As we near the end of the non-conferecne season there I would like to take some time to identify some teams who I think are for real and others who did a great job scheduling. Scehduling has become an art. With so much money to be made playing a home game it is easy to see why the going rate for a guarantee game has averaged out to $75,000. You figure it out. It makes more sense to play at home and pocket $100, 000 (after expenses) than it does to go play on the road. The added benefit is a padded record.

The following is a breakdown of the top 6 BCS conferences and their schedules:

Conference Home game Away Game Neutral Courts
Big East 120 31 38
Big 10 86 24 26
Big 12 110 31 32
ACC 109 30 37
SEC 103 29 38
Pac 10 80 30 14

Percentage wise the winners and losers are the Big East (only 16% of their games on the road) and the Pac-10 (24% of their games on the road). Of course, when you lose four home games like Cincinatti did it doesn’t help you down the road.

With so many home games it is no wonder that every team in the ACC, Big 12, SEC and Pac 10 have winning records. Shame on you Cincinnati, Depaul, and Michigan for not protecting your home court better.

Prospects—

North Carolina, Kansas and UCLA have emerged in my book as the teams to beat when it comes to March. The Tarheels have great toughness led by Tyler Hansborough and excellent leadership by Ty Lawson. UCLA has battled injuries early and seems to be getting healthy as the conference season looms. However, the experience of the upperclassmen at Kansas makes them my favorite to cut down the nets. With a senior and junior dominated roster they appeared poised to get the monkey off Bill Self’s back.

Suspects–

Miami and Clemson are off to unbeaten starts, but have no big wins in the bunch. Remember this was was the Clemson team that started off so well last year and then crumbled when they got into conference play. I don’t think the collapse will be as bad this year, but don’t make resevations for San Antonio if you are a Tiger fan.

One loss teams that are making noise are led by Rhode Island. Jim Baron has fashioned this team in his own image. A tough street fighter from Brooklyn they have already chalked up three wins over Big East teams. St. Marys went half way around the world to get one of the best guards in the colledge basketball. Patrick Mills has led the Gaels to a 10-1 start and looked poised to knock off Gonzaga at the top of the West Coast Conference.

Also, hats off to a special father and son. Homer Drew has the Valparaiso Crusaders off to a 10-2 start while playing in a new conference. His son Scott has the Baylor Bears back in contention for a NCAA bid while starting the season off 9-1. After the mess he inherited he has plugged away and brought the program back from the dead.