A few weeks ago we broke down some of the most exciting players in college basketball giving you detailed looks at both the point and shooting guard positions. Now we want to switch focus from the back court to down inside the paint to break down some of the big men in the middle. Of course there are plenty of big forwards around the nation, but we actually want to break down the centers in college basketball. These are the beast on the inside that manufacture points and control the boards. Often times at the college level, centers do not get the respect they deserve. However, you never know when some emerging youngster is going to become a Dwight Howard type player in the NBA with the ability to capture 20 rebounds and 20 points per game. There is not any doubt that there are some big time centers on the hardwood this season in college basketball, but who are the best? Take a look as we break down the top 10 centers in college basketball.

#10. Dexter Pittman 6’10 (Texas)

Dexter Pittman is quite possibly the best center in the Big 12 and an experienced senior that has helped the Longhorns get off to an undefeated 12-0 start. Pittman has averaged 13.8 points per game even though his scoring is often times hot and cold. However, he is an extremely effective shot taker and is knocking down a lucrative 74% from the field. The problem that Pittman has is his size does not allow him to move around well without the ball and when he gets the ball he has troubles creating scoring opportunities. Also, the Longhorns would love for Pittman to increase his rebounding total on the inside. However, he is still a big time player and dropped a season high 23 points in the Longhorns biggest victory of the year against the North Carolina Tarheels.

#9. Jerome Jordan 7’0 (Tulsa)

Jerome Jordan is the 2nd of many seniors on our list. Jordan posted 13.8 points and 8.6 rebounds per game in his junior campaign. However, Jordan has started heating up in the past few weeks and it appears that he could have a great opportunity to increase those numbers from a year ago. Despite back to back losses, Jordan is just one rebound short of 3 straight double-double performances. Jordan is a big guy that normally takes high percentage shots close to the basket. In fact, he could finish his career with a 70% field goal percentage. Jordan has also become a solid defensive player and if he continues improving on the defensive side of the ball his stock will continue to rise.

#8. Soloman Alabi 7’1 (Florida State)

Soloman Alabi is a guy that is going to be a big force in a short time period. Alabi is an extremely big sophomore standing at 7’1 for the Seminoles of Florida State. Alabi is still developing, but leads the Seminoles with 12.3 points per game along with 7.1 rebounds. Alabi has proven to have the ability to post big scoring numbers, but the problem is consistency. Alabi has posted 20 plus points on 3 different occasions this season, but has also been held to less than 8 points on 4 occasions as well. If he can develop into the consistent threat the Seminoles need, he will be a big player in the ACC.

#7. Larry Sanders (Virginia Commonwealth)

Larry Sanders is the leading playmaker for the Virginia Commonwealth Rams and is grabbing some mainstream attention for his efforts. Sanders and the Rams play a pretty light schedule in terms of competition. However, Sanders has played well against the top teams on the schedule dropping 17 against Oklahoma and a season high 23 against East Carolina. Sanders currently averages 14.8 points per game and is also pulling down 8.5 rebounds on average as well. Sanders ability to grab some rebounds has improved dramatically since the start of the season and he could be averaging double-double figures by season’s end.

#6. Trevor Booker 6’7 (Clemson)

Trevor Bookers is a guy that many will have listed as a forward, but he actually plays as a center for the Tigers. Booker has been the rock for the Tigers over the past few years. He currently leads the team in scoring averaging 15 points per game against the brutal competition in the ACC while also bringing down 9 boards per game. Booker seems to always step up in the pressure situations whether it involves a needed basket or an important rebound. Clemson would definitely not be the team they are if not for their experienced senior in the paint.

#5. JaJuan Johnson 6’10 (Purdue)

JaJuan Johnson is coming off his biggest performance of the season posting 25 points against the Mountaineers on New Year’s Day. Johnson sometimes gets overshadowed behind teammates Robbie Hummel and E’Twaun Moore. However, Johnson is becoming a big scorer inside the paint and knocking down a healthy 54% from the floor. The Boilermakers are undefeated on the season and a big part of that can be contributed to Johnson’s 13.8 point average on the season. However, he still needs to improve against the glass before he becomes a dominating presence on the inside. Johnson’s 6.5 rebound average is the highest of his career and that is something that will definitely need to improve.

