Top 20 Duos In College Basketball

1. Cody Zeller and Victor Oladipo - I'd consider both guys within the top 10 of canidates for the Wooden award. When put together, they form the best duo in college basketball. Oladipo has finally gotten his due, but still has avoided talks of National Player of the Year. He is one of the most efficient offensive players in the country, and of course, we all know about his defense. He defines what college basketball is all about and plays for a top 5 team. He is one of the ten best collegiate players in the nation.

2. Phil Pressey and Laurence Bowers - Without Bowers and Pressey, Missouri would be a team without an identity. With them, they are currently the 7th best team in the country. Pressey may have the best understanding of how to run a team in the country. Bowers has shown great improvement from past years and has given the Tigers that post threat they needed last year.

3. Peyton Siva and Russ Smith - Speaking of identity - for a Pitino team, its all about guard play. Smith and Siva are upperclassmen who know what Pitino wants. They have combined to force 5.3 turnovers per game with aggressive defense and are just as aggressive on offense. They are the head to Louisville's top 5 team and its a head that is nearly impossible to throw off their game.

4. Otto Porter and Greg Whittington - Perhaps a little high? Or maybe not. Porter and Whittington turn an otherwise boring Georgetown system team into a team that can be dynamic. They give them looks that no other team in the country can replicate with their length on defense and their creativeness on offense. Any time when you have two 6-8 guys that can play on the wing defensively and are your best creators on offense, you are going to be a big threat moving forward. The duo makes this Georgetown team more dynamic than past teams.

5. Isaiah Canaan and Ed Daniel - I've got to have the Murray State seniors' in the top 5 of this list because they define what this list is all about. Canaan put Murray State on the map last year and now Ed Daniel has stepped up to be a legitimate compliment to him. Canaan handles the scoring and creating, while Daniel does the little things - including setting excellent screens for the star of the team. While Canaan is their offense, Daniel is their anchor and heart on defense.  When watching the Racers, its those two and then "everyone else".

6. Deshaun Thomas and Aaron Craft - Another duo with a offense/defense pairing, this one is unique as it is the guard who provides the defense. Ohio State is deep in talent, but it is only Thomas and Craft who have the experience and clearly defined roles at this point. Craft is the leader and the defender. Thomas makes up for Craft's lack of scoring ability by being one of the most dangerous offensive threats in college basketball. Quite a complimentary pair.

7. Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway - The second best backcourt in the nation according to these rankings, this attack is spearheaded by one of the favorites to win the Wooden Award. While Russ Smith and Siva get it done with aggressive defense and transition offense, this duo is better at scoring in the halfcourt setting. But the thing about them is how well-rounded they are. They can score inside and out, in the halfcourt or transition, and look for their own shot just as much as they can create for others. The true definition of balance.

8. Marcus Smart and LeBryan Nash - We will see if Oklahoma State's thin team can handle their next two games against Gonzaga and Kansas State, but for now, they remain in the top 25. LeBryan Nash changed the direction of the Cowboys future last year by deciding to take his talents to Stillwater. This year, Smart followed suit, but he ended up changing the culture as well. Smart's leadership and playmaking for this team can't be understated. With him running things on the perimeter, Nash has moved his game more inside and accepted his role down low. Together they give OKST an identity on a team infused with role players.

9. Jamaal Franklin and Chase Tapley - We saw just how good San Diego State was this week at the Diamond Head Classic. They play super hard and bigger than their size. That is a direct result of Jamaal Franklin. Chase Tapley also helps out on the boards from the wing, but he provides SDSU with a much more consistent and stable leader to rely upon. Together, their demeanors work well. We saw Franklin struggled offensively this week and Tapley stepped up and showed he is one of the most unheralded players in the nation. His outside shooting is key with Franklin struggling from deep.

10. Nerlens Noel and Archie Goodwin - In terms of potential, this group is obviously number one. And I think they will end up being a better duo than they are ranked when the season is over. But for now, it is tough to put them any higher.

11. Mason Plumlee and Seth Curry - Duke is the number one team in the country and Plumlee is a contender for player of the year heading into ACC play. Plumlee is the standout, but Duke still embodies more of a team philosphy than most, so they finish outside of the top 10 on the list. Any of their 5 starters can step up on any given night, but Plumlee and Curry are the veteran leaders. Plumlee is a big presence inside while Curry is their most dynamic weapon at guard - for now.

