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College basketball differs from the pro game in innumerable ways, so for now let's just focus on one: the importance of stars. In the NBA, especially in the postseason, star power is everything; you can't win a title without at least two All-Stars...

DAYTON, Ohio -- With less than 5 seconds left in a tie game, perhaps the best pure scorer in the country came off a pair of screens that did exactly what they were designed to do: get him open. Deshaun Thomas called for the ball -- screamed for it...

DAYTON, Ohio -- Quick thoughts on Ohio State's 78-75 win over Iowa State. Overview: In a matchup between one of the nation's best and most entertaining offenses, and one of the nation's most brutal and most finely tuned defenses, it was only fitti...

DAYTON, Ohio -- All season, Iowa State has been confounding opposing defenses with endless floor spacing and perimeter shooting. All season, Ohio State has breaking the wills of opposing perimeter players with endless defensive harassment. Unstopp...

DAYTON, Ohio -- Quick reaction to No. 2 Ohio State's 95-70 blowout of No. 15 Iona: Overview: Iona entered the tournament as an interesting potential upset candidate, a very efficient, up-tempo offensive group with an experienced scoring star in Ar...

It was going to be a party, and it was going to be epic. On senior night in Bloomington, Ind., the Indiana Hoosiers would have a little gathering. Seventeen thousand of their closest friends were invited. The agenda was simple. First, the Hoosiers...

This is not the first time this offseason we will discuss the unique mental makeup that defines Ohio State point guard Aaron Craft. He's a rare bird. Not only is he an excellent collegiate basketball player (hands down the best perimeter defender in ...

A couple guys I grew up playing soccer with would react to any contact play with the kind of dramatic tension only my theater-directing mother could appreciate. They would wail and writhe and eventually they would stand up, but not before limping fee...

NEW ORLEANS -- Back in October, we said we'd get a colossal Final Four. When the brackets were released, we forecast a chalky March. When the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight finished in thrilling fashion and the final weekend of the NCAA tournament's marque...

NEW ORLEANS -- Take a deep breath, if you can, then dig in to this immediate reaction to Kansas' 64-62 win over Ohio State: Overview: The Buckeyes opened with what might have been their best half of basketball in the 2012 season. Jared Sullinger w...

By Saturday, John Calipari, Rick Pitino, Thad Matta and Bill Self will have had nearly a week to scout their opponents. As we type, they're breaking down film, analyzing their opponents' strengths and weaknesses and searching for ways to impart this ...

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Was it too much to ask? Was it too much to hope that just one time -- this time -- would be Northwestern's turn as fate's chosen beneficiary? Was it too much to think that maybe, despite all the reasons to believe the contrary, t...

It's a testament to the program Thad Matta has built that after three losses in its last five games - all three of which came to top-25 teams, one of which came on the road - that we would even think of broaching the above question. Another testament...

This Saturday was always going to be a bit more underwhelming than recent weeks, but boy, did it end well. Once it ended, that is. Creighton students rushed the court before the game was officially over. Their reverse storm, in which they calmly walk...

Saturday afternoon transitioned into Saturday night as smoothly as Kentucky transitions from an Anthony Davis block to the fast break. In the process, we saw Michigan State defend like crazy at Ohio State, Creighton take a beatdown by Wichita State a...

"True point guard." What do you think when you read that phrase? The immediate connotations to the college basketball fan (or, for that matter, the NBA partisan) are practically hard-wired: A true point is a player that "sets up his teammates," "take...