The State of College Basketball: Trending Up or Down?

It's the most dreadful time of year for a college basketball fan. March Madness has come to a close, the game is absent from the sports world, and along with that, underclassmen begin to declare for the NBA Draft later in June. Spurning one to three more years of college for the chance at fame and millions of dollars seems like a no-brainer, and the amount of young men who choose that path illustrate that thinking. But while players sign agents, fans are left with the changing landscape of college basketball.

Is the game improving? Quite simply, it is not. A case could be made that the game has been stagnant, but it's difficult to argue that college basketball has improved in the last decade. Choppy gameplay due to fouls, conference realignment, coaching changes and early draft entries have affected the game negatively and continue to do so.

The national championship game between North Carolina and Gonzaga was difficult to watch despite the close score. 44 fouls meant constant stoppages, which led to poor shooting and no rhythm in gameplay. The final 20 minutes seemed to take a lifetime as it became a free throw contest. 52 free throws were shot before the end of the night and both teams were in the bonus with 13 minutes left. In the second half alone there were 27 fouls and it sent nearly every big man for both teams to the bench in foul trouble.

Unfortunately, the national championship was not an anomaly. UCLA, a run-and-gun team that featured quality shooters, versatile big men and Lonzo Ball to orchestrate it all, was a breath of fresh air during a season that would frequently feature games in the 60's.

Four different conferences were represented at the Final Four this season (ACC, SEC, WCC, PAC-12), but not one of those conferences has had the same members for longer than five seasons. Football and the pursuit of the almighty dollar for television networks has led many conference to shift and change over the years. This is nothing new, but it's reached a new level in this decade. It's taken away fantastic basketball rivalries like Kansas-Missouri, Syracuse-Georgetown and Duke-Maryland.

Instead, fans are treated to games like Missouri-Auburn, Syracuse-Clemson and Maryland-Nebraska. Sure, there are still plenty of great rivalries, but a Missouri fan has lost the two best games of the year. A Maryland fan is watching their team in games with no history or passion. A Syracuse fan is pleased to see games against Duke and Carolina, but it's not Georgetown or UConn. The realignment is not what is best for the game despite being what's best for the bottom line.

Speaking of the bottom line, did you watch ESPN's 30 for 30 One and Not Done on John Calipari? His players have made plenty of money in the NBA and very few of them stuck around for more than a year or two in college. The one-and-done topic has been beaten to death, but despite all the talk, there has been no action to fix what plagues the game and the NBA.

For the college game, it's an issue for the fans and that's it. The teams and coaches must continually replenish their rosters, but that has not been difficult for the game's best. For the fans though, they are watching a revolving door. Players come and go and there is hardly any connection between the player and the university. Kyrie Irving can claim to be a Dukie, but 10 games doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things.

Consider all the freshmen who have gone through Kansas in recent years: Xavier Henry, Andrew Wiggins, Josh Selby and Josh Jackson. They have all done well in Lawrence, but departed after a year. Perhaps only a Jayhawk fan can truly answer the question, but is that fun? Those players have brought plenty of wins and that's fun, but is it truly fun to root for the program when the best player is someone new every season? There's rarely a long-term connection with stars anymore like J.J. Redick or Adam Morrison. That's why teams like this year's North Carolina and Gonzaga squads should be treasured.

And it's not just players who leave early. Coaches are guilty as well. No one could ever fault someone for moving up in the ranks and bettering their career, but coaches don't last long at one place anymore. Jim Boeheim vs. John Thompson or Gene Keady vs. Bob Knight? Those kind of coaching rivalries are hard to come by now. Is that a death sentence for the game? Of course not. The game can go on without those, but it doesn't make for a better product.

Make no mistake though, college basketball is a great game. March Madness continues to thrill the masses year after year, but that can't be the sole barometer for the state of the game. There are plenty of factors that contribute to college basketball as a whole and as the book closes on another season, it's safe to say there is work to be done.