12. Jackie Carmichael and Tyler Brown - This duo has been flying under the radar, just missing getting the big win against Louisville to put them on the map. They have plenty of chances coming up in the Missouri Valley Conference, including a game on January 2nd pitting McDermott vs Carmichael. You can't get a much better post matchup than that. Brown is no slouch either - he plays under control and is a great shooter who is always ready to pull the trigger. This duo may be the best inside-out threat in America.

13. Michael Carter-Williams and James Southerland - Syracuse has a lot of good players but I think MCW and Southerland give them a chance to be "really good" as a team. Carter-Williams is great at breaking down defense and Southerland is always around the perimeter to captilize on open looks. Without James, they lack a pure shooter to take advantage of MCW's abilities. And without MCW, Syracuse lacks much of all in the halfcourt offense.

14. Jeff Withey and Travis Releford - I know, Ben McLemore deserves Releford's spot. And its true. Really this Kansas doesn't belong on this list at all because they are a TEAM. But their identity as a team is tough defense and experience and this tandem defines that the most. McLemore is their most talented player and their key to advancing far in the tournament, but these vets embody Jayhawk hoops. If this was a list of trios, they would be top 3.

15. Alex Len and Dez Wells - Maryland is a team just waiting to crack the top 25 after reeling off 10 straight wins following the opening night loss to Kentucky. But they have yet to be tested since and will have to wait until ACC play to do so. Turgeon set up a weak OOC schedule not knowing that Dez Wells has been eligible and he has proven to be the missing piece. Len's improvement combined with the addition of Wells has been the equivalent of adding to big name FAs in the NBA.

16. CJ McCollum and Gabe Knutson - At 24.9 ppg and 17.4 ppg respectively, this duo is the highest scoring duo in college basketball. They probably should be ranked higher, but lack any notable wins this year. But we saw what they can do last year against Duke. McCollum gets all the credit, yet Knutson is a huge part of their success with his saavy post game and good touch from inside of 15 feet.

17. Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright - UConn may not be very relevent this year, but they still possess one of the most offensively potent backcourts in the nation. Both are creative, aggressive combo guards who play off the hot hand. When Napier is on, he can take over. Same for Boatright. Together, they are capable of knocking off quite a few top 25 teams.

18. Shabazz Muhammad and Jordan Adams - This is the highest scoring tandem among the BCS conferences and they both happen to be freshmen. Shabazz missed the first few games because of injury and the NCAA, and came back slowly. People questioned how the two high scoring freshman would fit together and it seems they actually mesh ok. Adams has been able to take pressure of Shabazz and allowed him to focus on scoring off offensive rebounds and hustle plays. Shabazz doesn't need to dominant the ball to score so having Adams works well. Now they just need to find a way to bring it on defense - both have looked slow and out of shape so far, but Shabazz is turning it around.

19. Allen Crabbe and Justin Cobbs - The second highest scoring duo in BCS leagues also hails from California and feautures two veteran guards. Crabbe gets the attention as a possible NBA player and does a great job of moving around off the ball. Cobbs is more of a dominator of the ball, running the pick and roll well and scoring well inside for a sub 6 footer. He lacks the potential Crabbe has, but is one of the best guards nobody talks about.

20. Sean Kilpatrick and Cashmere Wright - These two have been working on establishing themselves in the Big East for years and now are one of the better teams in the conference. They play with a lot of confidence and swagger and get after it on defense. They bring energy and toughness from the guard positions and both are more than capable of scoring as well.

Other Notable Duos from Mid/Low-Major Schools:


Tyler Haws/Brandon Davies
Nate Wolters/Jordan Dykstra
De'Mon Brooks/Jake Cohen
Devon Saddler/Jamelle Hagins
Ray McCallum/Nick Minnerath
Frantz Massenat/Damien Lee
Tyreek Duren/Roman Galloway
Khalif Wyatt/Scootie Randall

Shabazz makes debut, but the Hoyas Get the Win

The atmosphere was set at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for UCLA, ready to unveil its star recruit Shabazz Muhammad against unranked Georgetown. Shabazz came off the bench for Howland, who has to give a lot of credit to the star recruit for perhaps saving his job, and the crowd creeped towards the edge of their seats to get a look at the future NBA lottery pick.

The script was set for UCLA (favored by 6) to get the win and put themselves back on the map. After the Sports Illustrated article last year, Howland was ready to start a new chapter for UCLA, a chapter that involved high character kids including other prized recruit Kyle Anderson. Georgetown got off to the early lead, but when Shabazz came off the at just under 14 minutes, the lead was only 4. Shabazz came in and pulled up for his first shot - a mid-range jumper - and it went straight through the hoop.