#4. Jarvis Varnado 6’9 (Mississippi State)

Jarvis Varnado has slowly developed into a monster for the Bulldogs inside the paint. Varnado leads the SEC as the all-time blocked shots leader and broke the single season record last year with 171 blocked shots. If Varnado can stay on pace, he will break the NCAA all-time blocked shots record at 535. However, Varnado can do much more than just block shots. He has slowly developed into a solid scoring threat averaging 14.1 points per game. Also, Varnado has steadily improved against the boards and this is his first season averaging over 10 rebounds per game. Varnado is a guy that with some continued hard work could make get immediate playing time at the next level just for his defensive tendencies, but overtime will contribute as a scorer.

#3. Omar Samhan 6’11 (St. Mary’s)

Omar Samhan may be a guy that few people know about around the nation, but he is a guy terrorizing the West Coast Conference. Samhan has exploded as a dominating scorer averaging 20.8 points and also takes care of business on the boards averaging 11 rebounds per game. Samhan is a big guy that moves around well and creates a lot of scoring opportunities. What may be even more impressive is that he tends to play very well against the top competition the Gaels’ face and has dropped a couple of 30 plus point performances. While Samhan may not face the level of competition that most will face, he is definitely an experienced threat that is proving his self week in and week out. A few games against Gonzaga and other respectable teams in the near future will give us an even better idea of just how good the St. Mary’s star has become.

#2. Greg Monroe 6’11 (Georgetown)

If you remember watching Georgetown last year, then perhaps you can recall the 7’0 monster kid on the inside that looked a little lost at time. Monroe had the size the moment he stepped on the court. However, Monroe spent most of his freshman year learning how to use that body. Monroe attempted very few shots in his freshman campaign, but still averaging 12.7 points per game with 6.5 rebounds. So far this season, Monroe is slowly emerging as the go to guy in the paint which should have been the case all along. However, Monroe has scored at least 15 points in 5 straight games and currently averaging 15 points with 10.3 rebounds per game. Monroe is definitely the guy with the most potential on our list and there is no doubt that he could be the top center in the nation by the end of the year. Considering the number of games he puts up really high rebounding totals, he will be an eye catcher on NBA Draft boards.

#1. Cole Aldrich 6’11 (Kansas)

Cole Aldrich put up some very solid numbers as a sophomore scoring 14.1 points and pulling down 11.1 rebounds per game. Easily the most experienced and possibly even one of the most important big men in the country for the number 1 Kansas Jayhawks. This season Aldrich is averaging double-double numbers yet again with 11.2 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. Aldrich is one of those guys that consistently get his numbers. However, once he learns how to use his body and become a true post player he is going to be even more dangerous at the next level. Most NBA scouts believe Aldrich will shine outside of the college system and some boards have him listed as a potential lottery pick in the NBA Draft.

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College football today is composed of countless teams using spread offenses and relying on passing games to rack up a load of points against opponents. Far from the old roots of football that was led by ground and pound rushing attacks. Today’s game is based mostly around teams that spread the field with 4 and 5 wide receivers and try to stretch out defenses before picking them apart. However, look at any championship caliber team and you can bet they have a strong running game. The rushing game will always be the best offense when used effectively because it allows a team to take control of the clock along with taking control of field position in tight games. Even though the hard core rushing offenses seem to have vanished in today’s game, there are still a load of players who have the ability to rack up big chunks of yards on every play. These players give their teams an edge that most do not possess; the ability to not only break big plays, but keep opposing offenses off the field. Keep your eyes on these guys for the upcoming football season as we break down the best running backs in the nation.

