Bruce Thorson/US Presswire

Nebraska's win over No. 16 Oregon was its second over a ranked opponent under coach Doc Sadler.

Player of the Week: Robert Vaden, UAB

By Andy Katz

Last week: 33 points on 10-for-18 shooting (7-for-11 from 3-point range), with three assists and four steals in a 79-76 win at Kentucky

In the preseason, UAB coach Mike Davis said he had one of the top shooters in the country in Robert Vaden. He said Vaden was playing sensationally, and he anticipated a monster season. Vaden had been solid early on this season, but he didn't have that All American type game. Until Saturday at Louisville.

Against Kentucky, Vaden had one of those Kevin Durant-like games from a season ago. Vaden was absolutely sensational in scoring a career-high 33 points to lead UAB to a 79-76 victory over the Wildcats. Vaden's second half (in which he scored 28 points) was nearly perfect. He went 10-for-18 from the field, 7-for-11 on 3s (and at least one of those was way, way deep) and 6-for-6 from the free-throw line, and he had four steals.

Vaden has had a few impressive outings, scoring 25 points against Jacksonville and 21 in a loss to Rhode Island. But none of those games held the same importance as Saturday's win over Kentucky. It's a safe bet that Freedom Hall probably isn't Davis' favorite venue. When Davis coached at Indiana, he had a classic meltdown a few years ago at Freedom Hall, running on the court to question a call during a game against Kentucky. For Davis and Vaden, a former Hoosier from Indianapolis, this homecoming couldn't have been sweeter.

Maybe most importantly, the win improves UAB to 8-4. UAB lost point guard Paul Delaney to a season-ending knee injury on Nov. 17, so Vaden has to carry this squad. He did Saturday.

Team of the Week: Nebraska

Andy Katz

Last week: beat Savannah State 82-37 on Tuesday; beat then-No. 16 Oregon 88-79 in overtime on Saturday

This may come as a surprise during a light week of major games. But bear with me for a few moments. Nebraska's 88-79 overtime win over Oregon gives the Huskers something to put on their résumé. Nebraska (8-2) is now 2-0 against the Pac-10. The Huskers also beat Arizona State on Dec. 2 in Lincoln.

Nebraska's two losses -- at rival Creighton and at Western Kentucky -- were legitimately difficult road games against mid-majors. So let's put this Oregon win in perspective. If you concede the top three spots in the Big 12 to Kansas, Texas and Texas A&M, then you could argue that Nebraska is in the mix with Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Missouri and Baylor for the No. 4 spot. Nebraska will need wins that make it stand out. Beating Oregon, assuming the Ducks stay in the race in the Pac-10, will certainly help its case.

Nebraska should be 11-2 when it opens its Big 12 season at home against Kansas on Jan. 12. The Big 12 schedule isn't kind, though, with late-season road games at Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State -- which makes the Huskers' win over Oregon even more crucial.

The Huskers can always count on center Aleks Maric to produce (23 points against Oregon), and they are now getting pretty good balance on the perimeter. Guard Ryan Anderson lit up the Ducks with 21 points (8-of-8 at the free-throw line). An impressive stat was how the Huskers took care of the ball (seven turnovers) and forced 18 Oregon turnovers and picked up 12 steals. If Nebraska can defend (yes the Huskers gave up 14 3s), then it has a chance to be a factor in the middle of the Big 12 pack.

3-Point Shot

Fran Fraschilla

I had the chance to see three Top 25 teams in Nashville this weekend. Here are some impressions:

1. No. 21 Vanderbilt
It's clear that while Aussie freshman big man A.J. Ogilvy is off to an impressive start and is the front-runner for SEC Freshman of the Year, Shan Foster is the straw that stirs the Commodores' drink. In addition to being a dead-eye shooter and an athletic wing player, he is a great team leader for coach Kevin Stallings. His energy at practice is contagious. With the Ogilvy-Foster inside-out punch and an improving backcourt of senior Alex Gordon and sophomore Jeremy Beal, Vandy will compete with Billy Donovan's young Florida club as the conference's second-best team behind Tennessee.

