{"id":354348,"date":"2013-12-23T13:31:50","date_gmt":"2013-12-23T19:31:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.snkrsday.com\/?p=354348"},"modified":"2022-09-16T19:07:03","modified_gmt":"2022-09-17T00:07:03","slug":"college-kicks-on-court-the-first-semesters-top-10-teams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.snkrsday.com\/college-kicks-on-court-the-first-semesters-top-10-teams\/","title":{"rendered":"College Kicks On Court: The First Semester’s Top 10 Teams"},"content":{"rendered":"
School is out for Christmas Break, and College Kicks On Court<\/a>‘s first semester is in the books. The first half of the 2013-14 season in college basketball has created a multitude of storylines, one of them being the overall display of sneakers across the country. From coast to coast, the NCAA’s elite have consistently matched their shoes to their skills. Even keeping up with millionaires in the NBA<\/a> for best sneaker showings, the amateurs have held their own in the footwear department. Although rare models and makeups were spotted all over America, ten teams separated themselves from the pack over the first half of the season. Graded on variety<\/strong>, consistency<\/strong>, and the element of surprise<\/strong>, these 10 rosters all earned honors with their sneakers.<\/p>\n Click through each of the pages to see what teams made the Top 10 from the first semester of 2013-14 College Kicks On Court<\/strong>, and tell us who you think will be the valedictorian at the end of the season in the feedback box at the bottom of the page. Tune in the rest of the year for full reviews of college basketball’s best footwear, and keep refreshing Snkrs Day<\/strong> for everything sneakers.<\/p>\n Semester Grade:<\/strong> C<\/p>\n Shabazz Napier steps back in the Air Jordan 11 “Gamma Blue”\n UConn<\/strong> is off to a fast start with only one loss and a top-ten ranking at the end of the semester, due in large part to their blistering backcourt. Shabazz Napier<\/strong> and Ryan Boatright<\/strong> are veteran guards who are already well-known for their games and their sneakers, and this season they have carried the team in both categories. Both debuting Air Jordans<\/strong> and mixing in NIKEiDs<\/strong>, the dynamic duo will ultimately determine their Huskies’ performance. UConn has a solid supporting cast who wears LeBrons<\/strong> and CP3s<\/strong>, but they all tend to find one pair and stick with them. Ultimately, the Connecticut boys are a tale of two extremes, which ultimately even each other out to a C grade. Consistency across the board would earn them a better grade in the second half of the season, but their guards are at the top of the class.<\/p>\n Ryan Boatright goes up in the Air Jordan 5 “Laney”\n Shabazz Napier gets a steal in a black Nike KD VI iD\n Ryan Boatright shoots in the Air Jordan 12 “Taxi”\n Niels Giffey shoots in the Jordan CP3.VI AE\n Lasan Kormah drives in the Nike Air Max Uptempo 97\n <\/p>\n Semester Grade:<\/strong> C+<\/p>\n James Young flies in the Air Jordan XX8 “Blue Camo”\n The Kentucky Wildcats<\/strong> have been hyped up from the day they solidified their recruiting class, and they created high expectations in the sneaker department when they laced up a crazy amount of heat at Midnight Madness. Since then, they have been consistent with exclusive PEs<\/strong> and iDs<\/strong>, but have lacked variety. Maybe our expectations are high, but the Wildcats definitely have the potential for improvement to push them into the spotlight at the end of the year; in both sneakers and the standings.<\/p>\n Julius Randle goes baseline in the Nike LeBron 11 “Kentucky” PE\n Andrew Harrison surveys in the Air Jordan 10 “Steel”\n Aaron Harrison drives in a Nike KD VI iD\n Willie Cauley-Stein dribbles in a Nike KD IV iD\n <\/p>\n Semester Grade:<\/strong> C+<\/p>\n Duke players look on in Nike Basketball sneakers\n Once again, this team’s on-court leader is also their sneaker-setter. Freshman Jabari Parker<\/strong> has taken the nation by storm, setting Duke records in the process, and has also showed out in the footwear department. Leading the Blue Devils in past King James sneakers<\/strong>, Nike LeBron X and 11 iDs, and Air Jordans, Parker has matched his style with his play. Although Duke has had some of the best individual College Kicks On Court moments so far, they are too few and far between to earn a top grade. Past performers Tyler Thornton<\/strong> and Quinn Cook<\/strong> have played it too conservative, and the rest of the Blue Devils roster is predictable.