Eleven Warriors

One and done...again (AP: J. Jacobson)

Playing their first road game of the season on Syracuse's "other" home court, Thad Matta's troops put a 79-65 whuppin' on the 21st ranked Orangemen last night in Madison Square Garden. The convincing win got the attention of respected (at least by me) ESPN analysts Steve Lavin and Doug Gottlieb with both raving about Matta, Kosta Koufos and Jamar Butler.

The Buckeyes looked a little out of sync early on, settling for deep jumpers after failing to get the ball into the post against the famouse Syracuse zone while surrendering a few too many bunnies at the other end of the floor as the 'Cuse cotinuously fed cutters from the high post coupled with a banked in three pointer to take a 20-13 lead midway through the first half.

That lead would disappear quickly as Koufos and Othello Hunter sparked an 18-4 run giving OSU a 31-24 lead they would never relinquish with 5:43 left in the half. Koufos had a big first half with 15 points showing an arsenal of offensive moves while Butler surgically controlled the tempo pushing the ball when opportunities arose while smartly backing it out when the Buckeyes didn't have numbers or looked a little frenetic.

In front of a pro-Orange crowd, the 'Cuse managed trim the OSU lead to 46-43 at the 16:11 mark but the Buckeyes answered with a 10-1 run behind Koufos and Butler to take a 56-46 lead with 12:47 left. The 'Cuse wouldn't threaten the rest of the way as OSU built the lead to as much as 15 securing a spot in the NIT Season Tip-Off Championship game against #16 Texas A&M Friday night at 7pm.

The 'Cuse had no answer for Koufos as the freshman poured in a game high 24 points along with 9 rebounds but it wasn't a one man show by any stretch. Fellow big Othello Hunter proved more athletic than any of the Orange producing 15 points and 8 rebounds but it was his passing that was most impressive on this night. He showed great vision running a little high-low action from the top of the key with Koufos setting up numerous easy scores keeping Syracuse from climbing back into the game.

On the perimeter, Butler showed his moxie orchestrating the offense to the tune of 14 points (4/6 3FG), 5 rebounds and 3 dimes in 40 minutes of action while freshman John Diebler looked a little more comfortable finishing with 12 points. Diebler's jumper still isn't falling but give him credit for agressively driving to the hole leading to a 7-8 night at the stripe. It's just a matter of time before he finds his touch from the outside.

Also worth mentioning is the play Matta received from Evan Turner off the bench. Turner, who looked like a deer in headlights in his previous outings, logged 20 minutes producing a versatile 6 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. His effort helped offset a horrific performance from David Lighty who consistently forced the action driving when it wasn't there in addition to blowing a 3-on-1 fast break by trying to dunk from the foul line resulting in a charge. Lighty finished with just 5 points against 4 turnovers in 26 minutes after scoring 21 and 13 in the first two games. Let's chalk this one up as an off night and expect Lighty to come out more poised Friday night.

Overall, Lavin's "most underrated team in the country" showed they belong in the Top 25 flashing a balanced offensive attack that can score inside and out while employing a stingy zone defense. The Buckeyes held Syracuse to 36% FG (20% 3FG) and forced 16 turnovers (9 steals) while pitching a shutout against freshman sensation Jonny Flynn. The main concern defensively continues to be rebounding. Syracuse posted a 40-30 edge on the glass, including 19 offensive and Texas A&M figures to be an even stronger test.

Corey will break it down for you, but expect a much more physical affair Friday night as the Aggies sport some big bodies on the front line.

Mrs. Miles - tough on the eyes

Jason continued his dominance with a 3-1 week to go to a mystical 29-18 this year while I went 2-2 to bring my season total to 21-26. I knew my WVU minus the points pick was a loser but I fell victim to betting with my heart. Pathetic. That's Gambling 101 right there.

Anyway, maybe that's Jason's secret. The dude has no heart keeping him from making 'hope' picks. Instead, he's all bidness.

With the regular season in the rear-view, we thought we might struggle to land a guest picker but the trip to Ann Arbor proved fruitful in more ways than one.

One of our sources was picking up a bottle of Champipple at a local carryout and bumped into Les Miles' wife. She mentioned how much more fun it was to shop for houses (rumor's rule!) with a little buzz on and that she had to finish up before The Game started because she had a hundo on Michigan +4.

With her love of gambling duly noted, she agreed to phone in her picks from a roomy 6-bedroom she was trying out in Barton Hills. Let's see if she's got the goods.

