Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Butler is playing some fine ball this tourney. Nice win. Heck, Murray State has given them their closest game in this tourney, so far :D.

UK game is getting dicey for the faithful Blue...the outside shot is not falling in the 1st half, and WVU started waking up and hitting the outside jumpers about halfway through the half. We need to start seeing some "Ashley in the crowd" shots from CBS...she is good luck for UK!!! :dr:D.

UT girls go down to Baylor earlier today. 10 blocked shots for the 6' 8" prizefighter.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

See what happens when they don't give us "Ashley shots"?!?!?!?

Sheesh! The Cats stunk, for the most part. Calipari didn't have them ready, couldn't buy a free throw, wouldn't/couldn't help out on defense, refused to abandon the ice-cold 3 point line, etc. No real full-court pressure till the last couple of minutes, for some reason. REAL bad time to go cold. WVU just plain out-played them, and deserved the win. I hope they stomp dook.


And I hope Butler wins it all, now. -(P

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Oh, and as much as I've enjoyed Enberg over the years, it's time he stepped down from announcing. Not real good tonight.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

As much I as understand the frustration with announcers that make mistakes and have obviously lost their edge, which Enberg would classify as, I still love him.

This has nothing to do with the point made above that Enberg has lost a step, I agree. For me I still love him. I think too much is often made of announcers that are past their prime. I will take Dick Enberg over his idiot partner Bilas and most of these other weak asses that are rolled out on a telecast.

Having Enberg doing the game and hearing his voice is just.....I don't know how to word it other than it is comfortable. It frustrates me like everyone else when they f up, but I guess I just don't mind when it comes down to it.

The best analogy I can use is Pat Summeral. As must as he struggled calling a game, hearing him on Sunday just felt right.

Rambling now, so I will stop. Again, not trying to stir any pot, just wanted to plant my flag in the land of loving the old school pros of broadcasting. The ones that made people take notice of the broadcaster in the first place.

For me the Enbergs, Summeralls, Michaels, K Jackson's, Gowdy's, Scully's, Caray's and Niehaus's(local flavor I know, but he is the chit) of the world will always have a mic open for them.

That is all. Looking forward to the games tomorrow, great games today. This has been one of the better tournaments in recent years no doubt.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

OH MY!!!!!!!!

There really are basketball gods, :r:r:r:r

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Yup, the same gods that gave UK 7 basketball championships. We went from one of the worst teams in basketball to one of the best in count em...1 yr! All I can say is since you are such a hater, you better start praying to the god, cause championships 8,9,10,11 are not far away :banger

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Gonna be an interesting Final Four this year...props to all the teams in so far!

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Cannot believe I'm actually going to root for UT today :ss:rolleyes::D.

I was really expecting more out of Calipari last night, and I was noticing some "loser" body language from the Cats, in the last part of the 2nd half, especially Cuz. I had kind of hope Patterson would be able to step up and give some more floor leadership in the second half also. I think he did okay, but okay is not enough at this point of the season; each game demands the best. I think I could have scored on those guys last night, and I can't walk and dribble at the same time :D.

It's going to be interesting to see what Patterson and the freshmen do now. For sure, Cuz could use another year to mature, and it wouldn't hurt Wall either. But I would not blame them for going on to the pros. I also think Patterson could benefit as a senior team leader, but not sure if he can do that with this team. I got the feeling Calipari has been looking to Wall for that leadership, instead of Patterson, this season. Playing for Billy G was no help to Patterson either, IMO.

UT/MSU now tipping off...enjoy!!!

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

:tpd:

Glad it isn't all four #1's again, I like having some lower seeds in there. Was really pulling for Baylor, but it wasn't meant to be.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

:D :D :D :D :D

Go Duke

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

I spent a half-hour logging in my post re the games, but when I hit the button I was told I was not logged on - though I was.

So I logged on again, spent another half-hour writing it all again, hit the button, and was told I was not logged on - again.

Fark it all, my fingers are starting to bleed. I'll try again tomorrow.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

OK, I'm gonna try this again today, but I'll do these one atta time, in an attempt to avoid the crap I had to deal with yestiddy.

