The 2012 NBA Finals ended way too early, and now attention throughout the association is directed toward the Draft.  In Part 2 of our NBA Draft Preview we look at the players most likely to become All-Stars, as well as the later picks to keep an eye on.

Jerry Stackhouse Group (Potential All-Stars)

Harrison Barnes – The UNC swingman had a rough finish to his career as a Tar Heel, but he has rebounded nicely in pre-Draft workouts and the Scouting Combine.  Testing as one of the best athletes in the Draft, Barnes’ stock has risen, and there is no denying his shooting touch and ability to score.  His game could mature into something resembling Danny Granger circa 2009, which would be a great addition to any team in the early lottery.

Andre Drummond – The biggest boom-or-bust prospect in the Draft, we believe Drummond will succeed given he’s selected by the right team that has strong veteran presence.  He’s a very athletic 4 who has all the skill needed to play at a high level in the NBA.  The glaring questions, however, are his motor and desire to play.  This has been seen many times before, and Drummond can choose to follow the path of Eddy Curry (not good) or Shawn Kemp (good).

Jared Sullinger – Sullinger was a beast at OSU, and that will translate into the pro-game.  He has all the skill a team looks for in a power forward, including a capable mid-range jumper.  What he lacks in athleticism he makes up for in ability to score in multiple ways.  He is comparable to Kevin Love, another 4 who’s athletic ability was believed to hurt his game in the NBA.  The real concern with Sullinger is his back, which has recently begun to scare NBA teams.  As long as he remains healthy, look for Sullinger to play in future All-Star games.

Dion Waiters – One of the best sixth men in college basketball at Syracuse, Waiters’ game translates well into the NBA.  He’s relentless going to the rim and can finish in traffic.  He’s drawn comparisons to Dwyane Wade throughout his career at Syracuse and has the ability to be a combo guard in the mold of a Tyreke Evans at the pro level.  His shot could use some work, but a tough, physical 2-guard is something that will help any team in the lottery.

Monta Ellis Group (Sleepers)

Tony Wroten Jr. – The Washington PG had his ups and downs his freshman year, but his talent has been evident from day one.  At 6’5″, he has great size to run the point, and his athletic ability is freakish.  His court vision is good and he’s a very capable passer.  One of the flashier players in the Draft, his decision making is suspect at times and his shot needs to improve.  The ability is there, however, and he can be a cross of Russell Westbrook and Jason Williams if he develops.

Doron Lamb – Kentucky’s leading scorer in their National Championship victory, Lamb can shoot the lights out.  He has one of the purest strokes in the Draft with seemingly unlimited range.  He’s a smooth player who has the ability to score in the NBA.  He can flourish as a bench player and we see him as a solid sixth man down the road – similar to what Jason Terry has done throughout his career.

Andrew Nicholson – A stretch 4 who was overlooked because he played at St. Bonaventure in Olean, NY, Nicholson received great national exposure in the Bonnies’ run throughout the A-10 and NCAA Tournaments.  Nicholson is a player who can be good at everything and he reminds some of Davis West.  Whichever team selects him will be drafting a player who can contribute from day one and make the team better.

Hollis Thompson – Arguably the best long-range shooter in the draft, Thompson will find a spot on an NBA roster.  At 6’8″, he can get his shot off against most defenders.  He has the ability to drive to the basket and rebound as well, grabbing over 5 boards per game his Junior year at Georgetown.  He reminds us of Jeff Green, and if he develops into what Uncle Jeff was during Green’s first couple seasons with the Thunder then Thompson will be one of the better steals in the Draft.

