Kentucky, N. Carolina, UCLA, Kansas, and Duke "The Phat 5" of College Basketball at 500 Report Volume #6 (Mid-Season)

(PRWeb) January 17, 2007 -- "The Phat 5" of College Basketball Report at 500 Volume #6 (Mid-Season)

Kentucky 104 years, 1903-2006-07
N. Carolina 97 years, 1911-2006-07
UCLA 88 years, 1920-2006-07
Kansas 109 years, 1899-2006-07
Duke 102 years, 1906-2006-07

"The Phat 5" nickname comes from the P-H-A-T acronym that means "Producing History At Tournament" for the 5 "Greatest" college basketball programs of All-Time.

"The Phat 5" of College Basketball at 500 Report Volume #6 (Mid-Season) is dedicated to Adolph Rupp. Coach Rupp, nick-named the "Baron of the Bluegrass." Coach Rupp led the Kentucky program for 41 seasons from 1930-72 were he amassed a 876-190 record winning an incredible 82% of his games. Coach Rupp won 4 NCAA Championships (1948, 49, 51, and 58) , 27 SEC titles, and appeared in 20 NCAA Tournaments. He attended "Phat 5" program Kansas from 1919-23 where he was coached by Kansas basketball legend Forrest "Phog" Allen. Rupp is best known for his role in the 1966 NCAA Championship game Kentucky vs. Texas Western (now known as UTEP). Kentucky started an all-white starting 5 vs. Texas Western who started an all-black starting 5. It has been called the "Game that Changed College Basketball". Texas Western beat Kentucky 72-65 to change college basketball recruiting of Black players for programs from the then segregated south. Coach Rupp should be remembered a great coach who was victim of the times and its ugly nature. He was enshrined into the Basketball Hall of Fame on April 13, 1969.

"The Phat 5" of College Basketball Report at 500 Volume # 6 (Mid-Season) would like to honor the Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The "Super 5" of "The Phat 5"
Kentucky- Randolph Morris is averaging 16.4 ppg. and 7.9 rpg.
N. Carolina- Tyler Hansbrough is averaging 18.6 ppg. and 8.2 rpg.
UCLA- Arron Afflalo is averaging 16.2 ppg.
Kansas- Brandon Rush is averaging 13.5 ppg. and 5.6 rpg.
Duke- Josh McRoberts is averaging 12.6 ppg. and 7.7 rpg. and 4.1 apg.

Randolph Morris has been steady for the Wildcats he scored 17 points and grabbed 6 rebounds vs. Mississippi St. this past Saturday (1/13) to help UK extend its winning streak. Tyler Hansbrough and UNC were riding a 12-game win streak that was snapped by Virginia Tech this past Saturday (1/13) 94-88. Hansbrough the anchor of the Heels scored 19 points and grabbed 15 big boards during the loss. Tyler remains a National Player of the Year candidate. Arron Afflalo continues to lead the Bruins attack. Arron needs to improve on his outside shooting for UCLA to have a chance at winning a National Championship. Brandon Rush has stepped-up his game as Kansas has entered Conference play. KU is playing at a high level, Rush like Afflalo needs to be more consistent with his jump-shooting for Kansas to make it to the Final Four. Josh McRoberts needs to be more dominant for Duke with his size and explosive ability at 6'10. McRoberts needs to develop a go-to move in the post for the Devils. McRoberts is a projected NBA Lottery pick.

Kentucky 14-3 ranked #25 by the new AP poll and unranked by ESPN/ USA Today poll. Kentucky is riding a 9-game win streak. The Cats are in the polls for the first time in 8 weeks. UK has started the SEC regular season 4-0 with wins over Mississippi on the road 01/06 68-58. Kentucky's Conference opener vs. Auburn was a Wildcats rout of the Tigers on 01/10 84-57 with 4 players scoring in double-figures. UK hosted Mississippi St. this past Saturday (01/13) and won a hard fought game 64-60. UK defeated another SEC foe by routing South Carolina last evening (01/16) by 38 points 87-49 to take first place in the SEC East. Kentucky is led by the "Big-3" of Ramel Bradley, Joe Crawford, and Randolph Morris. Kentucky's next 5 up-coming games.

