March Madness Is Insane: First Full Day Review

This article will likely be published after the second day tips off, but that shouldn't have anything to do with the amazing day of we experienced yesterday. I have a few things to say about it below.

UAB Earned Their Bracket Smasher License With Help From Georges Niang

I, as one, had the Iowa State Cyclones going far. I had faith in Fred Hoiberg's team, led by sophomore point guard Monte Morris. I also had one negative on the Cyclones: Georges Niang. The so-called "star" never adjusted to being the first option after Deandre Kane and Melvin Ejim left year, but thats what he was left as. Niang single-handedly lost the game for the Cyclones yesterday, shooting 4-of-15 and having way too many turnovers. UAB was able to capitalize on Niang's mistakes, and because of that, they came away with the victory

R.J. Hunter or Jimmer Fredette?

R.J.Hunter of Georgia State NAILS this incredibly deep three to give Georgia State the lead over Baylor, and they pulled out the win. Hunter's deep three was reminiscent of former BYU star Jimmer Fredette and his range.

Who the Heck Is He? (Georgetown Edition)
In a surprisingly high-scoring college basketball game, Georgetown beat Eastern Washington 84-74. D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera had 25 points and 8 rebounds: no surprise there. The surprise was one guy off of the bench by the name of Bradley Hayes. Hayes had scored 8 points all season long before this game: he ended the game with 8 points. As a matter of fact, he had only attempted 8 field goals all year long. The Hoya bigs got in foul trouble, but luckily, Bradley Hayes was there to save the day.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson Gets Triple-Double, Sets Record

I am a big fan of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. I think he is one of college basketball's best players. Plus, Hollis-Jefferson has style. Whenever he steps to the free-throw line, he does a little shoulder-shimmy. He attempted 10 free-throws, and that resulted in 10 shimmies for Hollis-Jefferson as Arizona blew Texas Southern out of the water. This is only triple-double ever to include shimmies, setting a record.

Physicality: Called or Not?
In the Cincinnati-Purdue game, Cincinnati star Octavius Ellis was ejected for throwing a forearm at Purdue's A.J. Hammons. and he will miss the Bearcats game against Kentucky tomorrow. Georgetown guard Jabril Trawick bumped and knocked Eastern Washington's Tyler Harvey to the ground after a travel and didn't even help him up, but there was no foul on the play. I agreed with the last call, and I was glad to see a glimpse of old Georgetown in this new Georgetown team, but the calls have to be more consistent throughout the tournament.

Brand Article: Are Under Armour Teams the Tournament Sleepers?

I found myself looking at this year's NCAA Tournament bracket, and I noticed a little trend. The four teams that wear Under Armour have a very good chance to make an impact on the tournament. Those teams are 3 seed Notre Dame, 4 seed Maryland, 5 seed Utah, and 9 seed St. John's. I will talk a little about the teams that wear this amazing brand and what they can do in the tournament. 

Notre Dame: 3 seed, Midwest Region

In all honesty, I have Notre Dame reaching the championship game. They are hot off an ACC Championship, and they will continue their hot streak. Led by super-scorer Jerian Grant, the Fighting Irish have many players that can put the ball in the basket. Grant, Pat Connaughton, Demetrius Jackson, Zach Auguste, V.J. Beachem, and Bonzie Colson can all fill it up. These guys have enough firepower to take down Kentucky, who is the one seed in the Midwest. 

Maryland: 4 seed, Midwest Region

The Terrapins played surprisingly well this year, better than anyone predicted them to. Led by senior Dez Wells (44)  and freshman stud Melo Trimble (2) , Maryland had an incredible season, in which they knocked off Wisconsin. Jake Layman (10) also averages double figures for the Terps. They will most likely meet Kentucky in the Sweet 16, where they will need to have big games from the Big Three to win.

Utah: 5 seed, South Region

Two words about why this team is so good: Delon Wright. Wright is one of the best players in the nation. He could go for a triple-double on any given night. With a supporting cast of Jakob Poetl and Brandon Taylor, the Utes are a very strong team. They have it tough and they will have to face some really good teams along the way, but if Wright is on his game, Utah can beat anybody. 

St. John's: 9 seed, South Region

St. John's has really underperformed the past few years, because they have a boatload of studs on their roster. They are without Chris Obepka, but listen to who else they have. D'Angelo Harrison, Rysheed Jordan, Sir'Dominic Pointer, and Phil Greene IV all average double figures. If the Red Storm can catch fire, they have enough gunners to beat anyone in the country from beyond the arc. The Johnnies, along with anyone else on this list, could make a Final Four run. 

