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Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Duke has spanked Saint Louis, surprise surprise, by a measly 84-47 bulge. Meanwhile, both Louisville and Rutgers seem to have safe margins over UNLV and Auburn respt., but Michigan's getting all it can handle from Oakland. And Minnesota was only up 3 over East. Ky. at the break, but scored the first 7 in the second to gain a working lead.
Now, to Sunday games: # 2 Ohio State vs. Western Carolina = This should be over by the half. # 9 Georgetown vs. App. State = And, following their loss to Temple, the Hoyas should rule here too. All in all, it won't be a good Sunday in the Smokies. # 12 Villanova vs. LaSalle = But here, here we have us a game. # 16 Illinois vs. Northern Colorado = And here, here we don't. Or we shouldn't anyway. Penn State vs. Virginia Tech = This could go down to who executes in the final three minutes. Princeton vs. Tulsa = Yeah, same here. Boston College vs. Maryland = Though neither of these teams are likely to challenge Dook for the ACC, neither is likely to challenge Wake and UVA for the cellar. Should be a nice one. Clemson vs. Florida State = Ditto, in all regards. South Florida vs. Kent State = Another potential close matchup. That's all I got. I'll likely be back with more early scores in a bit, but if not . . . enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Some other games gone final this afternoon:
Louisville 77 - UNLV 69 = The Cardinals started edging out a lead in the 2nd, and come away with a pretty good win here. Minnesota 71 - Eastern Kentucky 58 = About what I expected, with the Gophers breaking open a close one in the 2nd. Rutgers 63 - Auburn 54 = And about what I hoped for. No, I don't really care if RU wins or not, but I want Auburn to get all the bad karma it has earned. Michigan State 77 - Oakland 76 = ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME?!!? What is the wide wild world of holy hell is wrong with the Spartans? OK, it's a W, but you couldn't ask for much worse a W. Alright, I'll grant you Oakland has played some tough opponents, losing to the likes of WVU, Purdue, Wright State, and Illinois, so are not afraid of the Big Boys. But please! MSU began the season at #2 behind Dook, and though they have not played like #2, they have not played like #2 . . . if you get my drift. Or maybe they have. I'm confused now, and so are the Spartans. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Well, there ain't jack$#!+ on for action tonight, at least with any meaning. OK, San Diego State plays Cal Poly, but that reminds me more of an episode of Numb3rs than it suggests a basketball game. I'm presuming this paucity is mainly due to finals. So let me just update some of the weekend results.
In the balance of Saturday's games: Tennessee 83 - Pittsburgh 76 = I had the "three possessions" right in my prediction, but I put my dollar on the wrong horse's nose. In my defense, I did say I had little faith in Pitt. Kansas State 68 - Loyola Chicago 60 = And I have said from the get-go I have little faith in K-State either. They should have spanked LC like a rented mule. This win was not as "bad" as Michigan States over Oakland, but it is pretty stinky. Texas A&M 63 - Washington 62 = Meanwhile, this is a good win for the Aggies, over a squad that has been overranked for about 2 years now. Notre Dame 83 - Gonzaga 79 = Whereas, in past years, this would have been a good win for the Irish. However, when one considers that the Bulldogs are now 4-5, it is not the deal it used to be. Yet it is fair-to-middlin' anyway, and much better than a loss. Drexel 71 - Rider 67 (OT) = Here again, my prediction was wrong. I said this game could go down to the wire. Well, it didn't. It went beyond the wire. Wisconsin 69 - Marquette 64 = I was hoping for a good show here, and we got one. ODU 74 - Dayton 71 = About the "hell of a game" I expected. Quinnipiac 73 - Rhode Island 66 = This one, I did not expect. Hey, I knew QU was decent, but I thought the Rams were much better. Guess I've gotta give up on them for a while, until they show me something otherwise. UNC 96 - Long Beach State 91 = Yeah, not a great win for the Heels, but better that some others on Saturday. At least they found a bit of offense. Even Barnes did better, with 19 pts. and 10 boards. Now Roy has to work them some on D . . . to allow the 49ers to score 57 in the 2nd half, and eat up most of a big lead, that ain't good. In Sunday's: Villanova 84 - LaSalle 81 = I knew this one would be pretty good. LaSalle been pretty decent, and 'Nova's not been as advertised. Besides, when the Big Five bang