Trying to Earn Their Wings

For most college basketball teams, a certain amount of patience is necessary for a course to take shape. Whether you bring up chemistry, rust, or conditioning, squads usually need time before they know whether things will gel or, eventually, implode.

The new season is only a few weeks old, meaning that plenty of games are ahead for everybody. However, there are signs of growth across the land. Just like young caterpillars crawling on the earth, these teams will soon use the cocoon of league play to build strength and confidence. So, what's the last week-plus told us about some of these creepy crawlers?

ACC Holds Their Dominance

Another year, another ACC/Big 10 Challenge won by the East Coasters. That makes the record seven wins in seven challenges for the Atlantic Coast squads. Sure, the overall result was six games to five, and some of those contests had nail-biting finishes (i.e. Wisconsin/Wake, Illinois/UNC, Duke/Indiana). In the end, even with thoughts that the Big 10 could finally pull one out this time, hopes for a midwestern party were spoiled again.

A side note gripe: I know that these conferences have history, prestige, and all that junk. But why aren't there more of these challenges amongst the other power conferences? Wouldn't you enjoy a Big East/SEC, or Big 12/Pac-10 Challenge? I bet a couple of you conference commissioners could scratch up some interest amongst TV execs and fans. Am I wrong?

Luck Doesn't Have a Timetable

We're going to backtrack and talk a little more about some teams for last week's Challenge. In an early, and I mean early, conference battle, Duke got away with one against arch foe ... Virginia Tech? Last season, the Hokies absolutely stunned the Devils in Blacksburg, and they were on their way to doing it again on Sunday.

VT used a 12-0 run to catch and pass the Dukies in about a four-minute stretch, leaving the birds up one with 1.6 seconds left. History, however, put itself on rewind. Josh McRoberts and Sean Dockery re-enacted Grant Hill and Christian Laettner (of 1992 fame) as Dockery hit a half-court shot to push Duke to victory. I guess fortunate circumstances don't have timeframes.

As much of a Duke detester as I am, the Blue Devils are number one for a reason. They've survived threats from the Hokies, the Hoosiers, Memphis, and even Drexel to start the season. We'll see how long they hold on. Coach K and crew visit second-ranked Texas this weekend.

The Missouri Valley Strikes Again

Let's turn our attention to the other end of that Challenge matchup from last Wednesday. Indiana lost at home to number one, but they looked very impressive doing so. The Hoosiers rode the back of transfer Marco Killingsworth to keep the game close. At the time, it looked like Mike Davis could have the building blocks to make another tourney run this year. Now, it seems like he's back on the hot seat.

That's what happens when you lose at Indiana State, especially with an 11-point lead in the second half. The Sycamores were 3-0 going in to Tuesday's contest, but the competition (Central St.-OH, Middle Tenn., E. Illinois) was less than stellar. Davis could cool the chair down by beating Kentucky in Lexington Saturday, but there's only so much time you get when losing to lesser competition.

That subject could also apply to Steve Alford at Iowa. For the third time in five years, a ranked Hawkeye squad has visited Cedar Falls to face Northern Iowa. On Tuesday night, the Panthers made their in-state counterparts leave 0-3 in those situations. The 67-63 overtime victory gave UNI (another team with a soft schedule) their first big win of the season. It also must have left Alford wondering how he can solve the home courts of his in-state rivals. Up next, Iowa State in Ames, yet another place where he's had marginal success (2-2).

Bucknell Up to Their New Tricks

Could someone please remind the Bison that they're in the Patriot League? Last year's darlings could become this year's threat to normalcy. After wins at Pittsburgh and over Kansas in the NCAA tourney in '04-‘05, Bucknell was lulling the giant to sleep again. An early season upset at Syracuse was cemented a little more Saturday with a victory at DePaul.

It took a 19-point smacking by Villanova Tuesday to remind the Bison that it wasn't a Big East mover and shaker. The thing is, you don't want to get into a close contest with these guys. Four of their wins have been by five points or less. You might want to keep an eye on this team. They could still do some early season damage, with St. Joe's at home, followed by road games at Boston U. and Duke.

Yes, it's early in the season, and teams still have to play 60-70 percent of their games. But it should be a treat to find out which squads turn into butterflies by springtime.

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