#1 Jahvid Best (California)

Jahvid Best is not only the best running back in college football, but he also has the best chance to be a big name at the next level. Best has a raw combination of quickness and immeasurable strength giving him the ability to run through defenses. Best was extremely impressive in his first full season as starter for the Golden Bears rushing for 1,580 yards to go along with 15 touchdowns as a sophomore. Best averaged a lucrative 8.1 yards per carry and broke California’s single game rushing record against Washington bulldozing his way to 311 yards. If it was not for Heisman winners Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford returning, Best would be right in the middle of the talk for winning the Heisman Trophy this season. Expect nothing less than a huge year from the Golden Bears running back as California makes a run at a Pac-10 title.

#2 Kendall Hunter (Oklahoma State)

Kendall Hunter had a big season in 2008 rushing for 1,555 yards and 16 scores making numerous big plays. Hunter who resides in the pass happy region of the college football world, led the Big 12 in rushing yards. Add to the fact, Hunter will be a part of one of the most explosive offenses in the nation this season and things are looking very promising. Hunter probably has the quickest cutback of any tailback on our board and can bust plays open quickly. Expect Hunter to be a big reason, the Cowboys have a lot of success in 2009 and just maybe come up with a big upset or two.

# 3 Jonathon Dwyer (Georgia Tech)

The option style offense the Yellow Jackets turned to last season may have been a nightmare if they did not have the talented Jonathon Dwyer in the backfield. Dwyer took over 200 carries cashing in for 1,395 yards and 12 touchdowns. The Yellow Jackets entire offense was based around the running game and defenses knew it making Dwyer’s numbers a bit more impressive. During the time that defenses keyed in on the running game, Dwyer’s numbers actually picked up during the latter part of the season giving promising hope to 2009. Dwyer who has a knack for shaking off tacklers led the ACC in rushing in 2008. Anticipating how many carries he is likely to get in 2009, it looks to be another big season for the Yellow Jackets star player.

# 4 Jacquizz Rodgers (Oregon State)

So who here remembers the Beavers upset over the USC Trojans last season? If you do then you probably remember a small freshman sensation by the name of Jacquizz Rodgers slicing through the best defense in the country. Rodgers had a big season in his freshman campaign rushing for 1,253 yards and 11 touchdowns. Possibly the best sophomore in the country heading into this season, Rodgers averaged 114 yards per game in his first year at Oregon State. Expect the 5’7 little guy to improve on those numbers this season and become one of the best tailbacks in the Pac 10.

# 5 Evan Royster (Penn State)

Evan Royster was a big part to the Nittany Lions success in 2009 that had them in National Title contention for the majority of the year. Royster exploded onto the scene racking up 6.5 yards per carry in route to a plus 1,200 yard season. The Nittany Lions offense was a well balanced machine last year with Royster in the back field and Daryll Clark delivering the air assault. However, Penn State lost big time receivers Deon Butler, Jordan Norwood, and Derrick Williams. The big losses at wide out means the Nittany Lions will give Royster a big increase in carries and we expect no less than 1,500 yards from the best back in the Big Ten.

#6 MiQuale Lewis (Ball State)

MiQuale Lewis is probably the least known name on our board, but surprisingly one of the best on the board as well. Lewis ranked 3rd individually last season tallying up 1,736 yards on the season. Lewis put up those impressive numbers as a junior and there will be big expectations for him again in 2009. The Cardinals running back already led the nation last year with 22 touchdowns. Imagine if those numbers were to improve. Some may argue that Lewis is in a weak defensive conference, but it’s hard to match those numbers regardless of who you are playing.

#7 DeMarco Murray (Oklahoma)

DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown make up the best running back duo in the nation for Oklahoma. Murray received less hand offs in 2008 due to missing the last two games of the season with injury, but both backs averaged a strong 5.6 yards per carry. Murray was also able to post a 1,000 yard season despite missing those few games. If not for sharing carries with an equally talented Chris Brown, Murray could easily be one of the top rushers in the nation. However, the Sooners ability to rotate between the two may be more effective from a team’s standpoint. It is just amazing the numbers that the Sooners running backs are able to produce considering they are such an elite passing team.

