This is the point in the season when I, as the Power Rankings guy, feel marginalized. All anyone wants to talk about is seeds, seeds, seeds. So if you can, pretend that this is my elaborate S-curve through the top four lines of the bracket. And if that's not possible, then just bear with me and try to enjoy the blurbs: these are the final Power Rankings of 2007-08. By the time the major-conference tourneys begin next week, I'll have moved on to blogging ...
| NCAA Basketball Power Rankings |
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Bruins coach Ben Howland told me last week that, when you watch sophomore Russell Westbrook approach some of his famous, open-court dunks, "it's like he's sprinting and elevating at the same time." Perhaps Westbrook's over-eagerness can be explained by the fact that he didn't jam for the first time until his senior year at Leuzinger High in Lawndale, Calif., after a five-inch growth spurt brought him to 6-foot-3. Now UCLA's starting two-guard -- who's averaging 12.4 points and 4.6 rebounds -- is the college king of YouTube, dunking at every opportunity. As Bruins point guard Darren Collison said of Westbrook (and I used this quote in this week's Sports Illustrated), "Even in the mornings, when most people don't feel like jumping, he's doing windmills when he gets out of bed."
Next up: 3/6 vs. Stanford, Pac-10 tournament |
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Given that the Vols clinched the SEC championship outright on Wednesday, will there be a run on orange-and-white striped pants in the student bookstore today? One reader from UT alerted us to the fact that the Ray Mears-era throwback warmups from this week's Style Archive can actually be had for $69.99. That price might be a tad high for something that can't reasonably be worn outside the privacy of one's own home, but it's significantly cheaper than the $199.99 replica Bruce Pearl blazer. Paul Thomas, an orthopedic surgeon in Knoxville, is responsible for the clothing line that made the orange coat available to the masses. He recently told the AP, "I see an orange blazer at a basketball game it's the equivalent to me of watching the football team run through the power 'T'. It gives you chill bumps." Chill bumps!
Next up: 3/9 vs. South Carolina, SEC tournament
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Joey Dorsey, and not free-throw shooting, might turn out to be the Tigers' biggest question mark as they make their national title run. The 6-9 senior vowed to lead the nation in rebounding this season, and had 14 double-digit rebounding games before Valentine's Day, but has averaged just 5.5 boards per game since. The Commercial Appeal said that that Dorsey hasn't been talking to the press since early February, and that even puffing out his 'fro -- a la Ben Wallace, whose number Dorsey wears -- failed to change his fortunes on Saturday against Southern Miss (six boards, three turnovers). I still think Memphis is good enough to make the Final Four with Dorsey putting in mediocre performances, but in a showdown with someone like Kevin Love or Tyler Hansbrough in San Antonio, the Tigers can't afford to have their low-post beast be a non-factor. John Calipari best try every motivational trick in the book between now and April.
Next up: 3/8 vs. UAB; C-USA tournament
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This week I took on Grant Wahl in a Hansbrough-versus-Beasley Player of the Year debate on FanNation (it's actually still in progress). My side -- I took Beasley, mostly just to be the Devil's Advocate -- is winning the vote, but I should make it clear that if the 'Cats miss the NCAA tournament, that takes B-Easy out of the running. His candidacy is based entirely on vastly superior individual statistics, but the POY award simply can't go to someone in the NIT. Pyscho T should carry the real-life votes for the Naismith and Wooden, but if he somehow doesn't win, he can at least take solace in the fact that: 1) he's got Beasley beat in SI covers two to zero, and 2) his team is about 50 times more of a national title contender than K-State is.
Next up: 3/8 at Duke, ACC tournament
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Thanks, 'Horns! The Rankings went out on a limb to put you No. 1 last week. You repaid that favor by losing the the next time you took the floor -- and allowing UCLA to take over the No. 1 seed you had owned in nearly every bracket projection. The bright side in the UT camp is that the first wave of "Durant-Influenced" recruits is rolling in: On Tuesday, the nation's fifth-ranked sophomore, 6-8 Tristan Thompson of St. Benedict's Prep in Newark, N.J., committed to the 'Horns. His AAU coach told the Austin Statesman that Thompson, in addition to being impressed with coaches Rodney Terry and Rick Barnes, is "a big Kevin Durant fan." The fact that Durant, the likely NBA Rookie of the Year, continues to be seen at Texas games, as well as participate in phone chats with announcers during 'Horns telecasts, gives a huge boost to their profile amongst high-schoolers.
Next up: 3/9 vs. Oklahoma State, Big 12 tournament
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