Previewing the ACC-Big Ten Challenge From A Skewed Perspective

Isaac Haas will look to be a beast on the block for Purdue against Louisville Wednesday night in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge (Getty).

My time as an ACC basketball fan started in the early 90's when I first arrived from Chicago to the wild and wonderful town of Fredericksburg Virginia. I followed the league heartily throughout my youth and fully embraced the Carolina-Duke rivalry as a fan of the squad in sky blue uniforms.

Flash forward to 2013 when I started writing for RushtheCourt. I initially wanted to write about the ACC, but spots were needed covering the Big Ten. I've been covering this league now for four years and have become much more familiar with this conference than the one I was obsessed with years ago. So this makes the ACC-Big Ten challenge strange for me.

In the past, I obviously would have ridden with the ACC and wanted them to win all 14 games. Now, while I'm still a Carolina fan, I'm fully rooting for the Big Ten to win the event. Monday's games left both leagues tied 1-1, with Florida State beating Minnesota and Northwestern taking down Wake Forest. These were merely an appetizer for the proceedings coming tonight and Wednesday. What follows is what to look for in the best six games to come, with an extra little prediction thrown in for good measure.

• Syracuse at Wisconsin: This one has the makings of a classic, with both teams residing within the top 10 on KenPom. The Badgers are only shooting 31 percent from behind the arc and have a tendency to take way too many threes. So how they handle the Cuse zone may very well determine the outcome. Another troubling element for Wisconsin is that they actually have been really sloppy this season (20.4 percent turnover rate). One thing they do really well, however, is crash the glass on the offensive end. Defensive rebounding has never been a strong point for Jim Boeheim coached teams, and that's still the case. The Orange have started off the season really shooting well from the perimeter, though, with four of their primary five deep shooters hitting over 46 percent. Prediction: Wisconsin in a close one because road games and Syracuse really aren't a thing this early in the year. 

• Michigan State at Duke: This is not a typical Michigan State team, at least not yet. They are painfully young, and they have almost no size except for Zach Randolph clone (Tom Izzo's words, not mine) Nick Ward. Duke is still Duke, even without the services of three absolute stud freshmen. Without going into a full-fledged breakdown on the numbers, I already know that Sparty has almost no chance here. The caveat, however, is whether or not Grayson Allen plays. If he's out of the mix, then I'd say the end result is a coin flip. My best guess is that everyone's favorite villain plays and the perimeter attack of Allen, Luke Kennard, and Frank Jackson prevails. No coin necessary. Prediction: Kind of made this clear already, but Duke wins by 15.

The somewhat hated Grayson Allen will lead Duke to a win over Michigan State tonight (Mark Dolejs, USATSI). 

• Virginia Tech at Michigan: This one barely makes the cut as one of the six best games here, but should be a sneaky good game because both squads should end up as tournament teams in March. Dan Brody's favorite coach has a 5-1 team that is one blown lead against Texas A&M from being undefeated. They have a bunch of rangy guards that shoot the ball well and don't turn it over, coupled with Zach LeDay as the one banger in the post. Michigan is built a tad different than the teams of the past five years, because they actually have much more size than the Hokies with the trio of DJ Wilson, Marc Donnal, and German Moritz Wagner. They used this size to cripple Marquette, the former school of Buzz Williams, and a solid SMU team to win the 2K Classic. They can shoot it from deep, and the aforementioned bigs do a really good job in pick-and-roll situations where they casually saunter to the rim for dunks and layups. This should be a really close game that will come down to the last couple of possessions. Prediction: Michigan will use their size to barely pick up their third quality win on the year.

•  Purdue at Lousiville: This one is another sneaky good game, but with a higher ceiling. Unlike the VT-Michigan matchup, both teams are ranked and both could be legitimate threats to win their respective conferences. This isn't the same defensive team for Purdue as last year, with the losses of the very large human AJ Hammons and perimeter pest Raphael Davis. They are better scoring the ball, however, due to the fact that they are simply much larger than most in the paint, with the tag-team of Caleb Swanigan and Isaac Haas. They've surrounded the monsters in the paint with a bunch of shooters than can make it rain from distance. On the other side, Louisville boasts the number two most efficient defense in the land and could force the Boilers into a tough shooting night. The question here is will they develop anything remotely resembling  competence on the other side of the floor. Prediction: Ricky P and the Cards will frustrate Purdue and hold them in check with their defense. Louisville squeaks by.

