There’s excitement all over the college hoops landscape this week, not just the Volunteer State I call home, about the no-bullshit Game of the Year this weekend, #1 Memphis hosting #2 Tennessee.  How did Calipari luck out and get it at the 18,000 seat FedEx Forum and not the Vols 24,000 seat mausoleum in Knoxville?  That happenstance might play as big a role as anything in Saturday night’s game, with the city of Memphis out in full force with full throats in support of the Tigers. 

Predictions won’t mean much of anything once that whistle blows and the cauldron begins to stir, but what the hell, I live here so I may as well throw in my two cents.  I’ve been in the Forum, and it was loud with 10,000 in attendance for a Grizzlies-Sonics game on a cold night in January.  The emotion and the moment will carry the Tigers Saturday night, though it will be tight throughout.  And fast, I’m thinking, back and forth, with Memphis’ defense being just that much better than UT’s.

#1 Memphis 87, #2 Tennessee 85

For those of you paying attention, this means you should immediately throw fifty down on UT.

 Every professional basketball fan loves watching the NBA. It’s where the world’s most supremely gifted players showcase their talents on the hardwood’s grandest stage for all to see. Watching the games in the crib in TV is cool, but there’s nothing that can duplicate the feeling of witnessing an NBA game live in the flesh. Sure, tickets can be pretty expensive depending on how good the team is, but it’s still an NBA game.

 Now imagine if a friend gave you some free tickets. Free tickets to see the some of the greatest ballers in the planet do their thing? What basketball junkie could refuse such an enticing offer?

 Southern California freshman O.J. Mayo couldn’t, and he subsequently had to pay for his actions.

 In life there are a few certainties on which you can depend.
 

 If you’re fortunate enough reach adulthood you’ll have to pay taxes. One day you’ll earthly life will end.

 Beyonce’s thick thighs and bountiful behind will always remain “bootylicious,” and the Duke Blue Devils will win a lot of games.
 

 Since the Dukies avenged their 30 point throttling the previous year and pulled off the historic upset of the undefeated UNLV Runnin’ Rebels at the 1991 Final Four, Duke has been the preeminent program in men’s D-1 basketball.

 During the last 17 years, head coach Mike Krzyzewski’s Devils have won three NCAA championships, were the first squad to win back-to-back since Bob’s Knight’s unblemished 1976 Indiana Hoosiers and have captured 11 regular season and 10 ACC Conference Tournament titles. To put this in perspective of just how dominant the Blue Devils have been, Duke has reached the Final Four 10 of the last 22 years! That’s true big dawg domination and devastation of the basketball nation.

 During that time, Coach K has manufactured a brand of basketball Duke haters and lovers have all come to know. Intense, smothering half-court man-to-man defense, tenacious pursuit on the boards and a high-octane, frenetic, attacking offense have all signatures of Duke basketball. While many of Duke’s philosophies have remained the same, Coach K has decided to change the game like Jay-Z.

Crunch time, ladies and gentlemen.  With a month left in the season, teams are establishing themselves for the stretch run, and the rankings as a whole have been in almost total upheaval since the middle of January.  Take Washington State, for instance: undefeated and ranked fourth heading into their January 12 game with UCLA, they have since lost five, including three in a row before their win Saturday over USC.  The Cougars started last week at seventeenth nationally.  How things have changed.

Here we are, halfway through the 2007-08 college basketball schedule.  What have we learned so far?

-         Memphis is for real, in a big, big way

-         Coach K will always reload, and so long as he does Duke will always be a player

-         Pollsters love plucky mid-majors (see end of rankings below)

-         Georgetown is mostly hype and bullshit, but they play the right way and will be in the Sweet Sixteen; I can’t say the same with any certainty about my Marquette Golden Eagles

-         The Pac-10 is the best conference in America, going away; the Big East is second

-         OJ Mayo should have gone to North Carolina; Carmelo Anthony is a nice guy but he almost ruined everything

-         It is difficult to do regular college basketball rankings, and the task is not for the faint of heart (or easily discouraged)