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Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
No, I'm not late in getting back to this because my Heels dropped their second game in a row Sunday. Rather, these crazy women I work with keep ordering this crap that will never sell . . . German Spatlese Eiswein, semi-sweet reds from that Georgia without the peaches, Armenian brandy in crystal shoes, fer Krissakes! . . . then leave it for me to price and find some freakin' place to put it, usually by moving the crap that will never sell that they bought LAST week! So this one's gonna be quick and dirty, so feel free to add you own insights.
On Saturday 11/20, on my list there was: Arizona State 69 - UAB 66 = Good showing by both teams. Campbell 61 - Auburn 54 = They fired my boy Jeff Lebo at the end of last season, after they went 15-17 following their 24-12 campaign the previous year, and gave the task to Tony Barbee. This loss to Campbell was preceeded by ones to N.C. Asheville, and Samford . . . I said SAMford, not Stanford. Chattanooga 69 - Marshall 68 = Another good game. Dayton 78 - Ole Miss 71 (OT) = I figured this one could be close. San Jose State 75 - Oregon 72 = I didn't figure this one would. Georgia 61 - St. Louis 59 = Early this year, there's a trend for "also-rans" to challenge the big conferences. UC Riverside 73 - SMU 69 (OT) = See what I mean? On Sunday 11/21: TCU 74 - Bradley 68 = I think I picked this one as one to watch also. Coastal Carolina 79 - Charlotte 75 = I think nobody picked this one. Auburn 68 - Middle Tenn. State 66 = Well, good for the Tigers, who get their first win of the season . . . barely. Florida 61 - Morehead State 55 = It's a win, I guess, but jeez. Iowa State 91 - Creighton 88 = And I believe I gave this one a nod too. ODU 61 - Clemson 60 = Here too, and another tight fight. Texas Southern 66 - Oregon State 60 = OK, maybe I'm not one to talk, but are you kiddin' me? Syracuse 63 - William & Mary 60 = And you thought the Gators' win was iffy. Ill. Chicago 74 - Rhode Island 66 = The result, and the margin, both surprise me. Minnesota 74 - West Virginia 70 = A nice hard-fought championship game down in Puerto Rico. Vanderbilt 72 - UNC 65 = What can you say? The Heels are getting shots, and missing them, just like they did too much of last year. Hey, you play like crap, that's what you are. Congratulations to the Comms for beating a ranked (for now) team for the first time in about 2 years. Wofford 82 - George Mason 79 (OT) = See? You don't have to go all that far, or spend all that much, to catch a good game. So far today, U. Conn has edged Wichita State 83-79, and two more "also-rans" showed up to play, what with St. Peter's taking Alabama 50-49 and Long Beach St. over Iowa 78-72. In action to follow: # 1 Duke vs. Marquette = OK, it's not a total cupcake game, so maybe we'll see if Dook can actually play a little. # 4 Kansas State vs. # 22 Gonzaga = And here too, maybe the Wildcats will get a test. # 8 Kentucky vs. Oklahoma = I don't expect a whole lot from the Sooners, but I'm not sure it will take nearly as much to push these Wildcats this year. Maybe this game will give some evidence, one way or the other. # 12 Baylor vs. Lipscomb = On the one hand, Lipscomb gave UNC a pretty good game. On the other, maybe that ain't sayin' all that much. I'll know better tomorrow . . . at least about Lipscomb. # 13 Washington vs. Virginia = Ehhh, could be interesting, and may give us some idea what these 2 teams really are. # 18 San Diego State vs. Miami OH = Go Aztecs! Fried quetzalcoatl for the whole team! Seton Hall vs. Clemson = I don't expect either team to make any serious noise this year, but I do expect they will both show up to play. Princeton vs. James Madison = Same here. Xavier vs. ODU = Halfway the same way here, in that the X-men may toot a bit, and ODU's been known to tweet some also. That's about all I have time for. Sorry for the hit-and-miss coverage. Fill in all the gaps you wish. Until later then. Enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
There were a fair number of interesting scores last night, and even more potential for good action this evening, so lemme get to it. Last night:
# 1 Duke 82 - Marquette 77 = In their first real test of the season, the Blue Devils were indeed tested by the Golden Eagles. Maybe Marquette is better this year than they have been in recent campaigns, maybe Dook is still trying to find its game, or maybe they ain't quite as good as they want to think they are. We may find out more later today. #2 Michigan State 82 - Chaminade 74 = OK, it's not the 1982 upset over Ralph Sampson's # 1 Virginia team, but it is still a damn good showing . . . again . . . by the Silverswords. As for the Spartans, not so much. # 17 Baylor 72 - Lipscomb 60 = And OK, so maybe the similiar-sized win by UNC over Lipscomb was not a fluke. No, I don't mean that the Heels are that bad, and thus by extension so are the Bears (though that could be the case), but that Lipscomb might just have a pretty decent team. Hampton 51 - Boston U. 50 = Agreed that these are not marquee teams, and nobody much cares, but it sure was a tight one. Clemson 64 - Seton Hall 58 (OT) = Though not as tight as this one, with two teams that are, if not "above the fold", at least are on the front page. Dayton 61 - Savannah State 59 = Who the hell is Savannah State? And why did the Flyers have such problems with them? U. Conn 83 - Wichita State 79 = It remains to be seen if either of these two teams are "back", but they sure gave us an entertaining matchup. James Madison 65 - Princeton 64 = Pretty much the same story here, albeit on a slightly lower plane. Mississippi State 82 - Detroit 76 = I seem to recall that Miss. St. had a damn decent team last year. Does anybody know why they had so much trouble with Detroit? Niagara 65 - Mount St. Mary's 63 = Anyone with even a reasonably lengthy working knowledge of NCAA hoops history has a soft spot for Mount St. Mary's, thanks entirely to Jim Phelan's legacy. So it's nice to see them compete well, even if they lose. Winthrop 83 - Wake Forest 74 = As has been stated already, everyone expected the Deacs to be down this year. However, I'm not sure they were expected to be dead. Winthrop? Please. This evening there are a slew of good games, some of which are already in progress. For instance, Belmont leads the aforementioned Winthrop by 15 at the break, and Virginia's over Oklahoma by the same amount. To follow, we'll have: # 1 Duke vs. # 4 Kansas State = This has to be the "top" matchup, not only of the night but of the season to date . . . at least, if the ranking have any basis in reality. This game may give us some indication if one or the other of these teams are for real. Or, it may not. But it should be fun regardless. # 2 Michigan State vs. U. Conn = And one could easily, at least in past years, see this as the last game of the year, for all the marbles. Give the Spartans the decided edge in it, but don't be shocked if it gets a bit hairy at times. # 3 Ohio State vs. Morehead State = Here too we have two teams, and they will play a game of basketball. :rolleyes: # 5 Pittsburgh vs. Robert Morris = Yep, here too. # 6 Kansas vs. TAMU Corpus Christi = Body of the Islanders, offered up to Jayhawks. # 8 Kentucky vs. # 13 Washington = Now this one is more like it. We don't really know which, if either, of these teams are for real, but at least we know they both have some talent. # 10 Purdue vs. Austin Peay = And one of these two has some talent also. # 11 Missouri vs. Wyoming = I know nothing, NOTHING, of the Cowboys. I don't need to know all that much to go with the Tigers here. # 14 Memphis vs. Tenn - Martin = And I'll stick with the Tigers here. # 16 Florida vs. Fla. Atlantic = Yeah, right. # 19 Illinois vs. Yale = Seems the Illini won't be atop the Big Ten this year, but I think they could compete in the Ivy. # 20 Texas vs. Sam Houston State = This should be the Alamo for the Bearkats . . . who, apparently, cannot even spell C-A-T. # 22 Gonzaga vs. Marquette = Here's a danged interesting one. We have no idea if the Zags are as good as they have been in the past, and have some indication that Marquette may be better. This could tell us something. # 23 BYU vs. Mississippi Valley St. = The Delta Devils visit Provo . . . if they are allowed in. ;) If not, the forfeit would be the same result as the game. # 25 UNC vs. N.C. Asheville = The Heels need to right their ship, or put themselves in danger of sliding down the same slope which hurt them last year. Asheville did beat Auburn, so they are not a push-over. But Carolina's back in the Dean Dome, so let's hope the home-cooking helps. Or not, if you're one of those "ABC" fans. :r LaSalle vs. Providence = As we speak, LaSalle has a double-digit lead, but the 2nd half's not half done. I'd not be surprised if it tightens up. Butler vs. Siena = This matches up a pair of solid mid-major programs. This game may give us an early clue if either will step up this year. Wake Forest vs. Marist = And this might give us a clue if Wake is just bad, or absolutely horrible. UAB vs. South Alabama = Here's one of those games about which I've just got that feeling. I might be back to post a few early finals, or I may not. In eithe case . . . enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Belmont has totally creamed the Winthrop team that beat Wake yesterday, by a 71-44 margin. Also, it seems both Virgina and LaSalle will hold on for wins over Oklahoma and Providence, respt.
