Post by 01- PirateDave on Feb 4, 2015 0:44:56 GMT -6
By Ken Boehlke 
Ken Boehlke is the co-host of Over and Under, CBS Sports Radio 1140's... Read More
Ok, the Super Bowl is over, now it’s time to turn our attention to hoops, both college and professional. NBA teams are easy to peg because they are almost all based on their star players (except Atlanta), but collegiate teams are a little tougher. Here’s a guide of a few teams that are really enjoyable to watch. This doesn’t mean they are necessarily going to make the Final Four, but simply that amid the myriad of games every night, these are the ones you should keep your TV tuned to.
Northern Iowa Panthers
This is the perfect team for this category. UNI plays in the Missouri Valley, and they aren’t even the sexiest team in the conference, that distinction goes to Wichita State. First of all, the Panthers play an incredibly efficient style of offense. They rarely take poor shots, and they run offensive sets almost every possession. But what makes them so much fun is 6’8″ forward Seth Tuttle. He’s not flashy, he’s not loud, he just gets the job done. He leads the team in points, rebounds, and assists, and has a really good shot to be a standout player in the tournament. Remember the name, because he and the UNI Panthers have a great chance of making you look really smart next month.
Ohio State Buckeyes
There is one reason this team is fun to watch, and his name is D’Angelo Russell. The best thing about this freshman from Louisville, KY is his ability to pass the basketball. There are times he makes passes that even in slow motion are unbelievable. But it’s not just his vision, the guy can flat out shoot the ball as well. He hits 45% of his three point attempts and he knocks in almost three per game. Quite simply, he’s a lot of fun to watch in action and makes every Buckeye game solid viewing.
Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks
The Lumberjacks are going to be a tough sell for multiple reasons. First off, they play in the Southland conference, which most have never heard of. Next, they are rarely on television. Finally, not a single player on the team will likely play in the NBA. Nonetheless, here’s why they are on this list. They play as a team more than just about any other team in college basketball. It’s about moving the ball and playing hard defense, which is great. That’s not to say they don’t have some solid players. Jacob Parker, Thomas Walkup, and Trey Pickney are all having excellent seasons and they were all part of an NCAA tournament team last season that pulled off a nice 12/5 upset. Give these guys a chance if you catch a game, it’ll help when you go to fill out your bracket.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame is another team that’s on here because of a single player. Jerian Grant is a superstar. Defensively he’s stellar which makes him project well at the next level, he can shoot, he can rebound, and every once in a while he throws down a nasty dunk. Other than Grant, this team shoots the three well, which is always fun and always keeps games interesting. Finally, they score 81 points per game, so you certainly don’t have to worry about those annoying Big Ten games that don’t top 100 with both teams combined.
Virginia Cavaliers
Defense, defense, and a little more defense. The basketball purist will absolutely adore this basketball team. Tony Bennett’s “Pack-Line” defense is fundamentally brilliant and suffocates opposing teams. They are an impressive 19-1 and have taken care of a lot of solid teams both at home and away. They, like others on this list, are not full of superstar individuals, but they way they play defense is amazing enough to watch this team night in and night out. And if this wasn’t enough, they are 13-6 against the spread, which means they have a good chance of making you money regularly.
Ken Boehlke is the co-host of Over and Under, CBS Sports Radio 1140's... Read More
Ok, the Super Bowl is over, now it’s time to turn our attention to hoops, both college and professional. NBA teams are easy to peg because they are almost all based on their star players (except Atlanta), but collegiate teams are a little tougher. Here’s a guide of a few teams that are really enjoyable to watch. This doesn’t mean they are necessarily going to make the Final Four, but simply that amid the myriad of games every night, these are the ones you should keep your TV tuned to.
Northern Iowa Panthers
This is the perfect team for this category. UNI plays in the Missouri Valley, and they aren’t even the sexiest team in the conference, that distinction goes to Wichita State. First of all, the Panthers play an incredibly efficient style of offense. They rarely take poor shots, and they run offensive sets almost every possession. But what makes them so much fun is 6’8″ forward Seth Tuttle. He’s not flashy, he’s not loud, he just gets the job done. He leads the team in points, rebounds, and assists, and has a really good shot to be a standout player in the tournament. Remember the name, because he and the UNI Panthers have a great chance of making you look really smart next month.
Ohio State Buckeyes
There is one reason this team is fun to watch, and his name is D’Angelo Russell. The best thing about this freshman from Louisville, KY is his ability to pass the basketball. There are times he makes passes that even in slow motion are unbelievable. But it’s not just his vision, the guy can flat out shoot the ball as well. He hits 45% of his three point attempts and he knocks in almost three per game. Quite simply, he’s a lot of fun to watch in action and makes every Buckeye game solid viewing.
Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks
The Lumberjacks are going to be a tough sell for multiple reasons. First off, they play in the Southland conference, which most have never heard of. Next, they are rarely on television. Finally, not a single player on the team will likely play in the NBA. Nonetheless, here’s why they are on this list. They play as a team more than just about any other team in college basketball. It’s about moving the ball and playing hard defense, which is great. That’s not to say they don’t have some solid players. Jacob Parker, Thomas Walkup, and Trey Pickney are all having excellent seasons and they were all part of an NCAA tournament team last season that pulled off a nice 12/5 upset. Give these guys a chance if you catch a game, it’ll help when you go to fill out your bracket.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame is another team that’s on here because of a single player. Jerian Grant is a superstar. Defensively he’s stellar which makes him project well at the next level, he can shoot, he can rebound, and every once in a while he throws down a nasty dunk. Other than Grant, this team shoots the three well, which is always fun and always keeps games interesting. Finally, they score 81 points per game, so you certainly don’t have to worry about those annoying Big Ten games that don’t top 100 with both teams combined.
Virginia Cavaliers
Defense, defense, and a little more defense. The basketball purist will absolutely adore this basketball team. Tony Bennett’s “Pack-Line” defense is fundamentally brilliant and suffocates opposing teams. They are an impressive 19-1 and have taken care of a lot of solid teams both at home and away. They, like others on this list, are not full of superstar individuals, but they way they play defense is amazing enough to watch this team night in and night out. And if this wasn’t enough, they are 13-6 against the spread, which means they have a good chance of making you money regularly.
good luck to all!