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Men's Basketball
Hoops Week in Review
By Tony Gerdeman

The first ever edition of the Hoops Week In Review is dedicated to those of you who didn't get a chance to see many games this week because you were too busy getting beaten about the head by a 27 year old grandmother while standing in line at Wal-Mart at 3:30 in the morning for a $400 laptop.

Recapping the Buckeyes' Week

Game One: The Buckeyes opened the season with an 81-52 win over Chicago State. Ohio State was led by the calming influence of Je'Kel Foster with 16 points and the Rodman-like rebounding efforts of J.J. Sullinger, who pulled down 11 boards.

Game Two: Ohio State needed overtime to finally get rid of Butler 79-69. The Bulldogs used about 4,000 second-half threes to get the game to overtime. Terence Dials was a force (24 points) when they could get the ball to him and when Butler didn't take it from him. Jamar Butler was key in the second-half hitting numerous clutch jumpers when it mattered. Je'Kel, again, was fabulous.

Buckeye of the Week

It comes down to three players: Terence Dials, J.J. Sullinger and Je'Kel Foster. Dials is option number one, and you know that he can put up 20 points on any given night. The surprise of the week was Sullinger's rebounding. Without his 14 boards against Butler, the Buckeyes may not even make it into overtime. My pick, however, goes to Je'Kel Foster. All Foster did was take 17 shots and make 14 of them, averaging 17 points per game this week. He also threw some assists, rebounds and steals in there. He is the 2005-6 version of Brian Brown right now, and if he continues to do the little things as well as the big things, the Buckeyes will be very happy.

The Buckeyes' Magic Number for the NCAA Tournament

18 wins

Was the Buckeyes' Week Better Than Duke's?

Almost, but not quite. While you were stealing a $60 portable DVD player out of somebody else's cart, Duke was beating Drexel 78-68 and then beating #11 Memphis 70-67. Maybe next week.

Big Ten Week In Review

Illinois 4-0 this week: wins over Tex PA, Tex So., Wichita St, and Rutgers (5-0 for the season)
Wisconsin 2-0: wins over Old Dominion and Coastal Carolina (4-0 for the season)
Indiana 2-0: wins over Florida A&M and W. Illinois (3-0 for the season)
Michigan 2-0: wins over Boston U. and Butler (3-0 for the season)
Penn State 2-0: wins over Nicholls State and LIU Brooklyn (3-0 for the season)
Minnesota 1-0: a win over UT Chattanooga (2-0 for the season)
Ohio State 2-0: wins over Chicago State and Butler (2-0 for the season)
Iowa 2-1: wins over Kentucky and Tx SA and a loss to Texas (4-1 for the season)
Purdue 1-1: win over South Alabama and a loss to Xavier (2-1 for the season)
Northwestern 1-1: win over Florida Atlantic and a loss to DePaul (3-2 for the season)
Michigan State: 2-1: wins over Chaminade and Arizona and a loss to Gonzaga (2-2 for the season)

Big Ten Notables

Illinois junior guard Rich McBride (6'3" 205), trying to pick up where Luther Head and Deron Williams left off, is averaging seven three point attempts per game. He's averaging 11 points per game right now, but his most impressive stat is his 4.5 to 1.0 assist to turnover ratio.

Michigan State guard Maurice Ager (6'5" 205) is making an early push for post season awards, but he is surprisingly unaggressive for an aggressive ball player. Yes, he is averaging 23.8 ppg, but he's also only averaging five free throw attempts per game. He's also only averaging 1.5 rebounds per game and 0.5 steals per game. Need further proof of his lack of aggression? He's only getting called for three fouls per game--and that's including the five he got in the 3 OT game with Gonzaga. At some point, Ager is going to have to stop taking 8.5 three pointers per game and start taking the ball to the rim.

Wisconsin F/C Brian Butch (6'10" 240), a former McDonald's All American (and undoubtedly reminded of it daily due to his lack of production at this point) seems to have finally turned a corner. A redshirt sophomore who didn't really contribute much of anything except for fan frustration last year, is now averaging 15 ppg. He's getting six rebounds and nearly three assists to go along his 56% FG, 85% FT and 43% 3FG. He will pose a matchup problem for any center in the Big Ten that doesn't like to leave the paint on defense.

Michigan guard Daniel Horton (6'3" 205), now suspension free this season, is averaging 17 ppg, including a 28 point effort in a 78-74 win over Butler on Saturday. Provided there is no more domestic violence in his future, this could be a very good season for Horton and the Wolverines.

Iowa guards Adam Haluska (6'5" 210) and Jeff Horner (6'3" 185) are continuing their pasty assault on college basketball. The Hawkeyes beat #7 Kentucky 67-63 and then gave #2 Texas everything they could before Texas eventually won 68-59. Expect this duo to be the most frustrating backcourt to deal with in the Big Ten. Not the best, just the most frustrating.

Indiana power forward Marco Killingsworth (6'8" 268) will be wrapping up the Big Ten Newcomer of the Year before the Big Ten season even gets here. The transfer from Auburn is averaging 20 ppg and 10 rpg for the Hoosiers and provides the muscle inside to allow the Hoosiers glutton of guards to run up and down knowing that Killingsworth is going to be there to clean up the mess. It remains to be seen whether or not Killingsworth's role will be diminished when reigning Freshman of the Year D.J. White (6'9" 242) gets back in a few weeks from an injury.

Game of the Week

Gonzaga 109 - Michigan State106 (3OT)

What many are already calling the game of the year happened in what is essentially week two of the season. It was a game that was close throughout the entire contest and saw 13 lead changes in the last 7:30 of the second half. Gonzaga forward Adam Morrison, looking like the 6'8" love child of Freddie Prinze and Richard Ramirez, poured in a Maui Invitational record 43 points. Despite only one buzzer-beater in the contest, it's going to be hard to top this one for Game Of The Year.

Team of the Week

Connecticut (4-0). The Huskies were 3-0 on the week. On Monday they beat Arkansas 77-68. On Tuesday they best Arizona 79-70. On Wednesday they best Gonzaga 65-63. On Thursday, they got in line for a $16 Tigger that does a cartwheel. That's right, a cartwheel!

Player of the Week

Texas forward LaMarcus Aldridge (6'10" 237) averaged 18 ppg, 12 rpg, 2 spg and 2 bpg in leading Texas to a 3-0 week, including a 68-59 win over Iowa in the championship game of the Guardian's Classic.

J.J. Redick Free Throw Update

17-20 this week (85%)

Some Things Without a Category

1. While you were standing in line for seven hours to save eight bucks on the Robots DVD, I was watching the Duke - Memphis game this week. Dan Shulman (one of Dick Vitale's broadcast partners) mentioned that Duke freshman forward Josh McRoberts (6'10" 230) would effectively fill the void left by the departed Shavlik Randolph. For what it's worth, a drunken James Garner could effectively fill the void left by Shavlik Randolph. At least Jim Rockford could box out.

2. Boston College has a 6'10" forward named John Oates. That is all.

3. With North Carolina's top seven scorers gone, it will be interesting to see who steps up early. Initially, it looks like freshman forward Tyler Hansbrough (6'9" 235) and senior forward David Noel (6'6" 232). Hansbrough is leading the Tar Heels in scoring and rebounding with 18 ppg and 7.7 rpg. Noel has done a little bit of everything so far, including hitting a clutch three pointer with 1.8 seconds left in an 83-80 opening win against Gardner-Webb.

4. There are 16 teams in the Big East. They may put over ten teams into the tournament this year. That means Coppin State and Hampton are going to get first round wins in this year's tourney.

5. Oregon sophomore guard Malik Hairston (6'6" 200) averaged 13.3 ppg this week as the Ducks went 4-0. Oregon is sporting an early season schedule that would embarrass Jim O'Brien. The Ducks have beaten Savannah State, Bowie State, Pacific and Rice.

In Summation...

$400 laptops aren't worth going to jail for, but if there's no jail time involved, have at it...The Buckeyes need to start rebounding, as they can't rely on J.J. Sullinger to do it all season long...Je'Kel Foster is like Ritalin for a team with ADD...The Buckeyes need to win 18 of their next 26 or so to make the tourney...Duke's week was better than Ohio State's...There is an LIU Brooklyn, and they play basketball...Maurice Ager is your typical superstar that doesn't like to be touched...Daniel Horton hasn't been domestically violent in quite some time...Adam Morrison has a creepy 8th grade mustache...Connecticut loves Tigger...J.J. Redick missed three free throws this week...Jim Rockford is good for 9.5 boards per game...and Malik Hairston is still stuck in Oregon.

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