• Ohio State at Virginia: This one could get really ugly for two reasons. The first of which is that Ohio State has played only one semi-decent team, and haven't come close to seeing anything near what Virginia brings to the floor defensively. So they obviously could struggle to score points, which I hear is a problem when trying to win basketball games. The second reason is that the same core beat Kentucky last season, but lost to UT Arlington and Lousiana Tech at home. Whether or not this group has matured since, suffering the sting of not making the NCAA's in 2015-16 will be on display here as they travel to Charlottesville. Tony Bennett's team was insanely good when I watched them dismantle Iowa. They scored at will and did not allow the Hawkeyes to accomplish anything on offense. Despite a lack of star power, the system is working for the Cavs. Prediction: This one will be close for a half, but UVA will run away with it in the last ten minutes.

• North Carolina at Indiana: If someone were to give me five dollars each time this game is referred to as a track meet, I wouldn't be living in a 350X350 studio apartment . Needless to say, pace has been mentioned quite a bit leading up to what arguably is the best game on paper of the Challenge's fourteen. Carolina and Indiana have both surprised pundits and fans alike by being a bit better than people expected out of the gate. Carolina is getting insanely stellar play from Joel Berry, and they are rebounding 46.6 percent of their misses thanks to Kennedy Meeks and freshman Tony Bradley. The two have absolutely owned the backboards. Indiana, meanwhile, shocked the college basketball world by beating Kansas early. But they then fell back to earth, losing to Fort Wayne last week. Both of these teams could easily win their leagues and could end up in the Final Four. If I were a betting man, I'd say the over is a safe play. Prediction: It's hard to go against Carolina with the way they've been playing, but I think Indiana playing at home will shoot the lights out much like they did against Kansas to get the win. 

That reverse jinx was brought to you by Bill Simmons. Enjoy the hoops.

Brendan Brody tweets @Berndon4.

Recent Rumblings: @TheClassical, @TheBallerBall, & @RushtheCourt

While Langston took care of last Saturday's SEC post, our blog's been reduced to a weekly football caption over the last month. However, that doesn't mean we haven't been writing elsewhere recently. Check out the links below, and we promise to diversify our portfolio here in the coming days (especially now that basketball is truly upon us).

Just make me look good guys, and I promise to give you all the credit. 

Greece and Serbia's Basketball Teams Finish Tournament with a Brawl

In terms of action, that ended the Acropolis Basketball Tournament, played out like a lunchroom of teenagers yelling so that the administration will come and break up the fight, or at least that's how it was going until Nenad Krstic came in and replaced Bobby Knight as the most notorious chair tosser in basketball history.  Other than him, every other player, from Greece and Serbia, did a fantastic job of posturing as tough guys while someone else held them back from the action.



Somewhere Stephen Jackson must be thinking, "Oh, to be young and foolish again," and perhaps Ron Artest can recommend a good psychiatrist for Nenad.

Time Waster: Happy Holidays

The latest MVPuppets spots from Nike hit the intranets over the weekend. And if these recent ads are any indication, they will just keep getting better. Now, I don't want to spoil the surprise, so I'll just let you know that they feature a couple of hip-hop's finest. Enjoy.

The number of the day is:

3:46, as in the game between Syracuse and UConn took 3 hours and 46 minutes to play. The game that ended at 1:22 a.m. had 6 six over-times, a combined 244 points, 102 of which came after the regulation buzzer, eight players who fouled out, and six who registered double-doubles. The star of the game was easily Syracuse point guard Jonny Flynn, who had 34 points and 11 assists in a game-high 67 minutes, only 3 fewer than were played. The final was 127-117, with Syracuse as the victor.

While this game will automatically go into the ESPN Classic rotation, it was not an epic one. For me added length does not make a game legendary, added length only adds fame for porn stars and bridges. This was especially the case last night as sometime between the first and second overtime the two teams had seemed to lose every last ounce of energy. Not to mention the guys that did have any energy were the end of bench players. The game turned into a slop fest of missed layups, dumb fouls, dumber three-point attempts, and an all-around ugly game.

