ACC

Virginia Tech got some good news this week as their leading scorer, point guard Erick Green, is expected to return to the lineup. Green is averaging 16.1 points, 3.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game this season. But he has missed game time because of a sprained left knee he suffered in practice. The Hokies have really missed Green’s presence on the court as they turned the ball over 17 times in their latest loss as a true freshman was playing in Green’s place. Virginia Tech head coach Seth Greenberg said Green “would fight me if I told him he wasn’t going to play.” Greenberg then added that it would take “a major setback” for Green not to be in the lineup in the Hokies next game.

BIG 10

Purdue has been playing with nagging injuries to their point guard Lewis Jackson. He is playing through a bad back and plantar fasciitis. Jackson is Purdue’s most important player on the court, and when his injuries limit his effectiveness, the Boilermakers do not play well. According to Jackson, he’s been feeling a little better recently. “I'm feeling pretty good, actually. I took a lot of treatment.” Purdue head coach Matt Painter knows just how important Jackson is to Purdue’s success. “When he plays well, we play well. As he goes, we go.”

BIG 12

Texas A&M head coach Billy Kennedy was harsh when talking about his team after their 1-4 start in conference play. “We expected a little bit more from everybody from a talent standpoint,” said Kennedy. “We lack firepower. We're not as athletic as I would like. Our shot selection has been poor. We're settling for jump shots we don't make. We go side to side too much. We don't attack the basket. We haven't had a consistent work ethic.” Kennedy has a legitimate beef with his players considering the Aggies rank last in the Big 12 in scoring, three-point shooting and free-throw shooting. When asked what he can do about his team's shortcomings, Kennedy said: “Go get better shooters. But it's too late for that this year.”

BIG EAST

Marquette is without starter center Chris Otule for the season due to a left knee injury. But the Golden Eagles have gotten tremendous play from his backup DaVante Gardner who is averaging 9.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5 blocks per game. Gardner has actually scored more than 11 points in six of the ten games he’s started and he has also recorded two double-doubles. “He's a horse down there in the paint,” guard Darius Johnson-Odom said. “He's very crafty around the basket. When we get him the ball, a lot of good things can happen.”

PAC 12

UCLA is a shell of the team they should be. Malcolm Lee and Tyler Honeycutt mistakenly went into the NBA early last year. Reeves Nelson was dismissed from the team, and Josh Smith is noticeably out of shape. But the Bruins aren’t the only team without an identity in the Pac 12 this season. Pac-12 teams have lost to the likes of Loyola Marymount, Fairfield, Northern Arizona, Montana State, Idaho, California-Riverside, Cal Poly, and MTSU. The Pac 12 is so bad that one scout said: “They ought to play all games at 5:45 because it is, in fact, the JV league. I've been around since the Pac-8 and I've never remembered it this bad.”

SEC

Florida is dealing with an injury to their most important player, center Patric Young. He has some sort of ankle injury and he is scheduled for both an MRI and X-Ray this week to see what the injury is. Young has been hobbled with ankle problems for the past two weeks and he was limited to a bench role in the Gators most recent game. “My main concern with him is conditioning because he has been limited in practice,” Florida head coach Billy Donovan said. The Gators need a healthy Young on the court, so the results of his exams will be a key factor for the future of the Gators this season.

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