Bracket Breakdown: The South

The South region is ruled by big men, which makes this particular quadrant of the bracket all the more exciting. The physicality and strength that the top teams in this region provide are sure to provide us with numerous memorable match-ups. Headlining this region is the top-seeded Blue Devils of Duke University and their star freshman center Jahlil Okafor. If Duke hopes to punch a ticket to Indy, Okafor and the rest of Duke's front line will have their hands full with players such as Joshua Smith (Georgetown), Winston Shepard  (San Diego State), and Przemek Karnowski (Gonzaga). But don't be fooled, the back courts in this region aren't pushovers. Yet with such talented forwards and centers, which front court will lead their team into the month of April? Zach was too busy working the Illinois State-Green Bay NIT game. So I'll take this one solo.

General Overview: Duke is number one and Gonzaga is number two. One is looking for redemption after an embarrassing opening round exit to a 14 seed, and the other is looking to advance to their first Final Four in school history. While both teams are clearly talented enough to make it to Indy, a handful of lower seeded teams will make sure that the road to the Final Four is a tough one.

We've said it before, we'll say it again: March is not about who's better on paper, it's about who's on a hot streak at the right time. Two teams in particular are rolling at a time when momentum can sometimes mean more than talent. Iowa State and SMU, both conference tournament winners in their own right, have their sights set on Final Four appearances and are equipped to make those dreams come true. Iowa State has won eight of their last ten games (including five wins over ranked opponents) and have won five straight. Southern Methodist, on the other hand, have won seventeen of their last twenty and have won four straight. Fred Hoiberg and Larry Brown will have their teams ready to roll and, while they'll take it one game at a time, will surely be focused on catching flights to Indianapolis in three weeks.

Upset Alert: You remember them as the Cinderella of 2008. You remember them as the Stephen Curry-led Davidson Wildcats. Yet this year's Davidson squad is not to be disregarded as Curry's team was pre-March Madness. Winners of ten of their last eleven, Davidson has not just beaten their opponents, they've disposed of them. Their average margin of victory is just under fifteen points per game in those ten wins and with the seventh-seeded Iowa Hawkeyes in mind, the Wildcats look to build off of their recent success. What makes this team so special is that four players average double digits in the points category, with Taylor Kalinoski (17 ppg) and Jack Gibbs (16.3 ppg) leading the charge. Even more dangerous than their balanced attack is the depth that Bob McKillop's team has. Ten players average over ten minutes a game which means plenty of fresh legs for the Hawkeyes to keep track of.

Add all of this in with the facts that Davidson's ball movement results in 17 assists per game (good for 3rd in the nation) and their ability to shoot 47% per game enables them to put up 80 points per game (good for 6th in the nation), and you have a force to be reckoned with. Fran McCaffery's team will need to be up to the challenge or an opening round exit is sure to be in store for the Hawkeyes squad that did not finish in the top 50 in points, assists, rebounds, or field goal percentage per game (Davidson was top 35 in three of the four categories). Iowa will not be an easy victory, but if there were an upset in this region that I would pay close attention to, it would definitely be this seven/ten match-up.

Player to Watch: SMU was highlighted earlier in this post, and a big part of their potential for success in this tournament is because of the stellar play of their junior point guard Nic Moore. The Mustangs offense runs through him as he averages 14 points and 5 assists per game. Aside from the numbers he puts up, Moore's mere presence on the floor is also critical for Larry Brown's team. He's the only member of the team that averages more than 28 minutes per game and is on the court for 34 and a half minutes, on average. The question remains if Moore can bounce back from a sub par performance in the American Conference championship (11 points on 3-14 shooting, 1-7 from three point range), but if he returns to form in their opening match-up against the UCLA Bruins, SMU might ride the coattails of Nic Moore deep into the tournament.

