Denver Post college basketball writer Tom Kensler’s hoops report
COLORADO CONNECTION
Pierre Curtis, James Madison, senior guard.
The 6-foot-3 Curtis, a former Denver East athlete, has started all but one game. He averages 7.7 points and leads the Dukes with 97 assists. Curtis also ranks second on the team in steals with 34. His former Denver East teammate, 6-7 senior forward Dazzmond Thornton (4.5 points and 2.3 rebounds), comes off the bench for the Dukes. Thornton’s younger brother, DaVaughn, is a redshirt freshman tight end on the Colorado football team.
SEED GAMES Projecting the top 16 teams in the NCAA Tournament
No. 1 seeds:
Kansas, Syracuse, Kentucky, Villanova
No. 2 seeds:
Duke, Purdue, Kansas State, West Virginia
No. 3 seeds:
Michigan State, Georgetown, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest
No. 4 seeds:
Texas, Wisconsin, Tennessee, New Mexico
ON THE BUBBLE
School: UNLV.
The Rebels (19-6, 7-4 Mountain West) were on a roll with a five-game win streak until getting smacked by New Mexico on Wednesday and San Diego State on Saturday. Although the Lobos are ranked, that will be viewed as a black mark against the Rebels, who entered the weekend with a bubble-trouble RPI of 34. New Mexico and BYU are looking good. But if the MWC is to get three teams in the NCAA Tournament, UNLV can’t afford many more slips.
ON THE RISE
Wes Johnson, Syracuse, 6-7 junior forward:
Orange coach Jim Boeheim knew the Iowa State transfer was good because, after all, Kentucky and Ohio State also were hoping to get him. But John- son has surpassed all expectations. In fact, he has become a top candidate for national player of the year honors, a do-it-all talent who leads the second-ranked Orange in scoring (averaging 16.1 points entering the weekend) and rebounding (8.8). The Orange, which had to replace three double-figure scorers from last season, wasn’t in the preseason top 25. Johnson has been the difference. Iowa State fans must cringe.