Butler 63 - Kansas State 56 = Lesson #1: Practice, and execute. There are two main ways in which a team can earn a bid into the NCAA Tournament. One, they can have athletes with talent and ability who are able to win games on that basis. Two, they can have a collection of players who are willing to work and learn precise team basketball, and thus can win games by outplaying their opponent, even though that opponent may be bigger, faster, and stronger. You may think that K-State should have learned a lesson about this type of play during their squeeker battle with Xavier just two days prior to this matchup, but apparently one class was insufficient to the task at hand. Thus, the Bulldogs handed them a clinic on how to execute crisp team basketball, and sent these Wildcats back to that other Manhattan. They had a great season, and I give them credit for that. And perennial Horizon contender Butler at last gets to don that slipper, both for them and for their league. Congratulations to the Bulldogs.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

West Virginia 73 - Kentucky 66 = Lesson #2: Play with focus and intensity, from tip to horn. In their second game this season, Kentucky was tied with the powerful and heralded RedHawks of Miami Ohio (14-18 this year) with only six seconds left. They might have lost this one had not superfreshman John Wall driven the full length of the court to hit the game-winner at the buzzer. And HAD they lost that game, they may have learned a lesson they seemed to avoid learning all season long. Too often these highly-talented Wildcats farked around and farked around and farked around, either allowing their opponent to stay in the game or get back into it, depending upon their superior skills to be able to pull it out whenever they really needed to. They managed to do so too, most every time on the court. But the Mountaineers were having none of that, thank you very much. They grabbed ahold of the game early and held onto it late, so by the time the 'Cats finally awoke and tried to jerk their bacon out of the fire it was too little, too late. Their fatback was burned, and WVA ate their lunch. Well done, Mountaineers, and congratulations. As for UK, their team and fans can take consolation in two things: First, they had a very good season, despite this disappointment. Second, their new coach John Calipari set an NCAA record that is likely to stand for a loooooooong time to come. With the denial by the NCAA of Memphis U's appeal of the vacation of their 2007-08 season, coupled with this loss to WVA, Calipari has become the first coach in history to lose two trips to the Final Four, with two different schools, all in the same week.

Forgive my Schadenfreude, but :r :r :r!!!

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Michigan State 70 - Tennessee 69 = Lesson #3: Fundamentals are, by definition, fundamental. I was torn when it came to making a pick on this game, as I felt they were so evenly matched. Yet, although I like both Izzo and the Spartans better than I do Pearl and the Volunteers, I felt UT had just the slightest edge in this, so gave them the reluctant nod. This was the only one of the four games I did not successfully predict, but I WOULD have gone four-for-four had THOSE STINKIN' VOLS HIT A FEW OF THEIR STINKIN' FREETHROWS AT THE END!! (Also, if the refs had called that 3-seconds on the Spartans with about 40 ticks left, when that kid drove the lane, got trapped by 3 Vols, and parked there for a week or so . . . but that's another issue, so forget it.) And don't doubt it - that is where the game was won and lost. Both teams went to the line 21 times each. MSU hit 16 from the stripe. UT hit 14 of theirs. There is the flip-flop of the final margin right there. Congratulations to the Spartans for making it back to the Final Four after such a long absence. ;) And kudos to UT too, for fighting through a difficult season to make it as far as they did.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Duke 78 - Baylor 71 = Lesson #4: Rest on offense, work on defense. One of the nags I've been flogging all year is my lack of faith in a zone defense to win you a championship. A zone is fine to throw out a few times a game, to give your opponent a different look, but you cannot depend upon it exclusively. It can win you your share of games, it can give you a successful season, but there are too many ways in which a well-coached team can exploit its weaknesses. This matchup highlighted one of those most dramatically . . . the zone is susceptible to yielding up too many offensive rebounds. When you are defending an area instead of a player, it is much harder to box a guy out. This game was tighter than new shoes until late, when Dook got four second-chance buckets in a hurry . . . three 3s, plus that stick-back slam by Thomas. Shoot, the Blue Devils had 17 offensive boards IN THE SECOND HALF ALONE!, and none were more devastating than those four there. That is not to take anything away from what Scott Drew did with this team, pulling them out of the Dave Bliss abyss and into a position nobody would have predicted when the season started. And I suppose he had little choice but to dance with the girl what brung him. Yet in the end, it was Duke who took her home. Congratulations to them, and good luck to those "spectacularly un-athletic" players (as one analyst called Dook) against WVA - I gotta feeling you might need it. :D

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

There's more hoops news for you.

Tim Floyd, former coach of Southern Cal, has been hired to take over at UTEP. He has left his job as an analyst, and hopefully he burned no bridges there. If the NCAA finds he was guilty of any wrong-doing in the whole O.J. Mayo thing at USC, he may need a back-up plan.