Now on to the picks:

USC (-3.5) @ Arizona State (ESPN 8:00 Thursday) The winner of this Thanksgiving Day tilt could be in line to face Ohio State in the Rose, assuming the Buckeyes aren't handed a better fate. USC has won 7 in a row against the Sun Devils but ASU does have the 2nd best winning percentage (.391, 9/14) of Pac-10 teams against the Trojans.

Chris: USC wins, but can't cover the number. USC 27-24. Jason: I can't buy USC not winning by a score, 33-24. Mrs. Miles: My husband could beat up Surfer Pete. ASU prevails 28-27.

Arkansas (+12) @ LSU (CBS 2:30 Friday) I've been drinking Tiger blood all week trying to will a Razorback upset in Baton Rouge but it's gonna take a Heisman winning performance by Darren McFadden to give the Buckeyes a BCS boost. If we're lucky, the Miles to Michigan talk will serve as a necessary distraction.

Chris: McFadden will keep it close but LSU pulls away late, 31-20. Jason: LSU likes to keep it close against decent competition. They'll win by double digits, but not cover: 38-30. Mrs. Miles: Boy, that LSU squad sure has a hot coach. LSU 45-0.

Missouri (+7.5) @ Kansas (ABC 8:00) Apparently, this is a huge rivalry game although I'm struggling to remember the last time it was important. Regardless, this contest has huge BCS implications, almost as huge as Mangino. Almost.

Chris: Missouri exposes the fraudulent Jayhawks. Mizzou 24-20. Jason: Mangino! Mangino! Mangino! Kansas 27, Missouri 24. Mrs. Miles: When did Dom DeLuise get into coaching? Kansas 24-21.

Connecticut (+17) @ West Virginia (ABC 3:30) The UConn braintrust is worried about Pat White and knows the best way to stop him is to keep the WVU offense off the field. White's been on fire the last 3 games (923 total yards, 6 TD) and looks like the only way to stop him is to make WVU throw the football. If that happens, UConn might have a shot as their secondary is 2nd in the NCAA with 21 INTs, 5 returned for touchdowns. C'mon, Huskies!

Chris: Do you believe in miracles? UConn 24-23. Jason: 17 is way too many to give a team that doesn't like to take care of the ball. WVU 21-17. Mrs. Miles: Does anyone outside of Morgantown or Columbus care about this one? WVU 34-14.

Dorf on hoops.

Ohio State 2-0, 0-0 Big Ten Roster | Schedule

November 21, 2007 9:00 PM ET ------ Madison Square Garden New York, NY

Syracuse 3-0, 0-0 Big East Roster | Schedule

Opponent: Syracuse is a fantastic early non conference foe for Ohio State. The Orangemen are 3-0 in this young season, pulling away from Siena and getting a nail biter from Saint Joeseph's in the first two rounds of the NIT Season Tip-Off, then clobbering Fordham last Friday. Jim Boeheim has been coach at Syracuse forever and you know his team will come in ready for action.

Boeheim loves to play him some zone and his teams have lulled plenty of teams to sleep over the years, forcing them to stand around and shoot from behind the arc. Syracuse has held their three opponents to 44 percent shooting, but have allowed 10 three pointers per game. The 'Cuse will roll in tonight with a young line up, starting 2 freshman, 2 sophomores and a junior. While the Orange's youth shows up in their negative turnover and steal margins, it hasn't affected their shooting, connecting on 54 percent from the floor, including 47 percent from downtown and averaging 83 points a game.

Key Players: Syracuse is not deep, all 5 starters average double digits and 30+ minutes per game. Beyond the starters, 3 other players have seen limited time off the bench. Donte Green (6'9" Fr.) leads the 'Cuse in scoring at 19/game, while also grabbing 8 boards. He is coming off a career high 25 pt., 9 rb. game against Fordham and he possesses the ability to hit the three, making 8 of 19 attempts.

His fellow freshman starter, Johnny Flynn (6'0" 13pt./8ast.) introduced himself to the Syracuse faithful with a 28 pt., 9 assists game in their first victory and hit a game winning 3 pointer against Saint Joseph's to help the 'Cuse advance to the semi-finals. Flynn was one of the most sought after point guards last year and started with David Lighty in the U19 USA team this past summer.