01/20 Vanderbilt
01/24 @ Georgia
01/28 #24 Tennessee
02/03 @ Arkansas
02/07 S. Carolina

N. Carolina 15-2 ranked #4 by the new ESPN/ USA Today and AP polls. The Tar Heels were riding a 12-game win streak into Virginia Tech this past Saturday (01/13). The Heels lost to V-Tech 94-88. The Hokies shot 53% from the field to secure the win and knock Carolina from the #1 ranking. Carolina opened up ACC regular-season play at home with wins over Florida St. 84-58. Tyler Hansbrough scored 25 points and snatched 13 rebounds. UNC then hosted a much-improved Virginia squad and won 79-69. The Heels finished their Pre-ACC schedule with a 102-64 victory over the Penn Quakers. UNC continues to run a 9-10 man rotation with Hansbrough and the 3 super-freshman of Wayne Ellison, Ty Lawson, and Brandan Wright. Carolina's next 5 up-coming games.

01/17 @ #16 Clemson
01/20 Georgia Tech
01/24 @ Wake Forest
01/27 @ #12 Arizona
01/31 Miami

UCLA 15-1 ranked #2 by the new ESPN/ USA Today and #3 by the AP polls. The Bruins are 4-1 in PAC-10 play. UCLA beat Oregon St. 71-56 on 01/04. The Bruins suffered their first loss of the season on the road at #17 Oregon on 01/06 68-66. Aaron Brooks of Oregon scored a game-high 25 points for the Ducks. The Bruins won this past Saturday (01/13) on the road vs. USC 65-64 in a game that came down to the final seconds. Arron Afflalo and Josh Shipp make one of the best 1-2 punch in college basketball. UCLA's next 5 up-coming games.

01/18 Arizona St.
01/20 #12 Arizona
01/25 @ California
01/28 @ Stanford
02/01 #10 Oregon

Kansas 16-2 ranked #5 by the new ESPN/ USA Today and AP polls. The Jayhawks are on a 10-game winning streak. They were the only members of "The Phat 5" to play on Dr. Martin Luther Jr. Day (01/15). Kansas rallied from behind to beat a game Missouri Tigers club 80-77. KU won on the road at Iowa St. this past Saturday (01/13) 68-64. The Jayhawks routed then #10 ranked Oklahoma St. by 30 points on 01/10 87-57 in a much anticipated match-up of 2 Top 10 teams. Kansas beat South Carolina 70-54 on 01/07 in their last Pre-Big 12 game of the season. Kansas is led by 4 players who score in double-figures. Kansas' next 5 up-coming games.

01/20 @ Texas Tech ( Bob Knight the NCAA All-Time winningest coach).
01/24 @ Baylor
01/27 Colorado
01/29 @ Nebraska
02/03 #8 Texas A&M

Duke 14-3 ranked #14 by the new AP and #17 by the ESPN/ USA Today polls. The Blue Devils have dropped 9 spots in the polls the last 2 weeks. The young Duke squad opened the ACC regular season with 2 straight loses at home 01/06 to Virginia Tech 69-67, and to Georgia Tech on the road 01/10 74-63. Duke got its first ACC win this past Sunday 01/14 with a road victory over Miami 85-63. DeMarcus Nelson and Josh McRoberts must step-up their games for Duke to be factor during the rest of ACC and NCAA Tournament play. Duke's next 5 up-coming games.

01/18 Wake Forest
01/20 @ N. C. State
01/25 #16 Clemson
01/28 Boston College
02/01 @ Virginia

"The Phat 5" Stat of the Week:

Adolph Rupp was the coach of Kentucky basketball for 41 seasons from 1930-72. Jack "Goose" Givens scored 41 points for Kentucky against Duke in the 1978 NCAA Championship game giving UK the victory 94-88. 94-88 was the same score that N. Carolina lost to Virginia Tech this past Saturday (01/13). UNC also lost the # 1 ranking.

For more information or interview on "The Phat 5" of College Basketball and their 19-year consecutive Final Four streak contact Derrick E. Vaughan 443-851-5244.

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