NBA 2015 Mock Draft: All-Star Break Edition

1. Minnesota Timberwolves: Jahlil Okafor, Duke C

2. New York Knicks: Emmanuel Mudiay, Guangdong PG

3. Philadelphia 76ers: D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State G

4. LA Lakers: Stanley Johnson, Arizona SF

5. Orlando Magic: Karl-Anthony Towns, Kentucky C

6. Utah Jazz: Kevon Looney, UCLA F

7. Indiana Pacers: Myles Turner, Texas PF/C

8. Sacramento Kings: Mario Hezonja, Croatia G/F

9. Boston Celtics: Kelly Oubre, Kansas SF

10. Denver Nuggets: Justise Winslow, Duke G/F

11. Detroit Pistons: Montrezl Harrell, Louisville PF

12. Atlanta Hawks: Willie Cauley-Stein, Kentucky C

13. Oklahoma City Thunder: Bobby Portis, Arkansas PF

14. Houston Rockets: Trey Lyles, Kentucky PF

15. Philadelphia 76ers: Kristaps Porzingis, Latvia PF

16. Charlotte Hornets: Jerian Grant, Notre Dame PG

17. Milwaukee Bucks: Isaiah Taylor, Texas PG

18. Phoenix Suns: Cliff Alexander, Kansas PF/C

19: Chicago Bulls: Delon Wright, Utah G

20. Cleveland Cavaliers: Terry Rozier, Louisville PG

21. Washington Wizards: Justin Anderson, Virginia SG/SF

22. San Antonio Spurs, Damian Jones, Vanderbilt C

23. Dallas Mavericks: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma SG

24. Toronto Raptors: Rakeem Christmas, Syracuse PF

25. Boston Celtics: Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin C

26. Portland Trail Blazers: Sam Dekker, Wisconsin SF

27. LA Lakers: Jordan Mickey, LSU PF

28. Cleveland Cavaliers: Norman Powell, UCLA SG

29. Brooklyn Nets: Caris LeVert, Michigan SG

30. Golden State Warriors: Keifer Sykes, Wisconsin Green-Bay PG

Second Round

31. Minnesota Timberwolves: Christian Wood, UNLV PF
32. Houston Rockets: Terran Petteway, Nebraska SF
33. Philadelphia 76ers: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Arizona SF
34. LA Lakers: D'Angelo Harrison, St. John's SG
35. Philadelphia 76ers: Dakari Johnson, Kentucky C
36. Utah Jazz: Aaron White, Iowa F
37. Indiana Pacers: Tyrone Wallace, California SG
38. Sacramento Kings: Johnathon Holmes, Texas PF
39. Boston Celtics: Ryan Boatright, UConn PG
40. Houston Rockets: Rysheed Jordan, St. John's PG
41. Detroit Pistons: Perry Ellis, Kansas PF
42. Brooklyn Nets: Chris Obekpa, St. John's C
43. Oklahoma City Thunder: Brandon Ashley, Arizona PF
44. Philadelphia 76ers: Treveon Graham, VCU SG
45. Miami Heat: Juwan Staten, West Virginia PG
46. Charlotte Hornets: Marcus Foster, Kansas State G
47. Milwaukee Bucks: Robert Upshaw, Washington C
48. Phoenix Suns: Melo Trimble, Maryland PG
49. Utah Jazz: LeBryan Nash, Oklahoma State F
50. Orlando Magic: Michael Gbinije, Syracuse G/F
51. Boston Celtics: Chasson Randle, Stanford G
52. San Antonio Spurs: Sheldon McClellan, Miami SG
53. Dallas Mavericks: Demetrius Jackson, Notre Dame PG
54. Atlanta Hawks: Bryce Dejean-Jones, Iowa State SG
55. LA Clippers: Devin Booker, Kentucky SG
56. Denver Nuggets: Troy Williams, Indiana SF
57. Philadelphia 76ers: Tashawn Thomas, Oklahoma PF
58. Memphis Grizzlies: Chris Walker, Florida PF
59. Atlanta Hawks: Joseph Young, Oregon G
60. Philadelphia 76ers: Johnathon Williams III, Missouri PF