They are joined in the starting line up by veteran scorer Eric Devendorf (6'4" Jr.), who is 7 points away from 1000 career points. Dorf averages 16 a game and plays a team high 37 minutes a game. Rounding out the starting five is Arizne Onuaku (6'9" So.) and Paul Harris (6'5" So.). Onuaku is their wide body on the inside and averages 14 points and 5 rebounds. Harris could be the key for the Orange, averaging 13 points and 12 boards. He is not a threat from downtown and likes to get to the stripe, but he gets most of his points off junk. Rick Jackson (6'9" Fr.) is the only significant sub, but is not worth noting at 10 minutes a game.

Notes: Syracuse is looking for their third NIT Season Tip-Off title. They are 80-74 all-time at Madison Square Garden. Jim Boeheim is 12th all-time in victories and has a career record of 753-264.

Buckeye Breakdown: Ohio State has won their first two games by an average of 18.5 points. Thad Matta shortened his bench and it will be interesting to see who earned more playing time over the last eight days of practice. This young team's lack of man to man execution has forced Thad to play more zone, but I would expect increased pressure tonight.

Ohio State's depth could wear down Syracuse, but the Buckeyes must show improvement on the defensive end. Ohio State comes in averaging 79.5 points a game and is shooting 51 percent from the floor. They outrebounded UW-Green Bay and Columbia by 9.5 a game and their height advantage tonight should lead to another positive rebounding margin.

The Orange's zone defense will be a concern for OSU, as it is easy to stand around and settle for long jumpers. Ohio State will have to penetrate and get the bigs for Syracuse in foul trouble, while trying to hit the mid-range jumper. The Buckeyes are 17-44 from long range this year, but should have open looks against the zone.

Key Players: Ohio State has been lead by a three headed attack this season, Kosta Koufos (18.5), Jamar Butler (17.5) and David Lighty (17.0). Koufos has shown some smooth offensive game and is shooting 62% from the field. He has resisted the temptation of shooting the 3ball, but has hit 2 of 3. Koufos is also second on the squad with 7.5 boards a game.

Butler has made 9 of 18 threes and seems comfortable again playing point guard, contributing 6.5 assists per game. He set career highs in rebounds with 7 against Columbia and 10 assists against UWGB. David Lighty has been a huge lift for Ohio State, shooting 63 percent and contributing 6 boards with 4 assists.

Othello Hunter has been able to score 12 points a game and leads Ohio State with 8 boards per contest. He must have a big trip to NYC, Ohio State needs his scoring and his 40+ inch vertical leap to control inside. John Diebler is hoping to find his shot in the Big Apple, as he is only 1-10 thus far and looks a step slow at times. The Wiggler, Evan Turner and P.J. Hill should see the majority of action off the bench, but I hope to see Eric Wallace and Dallas Lauderdale a bit more, proving they are showing improvement.

Notes: Jamar Butler is now tied for 3rd in career three pointers, at 147. He is just 6 behind Scoonie Penn and Brent Darby. Ohio State is 3-1 all-time against Syracuse and 68-46 against the Big East. 11W favorite Slick Steve Lavin will be part of the commentary team on ESPN2.

Also be sure to check out this report from Doug of Georgia blog Hey Jenny Slater. As part of his quest to witness one big non-Dawg rivalry game each season, he took in The Game from the Big House. While not impressed with the restrooms, he did like the vitriol:

I've been to plenty of football games in my time, many of them between teams that qualified as hated rivals, but I don't think I've ever seen that hatred expressed as casually (or as frequently) as it was between the Michigan and tOSU faithful.

Media, how quickly you forget my domination.

The Big Ten conference announced their awards late last night and as expected, Ohio State cleaned up.

James Laurinaitis earned his first Big Ten Defensive Player of the year honor after leading Ohio State's top ranked defense. While it has been argued that Marcus Freeman has been just as impressive this year, it is hard to ignore Little Animal's stats. He led the team with 103 tackles, while also having 8.5 TFL, 5 sacks, 2 INT's and a fumble recovery.

He is the third Buckeye to win the honor in the last 5 years, A.J. Hawk in 2005 and Will "Summertime" Smith in 2003 were the other two. Obviously Laurinaitis was first team All Conference by both the coaches and the media and this could be the first of many honors thrown his way before tOSU's bowl game.