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Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
I tried to get an earlier start on this today, but $#!+ happens. So I'm finally going to jump into last night's games:
# 1 Duke 82 - # 4 Kansas State 68 = The Dook win does not surprise me, but the margin does a little. But on the other hand, I have already confessed that I haven't much faith in K-State (or Pitt or Texas or a few others) until they actually do something. Last night, they didn't do nearly enough. U. Conn 70 - # 2 Michigan State 67 = OK, now this one does surprise me. The Huskies weren't much last year, and are supposed to be in shambles on and off the court this one, while the Spartans are already pencilled into the Final Four by many. Well, not if they play like this. # 3 Ohio State 64 - Morehead State 45 = And although the margin is at least OK here, the fact that the Buckeyes only scored 64 against a weaker team hit by sanctions does not please Thad Matta, and should not please the OSU fans. # 8 Kentucky 74 - # 13 Washington 67 = This is about the tight contest you'd expect, although the scoring seems a bit low. Still, a fairly well-played competitive game all around. # 11 Missouri 72 - Wyoming 62 = Not very impressive for the Missou Tigers, especially when you note that Wyoming only scored 20 in the first half. But a win is a win, I guess. # 14 Memphis 102 - Tenn-Martin 80 = Well, we now know that these Tigers can score a little. And we also know that they can defend a damn little. Giving up 80 to Tennessee-Martin? When the Skyhawks only scored 59 against their only other "name" opponent so far this year, LSU? And in Memphis no less? Yes, I know the team and the coach are young, as I've said before. But crap like this will age them fast, if it does not kill them first. # 16 Florida 79 - Florida Atlantic 66 = It's pretty much the same story here. If the Gators (who got stomped by the Buckeyes) can only manage this, what will they do when the SEC wars start? # 22 Gonzaga 66 - Marquette 63 = To me, this one's not so much about the winner, but rather about the loser. After winning their first 4 games, Marquette gave both Dook and the Zags all they could handle. Keep you eye on the Golden Eagles. Maybe they are back. # 25 North Carolina 80 - N.C. Asheville 69 = And maybe Carolina is back to the same garbage they pulled last year. After building up a 20+ point lead in the second half, they p!$$ed most of it away, then had to turn up the engine a few notches in the last five minutes to earn the "meh" victory. Roy's not happy, I'm not happy, but it is what it is, and better than a loss. North Texas 68 - Rice 65 = And I thought this one interesting, for "WTF?" reasons. Alright, I realize Rice ain't no powerhouse in college hoops, but still . . . . Ohio 78 - Valparaiso 75 = One of those nice mid-majors matchups I like. We all remember Valpo's run back in '98, what with Bryce Drew's buzzer-beater, and some of you (especially you Hoyas) may remember OU knocking Georgetown out last year. And I'd betcha 20 bucks coulda got you seats to this game too. St. Mary's 121 - Chicago State 52 = What? One-twenty-one to fitty-too? Are you freakin' kiddin' me? By St. Mary's, and not a vintage UNLV or Loyola-Marymount team? And in case you think they were just running up the score, take note: This is the fourth loss by Chi. State of over 100 points, out of the 5 games they have played. This, THIS is the reason I'm not so much in favor of expanding the NCAA Tournament as I am of shrinking the number of Division 1 teams . . . maybe by as much as half. Appalachian State 0 - Tennessee Tech 0 = That's because the game was "postponed", and will not be rescheduled. And THAT'S because App. State forgot to provide any officials to call the game, and these two teams don't have an open date to make it up later. And speaking of "making it up" . . . well, you really can't sometimes. Action has already begun today, with Chaminade getting another good upset by beating the Sooners out in Maui 68-64, while # 2 Michigan State has an early (and meaningless) lead over # 13 Washington. Games to follow include: # 7 Villanova vs. UCLA = The Bruins are not what they once were, but then again 'Nova ain't exactly been blowing the doors off their competition either. It could be pretty tight, at least for a while. # 8 Kentucky vs. U. Conn = And if the Huskies can follow up on what they did to the Spartans, this WILL be a tight one. # 11 Missouri vs LaSalle = Missou's been playing decent, for their rating. LaSalle's been playing well, for their lack of one. Could be a decent game here. # 15 Minnesota vs. North Dakota State = And this one could be over by the break. # 24 Tennessee vs. VCU = Like the Missou/LaSalle game, we might have some nice action here. Rhode Island vs. Drexel = Don't know what Drexel has this year, but they normally show up to play. As for the Rams, they ain't half bad. Might be fun. Virginia vs. Wichita State = Same here. Neither of these teams suck, so the game probably won't. And then, for those of you who get gorged on all the football on Turkey Day, you can ease your pants open a bit with these games: # 21 Temple vs. California = The Owls are supposed to be pretty good, and the Golden Bears weren't half-bad last year, so this may be worth watching. Boston College vs. Texas A&M = This may give us a clue as to whether or not either of these two can actually ball a little. DePaul vs. Okla. State = Same here. Georgia vs. Notre Dame = Yep'per. Stanford vs. Murray State = And the song remains the same. UNLV vs Tulsa = Starting to see a theme here? Don't know if I'll be back before Friday, so if not, have a Happy Thanksgiving, and enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
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Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
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I never said they weren't good, and they will be tested some this season. But you also didn't note that they follow those games you posted with Bradley, Saint Louis, Elon, and N.C. Greensboro . . . not exactly top-flight talent. Be a fan, but be fair, my brother of a different blue color. ;) |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
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I don't know about you, but I knew Marquette was a very tough team this year and so did most of the talking heads on tv and radio. Everybody and their brother knew they would be facing K State. Yeah, Pac 10 sux but Oregon is still a tourny team and that is a very, very tough place to play on the road. Agreed on Butler but they are also still a tourny team. And Mich St. has always had Duke's number no matter how good or bad they are. That games scares me most as Izzo is the K-Buster. I'm as fair as anyone. All teams have "cupcakes" as you can't and don't wanna schedule all top 25 teams for the non-con. But when you contrast those cupcakes with tough teams in Duke's schedule, it seems quite balanced to me. BTW, I watched Harrison Barnes play three games and even though he went off in one of them, he is about as All American as a Zippo knock-off from China. :r |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
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I could argue that Charleston is a tough team (just ask the Terps), and that Rutgers is improving. But I won't. I could also protest that you left Illinois, Kentucky, and Texas off your list of UNC opponents above. But I won't. And I could argue that, after losing to the Heels for the previous three years, and crapping out of the NCAA Tourney early to boot, the Dookies have been crowing for the last one about how much better they are than the Heels, and thus SHOULD have a tougher schedule than their neighbors over in Chapel Hill. But I won't. Yet I must insist that not all schools have cupcakes in their non-conference schedule, since those self-same cupcakes always have a tough row to hoe, and are working low cotton all fall long. :r As for Barnes, I myself have said I never buy into pre-season hype, much less the pre-career hype that was dumped on this young man. Until you prove it on the court, both you and everyone else should just hold their peace. There's a big difference between potential and production. However, I will submit that, had he signed with Duke, as most experts thought he would before he shocked them by going to the Heels, you may have a bit more patience and tolerance with his learning-curve. ;) I'll be back sometime today with the post-holiday update. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Well,
that was a nice slap to the back of the head of Calipari & Co :=:. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
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For those who don't know what we're talking about, I shall start my update with some Wednesday scores, including: U. Conn 84 - Kentucky 67 = The Huskies came into this season unranked and with low expectations. That has been dramatically changed in the last few days, what with back-to-back wins over the Spartans and the Wildcats. I would never have predicted this. But in my defense, nobody else did either. And I did predict that UK would not be as good as they were last year. So it's not a "glass half-empty or half-full" issue . . . I just need a different glass. ;) I did not think U. Conn would win either game, and I certainly did not think they would spank UK this badly. # 2 Michigan State 76 - # 13 Washington 71 = Those aforementioned Spartans bounce back with a nice win against the presumed class of the Pac-10, and had to come back from 15 or so down to do so. Is it early-season growing pains? Are they overrated, or these Huskies "underrated"? Ask me again in a few months. # 7 Villanova 82 - UCLA 70 = I'm not sure what this means. 