heads, it echoes. Southern Miss. 80 - California 78 = Another indication that the Pac-10 is not yet back up to snuff. Drake 72 - Boise State 69 = Not a very important game, but an exciting one nonetheless. San Jose State 70 - Eastern Washington 69 = Ditto. West Virginia 64 - Duquesne 61 = Ditto, albeit slightly more important. Florida State 75 - Clemson 69 = Ditto, in all regards. Wait a second . . . is there an echo in here? Boston College 79 - Maryland 75 = Just what I said it would be: i.e., somebody would win a close one. Princeton 82 - Tulsa 78 (2OT) = Again, I was all wet here. I said (well, sorta) that this could go down to who executes in the last 3 minutes. Yet in the end, it came down to who executed in the second extra 5 minutes. I would end by saying you should "enjoy", but with the garbage on tonight I dasn't tell you how. Yet if you keep your ears on, you might find something going on somewhere . . . like LIU/Northwestern, or LSU/Coastal Carolina. Who knows? So, later then. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
You can't say I didn't warn you to keep your ears on. By which I mean, last night:
Coastal Carolina 78 - LSU 69 (OT) = Yeah, I had me a feeling about this one, though I really don't know why. Siena 72 - Florida Atlantic 69 = And I even took a quick look at this one, but as the Saints of Siena are NOT having their typical good year (so far), I skipped on it. San Diego State 51 - Cal Poly 45 = As I understand, a few of the Aztec top scorers were either out sick or playing ill. Well, the whole team followed suit. Shoot, they only scored 16 in the first half! Lucky for them, CP only scored 15. This is one of those "bad" wins, for sure. Again, tonight, there's some slim pickin's: # 7 Tennessee vs. Oakland = At first glance, you'd think the Vols would romp. They may just do that. But at first glance you'd have thought that Michigan State would have romped over Oakland too, yet they edged them by a single point. I'm interested to see what happens here, if only for comparison reasons. # 20 Louisville vs. Drexel = This could be a pretty decent game. The Dragons have not played a very tough schedule, yet their 6-1 record shows they can play at least a little bit. Meanwhile, the Cardinals have been playing above their expectations. I wouldn't call for the upset, but this may be closer than Pitino wants. Tulane vs. New Orleans = The Battle of Nawlins, with or without Colonel Jackson, could also be fairly close. Neither team is great, but neither one stinks. That's just the bayou you smellin', frere. Santa Clara vs. Pacific = Another potential good matchup, this one on the Left instead of Gulf Coast. The Broncos and Tigers have played similar levels of competition, with some good and some bad opponents, and both have 5-4 records. That's not a lot to choose from, but try your best to enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Late start today, so let's get right to last night's notable scores:
Oakland 89 - Tennessee 82 = Well well well well well! Oakland goes to 6-5 with this monster win, after giving Michigan State all they could handle Saturday. Looking at the other teams they've beaten, and those they have lost to, I still can't believe they are for real. But the proof is in the pudding, so either they are or the Vols are not. Drexel 52 - Louisville 46 = I didn't have the balls to call for this upset, but I did feel the Dragons could give L'ville game. Well, it was a pretty crappy game, with both teams shooting under 40% from the floor and under 50% from the stripe, but it was more game than the Cardinals wanted. And so the second undefeated team falls, on the same night. Tulane 57 - New Orleans 53 = I figured on a nice tight game here, and we got it. Pacific 69 - Santa Clara 59 - Not as nice, not as tight, but worth the effort to stay up and watch. Tonight's action continues the finals week crapfest, and is barely worth citing. Does anybody really care that Ohio State will stomp Florida Gulf Coast, or Baylor/Bethune-Cookman, Minnesota/Akron, UNLV/UCSB? But there may be a couple of competitive matchups: Oregon State vs. Montana = Neither the Beavers nor the Grizzlies have played a tough schedule, nor have either played all that well, both being about .500 squads. So, in a night when there's not much to choose from, here might be some fun. South Florida vs. Auburn = The Bulls have beaten Texas Tech and VCU, yet lost to to UCF and Florida Atlantic. As they don't know which team they are, how could I? Meanwhile, the Tigers have played next to nobody, and have beaten damn few of them. Again, we beggars can't be very choosy. Don't ask me how you possibly can, but try to . . . enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Turns out, there actually were a few pretty good games last night, the most important being:
UCSB 68 - UNLV 62 = After opening their season with 9 straight wins, some of them against quality opponents, the Runnin' Rebels have now lost 2 in a row. Maybe you can overlook the one to Louisville, but to lose to the Gauchos? Ay caramba! The Rebels have no one to blame but themselves, as they shot 29% from the field, and missed 14 of 34 FTs to boot. Minnesota 66 - Akron 58 = And the Gophers did manage to pull out the victory, but they sure didn't do it very convincingly. Eastern Washington 95 - Seattle 91 = This contest for the upper-left corner was one hard-fought battle to the end. Montana 71 - Oregon State 66 = Plus, this one in the same general neck of the woods . . . well, upper back, anyway . . . was also. Marshall 56 - Savannah State 47 = If you think your team's got bad luck, look at the Savannah State Tigers. They have not won a Division 1 game all season, but of their 11 losses they've had 8 of under 10 points. And they've played some damn decent teams too, like Dayton, Cincy, Indiana, Georgia Tech, and now Marshall. Wake Forest 69 - N.C.Greensboro 67 = Meanwhile, the only halfway decent win the Deacs have had all year was their edging of Iowa. Now, they just barely edged a women's teachers college. Sheesh. Saint Louis 69 - Jacksonville 64 = No more and no less than a tight one from two OK teams. Presbyterian 74 - Jacksonville State 70 (OT) = And more of the same, from two appreciably less OK ones. There is still very little going on, but I did find more games of note tonight: Memphis vs. Austin Peay = This one could actually be closer than you think, at first glance. Sure, the Tigers have more talent, but they have shown lapses and growing pains. N.C. State vs. Youngstown State = Speaking of growing pains, the Wolfpack's had them in spades. They really need to make some hay about getting their act together, before they take it to the Broadway of the ACC season. AR Little Rock vs. Rice = I dunno, I really don't, but this one popped out at me for some dang reason. LSU vs. McNeese State = Same here. Sometimes you just get a feeling. Weber State vs. Tulsa = This one, I know why it pops. Here are two fairly decent programs, and both will want the W. American vs. Northwestern = But now, we're back to the :sh factor. Beats me, I just got a hunch. Northern Arizona vs. Arizona = I am not convinced the desert Wildcats are back. On the other hand, the Lumberjacks have only lost to Iowa State, Creighton, and USC . . . all at least middlin' teams. Yet they really haven't beaten anybody so far, since the rest of their schedule has been crap. This will at least tell us something about one of these AZ teams. That's it from me for now. Enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Boy, sometimes I even surprise myself as to how good, or how lucky, I am. Yesterday I picked a handful of games I thought might be close, often for no reason but my gut. And what happened last night in those contests? Well:
Memphis 70 - Austin Peay 68 (OT) = Hey, I told you Pastner's boys have at times played like just that . . . boys. To give them some credit, they did finally show up when they needed to, and erased a 15-point 2nd-half deficit to force OT. However, to be honest and objective about it . . . :sl LSU 78 - McNeese State 66 (OT) = As I said yesterday, I just had a feeling this would be tight. Tulsa 81 - Weber State 79 (OT) = And as I said yesterday, I just KNEW this one would be tight. Florida Atlantic 82 - Troy 77 (OT) = This was NOT one of my picks, but give these two crappy teams props for a hard-fought war. Arizona 63 - Northern Arizona 58 = I'm not sure if this says anything much about either team, as I did not know to begin with what these teams truly are, and this victory showed neither dominance nor incompetence. Still, it was a good game. Rice 65 - AR Little Rock 55 = And though this one was not nearly as close as some others, it was still close enough to remain interesting until the end. Tonight there is much less going on, and I only found 4 that have (IMHO) some potential: Tennessee vs. Charlotte = OK, well maybe not this one. The 49ers have not played all that well so far, and the Vols are likely cheesed about their loss to Oakland, and thus I'd expect them to focus, and win by 20. Oregon vs. Virginia = But this one could be a lot better. I don't think either team is all that good, but I think both are good enough to give the other game. Chattanooga vs. Elon = Same here. Boise State vs. Utah = And again. There will be many more games, of