While Laurinaitis won Defensive POY, the Gun Show was honored as the Big Ten's Defensive Lineman of the year. Gholston tied Ohio State's single season record with 13 sacks, 10 of those coming within conference play. Vern, baby Vern was dominate at times, tying a single game record with 4 sacks against Wisconsin, leading the domination of Michigan and also returning a fumble for a touchdown. His 14.5 TFL lead the team and Vern was responsible for 196 yards of lost offense for opposing teams.

Joining Lil' Animal and Gun Show on defense was Malcolm Jenkins, earning his second straight First Team All Conference. Jenkins was fifth in tackles (44) for the Silver Bullets and lead the team with 3 INT's. Malcolm showed his versatility this year, splitting time at corner and safety and was instrumental in helping Ohio State lead the nation in many defensive stats.

Marcus Freeman has a legit gripe with the media. While the coaches got it right, voting him 2nd team, the media believed he was only worthy of honorable mention, even though he lead the team in solo tackles (60), was second in total tackles (95) and chipped in with 9.5 TFL.

Freeman earned the only second team honor for the nation's top defense, however Kurt Coleman, Anderson Russell and Donald Washington gained honorable mention from the coaches and Coleman, Freeman and Russell were media selections.

Beanie's performance against Michigan jumped him up to earn First Team honors from both the coaches and media. Beanie finished the regular season with 1463 yards (5.8/carry) and 14 touchdowns. Wells averaged 140 yards/game within conference play, which lead all Big Ten running backs and his 11 touchdowns were second.

Kirk Barton also earned First Team honors from the coaches and media. Barton is one of two senior starters on the offense and was a solid leader on the O-Line all year. He helped Ohio State average 32 points a game, while gaining almost 400 yards of equally balanced offense (200/rushing and 197/passing) each game.

Barton's linemate, Alex Boone, earned 2nd team honors from coaches and media. I thought Boone was much improved this year, opening up gaping holes on his side of the line and protecting Boeckman's backside. If he stays and keeps away from drinking 2 cases of beer per day, Boone will have serious consideration for All American next year.

I think we can all agree Todd Boeckman had a surprising and refreshing year (minus the last 2 games), but unfortunately the coaches and media could not agree on this fact. The coaches felt Boeckman's 150.3 passer efficiency, 2171 passing yards and 23 touchdowns were only worthy of honorable mention, deciding to throw Chad Henne a bone and give him First Team. However the media got it right and voted him First Team. As mentioned, Boeckman seemed to take a step back the last two games, after some small Heisman talk started, but his leadership and play throughout the season helped Ohio State to their third straight Big Ten title. Honorable Mention? Behind Chad Henne? Come on coaches, you're smarter than that!

Along with Boeckman, the coaches voted Brian Robiskie and A.J. Trapasso honorable mention, while the media added Ryan Pretorius for the honor. Brian Hartline did not receive any all conference selections, but he was nominated for the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.

Take a look at the entire list and tell me what other mistakes you see, it was hard for me to get passed the media's robbery of Marcus Freeman.

Nuge!!! (AP Photo: Bill Kostroun)

The Buckeye NFLer of week 11 goes out to Mike Nugent of the New York Jets. Nugent connected for one extra point as well as 4 field goals (25, 19, 28, and 38 yards) as the Jets downed the Pittsburgh Steelers 19-16 in OT. Nuge's 38 yard FG in OT was the game-winner.

In his 3rd season in the NFL, Nugent has connected for 17 of 22 FG attempts as well as all 17 extra point attempts. In his short career as a pro, Nuge has made 63 FGs in 77 attempts for an 81% average.

Nugent still holds or shares 22 Ohio State records, most notably the Buckeyes' record for points scored with 356. He was also the 2004 Lou Groza Award winner for college football's best placekicker.

The New York Jets selected Nugent in the 2nd round (47th overall) in the 2005 NFL Draft.

Another week, another dose of BCS chaos. Seriously, is there any confidence that the BCS will pick the two most worthy teams at the end of this mess? I see about 10 teams with an argument to play for it all.

Because of the way the Big 12 is likely to play out, the Mountaineers look to have the best shot at LSU in the championship game, but I wouldn't be surprised to see each of those teams suffer another loss in the coming weeks.

USF and BYU are newcomers to the ballot while Michigan and Kentucky go tumbling off. We like Illinois a lot more than at 14 and think Florida could realistically be in the top 7, but we have to show some restraint.

