Some Article Highlights:
Semifinal schedule for the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. CancerNov. 17: Texas A&M vs. Mississippi State (7 ET, ESPN2); St. John's vs. Arizona (9 ET, ESPN2)
Nov. 18: Third-place game (4:30 ET, ESPN2); Championship game (6:30 ET, ESPN2)
Initial thoughts: St. John's coach Steve Lavin will coach his first games since going public with his prostate cancer diagnosis, so expect an outpouring of support at the Madison Square Garden event benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer. Arizona might have lost Pac-10 player of the year Derrick Williams to the NBA draft and point guard Lamont Jones to a transfer, but St. John's was gutted even more, losing 10 seniors plus talented forward Dwayne Polee II to a transfer off their NCAA tournament team. We'll get a chance to possibly see a whopping 13 freshmen from ESPNU's top 100 begin their careers. The Arizona-St. John's game features 10 of them, with ESPNU ranking the Red Storm's recruiting class third in the nation and the Wildcats' seventh.
Matchup I can't wait to see: Arizona-St. John's at the Garden is quite a showcase for the newcomers looking to make a name for themselves in the early going, and they'll have plenty of opportunities to shine. Zona point guard Josiah Turner should step right in after the transfer of Jones, who helped the Wildcats get to the Elite Eight. For St. John's, it'll be interesting to see how the freshmen and junior college transfer God's Gift Achiuwa fare in their first major test. But don't forget about Arizona's returning players, including Kyle Fogg and Solomon Hill, who are out to prove they're more than capable without Williams around to lead them.
Key players to watch:Sir'Dominic Pointer, St. John's -- Steve Lavin landed the No. 6-ranked small forward by ESPNU, and the 6-foot-6 swingman with the catchy name should get to show off his athleticism while earning immediate playing time with his ability to defend.
Predicted winner: Texas A&M gets past Mississippi State based on its frontline of Middleton and Loubeau and then shows it's the more experienced team against either St. John's or Arizona. The Aggies might have to adjust to Kennedy's style after the departure of Mark Turgeon, but they'll get the advantage of being able to work out the kinks in Europe before the start of the season.
Eamonn Brennan: Texas A&M
Diamond Leung: Texas A&M
Dana O'Neil: St. John's
http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/33623/bracket-reveal-2k-sports-classic