Maybe it's just me, but I'm just not hearing the hype this year on the college hardwood.
It could be the economic woes. It could be the rebuilding of two of the most storied programs going: Kansas and Indiana, as well as Kentucky's second year of progression under Billy Gillispie.
Nevertheless, college basketball seems to be at a quiet roar this year.
Maybe it's because good teams are found at schools where basketball isn't the claim to fame. Arizona State's got a very good team, yet draw very small crowds. Oklahoma's got an outstanding team, and their fans come out somewhat, but at just over 11,000 per game, OU isn't drawing the crowds that Creighton draws.
Maybe it's the feeling that you can't jump on anyone's bandwagon just yet...
Tennessee was hot ... now they're just another mediocre team.
Gonzaga was hot, then cold, then hot ... then cold after the Memphis debacle.
Georgetown was red-hot, then totally disappeared from the national scene.
Arkansas shocked Oklahoma and Texas, and then fell flat on their faces once the SEC slate began.
Illinois State had Cinderella written all over them ... but since have gone 8-5 in conference play.
Texas was a preseason Final Four pick by many, now they're unranked and have lost their last three games.
Marquette was rolling ... now they're slumping at a bad time in the Big East.
This year's March Madness could be the toughest picks to date.
So who could be the teams to watch for come bracket time? Thankfully, we've had a few teams stand out in a very crowded field that should add some serious spice to this year's tournament.
Let's start with the Missouri Tigers, who's on fire and moving up the Big 12 ladder with their frantic style of play. When you have a team with a deep bench that loves to run up and down the court, they make tournament teams uncomfortable, especially when trying to create matchups. Missouri will keep a lot of coaches up at night.
There's Villanova, who seems to be the hottest team going, and as long as Scottie Reynolds stays hot, will be a tough out anytime, anywhere. The Wildcats have put up 102 points in their last two games, both of them surprisingly easy routs of Syracuse and Marquette, respectively.
How about the Utah State Aggies? Though BYU was the talk of the Beehive State at the start of the season, it's the boys from Logan who have won 18 straight and have the look of wearing this year's glass slipper come March. Stew Morrill is a talented, veteran coach, and this might be his most talented team yet. He should get serious consideration for National Coach of the Year honors.
Finally, there's VMI, who have quietly rolled to a 20-4 season with a win at Kentucky on their resume. The Keydets have scored more than 110 points in six games, and have three players that average more than 15 points a game. No doubt, the goal in March is to slow down shooters, and that'll be a challenge for anyone playing VMI.
I definitely hope to see college basketball get some more hype. No doubt, with unemployment going up, Americans saving money, and jobs being harder to find, March Madness will be a lot more subdued this year, especially at office pools. However, the quality of the action is still there, and with so much parody, making your selections this year could be the tempting challenge that keeps you going in such tough times.
Leave a Comment