rebounds and blocks. The 'Canes have their work cut out for them if they want to win the national title. They still play Duke once more (not to mention if they meet in the ACC tournament) but if they win that one they could realistically go undefeated inside the ACC this year. But, they could steal wipe out early in the tournament like Duke did last year due to some key issues.They have experienced shaky guard play at times and must finish the season without any key injuries in order to fulfill their potential.

Durand Scott and Shane Larkin

Miami Resume:
+ 20-3 overall record
+ 11-0 ACC record
+ Wins against Duke, UNC
-  Bad losses to FGCU, Indiana State

Ole Miss Signing Day

Robert Nkemdiche



Laquon Treadwell

The Ole Miss Rebels are widing a huge wave of momentum. They improved their win total from two to seven and won a bowl game a season ago. Then, signing day. Through the whole offseason we knew the Rebels might have a shot at the number one prize, defensive end Robert Nkemdiche who decommited from Clemson. The 6 foot, 5 inch, 265 pound Nkemdiche is explosive off the side and could start immediately even with experience returning on the Rebels' defensive line. Nkemdiche would have made a great signing day for Hugh Freeze's staff. Then Laremy Tunsil, the number one overall offensive tackle announced he would play for Ole Miss next season. The huge, nearly 300 pound Tunsil will join another tackle Austin Golson up front, who was a steal from the state of Alabama. And, that wasn't where it stopped for the Rebels. Four-star safety Antonio Conner announced he was heading to Oxford and Illinois product Laquon Treadwell will also be on the team next year. So what does all this add up to? The Rebels ended up with the fifth best class in the nation, not bad for a team that won two games two seasons ago. Especially considering the four above them were traditional powers Notre Dame, Alabama, Florida and Ohio State. What should we expect from Ole Miss in 2013? As beastly as Robert Nkemdiche is, he will still need time to develope and be productive against the fantastic offensive linement that the SEC provides. Tunsil will also have his work cut out for him as he has to go up against 300 pound men rushing in from the defensive side. The Rebels will have a ton back, so this class doesn't have to do everything. Quarterback Bo Wallace, speedy back Jeff Scott, wide out Ja-Mes Logan and Robert's brother Denzel should help this team have a shot at 10 wins.

Florida vs. Ole Miss Game Preview

4 Florida vs. 16 Ole Miss, Stephen C. O'Connell Center, 7 PM ET


Marshall Henderson



Scottie Wilbekin

Before the season even began, we knew that Billy Donovan had a championship caliber team in Gainesville. But, Andy Kennedy's Ole Miss squad has been one of the biggest surprises in the nation. The Rebels (17-3, 6-1 SEC) have used controversial star Marshall Henderson, the leader in the SEC in points per game to get off to their hot start. Meanwhile, the Gators are undefeated inside the conference using their incredibly annoying defense to get off to their hot start. Florida's defense has been so good that they have held 15 of their 19 matchups to under 60 points, including three under 40. One of those teams was the lowly South Carolina Gamecocks who the Gators forced to score just 36 this Wednesday. On the offensive side Donovan possesses a number of players who are lethal on the perimeter including Kenny Boynton, the team's leading scorer and quick Scottie Wilbekin, a junior. Wilbekin averages 2 steals a game and must help these Gators shut down Henderson. He has already proven he can shut down All-SEC talent as he forced Missouri's Phil Pressey to turn the ball over 10 times and held Georgia Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to just 11 points. As good as Henderson is, he is not the only option for the Rebels' offense. They also have Murphy Holloway, Reginald Buckner, Ladarius White and assist leader Jarvis Summers, that have helped them score 80 a game to this point. The Rebels last loss was earlier this week to Kentucky in which Nerlens Noel swatted everything in sight. Patric Young could do much the same to Ole Miss as he averages nearly two a game already. If this turns into Florida's defensive game, then Henderson and the Rebels have no shot at stopping Florida's win streak at nine. The Gators are 10-0 at home this season and should ride their crowd, and their tight defense to win this one.
Florida, 71 Ole Miss, 60

