Kentucky: Great Team or Talented Individuals?

I'm a little gun shy on the Kentucky craze. The Wildcats' mediocrity seen in the waning days of Tubby Smith and the entire 2-year Billy Gilliespie stint is clearly a thing of the past. But are they ready for Final Four expectations?

Not quite.

Let's start with some common sense. Last year's Kentucky team was not good enough for an NCAA Tournament appearance. Kentucky lost their best player and leading scorer, Jodie Meeks, to the NBA. The good news for the Wildcats is that Patrick Patterson turned down the chance at NBA riches, senior forward Perry Stevenson is back, as is sophomore wing Darius Miller. But the crux of the Big Blue excitement is a core of freshmen.

Freshmen.

John Wall is practically the consensus No. 1 freshman in America. He's an explosive scoring guard that might arrive under John Calipari's wing in the same capacity Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans did. Like those two, he'll be gone in April as a one-and-done. Then there is a pair of frontcourt studs - Demarcus Cousins and Daniel Orton, who likewise, might be as good as gone after the season.

That's definitely a lot of talent. Individually, it might be the most talented team in America. But I just wonder how cohesive a unit it might be, with three (four if you include Patterson) players with an eye on the next level. That's not to say you can't be successful while thinking about the NBA, just I wonder if the team can meet or exceed lofty expectations with such youth and inexperience from its core.

Should be a fun team to watch. However, I'll stick with Kansas and Michigan State as my preseason favorites.

And We're Off...

Finally. Another season of college hoops began Monday night. 


The evening was void of any significant drama. Murray State provided a few tense moments in the closing minutes against the (overly) high(ly)-ranked California, but sans that minor constipation, there was not a whole lot of excitement.


However, for the first time in three years, college basketball is not suffering from diarrhea of Psycho-T. Yes, Tyler Hansbrough and his excessive traveling has moved on to a place where extra steps are permitted and encouraged - the NBA. Tim Tebow has taken over Hansbrough's role as the world's most bantered-about over-achiever.


Champions Reign Supreme


As we tipped the ball on the 2009-10 season, North Carolina took the throne as the defending National Champions. Amazingly, the Tar Heels took a backseat to a rookie college coach in press coverage. Yes, Isaiah Thomas, and his TMZ squabble with Magic Johnson actually stole some of the obligatory headlines of a returning champ. 


This year's UNC club did little to regain them on Monday.


North Carolina coasted to a relatively stress-free 88-72 victory against Thomas's undermanned Florida International squad. Thomas made headlines before the season when he publicly pouted over playing the Tar Heels in the 2K Sports Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. He apparently was under the impression FIU had anticipated playing its first game against Ohio State instead. In any event, the somewhat young Tar Heels committed a sloppy 26 turnovers in the contest.


Up front, North Carolina looks tough. Deon Thompson, Ed Davis, Tyler Zeller and the freshmen Wear twins - Travis and David provide a deep, talented punch inside. But those many turnovers were manifested by a questionable-looking backcourt. 


Larry Drew manned PG for North Carolina. He was rather pedestrian. He did supply 7 points and six assists in 21 minutes of action, but committed three personal fouls and a pair of turnovers. His backup, Dexter Strickland, had four fouls and five turnovers. Scoring on the wing might also be an issue for North Carolina this year - as UNC is counting on Will Graves, fifth-year senior Marcus Ginyard and freshman Leslie McDonald. 


Truly, UNC is finding out quickly what life after Tywon Lawson is like. Ohio State suffered through the same metamorphosis after losing Mike Conley Jr. prematurely to the NBA, and have not been quite the same since. They will be battle tested next week, however, against, ironically, the guard-oriented Ohio State club.


To Everything, Turn, Turn, Turner


Alcorn State had a full eight months to think about the fact they were No. 342 of 343 teams in the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) last year. It might take that long to get Evan Turner out of their mind. 


Wherever the Braves looked Monday night, Turner was there in Ohio State's 100-60 drubbing. The junior guard, who surprised many by bypassing the NBA draft in favor of another season in Columbus, recorded the school's second-ever Triple Double: 14 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists. For good measure, he stuffed the stat sheet with a couple of blocks and steals. 


The Buckeyes were not exactly a one-trick pony. Junior Jon Diebler added 22 points on 6-of-9 from 3-point range. Sophomore William Buford was stellar, pouring in 19. And off the bench, guard Jeremie Simmons also added 12. Starting center Dallas Lauderdale missed Monday's opener, resting a fractured hand. He is expected back Thursday when Ohio State plays James Madison.


If there was one concern for Ohio State, it's just that - the lack of interior. While Lauderdale provides a much needed defensive boost when he's in the lineup, and a fair upgrade offensively, the Buckeyes are clearly a guard-oriented club. With Turner, Diebler, Buford, Simmons, David Lighty, Walter Offutt and P.J. Hill, six to seven guards might see at least 15 minutes on any given night. Lighty, a 6-5 wing by trade will see most of his time as the team's power forward. 


Monday in Lauderdale's absence, the rest of the Buckeyes' makeshift big men - Kyle Madsen, Zisis Sarikopoulos and Nicola Kecman - combined on 9 points, eight rebounds and one block - but committed eight personal fouls. 


Polar opposites will meet to conquer the divide 10 days from now when Ohio state's guard-heavy scorers will battle North Carolina's forward-heavy enforcers. That occurs in Madison Square Garden in the predetermined semifinal of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic - the second semifinal involving Syracuse and California.