Midnight Madness 2010 Watch List

Yes, Allen Iverson, in the midst of baseball playoffs, NFL, and Brett Favre's one-man tribute to Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body, we're talking 'bout practice.

It's Midnight Madness. Of course it's not just practice. It's something a little less Boeheim and a little more Barnum and Bailey on a caffeine rush, made-for-TV events that might not be the sort of practice that gets you to Carnegie Hall, but

Something that's a little less Boeheim and a little more PT Barnum on a caffeine rush, the made-for-tv events that serve as an infomercial for the sport and grab the spotlight in a packed sports calendar.

It's something college basketball gets right, which isn't always the case. College basketball can't seem to escape one-and-done controversies, it needlessly tinkers with its brilliant tournament, and the recruiting sleeze around the sport sometimes makes the Sopranos seem like a genteel group of folks.

And then there's midnight madness. If there's one thing college basketball can do, it's throw a party.

Here's what to watch for on college basketball's gala night:

Harrison Barnes, North Carolina: It's hard to remember the last time North Carolina looked forward to a savior sort of player, largely because the Tar Heels usually don't much need saving. But after a year of biblical collapse - by the standards of this five-time national champion program anyway - Harrison Barnes seems to be just that sort of player. Recent top recruits have had buzz - Marvin Williams, Tyler Hansbrough, Brandan Wright among others -- but they've either come in during North Carolina's typical periods of dominance, or come in bunches as something of a rescue team. The Tar Heels do have additional stars coming in who should immediately upgrade the talent level - shooting guard Reggie Bullock and point guard Kendall Marshall - but none have the expectation of Barnes. Then again, success is Barnes' middle name. Or more aptly, it's (Bryce-)Jordan. But at North Carolina, the two words are synonyms.

 

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Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2010/10/15/midnight-madness-2010-watch-list/

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