Get your links out
Posted: Tuesday, October 23, 2007 3:58 PM
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Links roundups
Need your fill of college hoops news? Of course you do…
“North Carolina and the rest of us,” seems a little overdone, but Clemson coach Oliver Purnell isn’t far off. The Tar Heels, who return four starters and are msnbc.com’s pick to win the men’s NCAA Tournament, are the unanimous media selection to win the ACC Conference. UNC shared the regular-season crown with Virginia last season and won conference tournament, too. The rest of the ACC – Duke, N.C. State, Clemson, among others – won’t roll over, though.
Who thought they’d see the day when big-time recruits turned down Duke and North Carolina?
If UCLA is this physical in practice, how will the Bruins be against opponents? I can’t be the only one who wishes Ben Howland’s team would play a little less physical (read: non-stop hand checking and fouling) for the good of an enjoyable game. But hey, if it gets you to back-to-back Final Fours, I guess you stick with it…
Taj Gibson had to do it all inside for USC last season. Not so this year? Gibson would like to think so.
It’s a sad day for the media when Joey Dorsey is focused on playing basketball and not trash talking. Good for the Tigers, though. That meeting against Greg Oden and Ohio State will probably be on his mind all season.
Billy Gillispie told a Kentucky crowd that the ‘Cats’ schedule is “absolutely ridiculous.” He later said he was joking, but it seems Gillispie is concerned about how his young team will play against non-conference foes like North Carolina, Indiana, Louisville and at Houston. He wouldn’t confirm a radio report that Kentucky wanted to remove the Houston game from the schedule, though. I wouldn’t blame Gillispie for trying, either. The Cougars won’t be a pushover at home.
We knew exactly what Florida had last season – the best starting five in college hoops. Billy Donovan’s new task? Finding the right mix to replace that starting five (and super sub Chris Richard) with one of the top recruiting classes in the nation and junior guard Walter Hodge. That could mean playing more guard-oriented lineups.
UConn missed the NVAA Tournament for the first time in forever last season (actually 2001, it just seemed like forever). Jim Calhoun’s team could play defense, it just couldn’t score. The Huskies have to push the pace more this season, which could bode well for junior guard Craig Austrie, provided the offseason work pays off.
As a guy who never liked Aaron Gray, I’m all for Pittsburgh using a 6-7 starting center. It’ll make it easier those guards and Sam Young to run.
Some good news for Kansas: Brandon Rush has been cleared to practice full speed, but no contact yet. Still unlikely to play earlier than Dec. 1, though.