'Nova hasn't exactly been a world-beater so far, and the Bruins may be as weak as they were in their last campaign, yet may be improved, and so this win by a dozen either may or may not be a good one. But it is a W, regardless. # 24 Tennessee 77 - VCU 72 = Again, this one bothers me. VCU has often been a quality mid-major, but this is awfully close against a ranked team. Plus, the Vols only beat Missouri State by 4, so they could be in trouble once the SEC kicks off their wars. It is worth keeping an eye on, for sure. Cincinnati 54 - Savannah State 41 = It is not rare, but it is uncommon, for two college teams to score under 100 points collectively. I won't diss Savannah for their showing, but the Bearcats should be concerned. Presbyterian 69 - Princeton 67 = The Tigers are supposed to contend for the Ivy this year, and they may do so. Nobody can fault them for losing to Duke in Cameron, but this one and the L against James Madison does not bode well. Rhode Island 74 - Drexel 68 = I had me that feeling this could be a good one, and seems like it was. Watch out for these Rams . . . they won't be an easy out. St. John's 78 - Ball State 73 (OT) = Some contests are a game of 2 halves, but this was one of three. The Johnnies outscored BS 34-22 in the first, ended up tied in regulation by going 29-41 in the second, then won with a 15-10 extra session. As this was part of the so-called Great Alaska Shootout, maybe it was a factor of only one side of the gym being heated, thus making it "cold" at one end. On Turkey Day, we had a few games that weren't turkeys: California 57 - # 21 Temple 50 = All the talk last season was about how weak the Pac-10 had become. I never totally bought into that, and their performance in the NCAAs showed they were not the pansies everyone thought. As for the Owls, I questioned their relatively high regard from the get-go. Hey, they ain't bad, don't get me wrong. But aside from this loss, keep in mind they only got by Seton Hall 62-56 earlier, so may not be the giant-killers some of their fans hoped. Notre Dame 89 - Georgia 83 (2OT) = Here was a total war between the Irish and the Bulldogs, and those in the seats got their money's worth. My only problem is, with two "name" teams going head-to-head, that's really not a lot of points for 50 minutes of play. Oklahoma State 60 - DePaul 56 = Another good game, and a nice win for the 'Boys from Stillwater. Murray State 55 - Stanford 52 = And I don't care if the Pac-10's down or not, this win by the Racers over the Tree is a good one. Boston College 67 = Texas A&M 65 = And here's a good one for a projected mid-pack ACC squad. UNLV 80 - Tulsa 71 = It's much too soon to know if either of these will do much this year, but both have had success in the past, and they gave us a decent matchup. Today, the Wisconsin Badgers have already rained on BC's one-day parade by knocking them out of the Old Spice Classic (:rolleyes:) 65-55 with a strong second-half comeback. To follow we have: # 3 Ohio State vs. Miami OH = Oh oh. Unless you're a Buckeye, don't waste your time, as this Battle of Ohio won't be one. # 4 Kansas State vs. Texas Southern = Nor will this border war. # 6 Kansas vs. Ohio U. = And even though OU took out the Hoyas last March, don't look for them to shoot down the Jayhawks. # 7 Villanova vs. # 24 Tennessee = This one could be a real good fight, though when one considers how iffy both teams have played so far, it may not have the significance one might believe. # 9 Syracuse vs. Michigan = On paper, the Orange should own the Wolverines. But there's two buts, or perhaps just two cheeks to one butt. First, both team are undefeated so far. Second, neither team has actually played anybody so far. This is the first test for both squads, so is worth watching in that regard at least. # 10 Purdue vs. Southern Illinois = Here's another feasting on leftover turkey. # 18 San Diego State vs. San Diego Christian = I wouldn't watch this one if you paid me. Well, maybe if you paid me, but not otherwise. #21 Temple vs. Georgia = Now here, here's a game I'd watch. At this point, both teams have something to prove, and I expect both to come out focused. # 23 BYU vs. South Florida = Persuant to our previous discussion regarding cupcake schedules, quiz me this one: Are the Stormin' Mormons ever gonna play somebody? UCLA vs. VCU = This is one of those game that might tell us if either, or both, of these programs are coming back. Could be a tight one. Oklahoma State vs. Virginia Tech = And I'd almost bet you this will be a good one. California vs. Notre Dame = Here's another good shot at a nice one. UTEP vs. Georgia Tech = And again. Richmond vs. Wright State = Ditto. Santa Clara vs. Arizona = Dit-three. Tulsa vs. Stanford = Ibid. Weber State vs. Arizona State = And here, coupled with a handful already mentioned above, could give us a better indication regarding the strength or weakness of the Pac-10. UAB vs. Arkansas = Another potential very nice game. St. Mary's vs. Texas Tech = Not only have the Gaels already beaten St. John's, they embarassed Chi. State 121-52 . . . for what that's worth. The Red Raiders may win down in South Padre, but they won't do it in a walk. UNLV vs. Murray State = A generation back, and this would be a laffer. Today, it could be a squeaker. That's all I got for now. I migth pop back after I gag down my lunch, but in any case . . . enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
So far today, it's been a good day for the state of Virginia, although not IN the state of Virginia. At the Garden in NYC, VCU knocks off UCLA 89-85 in what was one hell of a game for both teams. Meanwhile, a continent away out in Anaheim, Va. Tech just beat Ok. State 56-51, in a total crapfest. Collectively, the teams went a combined 34-108 from the field, including 5-29 from outside the arc. And you thought you couldn't shoot.
And, at the half, the Buckeyes hold a pitiful halftime 28-16 edge over Ohio U. And no, we are still talking cagers here, not on the gridiron. Ohio State shot about 20% from the field. They are obviously looking forward to moving up to at least #2 in next week's poll, but they are not showing they deserve that very well. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
[quote=The Poet;1074333]Ohio State shot about 20% from the field./QUOTE]
Oops. Correction. I read the box score wrong. It's OU that's shooting .208, while OSU went .458 . . . and STILL led by only a dozen. And as OU's hit the first shot of the second, that's now down to 10 points. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Well, the Buckeyes have at least stretched out a working margin of about 20 points, but still. Tennessee leads 'Nova by 7 with 6 left in the first. Meanwhile, in the first 18 minutes of action, California has scored a sickening 5 whole points. Lucky for them, Notre Dame's only posted 17 themselves.
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Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Ohio State's won, 66-45, but they can't be happy even with the 20+ margin. That's just nasty. But it's not as nasty as the California Ormolu Bears. At the half, it's Notre Dame 21, Cal 5. Yes, five. That's five stinkin' points in 20 minutes of play, on .091 shooting. Had the Irish not gone 0-13 from 3, this would be over already.
Oh, and it looks like the Vols will take an OK lead into the break over 'Nova. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Would you believe it? I just spent an hour typing up my report, and before I quite finished it . . . IT"S GONE!
I'm so disguested. I may be back, and I may just say fark it all. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
OK, I'll be damned if I'm gonna spend another hour redoing my whole long post, so I'll just hit some highlights. Forgive me for my disgust, or my laziness, and feel free to add you own here.
On Friday: # 9 Syracuse 53 - Michigan 50 = Maybe it was just one of those games. Maybe UM's better than we thought, or the Orange is worse. But this was awfully slow and low. # 21 Temple 65 - Georgia 58 = A decent enough win for the Owls, but not impressive. # 23 BYU 77 - South Florida 75 (2 OT) = For some reason, much like Boise State in football, BYU always seems to get a rating they have done little to earn. The Bulls are OK, but they are not the Chicago Bulls. Georgia Tech 71 - UTEP 61 = The Yellow Jackets are starting to play better than people expected. Maybe their loss to Kennesaw State was a fluke, and they may be fairly good this year. Today: # 16 Georgetown 87 - N.C. Asheville 72 = Not all that impressive a victory for the Hoyas. #19 Illinois 78 - Western Michigan 63 = And no better one for the Illini. New Hampshire 70 - Brown 66 = There's no way for me to prove it, put I picked this as a tight game in my "lost" post. Rhode Island vs. Davidson = The Rams hold a ten-point lead with 8 to play. RI's pretty tough, though Davidson's not so much these days. Louisville 80 - Marshall 66 = I expected a closer game than this. Perhaps the Cardinals are back . . . at least sort of. Butler vs. Evansville = Butler's only up two with 11 1/2 to play. That's not good. Vanderbilt vs. App. State = And Vandy's only up 6, with 7 1/2 to go. That's not too good either. # 1 Duke vs. Oregon = Hmmmm. How should we go here? Duke, or Ducks? Duke, or Ducks. Gimme a break. What if it is in Eugene? This one is already over. # 9 Syracuse vs. Ga. Tech = I can really see the Ramblin' Wreck giving the Orange some game here. # 10 Purdue ve. Richmond = And this might be harder than the Boilermakers would like too. # 6 Kansas vs. Arizona = I don't know if the Wildcats will be any good this year or not, but I do know the Jayhawks haven't played any-damn-body so far, so they may be in for their first test of the season. # 23 BYU vs. St. Mary's = And I'm gonna go flat out and pick the Gaels to take the Cougars. St. John's vs. Arizona State = One team's trying to get back where they were, and the other's trying to get where they've never been. Both should show up here. Might be fun. On Sunday: # 21 Temple vs. Texas A&M = If the Owls don't start playing better, they could drop this one quite easily. California vs. Boston College = If Cal can score more than 5 points in the first half, this may be fun. Siena vs. Princeton = Neither team has played all that well, but both programs are decent. Maybe one will make a turnaround, soon. # 16 Florida vs. Florida State = The Gators have not been consistent, and could give the Semiholes a shot. # 25 North Carolina vs. Charleston = Don't let others fool you. Charleston has a good team and coach. They came within a basket of beating the Terps in College Park, and their other loss was to a good Rhode Island team. If the Heels don't come to play, for a change, they can fall to .500 here. That's all I have the energy for, for now. Enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Well, let's see if I can update some weekend action without losing both my post and my cool. And, as usual, I'm only noting those scores I found interesting, leaving out the expected blowouts and the "who the hell cares anyway?" ones, yet as always, please add your own :2.
