Giving the AAC a little much-needed love on my AP individual awards ballot
Nothing more irrelevant than the final Top 25 ballot of the season. Teams only care about their seedings right now for the NCAA tournament, not their rankings.
But, had to submit one, so here's mine. Also, AP voters must submit three All-America teams, a national player of the year and a national coach of the year. I included my votes for those here, as well (and gave the AAC a little much-needed love. How the heck did UCLA get in over Temple, anyway?).
1. Kentucky 2. Wisconsin 3. Villanova 4. Duke 5. Arizona 6. Virginia 7. Gonzaga 8. Northern Iowa 9. Notre Dame 10. Iowa State 11. Maryland 12. Kansas 13. Wichita State 14. Utah 15. SMU 16. Oklahoma 17. Baylor 18. Louisville 19. Arkansas 20. Georgetown 21. Oregon 22. North Carolina 23. Michigan State 24. VCU 25. Butler
ALL-AMERICAN TEAMS
First team Willie Cauley-Stein, Kentucky Jahlil Okafor, Duke Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin Jerian Grant, Notre Dame D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State
Second team Karl-Anthony Towns, Kentucky Kris Dunn, Providence Georges Niang, Iowa State Tyus Jones, Duke T.J. McConnell, Arizona
Third team Kevin Pangos, Gonzaga Montrezl Harrell, Louisville Malcolm Brogdon, Virginia Ryan Boatright, UConn LaDontae Henton, Providence
Inaugural Abdul-Jabbar Award watch list released (no Amida Brimah)
There's a new thing called the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award, which will be given annually to the top center in men's college basketball. The watch list of 15 candidates was released on Monday. No, Amida Brimah wasn't on the list. No, I'm not really suggesting he should have been -- this season -- though it's hard to ignore his shot-blocking prowess.
Anyway, gotta be a two-way race between Jahlil Okafor and Frank Kaminsky, right?
2015 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Candidates
Bobby Portis, University of Arkansas
Alan Williams, University of California, Santa Barbara
Kevin Ollie not blaming the refs. Amida Brimah? Well ...
Blame the refs? Nah, that's a loser's lament. There were a few bad calls, and no doubt the foul troubles of Amida Brimah (and Phil Nolan, and Kentan Facey) hurt UConn in its 66-56 loss to Duke on Thursday. It also led to a massive free throw discrepancy: Duke was 25-for-34 from the stripe, UConn a mere 7-for-13.
“I’m not gonna use that as an excuse, but it definitely took me out of my game," he said. "But what can you say? It happened.”
“I was good. I thought they made some bad calls, and that affected my game.”
“I’m not gonna blame this game on the refs, but the refs made a couple of bad calls.”
(on Jahlil Okafor)
“He’s a good player, but I thought we did what we had to do against him.”
Asked if he was impressed by Okafor's ability to make one-handed, over-the-top passes against double teams, Brimah replied: “Everybody can do that when you get double-teamed.”
Duke knows stopping Amida Brimah means stopping UConn's guards
The battle of big men Thursday night may disappoint. As great as Amida Brimah was on Sunday against Coppin State, it's hard to imagine he'll turn in anywhere near the same performance against Duke.
Fact is, Jahlil Okafor is so much more polished than Brimah right now. It's not hard to imagine Brimah being overanxious and picking up a couple of early fouls, and quickly turning the much-anticipated battle of red-hot big men into something different on Thursday night.
But then again, maybe not. Maybe the Coppin State game was Brimah's coming-out party, and he continues his dominant ways against the Blue Devils. It'll be fun to find out.
Anyway, here's what Mike Krzyzewski had to say to the media this week about the big UConn-Duke matchup:
Insightful, eh? Oh yeah, Coach K didn't do media this week. Wonderful. Well, here's what some of his coaching staff and players had to say:
“He’s gifted, man. I wish I could take credit for the ability he has, but a lot of that is just from the good Lord above. The kid wants to get better, comes to practice and has the desire to learn the game. As a result, he’s been rewarded for his efforts.”
(on Amida Brimah)
“Brimah definitely has elite size and length. That’s gonna be a test for Jah to go up and say, ‘I’m ready for the challenge, I’m gonna play my game.’ One thing about the Brimah kid, I think his defense is definitely ahead of his offense. Watching the film and seeing how he gets those baskets, a big part of it is the guard play."
:Whenever you have dynamic guards, and UConn is notorious for having terrific guard play ... I don’t think it’s an issue where we have to worry about them consistently throwing the ball down in the post and letting Brimah go against Jah one-on-one. I think it’s gonna be a total team effort, and I think it starts with the guards, making sure they keep Boatright and the other guys out of the lane.”