higher interest, on Saturday. I'll deal with most of them tomorrow, but there are a few with early tips I'll mention now, including: # 3 Kansas vs. USC = The Jayhawks are a better team, without a doubt. However, they are also a team in some turmoil, as they just suspended a player due to his arrest for assault and trespassing. And I don't know if heralded freshman Josh Selby will be active then or not (I know it should be soon), but even if so, the addition of anyone new to a game situation (as opposed to practice) can be more disruptive than it is helpful, at least initially. # 15 Georgetown vs. Loyola MD = I don't think the Hoyas are all that good, but they should not have any trouble here. Oakland vs. Michigan = In case you haven't noticed, Oakland's had a good week. They lost to the Spartans by a point, then gave the Vols their first loss of this season. The Wolverines have only lost close games to Syracuse and UTEP, but they really don't have a "quality" victory. Clemson? Utah? Harvard, by 3? I'm curious to see if Oakland can keep it up. East Carolina vs. Coastal Carolina = This one's just another of those testy matchups between two decent squads, and should be some fun. I'll be back tomorrow afternoon to cherry-pick a few more games for you from the balance of the weekend's action. Until then . . . enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Good Lord, there's a lot of games today . . . at long last . . . so let me get to it. I may even need to break this into bits, just to avoid the "post lost" problems I've had in the past. And I will certainly need to cherry-pick, which means you'll need to add any matchups which interest you, but which I skipped for brevity's sake.
But first, there were a few notable scores last night: Charlotte 49 - Tennessee 48 = This one shocks me. Yeah, the 49ers needed a late shot to edge the Vols, but they should never had been in that position to begin with. UNC-C has not played very well this year, and judging by their meager scoring they played no better yesterday. Still, it is a great win for them, and they "improve" to a 5-6 record. Meanwhile UT should have been focused after their embarrassing loss to Oakland, yet apparently were not. So, after beating teams like 'Nova and Pitt, and reaching a # 7 ranking, they have lost 2 in a row, to teams they really should have beaten. Chattanooga 71 - Elon 65 = But at least another team from the Volunteer State showed up against one from the Old North one. I thought this would be decent, and it was. Utah 86 - Boise State 84 = This too I felt had some po', and such was the case. Arizona State 78 - Nevada 75 = This was one of those contests between two so-so squads, so-so I skipped it. Yet it was a lot of fun, and at least a so-so victory for the Sun Devils. Virginia 63 - Oregon 48 = But here, I thought it would be closer. UVA has spent a generation near the bottom of the ACC, while the Ducks are supposed to be "competitive" in the Left Coast League. Well, I caught a little friendly fire back a few weeks back when I called them another cupcake for Dook. Maybe I wasn't so far off. :D Today's action is already underway, yet most of the scores are too lopsided to matter much, with the notable exception that USC is hanging pretty tough with the Jayhawks . . . so far . . ., and East Carolina/Coastal Carolina is a war. Select (believe it or not) games to follow include: # 2 Ohio State vs. South Carolina = If any team has shown up as well as Duke this year, it's been the Buckeyes. They should take this. But the Gamecocks are pretty good themselves, and are known to toss a few upsets into their seasons. Remember, they gave Kentucky their first loss last year, back when people aside from Wildcats thought they were unbeatable. # 5 Syracuse vs. Iona = And the Orange should take this, by three or four possessions anyway, but don't be shocked if the Gaels hang for a time. After losing their first 3, they've won 7 in a row, including one over the Richmond Spiders. # 6 Kansas State vs. Florida = K-State's star Pullen has been pullin' a bit of a disappearing act lately, and the Gators have been inconsistent. This might actually be a fairly tight game . . . if it does not turn into a blowout. # 8 Pitt vs. MD Eastern Shore = Meanwhile, this one is done, before it even begins. # 9 Baylor vs. Gonzaga = Here we have a matchup between polar opposites, in that the Bears are not used to playing at this perceived level, whereas the 'Zags are not playing up to the level they are accustomed to. For that reason alone, I find this game interesting. # 10 Villanova vs. Delaware = The 'Nova Cats have been inconsistent too, and Delaware's