On Saturday: BYU 74 - St. Mary's 73 = Yeah, I know I picked the Gaels to knock off BYU. Had the Cougars' star Fredette not hit a three with 10 seconds left, they would have too. Evansville 71 - Butler 68 (OT) = I've been saying from the get-go that Butler ain't the Butler of last year. But even I didn't expect this one. Weber State 82 - Drake 81 = OK, I know I said I'd leave out the "WTFC?" games, but give these guys some credit for a razor-tight contest with a reasonable high score. This must have been fun to watch. Syracuse 80 - Georgia Tech 76 = A nice win for the Orange, and a nice showing by the underrated Jackets. If 'Cuse had been as cold with their shooting as they've been in previous games, they would have lost, big. Tech's Brian Oliver had a field-day shooting over that zone, scoring 32 points. Hey, I've been trying to tell Boeheim this for years . . . the zone's not all that effective against a disciplined team with shooters and penetrators. Kansas 87 - Arizona 79 = Just an OK win for the Jayhawks here, and a damn decent showing by the desert Wildcats. Maybe KU will improve, and perhaps a lot, once Josh Selby finally starts playing in a few weeks, but for now they are not as good as last year's squad by quite a bit. Nebraska 60 - USC 58 = Neither team may make much noise on the national level this year, but neither one's a total dog either. It was at least a pretty decent game. N.C. State 77 - Fairleigh Dickinson 67 = Alright, maybe you think I'm not one to talk, but good gracious! The Wolfpack was supposed to jump up several notches this season, what with some top recruits, but this is not a positive sign. OK, it's a W, but for them to beat Fairly Ridiculous by only ten . . . jeez. Richmond 65 - Purdue 54 = This one does not surprise me nearly as much as it might some. The Spiders have a good program, and the Boilermakers have not played well since Hummel went down last winter, then again this fall. But on the positive side, the 14 points Purdue scored in the first half was 9 better than California did a day earlier. Texas 62 - Rice 59 = And, if you've been paying attention, you'll recall that I don't have a lot of faith in the Longhorns either. If you need some evidence of why, check that score again. A one-possession victory, over Rice? Please. South Carolina 87 - Western Kentucky 85 (2 OT) = I love a game that goes extra innings, especially when it involves two decent programs. My only gripe with this is that it's a pretty low score for two OTs. Xavier 94 - Wofford 90 (3 OT) = Though it's not as low as this for three OTs. And what the hell is wrong with the X-men? Coming into this game they were 4-1, with their only loss being @ ODU, which happens to a lot of teams. And Wofford was 2-4, with their only "quality" win being over George Mason. How could this go 3 OTs? Sheesh. On Sunday: Stanford 81 - DePaul 74 (OT) = After losses to Murray State and Tulsa, this is a good win for the Cardinal . . . even if it took them 5 more minutes. Yet that 14-7 run during that time makes a statement, though perhaps one they should have made in regulation. Florida 55 - Florida State 51 = Judging by the tally, and by the box score, this must have been one ugly game. Neither team shot well, and neither made the big play when needed. Even the Gator who iced it for them, Erik Murphy, said that "Honestly, it was luck. I just turned around and looked and the ball was falling into my hand. I just went up with it." Right place, right time . . . and one more indication that Florida has a ways to go before they earn their high regard. You only win so many that way. Georgia 61 - Manhattan 58 = And speaking of the SEC . . . what the hell?!!? A one-possession victory by what is supposed to be a quality SEC darkhorse, against a Manhattan team that's not in Kansas? Lord. North Carolina 74 - Charleston 69 = Laugh if you wish, but I consider this a quality win. Charleston's not an easy out, as they proved, while the Heels did not do what they've done too many times going back to last year, when the game was tight late. Here they manned up, and made plays on both sides of the court for the W. They will need a lot . . . A LOT . . . more of that in the next few weeks, starting tomorrow when they visit Illinois. Princeton 86 - Siena 77 (OT) = This was one of those games I touted as being important for both these schools. I figured it would be a war, and it was. We'll see if it has turned either one around. Texas A&M 54 - Temple 51 = And I flat-out TOLD you A&M could take this one, if the Owls kept playing as they've done. See? I'm not nearly as dumb as I look. Hell, I couldn't hardly be that dumb. There are a handful of games tonight, but most of them are either of the "so what?" variety, or just silly match-ups. Kansas State vs. Emporia State? Baylor vs. Prairie View A&M? C'mon. So I only spot two to keep one's eyes on: Minnesota vs. Virginia = The Gophers have a better team, but the Cavs have some quality players too. If they can keep the margin under 10, then make a few shots and get a few bounces their way, they have a puncher's chance. USC vs. TCU = OMG! LOL! WTF? But thing is, noboby's exactly sure who either of these squads will be, so it has the po' to be a nice little game. There will be a fair number of better games tomorrow, but we'll get to that . . . tomorrow, hopefully. Until then, enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Wake Forest vs. Iowa = And the way BOTH of these two teams have been playing, I don't see how either one of them can win this game. I suppose one of them has to, however, so toss a wooden nickel for your pick.
Mississippi vs. Miami = I did not realize Ole Miss had joined the Big Ten too, but so it seems. This could actually be a really good contest here. Houston vs. LSU = Both schools have storied pasts, both schools have been down lately, and both are trying to make it back. Yet you'd have to give the advantage to the Cougars over the Tigers here, since they seemed to have made more progress. Still, it may be a decent enought game. That's about it for top-notch action this evening, though some surprises may pop up. So keep your ears on, and enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT? NINE TENTHS OF MY POST JUST DISAPPEARED AGAIN! DAMMIT! IF THIS KEEPS UP MUCH LONGER, I'M GONNA FREAKIN' QUIT ALTOGETHER! :mad:
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Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
OK, Virginia beat Minnesota. Good for them. Tonight:
Ga. Tech vs. Northwestern Wake Forest vs. Iowa Kentucky vs. Boston U. Syracuse vs. Cornell Mississippi vs. Miami U. Conn vs. New Hampshire Tennessee vs. Middle Tenn. State Ohio State vs. Florida State Notre Dame vs. Indiana State Houston vs. LSU Missouri vs. Georgetown Illinois vs. UNC Washington vs. Long Beach State In the "lost" section of my post, I not only told you who would win, and why, but I also told you if they will cover the points, the over/under, and which players would hit the first and last baskets. You don't believe me. Well, I'm in no mood to hear it, so :tg |
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I'm thinking of making shorter multiple posts, and to hell with the complaints of "POST WHORE!!" Hey, I've never denied it. :r |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Alright, here's the more interesting scores from last night:
# 2 Ohio State 58 - Florida State 44 = I guess this is an OK win for the Buckeyes, but sheesh! Since I don't believe either team is that dominent on D, I have to think it was a total lack of offensive effectiveness on both sides. The boxscore supports this, as the teams collectively shot 36-107 from the field. # 7 U. Conn 62 - New Hampshire 55 = For a team who made such a statement last week, and jumped from nobody to Top Ten, this is a pretty poor victory. Was this a fluke, or were their previous great wins? # 16 Georgetown 111 - # 9 Missouri 102 (OT) = This was the game to watch, as two tough teams found 15 rounds insufficient. The fight, and the outcome, are no surprise to me. The fact that the Hoyas scored so many points, when they are not known for their offense, is a bit of one. # 20 Illinois 79 - North Carolina 67 = And this is no surprise at all. Even had the game not been in Champaign, the Heels have not shown they can consistently show up for big games for . . . well, over a year now. # 25 Notre Dame 81 - Indiana State 72 = OK, did Larry Bird show up to play in this one? If not, then how did the Sycamores stick with the Irish like this? Michigan 69 - Clemson 61 = A decent enough competitive game, and so a decent victory for the Wolverines. Florida Atlantic 61 - Mississippi State 59 = I keep getting amazed as to how poorly Miss. State is doing, after their nice season last year. But if they keep up such nonsense as this, I'm just gonna write them off entirely. UTEP 74 - New Mexico State 72 = Two good squads, one good game. Wake Forest 76 - Iowa 73 = Two poor teams, one good game, meaningless as it may be in the long run. Now, to attempt to avoid the "lost" problems I have had, I'll be back shortly with tonight's action. |
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Oh, looking forward to your preview of Duke v. Michigan State. yeah... Im a Duke fan...