Virginia Tech proved something at last night’s second-round NIT win over UConn: that when push comes to shove, they CAN survive without Malcolm Delaney. .
I’m sure few Hokies have forgotten about the ACC Tournament loss to Miami, in which Delaney, who usually averages around 27 points per game, was limited to an astonishing seven points.
No one stepped up that night to fill Delaney’s shoes, and the Hokies suffered, eliminated by Miami in the first round 70-65.
However, last night’s game against UConn showed that Virginia Tech is slowly making changes to compensate for Delaney, should he be shut down like he was against Miami and UConn (he only scored six points in the latter game).
Stronger defense, faster rebounds, and the utilization of Dorenzo Hudson have helped the Hokies overcome their overwhelming “Delaneydependency.”
If college basketball could have a franchise player, Virginia Tech would put theirs on Malcolm Delaney. He’s quick, plays smart, and puts the majority amount of points on the board almost every night.
But, Delaney can’t be expected to be the hero every game. That would be like expecting Drew Brees to complete every single pass he threw, or for Pau Gasol to make 100% of this three-pointers. It’s impossible and overbearing to expect something like that.
Luckily for Virginia Tech, they have found several antidotes for “Delaneydependency,” which means that the next time their star is held to six or seven points, it won’t automatically mean a loss for the Hokies.
The first, stronger defense, was not employed to its full potential last night until the second half, when it was blatantly obvious that UConn’s defense was blocking a large amount of the shots taken by the Hokies, and Virginia Tech was not returning the favor. As soon as it was, though, Virginia Tech started taking control of the game.
Rebounding sort of follows in suit with better defending, and the Hokies must have known that during the first half they couldn’t rebound a breakup, much less rebound a ball. The second half changed that as well, during which Virginia Tech made multiple key defensive rebounds that helped them cut down UConn’s lead and eventually overtake it.
The most drastic recovery from “Delaneydependency” has been the use of Virginia Tech’s new secret weapon: Hudson.
This is the second time that I know of that Hudson has stepped up in Delaney’s absence, physical or not.
When Virginia Tech played Seton Hall in Cancun, Hudson put up a mind-boggling 41 points in a game that Delaney did not play in. That’s what’s called stepping up to the plate.
Hudson got the chance last night to save the game when it was very apparently that Delaney was not going to make much of an impact where the scoreboard was concerned, so Hudson helped him out with 27 points.
I’m not trying to say that Delany is no longer allowed to score points because we’re too dependent on him- quite the opposite. Delaney is a cornerstone of the current team, and his contribution, whether or not he scores points, will never be questioned in my book.
I’m simply saying that Virginia Tech is slowly finding ways to combat the losses that usually follow an absent Delaney.
–Debbie

Virginia Tech 81, Quinnipiac 61

No luck of the Irish needed here.

In this decisive win it was clear from the start that Tech was the better team.

The Hokies after losing out on a bid to the NCAA Tourney dominated the boards in this matchup, seemed energized and ready to tackle their way through the bracket of the NIT.

They outrebounded the team 42-30 and held the Bobcats to 38% field goal percentage.

The 99% dominated Hokie crowd cheered fervently in their faithful orange and maroon combinations and of course green.

It was nice to see fans taking a few hours out of their St. Patrick’s Day celebrations to rock the Cassell.

Malcolm Delaney bounced off a disappointing performance against Miami (shooting 3-15 and sinking only 7 points) last week to lead the Hokies with 25 points.

With 6:18 to play in the first half, the Hokies only lead by seven. But then with two consective threes by Malcolm Delaney the Hokies cemented their lead and it widened fromt there.

The only problem with the Hokies play was their free throw shooting. They only made 16 of 26, 61%. Poor shooting like that would have led to a one and out in the NCAA Tourny where FT Shooting often decides games. Dare I say it is better that they are in the NIT?

With one win under their belt the Hokies next face UConn in another home game. This should be an interesting match up. The Huskies are 18-15 and have dropped 4 of there last 6 games playing rather inconsistently all season, but they are not to be underestimated.

They gave Georgetown a run for their money back in January in a down to the wire 72-69 loss. They also had narrow losses to Marquette, Syracuse, and Cincinnati in the mammoth known as the Big East.

They have beat West Virginia and Villanova.

Keys to the Game:

Virginia Tech needs to make their free throws. They cannot afford to give up ten points like they did to Quinnipiac.

They also need to focus on getting points in the paint. They cannot always rely on the three.

UConn needs a big game from Jerome Dyson who averages 17 points. They also have an edge of coming from the Big East in a league where it is anybody’s game.

For Virginia Tech to win they need to shoot at least 50% from the field, prevent UConn from second chance points and not turnover the ball.

The Hokies and Huskies face off Monday.

Valentines Day weekend represents the turning point in an up and down season for the Cincinnati Bearcats.  While you may have been spent the holiday enjoying company with a special someone and an expensive dinner, I was taking in the single life and watching as my Bearcats captured a signature road win versus Connecticut.