And speaking of the Pac-10, former UCLA coach Steve Lavin has been hired to take over at St. John's. Perhaps he can duplicate one of the most remarkable bi-coastal coaching accomplishments of all times - that of Lefty Driesell. When he left Davidson and took over at the Univ. of Maryland in 1970, the old Lefthander said that he would make Maryland "the UCLA of the East." And by God, he did it too! How he managed to drag UCLA down to his level from a continent away, I will never know!

And speaking of St. John's, Al Skinner, who interviewed for the position there last week, was fired by Boston College today. Well, according to the AD there, is was by "mutual agreement", but if it smells like smoke, it's a fire. So how's that for a week . . . going from two jobs to none. And I thought my life sucks.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Did anybody but me know, and does anybody but me care, that there is basketball on for tonight. Yes, Pacific takes on Missouri State in the CIT (the "S" in front is, I suppose, silent). But also, there are semifinals in that tournament that, at one time, actually DID mean something. In Madison Square Garden tonight the NIT continues, with:

Mississippi vs. Dayton = All you SEC fans should tune into this one, as this is the last of your conference's teams still playing this year. But hey, don't feel too bad about that . . . not only is the Big East and the Big Ten down to a solo also, but the Big 12 and Pac-10 and Mountain West and CUSA and a buncha others are totally done. As for Dayton and the A-10, they not only have Saint Louis still alive in the WTF . . . I mean, CBI, but they also have:

Rhode Island vs. UNC = That makes three still alive for those East Coast boys, plus a second for those other Atlantic Coast boys also. Hey, you might not think much of it, but it's better than what most of you guys got left, right?

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

The NCAA has ordered IUPUI to vacate wins due to grave violations - in 14 sports!

Shoot, I didn't even realize they PLAYED 14 different sports there. :r

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Ouch!!! :D

Good recaps. ESPN could use you.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Thread Jack!!!!

NIT Thread 09-10!!!

GO TARHEELS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, done.

Love,
Jay

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Hey, as Roy Williams said himself, it's best to be playing the last Monday of the year, but playing the last Thursday is better than not playing at all - like 300+ other teams. :D

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

:r:r

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

After he said that, he said, "good arm tackle, Dion Sanders style". :r

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

I wouldn't laugh too hard yet, Bryan, and I can give you 3 good reasons:

Imprimis, your guys ain't won nuttin' yet, and it's not wise to tempt the hoop gods. Of course, you may already be happy, seeing as how:

Secundus, Dook finally made it to another Final Four for the first time since '04 instead of crapping out early, embarrassing not only themselves (which is fine, if that's what they want) but the ACC too (which is not). Meanwhile, my boys were winning 2 more trophies. Also, you'd better make the best of this opportunity, because:

Tertius, next season the Blue Devils will be in much the same boat at this year's Tar Heels, what with most of their team leaving Durham for good . . . the only difference being, they won't be going to the NBA. :ss

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

So what are we talking about above, and what's this all about? Well, in MSG last night:

Dayton 68 - Mississippi 63 = The Flyers end the season for the SEC, sending Ole Miss back to the Delta. Dayton has not won an NIT championship since 1968, but it's not for lack of trying. They have certainly found themselves in this "other" tournament often enough. Tomorrow night their seven seniors will get a chance to win their third, when they go up against the underachieving underclassmen of:

UNC 68 - Rhode Island 67 (OT) = Laugh if you will, but at least these kids are finally trying their damndest to win. They scored the last 5 points in regulation to send it into OT, grabbed 27 offensive rebounds, forced 18 turnovers, and beat the team with the highest RPI (#40) of any who did not get at at-large to the NCAAs. Plus, this gives them 20 wins for the season, which is a mark I thought unreachable a month ago. Hey, if you're given lemons, you know what to do.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Kevin Willard takes over at Seton Hall for the fired Bobby Gonzalez. According to the "release", he has spent the last three seasons reviving the program at Iona . . . though you coulda fooled me.