<\/p>\n Jabari Parker operates in the Nike LeBron 8 V2 “All Star”\n Josh Hairston in the Nike LeBron 7 Cool Grey\/Royal\n Quinn Cook goes up in a Nike KD VI iD\n Alex Murphy flicks in a Nike LeBron 11 iD\n Jabari Parker attacks in the Air Jordan 10 “Old Royal”\n Jabari Parker, Rodney Hood, and Rasheed Sulaimon in Nike LeBron sneakers\n <\/p>\n Semester Grade:<\/strong> B-<\/p>\n Maurice Walker gathers in the Air Jordan 5 “Burgundy”\n The surprise of the College Kicks On Court semester has been in the Big 10. The Minnesota Golden Gophers<\/strong> have appeared seemingly out of nowhere in a variety of rare Air Jordans and vintage Nikes. Minnesota has almost always stuck with the maroon and yellow team shoes, but this season they have had some of the sneaker showings of the year. Maurice Walker<\/strong> alone has brought out “Burgundy” Air Jordan 5<\/strong>s and White\/Infrared Air Jordan 6s<\/strong>, with Andre Hollins<\/strong> and DeAndre Mathieu<\/strong> following suit. Unfortunately, it seems to be a three-man show, which hurts their overall grade, but a pleasant surprise to say the least.<\/p>\n Andre Hollins defends in the Nike Air More Uptempo\n DeAndre Mathieu drives in the Air Jordan 7 “Raptors”\n Maurice Walker goes for a loose ball in the Air Jordan 6 White\/Infrared\n DeAndre Mathieu elevates in the Air Jordan 14 “Last Shot”\n Andre Hollins goes up in the Air Jordan 12 “Flu Game”\n <\/p>\n Semester Grade:<\/strong> B<\/p>\n Rutgers players celebrate in Air Jordan sneakers\n The Rutgers Scarlet Knights<\/strong> have struggled out of the gates on the floor, but their sneaker showings have been strong. Utilizing their black and red hues that match Michael Jordan’s Bulls, Rutgers has laced a majority of the Air Jordan retros that are composed of Chicago colors<\/strong>. Although Jordans are king, variety would boost the Scarlet Knights’ grade next semester.<\/p>\n Kadeem Jack gains possession in the Air Jordan 3 White\/Cement\n Wally Judge and Myles Mack in the Air Jordan 4 “Toro Bravo” and Air Jordan 3 “Fire Red”\n Craig Brown drives in the Air Jordan 10 “Chicago”\n Kadeem Jack surveys in the Air Jordan 11 “Playoffs”\n <\/p>\n Semester Grade:<\/strong> B<\/p>\n Jordan Clarkson attacks in the Air Jordan 11 “Silver Anniversary”\n Missouri <\/strong>has been home to many notable sneaker showings the past couple of years, and this season has been no different. First-year member, and leading scorer, Jordan Clarkson<\/strong> set the tone early with multiple colorways of the Air Jordan 11, and Jabari Brown<\/strong> and Shane Rector<\/strong> have taken it from there. Finding sneakers that work with their gold accented unis, Missouri has been solid, but has lacked big bang moments that would push them into the top tier.<\/p>\n Shane Rector splits traffic in the Air Jordan 10 “Shadow”\n Wes Clark goes up in the Air Jordan 11 Low White\/Black-Varsity Red\n Jabari brown sets up in the Air Jordan 12 “Rising Sun”\n Tony Criswell in the Air Jordan 8 “Playoffs”\n Semester Grade:<\/strong> B+<\/p>\n Roschon Prince dribbles in the Nike Air Foamposite One “Electrolime”\n The Men of Troy capped off their first semester with a buzzer-beating victory over Dayton right before Christmas, but their sneaker game has never been in question. Guard heavy, USC<\/strong> has utilized their vivid red and yellow school colors to create heat. The Trojans have been consistent across the board, with multiple players wearing rare Air Jordans and past Nike Basketball silhouettes that went perfectly with their unis. Roschon Prince’s “Electrolime” Foamposites<\/strong> were bold, but we’d like to see more daring color combinations in the second half of the season.<\/p>\n Chass Bryan gains control in the Air Jordan 11 “Cool Grey”\n Byron Wesley finishes in the Nike Huarache 2k4\n Brendyn Taylor in the Air Jordan 3 “Flip”\n J.T. Terrell surveys in a Nike KD VI iD\n Roschon Prince goes up in the Air Jordan 9 “Motorboat Jones”\n <\/p>\n Semester Grade:<\/strong> B+<\/p>\n Jarred Guest goes up in the Air Jordan 3 Black\/Cement\n VCU<\/strong> is wreaking Havoc as usual, and they have been doing it in a wide array of sneakers. With variety that matches almost any other school in the country, the Rams have laced up everything from new NIKEiDs<\/strong> to Air Jordans<\/strong> on court. Sticking with mostly simplistic style codes to go with their white and black unis, VCU could add a little bit of surprise and color every once in a while, but their versatility is top notch.