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Team of the Week

Northwestern

When you do something for the first time since 1953, you get a TOW mention. Northwestern's upset last week at then-No. 7 Michigan State was its first road win against a top-10 team since 1953. Daily Herald beat writer and Wildcats guru Lindsey Willhite said these 'Cats (10-7, 2-5 Big Ten) are similar to the 2005-06 'Cats (14-15, 6-10). "The difference is this year's 'Cats have a true point guard in Michael 'Juice' Thompson," said Willhite, a Champaign Central grad who's covered Northwestern since 1997-98. "The '06 team relied on Big Ten Network analyst Tim Doyle to deliver the ball." As for Northwestern's postseason prospects, "I think the program's first NIT berth since 1999 is almost a certainty," Willhite said. "I realize it's tougher to get in there than in years past, but the Wildcats are good and a good story." A favorable schedule should help their postseason aspirations. Six of the next seven games will be played at Welsh-Ryan Arena, including a Feb. 12 matchup with Illinois.

Team of the Weak

Oregon

With Nike coffers that run deep – and one of the great homecourts in college hoops – the Ducks' decline is almost unfathomable. Oregon (6-14, 0-8 Pac-10) has a week to prepare for in-state rival Oregon State, and the Beavers' success is part of the Ducks' problem. Just as Oregon was getting swept on its Stanford-Cal road swing, Oregon State was sweeping its Stanford-Cal road swing for the first time since 1993. That can't sit well with the Ducks faithful – those that are still in the building, at least. Oregon is averaging 7,966 fans at McArthur Court, down from last season (8,701) and less than it has seen in true road games (8,444). Former Illinois recruiting target Michael Dunigan has hit a wall in Pac-10 play, averaging 7.3 points, down from 11.3 in nonconference action.

Games to Watch

1. No. 16 Purdue at Wisconsin (8 p.m. Tuesday, ESPN) – The Gene Keady coaching tree is at three levels of seasonal turnarounds. Illinois (Bruce Weber) has turned it around from last season, Purdue (Matt Painter) is turning it around with four straight wins, SIU (Chris Lowery) was on the brink of turning it around until a 70-63 loss at Illinois State on Saturday.

2. No. 1 Duke at No. 6 Wake Forest (6 p.m. Wednesday, ESPN) – At Dick Vitale's Web site, you, too, can purchase a Dick Vitale bobblehead ($15). Or you can listen to the real thing call a priceless showdown for first place in the ACC.

3. No. 22 St. Mary's at No. 20 Gonzaga (10 p.m. Thursday, ESPN2) – If Zags star Austin Daye flourishes to close his sophomore season he might leave early for the NBA. If not, the Illini might face a preseason All-American next season when the UI is expected to start a four-game series with Gonzaga.

Conference Call

LEAGUE PVS.

1. Big East 1

2. ACC 2

3. Big Ten 4

4. Big 12 5

5. Pac-10 3

6. SEC 6

7. Mountain West 7

8. Atlantic 10 8

9. Conference USA 9

10. WAC –

Wooden Watch (Super Bowl edition)
1. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers – Runner-up for Ohio's Mr. Football was an all-league selection at Findlay High School, where he hosts an annual charity basketball game.

2. Kurt Warner, Cardinals – Quarterback, who claims his first love is hoops, told reporters in November he uses offseason pickup games to improve his conditioning.

3. Larry Fitzgerald Jr., Cardinals – His father, Larry Fitzgerald Sr., is a sports writer for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder and covered the Gophers' basketball loss to Purdue last week.

The Next Files
1. Tyler Griffey, Wildwood (Mo.) Lafayette – The lone big man in Illinois' 2009 recruiting class, Griffey set the school's career scoring and rebounding records Saturday. One week earlier, he set the single-game scoring record with 36 points, making 12 of 15 shots from the field and 12 of 15 from the free throw line.

2. D.J. Richardson, Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep – Findlay is ranked second in the USA Today Super 25, and Richardson is third in scoring (9.6 ppg), second in assists (3.2 apg), sixth in rebounding (4.0 rpg) and third in steals (1.8 spg). From Thursday through Sunday, Findlay is in the Montverde (Fla.) Academy Invitational. The field includes Findlay and seven teams from Florida, Montverde coach Kevin Sutton said Monday.

3. Brandon Paul, Warren – Chicago Sun-Times boys' basketball expert Michael O'Brien said the race for the Sun-Times Player of the Year award still is wide open. He lists Paul, Jereme Richmond (Waukegan), Jon Mills (North Lawndale), Darius Smith (Marshall), Matt Vogrich (Lake Forest), Reggie Smith (Thornton) and Lenzelle Smith (Zion-Benton) as the top candidates. Cully Payne (Schaumburg) was the front runner until he sustained a back injury, O'Brien wrote in an e-mail.

Polling Place: News-Gazette vs. national polls
N-G Top 25
How Klee voted in this week's Associated Press poll:

1. Duke – Former UI target Jon Scheyer on top-ranked team for first time

2. Connecticut – Half of the starters in NBA All-Star Game didn't play in college

3. Pittsburgh – I like the Cardinals in a Super Bowl upset of the Steelers on Sunday

4. Wake Forest – Only program with two starters in NBA All-Star Game

5. Oklahoma – Class of the Big 12, but must play at Texas on Feb. 21

6. Louisville – With Big East title, UL could go from unranked to No. 1 seed

7. North Carolina – Not hard to imagine three ACC teams in Final Four

8. Texas – Four Longhorns footballers playing in Sunday's Super Bowl

9. Clemson – Since winning in C-U, Tigers have gone 9-2 (3-2 ACC)

10. Marquette – Somewhat quietly, MU tied with Louisville atop Big East

11. Xavier – Indiana transfer Jordan Crawford will be eligible next season

12. Arizona State – Should hire SIU manager Adam Bauman as grad assistant

13. Michigan State – Spartans short on snipers, teams daring them to shoot

14. Butler – With only one win against a ranked foe, NCAA seed could suffer

15. Illinois – Illini took Sunday off, returned to practice and film study Monday

16. Gonzaga – Stats guru Ken Pomeroy has Zags at No. 4 in his NCAA ratings

17. Purdue – No one's enjoying Hoosiers' slide more than Boilers' fans

18. Kentucky – With 18 more wins, UK becomes first program to 2,000 victories

19. Memphis – Toughest C-USA matchups: UTEP (Feb. 21) and UAB (Feb. 26)

20. Kansas – Undefeated in Big 12 with three winnable games upcoming

21. Syracuse – Ex-'Cuse star Carmelo (hand) returns to Nuggets lineup Friday

22. St. Mary's – Gaels are just 3-23 in last 26 matchups with WCC rival Gonzaga

23. Notre Dame – Irish are, um, lucky to stay in Top 25 after three straight losses

24. Virginia Tech - Consecutive ACC road wins (Miami, Wake) lifted Hokies

25. UCLA – WAC-leader Utah State making strong push to crack poll next week

pklee@news-gazette.com

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