All the pre-game hype was about Hall of Fame Connecticut head coach Jim Calhoun, who was making his return from a three-week leave of absence due to health problems. The Huskies were under the microscope because of a mid-season slump, having dropped four out of their last five. This traditional powerhouse has not lived up to its billing with three future NBA draft picks currently on the team; Kemba Walker, Jerome Dyson and Stanley Robinson. Experts were discussing UConn’s likelihood of missing out on the tournament throughout the week.

But what about the Bearcats? The Huskies are America’s team but is there really that little interest in UC? Cincinnati is in the home stretch of their quest to make their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2005. Senior guard Deonta Vaughn has shouldered the burden of UC’s rebuilding process for four years; how can you not root for him to make his first appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Let me bring you up to speed on Cincinnati’s current tournament resume. The Bearcats have two quality wins against Maryland and Vanderbilt, both locks to make the field. They also beat bubble teams Notre Dame, South Florida and swept Connecticut.

Cincinnati (15-9, 6-6 Big East) is No. 52 in CollegeRPI.com and currently sits in the middle of a crowded, bubble heavy Big East. To this point in the season, UC has played average. It doesn’t have any terrible losses, just a couple bad ones against Seton Hall and St. John’s on the road. The main problem is they don’t have any signature wins versus top-25 opponents and are currently 2-6 on the road.

Saturday’s win is convincing to the selection committee because they swept a fellow bubble team and they did it on the road.  A lot of Cincinnati students had written them off prior to the game. They had dropped three of their last four games, but the Bearcats are not that far out of the field. The loss against Syracuse officially put the Bearcats on the outside looking in. There are still plenty of opportunities to play our way in, which the reason why the Bearcats made the move to the Big East.

The Bearcats have a huge match up on Tuesday, Feb. 16 at South Florida where they hope to knock them off for a second time. They have a chance to create some separation from the bubble teams in the conference. It is no longer a must win game because of the win at UConn. They then face Marquette at home, which is another bubble team, and UC has to protect their home court.  The biggest game left on UC’s schedule is home game on Mar. 2 against Villanova. The Bearcats can officially quiet all critics who say they are not worthy of being in the field of 65 with a win versus No. 4 Villanova.  Look for UC to split its remaining six games and be dancing come March.

Will it ever stop? Geno Auriemma surely hopes not.
The Huskies of Connecticut are known for nothing but success and it looks like their reputation will still live on. Tuesday night’s 80-47 rout of West Virginia proved that the Huskies can handle anyone, anytime, anywhere, but we all alreayd kew that. A pair of juniors, Sarah Miles and Liz Repella have been the backbone of the team providing proper “fire and lightning.”

Anyone: UCONN has handles the likes of Notre Dame, Duke and Rutgers over the course of their winning streak. However, this Mountaineer team had a great deal of faith that an upset would be forthcoming. West Virginia has broken out this season under the ingenious coahcing of Mike Carey. The Mountaineers came into the contest 20-2 with losses only to powerhouses ND and Ohio State. Their style of basketball has been fast paced and has strived on shut down defense.

Anytime: The Mountaineers were actually in this game. Trailing only by eight at halftime, the upset was brewing and the nation may have been watching this game intently. WVU closed the gap to within six with 17 minutes to play. UCONN is regularly a start to finish type team playing a complete game all the way through, even with backups getting big time minutes. However, tonight the Huskies were inadvertenly a second half team. A 24-5 run with just over 12 minutes to play did the Mountaineers in as there was no way WVU could keep up with Connecticuts own tag team of Maya Moore and Tina Charles.

Anywhere: Hartford, Connecticut is a sleep college town with a basketball arena that is anything but sleepy. The XL Center is a blackhole for opposing teams.

The Mountaineers have a grand opportunity in front of them to make this season count. With just three losses, WVU is already exceeding expectations. The Mountaineers remain on the road for a game against Providence on Saturday.

This is not a game the Mountaineers should be ashamed of, they need to bounce back and play the game they have been playing all season. It can still be a special year.

The first few weeks of the college basketball season have come and gone and a lot has been learned from watching these games. Check it out:

1.) The University of North Carolina (12-7) isn’t worthy of even being mentioned for the national championship. You would imagine that a team would want to defend their national championship, right? Not in UNC’s case. Losing their last three games, and four of their last five, The Tar heels have done one thing well all season: turn the ball over (a lot).