Bracket Breakdown: The East

While the teams of the East region are obviously the main focus, the talent and makeup of each team may be overlooked when choosing a bracket. Why? Because this region has coaches that, despite possibly being a low seed, know what it takes to excel in March. Don't be fooled by the four next to Louisville's name, or the seven that's placed on the left side of Michigan State. Rick Pitino and Tom Izzo are sure to be prepared to advance past this weekend, and every team in the region better take notice.

General Overview:
Nate's Take: Headlined by the revival of Villanova and the continued ascent of Virginia, the top two seeds share a physical and defensive-minded attack that will be tough to counter for the other 14 teams in this region. Yet if we take a look at the lower seeds, there is still plenty of potential for neither Jay Wright's Wildcats or Tony Bennet's Cavaliers to be sitting at home the first weekend in April. Pay careful attention to the LSUs and Daytons of the region because those teams have hung with high-caliber teams and, in Dayton's case, we know they have a love for creating mayhem in March.

Perhaps the one thing that stands out the most in the first round of this region is the 5/12 match-up between Northern Iowa and Wyoming. I tread carefully with this statement, but I believe Northern Iowa has the best chance to advance out of the five seeds in the tournament. This is not to say that Wyoming is incapable of pulling off the upset, but to watch the Panthers flirt with a top 10 ranking, take down 3 Power Six schools (Northwestern, Iowa, and Virginia Tech), as well as split the season series against Wichita State is certainly convincing enough that this team can compete at a high level. Led by Seth Tuttle's 15 points and 7 rebounds a game, the Panthers are poised for a run that will be as successful as the run in 2010, but not nearly as much of a surprise. Their only downfall is that they struggle to rebound (averaging just over 30 a game). However, UNI shoots a very high percentage at 48% per game, good enough for 16th in the nation. Perhaps a sigh of relief for the Panthers is that Wyoming ranks even lower in rebounds per game which will make the battle on the boards even more pivotal in this game. It won't be a blow out, but I have a hard time believing that Wyoming will dance into the weekend.

Zach's Take: The East region is difficult to predict because, as alluded to above, there are lower-seeded teams who know how to win in March. While Virginia is extremely stingy on defense, the injury to Justin Anderson is a concern. In addition, Louisville has been a different team without Chris Jones and questions surround their ability to make a run. Tom Izzo's Michigan State Spartans looked fantastic in the Big Ten Tournament and Jay Wright has had Villanova on a roll all season long. And let us not forget Northern Iowa and Oklahoma, two teams who have spent the majority of the season in the Top 25.

So who advances to Indianapolis? Virginia is my pick because of defense. Defense and pace of play is the name of the game in the East region. Northern Iowa will present major problems because of the way they slow the game down. If the Panthers advance to the Elite 8 don't be surprised, and if they meet Virginia there then the first one to 40 wins the game.

Will Villanova be the first one seed to lose? Some people believe LSU might be poised to knock off the 'Cats in the second round and there's reason to believe. The Tigers pound the glass hard and move the ball efficiently on offense.

The tallest player in the tournament, 7-6 Mamadou Ndiaye, and the UC-Irvine Anteaters have plenty of size up front which has some people thinking that they could pull off a first round upset. Clearly there are question marks everywhere in the East, but bank on Virginia's defense to carry them through.

Upset Alert:
Nate's Take: They were mentioned earlier and you certainly haven't forgotten them just yet: the Dayton Flyers. This year they have to earn their way into the field of 64 by beating Boise State for possession of the 11 seed in this region. Should the Flyers defeat the Broncos, I firmly believe that they will not only take down Providence, but they will also get the better of the Oklahoma Sooners in the round of 32. This is a team that knows what it's like to play on the big stage and they have their core still intact from last year's Elite 8 team. Archie Miller has this program headed in the right direction and another trip to the Sweet 16 looks like a very strong possibility.

