Fitch leads All-Glue Team

Coaches love 'em, but fans barely notice 'em. They rarely make all-this or all-that teams, but their schools can't win without 'em. To explain their importance you have to resort to clichés, like how they do all the little things that don't show up on the stat sheet and always take things one game at a time. They're called Glue Guys because they make their teams stick together.

Simply put, a Glue Guy is someone who's versatile, tough, smart, unselfish -- but not a star. He's capable of scoring, but he only does so when circumstances require. He often has an unusual skill, like a guard who rebounds or a big man who shoots.

We at Sports Illustrated first weighed in on the notion of Glue Guys three years ago for our NCAA tournament preview issue. These players are critical to postseason success, but they usually go unsung. In an effort to sing their praises, I herewith present my third annual Ricky Moore All-Glue Team, so named for the former UConn guard who best embodied the properties of adhesion.

Gerald Fitch, G, Kentucky (captain). At 6-foot-3, 188 pounds, Fitch gives credibility to the claim made by my guy Brooks Downing, the UK sports information director, who calls Fitch pound-for-pound the nation's best rebounder. In league games Fitch leads the Cats in rebounding (6.3 per game) and is second in scoring (11.2), and he's ninth in the SEC in steals. When Keith Bogans was mired in a shooting slump, Fitch helped Kentucky by tossing in points. When Bogans had it going against Florida Tuesday night, Fitch was content to score just two points and contribute six boards, two assists and two steals. That's called stickin' it to 'em.

Dahntay Jones, G, Duke. The transfer from Rutgers lit up the competition at the USA Basketball trials in Colorado Springs last summer, but for much of this season he has been tentative to shoot. However, he showed his real worth to this team two weeks ago. First, he shut down Juan Dixon in the Blue Devils' thrashing of Maryland, and then when his teammates were listless two days later against Wake Forest, Jones exploded for a season-high 22 points. If Jones continues to score, Duke will be even more dangerous offensively (a scary thought considering it already leads the nation in scoring). If he does nothing else the rest of the season but shut down the opponent's best perimeter player, that will be more than enough.

Billy Knight, G, UCLA. Knight warrants inclusion for the versatility he's shown in the Bruins' backcourt. He's primarily a shooter (witness his 44.4 percent shooting from 3-point range, sixth best in the Pac-10), but he has had to play a lot of point guard to spell 6-6 freshman Cedric Bozeman, who still has a long way to go before mastering the position. A fifth-year senior, Knight also brings maturity and consistency to a ballclub that is woefully lacking in both departments.

Byron Mouton, F, Maryland. There's a subtle difference between being a Glue Guy and a Weak Link, and while there seems to be some debate in Mouton's case, I'm going with the sticky stuff. Mouton is the classic jack of all trades, master of none, but the senior captain provides a steadying hand and plenty of toughness. He's third on the team in steals and fourth in scoring, rebounding and assists.

Jarrad Odle, F, Indiana. The 6-8 senior has become a full-time starter after logging just one start before this season. Odle is the Hoosiers' second-leading rebounder (6.9 average) and third-leading scorer (10.0) in Big Ten play. His best contribution is the way he keeps opposing defenses honest, which hurts their ability to focus solely on Jared Jeffries in the frontcourt.

Antoine Pettway, G, Alabama (sixth man). Did I mention Glue Guys are smart? Pettway, the son of a high school coach, came to 'Bama on an academic grant and was invited last season to join the team as a walk-on. When Pettway was surprisingly effective, coach Mark Gottfried did the smart thing and awarded Pettway an athletic scholarship. Pettway gives the Tide defensive toughness and a soft touch (58.6 percent FG, 48.5 percent 3-point FG). He came off the bench last week to score 13 points in 32 minutes in Alabama's win at Kentucky.

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