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Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Tonight's schedule promises to give us at least as many tough matchups, including:
# 1 Duke vs. # 6 Michigan State = So far this year, Dook's been playing better than anybody else. The Spartans? Not so much. The Blue Devils will get their comeuppance at some point this season, and if Michigan State shows up, it could even be tonight. However, I'm not going to bet on it . . . though I do suspect Coach K would like his boys challenged a bit, just for the experience. # 3 Pitt vs. Duquesne = You can skip this one. I know I will. # 14 Memphis vs. Arkansas State = And this one deserves a pass too. # 17 San Diego State vs. St. Mary's = Yeah, I know I've already said I won't pick against the Aztecs until they give me some reason. And yeah, I know I picked the Gaels to beat BYU, but they let me down by allowing a late three to edge them. However, this one has the potential to be at least . . . AT LEAST! . . . as good a game as Dook/MSU. # 18 Florida vs. UCF = On the surface, one might think this is another automatic "pass" game. Me, I'm not so sure. The Gators have only been consistent in their good fortune so far, whereas the "unknown" Orlando Mickeys . . . uh, the Central Florida Knights . . . are 5-0, and with a nice win over a pretty good South Florida team. They won't win, but they may give Billy Donovan more than he'd prefer. # 19 Texas vs. Lamar = Though many of the things said about the Gators can also be said of the Longhorns, none of the things said about UCF can be said about Lamar. Don't bother with this one. # 21 BYU vs. Creighton = Now here, here we might just have us a pretty decent game. BYU should start edging out a lead in the second half, but Creighton will at least show up to play. # 22 Purdue vs. Virginia Tech = And here we should most definitely have us a pretty decent game. The Boilermakers are still trying to find themselves, and the Hokies ain't half-bad. # 24 UNLV vs. Illinois State = This one might be within 10 at the half, but the Rebels should be Runnin' away with it from there. VCU vs. South Florida = As stated above, South Florida is no cupcake. Neither is VCU. This one could be a lot of fun. St. Joseph's vs. Drexel = And neither of these two are as good as the two preceeding, but they are fairly well matched. Could be a real battle until the end. Richmond vs. ODU = And this one WILL be a real battle until the end, mark my word. Indiana vs. Boston College = Here too, these are awfully close squads, with emphasis decidedly NOT on the "awful". BC's OK, and the Hoosiers are not totally back, but they are not totally crap either. N.C. State vs. Wisconsin = And again. Wisconsin's always tough, in more ways than one, while the Wolfpack has added some talent. Oklahoma vs. Arkansas = Another potential nice matchup, which could go either way. Maryland vs. Penn State = I have to give the edge to the Terps here. Their 2 losses have been to Pitt and Illinois, whereas Penn State's single one was to the only really quality opponent they have faced . . . and that just a so-so Ole Miss team. There are my picks for your midweek viewing. Post others if you wish, and as always . . . enjoy. |
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By the way... I love Dickie V. But can we all agree its probably time for him to hang it up? The "Diaper Dandies" and the "PTP's (Prime Time playa's)" are getting a little old, BABY!!!
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Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
So here's the notable (to me, anyway) scores from last night:
Duke 84 - Michigan State 79 = A pretty good game, and had the Spartans managed to stick a spear in Irving (who went for 31 on them) they could have won it. But there was no Thermopylaeic stand for them against the Blue Persians. I guess Izzo's at least happy for the good showing, and that K is pleased his boys withstood a challenge. UCF 57 - Florida 54 = Here was the upset of the night, though I did tell you UCF was pretty decent and would give the Gators as much as they wanted. Well, they actually gave them just a bit more than that, and chalked up what is likely the biggest win in their history. Boston College 88 - Indiana 76 = A good win for the Eagles over an improving Hoosier squad. BYU 77 - Creighton 65 = The Cougars scored 6 more than the Bluejays in the first half, and another 6 in the second, so they were at least consistent. Memphis 78 - Arkansas State 71 (OT) = The Memphis Tigers are winning, but they sure are winning ugly. I guess that beats losing ugly, but it is not a very positive sign for their chances over the long run. ODU 77 - Richmond 70 = Seems I said this would be a good game, and it would have been even gooder had the Spiders made a few key buckets late. They had the halftime lead . . . if one point is actually a lead, that is. Arizona 84 - Rice 57 = And why am I citing this one? Firstly, the Desert Wildcats are playing very well, after a few down seasons, and have only lost to the Jayhawks so far. Secondly, this Rice team they spanked has lost three inna row, with their previous one being to Texas . . . by 3 points. Does this mean 'Zona's good? Texas is bad? Rice is bi-polar? Eh, who knows? South Florida 60 - VCU 59 (OT) = I predicted this one could be lotsa fun. It was so much fun, they even asked for more. Purdue 58 - Va. Tech 55 (OT) = I also told you we'd have a good game here as well. Make sure you send the vig to the right address, fellas. :D A quick glance at tonight's schedule didn't much impress me, but I'll comb through it again to see if I can find you a few anyway. Back soon. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Well, I did manage to find a few games that may be fun, and might actually mean something down the road too. Of course, as always, the best contest could turn out to be between two 2-4 teams going nowhere fast, so keep your own eyes open for those. Otherwise, watch:
# 4 Kansas vs. UCLA = I don't expect the Bruins to salt the Jayhawks' tails, yet I also don't expect they'll not even show up for this one. A 20-point margin is likely by the end, but it could be fairly tight for a time. And hey, you never know . . . everybody gets hot, or gets cold. # 9 Missouri vs. Oregon = Both of these are coming off losses: Missou's battle royale with Georgetown, and the Ducks' dunking by Dook. Me, I expect the Ducks to take another dip. # 11 Baylor vs. Arizona State = It's much the same story here, though I have a little less faith in these Bears, and a little more in the Sun Devils. To hop on the horse I rode last year, I consider Herb Sendek to be the most underrated coach in the country. His teams may lose, but they rarely quit. Charleston vs. Davidson = If you've been paying attention, you know the respect I have for the program at Charleston. Davidson also has some history, but they do not have the players this year. Expect an OK half or so, then a whipping. Murray State vs. Eastern Kentucky = Here again, two pretty good programs, both of whom need a win badly. They may pull out the knives for this one. That's about all I saw, but if you spotted any I missed, please let us know. In any case, and as always . . . enjoy. |
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# 4 Kansas 77 - UCLA 76 = Well, I can't exactly say I saw this coming, though I did say anything could happen. Late FTs are all that saved KU's bacon, and it was indeed "fairly tight for a time" . . . said time being up until the horn. # 9 Missouri 83 - Oregon 80 = One would have thought that, if the Tigers are worthy of their ranking, their marathon loss to the Hoyas would have focused them more than this. Are the Ducks better than I think? Their game against Duke showed no evidence of that, so perhaps Missou's not as good as the "experts" think they are. Murray State 74 - Eastern Kentucky 72 = As I predicted, they brought out the knives for this, with the Racers getting the edge . . . or would that be giving it? Valparaiso 68 - Ill. Chicago 66 (OT) = OK, we're not talking true powers here, but they are at least in line so far to play .500 or better this year. There is not a whole lot of action this evening, yet there are a few games of interest: # 5 Kansas State vs. Washington State = I'm still not convinced K-State deserves a Top Five rank, or even Top Ten, but they have not played badly. Their only loss, by 14, was to Dook, so you can't fault them for that one. Meanwhile, the Cougars are undefeated at 5-0. However, their only two "quality" wins are over Portland and Fresno State, so this will be their first test . . . nearly a month into the season. This one could get ugly for them. # 7 U. Conn vs. UMBC = And this one will get ugly, early and often. # 12 Villanova vs. St. Joseph's = A Big Five battle can always have potential, as these schools have been playing each other since Hector was a pup. But if 'Nova does not absolutely pluck the Hawks, I'd be shocked, and Jay Wright will be pi$$ed. UAB vs. Georgia = This one could be quite fun, actually. I'd pick UAB by 10 or so, but the Bulldogs are a bit better than they've played so far, and may make it a game. Saturday will have a ton of games, and some of them tip off early, so let me give you those: # 10 Kentucky vs. UNC = My Heels have not shown they can consistently play with the big boys, and tend to go on those same scoring droughts that doomed them last year. If they can't correct this, people will be leaving the Dean Dome early tomorrow afternoon. # 16 Georgetown vs. Utah State = I don't think the Aggies can hang with the Hoyas for 40 minutes, so you can pencil this one in right now. Detroit vs. Wright State = This one could be as tight as new drawers. VCU vs. William & Mary = And this one could be too, at least for a half or so. I'll give you more Saturday action, plus Sunday game, on the morrow. Until then . . . enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
I seem to be having tons of internet problems today. Hopefully it will clear up enough for me to do my posts, but if not, please understand. You've been there too, I presume.
