The College Basketball Primer...part tres.



Hello, my name is The Rabbi, video editor of On The Sportslines. Welcome back to the most comprehensive review of the 2011 college basketball season. We gave the East Coast their due on Wednesday, we went to the Midwest and Big 12 yesterday, and today, we tackle the south. We double up today and look at the ACC and SEC. Due to length of time, we will try to make everything a little more concise, and some teams may not get their true due. All I have to say is this: too bad. Next time get more quality wins.

We start with the SEC, which may have a lot of good teams, but not one dominant team. Like a year ago, there is a beauty division (the East), and the Beast division (the West). We'll start with the West.

The SEC West, the other guys.

Auburn just hasn't been a basketball power, and with 9 wins this year, it's really no surprise. LSU has lost 8 in a row as of this writing, and lost by 38 to start their streak. Mississippi St was extremely close to an SEC tourney victory in 2010, but with their 13-12 overall record, and only one significant victory against a tourney team (Florida) puts them in a corner to have to win the SEC tourney. Arkansas has a strength of schedule and RPI in the hundred's, which is a combo that gets you a one way ticket to the NIT. Ole Miss is only 5-6 in conference, but could make that late run if they have more wins like the one they had over Kentucky to start February. And now, the only team important enough for a paragraph....

Alabama (16-8, 8-2, RPI 87, Best win Jan 18 Vs. Kentucky 68-66, Worst Loss Nov 22 Vs. St Peter's 50-49)

Not great, but they have had an amazing in-conference season. That could actually sneak them into the tourney. Both of their conference losses were by 5 or less, and this is the time of the season where people pay attention. Play well late in the year, and they will remember your team and almost ignore a slow start. The Crimson Tide have two 15+ ppg scorers in JaMychal Green and Tony Mitchell. However, this team still has a long way to go to be one of 68. They still have a game in Florida left, and they also will be expected to at least win one or two in the SEC tourney, which will get them to at least the semifinals.

And now the SEC East, which is a conference that has 5 tournament hopefuls, and South Carolina. The Gamecocks have been in a decent amount of games, and have actually won at Florida. However, losing 6 of their last 7 games have almost guaranteed that the SEC East will not ALL go to the tourney. But these 5 teams might.

Georgia (17-8, 6-5, RPI 41, Best win Jan 8 Vs. Kentucky 77-70, Worst Loss Jan 18 Vs Tenn 59-57)

This team actually looks better than their resume indicates. Losses on Nov 20 and 25 at Notre Dame and Temple are the only blemishes on their non conference resume. Trey Thompkins, Travis Leslie, and Gerald Robinson are still juniors, meaning they may have the experience but they may have arrived on the main stage a year early. Fun fact about the Bulldogs: All their losses have been by single digits except one, a 2 OT game vs Florida where they lost by 13. Good resume profile.

Tennessee (16-10, 6-5, RPI 25, Best win Dec 11 V Pitt 83-76, Worst Loss Dec 31 V College Of Charleston 91-78)

This team should NOT be a tourney team, however, look at the victories! The Pitt game which was in Pittsburgh, Villanova at a neutral site, Memphis (who's been fighting tooth and nail themselves for a spot), and a win at Georgia. Led by the experience of Scotty Hopson and the explosiveness of Tobias Harris, the Vols are a team that have gotten past the Bruce Pearl suspension in season and could be a dangerous team to get out in the NCAA tourney. However, a win against Vanderbilt or in their season finale against Kentucky could render their SEC tourney performance meaningless. Speaking of those Cats....

Kentucky (18-7, 6-5, RPI 14, Best win Dec 31 At Louisville 78-63, Worst Loss Feb 1 At Ole Miss 71-69)

They looked a little better before the conference season, but they are still Sweet 16 material. Terrence Jones and Brevin Knight are Diaper Dandies (sorry Dickie V); they are PERFECT fits for the John Calipari system. However, the Cats do show their youth in their inability to win conference games on the road. They have only won once on the road, and that was against the bottom feeding Gamecocks. All of a sudden, a team that bullied the SEC last year is sort of being taken down to size for a little bit.

Vanderbilt (19-6, 7-4, RPI 15, Best win Jan 22 Vs St Mary's 89-70, Worst Loss Jan 8 At South Carolina 83-75 (OT)

When you watch them on TV, you can see the reason why Kevin Stallings' program has remained on top over the last few years. Winners of 7 of their last 9, the Commodores are a much better team that only had one truly legitimate non conference win (although that was UNC), and now may be more than just an Elite 8 team, they are a dark horse final 4 candidate. John Jenkins is almost a 20 ppg sophomore setting up a future run of SEC dominance (or bad NBA early pro experience), and now Vandy may truly be the best of the SEC bunch. They'll be playing this next team to close their season....

Florida (20-5, 9-2, RPI 12, Best Win Feb 1 Vs Vanderbilt 65-61 (OT), Worst Loss Dec 20 Vs Jacksonville 71-68 (OT)

They look a lot better than the team that lost to UCF and Jacksonville in 2010. Now, the Gators are FINALLY in their second reloading since the back to back championships of '06 and '07. Florida doesn't have a star, they have 4 starters that average double digits. They don't scare you when you see them to start, but when you play them, you worry big time. Others should worry Florida has hit their stride because they have won 10 out of their last 12.

