Roundball Chatter
Every Friday I will give my thoughts on the game I love, basketball.
•I really love the Bracket Busters event. This year's games, scheduled for February 20-21, 2009, will feature 102 teams from 18 different Division I conferences. It gives the little guy another shot of improving its RPI by facing an additional quality non-league opponent. It also helps future schedules as the home teams in this year's event have to give a return game on the road of this opponent in November or December of 2009. This season's field includes Davidson, led by All-America guard Stephen Curry; San Diego, a surprise winner over Connecticut in last year's NCAA tournament; Jim Larranaga's George Mason squad; plus Butler, Utah State, Drake, Nevada, Creighton, Southern Illinois and many more talented teams.
•Just a subtle reminder & we are little more than a month away from Midnight Madness. We are little more than six months away from Selection Sunday, when the field of 65 will be set. I can't wait for the season to tip off, baby!
•It's all in the family, baby. Former Bradley star Hersey Hawkins, who ranked among my top 50 players in my upcoming book chronicling the top 50 players and moments during my tenure at ESPN-ABC, has a son going to college next year. 6-2 guard Corey Hawkins has committed to Arizona State. You know Herb Sendek had to be thrilled with that decision.
•Tom Crean's recruiting ability has already paid dividends at Indiana. The latest addition to the class of 2009 is 6-8 forward Christian Watford from Alabama. Crean has added a solid nucleus for the future already, though Hoosiers fans need to be patient this season following a tremendous turnover on the roster.
•Massachusetts officially added 6-10 forward-center Hashim Bailey. He transferred to Amherst, where his assistant coach last year was current Minutemen coach Derek Kellogg. Bailey should provide help up front in the future.
•New Providence coach Keno Davis clearly used his Midwest connections when he got a commitment from 6-3 guard Duke Mondy out of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Among the schools interested in Mondy's services was Davis' former employer, Drake.
•How about a basketball tournament in Cancun, Mexico around Thanksgiving time? New Mexico, Vanderbilt, Drake and Virginia Commonwealth are among the teams in the field for this event.
