With Conference Play Kicking Off

Censored by Laurie · December 16, 2007

So...appearantly nobody was willing to drive throught the snow for our regular Sunday morning basketball games...thus I have the entire afternoon off to knock this out.

East Division:

1. Florida Atlantic - While USA and WKU bicker back and forth about who is the class of the SBC, Carlos Monroe and Rex Walters may have just passed them.

2. South Alabama - The best backcourt in the conference, and arguably the best coach won't let USA collapse like last season

3. Western Kentucky - Courtney Lee is a proven star, Darrin Horn isn't...and this may be his last season on the Hill

4. Florida International - Alex Galindo will once again play out of position for the Panthers.

5. Middle Tennessee - Adam Vogelsburg will not return...a team with no seniors will need another year to reach its potential.

6. Troy - O'Darien Bassett may end up leading the SBC in scoring...Troy however, won't.

West Division:

1. UL Monroe - Orlando Early will have some help up front for his four guard line-ups...and a healthy Brandon Roberts will captain the Warhawks to a division title.

2. North Texas - The best frontcourt in the conference...questions to be answered in the backcourt.

3. Arkansas State - Isaac Wells departure will put all the scoring pressure on Adrian Banks.

4. Denver - Joe Scott will bring a new concept to the Sun Belt, defense.

5. Arkansas- Little Rock - Too many new pieces and too much youth, Steve Shields will take what he can get this year...but watch out in 08.

6. New Orleans - There's Bo McCalebb...and not much else. The same story will be told in New Orleans, lots of tough, close games; few wins.

7. UL -Lafayette - A team of slashers with no shooters or post pressence...Elijah Milsap is a star in waiting.

All SBC Honors-

Player of the Year - Courtney Lee Western Kentucky

Defensive Player of the Year - Quincy Williams North Texas

Newcomer of the Year - Brandon Patterson Arkansas - Little Rock

Freshman of the Year - Treymane Russell Florida International

Coah of the Year - Joe Scott Denver

Well, I guess the first oops was picking Florida Atlantic. Carlos Monroe has not disappointed, averaging nearly a double double (17.1ppg, 9.1rpg) but he has had very little help, and will have even less with Paul Graham III (17.8ppg) having been kicked off the team. FAU will add George Mason transfer Sammy Hernandez and talented freshamn Jamal Owens for conference play, but they will only add to a crowded frontcourt. The backcourt has been awful, with no real hope of immediate improvement...especially once conference play gets going and the Owls matchup with talented backcourts every night.

South Alabama and Western Kentucky have proven to be a step ahead of the rest of the SBC East. USA picked up a very nice win against MSU and they will add to the best backcourt in the conference with the eligibility of Auburn transfer Daniel Hayles joining the trio of Merritt, Bennett and Tilford. WKU should be 8-2, but the loss to Northern Arizona leaves me with questions about this team playing to its compition...close losses to Tennessee and Gonzga show they know how to get up for big games, but the UNA loss and the close game with Alaska-Ancorage are concerning. The Topper's win at Nebraska however looks all the better after the Husker's beat Oregon in Lincoln.

The rest of the East is a craps shoot. Troy actually looks like the third best team in the East so far...the Trojans are in the midst of a four game winning streak while MTSU has yet to find anybody who can score night in and night out and Sergio Rouco continues to misuse a talented FIU team.

The SBC West may prove to be the deeper division. UNT is off to a solid start, 6-2 with both losses coming to undefeated opponents. Freshman Josh White has been spectacular, and, when health, Keith Wooden and Collin Dennis have provided the bulk of the scoring. New Orleans is the only SBC team to knock off a ranked opponent (N.C. State, then ranked 21) and would be undefeated if not for a slip up at home to Nichols State. Bo McCalebb has been great, but whats scary is that he has help from JUCO transfer Kyndall Dykes this season. Sharpshooter James Parlow continues to struggle but if he gets on track for conference play UNO will be very difficult. UALR is the biggest surprise to me. They have nobody averaging double figures in scoring, rather nine players averaging atleast 5.0ppg. Their one loss came to undefeated UTA, and finish up their non-conference schedule with a home game with Pepperdine and on the road to Creighton, two wins would be huge for both the team and the conference.

UL-Monroe opened the season on a five game road trip with games against Kansas, Michigan State and Ole Miss, but since the 1-4 start they've settled in, including a win at Iowa. Tony Hooper and Jordan Payne have been great thus far, Brown and Brasher solid and true freshman Raphelle Turner has given the Hawks an inside pressence. Their 4-5 record is misleading, this is still a very talented team.

The rest of the West has been disappointing. Arkansas State is in major trouble if Adrian Banks doesn't return soon...thus far their recruiting class has not performed. Denver is going through some major growing pains in learning Joe Scott's system...but their take the air out of the ball style will keep them in more games than they should be in conference play. UL-Lafayette will continue to struggle without any perimeter shooters to open up lanes.

Updated superlatives:

Player of the Year: Courtney Lee WKU

Defensive Player of the Year: Tom Jervis Troy

Newcomer of the Year: Kyndall Dykes UNO

Freshman of the Year: Josh White UNT

Coach of the Year: Steve Shields UALR

Edited December 16, 2007 by Censored by Laurie

Censored by Laurie · December 16, 2007

Sorry bout the fake posting the first time around...everything is up now

untgeorge · December 16, 2007

Good summary.

Don't know what to think about ULM. Nicholls loss goes down as a very bad loss. Roberts and Raphael did not play vs Nicholls and Hooper played only 19 mins. What's the deal? Injuries? UNT had key injuries and beat Hartford. Grades? What is up? If those guys are ok, ULM will be very dangerous. If not, they won't.

The best thing about UNO? Bo's minutes are down; Bo's scoring is down; and Bo's team is winning. Everyone else pitching in (the clinching baskets vs NCSt and Colo were by people not named Bo) and UNO giving up 10 ppg game fewer than ly. What a formula: team play and team defense and a star. So far, that combo is winning. Their coaching change is turning out to be a big positive. They could be real trouble for us down the stretch.

UALR making the most of what is has. Rebuilding a team with 3 new JCs and 6 freshmen. Shields has created a friendly schedule, 8 of 1st ten at home, just the way to rebuild. UALR not scoring a lot but their strength is defense and rebounding. And Ole Miss transfer Brandon Patterson. Don't know if their soft schedule (Sagarin ratees their sched 333rd out of 340) will help them that much in getting ready for conference, but that's the way to build a team nearly from scratch. You can see them as a spoiler this year, a contender a year from now; they have only one senior and he doesn't get much minutes.

ULL Denver and ASU appear to be at least a year away. But anyone is dangerous at their place.

USA and WKU clearly the powers in the east, and probably in the conference. Not many expected much from the Florida schools Troy or MTSU. If there is a positive surprise in that group it is Troy. But Troy's losses to Georgia State (4-6) and Utah Valley (3-7), their tendency to give up bunches of points (131 to Paul Quinn, 97 to Georgia State 102 to Ole Miss) and their lack of any signature wins suggest they will finish in the middle of the pack. But their shooting is such they can beat you on any given day.

Will be a lot of fun seeing how this plays out.

The leaders thus far seem to be: WKU and USA in the East, UNT and UNO in the West. Don't be surprised if ULM works their way back into the mix, they have a favorable schedule the next ten days and could find something to build on.