14-12 Georgetown - here comes UCLA.

Georgetown was being outscored in transition and on the break - two indicators that the Bruins could start to pull away. The biggest indicator though, was #15 in blue.

The country didn't know this Georgetown team though. They matched up well with the Bruins, sporting two big wings of their own in Greg Whittington and Otto Porter. The Hoyas play the way the Bruins need to play. They share the basketball and allow their 6-8 versatile forward, Otto Porter, to help facilitate the offense. UCLA, with their own 6-8 point forward in Kyle Anderson, had an up close look how it was done.

Greg Whittington was hot early. He was stepping out and hitting jumpers and gave Shabazz his first "welcome to the NCAA moment". Shabazz had an attempt on the break and went straight at Whittington - only to get hung up in the air as Whittington prevented the shot from getting out of his hands.

It wasn't the last time Shabazz landed on the floor and got in the mix in the painted area. Otto Porter was able to post him up down low for a couple of buckets. Shabazz returned the favor against Georgetown's small Jabril Trawick, hitting a close range turnaround jumper in his face. Shabazz went hard to the hoop each time he had the chance and probably has the bruises to show for it. He attacks the rim with a fearlessness much like a Dwyane Wade.

His debut was viewed as a bit of a disappointment for NBA scouts, but keep in mind he had only had a few days of practice due to a high ankle sprain. He poured in 15 points effortlessly in 25 minutes, showcasing a nice stroke from outside. Muhammad's release is effortless and he doesn't have much extra movement in his shot. He struggled on defense, but covering guys like Otto Porter is a big change from his days in high school. He mainly was beat defending the post.

UCLA has their work cut out for them defensively. This UCLA team shouldn't go the way of teams in the past because their freshman are high character guys, but the defense should be a major concern. When UCLA went to three straight final fours, their defense was top 3 in the nation each year. This years team has work to do to even be average.

For one, its tough to get a group of new players to learn to play cohesive as a team. With a bunch of freshman and transfer Larry Drew, they have to get used to each other. Even then, guys like Adams, Drew, and Anderson aren't good perimeter defenders. And inside, the Wear twins are good post defenders but dont make anyone think twice about driving the lane. Neither does the immobile Josh Smith who defines the phrase "below the rim center". He also defines a waste of potential, but we will save that for a rainy day.

Without that defense, UCLA may have to turn to a higher octane offense and go in a different direction from teams of the past. It seems Howland may already be doing that if the pace of their game today is any indicator. This Bruins team may look to run and it'd certainly be a good fit. Teams of the past played a strict halfcourt style that often limited the teams guards, resulting in them getting overlooked in the NBA Draft.

With a host of good guards this year and a unconventional Kyle Anderson, the Bruins could maximize their potential and hide their defensive holes by running. With Howland's job possibly on the brink, its within the realm to imagine him changing up his style.

As for Georgetown, their famous style is working just fine. I talked about them earlier this season calling them a sleeper, so this game comes as little surprise to me. Porter and Whittington are a special combo that when paired together creates major problems for opponents. The Hoyas can play them at the wing positions and overwhelm the opposition with size on defense and not suffer on offense.

The biggest question with them is their ability to hit the outside shot. Whittington was 1-8 on the year before going 3-4 tonight. His shot looks solid though, and I did see him hit some long 2-pt baskets in his other games. As for Porter, he rarely looks for the jumper but made both of his 3s tonight. He doesn't get off a lot of jumpers and has a slow release, bringing the ball down to his hip before firing.

Porter finished with 18 points and filled up the rest of the stat sheet with steals, blocks, assists, and rebounds. You can't help but to love his game. He is one of the best all around players in college basketball and perhaps the best at contributing to wins in ways other than scoring. This makes him invaluable at the college level and very intriguing at the next level. The NBA doesn't necessarily need guys who can score.

Still, Porter's biggest question will revolve around how he can score at the next level. Porter gets a lot of his baskets off cuts, transition, putbacks, and post up plays. As a small forward, Porter needs to show at least either a jumper or the ability to drive the lane consistently and finish. And his jumper is broken right now.

Porter also is a bit slow on his feet, yet his outstanding feel for the game tends to make up for it. Scouts in general came away impressed with him tonight, but this is just a typical game for Mr. Porter.

The high point man in this game was actually UCLA's Jordan Adams. He's been a pleasant surprise this season and wasn't going to take a back seat to Muhammad tonight. He jacks up shots at a high rate, prompting Jonathan Givony to make a Jordan Hamilton comparison.

