Close call

Memphis 81 Cal State Northridge 70

After all the hoopla about Memphis being a one seed this is how they come out of the gate? Early foul trouble for the Tigers put them in a hole as did turnovers. Memphis needed 10 threes from Roburt Sallie, who normally averages 4.5 points a game, to fend off Cal State Northridge. Will this be a wake up call for the Tigers or a confidence shaker? Up next is a gritty Maryland team that is building confidence.

Wake me up when its over

There were a number of games that made you want to take a nap. The one and two seeds (UConn, UNC, Duke, Oklahoma) cruised, which was expected. Texas A&M handled BYU, Maryland and Washington won by double digits, Purdue controlled most of the game against Northern Iowa (where Kurt Warner went to school)  and Texas took care of lowly Minnesota by 14. Boring.

Struggle City

The Wildcats of Villanova had to have a second half surge to take care of American after facing a 10 point deficit at the half. The worst part it was a basic home game in Philadelphia.

Gonzaga was only up 3 on Akron  with 8 minutes to go. Eventually they pulled away, but seriously Akron? You need a better showing if you want to take down Western Kentucky and possibly UNC in the next two rounds. Besides I thought Michigan football was the only team to struggle against the Mid-American Conference.

A gimpse of what we hope for

There were some finishes that reminded you of why you are watching nearly 12 hours of basketball

Michigan 62 Clemson 59

With Michigan up as much as 16, Clemson clawed back into it with a chance to tie at the end of the game. Ultimately Michigan’s 1-3-1 zone was too much for Clemson, who underachieved once again in the tournament.

LSU 75 Butler 71

Losing for most of the game Butler came back in the second half and got within three of the Tigers. Yet solid free throw shooting down the stretch put the game away. Next up for LSU is UNC. Have fun with that.

UCLA 65 VCU 64

Eric Maynor has been there before. With just under 12 seconds left he looked like he could do it again. Trailing by one Maynor struggled to get across half court pump faked and then put up a shot online that fell short. Darren Collison stellar defense on Maynor kept the Bruins from being on the losing end of the first buzzer beater of the tournament.

All Alone

Their was one real upset Thursday (and no an 8 over a 9 or a 10 over a 7 doesn’t count). Western Kentucky took care of Illinois 76-72. Behind a stat stuffing night by Orlando Mendez-Valdez (11 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assist, 2 steals, the Hilltoppers held off a final Illinois’ run to advance to the second round, which means more of this guy. Which is fine by me.

Questions to be answered

• How will the ‘Cuse look coming off of their marathon of a Big East tournament?

• Who will win the one on one battle of Dionte Christmas (Temple) and James Harden (Arizona State)?

• Can Siena be this years Davidson? They start with Ohio State with a game in the last set of the day.

• How will Pitt look after their early exit from the Big East Tournament?

• Can Arizona prove that it belongs in the field?

Hope for tomorrow

With the risk of sounding like a certain somebody, there is hope for tomorrow. What makes this tourney great is upsets. Real upsets. The ones where your boys text you asking if the earths axis has been disrupted or that if indeed the Rapture is coming. No weak upsets like Arizona (who actually is a favorite) over Utah. You come hard or you don’t come at all. There is tons of potential.

Utah State and Temple could do some damage as 11 seeds over 6 seeds. As could Wisconsin as a 12 seed against Florida State.

Major upsets could be brewing. Cleveland State, who beat Syracuse and Butler this year, could give Wake Forest all they can handle. Portland State, a winner over Gonzaga earlier in the season, could also hang with Xaiver. But my favorite hopeful upset is North Dakota State against Kansas.

Ben Woodside and crew take on the Jayhawks in their first time in the tournament. With dangerous three point shooting if the Bison are on watch out. They play at 12:30 on Friday and the best part is that Gus Johnson is doing the game. Get ready for some serious madness.

Predictions:

• At least one 14 or 13 seed will win tomorrow.

• As will one 12 seed and two 11 seeds.

• East Tennessee State will hang with Pitt for the first 15 minutes.

• There will be one buzzer beater and God willing Gus Johnson will be calling it.

Enjoy day 2.

This is why we love March Madness. We love it for the Bucknells, George Masons, and Princetons of the world. Sure we love seeing top dogs face off. But not like seeing Bryce Drew’s shot to carry Valparaiso over Mississippi.

We do love upsets, but most of all we love getting them right. Showing your friends that you had that 13 over a 4, or that 11 seed into the Elite 8.

The search for Cinderella can be agonizing so here to help is an overview of those who could wear the glass slipper, from the 16 seeds to the 11 seeds. Those armed with the smallest of pebbles, and those with multiple stones to chuck at Goliath.

16 seeds (Morehead State, Chattanooga, East Tennessee State, Radford)

I know it has never happened. But it could happen….right? It would probably take a team that was under seeded to take down the most Goliath of Goliaths. The best shot this year? East Tennessee State.They have outscored their opponents by nearly 9 points a game and have three guys that can score. I am not recommending you pencil any of these teams in but if you have some infallible compulsion to do so take the Bucs.

Best Shot: None this year. One day…….