I ended up watching all six OT's and while I felt a moment of pure joy for the awesome ending of this game and for making it to the end of the longest game in Big East tournament history. I regret it, mostly for wasting a ridiculous amount of prime snoozing time. But also because both teams had already locked up NCAA tourney berths with their regular season records. Not to mention that Syracuse is probably going to lose to West Virginia today; thanks to sore legs, a lack of recovery time, and a driven Mountaineer team. Overall it was a fun game to watch, but in my mind it was not a classic.

Toilet Bowl: the Lessons of Backyard Football

"You're my boy, Blue."

                                    --Old School

All stories must have a plot, and all plots must have a setting, characters, and conflict. In sports, the athletes, coaches, owners, and fans are the story's characters. The game is the conflict, and the setting is more than the field, the court, or the stadium. The proper setting adds layers to a story.

Basketball begins for most boys on a blacktop. Travels, carries, and double dribbles are not always called. One is personally accountable for playing the game the right way. No plays are designed. The bigger, stronger, and quicker players naturally find themselves with the ball, and weaker players consistently become the last ones chosen. The ways of the universe unfold without any explanation. One discovers through experience that the angles of the universe are angels that aid an orange ball on its journey through a metal hoop. Shooters send the ball upward with a prayer, and the backboard answers it. A layup is a glimpse into metaphysics, and a bank shot is a conversation with God. Spirituality and individual doctrines rule on the playground, but then one is taken inside of a gym. The bleachers are wooden and stiff like church pews. Individual conversations with God become fundamentals, lessons in dogma, and Ten Commandments. The individual is made to be part of a team, and the game survives the harshness of winter's cold because of the gym that is a church. In the gym, one learns that rules help a society survive, and the game lives on, no matter how cold the season.

Baseball begins in the spring, lasts through the summer, and ends in early autumn. At the beginning of the season, anything and everything seems possible. The grass is green, and hope blooms eternal. Statistics matter because baseball is a game where the present constantly measures itself against the past. The shadows in the outfield and across the batter's box are the shadows of the past. These shadows disappear when the sun is at its brightest, and sons always measure themselves against their fathers during day games and doubleheaders. This test against time plays itself out every summer when boys do not have to attend school, at a time when there is only baseball, making it somewhat ironic that champions are crowned in the fall when the rest of life and preparation for life beyond the ballpark begin to bear down on the boys of summer. Baseball crowns champions at the onset of manhood, while football hits like real life.

Football waits at the end of baseball season. Every year, once the fate of the Braves is determined, I turn to football. Some years my attention shifts earlier than others. When we shift our attention from baseball to football, we shift our attention from youth to what comes after--what is left of our existence after summer, after the sun is at its highest point, and the leaves begin to turn?

Football shows us that there is a great collision of human stubbornness and the lessons of time after the summer is gone. Out of this collision, the most heroic human traits come sprinting. We are a determined species, an adaptable species, an enduring species, and a hilarious species. We are Clinton Portis, Bill Belichick, Brett Favre, and Chad Johnson. We are not perfect, but, still, we play the game.

These traits that help us survive an isolated existence, on our rock, in this universe, play out every autumn. The grass loses its green. The leaves turn and fall to the ground. The hours in which there are light grow less and less, yet linemen continue to block against time, and quarterbacks continue to stand tall until the last possible second before releasing their prayers into the air. Baseball is a game without time, giving every player hope that they can measure up to the past. Football is measured entirely by time--four fifteen minute quarters, a forty second play clock, and a quarterback's internal clock that saves him from being swallowed by a 300-pound hell hound. If one ignores time in football, then one dies. This ticking clock reminds us of our mortality. Innings in baseball always keep us hoping.

Football champions are crowned when times are darkest and the weather is coldest. Champions, in football, are survivors; the last grains of sand on an eroding beachhead. They are crowned in Super Bowls, Rose Bowls, and Sugar Bowls; but sometimes, they are crowned in "Toilet Bowls."

Every American boy has at some time played a game of backyard football, and any girl worth talking to, dating, or marrying has too. Most back yard games take place in yards where one sideline is a fence and the other sideline is marked by the first tree. The end zones are past the bush and the driveway. The boundaries are never straight, and they never meet at right angles. These games can result in vicious arguments between brothers, sisters, cousins, and that kid down the block about whether or not so in so stepped out of bounds or was actually tagged with two hands. How one behaves as a kid in these games sets a standard for how one will behave in life.