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Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
OK, lemme give this a shot here, though it's tough to type with fingers crossed. I only found a few scores from last night worth noting:
# 5 Kansas State 63 - Washington State 58 = Yeah, it's a win for these particular Wildcats, but not a dominant one for sure. I felt this could get ugly for the Pac-10 Cougars, as they had faced little opposition so far, yet it almost got ugly for K-State instead. # 12 Villanova 71 - St. Joseph's 60 = And this was not much better for the Philly Wildcats. This loss put the Hawks under .500 at 3-4, and two of those losses were by more points than this one of eleven . . . to Western Kentucky and Drexel, for cryin' out loud. I know Jay Wright will take the W, but I can't believe he's all that happy about it. Georgia 66 - UAB 64 = Well, my pick was off, as I went with UAB here, but I did feel it could be a pretty good game. Turns out, it was, and is a good win badly needed by the Bulldogs. Today's action has already begun, with Georgetown breaking open a close game in the second half to take a comfortable lead over Utah State, while Wright State/Detroit, VCU/Wm.&Mary, and UK/UNC all being razor tight (f'instance, my Heel lead by 1 with 4+ left in the first). While I work on my preview update, these games may resolve themselves better, so I'll keep you advised. Later, brohs. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
The balance of Saturday action gives us one holy hell $#!+load of potential good matchups, many between so-so teams that both will fight for the victory, and thus may give us great games. But I'd be at it all day if I posted them all, so I will limit myself to only a few too many, as opposed to one damned overkill:
# 1 Duke vs. Butler = This rematch of last year's championship game won't be that, at all. I'd be surprised if the Blue Devils win by less than 20. # 3 Pitt vs. Rider = Please. This one's already over. # 6 Michigan State vs. Bowling Green = So is this one, though it could be argued that the Spartans deserve a break about now. # 8 Syracuse vs. N.C. State = The Wolfpack has not shown much improvement over last year, and although I'm not convinced the Orange is a Top Ten team I don't think they will have a big problem here . . . if they show up, anyway. # 14 Memphis vs. Western Kentucky = Now this might be a better game. So far, Memphis has won, but not convincingly over better opponents. WKy might just give them as much as they can handle. # 15 Minnesota vs. Cornell = Don't even bother here. Of their 5 losses, Cornell's been spanked by both Seton Hall and Syracuse, so expect their Big Red bottoms to take more punishment today. # 17 San Diego State vs. Wichita State = Now here's another one that could be fun, at least for a half, or a half and a half. # 20 Illinois vs. Gonzaga = And here too. The 'Zags need a big win in the worst way, and Mark Few will have them ready for this one. # 21 BYU vs. Hawaii = Although this may not be a total mauling, I'd expect the Cougars to prevail with some ease. # 22 Purdue vs. Alabama = The Boilermakers have looked to me like a team looking to collapse. They may not do so against a "meh" 'Bama team, but don't expect a hammering either. # 23 Washington vs. Texas Tech = On the one hand, the Huskies have only lost to Kentucky and Michigan State, so they have that going for them. On the other, their "quality" wins are over the likes of Virginia and Long Beach State. Yet, on the third hand, the Red Raiders' losses to St. Mary's and South Florida are their only "quality losses", if you get my meaning, and aside from those two games they have played absolutely nobody. Hey, the guys from Lubbock could surprise me, but I wouldn't bet the ranch. # 24 UNLV vs. Nevada = The Rebels are off and Runnin', at least for now, while this Wolf Pack from the desert has played much worse than the one from Tobacco Road. Although they have played next to nobody, they've only managed to win once so far. They will not double down today. That's it for the "ranked" squads, and I'll be back soon with some other action, and some early scores. |
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Well, I've been a bit busy to get to my promised postings, but I have to put this one up now:
UNC 75 - Kentucky 73 = Whooo Hooooo! Back after I catch my breath, and eat a bite or two. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
OK, I've calmed down a bit, so let's finish this up. First, to expand on early finals:
(As reported) North Carolina 75 - # 10 Kentucky 73 = A close game throughout, with the Heels showing some signs they haven't for a long time. Despite falling behind by a few possessions in both halves, they did not crumble, they kept the game close, and they edged out several leads . . . including the last one. Shoot, there were 5 lead changes in the final three minutes. Tyler Zeller was the key for the Tar Heels, scoring 27 points and hitting all 6 of his FTs in the final 90 seconds to keep Carolina up. This win may not have turned UNC around for good, but at least these guys now know they can do it in the clutch. # 16 Georgetown 65 - Utah State 51 = A decent enough win, I guess, for the Hoyas, though not one to brag about. Detroit 78 - Wright State 69 = This game was closer than the final, and was about what I thought it would be. VCU 59 - William & Mary 55 = Same here. Michigan 65 - Harvard 62 = And maybe this narrow margin should not surprise me, as the Crimson were decent last year while the Wolverines have not been great of late. Still, it does. Oklahoma State 92 - LaSalle 87 (2 OT) = And though I cannot prove it, this was one of those games I had planned to tell you would be a close one to watch . . . but I got distracted. So let me tell you some other games I think you keep an eye on today: California vs. Iowa State = Neither is a world-beater, but neither is total crap either. Belmont vs. Vanderbilt = The Battle of Nashville could easily draw blood. West Virginia vs. Miami = Here too, two well-matched teams. Rhode Island vs. Providence = I give the Rams the edge, but any in-state rivalry can bite you. Boston College vs. U. Mass = What I just said. Murray State vs. Morehead State = Two more wanna-be's going head-to-head. Utah vs. Bradley = And these two may not quite be "wanna-be's", but they are fairly even. Illinois State vs. Montana State = I dunno, there's just something about this one . . . don't ask me what. Oregon State vs. Colorado = Yeah, here too. I'm gonna go look see if any good stuff happens Sunday. Back soon. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Well, those 'net problems came back to bite me, so I never got back with the Sunday games. Let me put on the run-and-jump D, and try to catch up a little.