Now to the ACC....can you say top heavy? Unlike previous years, after Duke and UNC, there's no real #3.

The Bottom Half

Wake Forest is in major rebuilding mode because they've only beaten 3 major conference teams all season. You might hear the name Glen Rice Jr. in future seasons, but he and Georgia Tech are on the sidelines right now. Despite winning At Virginia Tech in their first conference game, the Virginia Cavaliers still find themselves 3-8 in conference. North Carolina State is gonna watch their coach Sidney Lowe go to the unemployment line after on and off the court problems. Miami (FL) has won 4 of their last 5, but they lost 6 of 7 before and have no legit non conference victories. Maryland might get back into the fold, but the preseason NIT showed their inexperience, and sadly that was their best chance to get a better profile out of conference.

6. Clemson (17-9, 6-6, RealtimeRPI.com RPI 79, Best Win Jan 29 Vs Florida St. 62-44, Worst Loss Feb 17 At NC State 69-61)

That loss on Feb 17th may have been a killer too. The Tigers were expected to be around during the season, and they've been...well, around. They have a better conference record than Miami and Maryland, but they also are a team that has few legit non conference victories with Seton Hall the best of them. If Clemson wants to make another big dance, Senior Jerai Grant will have to step up and they may need to run the table to Greensboro where the ACC tournament will take place. That includes beating Duke at Cameron Indoor.

5. Boston College (16-9, 6-5, RPI 42, Best win Nov 25 Vs Texas a&m 67-65, Worst Loss Feb 1 Vs UNC 106-74)

There may not be a worse home loss this season than that aforementioned monstrosity of a game on Feb 1. Remember when I said the move to 68 would boost some crappy profiles? Here's an example. The Eagles, who have lost games non conference to Yale and Harvard, are a projected NCAA tournament team, and lord I don't know why. Guard Reggie Jackson (no relation to Mr. October) has averaged 18.5 points a game. This team needs that "wow win" to make me believe they're a tournament team, even if they have to wait till mid March to do it.

4. Virginia Tech (17-7, 7-4, RPI 57, Best Win Jan 20 At Maryland 74-57, Worst Loss Dec 5 Vs. Virginia 57-54)

There was a LOT of hype going into this team into the season. Everybody said that Seth Greenberg would have no worries about being considered from the bubble, like they had over the last few years. Well....it may happen again. The non conference schedule was a killer for this team as the Hokies whiffed against Kansas St, UNLV, and Purdue (first two losses don't look good right now). The Hokies have rebounded with a very good conference season, and their most impressive game may have been a loss they had by 3 at Chapel Hill in January. However, this Hokie team may need that big win, like they've had in years past, to make them one of 68.

3. Florida St (18-7, 8-3, RPI 51, Best win Jan 12 Vs. Duke 66-61, Worst Loss Jan 3 At Auburn 65-60).

The ultimate "yeah, but team". As much as I like Junior Chris Singleton, the rest of the team has made what could easily be the third best in the ACC a roller coaster. The Seminoles have had a good conference season, yeah but their best road victory was against Miami. FSU has to be the 3rd best team in conference, yeah but what 3rd best team in the ACC in previous years has not had an RPI over 50. I like the Seminoles, and barring major late season stumbles, we'll see them in the tournament, but anybody not named UNC or Duke has yet to show me signs that they can even win a game in the NCAA's.

2. North Carolina (19-6, 9-2, RPI 13, Best win Feb 6 Vs. Florida St 89-69, Worst Loss Jan 16 At Georgia Tech 78-58)

All the hype (and the preseason Top 10 ranking) focused on the Preseason All American Harrison Barnes. Although Barnes has performed like a true superstar, we're being proved that NO Freshman should be considered one of the top 10 players in the country. He hadn't played a game in college! Tyler Zeller is surprisingly the team leader in ppg this season, so UNC has truly been a team. Unfortunately, they lost two games in the beginning of the season at the Puerto Rico Tip Off to wear off many good preseason vibes. The Heels have only lost 4 games since then, but North Carolina has played a little below expectations as of late. However, a Top 4 seed still awaits them in March.

1. Duke (24-2, 11-1, RPI 6, Best Win Feb 9 V. UNC 79-73, Worst Loss Jan 30 At St John's 93-78)

Nolan Smith has played like the leader of the Blue Devils and is the front runner for ACC player of the year, but HOW good would this team be with super Frosh Kyrie Irving? After Duke's prize recruit went down in Mid December, invincible Duke was just very good Duke. In their loss to Florida St, the Blue Devils learned sometimes they'll get knocked down with this team's makeup in a tough game. Their loss to St. John's proved a lot more though. It showed to the Tourney committee, that the Devils are a strong #2 seed rather than the last #1 seed they were a year ago. There is some good though; Duke has blazed through who they should beat at many times this year, although they have 2 road tests coming up: Va Tech and UNC on consecutive Saturdays.

That does it, Part 4 will focus on the tens. The Big 10 and Pac 10. Till then, enjoy your Saturday Basketball slate.