The University of Kentucky prays Calipari will not have any more seasons removed from the record books.

By Jon Harris

Throughout John Calipari’s reign as a college basketball coach, one thing has been as consistent as his winning percentage: suspicion.

In 17 seasons as an NCAA Division 1 college basketball head coach for three different universities, current University of Kentucky Head Coach John Calipari, 51, has accumulated 445 victories and two Naismith National Coach of the Year awards. Although Calipari’s presence brings winning seasons, they are often overshadowed by scandal.

From 1988 to 1996, he served as the head coach of the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, collecting a 193-71 record, the 1996 Naismith National Coach of the Year award and a trip to the NCAA Final Four in the 1995-96 season.

After the season, UMass’s 6-foot-11 center Marcus Camby, the 1996 Naismith National Player of the Year, admitted to accepting about $28,000 and gifts from two sports agents. The Final Four appearance and 35 victories from the season were then stripped from the record books by the NCAA and Final Four banner removed from UMass’s Mullins Center in Amherst.

After the 1996 scandal at UMass, both Camby and Calipari left for the National Basketball Association. Calipari racked up a 69-95 record in his first two seasons as the head coach of the New Jersey Nets. He was then fired just 20 games into the 1998-99 NBA season and returned to college basketball.

The University of Memphis hired him as its head coach for the 2000-01 season. This employment lasted until March 31, 2009, when Calipari was hired to coach the Kentucky Wildcats.

At Memphis, Calipari continued winning by posting 252 wins in nine seasons. His 38 wins in the 2007-08 season made him the winningest coach in NCAA history for a single season. In that record-breaking season, Calipari took his Memphis Tigers all the way to the national title game, but scandal soon followed.

On May 27, 2009, the NCAA charged the Memphis men’s basketball program for major violations during the 2007-08 season. The allegations were contained in a letter, which reported misconduct and fraudulence on an SAT exam by a player on the 2007-08 roster and who participated in the 2008 NCAA Tournament where Memphis finished second. The player was edited out of the letter because of privacy laws, but he was later revealed to be the first pick of the 2008 NBA draft and current Chicago Bulls point guard, Derrick Rose. The letter also showed more than $2,000 in free travel provided to Rose’s brother, Reggie.

According to ESPN.com, Rose’s former AAU basketball coach, Luther Topps, said he thought the NCAA believed a former high school teammate of Rose’s took the SAT for him. Before taking the SAT, Rose had failed to meet college standards for the ACT after taking the entrance exam three times.

On Aug. 20, 2009, the NCAA violations laid out in the May 27 letter forced Memphis to forfeit their 38 victories from the 2007-08 season and their Final Four appearance. This marked the second time that Calipari had to vacate seasons, as he also lost the 1996 UMass Final Four season.

According to CBSSports.com, Rose said: “I think it is important for people to understand that I complied with everything that was asked of me while at the university. Including my full participation in the university’s investigation of this issue, and was ultimately cleared to play in the entire 2007-08 season by the NCAA clearinghouse and the university.”

Memphis said it didn’t have enough evidence to prove that Rose had someone else take the SAT for him, so they cleared him to play in November 2008, according to CBSSports.com.

Former Memphis forward Robert Dozier, who played four seasons for the Tigers from 2004 to 2008, didn’t originally plan to attend the university. He signed a national letter of intent with the University of Georgia and came in with a score of 1,260 on the SAT.

On March 30, 2004, the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse, which clears players’ academic credentials for NCAA eligibility, received an anonymous letter from someone who claimed to be a faculty member at Dozier’s high school. ESPN.com reported that the letter said a graduate of Dozier’s high school took the SAT for him and that the high score was out of line with Dozier’s previous academic work.

Dozier retook the SAT in July 2004 to try to validate his score, but scored 720 – a full 540 points lower than his previous score. The Educational Testing Service, the company that develops, administers and grades the SAT, then canceled the score of 1,260.

After the cancellation, Georgia denied Dozier’s admission application to the university. In the 2004-05 college basketball season, he was on Memphis’ roster and stayed there through 2008, when the team’s 38 wins and Final Four appearance were vacated.

The revelation of Dozier’s SAT scores occurred just a few weeks after the allegations about Derrick Rose surfaced.

Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear told ESPN.com that he still believes Calipari was the right choice for the head coaching job at Kentucky. “I’m not worried about it because they have never said Coach Cal did anything wrong at all,” he said. “I think he’s a very upstanding guy. I think that’s his reputation and I think that reputation will be with him here. I really don’t foresee any problems.”

In his first season as Kentucky’s head coach, Calipari led the Wildcats to a 35-3 record and a trip to the Elite Eight, which weren’t removed from the record books.

After losing to West Virginia University in the 2010 NCAA Tournament, the nation watched as Calipari’s star players, such as point guard John Wall and forward DeMarcus Cousins, were anticipated to declare for the NBA draft after just one season in college.

On April 7, Kentucky announced that Wall, Cousins, Eric Bledsoe, Daniel Orton and Patrick Patterson were all declaring for the NBA draft. But Patterson said he wasn’t sure whether he was leaving for the NBA or staying at the university for his senior season at the time of the announcement, according to USA Today.

Cousins told FOX Sports that Kentucky was a university that embraced his “goofiness” when he was searching for schools. At the end of the season, he said Calipari forced him out the door at Kentucky. “He told me it’s my time to go,” Cousins told FOX Sports.

