College Hoops: Mid Season Awards and Observations

Do not let the 13 point victory fool you. Duke struggled mightily against an excellent N.C. State team last night. The Wolfpack are well balanced, can play well inside and outside, are well coached, play food defense, take care of the ball, and have an emerging star in Cedric Simmons from Brunswick County, North Carolina, home of the Villages of Goose Marsh, a Dilsheimer Community coming in Summer 2006. The game was tied at 65 and Duke was really grasping for straws when unsung hero Sean Dockery hit a huge three then had a key rebound and assist on the next play as Duke went up 71-65 and did not look back, winning 81-68. If Simmons continues to develop and attacks the basket the way the Cookie Monster attacked a sugar cookie, Sendek's crew will be an extremely tough out in March, and could make a run all the way to Indianapolis. This Duke team, despite being 17-0, 5-0 in the ACC, really has to work to win each game, so going undefeated is not a realistic goal (nor should it be). Look for Duke to go down to Boston College at Chestnut Hill on February 1st. Despite underachieving so far this year, BC has the talent and the size to take the Devils down at home.

Since we are about half way through the season, I thought it was a good time to reflect on the season to date...

First Team All-Dils:

1. J.J. Redick. Also Player of the Year to Date. This guy is simply as unstoppable as Jack Bauer in '24', averaging 26 points a game despite having every conceivable defense thrown at him. He plays 40 minutes a game and never gets tired, provides emotional leadership, has a good all around offensive game now that he is driving to the hoop and also making several great passes a game, and is playing solid defense. This is a nobrainer pick, no offense to Adam Morrison. Look for the Comcast Center to go nuts in its last chance to rattle J.J.'s cage in a Duke uniform on February 11th.
2. Adam Morrison. Leading scorer in the country, can do it all offensively, and challenges Jake Plummer for best porno look by an athlete.
3. Marco Killingsworth. He has probably not been as consistently dominant as Shelden Williams this season, but he dominated head to head against him, was unbelievable against Illinois, and is averaging over 20 and 7 a night.
4. Randy Foye. Wow. I would have guessed Allen Ray would have stepped up as the star as Villanova when Sumpter went down, proving, as always, I have no idea what I am talking about. Foye has been sensational all year long, averaging more than 20 points, 5 boards and 3 assists per game for the Cats.
5. Dee Brown. Just spectaular all around player who is holding Illini together after losing Head and Williams last year.

Second Team All-Dils:

1. Shelden Williams, Duke
2. Nick Fazekas, Nevada
3. Glen Davis, LSU
4. Steve Smith, LaSalle
5. Rodney Carney, Memphis

Defensive Player of the Year: Not sure, but I know it is not Shelden Williams, and I am tired of hearing that it should be. I love Shelden, he is a great player, and his coming back to school for his senior season gives Duke a chance at the National Championship, but he has gotten spanked both times he has gone up against a big time offensive player, first by Killingsworth and then by Simmons, both who had career nights against Shelden. You cannot give up multiple career nights to the guys you guard and be National Defensive Player of the Year. He is a great off ball defender and the best shot blocker in the country, but he is not the best defensive player in the land.

Most Underrated Player in the Country: Brad Buckman, Texas. I am telling you from watching this team, this team can play with anyone in the country with him in th elineup. If he is hurt in March, Texas has little to no shot of getting out of the second round. He is just one of those guys who does all the little things, has superb leadership skills, makes everyone around him better, and someone to whome everyone looks up to. Every team could use a Brad Buckman. Runner up for this award is Sean Dockery of Duke. He gets no pub, but there are multiple games this year that Duke loses without him.

Overrated Teams:

1. Boston College. They have played poorly all year. Can they use 2/1 matchup with Duke to get well quickly
2. Louisville. Pitino is right, they are terrible
3. How about North Carolina, Kentucky, and Kansas, the three winningest programs of all time, strugging the same year....
4. Syracuse

Teams that could Surprise in March:

1. Michigan St. This seems like a typical year (like last year) where they plod along all season, look vulnerable, and then make a run in the tournamanet. They have the talent, experience, coaching (sorry, Dave Kay) to go a long way in March
2. Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Same cast back this year with new coach. These guys can do it again.
3. Buffalo. Just missed the tourney last year, lost their star in Turner Battle to graduation, and now is playing even better (this is a Ewing Theory example, to use one of the Sports Guy's terms)
4. Old Dominion. They are not playing as well as they should be lately, but if they can gel, they can win in March.
5. Northern Iowa
6. Would have had Air Force on here before they hiccuped against Wyoming. I guess I will replace them with Stitzer's San Diego St. squad (since his St. John's team, depite beating Louisville, is going nowhere)
7. Wichita St.

National Coach of the Year: Bruce Pearl, Tennessee. This guy has come in and given the Vols instant credibility, including a road win at Texas (albeith without the aforementioned Buckman) and were up at the half last night at Memphis. He will be a force with that program quickly! Runner up goes to Herb Sendek, who has the Wolfpack playing great without Julius Hodge this year, could have won at Cameron last night, and will make a run in March.

That is all for now, I look forward to your reactions.