Player Comparison: Gary Payton II- Melo Trimble- Monte Morris

Gary Payton II- Junior G, Oregon State

Stats: 11.8 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 3 APG, 2.8 SPG, 50% FG, 32.4% 3PT, 72.5% FT, 1.7 assist-to-turnover ratio

Best game: 10 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists vs. Georgia State

Gary Payton II, son of Hall of Fame point guard Gary Payton, has followed in his dad's footsteps by attending Oregon State University. Payton II has made headlines for his exceptional all-around play, but his scoring still remains a little suspect. He was held scoreless by Quinnipiac, limited to four points by Washington, and he only scored six against Rice. He attacks the rim relentlessly, and makes plays off of penetration. He helped lead the Beavers to an upset over Arizona, and has tons of upside. He has the potential to break out next year in his final college season.

Melo Trimble- Freshman G, Maryland

Stats: 15.7 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 3 APG, 1.4 SPG, 42.1% FG, 35.9% 3FG, 88.2% FT, 1.2 assist-to-turnover ratio

Best Game: 31 points, 3 rebounds vs. Arizona State

Melo Trimble is possibly the most underrated freshman in the country. The frosh point guard made the Wooden Award watch list of 25 players recently, and for good reason. He is leading Maryland to a 16-2 record, one of their best in a long time. Trimble has had a few freshman struggles, but he has been able to move past them. He has hit 28 three-pointers so far this year. Trimble and Ohio State guard D'Angelo Russell are competing for the top freshman in the Big Ten, and I believe Trimble has a shot at the Freshman of the Year award.

Monte Morris- Sophomore G, Iowa State

Stats: 10.1 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 5.6 APG, 1.6 SPG, 48.3% FG, 29.7% 3FG, 72.7% FT, 5.6 assist-to-turnover ratio

Best game: 19 points, 9 assists vs. Georgia State

Monte Morris is not very flashy. He doesn't throw down rim-rattling dunks, he doesn't hit fade-away threes, and he won't break anyone's ankles. But he is one of the best point guards in the nation for one reason: he doesn't turn the ball over. He only has 15 turnovers on the year compared to 84 assists, which is a 5.6 assist-to-turnover ratio, the best in the country by far. He plays well beyond his years, and although he is not a great shooter, he gets the job done for a top 25 team.

Georgetown Team Review: The Sleeper Team of 2015

Georgetown, before the season started, was predicted to be a one-man show. D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera was supposed to take the reins and hopefully lead the team to the NCAA Tournament. But anyone who has watched the Hoyas play this year knows they have much, much more than Smith-Rivera.

While praise has been given to Kentucky's and Duke's freshman classes, the top two in the country, John Thompson III brought in arguably the third best class of the year. L.J. Peak (above), Isaac Copeland, and Paul White have given the Hoyas contribution they missed last year. Peak and White are in the top four on the team in scoring with Smith-Rivera and senior center Joshua Smith. Add wings Jabril Trawick and Aaron Bowen with forward Mikael Hopkins to the mix and a contending team.

This deep Hoyas team is poised for a deep run in March. They are 6-3 right now, but all three losses came at the hands of Wisconsin, Kansas, and Butler. Smith-Rivera has yet to hit his stride, and when that happens, Georgetown will have the best backcourt in the nation with him and Peak. Trawick, White, Copeland and Bowen will get slashing opportunities and hit shots at the rim. Hopkins and Smith will get inside looks and both come down with a few double-doubles, if Hopkins can stay out of foul trouble. Guards Tre Campbell and Reggie Cameron also get minutes off the bench, and will not disappoint. Both Campbell and Cameron are threats from behind the arc.

The Hoyas start Peak, Smith-Rivera, Trawick, Hopkins, and Smith. White, Bowen, Copeland, and Campbell will typically come off the bench in that order. Reggie Cameron is the tenth man, and he has not played in one game.

Team Stat Leaders (through 9 games):
Points: D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera: 13.3 points
Rebounds: Mikael Hopkins: 6.9 rebounds
Assists: Smith-Rivera: 3.8 assists
Blocks: Hopkins: 2.1 blocks
Steals: Smith-Rivera: 1.2 steals
FG% (min 40 attempts): Aaron Bowen: 67.5%
3PT% (min 10 attempts): Paul White: 50%
FT% (min 10 attempts): White: 92.3%

1-on-1 College Basketball Tournament

This is a 1-on-1 college basketball tournament simulation involving 36 of the nations best college basketball players as they square off to see who is the best player in the nation. This tournament follows the NCAA basketball tournaments rules, including play-in games and seeding. The rankings are my own and the winners will be evaluated by size, stats, and known ability.