Obviously, he probably didn't mean it as a comparison on their games too, but I think Adams is a lot better college player than Hamilton was his freshman year. Hamilton's freshman year consisted of a comical amount of ridiculous 3-pt attempts and not much else.

Adams loves his jumper the same way, but shows a lot more intelligence on both ends of the court. He is a better driver, has good instincts on when to cut, plays tough inside, and seems to really want to win. His body control is worlds better than Hamilton's. He has a great natural touch on his shots and is automatic from the free throw line.

In terms of NBA stock though, his potential is much less intriguing than Hamilton's. He plays below the rim and his body dimensions are very unusual for a shooting guard. Along with being a chucker, Adams has some obstacles to climb over if he wants to be a first round pick anytime soon.

Georgetown Plays 2 Halfs and Finishes With the W

Otto Porter only 6 first half minutes - got poked in the eye, checked back in, then sat out

Whittington late bloomer in HS, good potential

Lubick big time competitor, understands the game, rebounds, facilitates, coach's son, ugly jumper

Smith-Rivera next in line - shooter, under control. hit a 3 that didnt count at end of half

Domingo looks like he has good potential

With a half of game under the belt this season, Georgetown was safely indoors at the Verizon Center for their second matchup against Duquesne. And while the Verizon Center doesn't provide the best atmosphere, at least they have a floor without condensation. And their opponent, they certainly aren't Florida, and in fact Duquesne was predicted to finish 16th in the now 16 team Atlantic 10. Duquesne hasn't been relevant in NBA circles since the ultra-athletic Damian Sanders terrorized the rim.

This should have been an easy win for Georgetown, but early in the game Otto Porter was poked in the eye. He sat out a few minutes before checking back in, but he must not have been 100% because he returned to the bench shortly after and retired to the lockerroom after logging only 6 minutes. Otto needs two "O's"and two "T's" and apparently two "I's" are necessary as well.

Duquesne was able to keep the game close in the first half, going into the lockerroom down by 6. Georgetown freshman D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera got to see the floor more than expected to filling in for Porter and led Georgetown in scoring the first 20 minutes. He's a young guy who plays under control and can really shoot it. He's not super athletic or creative, but he knows how to score the ball. He fits the Georgetown guard mold to a T and should be a good one. He finished with 16 points and that doesn't count his 3 at the end of the half that he failed to get off before the buzzer.

In the second half, the more experienced Markel Starks and Mikael Hopkins picked up their play. Hopkins was way too much to handle for Andre Marhold inside. He was able to get post position right in front of the basket and go to work. Hopkins is still a little green and certainly isn't known for his strength, but if you allow him to get near the basket he has the solid moves to score. Henry Sims was no Greg Monroe and at this point, Hopkins is not Henry Sims but he has potential. I saw him play in high school and he still has some of the same concerns with his toughness, hands, and rebounding. He is coming along though and is getting a little more comfortable.

Greg Whittington was a constant presence for Georgetown and he controlled the glass, setting a career high of 14. He's improved a lot in little time, going from a late bloomer in high school who didn't draw much college interest to a big man who has now learned to play on the perimeter. He handles it well in the open court and plays with a good head on his shoulders. Whittington is a four year guy, but could ultimately end up in draft conversations if he continues to improve. His offense has to catch up to his physical ability.

Also, you can't talk about Georgetown without mentioning their rock in the middle, Nate Lubick. Perhaps their best facilitator and definitely their toughest and biggest competitor, Nate appears to be looking to score more this season. He had a nice double move that led to a midrange jump hook going in and even attempted an open three....which was one of the ugliest things I've seen. Mr. Lubick is a media favorite and has a bit of Scalabrine in him.

Ultimately, Georgetown got the win 61-55 with Duquesne matching their second half output at 34. Georgetown is a young team with no seniors and their style of play isn't made for blowing teams out. Instant reaction has screamed some concerns for Georgetown, but I think this team is solid. With Porter and Whittington on the wings, they have the length to be a great defensive team. Smith-Rivera should only get better and fill some of the scoring role they need and they have a host of players who do all the little things - Lubick and Porter are what I'd call "super role players" because of how much they can contribute to wins without scoring. This team is definitely heading in the right direction and next year should be a top 25 team - probably even if Porter leaves. Hopefully Otto Porter is fine in the near future because they have a big game against UCLA coming up that is very winnable if he plays. Also, a matchup against Kyle Anderson would be delightful.