Goodman - Weekend Hoops Roundup

Scout.com College Basketball Expert Jeff Goodman takes a look around the country in his weekend wrap up including a big debut, biggest win, biggest loss, a look ahead to next week, and much, much more.

Greg Oden came back well ahead of schedule while the defending national champions are hoping Corey Brewer will do the same. 

The Ohio State freshman 7-footer wasted little time making his presence felt when he scored 14 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked 5 shots in his collegiate debut against Valparaiso on Saturday. 

Oden played with a brace on his right wrist, shot free throws left and was still a dominant force on both ends of the floor. 

In a season in which no one has separated themselves thus far, the Buckeyes could be in position to do so with Oden back in the lineup. Oden is unselfish – almost too much so – and has played with fellow frosh Mike Conley Jr. and Daequan Cook for the last few years so chemistry isn’t likely to be a factor.

Add in senior scorer Ron Lewis and guard Jamar Butler for experience and Thad Matta has a group that can beat anyone. In fact, the Buckeyes took North Carolina down to the wire in Chapel Hill without the nation’s best big man. 

While Matta & Co., have received an adrenaline boost with Oden, the defending national champion Florida Gators look like a shell of themselves with small forward Corey Brewer on the sidelines with mono. 

The Florida staff is hopeful that Brewer can return for the Gators home game on Dec. 23 against Ohio State. 

Brewer was ineffective in the loss to Kansas and sat out the Gators’ setback at Florida State on Sunday night. Joakim Noah played with an upper respiratory infection, but was a non-factor for much of the game and was seen coughing and trying to catch his breath numerous times in the game. 

Take nothing against Al Thornton and the Seminoles. They earned the win. However, anyone who watched Brewer and the Gators’ dismantling of a tough Western Kentucky squad 24 hours prior to the loss to the Jayhawks knows that you can’t count of Billy Donovan’s team. 

BEST WIN: Wichita State takes to the road for the third straight weekend and makes it a three-game sweep. Seriously, is there any hotter coach in the country right now than Shockers head man Mark Turgeon? First it was George Mason, then last week in Baton Rouge against LSU and this week at the Carrier Dome against Syracuse. 

WORST LOSS: Marquette needed overtime to beat Idaho State a couple weeks ago. Well, the Golden Eagles couldn’t get past North Dakota State in the title game of their own tournament. Tom Crean has terrific guard play, but he’ll need to get more consistent production inside from Ousmane Barro and Jamil Lott.

WORST LOSS, PART II: San Diego State lost to Western Michigan in Kalamazoo, Mich. The Aztecs (8-1) loss was so bad that Mohamed Abukar didn’t even join his teammates in the post-game line to shake hands with the 3-4 Broncos. 

JEKYL & HYDE: One week after knocking off top-ranked and defending national champion Florida, the Kansas Jayhawks once again showed their immaturity in a loss at DePaul. So much for the homecoming for Julian Wright and Sherron Collins. Kansas, which just might have as much talent as anyone except for the team in Chapel Hill, has also lost to Oral Roberts. Sophomore Brandon Rush has been disappointing for most of the season. 

NO MISSING MONSON: Minnesota, playing in its first game since the forced resignation of Don Monson, snapped a five-game losing skid by knocking off Arizona State at home. No need to send Dan Monson the game ball. He can buy plenty with the $1.1 million buyout he received. 

RETURN: The big news may have been Oden’s first collegiate game, but Alabama (7-0) got arguably the nation’s best floor leader back when Ron Steele returned after missing two games due to tendonitis on his right knee. Steele had 12 points and 5 assists in a win against Tennessee State. 

HANSBROUGH MORTAL: North Carolina sophomore Tyler Hansbrough, who nearly everyone seems to be handing the National Player of the Year Award, has been held to single-digit scoring in two of the past four games. We thought it would be a mismatch with Hansbrough against Kentucky’s low-energy big man Randolph Morris and we were right. Only it was Morris who came out squarely on top after putting up 23 points and 7 rebounds. Hansbrough finished with 7 points and 3 boards in 30 minutes against the Wildcats. 

FRY-ING PAN: Two weeks ago, Providence coach Tim Welsh had his hat pulled down low after a terrible 10-point home setback to Brown. Now, two weeks later the Friars (5-1) head man has watched his team come back with four straight wins – including a big home victory against Boston College and blowout wins against George Washington, Columbia and Rhode Island. Sophomore guard Sharaud Curry is one of the most underrated players in the country and versatile forward Geoff McDermott is among the league leaders in scoring (11.2), rebounding (10.8), assists (5.7) and steals (2.5). 

BADGERING TRIP: Florida International didn’t get into its hotel in Madison, Wis., until 5:45 a.m. Saturday because of a storm. FIU’s uniforms and sneakers never arrived and the Panthers were forced to play in scrimmage jerseys and new shoes supplied by the Wisconsin staff just prior to tipoff. 

NO MISSING QUIN: Think the fans in Columbia, Missouri are missing former coach Quin Snyder? Hardly. New coach Mike Anderson has the Tigers off to a 9-0 start after a win against Evansville on Sunday. The team has yet to leave its home floor, but Mizzou blew out a talented Arkansas team by 22 points. Five different players have led the team in scoring, but the team’s best player is junior college guard Stefhon Hannah, who would have been playing for Bob Huggins at Kansas State if not for his mother basically forcing him to go to Missouri. 

SIX-PACK ON TAP

1) Texas A&M vs. UCLA in Anaheim at Wooden Classic, Saturday at 11:30 a.m. PT – The Aggies will go from playing virtually no one to having to play at LSU and UCLA in a five-day span. The nation will get a good look at two of the more underrated point guards – Aggies Acie Law IV and UCLA’s Darren Collison. 

2) Washington at Gonzaga, Saturday at 8 p.m. PT – The two best programs in the northwest battle in Spokane. The youth of the Huskies with big men Spencer Hawes and Jon Brockman will go up against the Zags duo of Derek Raivio and Josh Heytvelt. 

3) Arizona vs. Louisville, Tuesday at Madison Square Garden in N.Y. (9:30 p.m. ET) – This will feature one of the most productive freshman in Arizona’s Chase Budinger against one of the country’s most enigmatic – Cardinals big man Derrick Caracter, who is expected to make his collegiate debut after being suspended for the first three games. 

4) Texas A&M at LSU, Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET – The Aggies will finally be tested after playing their first seven games at home against questionable competition. John Brady’s group lost last weekend at home to Wichita State and aren’t the same club without Tyrus Thomas. 

5) Wisconsin at Marquette, Saturday at 1 p.m. CT – Both teams have suffered losses – Wisconsin to Missouri State and Marquette to North Dakota State. However, they are still two of the best teams in the Midwest. It’ll pit the quick Golden Eagles guards against the solid Badgers – led by Alando Tucker. 

6) Xavier at Creighton, Saturday at 8 p.m. ET – It’s the cream of the crop in the A-10 against one of the Missouri Valley Conference’s top teams. The Musketeers have balance and their success may depend on transfer point guard Drew Lavender. Dana Altman’s team may also rest in the fate of its point guard, Josh Dotzler, who is still working his way back from knee surgery.