There are quitters who go home crying that the other team cheated or that they never get passed the ball. There are those that learn God has given them special gifts and it is their privilege to use these gifts whenever possible to embarrass others. There are those who learn they can stay resoundingly calm in the face of huge deficits, raging insults, and strangling doubt of those around them. These games show one who they are: a quitter, a braggart, a leader, or a follower.

Most people would let a game that teaches so many vital lessons just be. These people would not take a game and build a cathedral for it. These people will never understand what it is to play in a "Toilet Bowl," also known as the "I USED TO BE AN ATHLETE BOWL." These people do not go to extremes. These people are "summer soldiers" and "sunshine patriots," who quit living life as soon as the temperature begins to drop and the world grows dark.

Lawn Chair Boys are not those kinds of people. My friends are not those kinds of people. I am not one of those people. We go to extremes. We always have.

In the summer of 2002, "Toilet Bowl I" was played. The teams played a game of four on four football where one team ran the wishbone. The wishbone was not meant to be run with four people. The wishbone may not have been intended for any number of people to run, but the team I was on that day ran it to victory, only passing the ball maybe a couple of times. May I remind the reader at this point that no one ever runs the ball in backyard football games, but one always runs it in the Toilet Bowl. This game is not for the faint of heart. If one wants to hold the toilet seat trophy at the end of the game and carve their name into it as a champion, then one knows they will have to run the football. These are the lessons of the Henry Thode vs. Dan Brody games, or "Toilet Bowls I through V (?)."  These games were a clash in styles reminiscent to the days when Osbourne's Cornhuskers battled Spurrier's Gators for national titles in the '90s. Thode's teams regularly dismantled Brody's, except for the one year when Brody gave up passing the ball and started running out of the shotgun with Tim Ormsby, the best blind athlete since Kareem Abdul Jabbar. Still, Brody's team lost despite an MVP performance by Ormsby. I was on that team, and it was the first time I experienced a "Toilet Bowl" defeat.

After that game, the "Toilet Bowl" changed, but for the better. Henry Thode and Dan Brody became co-captains of a team that would face off against Dan's younger brother and a bunch of his friends, and the game became the I Used to be an Athlete Bowl. The toilet seat trophy was traded in for a trash can trophy. Each team practiced during their winter breaks home from college. The games were held on New Year's Day, and the team huddles smelled like stale champagne, warm beer, and Taco Bell. One went into the game feeling groggy and stiff from a night of drinking and sleeping on a floor, but once one was hit for the first time, all that disappeared. These games were more hostile than the "Toilet Bowls."  Players barked at one another and made ridiculous statements, like "unless your testicles have hands, there's no way you recovered that football." If testosterone is nitroglycerine, then this football field was a mountain in need of a railroad tunnel.

The first "I Used to be an Athlete Bowl" was a blowout. Matt Brody's team did not know what they were getting into. Ants have given better efforts against my shoe. The second "I Used to be an Athlete Bowl" was closer, but the result was the same. The third "I Used to be an Athlete Bowl" was a few weeks ago, and it changed everything. First, Matt Brody's team won, and the score was a lot to a number that shall not be named.


While this game was the first we lost to "our younger brothers," the biggest difference in the game was the lack of intensity from our side. We started the "Toilet Bowl" tradition 6 years ago. We'd broken collar bones, received black eyes, sprained rotator cuffs, sprained knee ligaments, ripped shirts, and given concussions for a toilet seat and a trash can. We'd done this for roughly 6 years. I was 18 in the first "Toilet Bowl."  A few weeks ago, I was 25 and still playing, but it wasn't the same. This game went from being a straight shot of whiskey, no chaser, to being Mike's Hard Lemonade.

This year's game went from tackle to flag football. There were no practices leading up to the game. There was no trash talk. They had what seemed like twenty players on their team. We had seven. They were a team of strangers. We were a team of friends going in many different directions. Their jerseys were paid for. Ours were homemade. Theirs said "Hounds" and had the shadow of a bloodhound on them. Ours said "Washed Up All-Stars" and had the picture of a football. They seemed like they were playing in the summer, and we were playing in late autumn. The joke on our shirts became prophecy, as these boys of summer measured up to our past.


