Wednesday, December 17, 2008

NCAA Basketball Weekly: Georgetown Takes Over #1 Spot, BYU, Dionte Christmas, & More


Overall Efficiency:

Here are the top 10 teams in Overall Efficiency this season with strength of schedule in parentheses:

1. Georgetown .994 (40)
2. North Carolina .992 (67)
3. Pittsburgh .990 (143)
4. Gonzaga .990 (5)
5. Louisville .981 (293)
6. Duke .980 (73)
7. Ohio State .979 (101)
8. Connecticut .978 (218)
9. Missouri .975 (165)
10. Oklahoma .974 (118)

Last week the number one team was North Carolina, but it looks like Georgetown's win over Memphis helped push them into the top spot. Also, I told you about Missouri last week and they have now moved into the top 10. Right now their overall efficiency rating would leave them at 26-5 at the end of the regular season. Oklahoma and UConn also enter the top 10 with Texas(12), Kansas(15), and Tennessee(24) dropping out. Tennessee really plummeted after losing to Temple, who exposed a Vols defense that is 193rd in defensive effective FG%, which is the most important indicator for defensive success. They rebounded last night by defeating a somewhat overrated Marquette squad that is ranked #23 in the polls, but only 68th in overall efficiency.

Teams To Keep An Eye On:

BYU: Yeah, I'm as surprised as you are to see this team listed here, but they are currently ranked # 11 in overall efficiency in great part because of their offense which is second in the country in effective FG%. Lee Cummard is leading the way for the 11-0 Cougars, who have already knocked off Utah State(17), although the rest of their schedule has been a bunch of patsies. Cummard is shooting a ridiculous 62.6% from the floor, including 48.1% from deep and is averaging 19.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists a game. They also have a pair of sophomore guards who are also shooting lights out from the floor: Jimmer Fredette(53.6% FG, 42.4% 3FG) and Jackson Emery(64.4% FG, 50.0% 3FG) . Throw in Brazilian G/F Jonathan Tavernari(16.8 points, 7.1 rebounds) and big man Chris Miles (8.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 68.0%FG) and you can see why the BYU offense has been so efficient this season ranking second in effective FG%(59.4%) and 13th best in turnover percentage. BYU plays both Arizona St(33) and Wake Forest(32) in the next couple weeks, so we'll be able to see them play two legit teams to see if their offense is for real or just a product of their easy schedule.

Players Catching Wreck:

Dionte Christmas, Temple: I was watching the Temple-Tennessee game this weekend when Dionte Christmas just completely blew up and caught fire for Temple. Christmas is one of those seniors who you swear has been in college for about 6 years now, so it's no surprise that he's blowing up this season. Christmas completely took over the Tennessee game though, dropping 35 points and drilling 7 of 14 from deep. NBADraft.net has Christmas as an early 2nd round pick in the 2009 draft, which doesn't mean much right now except that he is definitely on the radar of NBA teams. Temple faces Kansas on Saturday, so maybe we'll get to see Christmas light up the Jayhawks.

Stats: 21.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.4 steals, 46.8% FG , 40.3% 3FG

Josh Akognon, Cal State Fullerton: Okay, so Akognon is pretty much a gunner who shoots a poor percentage from the field, but this 5'11 guard has dropped 41 points in a game twice already this season. If Cal State Fullerton can find a way to get into the NCAA tournament, then I wouldn't want to be facing Akognon in the first round, because you never know when he might heat up and drop 40.

Stats: 25.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.6 steals, 38.9% FG, 35.7 3FG%

More: NCAA Basketball

4 comments:

  1. Being not only an avid college hoops fan, but a Temple fan at that, I have to say, if Dionte doesn't get drafted, something's wrong. Early second round sounds about right. I know this much, if I'm the hometown Sixers, I take Christmas if I have a chance and toss that chump Willie Green out to pasture. Great post, by the way … but the Big East is OVERRATED.

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  2. I'm not putting any faith in BYU. When's the last time they've won a tournament game...i'm kinda like Katt Williams on this one.

    Don't worry, I'll wait...

    Last tournament game they won, I believe Danny Ainge was in the backcourt.

    -Ed.

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  3. Oh yeah, it's too early to tell with BYU, but they are definitely a team to keep an eye on as a potential sleeper come tournament time. We might be only talking a game or two but it could make a difference in someones bracket.

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  4. Josh is also a 90 percent free throw shooter (63 of 70) and I agree the FG is low, but he is the #1 option on his team by a large stretch and currently doesnt have a consistent #2 scoring threat.

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