SU has watched a ton of Big Ten basketball this year. Each week, I subject myself to 2 Michigan games which are basically unenjoyable. Juwan Howard is a great recruiter and no doubt, an excellent motivator. But when it comes to X’s and O’s, especially on offense, he employs the Mike Woodson NY Knicks offensive playbook which was really a pamphlet. Get the ball to Carmelo Anthony on the wing and everyone else stand on the 3-point line. It’s not quite that simple at Michigan but a similar NBA-style isolation offensive style of play. In-game decision-making around line-ups and end-of-game play calls are both sub-standard, and the proof is in the pudding as Michigan has lost most close games down the stretch.

SU checks the box scores after each game, and it is rare to see the total assists break into double figures. As a test, I checked the UCLA box score last night and I believe they had 9 assists in their win. The NBA is actually the opposite this year with high scoring games, up and down the court action and scores regularly in the 120s and higher with 25+ asssits. College games seem to resort to walking the ball up the court which burns 10 seconds, then attempt one offensive set for 10 seconds and if that doesn’t work, use the last 10 seconds for someone to do a high pick and roll and go one on one. SU says ineffective and unwatchable. I am sure there are teams out there doing it differently but not in the Big Ten from what I have seen. Is it coaching? I miss John Beilein.

Speaking of the Big Ten, SU says no team will make it to the Sweet Sixteen this year although many will make it into the tournament. Great for Northwestern to make it this year although they are stumbling down the stretch. SU will come out with its courageous NCAA Final Four predictions in another week or so.

OK, time to show some love for YOUR NEW YORK KNICKS! SU has been watching them a bit more of late and they are a solid team this year. The key will be whether their rotation players can stay healthy down the stretch. Mitchell Robinson is a key guy who is injury prone and he needs to be on the court as a rim protector. This team plays hard on defense and they will be a tough out in the playoffs. They are the kind of team that the Milwaukees, Bostons and Philadelphias do not want to play. It has been such a long time for the Knicks to have a team like this. The NBA playoffs will be great as there is no dominant team out there this year, and probably 8-9 teams can legitimately claim to make a run to the championship.

It’s time to check out MLB exhibition games with the new rules. The pitch clock is a thing and umpires are enforcing it. Pace of play is important and the days of Derek Jeter stepping out after every pitch to retighten his batting gloves in true OCD style or Bernie Williams pretending he has something in his eye are over. Just stand in the box and hit. Same for the pitchers. Stop walking around the mound and squinting in for the signs. Of course, if you ever watch a black and white replay of a game in the 1960s baseball used to be played that way – and in 2 hours or so.

The Yankees are playing the young guys in their spring training games and Cashman has to be tempted to put some of them on the roster. Surely, Aaron Hicks can find a new home and the Josh Donaldson experiment can be declared a failure. Yankee fans want flags over the stadium but they also want to see the young players grow and improve. Enough of the Donaldsons and the Frankie Montas type trades.

OK, I know many of you watch college hoops and not just Big Ten games. I know there is no dominant team out there this year but do you see a change?