Before becoming involved in coaching basketball, Calipari attended Clarion University and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in marketing. Today, he is involved in a type of marketing: college recruiting.

Shortly after both Wall and Cousins declared for the NBA draft, Calipari had some new player commitments for the 2010-11 basketball season.

Enes Kanter, the No. 3 high school center according to ESPNU, has signed with Kentucky and is expected to replace Cousins.

A week after Wall and the four other Wildcat players declared for the draft, Brandon Knight, a two-time Gatorade National Player of the Year and the No. 4 high school player in the country according to ESPNU, signed a letter of intent with Kentucky. He is expected to replace Wall at point guard and be next in the line of one-and-done point guards for Calipari. (One-and-done means players who play one year of college basketball and then declare for the NBA draft.)

In the last three college basketball seasons, Calipari has had three different point guards. In 2007-08, Derrick Rose played point guard for Memphis before declaring for the NBA after his freshman year and going on to become NBA Rookie of the Year with the Bulls. In 2008-09, Tyreke Evans played one season at Memphis before getting drafted fourth overall by the Sacramento Kings. And this year, John Wall declared for the NBA following his lone college season and is anticipated to be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.

Matt Novak, a sophomore psychology major at Syracuse University, said Calipari is hurting the integrity of the game. “He’s ruining college basketball,” he said. “He’s turned schools into professional training camps and holding cells for the NBA. He doesn’t care about the education of his players and looks at them solely as basketball players and not as students.”

Bob Knight, who has won a record 902 NCAA Division 1 men’s college basketball games, told the USA Today that the ability for basketball players to leave after just one college season is the worst situation in college sports right now.

The NCAA currently requires first-year players to pass six first-semester credit hours to be eligible for the following semester. At SU, students are required to register for a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester.

According to the USA Today, Knight said: “What is the integrity of a kid who plays for an NCAA team that goes to Final Four, or wins the championship, who has passed six hours and then goes on to play the next semester without ever going to class?”

The players’ focus on going to the NBA starts early as they attend colleges where basketball is the sole focus, said Jeffrey Foley, a freshman business major at SU. “The players that Calipari gets and recruits only intention is to go the NBA,” he said. “Calipari shouldn’t be blamed when it comes to the lack of education of parents and players these days. It’s not Calipari’s fault these kids don’t have role models to guide them and have their best interest at heart.”

Calipari on the other hand, told ESPN.com senior college basketball writer Andy Katz that he thinks that his players were unwanted before he came to Kentucky. “When you’re at a non-BCS school like UMass and Memphis, there’s always some reason why you’re there,” he said. “I hear it: ‘Can’t coach, no one wanted the players.’ My biggest thing is that I’m not going to deal with any of that. We’ll make all our statements on the court.”

Unfortunately for Calipari, his teams and players have made their biggest statements off the court.

Wayne Chism and No. 6 Tennessee took care of No. 2 Ohio State 76-73 Friday night. Sunday afternoon, they get No. 5 Michigan State in the midwest regional final.

By Jon Harris

Throughout this tournament, cinderellas have ruled. The Elite 8, however, is comprised of some of the most recognizable college basketball teams in the country. No. 1 seeds Duke and Kentucky remain and the lowest remaining seed is No. 6 Tennessee, who is not by any standard, a cinderella. On Sunday, four of those teams will lock in battle for a spot in the Final Four and a chance to play for a national championship. Following an impressive victory over Ohio State, Tennessee gets Michigan State. For the Spartans, they’ll have to pull off the victory without star junior guard Kalin Lucas. The late tip on Sunday is reserved for No. 3 Baylor and No. 1 Duke. After the Bears obliterated Saint Mary’s (Remember how I picked Saint Mary’s? Yeah, my bad.), the Blue Devils followed it up with an impressive second half versus Purdue to grab the victory 70-57.

Midwest Region

#5 Michigan State (27-8) v. #6 Tennessee (28-8)

St. Louis, MO             2:20 p.m. on CBS

Just when I think Michigan State won’t make it to the Elite 8, they make the Elite 8. Tom Izzo and his Spartans have made it to the Elite 8 in six of the past twelve seasons, including a national championship loss last year to North Carolina and a national championship victory in 2000 versus Florida. They seem mediocre at best until the tournament. Coach Izzo is an absolute mastermind in the Big Dance, as he orchestrated a win versus cinderella Northern Iowa without his star player, Kalin Lucas. The Spartans also had a stellar performance from Lucas’ replacement, Korie Lucious. He scored 10 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, had 4 steals and 4 assists against Northern Iowa in 39 minutes of work. Junior guard Durrell Summers also stepped up big, scoring 19 points, eclipsing his season scoring average of 10.9 points per game. If Michigan State is going to beat the Volunteers, they will need a great effort out of 6-foot-8 senior forward Raymar Morgan. Tennessee is a great rebounding team, averaging nearly 37 per game, including 12 offensive rebounds per game, which aides their points-in-the-paint scoring scheme. Will they win the inside battle and defeat the Volunteers?