KEVIN OLLIE:
(on memories of the UConn-Duke rivalry)
(on Duke's ability to run)
“I think it varies with them. They run off a lot of turnovers, they’re incredibly athletic, and when you get live turnovers taht we had against Coppin State, they’re gonna convert them. Which Coppin State did, too. We’ve got to limit the mistakes with the basketball, make sure we eliminate our turnovers. Of course they’re gonna try to pound it in there, but I saw Jahlil get a steal (Monday) night and go coast-to-coast, so they’re nto gonna take their foot off the accelarator. Jahlil is a big guy, but he can run the floor very, very well. I think they’re gonna pound it in, and then they’re gonna run when the opportunities present themselves.”
(on importance of boosting NCAA tourney stock with a win over Duke)
“That’s what we’re gonna have to do. It just gets you ready, hopefully, for March and April, when you’re on neutral sites and you have to play a formidable foe. Hopefully, we understand that. It’s about ‘now’ for us. We can’t look past anybody. We’ve got to get wins.”
“You need signature wins for the NCAA to build your resume. This is a great chance for us, a great opportunity. I just want our guys to seize it. That’s what we’ve been talking about the last couple of days in practice.”
(on Okafor)
“He can run the court, he’s got soft hands, he catches everything, outstanding rebounder. Just skilled. Can go over both shoulders, pivot in the post with both pivots. I mean, I could go on and on. He seems like a great teammate, a great person. He’s just the complete package. He’s a force to be reckoned with on a college game, and when he gets to the pros, he’s gonna be a force to be reckoned with, too. Because he seems like he loves the game and likes to get better. He’s someone we’re gonna have to pay great attention to. It can’t just be Amida guarding him, it’s got to be everybody on the court guarding him.”
RODNEY PURVIS:
(on Okafor)
“He’s really good. He’s young, really light on his feet. He’s just a really tough cover, so we’re gonna do our best to guard him. I feel like Amida has everything it takes to shut him down.”
“Playing against a team like Duke, they’re undefeated right now, we’re kind of getting back on the road. It’ll definitely be a great game.”
(on whether Brimah is primed for the challenge of battling Okafor)
“Oh yeah, definitely. I don’t know what kid wouldn’t be. I guess he’s projected as the No. 1 draft pick for the upcoming draft. This is a great game to boost your stock.”
RYAN BOATRIGHT:
“We’ve got to take it as another game that’s on our schedule. No matter who’s out there, we need to go out and compete.”
“Definitely, it would help us with our resume and our confidence. These big out-of-conference games, we’ve got to go out and take care of business.”
“It’s Duke. They’re on TV all the time. I’ve seen a few games they’ve played."
“We’re two tournament teams that are colliding early in the season. It’s a great test for both of us.”
(on being the underdogs on Thursday)
“We’re pretty used to that. Nobody gave us a chance last year. Nobody ever gives us a chance. As long as I’ve been here, we’ve always been big underdogs going into big games. It’s nothing new.”
(on whether Brimah is embracing the challenge of Okafor)
“He’s not scared of anybody. He’s extremely competive. He’s tired of hearing all this hoorah about Jahlil, he’s excited to get a shot at him. I tell him just be confident, go out there and play your game, and the game will take care of itself.”
AMIDA BRIMAH:
“I’ve got to be aggressive when I come out, and I can’t let them punch first. I’ve got to punch first.”
“We’ve just got to stay composed and take care of the ball.”
“I’ve got to do my work early and run the floor.”
“Definitely. That’s an opportunity for our team. That’s gonna be a great win for us. We need that.”
“I’m always confident, but that (40-point game) helped me boost my confidence up.”
UConn and Duke will square off at the IZOD Center in New Jersey on Thursday, Dec. 18 at 8 p.m. Tickets go on sale Friday.
Here's the press release sent out by UConn:
The Duke Blue Devils will face the National Champion UConn Huskies December 18th at IZOD Center (Meadowlands Sports Complex) in East Rutherford, N.J. Game time is 8:00 pm (ET).
UConn and Duke have met just nine times on the basketball court with Duke leading the series 5-4, but the Huskies have won four of the last five. One of their most memorable games took place at the Meadowlands in the 1990 NCAA East Regional Final with Duke winning 79-78 in overtime. UConn defeated Duke, 77-74, to capture the 1999 National Championship and the Huskies nipped the Blue Devils, 79-78, in the 2004 National Semifinals on their way to their second national crown. UConn and Duke last met in the 2009 NIT Tip-Off Championship Game at Madison Square Garden which Duke won, 68-59. The Blue Devils are 20-1 all-time (10-0 in NCAA Tournament games) at the Meadowlands, while UConn is 12-8 at the venue, 1-1 in the 1990 NCAA East Regional and 11-7 vs. former Big East rival Seton Hall.
