Jan. 16, 2006
I'm reflecting back on a wild weekend of college basketball and it is hard to believe that three traditional powers -- Kentucky, Kansas and North Carolina -- all lost at home on the same day. These are three dominant schools, and down at Kentucky people were excited about the return of Randolph Morris.
There is no doubt that Morris has performed, but Kentucky still lost back-to-back games at home for the first time since 1989, losing to Vanderbilt and an Alabama team missing injured Chuck Davis. Given how hungry Kentucky was, losing three straight games (including the Kansas setback) is stunning.
The talent level is not what it used to be at Kentucky as opponents can match up well with them. Morris is not dominating, but he had a steady performance. Let's face it, could the evaluators all be wrong? Every NBA team passed on him in last year's draft and that shows he has more work to do on his game.
Can he be an outstanding player? Obviously, since he has a world of potential, but it will come down to the work ethic and effort he puts in to be a better player. Morris could not come in and be a savior as others have to perform and make shots. That has been a problem at Kentucky.
Clemson played Duke really tough, but still fell short for the 19th straight time. The Tigers went six-of-21 from the foul line, and when you scratch and claw but then fail to convert on freebies, that had to drive coach Oliver Purnell crazy.
Boston College finally got that first ACC win, but it didn't come easily. Florida State had an 11-point lead in the first half against the Eagles. Al Thornton was sensational, putting up 37 points on the board. The duo of Craig Smith and Jared Dudley (combining for 53 points) were simply too much.
Now that they have broken through, look for BC to make strides in the ACC.
Kansas State broke a 31-game losing streak to Kansas. That was a great win considering the Wildcats scored just 42 points in a recent loss to Nebraska.
UCLA could not hold on to a 15-point lead against Washington. Ben Howland's team has been plagued by injuries all season long, and now Lorenzo Mata is sidelined with a broken leg. Lorenzo Romar's team showed great heart coming back.
Arizona was swept by Oregon and Oregon State. Stanford has come back from a slow start and is back in the hunt in the wild Pac-10.
Then there was Pittsburgh on Sunday, winning at Louisville. Jamie Dixon's team finds ways to win, fighting hard, reflecting the way Carl Krauser battles on the court. Give the Panthers credit for a terrific start.
There you have it, another wild weekend of college basketball. We are less than two months away from the start of the NCAA tournament. Wow, it should be something special once again!
Dick Vitale coached the Pistons and the University of Detroit before broadcasting ESPN's first college basketball game in 1979. Send a question for Vitale for possible use on ESPNEWS.