One could blame the lack of intensity on our team's part on a lot of things. It probably was not a good strategy for our team to switch from tackle to flag football. We were the bigger, stronger team, and one reason we always ran the wishbone was because no one on our team has an arm, but I think the lack of intensity was something else altogether.

Our friend Billy was home for the last time before heading to Baghdad with the U.S. Army. God watch over him. Our friend Stevo was back for a couple of weeks from his Peace Corps stint in Panama. May God guide his work. Our friend Adam hadn't been in town for a while; he works with a program to develop young leaders across the world. God lead him. Our friend Dan was visiting from Pittsburgh, where he's going to graduate school for chemistry. God help him heal us. Our friend Drew just got married to our friend Megan. God give them happiness. Our friend Billy works for a bank. God let him invest in people. Our friend Mike is finishing school. God show him the way. Our friend Tim was in from New York where he works at a law firm. God let him fight for justice. Our friend Henry was away showing boys how to be men on real football field. God make him a mentor.  Our friend Jay was working.  God provide for his family.

We got it handed to us a couple of weeks ago, but for once, I was okay that we were just happy being there. We don't see each other like we once did, and when we do, I'm just happy being there. To paraphrase Tim Burton's Big Fish, the way something looked to a person at one point in their life is not how it will always look.  The seasons seem so much bigger than the games these days, and with friends like this, winter doesn't seem so cold.  Our backyard cathedral has made us ready for the world, and all our flights can be traced back to a field in Sheraton Hills, Fredericksburg, VA.

 

Rocky Top Preview: We got hop son!!

Bruce Pearl has brought this team to heights it hasn't seen in a long time. Last season was a great one for the Volunteers, they were ranked as high as number one in the land and earned a number one seed for the tournament. They went 31-5, which was only bested by four other teams in the country. But for the second year in a row they couldn't manage to get past the sweet sixteen, this time bowing out to Louisville. Players gone from last years team include Chris Lofton, JaJuan Smith, ladies man Jordan Howell, Ramar Smith, and Duke Crews. Jordan, JaJuan and Chris all graduated. Lofton and JaJuan are both pursuing life in the pros, with the former playing in Turkey and the latter just recently being cut by the Mavericks. Ramar and Duke were dismissed from the program for violations of the University of Tennessee’s substance-abuse policy and academic shortcomings. I am guessing the substance abuse led to the academic shortcomings.

Tyler Smith will be the unquestioned leader of this team. The transfer from Iowa had a fantastic sophomore season he led the Vols in assists (3.4 apg), rebounding (6.7 rpg) and field goal percentage (.536) and was third in scoring (13.6 ppg). He earned first team all-SEC honors. Smith has the size of a small forward, but often initiates the offense with his passing and ball-handling ability. He’ll likely look for his shot a little more this season considering all the firepower the Vols lost. Swingman JP Prince and Wayne Chism will also be counted on heavily as returning players. Chism is a load down low when he plays under control, and Prince’s slashing and athleticism are a great fit in Pearl’s offense. Brian Williams also return up front, giving the Vols some strength to bang down low, although he must watch his fouls more this year. Ryan Childress returns to infuriate me with idiotic three point attempts and untimely fouls.

With five players gone from last years team, there is a huge hole to fill. Bruce Pearl and his assistants did their very best to fill each hole, with equal or better talent. They did just that with the seventh ranked recruiting class in the country.

Headlining the recruiting class is Scotty Hopson, who will be the first McDonald's All-American to suit up for the Vol's since Vincent Yarborough. The 6'7 guard is a terrific athlete with good range on his jumper and should be an impact player from the first day of practice. He has the talent to be a one-and-done player, he is that good.

Emmanuel Negedu a native of Nigeria is a consummate energy guy who dunks whenever he can in traffic and has the ability to face-up and drive the lane. Renaldo Woolridge (aka "The Answer" ) the son of Orlando Woolridge, stands at 6'8 and has the ability to play guard and forward. He will mostly play at forward as he can stretch the defense but also crash the boards when needed. Bobby Maze, a JUCO All-American transfer, looks to battle for the starting point-guard spot with J.P. Prince. Whoever whens the starting gig should be a major upgrade from former would-be starter Ramar Smith. Daniel West provides depth at the two positions the Vols need most, the guard spots. But I wouldn't be surprised if he is red-shirted. Phillip Jurick rounds out the fantastic recruiting class. A 6'10 center out of Chattanooga, who will be looked at to contribute early and often. Especially if Chism and Brian Williams get into foul trouble, strike that, when Chism and Williams get into foul trouble.