Play-in games


Midwest Region: #8 Wayne Selden (Kansas G) vs #8 Tyler Haws (BYU G)
Selden and Haws both have exceptional offensive power, but Selden's athleticism allows him to beat Haws off the dribble and finish inside

Southeast Region: #8 Bobby Portis (Arkansas F) vs #8 Treveon Graham (VCU G/F)
Portis has the size, but Graham has the scoring ability. Graham's offensive firepower wins a close game against Portis.

Northeast Region: #8 Jerian Grant (Notre Dame G) vs #8 Branden Dawson (Michigan State F)
Dawson is able to lock down Grant and finish inside to earn a win.

West Region: #8 Chasson Randle (Stanford G) vs #8 Joseph Young (Oregon G)

Randle and Young are both tremendous offensive weapons, but Young's outside shot beats Randle's for the win

Midwest Region:
#1 Georges Niang (Iowa State F) vs #8 Wayne Selden (Kansas G)
Niang isn't the most athletic of players, but his ability to shoot and take the ball to the rack earns him the win over Selden.

#2 Fred VanVleet (Wichita State G) vs #7 Kelly Oubre (Kansas G/F)

Although VanVleet (above) is a very strong player, Oubre is basically a bigger version of VanVleet. Oubre's size is the determining factor as he upsets the #2 seed.

#3 Cliff Alexander (Kansas F) vs #6 Marcus Foster (Kansas State G)
Alexander's size and post-up ability makes sure that Foster gets no rebounds. Foster is a spectacular shooter, but if he misses, he is turning it over to Alexander, who will score. Alexander wins.

#4 Myles Turner (Texas F) vs #5 Terran Petteway (Nebraska F)
This is the most evenly matched game in the Midwest Region. It ultimately comes down to experience, and Petteway has more than the freshman Turner


Southeast Region:
#1 Jahlil Okafor (Duke F) vs #8 Treveon Graham (VCU G/F)
Okafor may be the best player in college basketball, and he proves it by blowing out Treveon Graham.

#2 Montrezl Harrell (Louisville F) vs #7 Justise Winslow (Duke G/F)

Harrell may be the best player in college basketball right now, and with his new jumper, he easily defeats the Duke freshman Winslow.

#3 Karl-Anthony Towns (Kentucky F) vs #6 Willie Cauley-Stein (Kentucky C)
In a battle of hyphenated Kentucky bigs, it comes down to a jump shot, and Towns has one. Cauley-Stein does not, and it ends up costing him the game.

#4 Marcus Paige (UNC G) vs #5 Tyus Jones (Duke G)
This may be one of the most exciting matchups in the tournament, with two star point guards going at it. This one ends up going into overtime, with Paige winning on a three-pointer.

Northeast Region:
#1 Sam Dekker (Wisconsin G/F) vs #8 Branden Dawson (Michigan State F)

With the only 8-over-1 upset, Dawson's sheer athleticism is what gives him the upper hand, and eventually, the victory.

#2 Frank Kaminsky (Wisconsin F) vs #7 R.J. Hunter (Georgia State F)
Kaminsky is a bigger R.J. Hunter, and like VanVleet-Oubre, the bigger man comes out with a win.

#3 Caris LeVert (Michigan G/F) vs #6 Malcolm Brogden (Virginia G/F)
Brogden is a defensive stud, but he can't handle the all-around ability of Caris LeVert, who gets an easy victory.

#4 Juwan Staten (West Virginia G) vs #5 Aaron Harrison (Kentucky G)
Size matters, and 6'6" Harrison takes down a smaller Juwan Staten one-on-one.


West Region:
#1 Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (Arizona F) vs #8 Joseph Young (Oregon G)

Hollis-Jefferson is just too athletic for Young to handle. Although Young will be taking a ton of threes, Rondae will beat him up inside for the win.

#2 Stanley Johnson (Arizona G/F) vs #7 Kevin Pangos (Gonzaga G)
Pangos stands no chance. Johnson just defeats him in every single aspect of the game for the most lopsided victory of the tournament.

#3 Ron Baker (Wichita State G) vs #6 Buddy Hield (Oklahoma G)
In a battle of scorers, the athlete comes out on top. Hield gets the win over Shocker Ron Baker.