15 Seeds (Morgan State, Cal State Northridge, Binghamton, Robert Morris)

A 15 seed has only beat a 2 seed 4 times. Most recently 8 years ago when Hampton took down Iowa State, 58-57. This year the best bet is either Morgan State vs Oklahoma or Binghamton against Duke. Both come in winning 11 of their last 12 games. Binghamton would need Duke to be cold from the field and Morgan State would need Blake Griffin to play like Peter Griffin, but at least they have some history on their side.

Best Shot: None.

14 Seeds (North Dakota State, Cornell, Stephen F. Austin, American)

The number of upsets more than triples in the match up of 14s vs 3s. The 14 over 3 upset has happened 15 times, most recently with Northwestern State over Iowa in 2006 and Bucknell over Kansas. So how about this year?

Cornell – No Ivy league team has won in 10 years, sorry.

Stephen F. Austin – Its impressive that one guy could make it this far but Syracuse looks too good for Mr. Austin.

American – They could make some noise but it doesn’t help that their foe, Villanova, is playing basically a home game in Philadelphia. They start all seniors and could keep it close with ‘Nova.

Best Shot: North Dakota State- Sure it is their first year ever in Division I. Sure they are facing the defending champs. The Bison don’t care. They start 4 seniors and are lights outs from beyond the arc. Ben Woodside is their go to guy and is capable of carrying the Bison past a Kansas squad that has a history of losing to 14 seeds.

13 Seeds (Akron, Mississippi State, Cleveland State, Portland State)

There have been 20 upsets of these match ups, including two last year. With the mediocrity this year of the power conferences I wouldn’t be surprised if that happens again. Akron is the longest shot of the group with no notable wins, but the other three pack some punch.

Mississippi State - They came out of nowhere to take the SEC Tournament. Uber shot blocker Jarvis Varnado leads the Bulldogs, who have beat Tennessee and LSU. They take on a talented but inexperienced Washington team and plan to continue streaking from their conference tourney.

Portland State – Remember when the shocked Gonzaga earlier in the season? They could do it again against Xaiver, a team that has struggled of late.

Best Shot: Cleveland State-  The Vikings have wins at Syracuse and Butler and face a young Wake Forest team that could get rattled. Coming off a horizon tournament championship Cleveland State takes on a Demon Deacon team that lost to Maryland in the first round. Cleveland State’s depth and solid point guard play by Cedric Jackson could take them into the 2nd round.

12 seeds (Northern Iowa, Arizona, Wisconsin, Western Kentucky)

To clarify Arizona isn’t an upset. The last team in is actually a one point favorite against their 5 seed opponent Utah. So they can’t play the part as David.

Wisconsin - It feels awkward having them be the underdog. Bo Ryan’s team could try to bog a game down and win with defense, but Florida State and Toney Douglas might be too much for the Badgers.

Northern Iowa - Northern Iowa is on a 5 game winning streak coming into the tournament but they are facing a Purdue team that is finally living up to expectations. No dice here.

Best Shot: Western Kentucky -The Hilltoppers, winners of 10 of their last 11, surge into the tournament and face a wounded Illinois team. The Illini are without one half of their back court in Chester Frazier. WKU is balanced with 4 starters in double figures, not to mention they have been tested in the tourney before.

11 seeds (Virginia Commonwealth, Utah State, Temple, Dayton)

The last seed that can pull of a true upset are the 11 seeds. This years crop could do some damage.

Dayton – They have been up and down all year. The Flyers have wins against Marquette and Xavier on their resume, but they are facing a strong West Virginia team. I am not on this bandwagon.

Virginia Commonwealth – I am on the VCU bandwagon. Eric Maynor and crew are back in the tournament and ready to take down some giants (beat Duke 2 years ago). UCLA is an average team and while they are offensively efficient VCU will be a tough out.

Temple – If the Owls beat Arizona State it will be because of Dionte Christmas. The senior guard is averaging nearly 20 points a game and could take down a mediocre Sun Devils team.

Best Shot: Utah State – The Aggies won 30 games in the regular season and are wanting more. Somewhat slighted with an 11 seed Utah State is facing a Marquette team that is reeling after the loss of Dominic James. Utah State is fundamentally sound and will be a tough out for anybody.

Davids will slay Goliaths, undoubtedly a Cinderella will make a run and Gus Johnson will freak out.

These are the things that make March Madness great.

College Basketball Power Rankings Movers And Shakers

The Clemson Tiger are the biggest shaker this week dropping 11 spots in the power rankings.

The LSU Tigers are the biggest Mover this week jumping 14 spots in the college basketball power rankings.

Lets take a look at the rest of the league: College Basketball POWER RANKINGS for week 15.