2.) Games have been much closer than they should be. St. Johns (12-7) last night had a lead going into half-time against Villanova (18-1). Nova rightfully thwarted St. John’s in the second half, but why was it even this close to begin with? Number-five Syracuse (19-1) squeezed out a tight one with a Marquette (11-8) team who has looked less than stellar all year. This next one is probably my favorite. Michigan State (17-3) beats Minnesota (12-7) by a free-throw. Yes, giving credit where credit is due, State was losing by eight at half-time and managed to rally back. Although these close games make for great television, it makes me wonder if true dominance has left the game.

3.) Being King-of-the-Hill is hard. Ten weeks into the season, we’ve had two different number-one ranked teams and it’ll be three on Monday morning. Kansas (18-1) road the momentum longest spending a solid eight weeks on top, but their loss to Tennessee (15-3) sent them down two spots and out the target on Texas’ (17-2) back. They didn’t fair as well as Kansas losing their number-one ranking after just two weeks. A few hours from now Kentucky (19-0), the sole undefeated team, will get their first shot at sitting on the throne.

4.) The ACC as a whole hasn’t been up to its normal excellence. Last week I wrote an article about each team from the ACC and within that week, the situation has become more interesting. If I told you that Maryland (13-5) was on top of the ACC and that UNC was second from the bottom, I wouldn’t believe me either. Maybe it’s more mind blowing that the Cavaliers of Virginia (12-5) have beaten a Georgia Tech (14-4) team that has steamrolled the likes of Duke (16-3) and Clemson (15-5) this season. What was thought to be a typical UNC-Duke year has become more atypical then years passed.

5.) The most important thing we’ve learned from this season: There’s a reason we play the game.

Despite everything that we have learned from this season, questions are still being raised. Will UNC get back to contending form? Will the top-25 ever look relatively similar again two weeks in a row? But what I’m still trying to figure out is the following:

Why hasn’t Kentucky been the number one seed yet?

I’ll start by defending the rankings. There was multiple undefeated teams like Texas, Kansas, Syracuse and Villanova. There was also many strong one loss teams like Michigan State, Tennessee and Duke. Also, maybe playing in the SEC isn’t the best conference to play for, but when a team has a “W19″ in their current streak column, it means something.

Now I’ll talk about why the Cats should have been placed on top since the season’s beginning. Kentucky has the best player in the nation in John Wall taking the ball up court. What makes this team special is that Wall also averages 6.7 assists per game. Forward DeMarcus Cousins averages a smooth 15.4 ppg and 9.5 rebounds. Eric Bledsoe and Patrick Patterson make it four Wildcats with an average of 10 points or more. The Wildcats make it almost impossible to stop them averaging 83.2 ppg. More impressive is the mere 65.6 points against per game. That has to be intimidating walking into Rupp Arena knowing that in 19 games, the Wildcats have won by a 17.6 points average. However, all the great game planning requires great coaching.

John Calipari is truly defining himself as the best active coach in college basketball. He has a 416-137 overall record and after all the doubt about not being able to coach outside Conference USA, he’s just led the Wildcats to the number one spot overall in 2010. Yes, his NBA stint with the New Jersey Nets was as bad as dropping a full carton of eggs, but this guy knows how to motivate young players. Derreck Rose, Tyreke Evans and now John Wall are three “one-and-done” players to have been coached by Calipari and unlikely than any other situation, they play with pride for the one season. The one thing that I love about Calipari is that his team never plays to the level of their opponent. When they’re supposed to win big, they beat Hartford (5-15) by 43. When faced with SEC rival Arkansas (8-1), Kentucky made it look like a close game winning by 31.

It’s those big games that define a team as the number-one overall. They won 64-61 over a hot UCONN (13-6) team and going into The Swamp to play the Florida Gators (14-5) and going home a 12 point winner is rather defining. This team can flat out play. If you’re still not convinced that the Kentucky Wildcats should be number one, you should probably re-evaluate the way you watch the game.

If I were asked, I’d say their best chance to lose the rest of the season is February 27th when they travel to Knoxville to take on Tennessee. Who knows, maybe a week earlier on February 20th, the Vanderbilt Commodores (15-3) can surprise the Cats in Nashville. But like I just said:

It’s only a chance.