#4 Perry Ellis (Kansas F) vs #5 Delon Wright (Utah G/F)
Ellis is the most underrate player in college basketball, and he shows he should be higher rated by taking down preseason hype machine Delon Wright.

Sweet 16

Midwest Region:
#1 Georges Niang vs #5 Terran Petteway
Niang could hang with Wayne Selden, but Petteway is a step up, and Petteway comes away with a win.

7 Kelly Oubre vs #3 Cliff Alexander
This battle of Kansas freshman is a good one, and the big man comes away with the win. Alexander will face Petteway in the Elite 8.

Southeast Region:
#1 Jahlil Okafor vs #4 Marcus Paige
Okafor is just too good. His post-up game and size lead him to a win over Tobacco Road rival Marcus Paige.

#2 Montrezl Harrell vs #3 Karl-Anthony Towns
Harrell and Towns are looking like the same player right now, but Harrell is so much more athletic that he is able to win over Towns.

Northeast Region:
#8 Branden Dawson vs #5 Aaron Harrison
In another shocker, Dawson brings out his athleticism again, and Harrison cannot handle. The victory goes to Dawson.

#2 Frank Kaminsky vs #3 Caris LeVert
Kaminsky is just too hard to guard, and LeVert learns it the hard way in a loss.

West Region:
#1 Rondae Hollis-Jefferson vs #4 Perry Ellis
Hollis-Jefferson is too much for Ellis, and his pure athleticism just overpowers Ellis for the victory.

#2 Stanley Johnson vs #6 Buddy Hield
We will have an Arizona matchup in the Elite 8, as Johnson proves to be too much again. This time, he took down Hield.

Elite 8

Midwest Region:
#5 Terran Petteway vs #3 Cliff Alexander
Both of these players deserve to be in the Final Four, but Alexander is just too big and too powerful for Petteway. Alexander advances on to the Final Four.

Southeast Region:
#1 Jahlil Okafor vs #2 Montrezl Harrell
In what could be a championship game, the nations two best players square off for a spot in the Final Four. Harrell's hops give him a slight advantage, and he uses to pull off the upset over Okafor.

Northeast Region:
#8 Branden Dawson vs #2 Frank Kaminsky
Two polar opposites square off, and Kaminsky's shot was the deciding factor. Kaminsky advances.

West Region:
#1 Rondae Hollis-Jefferson vs #2 Stanley Johnson
This is one of the hardest games for me to pick. The teammates go head to head, and Hollis-Jefferson exits with bragging rights.

Final Four

#3 Cliff Alexander vs #2 Montrezl Harrell
Harrell's all around game once again proves to be too much, as he bullied Cliff Alexander with an array of weapons.

#2 Frank Kaminsky vs #1 Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
Hollis-Jefferson is one very good player, but Kaminsky's size and shot are just too much. It will be a battle of #2 seeds in the title game.

Title Game

#2 Montrezl Harrell vs #2 Frank Kaminsky
This is one's for all of the marbles. Both have a reliable outside shot, and Kaminsky is a seven-footer. But Harrell has the best game in the country, and he puts it on display as he beats Kaminsky in the title game.

1-ON-1 COLLEGE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT CHAMPION: Montrezl Harrell, Louisville F

NBA Preview: Rankings and Predictions

Eastern Conference Predictions

Atlantic Division:

1. Toronto Raptors
2. Brooklyn Nets
3. New York Knicks
4. Boston Celtics
5. Philadelphia 76ers

Central Division:

1. Cleveland Cavaliers
2. Chicago Bulls
3. Indiana Pacers
4. Detroit Pistons
5. Milwaukee Bucks

Southeast Division:

1. Washington Wizards
2. Miami Heat
3. Atlanta Hawks
4. Charlotte Hornets
5. Orlando Magic

East Winners: Washington Wizards

Western Conference Predictions

Northwest Division:

1. Oklahoma City Thunder
2. Portland Trail Blazers
3. Utah Jazz
4. Denver Nuggets
5. Minnesota Timberwolves

Pacific Division:

1. Golden State Warriors
2. Los Angeles Clippers
3. Phoenix Suns
4. Sacramento Kings
5. Los Angeles Lakers

Southwest Division:

1. San Antonio Spurs
2. Houston Rockets
3. Dallas Mavericks
4. New Orleans Pelicans
5. Memphis Grizzlies

West Winners: Golden State Warriors