Rank	Team	Record	Change	Comment
1		27-2	-	How will the Huskies handle being the a top the rankings? We?ll get to see when they travel to Pitt later in the week.
2		25-3	1	They are the most talented team in the nation. But do they have the fire to bring down the nets in Detroit? Another test against Duke this week.
3		26-3	1	Yes they have lost 2 out of 3 but they were without their all-world forward Blake Griffin. Without him they are a quality team, with him they are dangerous.
4		26-3	1	The loss to Providence was perplexing. If they take care of business this week against Marquette and UConn they should cement themselves as a 1 seed.
5		25-3	1	Rick Patino and crew could achieve a 1 seed if any of the previous teams drop the ball.
6		25-3	6	The Spartans locked up a share of the Big Ten title with a win over Illinois on Sunday. They should be able to win it out right when they go to Indiana on Tuesday. If they win their next two, and their conference Tournament they could move to a 1 seed.
7		26-3	9	Sure they are rolling, but I am not buying it. They only have 4 wins against the RPI top 50. Their defense will carry them but I am not sure passed the sweet 16.
8		24-5	1	Props to Bill Self for having this team at this level so soon after losing so much talent to the NBA.
9		24-5	5	Tough week ahead for Duke. At home against Florida State and then on the road in Chapel Hill.
10		23-5	3	It seems so long ago that they were number one in the nation, but Jeff Teague and crew is still lurking.
11		25-4	14	It is time to give the Tigers some credit. Sure the SEC is down but they are taking care of business. With Vandy and Auburn on tap, they should finish the season with only one loss in conference.
12		23-6	2	Without some bonafide low post presence how far can the wildcats go?
13		22-7	2	The Huskies will at least have a share of the Pac 10 title. A win against Washington State will give the Huskies the title outright.
14		24-5	11	A 90-65 loss to Kansas? Quality teams don?t lose by 25. They would be ranked lower but the teams behind them are faltering worse.
15		22-7	4	Not sure how this team loses to Michigan but then puts a 25 point beat down on Ohio State.
16		23-5	1	This is probably the most talented team Mark Few has had. With a good showing in their conference tournament they could grab a 3 seed.
17		23-6	11	The Golden Eagles have lost their last two and it doesn’t get easier with games against Pitt and Syracuse. It doesn’t help that star guard Dominic James is out for the year.
18		23-5	8	The A-10 conference tournament is going to be exciting. If Xavier wins they are probably looking at a 4 seed.
19		22-7	6	They showed some guts going into Cal and coming out with a 4-point win. They should rap up with two wins against the Oregon schools before the PAC 10 tourney.
20		23-7	2	A tough loss on senior day on to Michigan State. They can?t sulk too much with Penn State on the horizon.
21		22-6	12	Losers of 2 of their last 3 the Tigers are looking like their old selves. They can?t afford to overlook Virginia at home before they take on Wake Forest to close out the season.
22		21-7	3	Tough week for the Sun Devils. Two overtime losses to both Washington and Washington State. They have Stanford and Cal next.
23		21-8	3	They are incredibly inconsistent but immensely talented. They will be a tough out come tournament time.
24		25-4	5	The baby Bulldogs barely beat Cleveland State, but have a share of the Horizon league title. They could be bounced in the first round because of their youth, but they are capable of making a deep tourney run.
25		22-7	1	Solid win against Clemson last week. Can they travel to Cameron Indoor and upset Duke?

Be sure to check back next week with our College Basketball Power Rankings for week 16.

Ending ( Feb 8th)

Total Pro Sports – Before we begin this post we would like this thank everyone who has helped Total Pro Sports get to where it is today.  This post is our 1000th and without the help of our writers, all the tips, the reader support and the links we wouldn’t have grown so fast in such a short time.

In the next couple of month you can expect new improvements to Total Pro Sports, so be sure to keep an eye out.

So once again we would like to thank everyone who has supported TPS.

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Rivalry week is here. Rankings mean a little less, pride means a little more and bragging rights are up for grabs. Michigan State took care of business on the road in Ann Arbor and Kentucky held off Florida in Rupp Arena. Next Connecticut squares off with Syracuse,  and of course Duke and UNC. With match ups like these, it is feeling a bit like March.

College Basketball Power Rankings Movers And Shakers

The biggest Shakers in our NCAA College Basketball Power Rankings this week were the Purdue Boilermakers dropping 8 spots to find themselves at #20.

The biggest Movers in our NCAA College Basketball Power Ranking this week were the Memphis Tigers climbing up 6 spots to end up at #10.

Lets take a look at the rest of the league:

Rank	Team	Record	Change	Comment
1		22-1	-	Hasheem Thabeet carried Uconn to a victory over Michigan on Saturday. Next Jim Calhoun’s team gets to host a somewhat reeling Syracuse team, losers of  4 of their last 5, Wednesday.
2		23-1	-	No question they are strong but you just get the feeling that Uconn, UNC and Pitt would talk care of the Sooners. Out of the top teams, none relies on just one player like Oklahoma does Blake Griffin.
3		21-2	-	Wednesday Duke and North Carolina add a chapter to their rivalry. Hansbrough and Co. travel to Cameron Indoor. My money is on the Tar Heels.
4		22-2	1	Is there a better forward combo then Sam Young and DeJuan Blair? Can’t wait for their show down against Uconn next Monday.
5		18-4	3	They got shellacked by Uconn on their home floor last week but did bounce back against St. Johns. Louisville is the most perplexing team in the top 25. At times they are unbeatable, other times their offense is nowhere to be found.
6		20-3	6	My take is that their utter humiliating beat down handed to them by Clemson (74-47) was an aberration, but we will see Wednesday.
7		20-4	5	Since their loss to Penn State the Spartans have reeled off 3 straight victories, most notably a 29 point demolishing of Minnesota. The best news for the Spartans is that they’ve done this without star forward Raymar Morgan.
8		18-3	1	The ACC has been getting to this young team. Losses at Georgia Tech and Miami drop them down to near a 3 seed. Next up another road game against NC State.
9		18-2	4	Are they just beating up on what seems to be a down Pac 10 and an apparent horrible Notre Dame team?
10		20-3	6	Count me as one that was surprised to seem them take care of Gonzaga so easily. They shouldn’t lose the rest of the way with their hardest game coming at UTEP.
11		20-4	3	Don’t look now but Jay Wright’s team has reeled off 6 in a row. Oh and not to mention they’ve scored in the triple digits their last two times on the hardwood.
12		20-3	3	So riddle me this. They beat Duke by 27 then lose to Florida State at home? Inconsistency is trouble especially come March.
13		21-4	NR	In the month of February the Tigers have wins against Texas and Kansas.  Surprised? Me too.
14		20-4	4	They hold South Florida to 57 points but lose, then they score 84 and they still lose. They’ve lost their grip on the Big East lead.
15		21-2	4	They have lost some of their early season luster  losing to Wisconsin-Green Bay and narrowing out victories against the likes of Valparaiso and Detroit.
16		20-3	6	Want to know another interesting game no on Tobacco Road on Wednesday? Try the Musketeers, coming off a loss, against Dayton, who is fighting for their tourney life.
17		19-5	1	They Jayhawks reeled off 8 wins before going down to Missouri. Sherron Collins has his team only one game back of Oklahoma.
18		19-5	4	With Demetri McCamey in the back court and Mike Tisdale and Mike Davis down low, the Fighting Illini have balance and with do some damage come March.
19		18-5	6	Along with Patty Mills and Stephen Curry, James Harden might be the most important basketball player to his team. Harden takes his near 22 point average up against UCLA on Thursday.
20		17-6	8	They miss Robbie Hummmel, who is out witch a back injury. They need him back to have hopes of claiming the Big Ten Title.
21		23-1	3	They could finish the regular season with 30 Wins. If they don’t lose the rest of the way what seed do they get? Joe Lunardi has them at an 11 seed right now.
22		17-5	5	On paper they have talent that could match anyone. Unfortunately for them, paper doesn’t get you far in the Big Dance
23		17-5	NR	Impressive Wins last week against Minnesota and Purdue. B.J Mullens is starting to look like the 5 star prospect he was projected to be.
24		18-5	NR	Florida State is only 1 game back in the ACC Standings. Wake is up next on Valentine’s day.
25		18-6	5	The ‘Cuse are talented but ever since their loss to Georgetown nearly a month ago, they seem to have lost it.

Be sure to check back next week with our College Basketball Power Rankings for week 13.

Ending ( Feb 1st)

Total Pro Sports – Conference play is in full swing and teams are feeling the pressure. Butler’s loss to Wisconsin-Green Bay, Notre Dame’s five-game slide, and Michigan State’s upset loss at home to Penn State show tough it is to win in conference. It is those teams that take care of business in conference that will be dancing well into March.

College Basketball Power Rankings Movers And Shakers

Arizona State is that biggest shaker this week. With two losses at home to both Washington and Washington State the Sun Devils are barely hanging in the top 25.

Kansas is the biggest movers this week. There move from unranked to 18 is from a 7-game winning steak which includes a win at Baylor.

Lets take a look at the rest of the league:

Rank	Team	Record	Change	Comment
1		21-1	4	It has been a curse to be number one this year. Duke, UNC, Wake, and Pitt have all fallen from the top.Yet UConn took care of business at Louisville.
2		21-1	2	They should win the Big 12 and contend for a one seed. The only question is how are they going to shape up against teams from better conferences.
3		19-2	3	UNC is back in the top four, meaning a number one seed. Can’t wait for their showdown with Duke on the 11th.
4		19-2	2	Their short stint at the top ended in Winston Salem. It doesn’t get easier when they travel to Clemson and face UNC in the coming weeks.
5		19-2	2	IF DeJuan Blair is on Pitt is tough to beat, but when he’s not they aren’t the national title contender.
6		19-2	4	Marquette is still a top the big east and should take two games this week against Depaul and South Florida. Their Achilles heal? Depth. Which is never good come tourney time.
7		17-2	6	Their upset at Georgia Tech was shocking. Their youth showed when on their last possession they threw the ball away while inbounding. The rest is history when the Yellow Jackets nailed a last second jumper for the win.
8		17-4	1	UConn was able to cool of the Cards handing them their first loss, but this team is still one that teams don’t want to run into.
9		18-2	1	Can Clemson get that big win against Duke on the 4th?
10		19-2	7	They are rolling, their next test should come against Dayton on the 11th.
11		17-4	9	This team could make it to Detroit for the Final Four. Their next three games will be solid tests (Ohio State, Illinois and Penn State)
12		17-4	5	Two straight home losses? Around East Lansing this is unheard of. They need Raymar Morgan back to push take on Purdue for the Big Ten Title.
13		17-4	2	They aren’t elite as they use to be, but with Shipp and Collison they should be a factor.
14		17-4	5	Huge win for Jay Wright’s squad over Pitt. No time to rest as the Wildcats go to Providence then face the ‘Cuse.
15		15-5	2	Their loss at home in overtime to Kansas State was surprising could the upcoming game at Nebraska be another trip up?
16		18-3	9	Like we thought Memphis has beat up on Conference USA opponents. A tough task lies ahead against Gonzaga.
17		16-4	5	The win over Saint Mary’s was a step in the right direction. This team has talent and could go deep in March, they just need the pieces to fit.
18		17-4	NR	Since their loss to Michigan State they have won seven straight. They aren’t as good as Texas or Oklahoma but they could do some damage.
19		19-2	3	A team that is potentially a 3 seed should take care of business at Wisconsin-Green Bay even if it is on the road.
20		17-5	8	They gave up 100 points to Providence. Jimmy B, whats wrong with your 2-3 zone?
21		18-3	3	A win at Michigan State on Wednesday pulls the Gophers into a possible first place tie in the Big Ten. Kudos, Tubby Smith.
22		18-4	NR	The Illini are in the mix of the Big Ten race. Can Demetri McCamey keep up his stellar play?
23		17-5	NR	Penn State made history coming out of the Breslin Center, a place they never won before, with a win. With three scoring threats Penn State would be a tough out come tourney time.
24		21-1	NR	Could they this year’s Cinderella? Their bench goes 8 deep and their front court is formidable.
25		16-5	11	They have fallen 2 games behind UCLA for the Pac Ten lead. They should get two wins over the Oregon teams before a home game with the Bruins.

Be sure to check back next week with our College Basketball Power Rankings for week 12.

Ending ( Jan 19th)

Total Pro Sports – It has been too long since the last update of the College Basketball Power Rankings. A lot has changed since then.  Wake Forest has taken over the number one spot. North Carolina lost not one but two games, the Arizona Cardinals are in the Super Bowl and the United States has a new President.

With college basketball in full swing, expect these rankings to be updated every week.

College Basketball Power Rankings Movers And Shakers

Notre Dame hasn’t looked the same lately. Losers of three of their last five, including one to Saint Johns drops the Irish 11 spots.

Clemson makes the biggest move up despite a loss to Wake Forest. We have seen this show before by the Tigers. Will history repeat itself?

Lets take a look at the rest of the league: College Basketball POWER RANKINGS for week 9.

Rank	Team	Record	Change	Comment
1		16-0	5	They take over the top spot after traveling to Clemson and coming out with a win. With talent to match anyone in the nation, their only question mark is if their youth with help or hurt them in the long run.
2		16-1	3	One question: How did this team lose to Michigan?
3		16-1	1	Tough to win at Louisville, especially with the kind of ball the Cards are playing lately. Pitt bounced back nicely with double digit win against Syracuse.
4		17-1	-	Two solid wins last week against Texas and Texas A&M. If selection Sunday was today, Oklahoma would be a one seed..
5		16-1	2	How will the Huskies handle the road when they travel to Notre Dame?.
6		16-2	5	If today was selection Sunday UNC would be a 2 seed. How would you like to be in that region? Their defense has to improve if they want to win it all in Detroit.
7		15-2	2	The Spartans have reeled off 11 wins in a row after being run over by UNC. This team looks like the best and most consistent team in the Big Ten
8		16-1	13	How will the Tigers handle their first loss of the season? They’ll have to rebound fast at North Carolina on Wednesday.
9		13-3	9	They look like the team they were suppose to be in the beginning of the year. Another tough matchup against the ‘Cuse this week.
10		16-2	NR	The Golden Eagles are undefeated in Big East play and atop the conference standings. They’re lack of depth could hurt them come tourney time.
11		17-2	3	Losing to Duke at Cameron Indoor wasn’t shocking, but a 14 point win over the ‘Cuse was.
12		17-3	-	With a 14 point loss to the Hoyas, a 19 point win against Notre Dame and another double digit loss to Pitt, they have been pretty hot and cold. Their next match up against Louisville should be fun to watch.
13		13-4	3	They will have to wait over a month to avenge their 15 point loss to their rivals, Oklahoma.
14		15-3	6	Somehow the Sun Devils are ranked behind UCLA in both polls, despite going to UCLA’s gym and leaving with a win.
15		14-3	4	They don’t look like final four teams of past. They’ll win one game in the tournament, but it’s one and done for this year’s Bruins.
16		16-1	9	Butler survived a scare against Illinois-Chicago, and their only loss is still against Ohio State. They could approach 30 wins this season.
17		15-2	5	Narrowly beat Rhode Island. Upcoming for the Musketeers is an interesting matchup with LSU.
18		12-5	11	Two double digit losses last week for the Irish, and it doesn’t easier with UConn coming up.
19		14-3	4	The Wildcats have hit a bit of a rough patch losing 2 of their last four, and like the Irish UConn is coming up. At least they do face the lowly Bulls of South Florida too.
20		14-4	7	The under preforming Boilermakers will travel to the Barn to take on the Gophers of Minnesota. They are the second most talented team in the Big Ten that could be a top 4 seed, but are playing like an 8 or 9 seed.
21		17-1	NR	The Gaels are the best team you have never heard of and Patrick Mills is the best player you haven’t heard of. You’ll get to see him and the rest of St. Mary’s take on Gonzaga, a week from  Thursday
22		12-4	5	They have more talent then St Mary’s but look like the inferior team. The good thing is Mark Few will have this team ready come March.?
23		14-3	4	With 5 guys averaging double figures the Baylor Bears should be dangerous come March.
24		16-2	1	An impressive win at Wisconsin but it was followed up by a loss at Northwestern. They lack the overall talent to challenge Michigan State for the Big Ten title.
25		14-3	NR	How far can Tyreke Evans carry John Calipari and the Tigers? Averaging 17 points, 5 rebounds and nearly 4 assist  I’d say pretty far.

