The NBA regular season a little more than halfway through and there is a pretty clear sight of who are the front runners with the chance for a few more teams to make a surprise down the stretch. The Eastern Conference appears to be the strength of the league with the powerhouses of Boston, Cleveland, and Orlando. Out West we still await a contender to emerge to be able to challenge the L.A Lakers and the most likely team to take that role is the San Antonio Spurs. At this time in the season is when all the predictions start coming out and the betting lines are changing every day with new future odds. We break down the top 3 teams in each conference and provide some insight on some teams to keep an eye on that could surprise down the stretch.

Eastern Conference

Boston Celtics (36-9)

The defending NBA Champions had the best start in NBA history at 27-2. However, the Celtics rang in the New Year poorly losing 4 out of their first 5 games and even 7 out of 9 at one point. The tough weeks of basketball exposed the first sign of troubles from Boston that we have seen in some time. Despite the tough stretch that featured 3 of 4 of their last losses on the road, Boston has bounced back with a vengeance. The Celtics have now knocked off 7 straight wins including a big win over what many call the best team in the league the Orland Magic last Thursday night 90-80. The difference in the wins and losses is how the Celtics play defense. In the Celtics last 4 defeats, the opponents were averaging 100.2 points per game. However, in the last 7 victories the Celtics have held opposing teams to only 88 points. The Celtics are 2^nd behind Cleveland in scoring defense this season and that has always been a big attribute to their success. With the troubles seemingly out of the way, Boston appears to be right back where they left last off last year.

Orlando Magic (33-9)

The Magic that is Orlando comes in the form of 6’11 Dwight Howard. Howard has been superb this year and so has the rest of the Orlando lineup. Howard leads the league in rebounds (14rpg), blocked shots (3.2bpg), and also supports with 20 points every game. However, it has not been all the achievement of one man. Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu, and Jameer Nelson are all averaging at least 17 points while the Magic are averaging 101 points per contest. Orlando had won 8 straight games before their loss to Boston on Thursday night and they own a 7 ½ game over Atlanta in the Southeast. Orlando is the only team out of the top 3 in the Eastern Conference to have captured a victory over the L.A Lakers this season which is clearly the best team right now in the West. The Magic are actually 2-0 over the Lakers and many think they are the most complete team at this point in the season.

Cleveland Cavaliers (32-8)

Cleveland appeared to be the best team out of the East only a matter of a few short weeks ago. However, the Cavaliers have gone 2-2 in their last 4 games with losses over the Lakers and Trailblazers. Not to mention Cleveland is facing some key injuries over the last few days. Starting shooting guard Delonte West has a broken wrist and will miss 4-6 weeks. Also starting center Zydrunas Ilgauskas has a fractured ankle and will miss 3-4 weeks. Despite the small dark cloud that has recently developed over the team, Cleveland is still among the best in the NBA. Lebron James is 2^nd in the NBA in scoring with 27.8 points and the team seems to be playing better behind him than they have in past seasons. The Cavs also are a perfect 20-0 at home meaning that they could be very tough to beat at playoff time.

Team to watch…

Philadelphia 76ers (20-21)

The 76ers have risen from the dead after they were nearly written off with a 13-20 start. However, they have now put together 7 straight wins before a tough loss to Dallas on Monday night. Considering how inconsistent the rest of the East is behind the top 3, the 76ers have a chance to really make things interesting if they can put together another similar streak.

Western Conference

Los Angeles Lakers (34-8)

The Lakers clearly look to be favorites again out of the Western Conference as they have a 5 game advantage over any other team from the West and a huge 10 ½ game lead in the Pacific division. Kobe Bryant’s 26.4 points per game is good for 3^rd best in the league and the Lakers lead the NBA with 108 points per contest as a team. A few short weeks ago the Lakers appeared that they would be unchallenged this year in the conference, but they are realizing that the San Antonio Spurs are playing very well and will attempt to give them a challenge for frontrunner in the West. Los Angeles has won 13 of their past 16 games including big wins over Boston and Cleveland in the process. If nothing else drastically changes, the Lakers will likely make another run towards the NBA Finals.

San Antonio Spurs (29-13)

A lot of questions arose after the Spurs got off to a slow start losing 5 of their first 7 games. However, San Antonio bounced back winning 7 of their next 8 and the momentum has not slowed down much since. The Spurs have now won their last 4 games and 8 of their last 10 including a huge battle where they took down the Lakers 112-111. Tim Duncan and Tony Parker continue to lead the way both averaging 20.4 points per contest. The Spurs win over the Lakers proved that they are back on the right track and not ready to hand over the season quite yet to the Lakers considering Los Angeles is everybody’s pick to win the West. San Antonio gets another big match-up with the Lakers this Sunday and it will be interesting to see how things shake up this time inside the Staples Center. Look for the Spurs to be playing their best basketball as they usually do around post season time.

Denver Nuggets (28-15)

Giving up Allen Iverson may not been a big of mistake as people first thought. Chauncey Billups is averaging nearly 20 points and the Nuggets seem to be in better shape than the Pistons. Carmelo Anthony leads the team with 21 points, but has missed some valuable playing time recently due to a broken hand. Despite their star player missing time on the court, the Nuggets have still managed to win 8 of their last 11 games. Anthony participated in some workouts on Thursday and it should not be long before he rejoins the lineup. Denver will desperately need him back considering they are bout to embark on an 8 game road adventure at the start of February. The Nuggets are only 11-9 on the road this year and how they perform in the next few weeks away from home will definitely make an impact on their ability to maintain their 2 ½ game lead over Portland in the Northwest.

Team to watch…

New Orleans Hornets (26-14)

The Hornets proved last year that they could really come alive during the playoffs. Chris Paul has played like Chris Paul with 21.2ppg and an NBA leading 11 assist per game. New Orleans may have been expected to be in better position at this point in the season, but they are still only a mere 2 games back to the Spurs and definitely in striking range.

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…

In the midst of the Arizona Cardinals first ever trip to the Super Bowl and NFC Championship last Sunday, star wide receiver Anquan Boldin had a melt down on the sidelines with offensive coordinator Todd Haley. In case you haven’t heard or seen, Boldin is very unhappy with the way he has been used during the postseason for Arizona despite the Cardinals success. Call me crazy, but if my team was going to the Super Bowl I would not care near as much if I was not catching every touchdown on the field. I know Boldin has been a huge factor this season for the Cardinals and he is a tremendous player I just think these actions could have been avoided. When this argument ignited, the Eagles had the ball with a little under 6 minutes to play and the Cardinals were facing the idea of suffering defeat from a big come back from Philadelphia. Still Arizona would end up making a game winning drive and earning their first trip to the Super Bowl in franchise history.

Boldin’s actions come at a time that was not only surprising considering the magnitude of position of the game, but during a time that would have more likely hurt the time rather than helped. Anquan Boldin is a stellar wide receiver that has never been in any type of off the field issues. Boldin’s presence in the Arizona lineup means everything to the Cardinals success. Perhaps Boldin just is not happy that all the touchdowns and catches are going to the other playmaker on the other side of the field in teammate Larry Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald has been unstoppable during the playoffs with big play after big play. Fitzgerald broke a playoff record with 419 receiving yards over the last 3 games including the first ever player to score 3 touchdowns in the first half of the NFC Championship Game. Boldin and Fitzgerald were dynamic forces together on the field this season. Both star receivers had over 1,000 yards and combined for an outstanding 23 touchdowns for the year. The numbers were fairly split with Fitzgerald catching a few more yards, but with nearly identical touchdown numbers. However, since the playoffs Fitzgerald has stolen the spotlight.

Anquan Boldin only caught 4 passes for 34 yards in the Cardinals NFC Championship win last Sunday and by those numbers you might understand why the star player was upset. However, when your teammate is constantly breaking open and making big plays to put your team ahead I do not see where the conflict comes in. Boldin only has 119 yards during the playoff this season, but I believe with the actions of last Sunday he actually hurt his Super Bowl performance before the game takes place and here is why: The Steelers are going to have to lock down on Larry Fitzgerald possibly not only with a cornerback, but with a safety coming in for doubling support. You would have to think that would be priority number one. This would have likely played into Boldin’s advantage giving him the opportunity to make some big plays. Do not get me wrong there is no defense in the NFL that is going to forget Boldin’s amazing talent and simply not cover him. However, with the outburst on the sideline and the media frenzy the Steelers are much more likely to give even extra attention to the ball coming Boldin’s direction during the Super Bowl.

It is just hard to understand Boldin’s actions last Sunday. Sure I will give him the benefit of the doubt that he was caught up in the heat of the moment, but still if the Cardinals lose the game there would have been a lot more fingers pointing to Anquan for the sidelines controversy that was going on. These Terrell Owens type antics are not expected from a player as respected as much as Anquan Boldin is by teammates and friends. I would not go as far as to say Boldin is not happy for the success that Larry Fitzgerald has had in recent games, but I would not hold back from saying there is a bit of jealousy there as well. What makes the scenario even worse, is that after the game Boldin was no where to be found. Big deal many might think, but this was after his team had just won the NFC Championship and they were all celebrating together. All the hard work that goes into the off-season and the painful workouts are what makes those moments with teammates so special when everyone feels rewarded together. Except one of the biggest players that helped get them together was headed back to the locker rooms instead of celebrating on the field with his team. Hopefully and likely this will not affect the Cardinals chances of winning a Super Bowl, but still the actions and timing were a little bit out of line.

The College Football season is now officially over and coaches are hard at work on the recruiting trail. However, some of the more talented young players are facing one of the most difficult decisions of their careers. Players face the choice to remain in college or chase the money and the dream of playing in the NFL. Take a look at the players that have decided to stay in college and those who will move on with their careers. Note this will be the first time in history that the top 3 Heisman finalist will all be returning to the college field. We break down the biggest names in college football and their decisions. Tell us what you think and if these were the right choices from these players by commenting on this article.

Returners

QB Tim Tebow (Florida) –
Tebow has probably become the most popular name in college football for his extreme passion for the game and desire to achieve. Tebow post-game press conference after the loss to Ole Miss this season will be a speech for the ages. Despite the popular belief that Tim Tebow is more of a running quarterback, the Heisman winner has completed 426 of 648 passes equaling 66%, for 6,033 yards, 62 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions all through the air in the last two seasons. Tebow’s decision to return next year shocked the vast majority of the public due to his overwhelming list of accomplishments in the college ranks. Tebow has already become the first sophomore to win the Heisman and also owns two National Championship rings. Does the decision to come back mean Tebow is trying to become the greatest college quarterback to ever step on the field with the opportunity to win a second Heisman and the possibility to win a 3^rd National Title?

QB Sam Bradford (Oklahoma) –
This year’s Heisman winner completely lighted up the stat sheet throwing for 50 touchdowns and 4,721 yards on the season. Bradford became the 2^nd ever sophomore to win the Heisman behind Tim Tebow. However, the National Championship Game may have mildly tarnished the star quarterback’s reputation. Many will make the argument that his stats reflect the high pass offensive attacks and suggested weak defenses of the Big 12. Despite the conference or style of play, Bradford still has the arsenal to make all the throws on the football field and that was something that was demonstrated time and time again this year. Bradford has the look of an NFL style quarterback and he very well has the ability to be a solid QB at the next level as well. Bradford decision to return may not be a big surprise considering he will only be a junior next year and will get an always helpful extra year to develop into an even bigger threat.

QB Colt McCoy (Texas) –
Colt McCoy was also another Heisman finalist that decided to come back for his senior year. McCoy reason for staying was noted to make a run at next year’s National Championship. The talented Tuscola, Texas native made big plays this year with his feet and dominated with his arm. McCoy broke two Texas records with 32 touchdowns and 3,445 yards on the year. Texas will have another strong team next year and McCoy will again try to lead Texas towards a National Title just like the previous returners. McCoy decision to return surprised me simply for the fact that Texas lost their top 3 receivers this season considering they were seniors and their time is done. However, the Longhorns do have a lot of young talent. It will just be interesting to see how fast they develop early in the year and really give McCoy the support he needs.

RB C.J. Spiller (Clemson) –
Despite the constant disappointments from Clemson, C.J Spiller gives them hope with his decision to return. Spiller is among one of the most elusive backs that will step on the field in 2009 and the Tigers will have to find a way to utilize him in better than they did this season. Despite the under achievements, Spiller still managed 1,770 all purpose yards that equaled over 9 yards every time he touched the football. Spiller and California running back Jahvid Best should be among the best tailbacks in the nation in 2009.

Other honorable mentions for key players that will return next season.

MLB Brandon Spikes (Florida) – Spikes is the centerpiece to the powerful Gator defense, the side of the ball that really won the National Championship.

S Taylor Mays (USC) – Mays will again lead the Trojan defense as possibly the best safety in the nation with a combination of size and blazing speed.

TE Jermaine Gresham (Oklahoma) – Gresham will be one of the best tight ends in the country and will likely become a bigger threat for the Sooner offense in 2009 after an impressive 950 yards and 14 touchdowns this season.

Early Departures

WR Michael Crabtree (Texas Tech) –
Crabtree’s game winning reception over Texas in the final seconds will be remembered for a long time, but the talented wide receiver made those big plays all season. Crabtree was 2^nd in the nation with an outstanding 19 touchdowns and also added 1,165 yards for the year. Crabtree decision to part may not come as any big surprise considering he proved time and time again this season he was clearly the best wide receiver in college football and returning may have only hurt that reputation rather than helped.

OL Andre Smith (Alabama)–
Smith is one of the biggest powers on the Crimson Tide offensive line in a very long time. Smith was the winner of the Outland Trophy Award for being the best lineman in the country. Smith was the Alabama standout that was suspended prior to the Sugar Bowl for breaking team rules and failed to play in the BCS Bowl Game.  The 340lb monster declared his early departure after having a fantastic junior campaign and some draft boards have him projected as the number 1 pick in this year’s NFL draft.

QB Mark Sanchez (USC) –
If you have not seen by now, Sanchez decision to turn pro was a big disappointment in the Trojans locker room. Head Coach Pete Carroll made it rather clear during Sanchez’s announcement that he did not approve of the decision. Still Sanchez will be a lottery pick in this year’s draft after a solid season throwing for 3,207 yards along with 32 touchdowns and completing over 65% of his passes. Sanchez’s decision to not return for his senior season shocked many. The Trojans lost a ton of key players especially on the defensive side of the ball and will have a lot of areas to fill.

RB Knowshon Moreno (Georgia) –
Knowshon Moreno was a big part of the highlight films this season with spectacular athletic plays. Moreno decision comes as a big surprise considering many thought he was firmly committed to staying with the Bulldogs. Moreno may be slightly under sized compared to many of the NFL backs, but makes up for it with a natural talent. Moreno sported 1,400 yards and 16 touchdowns against the brutal defenses of the SEC this season and will be on the verge of a top 10 pick in this year’s draft.

RB Percy Harvin (Florida) –
Percy Harvin can arguably be mentioned as the biggest threat on offense this season. The speedster at tailback had 650 yards of rushing and 650 yards of receiving as well equaling 17 touchdowns on the season. Harvin’s ability to make big plays played a vital role on the Florida offense this season and QB Tim Tebow will have to find a new go to guy. Harvin position on the NFL may be in question as to where he will be used, but he has an immeasurable amount of talent that will find a way onto the field.

Let us know how you feel about some of these players decisions and if they were the right decisions for their careers. Note that we could not go over every big name, but we tried to throw in the most notable. Feel free to add a name that we did not discuss as well.

1. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (16-0)
Wake Forest is doing everything right on both ends of the court. The Demon Deacons rank in the top 5 in scoring, rebounding, and shooting percentage becoming one of the first teams to be ranked in the top 5 in those 3 major categories in some time. Wake Forest 85 points per game have proven to be too strong for the rest of the ACC at this point in the season. Sophomore Guard Jeff Teague leads the team in scoring with 21.4 points per game and is averaging 30 points in his last 4 outings making the Demon Deacons that much tougher to beat.

2. Duke Blue Devils (16-1)
Duke has dominated more quality opponents than any other team this season. The Blue Devils blew at the time top ten teams Purdue and Xavier by an average of 17 points. In recent weeks the convincing wins have been from weaker ACC schools, but that all changed with a big win over Georgetown last Saturday 76-67. The Blue Devils defense may be superb to any other team in our power rankings and that makes it very difficult to not give Coach K and company national attention. With the emergence of Gerald Henderson, Duke could be forming into another championship caliber team.

3. Connecticut Huskies (16-1)
Connecticut may not be getting as much national attention as some of the other schools, but beyond the tough loss to Georgetown the Huskies have not done much wrong. All five starters are averaging double figures lead by the huge center Hasheem Thabeet who is averaging a double-double with 14 points and 11 boards per contest. Connecticut will host no. 20 Villanova on Wednesday night with the opportunity to grab their 5^th victory over the top 25 this season. The Huskies have beaten more quality opponents than anybody on the board and if the NCAA Tournament was to start today they would be a lock for a number 1 seed.

4. Pittsburgh Panthers (16-1)
Pittsburgh was dominate and impressive before meeting a surging Louisville team. The Panthers sophomore DeJuan Blair is one of the best young talents in the country. Blair’s success in the paint and against the boards runs parallel with Pittsburgh’s success. The Panthers will get a test tonight against #8 Syracuse tonight in yet another huge Big East match-up. The Panthers absolutely can not afford to drop their 2^nd conference game in a row and get behind two games in the conference.

5. Oklahoma Sooners (17-1)
No doubt the Sooners are the class of the Big 12 this season. Oklahoma sophomore forward Blake Griffin leads the nation with 13.4 rebounds per game while adding 22 points per contest to support the cause. Oklahoma has got a deep bench with some stellar talent to keep the momentum rolling this season. With one of the easiest remaining schedules of the top teams, Oklahoma has a great chance to capture a Big 12 Title and become a number 1 seed come time for March Madness

6. North Carolina Tarheels (16-2)
The Tarheels may have looked like one of the best teams in the nation earlier this season, but that has been overshadowed by two losses to Boston College and top ranked Wake Forest. With a slow performance in the first half against Miami, I am still not sold the Tarheels are playing up to their capability. North Carolina will play host to the previously unbeaten #9 Clemson Tigers on Wednesday. The Tarheels will have to avoid in sluggish performance when they take on a Talented Clemson team to prevent from losing their 3^rd ACC game this season.

7. Michigan State Spartans (15-2)
The Spartans dropped two games to ACC opponents Maryland and North Carolina earlier this year. However, the Spartans have rattled off 11 straight victories since their last loss to the Tarheels. The wins have not been blowout performances, but the streak involves wins over Texas, Minnesota, and Illinois proving the Spartans are among the best around. The Spartans have a fairly light stretch coming up in the next few weeks and the streak will likely continue. Considering the teams ranked ahead of them with tough match-ups, Michigan State will likely climb the ladder over the next few weeks barring any upsets.

8. Louisville Cardinals (13-3)
I know the Cardinals have lost 3 games this season and this ranking seems way too high. Louisville lost to some weaker teams in UNLV, Western Kentucky, and Minnesota. However, pay attention to how they have been playing more recently. The Cardinals have knocked off 3 straight top 20 teams including previous no. 1 Pittsburgh last Saturday and are among only two schools that are undefeated in the Big East. This is the same team that was pre-season ranked no. 3 in the nation, perhaps it just took some time for them to get it together. The Cardinals have taken on some of the most talented scoring teams in American yet still have held opponents to 60 points per game on the season placing them as one of the best scoring defenses across the country. The Cardinals recent surge has grabbed some attention and they have the chance to make a run at the Big East Title.

9. Marquette Golden Eagles (16-2)
The Golden Eagles are a top the standings in the Big East powerhouse with a conference record of 5-0. Marquette may not be as good as UConn or Pittsburgh, but I believe they have the talent to beat any team on any given night. Wesley Matthews, Lazar Hayward, and Jerel McNeal are among the biggest triple threats in the Big East. The schedule does not get really tough until the last 3 weeks of the season. However, they can really rack up some style points with wins over no. 19 Notre Dame and no. 13 Georgetown in the next two weeks.Wake Forest last Saturday 78-68. Clemson will get the chance to redeem their selves with a big match-up with North Carolina on Wednesday night. Trevor Booker is the foundation for the team holding down 15 points and 9 rebounds each outing. Clemson has a chance to prove their national status if they can pull out the victory over North Carolina this Wednesday.

10. Clemson Tigers (16-1)
Clemson may be the surprise team in the ACC this season and they got off to a perfect 16-0 start. The Tigers fell victim to top ranked

College Basketball action heats up this weekend with one of the most exciting schedule of games to take the floor all season. There are a ton of quality games that will be taking center stage including 5 different games hosting battles between top 25 opponents. Not only is the majority of these games huge conference match-ups, but there are a few big out of conference games to determine national supremacy. Take a look at all the exciting games that will take place this weekend along with the big implications these games will make upon the country.

No. 1 Pittsburgh Panthers (16-0) at No. 20 Louisville Cardinals (12-3)

The Panthers have yet to be challenged this season and own some quality wins with a dominating performance over Georgetown. Pittsburgh host one of the most talented young phenoms in America with sophomore DeJuan Blair. Blair ranks 2nd in the nation in rebounding with an impressive 13 boards per game while supporting 15 points per contest as well. Louisville on the other hand had a rocky start in some upset losses to UNLV and Western Kentucky. However, the Cardinals showed their strength with back to back wins over top 20 teams Villanova and Notre Dame. Louisville may be just now starting to play at the level they were expected to considering they were preseason ranked #3 in the land. The battle of the Big East is underway and both teams are among only 3 undefeated teams in conference play. Something will have to give as both are currently playing their best basketball of the season.

No. 3 Wake Forest Demon Deacons (15-0) at No. 9 Clemson Tigers (16-0)

Talk about a huge game. They do not get much bigger half-way through the season when you get two undefeated ACC teams taking battle to remain unbeaten. Wake Forest proved to everyone that they were national contenders taking down North Carolina 92-89. Wake Forest is the only team in the country that ranks in the top 5 in efficiency in both offense and defense. Clemson is the surprise team in the conference with an undefeated campaign of 16-0. The Tigers have narrowly escaped some close games and this will be their biggest game to date. Despite being undefeated, they are still a bunch of the media that is not giving the Tigers any credit and they will get a chance to prove to everyone that they are an elite team. Clemson will have to find away to stop one of the best guards in America in sophomore Jeff Teague. Teague is averaging a stout 21 points per game and 31 points in his last 3 outings. The Tigers must be able to contain Teague to pull of the upsets because he is one of the best pure shooters in the country.

No. 12 Georgetown Hoyas (12-3) at No. 2 Duke Blue Devils (15-1)

Cameron Indoor Stadium host a clash of college basketball powerhouses in the best out of conference game for the weekend. Georgetown represents the strength of the Big East while Duke looks to prove the ACC is still the superior conference. The Blue Devils have been playing excellent on both ends of the floor averaging a 9th best 81 points per game and a equally strong defensive scheme that has held opponents to a mere 60 points per contest. Junior Gerald Henderson is developing into the break out star the Blue Devils have been looking for. Kyle Singler leads the team in scoring with 16.7 points per game and both will need to play strong on Saturday. Georgetown is 2-1 this season against the top ten with convincing wins over no. 8 Syracuse and no. 2 Connecticut by double figures in both games. The Hoyas have 4 starters averaging at least 13 points and a very talented young freshman Greg Monroe. The Hoyas will attempt to take advantage of a Duke Basketball team that has stumbled in similar out of conference situations in previous years.

No. 15 Arizona State Sun Devils (14-3) at No. 7 UCLA Bruins (14-2)

Outside from California, this game most likely decides who will be the front runner in the Pac-10 this year. The Sun Devils have already stumbled twice in conference play, but have a great opportunity to gain some ground with a win over UCLA. The Bruins are shooting lights out from the floor averaging 50% for the year ranking as the 9th best shooting team in the country. Senior Darren Collison leads the team with 15.7 points per game while shooting 57% from the floor and 50% from behind the arc. Arizona State got trampled by So. Cal on Thursday 61-49 and will look to bounce back in a big way. The Sun Devils are actually the 2nd best shooting team in America averaging 51.2% from the floor lead by guar James Harden who is posting a strong 23 points per game. However, the problem comes through the rebounding category. The Sun Devils are among one of the worse rebounding teams in America averaging 31 boards per game. Fortunately for Arizona State, UCLA has not faired well against the glass either this season. The game will likely be a hard fought game between both teams considering both are battling for Pac-10 bragging rights.

No. 13 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (12-4) at No. 8 Syracuse Orange (16-2)

Another big game in the Big East? Well that is easy to do when you have so many quality teams. However I think both of these teams may be a bit over ranked, but still promises to be a great game. Notre Dame got blown away by Louisville last time out 87-63 dropping the 2nd loss in 10 days. Syracuse also got handled rather easily as the Georgetown Hoyas routed to an 88-74 victory. Syracuse sports 4 junior starters in a balanced line-up. All five starters are averaging at least 10 points or more with sophomore guard Jonny Flynn leading the team with 16 points per game. Notre Dame already has a few impressive victories on their resume this season with wins over Texas and Georgetown. The Fighting Irish sport one of the best scoring offenses in the nation lead by possibly the best player in the nation junior forward Luke Harangody. Harangody is the only player in America that ranks in the top 5 individually in both points and rebounds. The talented junior has posted 24.8 points along with 12.7 boards per game and his play will be a determining match-up in this battle among talented Big East opponents.

Despite the high attention these previous games will get there are a bunch more exciting match-ups this Saturday. Keep an eye on these games as well.

No. 14 Marquette at Providence, Illinois at No. 12 Michigan State, and Oklahoma State at No. 21 Baylor

On November, 28th New York Giants superstar wide receiver Plaxico Burress accidentally shot himself in the leg while carrying a concealed weapon. At the time, the New York Giants were 10-1 on the field clearly the best team in the NFC and perhaps the entire NFL. However when Burress troubles began, so did the Giants troubles on the field. Plax caught the game winning touchdown in last Year’s Super Bowl and was a huge threat for the New York offense. When Burress issues kept him off the field, the New York Giants air assault vanished. The Giants closed out the season losing 4 of their last 6 games without Burress. QB Eli Manning only averaged 180 yards per game the rest of the season and the New York offense that had been so dominant become average at best. Plaxico Burress could be the blame in the Giants downfall, but then again it could be the Giants were simply not as good as many may have assumed. Plaxico Burress was not having an exceptional year only catching 35 passes for 454 yards, but his off the field issues definitely seemed to affect the Giants in the long run.

Burress was later convicted of two felony charges for a concealed weapon and criminal weapon charge with the initial possibility of serving up to 7 years in prison. Burress later would post a $100,000 dollar bond and walked out of jail until his next hearing in late March. However, the New York Giants suspended their star wide receiver for the remainder of the season. The popular belief quickly became clear that it would be unlikely if Plaxico ever stepped on the football field wearing a Giants jersey with some rumors claiming he would never play in the NFL again. However Burress is likely going to get the opportunity to play football again when that will be is the big question, but most people doubt that it will be for the Giants. After all, this is not the first time Plaxico has been in off the field issues. Even most recently new legal troubles have submerged; there are now reports that have been released with a new law suit against Burress in the last few days. Apparently, Burress agreed to appear in some publicity events for a 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche for a car dealer. Not only did Burress not appear for those events, but the car was impounded by police while a friend had the car. The car had damages and was never returned to the original owner. Burress is being sued for the value of the car.

The question now is if and where will Plaxico will play next season? Monday a statement came out describing how the Giants General Management declared how valuable Burress is to the team and how much they missed him during the playoffs. The statement also stated the if Burress could avoid prison time and get cleared to play next season that the Giants would still be interested in keeping him on the team. Plaxico still has the chance to receive prison time depending on how the court rules on his weapons charges on March 31st. It will be an interesting ruling with big implications. If Burress does escape without having to do time like so many popular names do, the focus will then go back to the Giants and what they decide to do with their star wide out.

The Giants offense with Burress averaged near an NFL best 29.9 points per game. However after the Burress incident, the Giants only averaged 18 points per game to close the season. Clearly that is no coincidence considering all the attention defense show when Plaxico lines up on offense. While his numbers were down this season, the primary reason for that was teams doubled down on Burress and forced the offense to beat them in other ways. Something the Giants were doing well. Once Burress left the passing game went as well. New York then focused on the running game to carry them the rest of the season. Derrick Ward and Brandon Jacobs performed well both eclipsing the 1,000 yard barrier on the season. The problem is that New York became one dimensional. Defenses loaded the box to stop the run and the passing offense could never capitalize like it could when Burress was in the lineup.

There is a ton of different ways you could look at Plaxico’s situation and it is interesting to hear what the public’s opinions are as well. Does Burress deserve jail time considering he knew he was breaking the law by carrying a handgun? Or you could say he is a star football player that carried a handgun for protection and all this is a situation gone bad. The Giants organization is in a no win situation. If they do not keep their star receiver, then they will be criticized tremendously for turning loose one of the biggest factors of their potent offense. If they keep Burress on the team, they will still be criticized for taking it lightly and if any more situations were to arise then it hurts the Giants reputation that much more. How do the Giants fans feel about this? Do you want your playmaker back on offense for 2009 or do you ship him away given he gets cleared to play? I would love to hear how the readers feel on this subject that will consistently make headlines during the off-season.