Annual Valentines College Basketball Review

This year doesn't seem to be much differant from years past, you can look at the top ten teams in the nation and get a good idea of where these teams will be seeded in the NCAA tournament. Kansas has been at or near the top all year along with Kentucky and "Nova, with what I consider the biggest surprise of the year, Syracuse. There are a few other teams that have been around the top five all year such as Purdue and West Virginia, but I want to serve notice to what I believe might be one of the best teams in the nation in Ohio State. I have seen every team in the top sixteen this year and as impressed as I am with Kansas and Kentucky I believe that Ohio State with Evan Turner could make a serious run through the tournament. In my opinion Evan Turner should be the player of the year, with all do respect to Cole Aldrich. John Wall out of Kentucky should be named freshman of the year and should also be in the player of the year conversation along with his team mate and fellow freshman, Demarcus Cousins. The MVP of the year would have to go to Purdue's E'Twaun Moore which is a junior who had to play out of position due to Lewis Jackson's injury. E'Twaun had to move over to the point guard position and has been remarkable, he has a great feel for the tempo of any given game and understands when he has to take over and finish a game. The Purdue boilermakers would not be in the position they are in without E'Twaun Moore and this kid has another year along with Robbie Hummel, Purdue could be a pre-season number one next year. I know I have neglected Syracuse and Villanova, but I think the Big East is the best conference in the nation for the second year in a row. Last year UCONN looked like the best team in the nation and I thought they would win the championship at this time last year, but we all know what happened. The Big East has to play the Big East and I think that is why they will not do so well in the NCAA tournament this year or and didn't do well in the tournament last year, the whole conference spent all of it's energy playing and beating on each other through the regular season and the BIG East tournament and just did not have anything left for the NCAA's. I have mentioned seven teams so far and three are from the Big East which already shows how much respect I have for the Big East but I'm not through, Georgetown is another team that can make a big run in the NCAA's and gives the Big East four out of the elite eight. Now without going into detail here is the remainder of the sweet sixteen not nessecerily in order, the Big Ten is well represented with four out of sixteen teams with Michigan State and Wisonsin. Duke and K-State would round out what I consider the top twelve teams in the nation with the next four teams to round out the sweet sixteen capable of beating any team in the bottom eight of this sweet sixteen. Butler has become a fixture at the top of Horizon conference for a few years now and have made some noise in the NCAA's, along with another mid-major Gonzaga. Tennessee has biggest win of the season when they beat Kansas and gave Kansas there only loss of the year to date. Texas, last but not least was ranked number one this year and after the no.1 ranking fell apart. Texas went 3 - 5 to fall to fifth in there own conference but I think Coach Barnes found a point guard and a line up that works with there win against Nebraska. After all the dust settles I think Kentucky, Kansas, Ohio State and Villanova will be the final four and I'm going out on a limb here with this pick but I think Ohio State will be cutting down the nets with Evan Turner being MOP.