Be sure to check back next week with our College Basketball Power Rankings for week 10.

Week: | 1 |

Ending ( Dec 21st)

Total Pro Sports – North Carolina are #1 in our College Basketball Power Rankings for week 5.

The Pittsburgh Panthers had a solid win at Florida State. How will this team handle the future Big East play?

College Basketball Power Rankings Movers And Shakers

Gonzaga is the biggest shaker this week. Their loss to Portland State drops them 13 spots.

The biggest movers this week is Butler. Their upset victory over Xaiver vaults the Bulldogs into the Top 25. Remember these guys come tourney time.

Lets take a look at the rest of the league: College Basketball POWER RANKINGS for week 5.

Rank	Team	Record	Change	Comment
1		11-0	-	How will they handle a talented Wake Forest team on January 11th?
2		12-0	-	Solid win at Florida State. How will this team handle Big East play?
3		10-0	-	It hasn’t always been pretty (a 4 point win against Buffalo) but they are looking better and better each game.
4		12-0	1	4 games to prepare for Texas on the 12th.
5		10-1	3	You have to believe that their loss to Michigan was an fluke. They 18 point win over Xaiver was impressive.
6		11-0	5	They are immensely talented and can challenge Duke and North Carolina. Their match up against the Tar Heels will be one of the best games in the new year.
7		9-2	8	They have bounced back nicely after a tough loss against Ohio State.
8		9-1	11	With four guys averaging double figures, the Hoyas are balanced.
9		8-2	8	Impressive win against Texas on a “neutral site” in Houston. This team will get better as the year goes on.
10		10-2	4	Lost to Michigan State but bounced back at Wisconsin, a place where road teams go to die.
11		9-2	5	Haven’t lost since December 4th against Texas, but haven’t beat anyone notable either.
12		11-1	-	The ‘Cuse could be undefeated if not for a 60 foot game winning shot by Cleveland State.
13		10-2	-	Took care of Davidson by 18. Not sure how they lost by 16 to Duke at home.
14		9-0	4	They are undefeated and look like contenders for the Big Ten title.
15		11-1	1	Interesting match up against Marquette on New Year’s day.
16		8-2	9	Quality win against Marquette after their perplexing loss at Temple.
17		8-3	13	Portland State? I can understand Arizona and UConn, but Portland State? I thought you were better than that Mark Few.
18		7-2	9	Probably the most disappointing team so far. How will Rick Pitino’s team handle UAB and UNLV coming up?
19		10-1	1	5 players average 10 points of more for the Bears. They’ll be a tough out come March, but still aren’t getting much respect.
20		10-1	1	James Harden is a beast, averaging 23 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assist a game. This is another team that no one will want to face come March.
21		12-0	NR	Clemson has taken off on fast starts but then faltered to miss the tournament. What will the Tigers do now?
22		5-1	12	Back to back loses put the Muskateers towards the bottom of the top 25. How will they respond?
23		11-0	NR	One of the most suprising teams in the Nation, the Tubby Smith-lead Gophers next test will be against Michigan State on New Years Eve.
24		9-2	NR	Laval Lucas-Perry might be the addition Michigan needs to put them into the Big Dance.
25		10-1	NR	A 9 point win at Xaiver moves Butler into the top 25. What might be more impressive is that they have only one loss at Ohio State by 3.

Be sure to check back next week with our College Basketball Power Rankings for week 6.

Ending ( Dec 1-7)

Total Pro Sports – Sorry to all our readers as we missed week 2, enough of that lets get back to the sport we love NCAA College Basketball.

Can North Carolina book their hotel rooms for Detroit and the Final Four come early April? They are #1 in our College Basketball Power Rankings for week 3.

After a 98-63 thrashing of Michigan State at Ford Field, the site of the 2009 Final Four, UNC looks like the hands down favorite. The only question is who can challenge them? Not Duke who lost to Michigan. Not Louisville who lost to Western Kentucky. Could it be Pittsburgh? Only time will tell.

College Basketball Power Rankings Movers And Shakers

Michigan State Spartans are the biggest shaker in the power rankings for week 3, dropping 13 spots after an 35 point blow-out loss to University of North Carolina in Detroit, Michigan.

The biggest mover this week were the Ohio State Buckeyes are two wins against Notre Dame and Miami (FL) have taken them from the unranked into the top 25 of our College power rankings..