Hey, regardless how he does with wins and losses, he's bound to be an improvement over Gonzo's insane demeanor on the sidelines. Plus, he might actually spend a little time with his players to boot, instead of just dropping in for practice and games like that jerk Bobby was wont.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Oklahoma has announced it is conducting an internal investigation regarding reports that one of its players, Tiny Gallon (Tiny Gallon? Is that what they call a litre in Norman?) received money from a Florida financial adviser. The program is still under probation from violations in football and under former basketball coach Kelvin (as opposed to Celsius, I guess) Sampson. The university has declined requests to interview present coach Jeff Capel . . . whom one would think had learned a better way under Coach K. What will this mean? I guess we'll know, Sooner or later.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Tonight will be the championship game of the famed (and formerly relevant) NIT Tournament, pitting the Dayton Flyers against the UNC Tar Heels. Dayton is appearing in its 22nd NIT, second only to St. John's 27, yet has not won one since 1968. The Heels have been to many many fewer, for the obvious reason that they are normally otherwise occupied, yet has had more recent success, as they won it back in 1971. I did not have to google this, since I have the T-shirt somewhere in my dresser. :D As has been the case throughout the tournament, the Heels are favored . . . to lose. The senior-laden Flyers should not be daunted by the "CAROLINA" emblazoned across their opponent's chests, yet this just might be the determining factor . . . I've seen it happen before.

I'll let you know for sure tomorrow.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Houston has hired a new head coach to replace Tom Penders . . . James Dickey.


Why do I hear those "Deliverance" banjos in the background? :r

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Horrible fire and hire. Houston gets what it deserves.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

I don't know enough about Dickey (well, the coach, and not the poet) to know how good or bad he is. I do know a bit about Penders, and one of these is that he was not canned, but rather resigned. He said he has no plans to retire, but that it was time to move on to a different challenge after getting Houston back into the NCAA Tournament once more.

Hey, who am I to question the man's motives, or judgement?

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Now for the thing you've been waiting for, at least in part for some of you:

Dayton 79 - UNC 68 = Congratualtions to the Dayton Flyers for winning what might just be the last NIT Championship game ever played, ending a storied tradition that goes back to 1938. (In case you've missed it, the NCAA is contemplating an expansion of The Dance to 96 teams, which may finally pull the plug on the patient they've been trying to slaughter for the last 30 years - but that's another issue). As a Tar Heel, I say this with all sincerity, for a number of reasons. Not only did they play better in this game, thus deserve the victory, but they have spent a good part of the previous 40+ years since 1968 trying to win another NIT. As Dayton has little chance of ever winning the NCAA Tourney, this is in effect their "national championship", so it means a lot more to them than it ever could to UNC. Let's face it: Had the Heels won, their fans would have said "Eh, OK, good for them" while their detractors would have countered with "Big freakin' deal!" But now the Flyers can fully enjoy it, untainted with any negative vibes at all, and made all the sweeter in that they can crow to their children and grandchildren that they beat mighty Carolina for the crown.

As a good Tar Heel, I will never deny anyone else the right to their well-earned slice of glory and joy. :tu, Dayton.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

There is apparently some sort of stink brewing in Lawrence regarding possible misuse of doner money and the illegal sale of tickets for personal gain. I read the full story as reported on Yahoo, but to be honest with you I could not make head-nor-tails of it. On the one hand someone has been dismissed or suspended, and Kansas is launching an investigation, but on the other they have sent out a massive e-mail to their doners that nothing is wrong, and that their contributions have not been misused. On the THIRD hand, the assure these doners that none of their money will be used to fund the investigation - of nothing. Or something? Who the hell knows? Obviously, neither I nor the Jayhawks do, at this point anyway.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Don't let the official release fool ya. He was fired. They paid him the rest of his contract to leave.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Could be. If so, they sure picked a poor time to do that.

The Indianapolis Star has apologized to Duke University for publishing a doctored photo of Mike Shuschef . . . uh, Kerzooks . . uh, Krzyzewski wearing devil's horns and with a target across his face. Coach K called it "juvenile", and was concerned that his seven grandkids would see it and lament "That's not Poppy!"

The Indy Star should know better. And Mikey should learn how to take a joke. :r

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Can I take in some beers and wings.?

http://wcco.com/sports/ncaa.final.four.2.1607668.html

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Not that I condone it, but as a Colts and a Tarheel fan, there is a piece of me that was warm and fuzzy when I saw it.

To clarify though, as much as it pains me, I have nothing but the highest respect for Coach K and Duke University. (Fook, that hurt to type.)

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

What struck me is that the Cameron Crazies are renowned - and LAUDED! - for pulling the same kind of stunts repeatedly, ad nauseum. Now Coach K gets bent outta shape when he reaps a bit of what he sows? Gimme a break. It was dumb of the paper to do it, but it was just as dumb to make an issue of it. Get over yourself, Coach.

