The story behind my moving from New York to Lawrence, Kansas is part of the inspiration behind this blog. I can hear my wife Betsaida’s voice in the back of my head saying “this isn’t a blog about your life, it’s a blog about college basketball.” And that’s exactly why I followed her here.
My then-girlfriend Betsaida and I toast to our new lives in Lawrence, KS
I met Betsaida in September 2012. She quickly learned my passion for basketball. I think that “moment when I knew” happened when she treated me to a Knicks game for my January birthday. When Betsaida got the career opportunity of her lifetime at the University of Kansas, I had only one question; “If I go, will you get me season tickets for Jayhawks basketball?”
Us newly weds are settling into married life in the Midwest. Betsaida quickly learned that those KU bball tickets were “a little out of our league.” However, it’s awesome just being surrounded by so many passionate basketball fans. I dedicate this blog to my loving wife, Betsaida. She not only encourages me to do what I love, but to follow my passions completely. Betsaida, thank you for respecting the line 🙂
The SEC will be the best conference in college basketball this season. That is my final verdict after assessing the “re-alignment” which takes effect this year. Moving to Kansas, I cut across SEC country because Missouri is still a recently coined member. The faultlines are moving elsewhere across the country in conference shakeups. Syracuse, Pittsburgh and Notre Dame are in the ACC. This will only hyperventilate the misconception (Dicky V) that the ACC is always the nation’s best. Duke lost a terrific senior class, North Carolina didn’t scare anyone last year, and finally NC State’s hype is over (though remaining player T.J. Warren should be one of the top 10 scorers in the nation). Creighton, Butler and Xavier slid into their place in the Big East. We’ll see if they maintain the quality, but the conference that has avoided headlines is the one worth reading the story.
The SEC has its Usual Suspects. Of course, there’s Kentucky. You know coach Calapari will have a young athletic group. LSU got a lot of ink in its offseason for a good recruiting class. Also, Anthony Grant has coached the Crimson Tide for enough years to get results he demands. I feel the same way about Arkansas coach Mike Andrerson with his up-tempo Razorbacks bunch.
But the two teams that I am really interested to watch are Tennessee and Florida. Have you heard about Jarnell Stokes? The 6-8 260 pound junior graduated high school early to play with the Tennessee Volunteers. I remember this because his birthday is a day before mine. I watched his first game as his eligibility clicked on January 7, 2011. Cuonzo Martin and the Volunteer bunch has had two years to build a team around Stokes and phase out the remnants of Bruce Pearl’s tenure (which ended with NCAA misconduct). Watch Jarnell Stokes. Compare him to Glen “Big Baby” Davis. Stokes is a big man with delicate footwork. I’d love to see him storm onto the scene come March the way that Davis did with LSU.
Florida returns another one of the nation’s most physical specimens: Patrick Young. Young’s story is a classic one. He will either show NBA scouts this year that he has a polished offensive game, or he will be drafted early second round for his rebounding and defense. I think the Gators struggled with point guard play in last year’s tournament. (Scottie Wilbekin had his issues on the court and off). It will be very interesting to see what top recruit Kasey Hill brings in his freshman year. And don’t forget Yeguete, the frenchman who is somewhat of a garbage player on the boards.
Just as I was about to tie a nice bow on this article I witnessed something that forever changed my view of the 2013-14 SEC. I was on the treadmill at my gym. I was watching ESPN Sportcenter, like any other self-respecting hoops blogger. That’s when the sighting occurred. In an “ESPN Conversation,” the maniac Marshall Henderson looked calmed and focused as he talked about returning this season.
He has hair and that same eerie glare.
Henderson was suspended indefinitely from the team shortly following last year’s exit from the tournament. Having spent time in prison and making many stops in his NCAA career, I figured the 23-year-old was finished with college basketball. His controversial theatrics on the basketball court obviously translate off-the-court (see his Tweets about “White Girl Wednesday”). He is the college basketball version of Reggie Miller (see 8 points in 31 seconds, but not if your a Knicks fan). This is a guy brave enough to mock the swamp with a gator chomp after knocking down a contested 3-pointer. This is Marshall Henderson’s last chance. I say Ole Miss is the seventh tourney team from this conference, the most nationally. Keep this article and come see me in March.
I witnessed him with his coach welcoming him back for another season.
“Terre Haute, that’s where Larry Bird is from!” I feverishly snapped a picture out of the Budget Rental Truck as we flew by the isolated exit on an Indiana highway. I could have told my girlfriend “LeBron James grew up here,” and she would not have batted an eye. Luckily we needed to get gas. I fact-checked myself. Larry Bird is from French Lick, duh. How could I forget that?
Jake Odum is from Terre Haute. Indiana State, Larry Bird’s alma mater, is also in Terra Haute, where Odum plays. If you check out Bleacher Report’s top 22 point guards nationally, you won’t find Jake Odum. But I’m giving the 6’4” senior some love right here. With Creighton leaving the Missouri Valley Conference for greener pastures, the Sycamores have a real opportunity. Odum is one of those guys who looks like he is playing in slow-motion, but already has the play diagnosed. Over Odum’s career his conference has sent quality competitors to the big dance with Creighton, Wichita State and Northern Iowa. All the while, he has put up nearly 450 assists. Odum scored more in his junior campaign, averaging 13.6 points per game. Look for he and backcourt mate Manny Arop to drop in on the national conversation come March.
I like to start my season by finding some underdog teams that will soon become the darlings of the nation. Last year around Thanksgiving I put $10 bucks on Wichita State at 150/1. That was part of my “starting lineup.” I take $100 bucks. I identify teams I love from last year with enough remaining pieces. I spread the $100 dollars among as many teams to win at least $1,000 if I get lucky and pick the champion. Last March I had many options to hedge my bet when Wichita State was in the final four. Here’s this year’s “Starting Lineup:”
$30 Oklahoma St. 35/1 = $1,050
$25 VCU 40/1 = $1,000
$17 UCONN 60/1 = $1,020
$14 St. Louis 75/1 = $1,050
$14 Colorado 75/1 = 1,050
Sorry KU fans, but Oklahoma State tops this list. Marcus Smart is just a winner. The Cowboys are slightly undersized, but I’m still shocked to see 35/1 odds at the beginning of the season for them to win a championship. I think those odds will look more like 15/1 come March.
Shaka Smart and VCU only get better this year. I expect New Yorker Melvin Johnson to play a bigger role. VCU is known for havoc on defense, but I think this is the year guys like Johnson get involved in a more diverse scoring attack.
Something special was happening with Kevin Ollie’s UConn Huskies last year. I expect his team to continue responding to his coaching style with his sophomore campaign.
I went hard wagering behind St. Louis last March. They ran into a red-hot Oregon team in the tournament and were out the first weekend. I still expect Jett, Loe and Evans to come back with a vengeance this season.
Finally, Colorado can really ball. I compare Spencer Dinwittie to Victor Oladipo last season. He is a great defender who no one is talking about heading into this season. However, I think he has lottery pick talent. Xavier Johnson and Askia Booker also made progress scoring last season. I hope to see you in Vegas come March looking good to win a thousand bucks and more.
College Basketball Eye Test 