Zach's Take: Contrary to Nate's pick, I have Providence as my upset alert. No, it's not an upset if Providence defeats Boise State/Dayton in the first round, but it will be if they defeat Oklahoma in the second round. I think they will and it's because of the Friars' backcourt tandem. LeDontae Henton and Kris Dunn combine to average 35 points, 12 rebounds and 9 assists per game. Stopping OU's Buddy Hield is no easy task, but Providence was oh-so-close to upsetting North Carolina last season and this year Ed Cooley's squad will make some noise.

Player to Watch:
Nate's Take: A big determining factor in Oklahoma's success will be the play of big man Ryan Spangler. Spangler averages 10 points and 8 rebounds a game but is fresh off of a blown lay-up that would have sent the Sooners into the overtime against the eventual Big 12 champion Iowa State Cyclones. As physical and tough as Spangler is, it's hard to see him shying away from redeeming himself of the heart break that ended Oklahoma's conference season. He not only is a big part of what Oklahoma does, but he's also a veteran leader who epitomizes their team identity. If Spangler enters the tournament ready to dominate, the Sooners may make some noise in the East region.

Zach's Take: Malcolm Brogdon is the player to watch for Virginia. With Justin Anderson's hand injury, Brogdon shouldered much of the load during the NCAA Tournament and his second half effort against North Carolina in the ACC Tournament was admirable. If Anderson isn't his usual self, then Tony Bennett's squad will need Brogdon's best effort again. When Virginia plays, points are usually at a premium so expect Brogdon to lead the Cavs' offensive attack. The best player on one of the nation's best teams has to show up in March if they are to make the tournament. Expect Brogdon's best effort.

5 Things to Watch Before March Madness

Cleanthony Early of Wichita State

It doesn't seem that long ago that we were full from the Thanksgiving feasts and settling in for a day of hoops on television during the Maui Invitational. Nor does it seem that long ago that a trio of freshmen introduced themselves to the nation at the United Center in front of a worldwide audience on ESPN. However, that was November and the Madness is quickly approaching.

Plenty has happened since the beginning of the season: Duke and Syracuse have treated us to a couple of thrillers, Jim Boeheim lost his mind and couldn't get his jacket off, Sean Miller has Arizona rolling out west and those Wichita State Shockers have a goose egg in the loss column. Still, there are still some things to keep an eye on before Selection Sunday. Here's a few storylines to watch before The Big Dance.

1. Can Wichita State enter the tournament undefeated?
The Shockers are a win against Missouri State away from finishing the regular season undefeated. No matter what conference a team is in, that is an unbelievable accomplishment. But can Wichita State enter the tournament undefeated? Thinking back to 2004, the St. Joseph's Hawks, led by Jameer Nelson and Delonte West, completed the regular season undefeated, only to lose in the Atlantic 10 tournament. The Shockers will have to win three games in the Missouri Valley tournament to enter the tourney with an unblemished record. Wichita State winning the conference tournament also has an effect on the NCAA Tournament because if they were to lose then that would mean another MVC team who wouldn't be getting in now would steal a bid from somebody.

2. How will Oklahoma State finish the season?
It's been a rollercoaster ride for Travis Ford and the Oklahoma State Cowboys this season. At the beginning of the season many people, including us at The World of Wadley, though the Pokes would unseat Kansas from the Big 12 throne, but they have been dreadful since late-January, going 2-7. OK State is currently 18-10 overall, but just 6-9 in the Big 12. Still, the conference is so balanced this year, the Cowboys will most likely make the tournament. There's no room for slip-ups though and that is a tall task. The remaining three games on the regular season schedule are Kansas, Kansas State and Iowa State. Good luck with that.