1		Ole Miss hung around a little, but the Tigers were too much. Will Miles have a wandering mind these next few weeks?	1
2		The Jayhawks waxed Iowa State and now prepare for the huge showdown with Missouri in Kansas City this weekend.	1
3		See above, but replace Jayhawks with Tigers and Iowa State with Kansas State.	2
4		It's a shame that part of the equation is when you lose. Defend that facet, playoff haters.	2
5		The Mountaineers won a tough roadie in Cincinnati, but continued their fumblin' ways. UConn this week.	2
6		The hottest team in America right now took care of Kentucky and must win and hope for Tennessee loss to meet up with LSU.	2
7		The Sun Devils had a bye before welcoming the Trojans into town for a huge game this weekend.	2
8		Losing Dixon is a heartbreaker. The Ducks will put their trust in a Leaf this weekend at UCLA.	7
9		Oklahoma also had a quarterback go out in a loss this weekend. Still, if they win against Okie State this weekend, they're in the Big 12 Championship.	5
10		The Hokies are the latest team to put a hurting on the "U". Damn, that's great to see. Winner of the game with UVA this weekend in Charlottesville goes to the ACC Championship game.	--
11		Joining Wells on the all-soph team is Tim Tebow. The 20/20 club is sick. He may be the charter member of the 25/25 club after playing FSU this weekend.	1
12		The Trojans had a bye before heading to Tempe to face Arizona State this weekend.	1
13		The Longhorns also had a bye before heading to Texas A&M this weekend. Revenge for Colt's treatment last season will be a high priority.	--
14		The Illini may be playing the best ball in the country right now. Don't think Zooker isn't looking forward to that potential matchup with the Gators in Capital One bowl.	1
15		Virginia playing for a chance to go to the ACC Championship? Folks rip on the Big Ten, but the ACC is easily America's wackest conference.	1
16		Ever since the opening loss to the Huskies, Boise State is rolling. They head to Hawaii this weekend to void them from the BCS formula.	1
17		Gutty comeback against Vandy -- if they can win at Kentucky this weekend, Fulmer will be in another SEC Championship game.	2
18		Huge win at Clemson to lock up a trip to the ACC Championship. Beating down hapless Miami this weekend will be the icing on the cake.	2
19		The Gophers looked like they had life for the first time all season. Alas, not enough life.	3
20		After losing at home to BC, the Tigers visit the OBC this weekend.	6
21		Hawaii needed a late field goal to win at a pretty lousy Nevada. That was their last game as an unbeaten.	--
22		UConn took care of Syracuse this weekend and travel to West Virginia this with a Big East championship on the line.	3
23		After destroying Louisville, the Bulls are back on our ballet.	NR
24		The Cougars have quietly won 7 straight. LaVelle Cooper is pleased.	NR
25		The Bearcats were game, but the Mountaineers were a little too much. Pick-me-up game at Syracuse this weekend.	7

DROPPED OUT: Michigan (#23), Kentucky (#24).

With many readers hedging on a Buckeye rout or at the very least, a high scoring affair, Andy came in with the closest prediction with his 9-3 call for The Game.

He was one of the last dozen or so to get his pick in, so his fastidious study of Ann Arbor weather patterns proved worthwhile. Congratulations Andy, but be careful. They use our shirts to film the AXE commercials.

I hear Ohio ladies are easier.

Since the last installment of Buckeye Seedlings, Tressel and his coaching staff have landed another top rated player, bringing the total to 14 for next year's reload. Etienne Sabino is a 6'3" 223 lb inside linebacker from Miami Fl., who is rated by most as the top at his position. He will join his high school teammate, Travis Howard in snubbing all three Florida schools and playing for the Buckeyes. Ohio State could have a class upwards of 18, with the last commitments coming on and around February 2nd, national signing day.

Local Columbus products Jake Stoneburner and Mike Adams of Dublin Coffman continued their undefeated season with a 42-35 win over Hilliard Darby in state playoff action, setting up a semi-final with nationally ranked Cincinnati St. Xavier. Stoneburner used his size and speed to haul in 4 catches for 110 yards, including 2 touchdowns. Coming into the game, Jake had 67 catches for 1,159 yards and 13 touchdowns. His 6'6" 223 lb. frame is coupled with 4.46 speed and as long as he can keep his weight in this range, he should be able to continue playing WR at Ohio State.