Absolutely … not. They’ll be about even with Tennessee in the rebounding battle, as the Spartans average 39 rebounds per game, but they’ll ultimately lose the game. Even if Kansas had made it to the Elite 8 to play Tennessee, I would probably take Bruce Pearl’s team, since they beat the Jayhawks in January 76-68. The Volunteers, however, are playing Michigan State, who is nearly identical statistically. Their records are nearly the same as Tennessee just has one more victory. By points, the Spartans average 72.5 points per game offensively and hold their opponents to 64 points per game. Tennessee similarly allows 65.1 points per game and forces 73.6. Coming off of the big victory over Player of the Year Evan Turner and Ohio State, Tennessee is rolling and looking like it could be the best team on the left side of the bracket (Butler and Kansas State are in the west region). Look for Wayne Chism, coming off of a game-high 22 points versus Ohio State, to help the Volunteers move by Tom Izzo’s Spartans.

Prediction:

Michigan State: 66      Tennessee: 75

South Region

#1 Duke (32-5) v. #3 Baylor (28-7)

Houston, TX               5:05 p.m. on CBS

With Kentucky going down on Saturday to West Virginia, the Blue Devils are looking to become the only No. 1 seed to advance to this year’s Final Four. This is the first time since 2004 that Coach K’s team has made it to the regional finals and they are looking to continue their run and earn a date with West Virginia from the east region. Can they do it? Absolutely. The big three, correction, big four on Duke’s roster have led them throughout the NCAA Tournament. The fourth member of the lethal combination is senior 7-foot-1 center Brian Zoubek, who is averaging 8.3 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. Add him to the big three of Jon Scheyer (18.1 pts/game), Kyle Singler (17.9 pts/game) and Nolan Smith (17.1 pts/game), and you have a solid chance of beating No. 3 Baylor.

For Duke to beat the Bears, they must slow down guard LaceDarius Dunn and forward Ekpe Udoh. Udoh is averaging nearly 10 rebounds and 4 blocks per game, while Dunn averages 19.5 points per game. He’s a dangerous outside shooter, making 43 percent of his shots from beyond the arc. The incredible length held by Baylor could be the difference maker in this game. With two forwards that are 6-foot-10 and a 7-footer in their arsenal, Baylor holds opponents to 65.1 points per game in their smothering zone defense. Lucky for the Bears, Duke is even better on defense, allowing only 60.9 points per game. The deciding factor could come from the location of this game: Houston, Texas. It’s a home game for Baylor and their home record is near perfect at 15-1. Watch out Duke, the Bears might just delay your championship hopes for even longer (Blue Devils last won the National Championship in 2001).

Prediction:

Duke: 72         Baylor: 65

Can anyone stop DeMarcus Cousins? I'm looking at you West Virginia.

By Jon Harris

The last round on the road to the Final Four: the Elite 8. Saturday’s two games feature East and West Regional Finals. Three of the teams were expected to reach this round. But No. 5 Butler was, in most people’s brackets, a Sweet 16 team at best. This, however, hasn’t been a typical tournament. We’ve seen a No. 14 knock off a No. 3 and a No. 9 mid-major team knock off a perennial powerhouse in Kansas, who was the heavy favorite to win the whole tournament (just ask President Obama).

The new favorite is presumably No. 1 Kentucky out of the East Region. But a big obstacle blocks a Final Four berth for the Wildcats and it isn’t the SAT. It’s No. 2 West Virginia. Da’Sean Butler and the Mountaineers are great on defense, but so is Kentucky, making this game even more intriguing. Out west in Salt Lake City, surprising Butler battles No. 2 Kansas State. The only thing more frightening to me about the Wildcats than Coach Frank Martin is Jacob Pullen’s beard. (I’m sick of all the teams who have a wildcat mascot, can we please communicate a little here and make sure that our school’s mascot isn’t already being used? I mean I’m talking about four teams and two of them have the same mascot.) So Butler, don’t play like a No. 5 seed, play like the team who shut down Syracuse. But most importantly, “fear the beard!”

West Region

#2 Kansas State (29-7) v. #5 Butler (31-4)

Salt Lake City, UT      4:30 p.m. on CBS (Yes! College basketball is finally back to normal game tip times. No more of this 9:57 p.m. tip nonsense.)

I’m hoping for Butler to pull off another upset, but I know the Bulldogs don’t see it that way. They see it as a normal win. They see themselves on an even pedestal with Jacob Pullen and Kansas State. And why not? Butler went 18-0 in the Horizon League (no surprise, they dominate that league each year) and are currently on the longest winning streak in NCAA Division 1 Men’s Basketball with 23 straight victories. They’ve beaten the likes of Xavier, Ohio State and Syracuse this season. Will the Wildcats be the next victim?

No, they won’t. Frank Martin (I just think he looks like a STAR officer … maybe it’s the slicked-back hair?) will have his team ready to go and what do you have to fear when you have the beard? Jacob Pullen is an absolute stud. The 6-foot junior guard is averaging 18.9 points per game through the first three rounds of the tournament. Aided by Denis Clemente and Curtis Kelly, the Wildcats defeated No. 6 Xavier in a double-overtime instant classic Sweet 16 game. Butler, however, has defeated Xavier too. They won 69-68 in late-game fashion as well. All this leads me to believe that Butler versus Kansas State is going to be a great game and probably one that will be decided with five minutes remaining in the second half of Saturday’s West Regional Final.

Prediction:

Kansas State: 71         Butler: 67

East Region

#1 Kentucky (35-2) v. #2 West Virginia (30-6)

Syracuse, NY              7:05 p.m. on CBS

When Syracuse’s loss was announced in the Carrier Dome Thursday night, there was plethora of cheers from West Virginia and Kentucky fans. With Syracuse out, both Kentucky and West Virginia know that they won’t face a No. 1 seed if they reach the NCAA Championship (Midwest No. 1 Kansas lost in the second round to Northern Iowa). They first must get by each other.

Let’s start with West Virginia. My analysis will start with the same player who starts the Mountaineers offense: Da’Sean Butler. The 6-foot-7 senior should’ve been Big East Player of the Year. Sure, Wes Johnson had a fantastic year, but Butler played consistently for the whole season while Johnson struggled in February. He’s a matchup problem for pretty much any team, but I can’t wait to see a few instances when John Wall guards him. They’re both two of the best and most athletic players in the tournament who will be playing in the NBA shortly after March Madness ends. Luckily for Butler, he doesn’t have to do to try to beat ultra-talented Kentucky all by himself. Forwards Kevin Jones and Devin Ebanks corral 15.5 rebounds per game and provide West Virginia with some raw athleticism. (Like they need any more athleticism. Bob Huggins wears a track suit for God’s sake.) Both score over 12 points per game and will need to work together with 6-foot-7 senior forward Wellington Smith to limit DeMarcus Cousins’ effectiveness.

Cousins is athletic like the West Virginia guys of course, but has a little more meat on his bones. At 6-foot-11, 270 pounds, he is an absolute monster. Just give him an NBA contract now and watch him bruise with the best centers in the world. Another player with NBA-ready talent is of course the aforementioned John Wall. He’s averaging 16.9 points and 8.7 assists in the tournament and is another classic John Calipari one-and-done guard. Don’t just look at these two guys to make your prediction, however. Kentucky also has freshman sharpshooter Eric Bledsoe, who is averaging 18 points per game in the tournament due to his 29 point outburst against No. 16 East Tennessee State. Also, don’t forget about junior forward Patrick Patterson, who actually played on the Kentucky team before they were … well … good. He is big at 6-foot-9, 235 pounds, and can take you inside or outside (37 percent from beyond the arc).

This game is truly a dream Elite 8 matchup. The No. 1 versus the No. 2 in the Carrier Dome. It doesn’t get any better than this.

Prediction:

Kentucky: 63              West Virginia: 59

Syracuse cruised past Big East competition during the regular season, posting a 15-3 conference record. Will the Conference Tournament also go in the Orange’s favor?

The Big East: the best basketball conference in the country. The Big East Tournament: the best conference basketball tournament in the country. This year’s installment of the Big East Tournament will be sure to excite and interest a lot of people. You have Syracuse looking to become the tournament and regular season conference champions. Then, there are teams like Connecticut, South Florida and Marquette that are trying to crawl their way into the NCAA Tournament. And it’s all live from Madison Square Garden in New York City. Let the madness begin.

1^st Round:

#9 South Florida v. #16 DePaul — Tuesday, March 9 @ 12 pm

Coming off a big win versus Connecticut this past week, there is no chance South Florida loses this game. They know if they lose, it is impossible for them to get in the NCAA Tournament. Guard Dominique Jones averages over 21 points per game and will lead the Bulls past DePaul with a double-digit win.

Prediction: South Florida: 72          DePaul: 55

#12 Connecticut v. #13 St. John’s — Tuesday, March 9 @ 2 pm

Let’s get something straight. Connecticut can beat any team in the country on any given night. They took then No. 1 Texas out, nearly beat Syracuse in the Carrier Dome and cruised past Villanova. On the other end of the spectrum, St. John’s has seen better days. Connecticut wins big and guard Jerome Dyson puts up 20 points.

Prediction: Connecticut: 78                        St. John’s: 61

#10 Seton Hall v. #15 Providence — Tuesday, March 9 @ 7 pm

This is quick and painless. Seton Hall just beat Providence 92-80 on Saturday and I see no reason to change the outcome of Tuesday’s matchup. Plus, Jeremy Hazell is a stud and averages over 21 points per game.

Prediction: Seton Hall: 85               Providence: 75

#11 Cincinnati v. #14 Rutgers — Tuesday, March 9 @ 9 pm

I don’t know what happened to the Bearcats against Georgetown this past Saturday, but they got hammered 74-47. Rutgers, however, is still the worse team in this matchup. Super-freshman Lance Stephenson will take over the game and Cincinnati will make it into the second round.

Prediction: Cincinnati: 74               Rutgers: 59

2^nd Round: Wednesday, March 10

#8 Georgetown v. #9 South Florida

It’s true, last time around the Bulls did beat the Hoyas by the count of 72-64. But that’s old news. The Bulls were on a three-game winning streak when they beat Georgetown the first time. Austin Freeman, Greg Monroe and Chris Wright score over 47 combined points per game and will prove too much for South Florida.

Prediction: Georgetown: 68                        South Florida: 65

#5 Marquette v. #12 Connecticut

I’m sorry Marquette. You came out of the Big East regular season with an 11-7 record and a #5 seed, thinking you would draw an easy second-round opponent and coast into the quarterfinals. Wrong. Lucky for you, the Huskies decided they wanted to underachieve all season long despite their wide-talent base. So, you get the Huskies in the second round and you will lose. Like I said, it’s just bad luck.

Prediction: Marquette: 71                Connecticut: 79

#7 Notre Dame v. #10 Seton Hall

The Fighting Irish are still without a healthy Luke Harangody. He played a limited role in Notre Dame’s win over Marquette Saturday, only accounting for five points in 11 minutes of play. He will not be 100 percent for this game, but Jeremy Hazell and the Seton Hall Pirates will be. It’s Ok Notre Dame, you may be exiting the Big East Tournament early, but you will still get in the Big Dance. This will be the second win of the season for the Pirates against the Irish, as they won on Feb. 11^th 90-87.

Prediction: Notre Dame: 75            Seton Hall: 81

#6 Louisville v. #11 Cincinnati

Coming off the big win against Syracuse, the Cardinals have already clinched a spot in the NCAA Tournament. They can still boost their resume, however, with a win over Cincinnati and a place in the Big East Quarterfinals. They’ll do just this, as the Bearcats won’t have an answer for Samardo Samuels down low. They and the rest of the nation will also be paying attention to see if Kyle Kuric continues his run (if you consider a run the equivalent of one game) from zero to hero.

Prediction: Louisville: 70                Cincinnati: 62

Quarterfinals: Thursday, March 11

#1 Syracuse v. #8 Georgetown

These two rivals have already played each other twice this season with Syracuse collecting both wins. As tempting as it is for me to say that the third time is a charm for the Hoyas, the third time will just be another example of heartbreak for them. Despite this, the game will be very interesting as both Georgetown and Syracuse are one-half teams. Will they perform in opposite halfs or will we get 40 minutes of competitive basketball?

Prediction: Syracuse: 76                  Georgetown: 67

#4 Villanova v. #12 Connecticut

Villanova is 2-4 in their last six games and have already lost to the Huskies this season by the count of 84-75. UConn is more talented and the Wildcats are going straight downhill. Look for Connecticut to clean up on Villanova and improve its questionable tournament resume.

Prediction: Villanova: 71                  Connecticut: 89

#2 Pittsburgh v. #10 Seton Hall

Another upset? No. The Pirates run ends here. The Panthers will prove too much and Seton Hall will be tired after playing their third game in three days. Pittsburgh has started to come on late this season, showing themselves to be a serious contender. Any evidence? Of course. They lost to Seton Hall in Jan., and blew them out in Feb. by 25 points. Hey look, they’re playing them again. No changes or surprises, Panthers win big.

Prediction: Pittsburgh: 77               Seton Hall: 58

#3 West Virginia v. #6 Louisville

Syracuse will be watching this game intently since they can’t find a way to beat the Cardinals. The Orange will get their wish too, as the Mountaineers will spoil Rick Pitino and his team’s chance at the Big East crown. Don’t worry Rick, you’re still the best-dressed head coach in college basketball.

Prediction: West Virginia: 68         Louisville: 64

Semifinals: Friday, March 12

#1 Syracuse v. #12 Connecticut

Very interesting. These two teams were mentioned with one another as the season started, with each of their head coaches racing each other in the wins column. On Feb. 10, Syracuse was way up on the Huskies, just to almost throw the game away at the end. Not to mention that last season, these two teams met in the semifinals with the Orange edging out Connecticut in the sixth overtime. Well, the Huskies get their revenge this year and clinch a spot in the NCAA Tournament with the win. 

Prediction: Syracuse: 65                  Connecticut: 73

#2 Pittsburgh v. #3 West Virginia

I’m big on Pittsburgh and don’t really like West Virginia at all. Just saying. I do, however, believe in Da’Sean Butler, who is an absolute animal. But the Mountaineers come up short. Don’t tell Bob Huggins that or he may just scream enough at his team to prove me wrong.

Pittsburgh: 70                       West Virginia: 51 (the same score West Virginia beat the Panthers by earlier in the year.)

Final: Saturday, March 13

#2 Pittsburgh v. #12 Connecticut

It’s the Huskies. They’ll win it for Jim Calhoun, who has had an indescribably atrocious year. Jerome Dyson will shoot the lights out and Kemba Walker will run the floor faster than Usain Bolt runs the 100 meter. No, I’m kidding, but Walker is crazy fast. So, Connecticut will earn the NCAA Tournament berth that seemed like it would elude them after the regular season ended with a loss to South Florida and Pittsburgh will walk away with a #2 seed for the Big Dance.

 Prediction: Pittsburgh: 70                   Connecticut: 73

Who? Kyle Kuric, that’s who! The little-played sophomore guard led all scorers with 22 points and helped Louisville beat Syracuse for the second time this season.

As Louisville’s home stadium of Freedom Hall saw its last-ever basketball game, Syracuse’s road record also saw its end. After reaching 9-0 on the road and No. 1 in both polls, Syracuse saw its run end as they lost to Louisville 78-68 Saturday afternoon. With Kansas and Kentucky both going 2-0 this week, Syracuse slid back to No. 3 this week. Also moving up was Tennessee, as Bruce Pearl made them the self-proclaimed best team in the country. Unfortunately for Bruce, there are countless pearls in college basketball volunteering their name for the top spot.

The Best of the Rest (16-25)

The talking heads at ESPN can say all that they want about the reasons why Syracuse has done so well up to now. However, through it all, it all comes down to one thing. Our size. Arinze Onuaku and Rick Jackson are the anchors of this team and without them Syracuse wouldn’t be anywhere near where they are today

While they aren’t the tallest big men in the nation, they are most certainly the largest. The two combine to form 500 pounds of muscle defending the post and have proven to be formidable defenders for some of the best big men in the nation. Luke Harangody, Greg Monroe, and many others have found themselves stifled by the two bigs down low. Onuaku and Jackson are both great shot blockers and rebounders who are one of the few constants remaining from last year’s Sweet 16 team.

The most impressive part about each player is the incredible strides toward improvement that each has made over the last year. Rick Jackson has become a true force down low and has greatly improved in the scoring and defensive aspects of his game. Jackson has greatly improved his ability to finish around the rim and has become yet another scoring option for this team loaded with weapons. Most importantly, he has become a versatile defender. Jackson can defend the post in the center of the Syracuse zone, as well as play out on the win to defend shooters out from the corner.

I will be the first to admit that I was not huge on the A-O bandwagon at the end of last season. There were far too many things wrong with his game that just overshadowed his ability to finish. First and foremost, he was a terrible, no. He was an atrocious free throw shooter. He was so bad. This year he’s much improved and has gained the confidence to at least hit half of his free throws. This is crucial when it comes to crunch time in a close game. Second on the list of my A-O problems was his hands. The guy couldn’t catch a ball coming into the post to save his life. He dropped virtually everything that came his way and just wasn’t a secure option to give the ball to. This year it hasn’t seemed to be a problem. Yet another trait of a player who’s got some of his confidence back. Finally, Onuaku has just improved with a lot of intangibles in his game. He has seemingly fully recovered from the tendinitis that he had in both of his knees, is able to run much better, is a great rebounder and shot blocker, and a tremendous low post defender.

As evidence for how important Rick Jackson and Arinze Onuaku are to the team all one needs to do is look at the latest Georgetown game. You would think that putting in 7 foot freshman DaShonte Riley wouldn’t be that much of a downgrade from our two 6’9” centers, but you would be mistaken. When A-O and Rick Jackson were fouled out in the final minutes of the game, Riley was forced to defend All-American point-center Greg Monroe. It would be sufficient to say that he couldn’t do a thing. Monroe did whatever he wanted over the freshman and it seemed imperative that we keep the two bigs out of foul trouble in the future.

With the two big men down low, Syracuse has been an absolute force to reckon with this season. In every game that we’ve played this season we’ve had the size advantage, and as is the case with Jim Boeheim’s zone, size and discipline are the most important aspects to a successful defense. Jackson, a 6’9” 240 lb junior, Onuaku, a 5^th year senior captain, who stands at 6’9”, 260 lbs both have plenty of both. These two big men’s ability to finish at the rim as well as to stifle opponents in the paint are yet another reason for Syracuse’s unprecedented success.

Triche has proven that he can step in to the PG role

Brandon Triche has been in the limelight pretty much his whole basketball career. He has been a top recruit for most of his high school days, and came to Syracuse ready to replace a superstar.  As a freshman he has done more than expected. From day one, Jim Boeheim declared Triche the starter on this team as he clearly has seen something in the young point guard that has yet to come out. He shows flashes of stardom in his play, whether it be his ability to bring the ball up the court, distribute the ball to the forwards, drive and dish, or shoot the open jumper, Triche has shown a little bit of it all. While his play of late has been much less than spectacular, he has maintained the starting role and has proven to have an enormous potential for the future.

Scoop Jardine, a redshirt sophomore, played a minor role on the court his freshman season, and sat out last year due to injury. He lost the starting role early in the season and it seemed as if he would be a non-factor in the season. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Scoop comes off the bench usually at the first media time-out and changes the dynamic of the game. Scoop adds a faster pace to the game and is much more comfortable finishing at the rim. He’s not afraid to shoot the ball at any time, yet he knows when to pass and when to shoot. Scoop leads the Big East in assists off the bench and he is most likely the best 7^th man in the league as well.

Scoop and Triche form a deadly two point guard combo that rivals any in the nation. While neither of them are terrific offensive weapons, the two guards combine to create a combo that never skips a beat. Boeheim is completely comfortable with either of the players on the court and both are capable of bringing the ball up the court and running the offense. Scoop does his best Magic Johnson impression as he is charismatic on and off the court with a, dare I say, “showtime” approach to the game. Brandon Triche has a Blake Griffen like demeanor to the game. He shows up and does the job as methodically as possible. Triche doesn’t do anything too flashy but when it comes time to show his skill, he puts it all out on display.

Defensively, both bring exactly what’s expected of them to the table. Both guards are capable of doing their job in the zone. Going forward I am more than happy to know that both of these guards can do exactly what a point guard is supposed to do and more.

Rautins is the true leader of the Syracuse Basketball team

Andy Rautins is a 5^th year senior captain on Jim Boeheim’s 26-2 Syracuse Basketball team. Let’s look at that sentence again. Rautins has been playing for Hall of Fame basketball coach Jim Boeheim for 5 years now and has learned every facet about his vaunted 2-3 defense imaginable. Maybe that would explain who Syracuse, a team who is coming off of a year from losing its 3 leading scorers to the NBA (kind of), has maintained one of the few consistent spots a top the nation. With one of the best defenses in the nation, Rautins and Boeheim are looking to put together a magical ending to a terrific season.

If you don’t believe me just watch any SU game this year and see what happens to the team when Andy isn’t on the floor. Look at the run that Syracuse made against Providence last Tuesday. You can even look at any type of scoring run that takes place throughout the course of a Syracuse basketball game and you will notice one thing. When Andy Rautins is out of the game, things go downhill, and when Syracuse is making a run, Andy is in the game. Coincidence? Not. Ask any casual fan of SU hoops and they will tell you the same thing. The things that Andy Rautins does for this basketball team are invaluable. They are, in fact, so important that it even scares me to think about next year; a season without Andy Rautins.

Just what is it that’s special about Andy? What does he do that has made this team so great? To be honest I’m not really sure. It’s obvious that his 3 point shooting ability is a major part in the systematic machine that is Syracuse’s offense. But I honestly believe that we would be just as good without his shooting. He has proven to be a solid ball handler and at times a terrific passer. But we could just as easily start another guard and have a better ball handler who doesn’t throw nearly as many errant passes as Andy does. So what is it?  What makes him the catalyst to Syracuse’s success, and why have we not seen this in any of his other seasons in Syracuse?

The truth is that we have. Last year to be specific. Anybody who watched a Syracuse basketball game last year was awed by Jonny Flynn’s playmaking ability, amazed by Paul Harris athleticism, and frustrated yet accepting of Eric Devendorf’s antics. But in every close game that Syracuse won last year there was one thing in common. Andy Rautin’s 3 point shooting ability. Every time we were kept alive by Andy Rautins. He seems to be the only player who is unfazed by an opposing teams’ scoring run and can create a run of his own by hitting the huge 3 ball. In Syracuse’s last game last season we lost in a heartbreaker to Oklahoma. Really it was a blowout that nobody saw coming, but the difference in the game wasn’t the atrocious officiating or the rebounding battle between our bigs and the Griffin brothers. The difference laid in the 3 point shooting. Oklahoma shot uncharacteristically well making well over 50% of shots from downtown while Andy Rautins was 0 for the first half, and hit his first three with under 4 minutes left in the game. Had Andy hit his usual 5 or so three’s the game would have been much, much different. He changed the game with his scoring ability

Last season was Andy’s first season back after suffering a torn ACL during the Summer before his Junior season. His first two years he was a mediocre player with good 3 point shooting ability and really nothing else. But something happened while he was injured. Andy found his way to the weight room, presumably learned a lot from his dad, who believe it or not played for the Orange, and learned how to be a leader somewhere in the mix. This year you are seeing Andy Rautins in full force. Last year he laid in the shadows of Devendorf, Jonny, and Paul Harris’s egos, but this season Andy Rautins has proven himself as the MVP of this team. He’s an MVP by the fullest definition as he isn’t the best defender on the team, nor is he the best rebounder, passer, or point scorer. Those titles lay with other players. He is the Most Valuable Player on this year’s team as he is the facilitator who allows the other players on the team to do what they do best.

Andy Rautins does a little bit of everything well and is willing to win at any cost. He is a player who looks like he is hand crafted by Jim Boeheim to play a top the 2-3 zone, and he does it beautifully. He is fully aware of where the ball is on the court and he knows everybody assignment. But he does more than that on defense. He is, in a sense, the Ray Lewis of this defense as he lets everybody know where they have to be and what they have to do to get the job done. He knows when to contest a shot and when not to, when to trap, and when to go up for a rebound. He grabs any loose ball in the middle of the zone to start the break and he gets the ball to the right players to finish it. Andy is a fearless 3 point shooter and a terrifically skilled passer. He is the focal point of the offense at times and hits shots when they are most needed. There is nothing that Jim Boeheim asks him to do that he can’t go out and do. Andy Rautins is a terrific offensive player, but it is his defense and his leadership on the court that make him the Most Valuable Player as well as the most indispensible player on the team.

As we all know, the most anticipated game of the year is upon us and in 2 days we will finally get to see the matchup of potential #1 seeds  in this years NCAA Tournament. Even though Nova sucks they still have been getting more credit than deserved (as per usual), and ESPN has decided to make an event out of it. So in anticipation for my chance to see Digger Phelps dance live and in person, I have decided to camp out with Otto’s Army in Boeheimburg for the best opportunity for seats.

This will provide me the opportunity to procrastinate any and all homework I have and write a live journal with periodical updates from this mini village that we have assembled…

Thursday 2/25/10

1:15 PM- I arrive at Boeheimburg to sign our group up for the list only to see that i got the 100th spot on the list. Now there are 300 blue seats in the lower section directly in front of the rest of the metal seating. You can sign 4 people up at a time for your group, I do the math… We’re around the 400th people signed up. That sucks.

1:51 PM- The Carrier Dome is named for the sponsor, Carrier Corporation, which is a company which does a lot of work with air conditioners and such. You already know that. What you may not know is that  the Dome itself does not actually have air conditioning in it. Ironic as it may be, it makes sense considering that 95% of the time the city of Syracuse is covered in snow. In a case such as today, it would make sense for the Dome to be a little colder than usual. Not the case. For some strange reason it is around 85 degrees in the main concourse in which all of us are staying. Torturous to say the least.

2:30 PM-The next member of the group (Harris) arrives so I can run up to my room and get stuff for the night. I’ll be back…

4:17 PM- I’m back with my sleeping bag, pillow, and some other stuff to help me survive the night. The list is growing and because classes after 2:00 PM were canceled today the numbers are going to be even greater quicker. Believe the Hype.

5:28 PM- The Defending National Champion Lacrosse team has just finished practicing on the Dome turf below us and the slight entertainment that we were briefly provided with has now come to a halt. That sucks. Back to reading. Even laying down reading is too hot. It’s too hot to do anything. Could it be because of the 50 XBOX’s and TV’s around here? Most likely.

7:08 PM – The most eventful thing all night just happened. We had role call. What do you expect from a bunch of nerds who are waiting around for over 2 days for a 40 minute basketball game. Nothing. Exactly.

7:53 PM- Speaking of Hype… I just read an article in today’s Daily Orange about “The Anatomy of Hype”. It was a surprisingly good article and it had some very good points. But to quote Boobie Miles from Friday Night Lights… “Hype is something that’s not real”… This game’s all real.

More after the jump…

8:20PM-  These are most likely going to be the most unique, boring, yet exciting 48 hours of my life. But one thing will be constant. Actually 2 things… 1) I’ll be updating this journal, and 2) I am going to be doing a lot of reading. So more from the Daily Orange… On the back page of the Daily Orange the three steps to beating the shit out of Villanova are stated. #1 is to Win the Guard Battle, #2 is to Ignore the Hype, and #3 is th utilize the Frontcourt. Now everybody is entitled to their own opinions, but really there is only one thing that needs to be done to win this game. And that happens to be, according to the Daily Orange Sports staff, the third most important thing to do in this game. If Syracuse utilizes it’s size over Villanova in this game we will win. (Period). There is no debate about it. We aren’t going to win the guard battle. We just won’t. We tried that last year, remember. And then there’s that word again. Hype. Hype is defined as a flamboyant attempt to overvalue something’s importance. This game is as big as it gets. And more importantly, it shouldn’t be ignored. You get up for your big games. It just happens. This game isn’t just another game. This is a game in front of a sold out crowd with the Big East title on the line. Don’t ignore the hype. Relish it. And then get the ball to Johnson, Joseph, Jackson, and Onuaku in the pain. Preferably in that order too.

9:50 PM- Yet another riveting action in the likes of Boeheimburg, the field lights in the Dome have turned on, and just as quickly back off again. Interesting, I know. Harris and his roommate have gone outside to play football. In T-Shirts. Did I mention that it’s hot in here. Yeah. That hot.

10:22 PM- Time for my trip outside. It was refreshing. Like a Sierra Mist commercial. I was also able to walk down the corridor that Otto’s Army is occupying. It’s eerily reminiscant of an indoor track meet. A lot of air mattresses, movie watching, and sleeping amongst a large backdrop of demographics. Ok. It’s really just college students who like going to basketball games but you get the point.

11:12 PM- Probably the most exciting part of the night as we just ordered pizza. The delivery right up to the Carrier Dome has to be the most convenient part about the whole thing. Also, I’ve probably used way too many superlatives in this sentence.

11:47 PM-Time for another walk around the Dome. My eyes are killing me and I can’t bear to look at a screen anymore. A lot of people are playing Catch Phrase and monopoly. Madden has taken over most Xbox’s by now and the sounds of “Barbie Girl” resonate in the background. Oh wait. Now it’s Avril Lavagne. Where is my pizza? Am I going crazy? It’s only been 10 hours. This can’t be happening.

Friday 2/26/10

12:34 AM- Still waiting for my pizza. How could it possibly take this long. Apparently the order got lost. This sucks. All of those superlatives before are replaced now by………. thinking………… something. I don’t know. My brain isn’t working anymore. It’s far too late to be able to come up with a good word. Did I mention how hot it was in here?

10:56 AM- Wake up in time for roll call and the beginning of what’s going to be a slow morning. Here’s the events of last night…

• -Pizza finally came around 2 in the morning. I would have to say that it has to be the best warm pizza and diet Pepsi I’ve ever had.
• -I moved my bed down to the balcony around the second level where it was much cooler than the 120 degree hell where we were before. I better not roll in my sleep or it’s a long drop down to the first level.
• -At 4 AM we’re still awake. It’s actually not that easy to fall asleep on a concrete bed when it’s 85 degrees. It doesn’t help that they decided to turn the lights on over the field and basketball court, making it as bright as day out. The good news is that almost everybody up in the main concourse is still awake too. Amazing.
• -I fell asleep sometime after that to wake up to the soccer team practicing on the field below. At first I think how rare it is to be able to see one on one drills, then I remember that our soccer team only won a handful of games. Now it all makes sense.

11:17 AM- I can see the ESPN guys setting up the College Gameday set now and two guys are attempting to place 35,000 little orange towels around the Dome. One for each seat. Good luck with that. I also have gotten a chance to read my article about Jonny, Devo, and Paul Harris leaving last year. Can’t say I’m really surprised by anything that’s happened this year. Afterall. My article was titled Onward and Upward.

7:36 PM- Back from my long break and refreshed. Towards the end of my run there I was really starting to feel bad for all of those Hurricane Katrina Survivors. At least the ones that had to stay in the Superdome during the aftermath. It’s brutal in there. At least the air systems are running now and it seems to have significantly cooled down. Only 26 more hours until game time. I’m pumped.

Gilbert Brown (above) and the Pittsburgh Panthers defeated #3 Villanova 70-65 Sunday afternoon. The loss is Villanova’s fourth of the season and second consecutive.

By Jon Harris

With Kansas and Kentucky both winning twice this week, they remained on top of the college basketball world. Syracuse is not too far behind with Wesley Johnson back to full health. A team that looks quite sickly, however, is the Villanova Wildcats, having lost two straight against Big East opponents and very much limping into a big matchup with Syracuse this Saturday. Duke and Purdue’s big three propelled them each through the week with two wins apiece and Kalin Lucas returned for the Spartans, but was outdueled by Evan Turner and the Ohio State Buckeyes.

The Best of the Rest (16-25)