#8 Noel Devine (West Virginia)

Noel Devine burst onto the scene at the beginning of 2008 as one of the hottest tailbacks in the nation. Devine averaged over 120 yards during the first 8 games of the season before fading a bit down the stretch. However, his numbers were very impressive considering running threat of Pat White accompanied him in the back field. Devine posted a 6.1 yards per carry average in 2008 despite the Mountaineers taking a step back as a team. However, Devine will be the best returning back in the Big East this season and will try to be the main guy in helping restore the explosiveness on the Mountaineers’ offense.

#9 Chris Brown (Oklahoma)

Another very impressive tailback that comes out of the Oklahoma stable, Brown was able to rush for 1,220 yards last season. Brown ranked 4th among running backs in college football producing 20 scores for the year. The senior tailback will enter 2009 with the expectations for another 1,000 yard plus performance. If not for sharing time with Murray, Brown could be one of the single best rushers in America. However, sharing carries in the back field may actually limit his chances of putting up ridiculous numbers.

#10 C.J Spiller (Clemson)

C.J Spiller perhaps is one of the most under rated backs in college football. However, those are not because he has put up any huge numbers. In fact, Spiller has never eclipsed the 1,000 yard barrier in his previous 3 seasons with the Tigers. Spiller has fell victim of an offense that simply has not allowed him to showcase his skills. One of the quickest backs on our board, Spiller has also had to share time with James Davis over the last 3 years. However, Spiller will be the lone back for the Tigers this season and there is no way he should not rack up well over 1,000 yards against the ACC defenses.

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One of the most interesting aspects of the NCAA Tournament is the upsets. Every year there are plenty of heart breaking losses and exciting underdog stories that highlight the March Madness venue. The unexpected is always certain in March and that is what makes the NCAA Tournament so intriguing. Every year fans embrace a breakout underdog that will steal the spotlight from the top names in the country. In the basketball world, we call that the Cinderella team. One of the toughest things to do when filling out your bracket can be predicting some of these unexpected upsets and teams that will emerge from the darkness to shine in the spotlight. Last year Davidson was the Cinderella story. Stephen Curry and the Davidson Wildcats surged from their 10th seeded position into the elite eight barely losing to the Kansas Jayhawks who later went on to win the National Championship. Before you complete your brackets this year, we will try to break down the best suited teams that could be the breakout story and wear the Cinderella slipper in 2009.

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Usually by the NCAA Tournament, there are clear favorites on the teams that will be expected to win it all. While of course many people will expect the Connecticut, Pittsburgh, and North Carolina teams to do well there are plenty of less popular names to consider. Perhaps this year more than any, there are many teams who definitely have the capability of knocking off the top seeds. For example, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons appeared unbeatable earlier this season. The Demon Deacons started a perfect 16-0 and were the number 1 team in America for many weeks. However, after a sluggish second half of the season the Demon Deacons are only a 4 seed in the tournament. While a number 4 seed is not considerably a low seed, there are still plenty of lower seeds that could surge in their brackets and there is not a team in America that looks forward to playing a team like Wake Forest.

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One of the first teams on the radar to break out in the NCAA Tournament is the Marquette Golden Eagles. Marquette got off to a brilliant start in the brutal schedule that is the Big East. The Golden Eagles come in the Tournament as a number 6 seed slated to take on Utah State in the opening round. Marquette will be favored to win the first round, but may be an underdog in round 2 where they will likely meet No. 3 seeded Missouri. Missouri was the surprise team of the Big 12 this season and their match-up with Marquette would be very compelling. We got the winner of this game coming out of the bottom part of the bracket meaning they take down Memphis and challenge Connecticut for a spot in the final four. Missouri is a very solid team that won the Big 12 Tournament Championship during conference week leading up to the big dance. However, last time the Tigers were matched up with a smaller type team like Marquette they were blown out by Kansas 90-65. The Golden Eagles smaller lineup and tremendous backcourt make them extremely tough for Missouri to beat. We take a gamble on the Golden Eagles soaring into the elite eight in exciting fashion.