been at least OK. But their best win was over ODU, and good as that is, it's not at the "upset" heights one over 'Nova would be. Keep your eye on this, but don't let a blowout surprise you. # 11 San Diego State vs. UCSB = The Aztecs remain on a roll. But the Gauchos are coming off big victories over Santa Clara and UNLV. This may be a decent contest here. # 12 Illinois vs. Ill. Chicago = Yeah, I've used this joke before, but it is apt: "Ill Chicago is right". No contest. # 13 Missouri vs. Central Arkansas = Save for the lame joke, ditto. # 14 Michigan State vs. Prairie View A&M = And the only thing interesting about this one is the fact that Tom Izzo will be sitting it out, serving a one-game suspension by the NCAA for a minor violation during a summer camp. He does not like it, his AD at MSU does not like it, but unlike a number of whiners out there they both say it is what it is, and are moving past it. Good for them . . . and good for them that the suspension is now, as opposed to when they are actually playing somebody. # 16 BYU vs. UCLA = Although I don't have a lot of faith in the Cougars, I have even less that the Bruins are back. This should be double-digits. # 17 Kentucky vs. Miss. Valley State = And this will be double-digits. # 19 Purdue vs. Indiana State = And this might not be, but it should be a Boilermaker W nonetheless. # 20 Louisville vs. Gardner-Webb = But this one could be a lot closer than you might expect. The Cardinals have shown some holes, and G-W's not terrible. # 22 UNLV vs. Southern Utah = The back-to-back losses by the Rebels will likely drop them from the ranks, yet they will also likely take this game . . . though I don't expect a spanking. # 22 Texas vs. North Carolina = Yeah, I know . . . there are TWO # 22s in this week's AP poll, and no # 23. If there were a # 23 playing for the Tar Heels today, the Longhorns would have no chance. But there isn't, so this one will depend on whose young players show up instead. It should be within 2 or 3 possessions, either way. # 25 Texas A&M vs. Arkansas = The Aggies have a better team than the Razorbacks, but this too should be close enough to hold your interest. That's it for the "ranked" contests. I'll be back later with some other choices. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
We have 2 early finals of note:
Kansas 70 - USC 68 = Touted freshman Josh Selby made his debut for the Jayhawks, and they certainly needed him to pull this one out. He scored a game-high 21, and after KU had blown a big lead and let the Spartans get in the thick of it, even taking a slim lead, Selby hit the go-ahead 3 with 26 seconds to go, sealing a victory that was harder than it should have been . . . especially in Phog Allen Fieldhouse. Coastal Carolina 59 - ECTC 58 = I figured this one would be fun, and it most certainly was all that. Most of the other scores were either spankings or "who the hell cares?" games, but take note that, as I type, Ill. Chicago holds a slim lead over Illinois midway through the 2nd half. As for other games today, aside from those already posted: UCF vs. Miami = This was an "early" pick, and with 20 seconds left, UCF leads by 3. Stanford vs. Butler = This was another, but Butler's stomping the Cardinal. Ohio vs. St. Bonaventure = At the moment, Bonnies by 5 with under 4 to play. Cleveland State vs. West Virginia = WVA by 7 with 3 1/2 to go. New Hampshire vs. Rhode Island = RI by 7 with 5 to go. Tulane vs. VCU = VCU by 2 with under 3 to play. Richmond vs. Georgia Tech = Not yet underway, but has the potential to be one damn close insectoid matchup between Spiders and Yellow Jackets. James Madison vs. South Florida = And this too should be tight, at least for a while, though I'd expect the Bulls to bull forwards late. LSU vs. Wichita State = And another decent pairing of close, albeit merely OK, teams. Mississippi State vs. Virginia Tech = I'd give the Hokies the edge, but not by a ton. Wake Forest vs. Xavier = And if the X-men ever decide to start playing, they should take the Deacs with some ease. Sunday's schedule is crap, but there are two that could be at least worth checking out: # 24 Notre Dame vs. Stony Brook = Sorry, make that one, as the Irish should cruise here. Arizona vs. N. C. State = And if the Wolfpack does not finally start playing better, the desert Wildcats will spank them. However, they do have the young talent to make it a game. That's it for now. I'm tired, so I'll leave you with . . . enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
The Geek Squad is supposed to show up today, to check on my computer problems, so I may not be able to update today. Keep posted, and I will too.
