Grover Cleveland
Member
Defending Champions- Louisville Cardinals
GIF Semi Recap of the 2012-2013 Season:
Off-Season Headlines:
1. Rules Changes Galore
In an effort to encourage offense and scoring, several new rules and new implementations will be in effect this season. Chief among them is the redefinition of the classic "block-charge" call which has altered to greatly benefit the attacking player. The other most notable change in officiating will be with elbows. In recent years, the rule on elbow contact was much harsher with almost any elbow contact with the head resulting in a flagrant foul, whether it was inadvertent or not. This rule has been slightly relaxed this year to allow for more of the referee's judgement of intent and severity in deciding whether and how much elbows should be punished.
2. Great Class? Or Greatest Class
Led by Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, and the UK superclass, this year sees one of the greatest influxes of young talent in recent college basketball memory. Year of the Freshman indeed.
3. New Faces in New Places
Several high-profile coaching changes have been made this year. Most notable among them are Steve Alford and Andy Enfield leaving their jobs at mid-majors to take on the cross-town rivals UCLA and USC respectively, while Richard Pitino (son of Rick) takes over for Tubby Smith in Minnesota.
4.New Faces in New Places II
This offseason has seen one of the biggest conference realignments in NCAA history with 49 teams joining new conferences this year. The biggest change is the end of the old Big East. The seven Catholic basketball-only schools have formed their own conference taking the Big East name with them while Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame leave for the ACC this year, with Louisville joining them in 2014. The remaining schools have regrouped themselves into the new American Athletic Conference (AAC), adding Temple, Memphis, Central Florida, Houston and SMU.
Early Contenders
Pivotal Early Season Games
Kentucky vs MSU-November 12 (Champion's Classic)
Duke vs Kansas- November 12 (Champion's Classic)
Oklahoma State vs Memphis- November 19
Duke vs Michigan- December 3
Syracuse vs Indiana-December 3
UNC vs MSU- December 4
Florida vs Kansas- December 10
Michigan vs Arizona-December 14
UNC vs Kentucky- December 14
Memphis vs Florida-December 17
Kentucky vs Louisville-December 28
GIF Semi Recap of the 2012-2013 Season:
Off-Season Headlines:
1. Rules Changes Galore
In an effort to encourage offense and scoring, several new rules and new implementations will be in effect this season. Chief among them is the redefinition of the classic "block-charge" call which has altered to greatly benefit the attacking player. The other most notable change in officiating will be with elbows. In recent years, the rule on elbow contact was much harsher with almost any elbow contact with the head resulting in a flagrant foul, whether it was inadvertent or not. This rule has been slightly relaxed this year to allow for more of the referee's judgement of intent and severity in deciding whether and how much elbows should be punished.
2. Great Class? Or Greatest Class
Led by Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, and the UK superclass, this year sees one of the greatest influxes of young talent in recent college basketball memory. Year of the Freshman indeed.
3. New Faces in New Places
Several high-profile coaching changes have been made this year. Most notable among them are Steve Alford and Andy Enfield leaving their jobs at mid-majors to take on the cross-town rivals UCLA and USC respectively, while Richard Pitino (son of Rick) takes over for Tubby Smith in Minnesota.
4.New Faces in New Places II
This offseason has seen one of the biggest conference realignments in NCAA history with 49 teams joining new conferences this year. The biggest change is the end of the old Big East. The seven Catholic basketball-only schools have formed their own conference taking the Big East name with them while Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame leave for the ACC this year, with Louisville joining them in 2014. The remaining schools have regrouped themselves into the new American Athletic Conference (AAC), adding Temple, Memphis, Central Florida, Houston and SMU.
Early Contenders
Pivotal Early Season Games
Kentucky vs MSU-November 12 (Champion's Classic)
Duke vs Kansas- November 12 (Champion's Classic)
Oklahoma State vs Memphis- November 19
Duke vs Michigan- December 3
Syracuse vs Indiana-December 3
UNC vs MSU- December 4
Florida vs Kansas- December 10
Michigan vs Arizona-December 14
UNC vs Kentucky- December 14
Memphis vs Florida-December 17
Kentucky vs Louisville-December 28