Lets take a look at the rest of the league: College Basketball POWER RANKINGS for week 3.

Rank	Team	Record	Change	Comment
1		8 -0	-	A 35 point win against Michigan State was impressive. Could they go undefeated?
2		9-0	6	Sam Young is averaging 20.8 points per game. Can Pitt survive the Big East and make it to Detroit?
3		8–0	1	Struggled in a win against Buffalo. Pitt looks like the better team right now.
4		6-0	5	Still riding high after their Old Spice Classic Win, The Zags have formidable games going to Arizona and Washington State in their next two.
5		8-0	2	Barely beat USC with a one point win. How far will Blake Griffin Carry them?
6		6-1	5	Looks like they aren’t missing D.J Augustin.
7		6-1	5	Bruce Pearl’s squad is young, but immensely talented. They should be the best in the SEC.
8		8-1	3	They fell to Michigan, a team they beat by 15, in Ann Arbor. Shooting 7-33 from downtown, it was probably the worst game Duke will play this season.
9		5-1	7	Not sure how they lost by 14 against Western Kentucky. It is tough to gauge this team, who won’t face a formidable opponent until Minnesota on December 20th.
10		7-0	7	Definitely the surprise of the season so far. We’ll get to see how good they are on December 20th when they face Duke.
11		8-0	5	Took care of a good Baylor team by 13. They’ll get a crack at UNC on January 11th.
12		8-0	6	Could this be the year that ‘Cuse gets back to the Big Dance?
13		6-2	7	They have come up short in their two biggest games, but they’ll get better as the season goes on. They have an interesting match up against Davidson on December 20th.
14		8-0	NR	Scottie Ryenolds has this team rolling. Let’s see what they can do against Texas in the Jimmy V classic.
15		6-2	1	Tough loss against a young Ohio State team. They should roll until January 5th when they face Georgetown
16		6-2	2	Looked better at Texas than against Michigan, both losses. The Pac 10 comes down to them Arizona State and USC.
17		5-2	13	Never thought I’d see a 35 point blowout of a Tom Izzo team. The bad news is Goran Suton, their top rebounder is out for about a month. Good news is that Izzo’s team generally peak in March.
18		5-0	NR	There win against Notre Dame vaults them into the top 25. They have a quality win against Miami FL too.
19		6-1	5	A good test coming up this week against Memphis.
20		7-1	-	Lost to a talented Wake Forest team but bounced back with a win on the road at Washington State.
21		7-1	6	Sophomore James Harden is lighting it up, 25 points per game. They’re only blemish so far is a loss to a tough Baylor team.
22		5-1	3	It’s tough to tell how good this team is. Match ups against Syracuse and Georgetown should be a good measuring stick.
23		7-1	1	Stephen Curry is just amazing. Flat out. Hands Down.
24		6-2	5	Nice win at Kentucky. They’ll go as far as star-player Jack McClinton will take them.
25		7-1	12	Past their first test by beating Wisconsin. They are the 8th Big East Team in these power rankings. That’s just crazy.

Be sure to check back next week with our College Basketball Power Rankings for week 4.

Week: | Preseason | 1 |  

Ending ( Nov 13-23)

Total Pro Sports – We’ve had a taste. Dominating teams, upsets, even a 23 hour college hoops marathon thanks to ESPN. We’ve had a glimpse of what’s to come and what’s in for this years College Basketball Power Rankings. 

UNC manhandling Kentucky, UCLA shockingly upset by Michigan, and a 44 point performance by last year’s talk of the tournament, Stephen Curry.

The best thing is that it only gets better from here.

College Basketball Power Rankings Movers And Shakers

UCLA is the biggest shaker this week in our college basketball power rankings, falling 11 spots after an upset loss to Michigan 55-52.

Xavier is the biggest mover this week jumping to number 17 after being unranked. Two nice wins over Memphis and Va Tech have Xavier rolling.

Lets take a look at the rest of the league: College Basketball POWER RANKINGS for week 1.

