Observations from the sidelines.(Scouts' views)

Mississippi State's Lawrence Roberts dominates the boards and dunks everything. He's just got a killer instinct. He's got some skill and can shoot the 3. The next best power forward might be Vanderbilt's Matt Freije. Roberts and Oklahoma State's John Lunas both could be player of the year in their leagues, and both transferred from Baylor. Roberts is so good at throwing it out to teammates that it's tough to collapse on him. He might be the best player in the country. Roberts can score any time he wants to score. You can't stop him .... Julius H0dge is having another outstanding season for N.C. State. He might be the fiercest competitor in the country. He's not the strongest kid, but he consistently shows little regard for his body on tough drives and gets important offensive rebounds. The NBA guys might not be convinced he can make outside shots in their league, but the kid is a winner. How about this? The Pack was making NIT appearances before he got there. Now, they'll play in their third straight NCAA Tournament.... Some

say Duke guard Chris Duhon is the ACC Player of the Year. I think J.J. Redick makes Duke go. He's the best shooter in the country, and his touch is so accurate that he's the guy ...