Weekend links: Picks in ACC, Big East, Big Ten

Posted: Sunday, October 26, 2008 8:33 PM
Filed Under: Links roundups

The weekend links, starting with picks to win in the Big East, ACC and Big Ten.

• Big East media members tabbed UConn as the league favorite, followed by Louisville, Pittsburgh and Notre Dame. The Huskies received nine first-place votes, while the Cards and Panthers nabbed three. Seems like one of those years when the conference places multiple teams in the Final Four.
• North Carolina was the unanimous pick to win the ACC, followed by Duke, Wake Forest and Miami.
• Big Ten writers think Purdue’s the team to beat, with Michigan State right on its heels. It's tough to overlook the Boilermakers, who return all five starters. SI.com’s Luke Winn thinks they’re a darkhorse Final Four team.
• With four-year starter Jamar Butler gone, Thad Matta is desperate for some “consistency” at the guard spot. Junior college transfer Jeremie Simmons, freshman Anthony Carter and junior P.J. Hill are vying for playing time, but the Big Ten Geeks can’t see any way around the Buckeyes having turnover problems.
• Bill Self isn’t sure who’s going to start for Kansas, at least among his newcomers. It won’t be junior college transfer Mario Little, who’s out for about a month due to a stress fracture in his lower left leg.
• No Derrick Rose, no Chris Douglas-Roberts. So who will be Memphis’ go-to guy?
• Finally, Jerry Tarkanian posted another entertaining blog. This one focused on the would-be dynasty UNLV missed out on when Tark was ousted in Vegas. He says everyone in college hoops, including Jason Kidd and Shawn Kemp, wanted to be a Runnin’ Reb.

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