By the way, while I love Ogilvy and have seen him in international competition, my hope is that he stays another year at Vandy. He is a very fundamentally sound low-post scorer and has an Australian rules football mentality, but he needs to improve his athleticism and strength before he is ready to take on NBA centers.

2. No. 2 Memphis
Iowa State transfer Shawn Taggart may end up being John Calipari's X factor this season. The 6-foot-10 center gives the Tigers a much-needed insurance policy for Joey Dorsey's occasional meltdowns and the continued inconsistency of junior Robert Dozier. Taggart is much stronger than the player I saw in Ames, Iowa, two years ago, so he can now complement a deft touch from the perimeter with some inside scoring punch.

The Tigers' outside shooting still remains an Achilles' heel. Willie Kemp remains the only consistent weapon from behind the arc. However, when Middle Tennessee sprung some junk defenses on Calipari's club, the Tigers did not settle for the open perimeter shot but instead pounded the ball inside. It's obvious that the Memphis coaching staff went to school after the near debacle versus USC's triangle-and-two defense.

The Derrick Rose I watched on Saturday is not yet playing with the confidence I saw when he played in high school, and that's good news for Calipari. While the Tigers are undefeated, they are still a work in progress and, like Rose, there is much room for growth offensively. Until that happens, the Tigers will rely on a typically smothering defense to win games -- and lots of them.

3. No. 11 Tennessee
Like Memphis, the Vols have not hit their stride yet. Reigning SEC Player of the Year Chris Lofton is off to a slow start, and 6-7 sophomore Duke Crews has been sidelined indefinitely because of a heart ailment. But don't feel sorry for Bruce Pearl. Arizona transfer J.P. Prince made an impressive debut against Western Kentucky (eight points and seven rebounds in 19 minutes), and his length and athleticism is perfect for the Vols' style. He gives Pearl another two-point scorer to complement an explosive perimeter game, and Prince will be a Venus flytrap in the press.

The most stunning revelation was the development of 6-10, 270-pound Vols freshman Brian Williams, who had a career-high 16 points and 14 rebounds. Williams, who has lost more than 100 pounds in the past year, is a Sean May clone with great hands, and he's light on his feet for someone with his girth. Pearl originally thought about redshirting Williams, who did not play high school basketball in the Bronx before attending prep school in Cincinnati. With Crews out, Williams will get an opportunity to play quality minutes as Tennessee gets ready for SEC play.

Upset Watch

By Reggie Rankin

Scouts Inc.'s Reggie Rankin takes a look at five upsets that could happen this week:

• Tuesday: Oral Roberts over Texas, ESPN Full Court, 6:30 p.m. ET
Texas' perimeter of A.J. Abrams, D.J. Augustin and Damion James -- which is combining for 50.5 points per game -- is as explosive as any in the country. They excel in Rick Barnes' wide-open, attacking half-court offense, with great spacing to allow for clear-outs and ball screens. ORU returns three starters, including 6-10 senior Shawn King (10.4 points, 6.7 rebounds). Guard Robert Jarvis leads a balanced scoring attack (16.8 points) with Portland transfer Marcus Lewis (11.2 points). The Golden Eagles are connecting on 42.7 percent of their 3-point attempts, and a physical man-to-man defensive package is executed to perfection. After beating crosstown power Tulsa and holding their own against Texas A&M and Arkansas, the Golden Eagles (6-3) could sneak up on the Horns.

• Tuesday: Georgia Tech over Kansas, ESPN, 7 p.m. ET
The Jayhawks are deep and talented, with five players averaging double figures. Mario Chalmers, Darrell Arthur, Brandon Rush and Darnell Jackson headline this team capable of making the Final Four. KU will push the ball hard in transition for easy scores. In the half court, the Jayhawks will pound it inside with some of the best high-low and ball-screen action in college basketball. So far, Georgia Tech's most notable win was in the Virgin Islands against Notre Dame. Can seniors Anthony Morrow, Jeremis Smith and Matt Causey get the Yellow Jackets' transition game in high gear on their home floor?