3. Who will come out on top in the tough Big Ten?
The Big Ten has been a tough conference to figure out this season, but figures to get about six teams into the Dance. As of now, Michigan is atop the standings at 12-3, but Michigan State is one game back at 11-4 and Wisconsin is still in the hunt at 10-5. Michigan has a pretty favorable schedule with home games against Minnesota and Indiana and a road contest at Illinois. Wisconsin's is also favorable with games against Penn State, Purdue and Nebraska. Meanwhile, the Spartans must finish the year with Illinois, Iowa and Ohio State. It would appear that Michigan could and should win the Big Ten title.

4. Pay attention to the Mountain West Conference tournament final
This is assuming a lot of things, but if the top two teams in the conference square off for the conference tournament title then it will be a dandy between San Diego State and New Mexico. The Aztecs are 23-3 and have spent some time in the top 10 this year. New Mexico, under first year coach Craig Neal, are 23-5 and defeated SDSU back on February 22. That game was in Albuquerque and got a little chippy after the final horn. It's worth noting that these two teams finish the regular season with a game in San Diego on March 8. Potentially two more games between these two is a real treat for college basketball fans.

5. Watch the Missouri-Tennessee game on March 8
Both the Tigers and Volunteers are bubble teams and finish the regular season with a head-to-head matchup in Knoxville. In Joe Lunardi's latest Bracketology he has Tennessee as one of the last four in and Mizzou as one of the first four out. Obviously, both teams need to take care of business before this game and, if they do, their matchup will have a big effect on the NCAA Tournament. Both teams are more than capable of winning a game in the Dance.

Kansas is Crowned...Again

With last night's 83-75 victory over the Oklahoma Sooners in the famed Allen Fieldhouse, Bill Self and his Kansas Jayhawks clinched at least a share of the 2013-2014 Big 12 regular season championship. "Kansas" and "Big 12 champions" have now become synonymous with each other as this is the tenth straight year the Jayhawks have achieved the honor. The crazy thing about this accomplishment is that three of these titles have come on years where Bill Self has not had a starter return from the previous year. This is one of those years as the core of the team is composed of freshman, headlined by future lottery picks Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid.

Smiles have been easy to come by for Self

So now, with Kansas' recent yet prolonged success, the question has to be raised: is Kansas the most dominant program of the 2000s? With their stretch of ten straight conference titles they join John Wooden's UCLA teams from 1967-1979 and Mark Few's Gonzaga Bulldogs from 2001-2011 as the only programs to win ten or more consecutive conference championships. While these three programs enjoyed long-term success, Gonzaga never captured an NCAA championship in the midst of their run, and Kansas has only snagged one. UCLA on the other hand had the most dominant run of any program in the history of the game in which they won eight national championships throughout their thirteen year Pac-10 reign.

While Gonzaga's run also took place in the 2000s, they are nowhere near the postseason success that Kansas has had, which is why the Jayhawks are making a case to be the most dominant team of the new millennium. In the grand scheme of things, though, how successful has Kansas REALLY been? They won it all in 2008 when I saw them play in San Antonio, but other than that they have been to just two Final Fours since 2004 (2008, 2012) despite being a number one seed five of the past ten years and never being seeded lower than a four. They have made the Elite Eight three times but have also been eliminated before the Sweet Sixteen the same amount of times. So while they have dominated their conference, have they really dominated the NCAA Tournament?

Wiggins and Embiid hope to lead Kansas to Dallas

Bill Self has worked wonders at Kansas (though a bitter Illinois fan such as myself would hate to admit it). He has the program on the highest pedestal and they are a perennial contender. Yet when it comes to the Big Dance, Kansas rarely seems to live up to expectations. Lawrence, Kansas has truly played host to perhaps the most dominant regular season team as the Jayhawks have not had a double-digit number in the loss column since Self took over in 2003-2004. But the dominance in the NCAA Tournament has not been there as teams like UCLA, North Carolina, Michigan State, and Louisville have all reached more Final Fours than the Jayhawks have in the past ten years. With that in mind it would be nearly impossible to truly pinpoint the most dominant program of the 2000s as there are plenty of schools that have made numerous trips to the Final Four, but for Kansas to be the most dominant team in the Big 12 the past ten years? Well there's simply no doubt about that. Another exciting season of basketball is under way in Lawrence but time will tell if the Jayhawks' latest Big 12 regular season championship will translate into success in March.

