Roundball Chatter
Each week I'll look at the game I love, college basketball:
• Florida State comes into this weekend's showdown against Duke with a 13-2 record. The two losses came against Pittsburgh and Northwestern. While the record is impressive, the Seminoles have a lot of road tests left. Games at Miami, Clemson, Wake Forest, Boston College and Duke will determine if Florida State makes it to the big dance.
• South Florida is becoming transfer haven. Gus Gilchrist and Mike Mercer joined the team recently (though Mercer was injured and lost for the season. Now the team has added guard Anthony Crater. He was granted a transfer release from Ohio State after playing 10 games with the Buckeyes this season. The 6-1 Crater will sit out the rest of this season and have two-and-a-half years of eligibility remaining. He'll become eligible as a sophomore at the end of the first semester on Dec. 12, 2009.
• UNLV and BYU look like the top teams in the Mountain West. Keep an eye on Utah to make a run. The Utes had a big win over Gonzaga and a 30-point blowout over LSU. Jim Boylen's club has really improved ...remember the early loss to Southwest Baptist?
• Xavier could be tested January 15 when it faces Rhode Island. Jimmy Baron can flat out shoot from long distance and the Rams have played a pretty good schedule. There was the three-point loss to Duke ...plus defeats against Villanova, Oklahoma State and Providence. The Rams beat Penn State and VCU this season.
• Bill Self's young Jayhawks have faced a rugged non-league schedule with the latest coming against Michigan St. Playing the likes of Syracuse, Tennessee, Arizona, Temple, New Mexico State and Washington will help Kansas in Big 12 play.
• USC has been on a rollercoaster ride this season. Tim Floyd's team won by 21 at Oregon and beat Georgia Tech. There was the one-point loss to Oklahoma. On the flip side were setbacks against Oregon State and Seton Hall. Throw the record out this weekend because the Trojans meet rival UCLA. This rivalry brings out the best in the Trojans and this should be an intense showdown.
• Billy Donovan's team has quietly put together a seven-game win streak heading into SEC play. Nick Calathes continues to impress as the Gators build momentum.
• Notre Dame showed how wacky the Big East is. After a loss to St Johns, the Irish beat Georgetown. Luke Harangody and Kyle McAlarney will lead Notre Dame to plenty of wins.
• N.C. State has lost three games by a total of 10 points. Now the Wolfpack can prove something when it faces unbeaten Clemson this weekend.