Another team to keep an eye on is the Clemson Tigers. Clemson was another ACC team that got off to a perfect 16-0 start before hitting the blunt of conference play. However, the Tigers blasted Duke midway through the season handing Coach K one of the biggest losses of his career 74-47. Clemson struggled down the stretch in the ACC losing 4 of their first 5 games. One might think the Tigers have lost their way in the 2nd half of the season. On the other hand Clemson will come out of the gates taking on Big 10 opponent Michigan. While the game is expected to be close, if the Tigers come out knocking down outside shots like they tend to do it should be enough to handle the Wolverines. The Tigers will get Oklahoma most likely in the second round and this could be the first really big upset of the entire tournament. Oklahoma would have an extremely difficult time defending the outside shooting that makes Clemson so dangerous. If the two Tigers’ guards K.C Rivers and Terrence Oglesby get hot, you can say goodnight. While these two games may be a long shot for Clemson to overcome, their style of play could present problems for their early round opponents that could work to their advantage.

Even though we mentioned the Clemson Tigers being a surprise team in the South bracket, the Syracuse Orange could also be a surprise team from the lower half of the bracket. Syracuse has the most manageable path of any 3 seed in the tournament. Syracuse gets South Florida in round 1 and the winner of the Arizona State vs. Temple match-up for round 2. The Orange men could easily find their selves in the sweet sixteen taking on anyone from Oklahoma, Michigan, or our surprise pick Clemson in that game. Syracuse could manage a victory against any of these opponents on any given night. Syracuse made a strong run in the Big East Tournament beating Connecticut in the 6 overtime thriller before losing in the Championship game to Louisville. Considering that lone loss was the Orange only defeat in the last 3 weeks of basketball they appear to be peaking at the right time. Would it be crazy to predict Clemson to beat Oklahoma, and then Syracuse beat Clemson? Maybe, but whoever they do play we will take Syracuse to be the biggest surprise threat in the South.

In our final area to keep your eye we turn our focus to the East bracket. There are a number of possible scenarios if you are looking for an underdog in this bracket. The Villanova Wildcats would be a good candidate to take coming of the bottom half of the bracket. Villanova will most likely be favored to win their opening two games and could meet up with No. 2 seed Duke in the sweet sixteen. The Wildcats sets screens, and roll off the ball very well scoring points on cuts to the paint. That is the very type of team Duke has struggled with this year. Not to mention this seems to be the area in the tournament the Blue Devils have failed to get past over the last few seasons. On the upper side of the bracket if there is any team that could knock off Pittsburgh it would be Florida State. The Seminoles knocked off North Carolina in the ACC Tournament and they have played very well at times this season. Standout guard Toney Douglas gives the Seminoles a chance in any close game considering he is one of the best guards in the country. If any team was to pull off an early upset over Pittsburgh, it could be the Seminoles chance to shine.

In attempt to cover every bracket, we finally move a little focus to the Midwest. The Midwest could possibly be the toughest bracket top to bottom in the tournament. The USC Trojans could come out to surprise people if they keep up their momentum that propelled them to their first Pac-10 Tournament Title in history. However, in the end we will expect some familiar faces to square off to represent the Midwest. Louisville defense should carry them solidly through the first two rounds and possibly throughout the tournament. On the lower side of the bracket we may expect a very familiar name to emerge. No. 3 seeded Kansas is different and young team compared to the 2008 National Championship team. However, they captured the Big 12 regular season crown and played extremely well as the year progressed. We will expect the higher seeds to prevail in this bracket avoiding any big upsets. While the upsets may happen in the Midwest, we will just say we predict that Cinderella will come from one of the other brackets in the tournament.

College Basketball actions on Wednesday nights have been full of twists and turns especially over the last few weeks. Thursday mornings in college basketball have become what Sundays are during the college football season which has been full of people talking about the strange and bizarre outcomes from the day before. One conference has been directly hit by crazy Wednesday night action and that is what many consider the best conference in America which is the ACC. Last night the trend continued in the unpredictable conference adding to the growing trend that has captivated since the year changed to 2009.