In the balance of Saturday games: # 1 Duke 82 - Butler 70 = It was closer than the 20 I predicted, though not by much. Butler hung tight for 30 minutes, but the Blue Devils were just too much in the end. # 8 Syracuse 65 - N. C. State 59 = You can I suppose look at this two ways . . . either a nice showing by a young (and improving?) Wolfpack, or another win by the Orange that was too damn close for comfort. # 15 Minnesota 71 - Cornell 66 = Speaking of being too damn close . . . WTF? The Golden Gophers should have licked all the Big Red off Cornell's candy. California 76 - Iowa State 73 = This gives Cal 3 pretty decent wins, counting Temple and New Mexico. Maybe the Golden Bears are more real than the Gophers. Oh, wait a second . . . they are the ones who only scored 5 points in a half, right? Nevermind. Miami 79 - West Virginia 76 = And a decent win for the Hurricanes, too. Boston College 76 - U. Mass 71 = And not a bad one for the Eagles. Providence 87 - Rhode Island 74 = My Rams let me down in this one, big time. Yeah, I know the Friars had only lost to LaSalle coming into this one, but they really hadn't played anybody of note aside from them. Now, they have, and they won. Perhaps they'll again be something besides an afterthought in the Big Mouth Conference. Here are the scores from Sunday I found interesting: USC 73 - # 19 Texas 56 = A loss by the Longhorns does not much shock me. I've said for years Rick Barnes tends to do less with more talent than any other coach I know. But normally they don't collapse this badly until later in the season. A nearly 20-point loss to the Trojans, who've lost to Rider, Bradley, Nebraska, and TCU? Please. Richmond 67 - Arizona State 61 = As with much of the Pac-10, nobody's sure exactly what the are or what they have. Regardless, this is a good win for the Spiders. Temple 64 - Maryland 61 = And the Owls needed this one over the Terps also, as they try to right their ship. South Carolina 64 - Clemson 60 = In case you didn't know it, these two schools don't much like each other. Though neither is likely to be atop their respective conferences, they both remember when they were in the same one, and they always fight hard until the end. This game was no exception. Virginia 57 - Virginia Tech 54 = About the opposite could be said about this game, in nearly all particulars. Still, it was a very good win for a Cavalier team that hasn't done a whole heck of a lot for too long a time now. There are not a lot of games this evening, and I only found two of note. Well, one, actually: # 5 Kansas State vs. Alcorn State = This isn't it. If the 0-6 Braves can stick with the Manhattan Wildcats for more than ten minutes, I'll be stunned. # 21 Washington vs. Portland = But this one could be a lot . . . a lot! . . . closer. The Huskies may be the class of the Pac-10 (or may not, as it's too soon to tell, or even tell if the P-10 even has any class), but they've proven little so far. Meanwhile, the Pilots are 7-2, losing only to Kentucky and Washington State. However, to be fair, they haven't played much of a schedule either. The Huskies should win by three possessions or so. That's it for now. Back tomorrow, I hope. If I missed any scores or news you found important, feel free to add those, and I will likely at least comment. Until later then. Enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
As it turned out, neither of those games above were worth watching, save except for their fans. In fact, only one score jumped out at me:
Houston 64 - Nevada 61 = The Cougars may not be "Guy Lewis" back, but they are making some steps in the right direction. And I thought this was a decent win for them . . . until I noticed that this was Nevada's 7th loss in a row. Well, actually more, if you go back to last season. :D There are not a lot of games tonight, but it does promise to give us some better ones. For instance: # 4 Kansas vs. # 13 Memphis = Both teams are undefeated, so we can feel fairly secure in the knowledge that this will end tonight. The Jayhawks have been playing well, but have not been world-beaters. Meanwhile, the Tigers have shown the inconsistency of youth, of their players and their coach. I'd go with KU, but UM has a shot of making it close. # 7 Michigan State vs. # 8 Syracuse = The Spartans have lost twice, to U. Conn and Duke, yet retain a higher ranking than the undefeated Orange . . . who haven't played much of anybody yet. Northern Iowa? Michigan? Georgia Tech and N.C. State? And some of those final scores have been mighty tight. Shoot, they only beat Wm.&Mary by 3! Go with MSU here . . . that zone won't stop their shooters. # 19 Purdue vs. Valparaiso = And I'm even a little tempted to go with Valpo here. Purdue has struggled offensively all season . . . well, actually since they lost Robbie Hummel last spring . . . and they've now lost key reserve John Hart. Also, D.J. Byrd is questionable for tonight too. I'm not going to call for the upset, but if it happens don't be all that shocked. James Madison vs. Marshall = Here's just two damn decent teams, going toe-to-toe. Georgia vs. Georgia Tech = And both of these have started showing signs of improvement also. Plus, they don't much like each other. ODU vs. East Carolina = Here is another one of those that has the potential to become a real barn-burner. Long Beach State vs. Utah State = Pretty much the same game here, transported 1500 miles west . . . or however far Logan UT is from Greenville NC. That's all I gots. Hey, it's better than last night, and maybe as good as tomorrow. That remains to be seen. Until then, then . . . enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
My computer problems seem to be back, so the following posts may be briefer than normal. Yeah, I can hear you now . . . "Thank God!"
Last night, some of the teams in my picks did not show up to play. It happens. Here are what I consider the the more meaningful scores: Kansas 81 - Memphis 68 = I'm not surprised at the Jayhawk victory, and the margin seems about right too. I am a bit surprised that Memphis is still getting all their respect, when they haven't played well enough to deserve it. Syracuse 72 - Michigan State 58 = But here is one that shocks me. Yeah, not only did I pick the Spartans, but they couldn't even stay close in this one. So maybe MSU is being overrated too. Regardless, a good win for the Orange. Georgia 73 - Georgia Tech 72 = And a good win for the Bulldogs too. As for the Jackets, nobody can figure them out. They were edged here, and earlier by the aforementioned Syracuse Orange, yet were spanked by Kennesaw State and Northwestern. Don't ask me . . . I've no clue. Marshall 67 - James Madison 63 = So, at least a few of my game picks turned out to be decent, anyway. Belmont 88 - Middle Tennessee State 87 (2OT) = I looked at this one yesterday, and considered posting it, but for some reason it did not make my cut. Mea culpa. This was the one game to watch, if you could only watch the one. Tonight's lineup is pretty packed: # 1 Duke vs. Bradley = The Braves have lost 4 in a row, and that will be 5 after tonight. But Dook has lost star freshman guard Kyrie Irving for an indefinite period to a toe injury. That won't hurt them tonight, but with the ACC starting soon, it could. # 3 Pitt vs. Delaware State = This one is also already over, before it tips off. # 6 U. Conn vs. Fairleigh Dickinson = Make that three not to watch. # 12 Villanova vs. Penn = This might be a tad better, but not much. # 14 San Diego State vs. California = OK, here we might actually have us a contest . . . by which I mean something under double-digits. And at times the Bears have played well enough to even challenge the Aztecs. # 15 Missouri vs. Vanderbilt = Here too we could have a good game. Missou's not been dominant, and Vandy's played well on occasion. # 16 Illinois vs. Oakland = Oakland is not total crap, winning 4 in a row, but they have lost to every halfway decent team they've played. Tonight begins a losing streak for them, since they follow this game with Michigan State and Tennessee. # 17 Kentucky vs. # 23 Notre Dame = Like the Spartan/Orange game last night, this pits a higher ranked team with two losses against a lower ranked one with zero. So don't ask me to make a fool of myself again. I'm just hoping it's a good one. # 18 BYU vs. Vermont = The Cougars have dodged bullets from Utah State, South Florida, and St. Mary's to remain undefeated. The Catamounts have only lost to U. Conn. This just might be another slug fired at BYU's head, believe it or not. # 20 UNLV vs. Boise State = This might be close for a while, but I'd expect the Rebels to Run away during the second half. # 22 Minnesota vs. St. Joseph's = And this should be about the same story here. # 24 Louisville vs. San Francisco = Pairing city against city, it's no contest. Pairing team against team, it's also no contest, albeit flop-flipped. Providence vs. Boston College = The Friars showed me something with the way they handled Rhode Island. The Eagles have shown a few good signs too. This one could be fun. Arkansas vs. Seton Hall = So could this one, if the SH Pirates show up to play. As for the 'Backs, good or bad, they always show up. UNC vs. Evansville = After two disappointing years, losing 30 games to injury during that time, Tyler Zeller has started to show signs of being a quality big man. But it's not in the post the Heels have been hurting; rather, it is guard play and outside shooting. If that is even halfway decent, this will be a scrimmage. If not, the Heels may get another scare . . . at least. TCU vs. Texas Tech = This one could be close, from the tipoff to the horn. Gonzaga vs. Washington State = Both of these teams have some talent, and they both need this victory. Depending on who comes to play, and how they succeed at it, one will get it. I'm leaning towards the 'Zags, but they've already let me down a Few times this year. That's about it for me. Toss in your :2 , if you choose. Until later then. Enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
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Duke - 83 Bradley - 48 Helping you out alittle bit Thomas. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
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Hopefully, my regular update to follow ASAP. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
# 14 San Diego State vs. California = OK, here we might actually have us a contest . . . by which I mean something under double-digits. And at times the Bears have played well enough to even challenge the Aztecs.