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Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
OK, so the Geek Squad cancelled, at the precise time they were supposed to be here, because the geek did not have his needed tools. What a geek, indeed. So lemme try to do at least a quick report of weekend action, of the more important scores. Hey, if I went into all the good games, I'd be here until midnight.
In the balance of Saturday there were some upsets and battles, including: Gonzaga 68 - Baylor 64 = In previous years this would be no news, but as te Bears have been playing much better than the 'Zags (for a change), you'd have to call this an upset. Florida 57 - Kansas State 44 = And the Gators once again access their bipolar personality, and beat an overrated K-State team which played like garbage. Forty-four points? Fifteen of 55 from the field, and 11-19 from the stripe? Crapola. UCLA 86 - BYU 79 = Like the first game mentioned above, this would not have shocked you in the past. And, like the second, an overrated BYU squad got beat fairly convincingly. A much-needed quality win for the Bruins, who've had danged few lately. Illinois Chicago 57 - Illinois 54 = And, unlike all the other ones above, there's just no gawddamn excuse for this. Are you kidding me? The Flames, coming in at 4-7, and on a 4-game losing streak, burn the Illini? Double-crapola, with a side of sheesh. Syracuse 83 - Iona 77 = And this was not an upset, but it was too darn close to one to please Jim Boeheim, I guarantee you. Texas A&M 71 - Arkansas 62 (OT) = Nor was this one, but if the Aggies were gonna outscore the 'Backs 11-2, like they did in OT, then why the hell couldn't they do it sooner? Texas 78 - UNC 76 = Nor was this. But is was a quality victory for the Longhorns, and considering the problems the Tar Heels have been having, a quality loss for them . . . if there is such a thing, that is. St. Bonaventure 112 - Ohio 107 (4OT) = And this . . . well, this was just a game-and-a-half, with neither team giving up, so both deserve some props. As I said, I could mention a dozen other great games, some even of some significance, but there's just too many. If you have any you wish to note, or want some input on, feel free to bring them up. And, following this logic, there were a double-handful of fun games Sunday too. However, as none of them were truly "important", I'm gonna skip them all. To move on to today's schedule, the first thing to note is the Florida Gators have already done what they've done all year . . . followed a good win with a bad loss, dropping one to Jacksonville 71-68 in OT. So, their shiny-new # 20 ranking is already gone, thank you very much and see you later. Other games later tonight include: # 1 Duke vs. Elon = Well, this won't be much of a game at all, barring some miracle, and the only significance it will have is to Coach K himself. A victory will tie him with Dean Smith with 879 wins. Maybe it means something to him, and it almost certainly does to Dook fans. It almost certainly means little to Coach Smith, and nothing to me. K could win 10K games, and still not be as loved in North Carolina as Deano. # 4 U. Conn vs. Coppin State = This must be a Christmas present for Jim Calhoun, to help take his mind off the fact the women's team is getting all the press, what with them tying the UCLA men's record of 88 straight wins. # 5 Syracuse vs. Morgan State = And here's another gimme, though with the Orange zone there's always a shot a shooter can keep it close. # 16 Memphis vs. TAMU Corpus Christi = Seems to me I recall TAMU playing some good team tough last year sometime. That being said, I'd expect this to be done by the half. Vermont vs. Fairfield = And this is just one of those nice matchups. Davidson vs. St. John's = Same here, and could be fun. Stephen F. Austin vs. UTEP = And, although UTEP is a better team, SFA ain't all that bad either. So, enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Congrats to Coach K. No matter your opinion of Duke you gotta admit he is pretty good. :D
If it wasn't for Dean Smith, Krzyzewski would not be the force he is now, and vice versa. The greatest rivalry between coaches I can remember. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
