Nothing But Nets

When does a challenge stop becoming a challenge?
Well let's look at one of the annual rites of the college basketball season underway this week: the 10th annual Big Ten-ACC challenge. Before we go any further, let's check the definition of the term "challenge''--"difficulty in a job or undertaking that is stimulating to one engaged in it''
Let's see. Nine challenges, 9 wins by the ACC which has won 56 of the 87 games. Duke, which will take on Purdue tonight is 9-0 in such "challenges''. Boston College, which will meet Iowa for the first time since 1974 tonight at Conte Forum, is the only unbeaten ACC challenge team with two wins in two tries.
The line up of games for this year's challenge started Monday night with Virginia Tech giving Wisconsin all it could handle before dropping a 74-72 decision.
The rest of the match-ups are:
No. 4 Duke at No. 9 Purdue
Clemson at Illinois
Ohio State at No. 21 Miami
Virginia at Minnesota
Iowa at BC
Indiana at No. 15 Wake Forest
Michigan at Maryland
Florida State at Northwestern
No.1 North Carolina vs. No. 13 Michigan State in Detroit
Penn State at Georgia Tech.

Who's Hot?
Western Kentucky with its 68-54 win over then No. 3 ranked Louisville on Sunday night. It was the Hilltoppers first win over a Top 3 team since 1967.
The Big East. With Monday's weekly rankings, the Big East had a record 8 team in the Top 25: UConn (2), Pitt (3) Notre Dame (7), Louisville (11), Syracuse (16), Villanova (17)
Georgetown (20), and Marquette (25). The previous record was seven set by the Big East, ACC and Big 10. But 8 in the Top 25 is truly mind-boggling. As Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese pointed out the Big East tournament could have a quarterfinal round in which all eight teams were ranked.
Go beyond that with teams such as Providence and West Virginia, who are expected to be a tough out for any of the above 8 and you have a gang of 10 for NCAA consideration.
And what to make of this final note. Seton Hall has already beaten USC and Virginia Tech, both thought to be NCAA worthy.
Xavier
Is the A10 race over already. Rhode Island has been sporadic, Saint Joe's is the same category and UMass has stumbled out of the gate.
All Xavier has done is win the Puerto Rico Tip Off Classic by knocking off Memphis.

Who's Not?
Louisville. Yes, the Cardinals were ranked No, 3 going into the Western Kentucky game, but you could have seen the loss coming when you learned that the game was at a neutral site in Nashville.
In the last three years, Coach Rick Pitino's Cardinals have lost five games on neutral sites, with a woeful winning percentage of .167, which is the worst mark in the powerful Big East. Four of the losses came to unranked teams.
Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights already have lost to St. Bonaventure and Lehigh. Lehigh?

Did you know that...
--the ACC has already had 31 double doubles recorded in the first 70 games of the season, with 8 of them turned in by freshman. Wake Forest, which might be best, least experienced team in college basketball, had three players--freshman forward James Johnson, 5-star recruit freshman forward Al-Faroqu Aminu and junior guard L.D. Williams record double doubles in the Deacons 87-74 on Saturday.
Dayton is 19-2 (4-0 against ranked teams) when 6-8 sophomore Chris Wright plays. Wright was named to the all-rookie team last year despite playing only 15 games, including only eight minutes in A-10 games. He was injured on Jan. 9 in a 92-83 win over Rhode Island in the 2007-08 A-10 opener, sustaining a fractured ankle.

Say What?
Arizona athletic director Jim Livengood will use the next four months to search for a replacement for Lute Olson, who retired at the start of the year.
Livengood said he already has a list of 12 to 15 people. and that "the coach needs to have a track record, needs to have done some things. It's also critically important that there is some success this year because that is the most recent track record.''
Translation: Livengood wants an NCAA tournament coach, which means a pool of 65.
Livengood then goes a bit further. "We also need to win the press conference.''
Translation He wants someone who will create a stir with the media, preferably a positive stir.
So let's do a real quick Final Four list of candidates right now and then see what happens by March.
1. John Calipari, Memphis--Would win the press conference and catch the attention of everyone in the Pac-10.
2. Jamie Dixon, Pitt--Proven winner, west coast ties. .
3. Mark Few, Gonzaga-- In nine years has transformed the Zags from a mid major power to a major,major power
4. Randy Bennett. Saint Mary's--The Gaels have been the new Gonzaga of the West Coast Conference under Bennett.

Prairie View A&M lost to Hawaii, 78-70 on Monday night, but that is only part of the story. Prairie View's next game is against Baylor in Waco, Texas. It has already played road games at Wyoming, UCLA and Missouri. And has a victory this year against an NAIA school called the Southwest Assemblies of God.