James Harden: Ready For March

↵A quick update on the previous UConn-Pitt dispatch: DeJuan Blair and friends cinched up on Hasheem Thabeet in the second half, not allowing a single point. Sam Young (31 points) and Levance Fields (12 assists) kept up the monte and Pitt won by a distant 10. Pitt has knocked UConn from the No. 1 ranking twice this season.
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↵Tempe has the action now, where sophomore James Harden has given us an inkling of what he’ll offer this March. Harden, a near-consensus top five pick in the NBA draft, has 18 points on a variety of action -- deep jumpers, hard drives and foul shots. It seems like this particular draft class has more non-scorer prospects than usual, outside of Harden, Stephen Curry and Blake Griffin. Harden fit that description in preseason talk, coming up like a Brandon Roy. But his offense has been incredible, and incredibly efficient. Those 18 points came on just nine FGAs. And he’s a bit injured, riding a bike during bench spells. (He actually moved the bike from the tunnel at one point to get a better view of the court.)
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↵Arizona State has a decent little team (whipping Cal by 17 right now), and stars who get hot reign in March. Harden, for one, appears ready for the madness.↵