The schedule should test the young team throughout the season, equipping them to be ready to make a good run come tournament time. I haven't taken a look at other programs schedules but I would venture to say that they have one of the toughest in the country.

Although they lost a ton of experience, they return enough upperclassmen to help guide them through the SEC. Mix in the talented freshmen, and the Vols are a threat to go deep in the NCAA Tourney once again. How far they go will depend on how quickly Hopson and the young guys adapt to the college game, but it looks like Tennessee basketball is here to stay.

Games to watch:
Old Spice Classic :Includes possible games vs. Georgetown, Maryland, Michigan St., Gonzaga, Oklahoma St., Siena, and Witchita State. Games can be seen on ESPN2. Takes place in Orlando from Nov. 27th- Nov. 30th.
Florida (ESPN Jan. 31st and @UF on CBS March 9th) College gameday crew will be on hand for home game vs. Florida
Kentucky (ESPN Jan. 13th and @UK on CBS Feb. 21st)
at Temple (ESPN, Dec. 13 at noon)
Marquette (ESPN, Dec. 16 at 9:30 p.m.)
at Kansas (ESPN, Jan. 3 at 2 p.m.)
Gonzaga (ESPN2, Jan. 7 at 9 p.m.)
Memphis (CBS Jan. 24th at 3:30)

Link Scrap

The US IOC hands out face masks for the US Olympians to wear in Beijing, the athletes wear said face masks, the US IOC issues apologies to China for the Olympians who wore the face masks they were told to wear. It is not like the air is dirty or anything. By the way that picture is of Beijing during the afternoon. Beautiful right?


A former University of Toledo basketball player has been charged with fixing games, according to a federal indictment filed in U.S. District Court in Detroit. Sammy Villegas, who played for four years at Toledo, is accused of shaving points in games during the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons.
There are people actually betting enough money on the Mud hen's basketball games to turn a profit on point shaving? Amazing.

You don't have plans for the entire NBA season yet, well print out the day-by-day schedule. That way you can schedule the entire year around ESPN and the NBA.

The Titans and Rams got together for a scrimmage and decided they would rather fight.

Link Scrap

Gilbert Arenas' new pool is on par with Water Country USA

NY judge sentences Tim Donaghy to 15 months in prison, do you think his buddies that he gambled with are betting on if he will get out on good behavior or do the entire 15 months?

Internet sites are being blocked for reporters in Beijing, did I mention the Olympics will be a huge disaster?

Two West Virginia University basketball players were charged with scuffling with police and underage drinking after a fight at a Pittsburgh Pirates game.
Joe Mazzulla and Cameron Thoroughman were arrested Monday at PNC Park, where the Pirates were playing the Colorado Rockies. The two were in custody and awaiting arraignment Tuesday.

NASCAR is apologizing for the tire fiasco that ruined Sunday's race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and has already started working to avoid a repeat. Its not like Goodyear had anything to do with it.

Chris Lofton's legend just grew

Last season Chris Lofton helped lead the University of Tennessee men's basketball team to its first number one school ranking in the school's history and its best record of all time. This season he became the schools and the South Eastern Conference's leader in 3-point field goals with 431. He also averaged 15.5 points per game. He achieved all of this, according to a report, that he had cancer treatment for testicular cancer in the offseason before his senior season. He was randomly selected during the 2007 NCAA tournament for a drug test where it showed high levels of hCG, a hormone that serves as an indicator for steroid use, pregnancy in women, or cancer. For him to achieve this level of play, while dealing with radiation in the offseason, is just remarkable to me. What makes it that more amazing, is in the age of excuses, he did not use this as one. He never complained and never went the route of blaming his condition for his play, and this is the reason his legend will continue to grow long after he leaves the campus. You can continue reading it about it here. Chris Lofton will remembered for always working his hardest, torching the competition, and always being there when the game was on the line. He has now put him self up there with other Tennessee Alumni such as Allen Houston, Ernie Grunfeld, and Bernard King. He is a Vol for life.