SDSU looking good....:xxx:xxx:xxx |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
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Other scores of interest, to me anyway: # 15 Missouri 85 - Vanderbilt 82 (OT) = Well, I did manage to call this one as close. You'd really be hard-pressed to get one closer. # 17 Kentucky 72 - # 23 Notre Dame 58 = A good bounceback win for the Wildcats, and a good reality check for the Irish. But yet again, this one was tied 40-all at the break. Then, only one team came out of the locker room. # 20 UNLV 75 - Boise State 72 = And this one was bass-ackwards from what I expected. The Rebels Ran up a nice lead early, then BS stormed back to make it a real game. # 22 Minnesota 83 - St. Joseph's 73 = I guess this is an OK win for the Gophers, but St. Joe's should really not have been this close. Boston College 88 - Providence 86 = Well, I had a feeling this one could be fun. It does not always work out that way, but here it totally did. TCU 81 - Texas Tech 77 = Here too. I expected a tight one, and it was. UNC 76 - Evansville 49 = OK, I normally don't post blowouts. And no, I'm not doing so because it is my Heels, or because I think it is that good a win. But there was some question earlier as to why Evansville was another cupcake on the schedule for UNC. Seems Roy was just following a tradition started by Coach Smith, that of scheduling a game close to every player's home at some time during his career, so that his family and friends can watch him play. This one was about 60 miles from Tyler Zeller's home. So there :tg. There is damn little up this evening, so you'll have to be content with: # 2 Ohio State vs. IUPUI = Alright, so maybe not with this whipping. # 9 Georgetown vs. Temple = But this one should be a lot more fun. Florida vs. Kent State = On paper, the Gators should rule. But they have not played well enough to look past Kent State, lest they stub their toes. Butler vs. Xavier = Here we have two class mid-major teams, neither of which have been especially good so far. Both need a victory, badly, so I'd expect both to be ready to play. That's it. I know it's not much, but try your best to . . . enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
The latest news out of Durham reports Coach K as saying Kyrie Irving's toe injury is much more serious than earlier believed, and though he will be re-evaluated in a week to 10 days, the possibility does exist that he may be out for the entire season.
If this is true, and it is also true that Irving intends to be a "one-and-done" player, then his career at Duke is over. We shall see. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Hoot Hoot!.....Love dem Owls over G-Town!....and Cograts to Coach Fran Dunphy on win # 400!!
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Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
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For those who are clueless, we're talking about: Temple 68 - Georgetown 65 = As we've said, a good win for the Owls. Other scores were: # 2 Ohio State 75 - IUPUI 64 = Not so good a win for the Buckeyes, as this 11-point margin should really have been doubled. Florida 65 - Kent State 52 = A slightly better one for the Gators here, as these two were somewhat a closer matchup. Xavier 51 - Butler 49 = I had a feeling this would be tight, and it certainly was. A pretty good win for the X-men, and another indication that Butler's not going to have a miracle run like last year. But the shooting was absolute crap, on both sides, with the two combining for a lousy 32-101 from the field. LaSalle 84 - Boston U. 81 = You know, I looked at this game yesterday, and thought about posting it as one with potential. But I was in a rush, and didn't. Mea culpa again. This game may have been the second-best one last night, after the Owl/Hoya one. There is next to nothing tonight, and we are left with only: Utah vs. Michigan = Neither team is total garbage, but neither one seems to be going much on anywhere this year either. Yet it could be close enough to provide some entertainment. Western Carolina vs. Campbell = Smaller schools here, with smaller reps, but about the same story. Iowa vs. Iowa State = Anytime you have a matchup between state rivals like this one, the possibility for some good action exists. There will be, as expected, many many more choices on Saturday. I'll get a jump on it now by giving you some with an early tip: # 1 Duke vs. Saint Louis = I would not gamble that the loss of Irving will hurt the Blue Devils here, as their bench is deep enough to cover that. Hell, their bench might be good enough to beat the Billikens themselves. # 7 Michigan State vs. Oakland = The Spartans get a break, and will punish the Golden Grizzlies for the Orange crushing they got on Tuesday. # 20 UNLV vs. # 24 Louisville = Both of these teams have played better than people expected. Neither of these teams have exactly proven they are totally for real. They are good, but Top 25 good? I dunno. Either because of or despite this, here's a very interesting contest. Auburn vs. Rutgers = And neither of these teams have done a heck of a lot. Auburn's best win was an edging by 2 of Middle Tenn. State, while Rutgers was double-digits over Miami. Though I live in Joisey, I am not their fan, yet I think the Scarlet Knights should prevail. Besides, after the Tigers fired my guy Jeff Lebo, I wouldn't mind if they never won another game. :tg That's it for now. Back tomorrow afternoon with more. Enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
I've a bunch of work to do here, so lemme get to it. Last night:
Michigan 75 - Utah 64 = UM improves to a relatively gaudy 7-2 record with this victory, which may lead some to feel the Wolverines are back. Well, maybe so, but it remains to be seen. Aside from this one, the only "quality" wins they have are against Gardner-Webb, Clemson, and Harvard. That's not exactly Murderer's Row. Still, this is a decent W. Iowa State 75 - Iowa 72 = As I said, an in-state rivalry can give you a good show. This one was. Santa Clara 67 - San Jose State 63 = And maybe this one should have made my cut in yesterday's preview, as it was also a damn fine contest. Were I to post all the games with potential to be good today, I'd be here until tomorrow. But as many pit .500 teams against each other (which does not mean these squads aren't good, as a lot are mid-majors or lower who have been beaten like drums by the Big Boys, so we have a false idea of who they truly are), I've tossed out a ton of them. Still, I'm left with a ton more. At the moment, 3 of the 4 early games are really tight, the exception being that Dook is trying to triple-up on St. Louis. To follow today, we have: # 3 Pitt vs. # 11 Tennessee = Although I think the Panthers are better than the Vols, I don't think they are as good as a # 3 should be. Then again, I haven't much faith in UT either. I'd expect a pretty good one here, with Pitt taking it by maybe 3 possessions. # 4 Kansas vs. Colorado State = But this one won't be nearly as good, nor as close. # 5 K-State vs. Loyola Chicago = And this one has already ended, though it has yet to start. # 8 Syracuse vs. Colgate = Please. You gotta ask? # 14 San Diego State vs. San Diego = Apparently, the Aztecs have a pretty good team. Obviously, they are NOT the 14th best in the country. Yet I looked at their remaining schedule, and they do have a shot at remaining undefeated for the entire regular season. However: (A), This is mainly due to softness in the schedule, as the best opponents remaining are BYU and UNLV. (B) That undefeated streak, if it holds, will end come March. # 15 Missouri vs. Presbyterian = And here's another cupcake turning buns up for the frosting of a paycheck. Yet they will give Missou a better game than some others above. # 17 Kentucky vs. Indiana = The Hoosier faithful have a glimmer of hope that their team is finally coming back. I'm not so sure, since their record is a soft 7-1, with no really good wins. But if they can at least hang with the Wildcats and make this a contest, they can show me something. I'm very interested to see what happens here. # 18 BYU vs. Arizona = And this is pretty much the exact same situation here. The desert Wildcats have only lost to Kansas, while the only "nice" wins the Cougars can boast are to Utah State and St. Mary's . . . which, as I said, are "nice", but not good. This game could tell us a lot about both teams. # 19 Purdue vs. North Florida = But the only thing this one will tell us is if the Boilermakers can actually score enough to make it a laffer. # 21 Washington vs. Texas A&M = This is more like it, and back to the same test of both squads which can give us a tight contest. The Aggies have not played a tough schedule, and lost to BC, but they do have a win over Temple. Meanwhile, though you can't fault the Huskies for losses to UK and MSU, that does leave their "quality" victories being UVA, Texas Tech, and Portland. Here's a test for both. # 22 Minnesota vs. Eastern Kentucky = Maybe not exactly a "cupcake" game here, but not exactly a challenge either. # 23 Notre Dame vs. Gonzaga = The Irish have played better than people thought they would, and the 'Zags have played worse, by a lot. They need the victory much more, so I would expect them to show up. That may not be enough, but the potential for a very nice game does exist. # 25 Texas vs. Texas State = I think maybe Barnes & Co. can pull this one off. TCU vs. Nebraska = And though these are not contenders for the crown, they should match up well and give a good show. Wisconsin vs. Marquette = Same here. Both teams have shown positive signs. Rhode Island vs. Quinnipiac = Which of these things is not like the other? Which of these things do not belong? Hey, I'm really just interested in seeing if you're paying attention . . . and if the Rams can stomp decent, albeit lesser, competition. Rider vs. Drexel = Here, I'm not so much kidding. This one could go down to the wire. Dayton vs. ODU = Here too, we should have us one hell of a game. Cleveland State vs. Sam Houston State = I'm posting this one to give some props to the Vikings, who are off to an 11-0 start. And they actually do have some "eh" wins too, against Iona, Kent State, and Robert Morris f'instance. However, the Bearkats have played a tougher schedule, and lost only to Texas and Houston . . . the last one, by only 4 points. So just maybe the pillaging by the Vikes ends today. VCU vs. Richmond = As with a few others above, this will be a good 'un. UNC vs. Long Beach State = We don't yet know if the Heels are any damn good, despite their win over Kentucky. We do know the LBS 49ers are not very good, but they have played a fairly tough schedule, and 2 of their 5 losses are to ranked teams. Thus they won't be scared, so UNC better show up. I could go on for another hour, but you wouldn't read them all anyway. Post your own picks, if you desire. Me, I'm gonna check for early results, plus Sunday's action. Back soon. |
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