Tressel was not the only Buckeye coach making recruiting waves recently. Thad Matta continued his recruiting success since arriving in Cbus and landed another top 5 class for 2008. The class is lead by 7 foot center, B.J. Mullens of Canal Winchester, who is ranked as the top center nationally. Mullens has impressed Matta from first sight and had a scholarship offer on the table before he even started high school.

William Buford is another 5 star recruit in this class. The 6'5" shooting guard out of Toledo is ranked amongst the top 5 shooting guards in the nation. Walter Ouffitt, 6'3" 180, is the defensive stopper of the group. Ouffitt becomes the third player Matta has been able to pluck out of Indiana and while he may not be the scorer Buford is, he has a defensive mentality and could defend multiple positions on the floor.

Rounding out the class is Anthony "Noopy" Crater, a 6'1" point guard, who is set to replace Jamar Butler. Crater is a top ten point guard who played on the King James AAU squad over the summer and may look to fit the mold of Mike Conley Jr. as a pass first guard.

Barton knows.

The New King of A2 Dominates in Pain
As a freshman backup last season, Beanie popped a 52-yard touchdown run to give his Buckeyes the lead for good in the huge stakes battle in Columbus. After nearly being stopped in the backfield, Wells spun through a Shawn Crable tackle and outran the rest of the Michigan defenders to the endzone.

Yesterday in Ann Arbor, he iced the Wolverines again. Immediately after a Ray Small punt return touchdown was nullified, Wells got it right back by breaking a tackle at the line of scrimmage before juking the shit out of Michigan safety Brandon Englemon and finishing the 62 yard score. On the day: 39 for 222 and both of Ohio State's touchdowns. Money.

Going all the way back to the Washington game, Wells has been there to bail the team out all season. His 200+ and the way he ran out the end of the game against Michigan State, his 169 and 3 quick touchdowns to turn a close Wisconsin game into a rout and finally, when it mattered most, his performance against Michigan yesterday.

We've heaped love on the new receivers, given Boeckman his two weeks of crazy Heisman talk, but through it all, the Buckeyes have had one of the top running backs in the country chugging away through injuries and putting up monster numbers. His 1463 rushing yards on the season already put him at 7th on the OSU single season list. With a 100 yard performance in a bowl, he'll move into 5th behind Eddie, Byars and two Archie seasons. Not bad.

Defense Thankful to Just Get After It Again
Following the loss to Illinois, Gholston and Laurinaitis were critical of the defensive game plan used against Juice Williams and the read option. Give the coaches points for listening at least.

Several of the players expressed that the key to neutralizing Michigan's already limping attack was just lining up and playing with speed. Gholston expressed as much after the game:

"Sometimes, you run different schemes where you have to (lay back), do this and do that. This week, our game plan was just to go in there and play fast, and that's what we did today."

The Buckeyes will have to face an even better Juice-lead Illinois team next season in Champaign, so it will be interesting to see if the coaching staff learned their lesson from this season.

Mike Hart Goes Out Quiet
After saying the Buckeye defense was nothing last season and saying he'd rather lose another game to Appalachian State than lose a game to the Buckeyes earlier in the week, Mike Hart was relatively quiet after being held to his lowest rushing total of the season.

He had the following to say about the OSU defense:

"Give credit to the (Ohio State) defense. They came up with a great game and had a good scheme against us. The defense did a great job."

Huh? Where's the H20-4 we all know and who is this imposter? Mike's easy to despise, but he can ball when healthy and is one of those guys that makes the rivalry so great. He'll be missed.

Put on Your Favorite UConn Cap
With the Buckeye season over and the team needing some help to get back into the BCS Championship picture, we can look forward to a holiday weekend full of rooting for upsets. Lots and lots of upsets.

With Oklahoma expected to take care of the Kansas/Missouri winner in the Big 12 title game, and the very real possibility that if Georgia gets into the SEC Championship and dumps LSU, they could jump the Buckeyes in the BCS rankings, West Virginia is the team to actively root against. They have end the season with games against UConn (medium chance for an upset) and Pitt (near 0 chance for an upset).

If ever there was a time to get behind UConn football, it's right now. Go Huskies!

Speaking of Kings
He may be a Yankee fan, but there's no doubt where LeBron's college allegiance lies. I knew it was a great early sign when the celebrity introduction matchup was LeBron James against.. Braylon Edwards. Edwards is eating the NFL up this season, but seriously. Was Derek Jeter too busy?

Any chance LeBron's introductions planted a seed in a young stud hoopster's mind?