NCAA Basketball Postseason Awards

It is officially March Madness and if you were watching Gonzaga vs. St. Mary's or Davidson vs. Western Carolina you know this to be true. Both games went needed extra time to find a winner and Davidson and St. Mary's punched their tickets to the Big Dance. It is the most exciting time for college basketball, but let us not forget about the regular season. It was, in my opinion, one of the best regular seasons in a very long time. There has not been any one team separate themselves from the mix and there have been several instant classics. We have seen the resurgance of Indiana basketball, the final conference game between Kansas and Missouri and have watched some of the best freshmen dominate the game. Here are the World of Wadley postseason awards for the 2011-12 college basketball season.

First Team All-Americans

Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas: There is not a more dominant big man in the country than Robinson. The Kansas forward posted averages of 18.0 points, 11.9 rebounds and nearly two assists per game, while leading his team to another Big 12 title. His rebounding average is second in the nation and he ended the season with four straight double-doubles. Robinson showed up in the biggest games, scoring 28 points and grabbing 12 rebounds against Mizzou on February 3rd. He also scored 27 points and hauled in 14 rebounds against then #3 Baylor in January.

Green

Anthony Davis, PF, Kentucky: Davis is well on his way to being the first to shake David Stern's hand on draft night in June. The fab frosh has shown all facets of his game, averaging 14.4 points, 9.8 rebounds and 4.7 blocks per game. He recently won the SEC Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year and some speculate that he could sweep all of those awards at the national level as well. His intimidating presence around the basket has been the anchor of UK's defense.

Draymond Green, SF, Michigan State: Green is the best do-it-all man in the country. The senior is aiming to make it to one more Final Four before his career in East Lansing is over and he carried the Spartans to a 24-7 record. He finished the regular season with averages of 16.2 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. For his career he has gone over the 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds marks. His leadership and all-around game have helped Tom Izzo and the Spartans stay near the top of the polls.

Davis

Marcus Denmon, SG, Missouri: Nobody expected the Missouri Tigers to be in the Top 5 and fighting for a number one seed, but here they are. They are such a well-balanced team but Denmon is the key man. He is the team's leading scorer at 18.0 points per game and also grabs 5.1 rebounds per game along with 2.2 assists. On top of that he averages 1.5 steals per game and shoots high percentages from three point land and the charity stripe. His biggest moment came in the first meeting against Kansas when he led the Tigers back in the second half, finishing the game with 29 points and nine rebounds.

Isaiah Canaan, PG, Murray State: Canaan is the main reason the Racers have been in the Top 10 most of the season. The little guy can fill it up, averaging 19.2 points per game and he also grabs 3.3 boards and dishes out 3.7 assists per game. For the season he is shooting over 48 percent from the field and over 47 percent from long distance. He has led Murray State to a one loss regular season, but now the question is how far can he take them in March?

Second Team All-Americans
Tyler Zeller, C, North Carolina: 16.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, 54.9% FG
Doug McDermott, F, Creighton: 23.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 61% FG
Jae Crowder, F, Marquette: 17.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 2.4 assists
Kevin Jones, F, West Virginia: 20.1 points, 11.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Darius Johnson-Odom, G, Marquette: 18.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.0 steals

Best Moment of the Year

Is this even a question? Without a doubt the moment of the regular season was Christian Watford's buzzer-beater three against Kentucky. The win signaled the return of the Hoosiers and is also the only thing keeping the Cats from a perfect season. Bloomington was in a frenzy that night as students rushed the court, creating a mass that blocked reporters from getting to the postgame press conferences. The shot is now used for an ESPN commercial and the clip is not hard to find on Youtube. Indiana is the only team to take down Kentucky so far this year and Tom Crean and the Hoosiers could possibly be looking at a top four seed depending on how the Big Ten tournament goes.