It all started towards the end of January with a battle between ACC schools down in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The Wake Forest Demon Deacons had it all flowing smoothly with a perfect 16-0 record. The Demon Deacons had just knocked off No. 3 North Carolina and handed No. 9 Clemson their first loss of the year. The schedule looked to be fairly simple for a few weeks until their next big game against Duke, but then Wednesday night came. Wake Forest suffered the one of their biggest disappointments of the season when they dropped a loss at home to unranked Virginia Tech knocking them off the top spot in America. Unfortunately this was a trend that was about to get pretty familiar in the ACC.

Exactly one week later on Wednesday night, Wake Forest would return home to host the Duke Blue Devils who had inherited the No. 1 ranking in college basketball due to the Demon Deacons upset loss to Virginia Tech. The Blue Devils entered the game as slight favorites, but quickly this Wednesday would be another disappointment for America’s top ranked team. The Blue Devils trailed the majority of the game and were down as much as 11 points in the closing minutes. However, Duke put together a nice spurt in the closing minutes and tied the game at 68-68 with less than a minute to play. With Wake Forest trying to make a inbounds play, the Duke defense fell apart and let James Johnson catch the ball uncontested inside the paint laying it in to beat the Devils and knocking a number 1 ranked team off the top spot for the 2nd straight Wednesday.

The Clemson Tigers were also another team that fell victim on Wednesday night woes. However, unlike other scenarios Clemson fell apart in an entire different way. The Tigers got off to a perfect 16-0 start before Wake Forest handed them the first loss of the season. The Tigers were expected to give a big rebounding effort the following Wednesday night when they traveled to Chapel Hill to battle North Carolina. The Tarheels entered the game as 11 point favorite and the majority of the betting public was all over the Tigers to keep it within the spread. However, Clemson would get flat out embarrassed inside the Dean Dome as they were blown out by 24 points and dropping their 2nd straight game after the impressive start. Once again the unlikely outcome of Wednesday night had the national talk surrounding the ACC.

Enter the very first Wednesday in the month of February which was last night and the strange Wednesday action was about to receive the biggest single night shocker the ACC has had in years. No. 6 Wake Forest got the action started once again with the early game on Wednesday night when they hosted unranked Miami on their home floor in Winston-Salem. The Demon Deacons were fresh off another upset loss falling to Georgia Tech by a mere 2 points. Wake Forest entered the game with the taste of returning to the national spotlight. The Demon Deacons would get back to the spotlight just not in the way they expected. Miami and Wake Forest battled through the first half of play closely with the Hurricanes getting the 3 point advantage at the break 29-26. However, Wake Forest might as well never come back to the floor for the 2nd half. Miami came out the gates firing on all cylinders and the game quickly got out of hand in the 2nd half as Miami opened with a 25-8 run. The Hurricanes would end up blowing out what many thought was still the best team in the ACC by nearly 30 points 79-52. However, the shocking Wednesday night had just begun.

The No. 3 Duke Blue Devils and No. 10 Clemson Tigers highlighted the 2nd ACC game on Wednesday night in a battle of top ten schools. The Clemson Tigers had lost the previous 21 straight regular season games to the Blue Devils not to mention the Tigers had been receiving non-stop criticism claiming they could not contend with the top teams in the ACC after being beaten by Wake Forest and North Carolina by double digits. The Blue Devils entered the contest as the favorites, but it became apparent quick they were not the favorites on Wednesday night. Clemson dominated on every aspect of the floor and made Duke looked like a mediocre high school team at times. The Tigers full court press and strong defense made the Blue Devils look silly and they constantly turned the ball over. Add to the fact, Duke could not hit a shot from anywhere on the floor and you got one of the biggest Blue Devils losses in over the last two decades. The game has definitely been the talk of the bizarre Wednesday night considering nobody ever expected a Coach K Blue Devil team to ever be beaten the way they were by the Tigers. Now the only question that is left for the ACC is what will next Wednesday night have in store?

The College Basketball season took many unexpected turns last night as many of the top teams in the country squared off in conference battles with a load of unexpected outcomes. There were many different plays and games that made Wednesday night one of the most memorable nights of the season. A top ranked team got beaten along with other upsets, and another top 25 team goes down in one of the best finishes all year. The events that went down Wednesday night will definitely shake up next week’s rankings and leave a ton of one loss teams across the country battling for the top spot. In case you missed it, here is a review from one of the most exciting nights of basketball this season.

No. 1 Wake Forest upset by Virginia Tech

The No. 1 ranked Demon Deacons had it all going with a perfect record of 16-0 and the top ranking in America. Wake Forest was rolling after two big wins over top 10 teams North Carolina and Clemson. However, the Demon Deacons fell victim at home from unranked Virginia Tech 78-71. Surprisingly, the Hokies controlled the entire game leading by 10 at the break and as much as 13 later in the game. Wake Forest gave a valiant effort for a comeback as Jeff Teague added 23 points on the night, but in the end the Hokies simply made the shots that mattered most leaving the Demon Deacons in shock on their own
floor.

No. 5 North Carolina crushes No. 10 Clemson

Clemson had it all going in the first half. Terrence Oglesby and K.C Rivers seemed to knock down 3 pointers all over the court with Oglesby having 17 points at halftime. The Tigers seemed to hit everything in the opening half, but still trailed by 5 as they Tarheels were simply too much. In the second half, the Clemson shots that were falling quickly became a rarity to say the least. The Tigers shot 35% for the game and only 29% from the floor the entire second half. Meanwhile, the Tarheels proved why they are one of the best scoring teams in America. North Carolina’s 4 starters Wayne Ellington, Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, and Deon Thompson combined for 76 points with Ellington leading the way with 25 individually. The Tarheels matched their season average 94 points as they blasted the Tigers in Chapel Hill 94-70. The win marked the 54^th straight home win over Clemson in Chapel Hill equaling the longest streak in NCAA history.

No. 7 Michigan State stunned by Northwestern

Northwestern’s Kevin Coble and Michael Thompson had huge nights lifting the Wildcats over the Spartans. Coble went 10-16 from the floor racking up 31 points on the night. Teammate Michael Thompson got hot from behind the arc knocking down 4 3-pointers adding 20 more points on the night. Coble and Thompson combined for more points than the entire Michigan State starting lineup that shot a dismal 39% from the floor and never really got it rolling all night. Michigan State standout guard Kalin Lucas lead the way for the Spartans as he has much of the year with 20 points while center Goran Suton added 15 points, but there was not any other help present Wednesday night. The Spartans turned the ball over an incredible 18 times leading to their demise. The Spartans loss marked the ending of the 3^rd longest home winning streak in the nation with a previous 28 straight wins in East Lansing.

No. 24 Florida heart-breaker at South Carolina

Hard to imagine a game could steal the spotlight amongst all the other dilemma going on across the country, but Florida at South Carolina game was clearly the best game of the night. The two schools battled back in forth all night with Florida seeming to edge away at the end. The Gators took a 7 point lead with just under 3 minutes to play, but the Gamecocks made one last strive. Junior guard Devan Downey who is the second leading scorer in the SEC lead the charge knocking down 7 points including a crucial 3-pointer to cut the lead to two points. Zam Frederick got the opportunity to tie the game for the Gamecocks with 4.7 seconds left with two free-throw shots. Frederick made the first, but missed the second as Florida’s Chandler Parsons grabbed the rebound appearing to seal the deal as he was fouled with 3.3 seconds left. However, Parsons would miss the one-in-one and Mike Holmes grabbed the rebound for South Carolina launching the ball down court to hit Zam Frederick at the other end of the court to lay the ball in as time expired barely beating the buzzer. The play was one of the more exciting finishes to any college basketball this season and capped off a wild and crazy night of hoops action. In case you missed, it check it out here…