Let’s backtrack a little and look back on the picks, predictions, prognostications—ah whatever—that I have laid out here so eloquently in the collegefastbreak domain somewhat recently.

In no particular order and in no particular feeling of confidence either:

**** Scoff at it, just get mad at it UofA fans. Your team will lay an egg this year but totally get hot and win the NIT.

^ Addition by subtraction in Texas—ludicrous to say maybe, but D.J. and A.J. were beguiling wonders on the court that irrevocably held back the Longhorns from placing more impactful punches against stronger fighters.

$ The Spartans will further cement themselves as the college version of the 21st century Detroit Pistons. Each has won one championship, yet both fan bases are becoming impatient with the standstill success. So much talent yet so little to show for it.

#!#@ Calling Conference USA a power conference was a little wishful. That statement, although made while sober, still feels dirty, but it could end up alright. Just hoping Vaden or some other power conference guy can make a run at the scoring title.

? Calling Northwestern a NIT team was an undemonstrative springboard to tomfoolery, as this season I will probably be glued to all news NW basketball, akin to the energy I gave them during the Jitim Young and Tavaras Hardy days.

(Preview of Big Ten season)—Probably the most accurate prediction of the Big Ten season as you will find, minus the Michigan placement. No Big Ten quality pg will be available to suit up for the Wolvies until the second semester.—-

% Hasheem Thabeet is ready for a monster year and a long run into the tourney. It would not be surprising to see the Huskies stay in the top 5 for the entire season, especially if Thabeet can average 14.5ppg, 9 reb and more than 4 blk. Just think about the terror an offensively skilled Thabeet would be.

高人 Speaking of impact big men, one should keep an eye out for UNC-Asheville’s Kenny George. When fresh, he’s really not much different than your rudimentary 7 foot center, except for the fact George can regularly hit free throws and, while this might not seem feasible, still surprises many guards with his length. After awhile you’d think they would find new ways to attack a 7’7 dude, but often they make the same mistake over and over. However the time to attack George is when he’s sucking major air. Not exactly an original idea, yet, for huge guy, the opportunities present themselves much more frequently.

It’s almost as of George has decent enough foot speed to move laterally and react, but it’s the body that often takes awhile to catch up. If the coach can really substitute him frequently and wisely, UNC-Asheville will be the best in the Big South.

The next two are direct matchup predictions.

$$$ The Big Ten will once again fall to the superior ACC and it will, as it has always been, be because of the significant back of the conference weakness’s of the Big Ten. Need I go further?

\&/ The Fighting Irish will beat the Tar Heels in the finals of the Maui Invitational.

So with that out of the way,

#1

My pick to win the whole enchilada.

Discuss.

photo credit: Newscom

The Atlantic Coast Conference has dominated the Big Ten in each of the 9 years of this yearly Challenge. The last two years the ACC has recorded 16 wins versus just 6 losses. The ACC’s total record is 56-30.

The Challenge tips off on the first of December with Wisconsin visiting Virginia Tech.

After the opening day 5 games on each of the next 2 days will take place. There are some salivating matchups for sure.

Duke at Purdue

UNC vs. MSU at Ford Field– ok, UNC at MSU

Ohio St. at Miami

Eh, I guess know “salivating” is more of a subjective take on these games.

But those three matchups just about do it for me.

Is this the year the Big Ten will amass more than 5 wins in the challenge?

Nope.

7-4 will be the ACC’s record for this year’s challenge.

The rundown…

Wisconsin at Virginia Tech
Everyone is back from Tech save Deron Washington. A.D. Vassalo might be the best baller most of America doesn’t know about.

On second thought, Wiscy’s Trevon Hughes might be the best unknown dude. At any rate, Tech must shoot the ball better from downtown if they are to escape Bo’s onslaught of a defense.

Edge- Wiscy

Ohio St. at Miami
The deep and deadly Hurricanes will stomp the Buckeyes, of course.

Edge- Miami

Iowa at Boston College
Both of these teams suck, but Tyrese Rice brings excitement and scoring to the game. Iowa could overtake the cellar from Indiana before it’s all said and done this year.

Edge- BC

Clemson at Illinois
Clemson returns 7 of its top 10 players from last year’s NCAA tourney team, including the Eric Piatkowski look alike, Terrence Oglesby. I vividly remember a game last year where Oglesby jacked up about 18 threes and hit about 2 of them. Actually it was a 1 for 11 performance against Villanova in the first round last year. Look for a strong game from Terrence.

Edge- Clemson

Duke at Purdue
This will be one of those early tests for Purdue, one in which will help sort out the veracity of the heavily pro-Purdue prognosticators.

Expect a shootout.

Edge- Purdue

Virginia at Minnesota
The teams look to be even, but the coaches are far from it.

Edge- Minny

Indiana at Wake Forest
Wake will easily win this one. Wake looks like it could give anybody in the country problems as all five starters return and a highly touted class comes in.

Edge- Wake

Penn St. at Georgia Tech
Tech could be an ACC dark horse this year. Penn St. needs the Crispin brothers back.

Edge- GTech

Michigan at Maryland
Greivis vs Corperryale.

Michigan will turn the ball over 20 plus times but still be within 6 or 8 when it’s over.

I live in Michigan. Bet on it. No really.

Edge- Maryland

UNC at MSU (Ford Field)

MSU fans get loud. Ford Field is way bigger than the Breslin.

Unfortunately,

Hansbrough and Deon Thompson>>> Goran Suton and Marquise Gray

Edge- UNC

Florida St. at Northwestern

(Snorts and giggles)

The Seminoles will get their asses handed to them by an academic school that has had virtually no success in basketball, hence the giggling and snorting. This will feel like losing to Duke in football. Florida St. will have some mighty trouble this year, they lost too much from last year’s team. Northwestern is tough at home.

Edge- NW

The ACC, albeit not looking like a super strong conference this year, will still end up tearing apart most of the sluggish teams from the B10.

Not really going out on a limb here with the history of this challenge and all, but you’ll forget about this one after you read my final two death wishes… er, predictions.

When I began this prediction assortment, cometh straight from my crystal ball, no way-no how I saw coming a Northwestern Wildcat yearning. But if paper sheds any truth for this upcoming season, Big Ten basketball teams look to either ‘have’, or ‘have not’.

When coming up with a spot to slide NW into, I took into account the scoring punch returning for each team.

Northwestern ranks high in the returning scorers category, only Purdue ranks higher. Only Purdue and Northwestern return at least three players who scored in double figures last season. Scoring isn’t exactly the staple of Big Ten basketball, so the returning firepower doesn’t necessarily mean a positive result.

Many Big Ten squads, the successful ones anyway, slow down the games and win them with defense and efficient half court offense. Wisconsin has been annoying college basketball nation with half court grinds and bully sessions for what seems like an eternity, but they win. Iowa had their run. Michigan State used to play mean defense. Back when Ohio State had Shaq, they stuck to the other team like glue with guys like Ron Lewis and Mike Conley. That team could score, but defense was their calling card, their ticket all the way to the championship game.

Sure, sure, now it’s different, Purdue is the team to beat, MSU is still in the discussion, Wisconsin will be there, Ohio State might be contenders, but after that?

After that, put Northwestern into the mix. The correlation of Northwestern’s incoming bigs and competing on the boards and limiting penetration will be essential, because, and I’ve not forgotten, the matchups with the have nots in the Big Ten often can turn into sub 60 point affairs quite easily. The poor teams might have talent issues, but playing hard is a trait that’s always displayed. So rebounding and ball control are vital, and that was precisely what Northwestern lacked. Princeton O depends on patience, opportunistic control and decison making. More possessions will, in turn, tire the defense, thus a positive rebound ratio is needed. Big guys will help.

If they can shore up the 10.8 rebounds/gm advantage held by their opponents last year, the added opportunities for top scorers Coble, Moore and Thompson in the Princeton O could mean a lot more celebrating in Welsh-Ryan Arena.

I see a top 6 finish for this team. The NIT could call for the first time since 1999.

Evan Eschmeyer was manning the middle then.

I’m debating whether or not I should really spend time talking about the Northwestern Wildcats for my 4th prediction.

Great school I would never be allowed to attend, but, Big Ten basketball worthy?

Worthy of space on here?

Well…

It was either Northwestern or Oregon St.

Feel blessed Wildcat fans.

Until I do make a decision on this, here we go

(Remix)

It’s never too early to start pontificating about the upcoming season.

My crystal ball I dust off every July or August is acting abnormally insane, as, for the very first time, the Northwestern Wildcats have scratched their way to the front of my lopsided prediction formation… via the crystal ball.

I need to listen to the ball.

You can’t not listen to the ball.

It’s like the Tommyknockers.

Apparently Kevin Coble and his band of international scholars, not so much ballers, are going to be getting some help of the vertically gifted variety this next season. Four 6’8 or taller players are included in this year’s class.

Last year, not even one player on the squad was taller than 6’8, leaving star Kevin Coble, more of perimeter oriented player, to be the only real Wildcat threat on the boards.

The Bill Carmody led team should be able to crack the top 7 in the Big Ten this season provided Coble plays the entire year and the bulk of the rotation improves.

Could a postseason appearance be in the cards for the first time since Carmody has been in Evanston?

Hell yes, surely now that there’s a 3rd postseason tournament.

No excuses!

So ten teams, players or college basketball ingredients are to be predicted upon by me

After the tenth and final prediction, you can categorize me as either a

A) moron
B) racist (races)
C) Dwight Howard cornbread non-apologist
D) genius
E) homer
F) D and E

Prediction # 1

1) The Michigan State Spartans will once again let down their exceptionally loyal and passionate fan base with a less than impressive run in the NCAA tourney. This means they will not advance past the Sweet 16. Underachieve has become a common word thrown around in East Lansing lately and it makes you wonder whether Izzo can get it done anymore.

Izzo is a fabulous recruiter, but he doesn’t seem to be able to mesh his roster together at the right time.

This year’s team, no different from most Izzo teams, has a wealth of depth and athleticism. The team can play small and fast, or also big and long, provided prized recruit Delvon Roe is in good enough shape to hold his own and whether or not Marquise Gray or Tom Herzog can show consistency.

Don’t count on it.

I cannot easily forget the team that lost to George Mason in round 1 three years ago. Shannon Brown, Maurice Ager and Paul Davis wore the Spartan green that year. To go out that way left a bad taste in a lot of fan’s mouths.

While I lean towards the Michigan Wolverines side for rooting purposes in-state, I still like to see the Spartans succeed.

Oh well, I just remembered being very shocked and let down by that loss. I probably had them going to the Elite 8 or something, like I do every year.

Damn.

$10 would be helpful right about now.

Punctual predictions 2-10 coming up in later posts.

Also I’ll explain the Northwestern Wildcat squad and why they got a mention on this blog.

Actually I’ll have to refer back to the crystal meth, I mean ball about that.

(50-20 at the half)

?

Actually, I think it’s been warm and rearing to go for months now, but I wasn’t paying good enough attention.

At first glance 7′1 B.J. Mullens reminds me of the classic stiff, the guy who had all sorts of people saying great things about him prior to even lacing up sneakers in the NBA.

Robert Swift, Michael Olowokandi, Chris Mihm, Jim McIlvaine, uhh, maybe not Jimster there, but those first 3 were supposed to be the next really good, even spectacular, pivots, but are the epitome of Muresanian stiffness and Will Perdue blandness.

Beating up on Gheorghe like that isn’t like me, so I’ll say Ostertag stiffness instead.

Muresan had game.

Hoops analysts and geniuses –just about every one of that species—has proclaimed B.J. to be the next Oden type impact in college basketball. He can shoot it like Dirk, dunk it like Dominique, run the floor like a gazelle and can kiss it in off the glass like Mr. Fundamentals.

Just imagine how much more we would hear about B.J. if he was going to an ACC school?

Dickie V. would be saying he’s the number one Diaper Dandy!

Milicic

Is Mullens the next Darko flop?

Does he wow people in solo workouts like Darko apparently wowed Joe Dumars?

I’m not going to sit back and say Mullens will be a total disaster his freshman year.

First off, he’ll play at least 19 games against a disaster of a conference, the Big Ten. That alone should guarantee him at least a double digit scoring average.

Northwestern, Michigan and Iowa probably have enough combined talent to make a run in the NIT if they joined together, but split up that core and you have three downright weak teams.

Penn St. and Illinois won’t turn any heads either.

Indiana, it will be awhile.

Second, Mullens will (already has) easily impress others with his hops on wide open dunks and such, inflating the esteem of the many futile videos that already exist exhibiting his growing heap of skills. With every little highlight play he makes, the koolaid will be traveling more and more.

I’ll be really blunt… there haven’t been any white (American) centers who have taken the NBA by storm in recent years. There have been quite a few who were projected to be real good, like a couple mentioned above. Add on Bryant Reeves and Travis Knight to that list save Kandi Man.

Chris Kaman is the closest definition of a solid white “center” out there now. And by all means, Chris is a valuable player and really had a breakout year in 07/08. He’s a border line All-Star caliber player.

Brad Miller is on the honorable mention list, but he’s never been a back to the basket player anyways.

So this B.J. guy has a lot to live up to and many people he must prove wrong, and also, prove right.

I think too many basketball fans and “analysts” are often overly gaga over an athletic white guy, a smooth white guy, someone who they think can break out and be considered the next Larry Bird or Bill Walton, Rex Chapman, Brent Barry, Kevin McHale, John Stockton, Chris Mullin.

Good American white players are hard to come by lately.

B.J. is a phony as of now.

You can’t teach height.

True.

But you can teach others to be aware of Darko.