Game of the Year

Robinson

There were several good games this season, but again I don't feel like this is a hard decision. Missouri and Kansas are huge rivals and it's a shame that they will no longer play in the same conference. However, they played two of the best games ever this season and the matchup at Allen Fieldhouse was an instant classic. The Tigers had a huge lead before Thomas Robinson and the Jayhawks came storming back, forced overtime and then won the game. Michael Dixon Jr. was unable to get a shot off at the end of the game and KU, once again, took the Big 12 title. It would be nice to see this matchup one more time for the Big 12 conference tournament title.

Player of the Year

This is a close race between Anthony Davis and Thomas Robinson, but Robinson gets my vote. Take him off the Jayhawks roster and they do not win the Big 12 and are looking at a much lower seed in the NCAA Tournament. Take Davis off of Kentucky and they still win the SEC and at worst are looking at a 3-seed. They have that much talent. That's not to say Kansas isn't loaded, but Robinson means that much to the Jayhawks. He has had an incredible year and is a lock to be a lottery pick in June, should he decide to enter the Draft.

Ten Things to Watch Before March Madness

It's been such an interesting season of college basketball thus far that March Madness will surely be one of the wildest we have ever seen. Will it match last year's craziness with two mid-majors in the Final Four? Probably not, but teams like Murray State and St. Mary's have looked fantastic and could be poised for a run deep into March. You could argue that Kentucky has separated themselves as the clear title favorite, and it seems John Calipari will surely get his mitts on the trophy this season, but besides the Cats there has not been a team that has stood out. Yes, there are several great teams such as Syracuse, Kansas, Missouri and North Carolina but all of those teams have shown weakness somewhere along the line. UK has had some close games during the season but they are a complete team with a loaded roster. Calipari has been thwarted twice from winning a title in Lexington, but odds are he and his group of talented freshmen will finally get one this season. However, before Selection Sunday here are ten things to keep an eye on in the college basketball world.

1. Who will win Player of the Year?

Right now it seems that there are two contenders for the Player of the Year award. Anthony Davis, the talented freshmen from Kentucky, has put up incredible numbers but Kansas big man Thomas Robinson has carried the Jayhawks to a 25-5 record while averaging 17.8 points and 11.8 rebounds per game. It's a toss up between those two but in my opinion I would have to give Robinson the award. Davis has had an amazing season but he has several other lottery picks on his team. Without Robinson KU would be in deep trouble. He is their best scorer and rebounder and there isn't any other player who could shoulder the load. All that said, the most interesting aspect of the PoY debate is that Draymond Green is hardly being mentioned. 16.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists isn't a bad season at all but Green hasn't been given his due. Much like Robinson and Kansas, Michigan State would not be a top team if they did have Green. He is an invaluable player. Recognize his game before the senior departs for what is sure to be a solid NBA career.

2. Who will win the Big Ten regular season?
On Sunday at 4:00 ET make sure you are sitting in front of your television because the Big Ten regular season championship will be decided in East Lansing, Michigan. The Spartans come in at 13-4 while the Ohio State Buckeyes currently stand at 11-5, should be 12-5 if they beat Northwestern tonight. Michigan State won by 10 earlier in the year when the two clashed in Columbus and this game should be even more intense with the conference title on the line.

3. Can Missouri keep beating teams with better post players?

Nobody expected Frank Haith's Missouri Tigers to be playing this well, but here we are just a few weeks from Selection Sunday, and Mizzou is in line for at least a 2-seed. The backcourt is scary with Phil and Matt Pressey, Kim English, Marcus Denmon and Michael Dixon. The guards have been phenomenal and shoot extremely high percentages. Ricardo Ratliffe has played well inside and Steve Moore has been solid. Still, without Laurence Bowers the Tigers are missing their best inside player. Everytime they go against Baylor or Kansas I think there is no way they should win, yet they do. Will the guards be able to carry them through Big 12 tournament play?