• Wednesday: UNC-Asheville over Tennessee, ESPN Full Court, 7:30 p.m. ET
JaJuan Smith and sharpshooter Chris Lofton lead the Vols down the home stretch of the nonconference season. Asheville senior guards Bryan Smithson and K.J. Garland are two of coach Eddie Biedenbach's four returning starters. If Asheville's experienced backcourt can make Lofton shoot contested shots and handle the relentless defensive pressure of Tennessee in Thompson-Boling Arena, the Bulldogs might hang around long enough to make it interesting.

• Friday: DePaul over Clemson, 3 p.m. ET
Leading scorer K.C. Rivers (15.9 points) and point guard Cliff Hammonds (12.1 points, 4.0 assists) patrol the perimeter, and 6-7 rebounding machine Trevor Booker (10.5 boards) gives the Tigers bite. Playing without 6-9 stud James Mays, who is out nursing a hip injury, makes Clemson vulnerable. DePaul is very capable but must improve its free-throw shooting (60.8 percent). Impact freshmen Dar Tucker and Mac Koshwal continue to gain experience and help seniors Draelon Burns and Karron Clarke. Beating Clemson on a neutral floor in Puerto Rico could give the Blue Demons a needed boost of confidence.

• Saturday: Oakland (Mich.) over Oregon, ESPNU, 9 p.m. ET
Oregon can change the scoreboard as quickly as anyone in college basketball. With five players scoring in double figures, the Ducks force teams to guard everyone on the floor. When they land in Michigan, Oakland will be fired up to welcome home Oregon leading scorer Malik Hairston (17.4 points) and long-range bomber Tajuan Porter (17.2 points), both of whom hail from Detroit. For Oakland, Derrick Nelson provides inside-out point production, preseason all-Summit League first team guard Erik Kangas is an excellent shooter, and point guard Johnathon Jones adds 14.2 points and 5.7 dimes to complete coach Greg Kampe's solid attack. If Hairston and Porter are more focused on tickets for family and friends instead of the Golden Grizzlies, then Oregon coach Ernie Kent's homecoming game for his players could backfire.

What I'm looking forward to this week

By Andy Katz

• How Kentucky handles a difficult road assignment at surging Houston on Tuesday (ESPN, 9 p.m. ET).

• Whether South Florida can continue its recent good fortune by winning at Wake Forest on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET).

• If Pitt vs. Duke on Thursday night (ESPN, 7 ET) at Madison Square Garden can live up my expectations as one of the best nonconference matchups of the season.

• If Illinois can beat pesky Miami (Ohio) at home on Thursday (7 p.m. ET) and pick up a quality win.

• If Gonzaga can handle the physicality of Oklahoma on Thursday (ESPN2, 9 p.m. ET) in Oklahoma City.

• Saturday may be one of the best matchup days of the season:
-- Clemson vs. Ole Miss -- possible unbeaten teams meeting in Puerto Rico
-- Georgetown vs. Memphis -- a mega showdown in Memphis between the No. 4 and No. 2 teams (ESPN, noon ET)
-- Texas vs. Michigan State in Auburn Hills -- another top-15 barometer game for Texas (ESPN2, 6:30 p.m. ET)
-- Illinois vs. Missouri (ESPN2, 8:30 p.m. ET)
-- Western Kentucky vs. Southern Illinois -- a solid mid-major affair
-- Tennessee at Xavier -- yet another major test for Xavier (ESPN, 2 p.m. ET)
-- Florida at Ohio State -- a rematch of the title game
-- Stanford vs. Texas Tech in Dallas -- the possible debut for Brook Lopez (ESPN2, 4:30 p.m. ET)
-- And a potential Rainbow Classic final involving Saint Mary's (if the Gaels get out of the bracket with Georgia) possibly facing host Hawaii.