"We are excited to have the opportunity to play Connecticut at the IZOD Center next season," said Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski. "We have a strong fan base in the New York / New Jersey area and I am sure Connecticut will have great fan support as well. It is always special to play in front of terrific crowds and it should be an outstanding game between two talented teams. Connecticut is obviously coming off a championship season and has excellent personnel returning. Coach Ollie has done a terrific job running the program and we look forward to the challenge."
Duke, coming off a 26-9 campaign last season, returns three players with extensive starting experience and seven letterwinners overall. Senior Quinn Cook and junior Rasheed Sulaimon provide a veteran presence in the backcourt, while Amile Jefferson is coming off a solid sophomore season in 2013-14. Cook and Sulaimon combined to average 21.5 points and 6.8 assists per game a year ago, while shooting 38.6 percent (108-of-280) from three-point range and 79.1 percent (163-of-206) from the charity stripe. Jefferson shot a team-best 64.4 percent (94-of-146) from the field and averaged 6.5 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. Junior Marshall Plumlee (1.3 points / 2.2 rebounds per game) along with sophomores Matt Jones and Semi Ojeleye are prepared to take on larger roles this season after gaining valuable experience a year ago.
Duke's veteran group will be complimented in 2014-15 by the top ranked recruiting class in the country. Grayson Allen, Tyus Jones, Jahlil Okafor and Justise Winslow were each named to the McDonald's All-America team with all four players ranking among the top 35 recruits in the country by the Recruiting Services Consensus Index. Allen is a talented guard out of Florida that showcased his athleticism by winning the Powerade Jam Fest Dunk Contest. Jones, the top-rated point guard in the class, was a three-time Minnesota State Player of the Year and closed out his career with 2,909 points, 1,131 assists and 369 steals. Okafor, the No. 1 player overall by most recruiting outlets, was named the National High School Player of the Year after averaging 24.1 points and 11.3 rebounds while leading Whitney Young, to a 28-5 record and a 4A state title in Illinois. Winslow is a two-time Gatorade State Player of the Year out of Texas and one of the most versatile two-way players in the country. He averaged 27.5 points, 13.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.1 blocks and 1.8 steals per game as a senior at Saint John's [Houston]. Jones, Okafor and Winslow also have extensive USA Basketball experience with each player winning a pair of gold medals as well as participating in the 2014 Nike Hoop Summit.
The UConn men's basketball team won the national championship in 2014 - its fourth since 1999. The Huskies began the tournament as a No. 7 seed and along their NCAA run beat a who's who of programs including Florida and Kentucky in the Final Four. The Huskies became the first no. 7 seed in the history of the NCAA tournament to win the national championship.
The 2014-15 Huskies will be led by senior guard Ryan Boatright, who was named to the NCAA All-Final Four team and averaged 12.1 points per game last year to go along with 3.4 assists. Junior Phil Nolan started 19 games last year - including all six in the NCAA tournament - returns at center. Junior guard Terrence Samuel, a Brooklyn product, scored 11 points in UConn's NCAA third round win vs. Villanova and showed great improvement as the season went on. Sophomore center Amida Brimah led UConn with 92 blocks and was named to the American Athletic Conference All-Rookie team.
The Huskies will be bolstered by the addition of former McDonald's All-American guard and North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year Rodney Purvis, eligible after sitting out last season following his transfer from North Carolina State. Purvis averaged 8.3 points and 2.4 rebounds for the Wolfpack in 35 games in 2012-13 and was an ACC Rookie of the Week selection. Also joining the Huskies will be freshman forward Daniel Hamilton, who averaged 20.5 points, 9 rebounds and 5.2 assists as he led St. John Bosco High to the California Division II state championship; Junior College First Team All-American Sam Cassell Jr., who averaged 18.7 points and 3.7 assists for Chipola College (Florida); and Rakim Lubin, the Georgia 3A Player of the Year, who averaged 20.2 points and 12.1 rebounds at Buford High School.
"We are very much looking forward to playing against Duke at the IZOD Center this December," said UConn head coach Kevin Ollie. "Our series against Duke includes some of the most exciting and most meaningful games in UConn basketball history and we have the utmost respect for Coach Krzyzewski and his program. Plus, it will be wonderful to return to the IZOD Center, where UConn has a long history. It not only gives our fans in the New York-New Jersey area a chance to watch us play, but is close enough to allow our great fans from Connecticut to come and support us."
Started as UConn men's basketball beat writer for the New Haven Register in August, 2007. Before that, was traveling Boston Red Sox beat writer from 2004-06 for the Journal Register Co. (which included the Register).
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