<\/p>\n JeQuan Lewis triggers in the Air Jordan 13 “He Got Game”\n Mo Alie-Cox powers up in the Air Jordan 9 White\/Black\n Rob Brandenburg get by in the Air Jordan 5 “Metallic”\n Juvonte Reddic posts in a Nike KD VI iD\n <\/p>\n Semester Grade:<\/strong> A-<\/p>\n Marquette huddles up in Jordan Brand sneakers\n Marquette<\/strong> has taken full advantage of their Jordan Brand<\/strong> sponsorship the first semester. Lacing up past Air Jordans and debuting the Air Jordan 11 “Gamma Blue”<\/strong> two months before they released to the public, the Golden Eagles have been spotted in some of the biggest surprises so far. Juan Anderson<\/strong> and Jamil Wilson<\/strong> seem to lace up different Js every game, and the rest of the roster pulls their weight. Marquette isn’t criticized for variety, since they are an official Jordan-sponsored school, but there is always room for improvement.<\/p>\n Jamil Wilson shoots in the Air Jordan 18 Black\/Royal\n Todd Mayo faces up in the Air Jordan 11 “Gamma Blue”\n Deonte Burton drives in the Air Jordan 9 “Johnny Kilroy”\n Juan Anderson fires in the Air Jordan 13 “Squadron Blue”\n Jake Thomas triggers in the Air Jordan 11 “Gamma Blue”\n <\/p>\n Semester Grade:<\/strong> A-<\/p>\n Cameron Wright finishes in the Air Jordan 13 “French Blue”\n Coming off a strong season last year, Pittsburgh<\/strong> has maintained their momentum into 2013-2014. Consistently lacing Air Jordans<\/strong> and Nike Basketball<\/strong> models, the Oakland Zoo’s crew has a whole roster of sneaker enthusiasts. Even contrasting their navy and gold unis on occasion, Pitt has had some of the most consistency in the country this semester. The Panthers only roadblock from earning the top spot in the class: They sit across from San Diego State<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Chris Jones fights for the ball in the Nike Air Flight One Black\/White\n Durand Johnson fires in the Nike Air Zoom Flight The Glove White\/Black\n Josh Newkirk shoots in the Air Jordan 11 “Concord”\n Lamar Patterson runs the floor in the Nike LeBron 9 “China”\n Lamar Patterson and Michael Young in the Nike Air Zoom Flight The Glove Black\/White and Air Jordan 2 “University Blue”\n <\/p>\n Semester Grade:<\/strong> A<\/p>\n San Diego State in Nike and Air Jordan sneakers\n Elite establishments don’t rebuild, they reload. After dominating the College Kicks On Court competition last season, San Diego State<\/strong> is once again running away from the pack and setting the bar when it comes to college basketball’s top sneaker set. Even though they lost multiple shoe standouts, including leader Jamaal Franklin<\/strong>, SDSU has simply reloaded and is showing as much fire as ever. What makes the Aztecs so untouchable is a combination of variety and consistency across the board. Almost every member of the team wears different shoes every week, and their repertoire every game always covers the entire spectrum. From NikeiDs, to player signatures, to off-colored style codes, to rare Air Jordans<\/em>, SDSU heats up the left coast more than any other arena in the country. San Diego State<\/strong> once again earns the top spot in college basketball’s sneaker class, and has already set a high standard for themselves to maintain in the second semester.<\/p>\n Skylar Spencer contests a shot in the Nike Air Zoom Flight 95 J Kidd “New Jersey Nets”\n Aqeel Quinn breaks away in the Air Jordan XX8 “Red Camo”\n Winston Shepard drives in the Nike KD VI “Meteorology”\n Dwayne Polee II triggers in the Nike Air Foamposite “Metallic Red”\n Dakarai Allen surveys in the Nike Kobe 8 “Venice Beach”\n Xavier Thames pushes the ball in the Air Jordan 7 “Bordeaux”\n Source: Zimbio<\/a>, AP, Yahoo<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" School is out for Christmas Break, and College Kicks On Court‘s first semester is in the books. The first half…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4655,"featured_media":355339,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1213507,1207912,618,835,1],"tags":[1216209,1216446,1212366,1225551],"cultivate_rss":[],"class_list":{"2":"type-post"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nUConn Huskies<\/h2>\n
Kentucky Wildcats<\/h2>\n
Duke Blue Devils<\/h2>\n
Minnesota Golden Gophers<\/h2>\n
Rutgers Scarlet Knights<\/h2>\n
Missouri Tigers<\/h2>\n
USC Trojans<\/h2>\n
VCU Rams<\/h2>\n
Marquette Golden Eagles<\/h2>\n
Pittsburgh Panthers<\/h2>\n
San Diego State Aztecs<\/h2>\n