4. Will the Pac-12 team get more than one team in the Big Dance?
Now this seems like a silly question. The Pac-12 was arguably the best conference in basketball just a few seasons ago, but this season has not been kind to the conference. Washington or California should win the conference tournament and receive the automatic berth, but neither team has any good non-conference wins to state their case for the committee. It's worth that mentioning that Arizona and Oregon also have records worthy of the tourney but they are both in the same boat. The Pac-12 simply hasn't won any good non-conference games.

5. How will Indiana fare away from Assembly Hall?
At Assembly Hall the Hoosiers are an impressive 17-1. When they are on the road though they are just 6-6. One of those wins came on a neutral court, but the point is that Indiana does not play as well away from home. They have some very good wins this year against #1 Kentucky, #2 Ohio State and #5 Michigan State, but all of those came at home. They have road losses to teams like Iowa and Nebraska. I believe the Hoosiers are a good team and a force to be reckoned with come tournament time, but after Sunday's game against Purdue they will not play in Bloomington any more this season.

6. Can North Carolina steal the ACC title in Durham on Saturday?

Is there a better scenario than this? North Carolina and Duke should meet on Saturday night for a winner-take-all matchup for the ACC crown. If UNC can beat Maryland tonight then the two teams will have identical 13-3 records for Saturday's game. Duke came away with a buzzer-beater victory after Austin Rivers nailed a three in Tyler Zeller's face earlier in the year and now the Dukies will get UNC in Durham in front of the Cameron Crazies. Safe to say the odds aren't in the Tar Heels favor.

7. Will Xavier make the NCAA Tournament?
Remember Xavier and Tu Holloway? They were supposed to be the mid-major that was going to take everyone down and make a deep run in March. All that changed though when the brawl broke out on December 10th against Cincinnati. The Musketeers won that game to advance to 8-0 but since then they have gone just 10-11 and are in no position to receive an at-large berth. The only thing they can do is win the Atlantic-10 conference tournament, which will not be an easy task with teams like St. Louis and Temple in their way.

8. How many teams will the Big East send to the NCAA Tournament?
We have grown accustomed to seeing a large number of teams from the Big East in the Big Dance and this year should be no different. However, the number could be lower than in recent years. In my mind there are six locks and then a host of bubble teams. Getting only six of sixteen teams in the tournament would not be a good year on the Big East's terms.

9. Are the defending champs going to be unable to defend their title?

There has been alot go wrong in Storrs, Connecticut and the Huskies are in danger of not being invited to the NCAA Tournament. After starting off in the Top 5 in most preseason polls and 12-1 for the season, they have limped to a 17-12 record with a poor 7-10 record in Big East play. A team with sure-to-be 2012 lottery picks Jeremy Lamb and Andre Drummond should not be having the problems they are. Yet they are going to have to make a Big East tournament run like last year to get in the tourney. Someone get Kemba a jersey quick.

10. Who will win Coach of the Year?
By now the candidates have basically all separated themselves with their team's play. In my eyes I believe Frank Haith or Mike Brey has to win the National Coach of the Year award. Haith was seen as a 'bad hire' for the Missouri Tigers and upon arriving in Columbia he lost his big man Laurence Bowers for the entire season. Didn't matter. His Tigers are a Top 10 team. Brey's situation is different. He lost several quality players from last year's team and then his best player this year, Tim Abromitis, was lost to injury. Despite that, Brey has led the Irish to a 20-10 record and should have them dancing.

I firmly believe there is no postseason better than college basketball. Conference tournaments will begin next week and then March 10th is Selection Sunday. If some of these questions are answered then filling out a bracket will be much easier. However, the unpredictability of the tournament is why we call it March Madness. So let the Madness begin.