Rank	Team	Record	Change	Comment
1		6 -0	-	The 15 point win vs The Irish was impressive. Can anyone handle them? Coming Up: Sunday vs UNC Asheville - Buy Tickets
2		2-0	-	Samardo Samuels looks as good as advertised, averaging 21 points. Coming Up: Sunday vs Western Kentucky - Buy Tickets
3		5-0	-	With wins vs Wisconsin and Miami, the Huskies are looking like they are for real. Coming Up: Saturday vs Bryant - Buy Tickets
4		2-0	1	They looked good dropping 100 points on Idaho but somewhat struggled vs IPFW. We’ll get to see the real Spartans when they open up the Old Spice Classic against Maryland on Thanksgiving. Coming Up: Thursday vs Maryland - Buy Tickets
5		4-0	1	The Dukies struggled against Rhode Island, but made up for it with a nice effort vs Southern Illinois and Michigan to capture the 2k Sports Championship . Coming Up: Friday vs Duquesne - Buy Tickets
6		5-0	1	Great match up versus the Sooners on Friday. Coming Up: Friday vs Oklahoma - Buy Tickets
7		5-0	5	Took care of business against a solid UAB team. Can they handle the Boilermakers?Coming Up: Friday vs Purdue - Buy Tickets
8		5-0	1	If you saw him off the court you wouldn’t expect him to be one of the best players in the country, but on the court LaVance Fields is money. Coming Up: Friday vs Texas Tech - Buy Tickets
9		3-0	2	Could end up playing Michigan State this Friday Coming Up: Thursday vs Oklahoma State - Buy Tickets
10		4-1	-	Had a nice one-point win over Texas but then lost in a 15-point blowout to North Carolina. Coming Up: Sunday vs Furman - Buy Tickets
11		4-1	3	This is a team that should get better as the year goes on. Coming Up: Sunday vs Rice - Buy Tickets
12		3-0	1	Tennessee did what was expected, blowing out Tennessee Chattanooga and Tennessee Martin. Woah, a lot of Tennessee’s. Oh yeah and then they beat Middle Tennessee State. How will they match up vs Siena on Thanksgiving? Coming Up: Thursday vs Siena - Buy Tickets
13		4-0	2	Dominic James scored only 8 points in their thrashing of Chicago State where they put up 108, weird. Coming Up: Friday vs Northern Iowa - Buy Tickets
14		3-1	11	Here’s out first big upset of the year. The Bruins lost to Michigan, a 10-22 team last year, in the 2k Sports Semis. Defensively they looked alright, but they couldn’t do much vs the Wolverines 1-3-1 zone. It looks like the Bruins where a bit overrated and will be the rest of the year as they beat up a rather weak Pac Ten. . Coming Up:Friday vs Northern Iowa - Buy Tickets
15		2-1	1	The Sun Devils squeaked out a win over San Diego State.James Harden looks good early on. Coming Up: Thursday vs Charlotte - Buy Tickets
16		2-0	1	The Demon Deacons are in stride offensively averaging 92 points a game. Coming Up: Thursday vs Cal State Fullerton - Buy Tickets
17		5-0	NR	Xavier faults into the power rankings beating Memphis and Virginia Tech in Puerto Rico. Coming Up: Saturday vs Miami OH - Buy Tickets
18		5-0	NR	The Cuse also makes the rankings after wins against Kansas and Florida. Coming Up:Friday vs Virginia - Buy Tickets
19		3-1	1	Lost to UConn but then bounced back nicely with a 35 slacking against San Diego. Coming Up: Saturday vs Stetson - Buy Tickets
20		4-0	2	The Bears are still not on many radars but they will be……  Coming Up: Thursday vs Providence - Buy Tickets
21		3-1	2	They took Syracuse to overtime in a 89-81 loss, and won’t lose again at least until they play Arizona two days before Christmas Coming Up: 11/24 vs Washington - Buy Tickets
22		5-1	2	Stephen Curry scores ZERO points and they still win. I never thought I’d see that. Next two games come against NC State and West Virgina Coming Up: Saturday 12/6 vs NC State - Buy Tickets
23		5-0	2	Came back to beat a solid UTEP team this week. Coming Up:Friday vs California - Buy Tickets
24		2-0	3	We’ll get to see how good the Hoyas are as they travel to Orlando for the Old Spice Classic which includes Tennessee, Michigan State and Gonzaga. Coming Up: Saturday vs Drexel - Buy Tickets
25		4-1	11	Lost by 5 to an up and coming Xavier team. They could redeem themselves vs Georgetown on December 12. Yet I can’t help to think that they might be a bit overrated. Coming Up: 12/2 vs Marist - Buy Tickets

Be sure to check back next week with our College Basketball Power Rankings for week 2.

Here’s some other Fantasy Football Waiver Wire for Week 11.

QB- Tyler Thigpen, KC- Seriously. Look at his schedule.

QB- Matt Hasselbeck, ARI- He’s been forgotten and probably available in your league. Take a flier on this former all-pro. He’s got a nice match up against the Cards.

RB- Peyton Hillis, DEN- Selvin Young? Out. Ryan Torain? Out. Andre Hall? Out. Insert tacky cliché about flies here. Then insert Peyton Hillis. He is their fullback but I bet he gets the most touches this week for the Denver ground game.

WR- Michael Jenkins, ATL- He’s been productive over the past four games. He’ll be up against Denver and will be caught up in a shoot out, which is always a good thing for a receiver.

WR- Mark Bradley, KC- He’s been a stud the last couple of weeks. Over the past three weeks he’s had 188 yards on 18 catches for two touchdowns. And let’s not forget about his cream puff of a schedule.

TE- Mercedes Lewis, JAC- The Jags won’t be able to run this week against the Titans, so expect them to throw and Lewis to get looks. He had a solid game last week against the Lions, four receptions for 64 yards.

K- Rian Lindell, BUF-Sometimes it’s a good idea to add kickers that play in prime time. That way you can be guaranteed a rooting interest . Plus its fun to see the weird looks you get as you root for drives to stall out at the 30-yard line. So this week I’d go with Lindell against the Browns on Monday night.

DEF- If you need someone this week look no further than the 49ers. The match up against the Rams without Stephen Jackson. They’ll put up double digits for you.

Be sure to check back next week with for week 12 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire.