It’s that time of year again; basketball season. For a diehard basketball fan the summer and fall months usually mean picking up a hobby sport to watch like football or baseball.
When the golden month of November rolls around it signifies the start of a fresh year of hardwood action. The basketball season can be divided among high school, college and professional, but today I’m primarily going to focus on college play.
This year’s college season of basketball is already proving to be just as crazy as the football side. A small private college by the name of Gardner-Webb as already put its mark on the scene by knocking off No. 20 Kentucky.
The Gardner-Webb Bulldogs hail from Boiling Springs N.C., which is relatively close to Charlotte, and has a total enrollment of less than 2,500 students.
The Bulldogs were ahead by 11 points by halftime, and ended with an 84-68 win over one of best basketball powerhouses in the nation. With this win Gardner-Webb will face either Connecticut or Buffalo in the finals of the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic in New York on Thursday.
The usual suspects this year are atop the rankings – Georgetown, Kansas, Memphis, UCLA, and North Carolina round out the top five. Some notables are Tennessee at seven, Duke at lucky No. 13, and North Carolina Sate at 21.
This year’s top team and prospectively a National Championship contender is the University of North Carolina, ranking No. 1 in both the ESPN/USA Today poll, and the AP top 25.
I was born and raised in North Carolina and I truly bleed Carolina blue, but in my eyes you’re either Duke or Carolina.
Its kind of like Democrat or Republican, except with different colors. This Duke-Carolina basketball rivalry has to be the best rivalry in all of college sports period. No matter how good or bad any one of the teams are it is always a great game, and if you are wondering the first is Feb. 6 at Chapel Hill.
The Tar Heels are led again this year by forward Tyler Handsbrough and a slew of returning starters and seasoned players. The team has a relatively easy schedule until they play the Kentucky Wildcats, but I think they have already lost to a team from North Carolina already.
If you’re wondering about the Duke Blue Devils and what they are packing this year, don’t be too worried. Thankfully JJ Redick has graduated, but the Devils are returning a lot of good starters including senior guard DeMarcus Nelson. The recruiting class for Duke also has the potential to throw a wrench in the gears of the Tar Heel faithful.
Another great team to watch out for this year is the Tennessee Volunteers, and I don’t mean the women’s team, I’m talking about the men. Bruce Pearl has really turned the big orange showboat around to the top and is eyeing a National Championship bid. I look for the Vols to go deep in the NCAA’s in March with the help of the senior guard Chris Lofton.
The Bucs this year are also looking for a bid to the NCAA tournament via an Atlantic Sun Conference Championship. If last year’s performance can shed some light on this year’s team, I think they have a great chance. Personally I’m looking forward to Jan. 12 when Gardner-Webb comes to town. Overall this year the college basketball season looks to be a memorable one with lots of upsets and close games. This recipe always makes for some great March Madness to look forward to next year.

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