Well, I guess spending $25 to see it 3D in New York is better than $2500 to see it 3D in Indy. :D

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

So, after . . . what, 5 or 6 thousand games? . . . it's down to only 3 more left:

Butler vs. Michigan State = When you have a pair of 5-seeds going up against each other, who the hell you gonna pick? Both teams are good, in their own way, yet neither is a dominating force. The Spartans have played well with Lucious taking over the point for the injured Lucas, but are not as good with him starting there, and are turned over more easily. As for the Bulldogs, they are capable of doing just that very thing, they have some nice offensive options themselves (hey, when you have a big who can shoot like Hayward, it's hard to stop them scoring), and play a team game which does not depend upon one or two superior athletes to carry the group to victory. Plus, they have the same home-court "advantage" the Spartans held last year, without the added pressure they had to face: Nobody is expecting Butler to rescue Indiana from its economic woes in the way some put that burden re Michigan's problems back then. Yes, that was silly, but you cannot say for certain it was not in the back of some Spartans' minds. On the other hand, this is entirely virgin territory for the Bulldogs, and they have doubtless faced more hype and attention in the last few days than they have ever ever seen. This goes for their coaches as well as the players. The oddsmakers have MSU the slightest of favorites, and for this final point alone I will agree. When the buzzer sounds, Izzo and the Spartans will get another shot on Monday night.

West Virginia vs. Duke = This one is much more of the matchup one might expect, as it pits a 1 against a 2-seed. The contrast between these two teams could hardly be more glaring. Da'Sean Butler wears No. 1 on his jersey, and fittingly so: He is far and away the best athlete on either team. In fact, the entire Mountaineer team can be said to be the same, as Duke has been characterized (not by me, but I see the point) as "spectacularly unathletic". On the other hand, and likely because of this, the Blue Devils do play better together as a team, since they have to to succeed. And though their scorers are not as flashy and touted as were Carolina's last year, they do have as many different options, which means if you are able to stop one of them two others can hurt you instead. Furthermore, consider this: If you could pick your coach to win a big game, which one would you choose, Huggins or K? Even the most fervent WVA fanatic must admit that's a no-brainer. Yet the X-factor in all this is the unfortunate loss of Bryant to injury a week back. So far Mazzulla has done well enough to advance the Mountaineers. But anyone who watched the last few minutes of their victory over Kentucky knows that WVA is having trouble against intense defensive pressure. That, my friends, is Duke's game and, unlike the Wildcats, they won't wait until the game is over before they try to turn up the heat. According to the odds, the Mountaineers are the smart bet. This I believe is because the oddsmakers look at NBA-caliber talent, which would make them correct. Me, I look at college-level team ability. Horns and all, Duke, by a bucket or so.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Tommy Amaker has withdrawn his name from consideration as the new head coach of Boston College, stating that his heart is at Harvard.

Let's see now . . . a handful of years assisting Coach K at Dook, a handful as head at Seton Hall, another handful at Michigan, and now a handful at Hah'vaad . . . nope, he's wrong. It's time to move again, but Chestnut Hill's just a little too close to Cambridge for him. :r

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

He didn't make an issue of it. The paper called Duke before anyone said anything about it. Then in the press conference was asked about it. He never brought it up first. Besides he had a little fun with it. He was joking that he hoped it would have been a better drawing than it was because it looked like somebody just doodling.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketb...-newspaperflap

I guess the part that says Coach K "was not amused" confused me into thinking that Coach K was not amused. Silly me.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Lets go Spartans!!!

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

They most certainly will, brother. Whether on, or home, remains to be seen. :D

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

That was what the reporter said, not K. When it quotes him, he is joking about it.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

OK, sure, whatever. You obviously know best, whereas I just report idiot opinions, including my own.


Nearly 30,000 fans showed up for Butler's shootaround in the Lucas yesterday, which is about 4 times their average attendance. Their coach, Brad Stevens, says it was probably good that his kids had a chance to "play" in front of such a huge crowd before their game tips off, to get them used to it. However, I think it might be a bit different when a huge chunk of the audience are NOT cheering you on.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

It is just over an hour before Butler and the baby-faced Stevens tipoff against the Spartans and the - relatively, anyway - grizzled Izzo. After that, we'll have our Duke/WVA nightcap, then we'll know who will face off Monday night for all the marbles. But now it's time for me to go, so no matter which way you wish to root - enjoy.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

RIF.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Congrats to Butler! Downed 2 MSU's in one tourney.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Well....Lets go Butler, beat the Dookies. Who would have thought Butler and Duke in the Championship. Its been a very good tourney!