Michigan vs. Indiana Game Preview

1 Michigan vs. 3 Indiana, Assembly Hall, 8:00 CT Saturday



Nik Stauskas

It seemed like just yesterday when Tom Crean, in his first season, inherited a disaster and ended up with a 6-25 season. Now the Hoosiers are ranked Number Three in the nation, with a Wooden Award candidate in Cody Zeller and the chance to take control of the Big Ten with a win over Michigan. Meanwhile, the Wolverines have been haunted since the great days of the Fab Five, and have achieved their first number one ranking since that time. Indiana (19-2) is led by Zeller who has played fantastic in big games this season, and is coming off a double-double in their 37 beatdown of Purdue. He is helped by dynamic forward Christian Watford and explosive Victor Oladipo who can change games on offense as well as on the defensive side of the ball. Their biggest challenge will be shutting down speedy Wolverine point guard Trey Burke. Burke is averaging nearly 18 points and over 7 assists a game but struggled mightily in Michigan's only loss to Ohio State. Though, much like the Hoosiers, the Wolverines have a load of players that can score including Glenn Robinson,Tim Hardaway Jr. and sharpshooting Nik Stauskas. Stauskas could be the scariest as he can be truly lethal when you don't get a hand in his face. Need further evidence? On YouTube, there is a video of him hitting 45 of 50 three pointers. A bounty of shooters should keep Michigan's offense going but Indiana must show their great transition offense that shamed North Carolina a few months. No matter what happens in Bloomington expect it to be a high scoring affair as Indiana has the best scoring offense in the nation with 84 a game, and Michigan the 14th best scoring offense. Their should be a ton of passion on Indiana's campus in the biggest game so far this season but expect Indiana to use the lethal punch of Zeller and Watford and Oladipo's defensive ability to sneak out a close win at home.

Indiana Hoosiers

Indiana, 80 Michigan, 75

January Madness?

NC State fans after beating Duke

Sure, over the years in college hoops we've seen big upsets. But, this January we are seeing complete craziness. Duke is losing by 27 to a football school. Syracuse and Louisville are being haunted by Villanova. And, Kentucky is still looking like a NIT team. So what does this all mean? Here are some thoughts from this crazy month for college basketball:

• The Big Ten is still as good as we thought it was when Ohio State, Michigan and Indiana were all ranked in the top five. Sure, Minnesota looks like they are collapsing and Illinois already has, but Indiana still looks like a title contender. Wisconsin appears to be a very scary team after escaping with a victory over Minnesota, which means just more teams to watch battle it out in March.
• We knew coming into the season that Kentucky and UNC weren't going to be as good as last season. But, this? Kentucky is 13-6, but has had close wins over Maryland, Vanderbilt and LSU and has fallen to Alabama this season. The Tar Heels appear to be in a little better shape but the ACC appears tougher than we originally thought. Sure, there is time to fix the disaster that is both of these teams but we know neither are title contenders right now.
• Thank goodness the NCAA didn't expand the tournament too much a couple of year ago. We won't be able to see the craziness that should ensue through much of February as teams struggle for a spot in the Big Dance. Among, those bubble teams is Kentucky, Illinois, St. Mary's, Iowa State, Wisconsin, Oklahoma and many more. 
• Over the years the ACC basketball program has lost some of it's appeal. Duke and UNC was fun to watch and both were championship contenders but it seemed nobody else could stay with them for more than a season. Now it looks as if the ACC might be the third best conference behind the Big Ten and Big East. Duke is still a Final Four threat, Miami could be scary good, NC State continues to improve and we get to see Maryland, UNC and Florida State fight for tournament contention.

College Basketball Weekly Picks

January 25th to February 1st

Maryland vs. (1) Duke

Cody Zeller

Duke may be sitting at number one in the nation, but they're are a lot of questions about this team. They were dominated by Miami from start to finish and could fall to .500 inside the ACC with a loss to an underrated Maryland squad. The 15-4 Terps look like a tournament team headed by Alex Len and Dez Wells, but they haven't faced a team like Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Blue Devils should use their perimeter scoring in Quinn Cook and Seth Curry to stretch out the Terps defense early. The last time I saw Maryland get off to a weak start was against UNC and that was a comfortable Tar Heels win. This one could be much the same.
Duke, 78 Maryland, 66

(7) Indiana vs. (13) Michigan State
The craziness should continue in the Big Ten this weekend. No team appears to be gaining an edge but the winner of this one hopes too. The Spartans have a huge post presence in senior Derrick Nix and they will need one to stop Player of the Year candidate Cody Zeller and Christian Watford. It's odd to say that teams may not be able to keep up with the Hoosiers but Indiana has some serious speed on their roster in point guard Yogi Ferrell and Victor Oladipo. They should use all of it to outrun a relatively weak transition Spartans team.
Indiana, 80 Michigan State, 71

(24) Notre Dame vs. Villanova
'Nova is on an emotional high after beating the fifth-ranked Louisville Cardinals in their last game. Meanwhile, the Fighting Irish have hung around in the Big East but haven't been overwhelming. Don't think Notre Dame will run away with this one, in fact I pick the upset as the Wildcats led by JayVaughn Pinkston in the post and Ryan Arcidiacono on the perimeter pull out a close one. The Irish have one of the Big East's best rebounders in Jack Cooley but he may have met his match against big men Mouphtaou Yarou and Daniel Ochefu of Villanova. That may be the key in the upset for 'Nova.
Villanova, 65 Notre Dame, 60

