ESPN.com - What's hot, not for college hoops

ESPN.com: Page 2

Tuesday, November 12, 2002
Updated: November 14, 12:54 PM ET
What's hot, not for college hoops

By Dan Shanoff
Page 2 columnist

As the new college hoops season tips off (beginning Thursday and Friday with the ATT Wireless Classic in New York), it becomes increasingly important to be able to add more value to your at-work lunchtime debates than "Hey, I really like that Arizona." Your preparation must include the scoop on the hottest storylines, names and trends. Heaven forbid you mistakenly reference "Jason Williams" and risk social ostracism.

Study the 2002-03 college hoops "What's Hot, What's Not" List below, then settle back for a season of Big Mondays, climb aboard your favorite barstool, dive into a debate among co-workers, or -- as always the tradition of the Page 2 "What's Hot, What's Not" List -- impress your significant other during a romantic dinner date:

What's Hot, What's Not in college basketball 2002-03
Category	Hot	Not
Hairstyle	Keep it cropped	Wear it like Dickau
Needs more pub	David Lee (Florida)	Chris Duhon (Duke)
Jersey the cool people are wearing	"Syracuse 15" (Carmelo Anthony)	"Illinois 34" (Brian Cook)
Most talent in Milwaukee	Dwyane Wade (Marquette)	Ray Allen (Bucks)
Bandwagon	Pittsburgh to do damage	Maryland to repeat
Player of the Year candidate	Hollis Price (Oklahoma)	Erwin Dudley (Alabama)
Mighty mite	Brandin Knight (Pittsburgh)	Andre Barrett (Seton Hall)
Matt Brust Hasn't-He- Been-In-College- Forever? Award	Jason Gardner (Arizona)	Jason Kapono (UCLA)
Freshman not named Carmelo Anthony	Raymond Felton (UNC)	Lenny Cooke (NBA washout)
On-court style statement	Wristbands	Headbands
Cinderella	Pepperdine	Gonzaga
Skill to show NBA scouts	Making the smart pass	Midrange jumpers
Conference	Big 12	C-USA
Luke in Oregon	Ridnour	Jackson
Venue	Cintas Center (Xavier)	The Pyramid (Memphis, Tenn.)
Sleeper State	Ball State	Kent State
RPI factor	Strength of conference	Quality losses
Telegenic coach	Billy Donovan (Florida)	Rick Pitino (Louisville)
Underclassmen NBA-readiness	Ricky Paulding (Missouri)	James White (Florida)
Mr. Assist	Steve Blake (Maryland)	T.J. Ford (Texas)
Bobby Knight's rep	Still can't win in Tourney	Program rebuilder
Top NBA prospect	Christian Drejer (Florida)	Dahntay Jones (Duke)
Key to deep Tourney run	Go-to shooting guard	Stingy defense
In the paint	Offensive rebounders (like Georgetown's Michael Sweetney)	Plodding space-eaters (like Western Kentucky's Chris Marcus)
Best rivalry	Kansas-Oklahoma	Duke-Maryland
Final Four	Arizona, UConn, Florida, Xavier	Alabama, Duke, Kansas, Maryland

Dan Shanoff is a columnist for Page 2. His "What's Hot, What's Not" trend-spotting list appears Thursdays. Got inside scoop on an up-and-coming trend? Want to declare something passé? Send this glimpse of your hipness to hotnotlist@yahoo.com.