NHL Preview 2013: Western Conference

Northwest

Henrik and Daniel Sedin

1. Vancouver Canucks
It looks like the Canucks will once more be the top team in the Northwest division. They can credit that to the return of the Sedins, Henrik and Daniel, who have dominated the past few seasons. The team improved their defense adding Jason Garrison and retaining much of last year's unit. It seems Roberto Luongo's time in Vancouver may be up. Cory Schneider will likely be the starting goalie now.
2. Minnesota Wild
After scoring just 177 goals a year ago, the Wild invested big money in superstar Zach Parise. Parise will join Dany Heatley and Mikko Koivu to form an offense that looks like it can manage 200 plus this year. Minnesota also added Ryan Suter to help the defense. The question remains whether these big signings will pay off in the long run.
3. Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche look to also be in contention for the Northwest crown. Milan Hejduk is slow now at 36 but can still be an effective goal scorer. Colorado also has an improving player in Gabriel Landeskog who won Calder Trophy a year ago. The Avalanche had a productive off season acquiring P.A. Parenteau from the Islanders.
4. Edmonton Oilers
Pretty soon, the Oilers have to start winning. Right? Edmonton looks to continue their slow rise up but it has stalled. Led by Taylor Hall this team has the talent to at least not end up with the number one pick. Jordan Eberle and Justin Schultz give the team some more to work with but their is still way too many holes for the Oilers to be playoff contenders.
5. Calgary Flames
The Flames haven't enjoyed much success the past couple of seasons but they seem to not care. Other than keeping aging stars Jarome Iginla and Miikka Kiprusoff the Flames haven't done anything to try to help the team reach the playoffs. Some minor moves may help but not enough for the Flames to climb out of the cellar.

Central
1. St. Louis Blues
What happened last year? The Blues seemed to come from nowhere to win the Central thanks to a solid score of players that are back this season. That list includes T.J. Oshie, David Backes and Brian Elliot. Elliot formed quite the tandem with Jaroslav Halak in goal last year which was one of the main reasons St. Louis had so much success. It would be tough to imagine the Blues having the regular season they had last year but they should still win the Central.
2. Chicago Blackhawks
The Blackhawks aren't the best team in the Central, but they still have enough on the roster to at least make the playoffs. They have Patrick Sharp, Patrick Kane and Marian Hossa to provide enough goals but the real issue is goalie where Corey Crawford and Ray Emery will spend time.
3. Nashville Predators
Nashville rarely has the best team in the NHL but they always seem to fight hard and end up in contention in the Central. That should be the case once more for the Preds. They lost Ryan Suter but still have Shea Weber to help on defense. They also have one of the best net minders in the league in Pekka Rinne. With a commitment to defense the Preds should wind up in the playoffs.
4. Detroit Red Wings
After years of prolonged success the Red Wings time might be drawing to a close. Nicklas Lidstorm retired, Detroit didn't add anyone significant and they are very old everywhere. Jimmy Howard won't let up much but Detroit could soon look like the Lakers of the NHL.
5. Columbus Blue Jackets
Rick Nash is now off to New York which basically erases any chance the Blue Jackets have of making the playoffs. The only decent goal scorer is going to be R.J. Umberger who scored 20 a year ago. The goalie position is also a complete mess.

Pacific
1. Los Angeles Kings
Surprise could be called a complete understatement as the Kings stunned everybody on their way to winning the Stanley Cup. A lot remains including shutdown goalie Jonathan Quick, right winger Dustin Brown and defender Drew Doughty. Anze Kopitar will miss some games to start the season but by the time the games really matter the star center should be ready to go and try to defend the crown.
2. Phoenix Coyotes
Don't think LA will run away with the Pacific. The Coyotes are quite a formidable opponent led by their own goalie Mike Smith and a number of goal scorers. Phoenix gave Shane Doan a lot of money to stay and lead the squad in scoring. The Coyotes will miss Ray Whitney, who had 77 points last year but was signed by Dallas.
3. San Jose Sharks
The Sharks title window is closing as center Joe Thornton, Dan Boyle, Patrick Marleau and Brent Burns continue to age but it doesn't look like San Jose is improving at all.  Those players still have enough star talent to score a bunch of goals but Anti Niemi has struggled in goal throughout his career. The Sharks still have enough bite to be in the playoffs but nothing to deep.
4. Anaheim Ducks
Youth is not something the Ducks have had the past few seasons. They still have 42 year old Teemu Selanne, Saku Koivu, Sheldon Souray and a number of other old veterans. What does it all mean? The Ducks will struggle to keep up with the speedier teams in the Western Conference.
5. Dallas Stars
The Stars are in a weird stage. The team appeared to be rebuilding the past couple of seasons with such talent as Loui Eriksson and Derek Roy. Then, this off season Dallas went out and payed big money to gain 40 year olds Jaromir Jagr and Ray Whitney. Jagr inspired Philly in a big way but he likely won't help Dallas climb out of the cellar.