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And I would agree that, at least in the field of college basketball, the rivalry between Coach Smith and Coach Krzyzewski stands second to none. Update, hopefully, to follow. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
For those clueless as to what Bryan and I were talking about:
Duke 98 - Elon 72 = And no, the game was pretty meaningless, in and of itself. And yes, Dook was flat and listless at home, yet still won by about 4 touchdowns. But the win tied Coach K with Dean Smith with 879, and # 2 on the all-time list behind The Kaptain's General, Bobby Knight. His next will put him in sole possession of the # 2 slot . . . if he can manage to beat perennial powerhouse N.C. Greensboro. :D In other action, some of some actual significance: U. Conn 76 - Coppin State 64 = At best, a win of this magnitude is pretty damn crappy. Four or five possessions, over Coppin State? And this is supposed to be the # 4 team in the nation? Gimme a break. Memphis 68 - TAMU Corpus Christi 63 = And for the Memphis Tigers to let TAMU finish within 2 possessions? Jeez. Virginia 50 - Norfolk State 49 = And more of the same here, actually. UVA's not gotten much notice, but they are now 8-3 with a few decent wins in there too. Meanwhile, NS has only one 1 game all year, and haven't really played much of anybody either. Tonight there are many, many games, and I won't bore you with all that could be close. But to pick a few handfuls of "important" games: # 2 Ohio State vs. N.C. Asheville = If the Buckeyes don't win by 20, they will appear on my Wall Of Shame tomorrow. # 7 San Diego State vs. San Francisco = I'd expect much the same here, but there will be no shaming from me towards the Aztecs either way. OK, so they are 12-0, set to go 13-0 tonight, and have a shot of going XX-0 until sometime in March. All props to them. But they have played damn few decent teams, and anyone who thinks they are truly the 7th best team in the nation is nutz. # 11 Kansas State vs. UNLV = Both teams have had reality checks lately, and I would expect both to come out shooting. This one could be close. # 14 Purdue vs. IPFW = And this one could be dull. The Boilermakers have trouble scoring, and IPFW has trouble period. You'd have to pay me to watch this one. # 19 Tennessee vs. USC = But this one could be a lot of fun. The Vols have lost 2 inna row, and the Trojans are playing better, having only lost to Kansas by 2. # 23 BYU vs. Weber State = I think the Cougars will win, but Weber State can give them a half or more anyway. Texas A&M vs. Wagner = And Wagner can give the Aggies half a half . . . maybe. Wake Forest vs. Presbyterian = This is interesting because Wake is not very good, yet maybe a little better than some thought. On the other hand, The Blue Hose are not very good either, but they have had the guts to play almost anybody, so have that experience. Keep your eye on this one. North Carolina vs. William & Mary = The Tar Heels have only this one and two more before the ACC season kicks off for them, so they'd better either start getting their act together now, or resign themselves to the possibility of repeating last year's disappointments. Valparaiso vs. Oakland = These two have played some really good ball, on their own level at least, and that goes double for the Golden Grizzlies. I'm hoping for a good one here. VCU vs. UAB = And pretty much the same story here, save maybe on a slightly higher level. Stanford vs. Oklahoma State = And you can consider this one to be one more step up that same ladder. UCLA vs. Montana State = After beating overranked, albeit still pretty good, BYU on Saturday, the Bruins need to start building on that by stomping the Bobcats into the dirt . . . or otherwise, face the same crap they did last year, with people claiming the Big Sky had surpassed the Pac-10. Though I could give you two dozen likely good matchups tonight, I'm gonna leave it at that, and hope that you . . . enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
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Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
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Update to follow. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
I guess I should be happy to have some customers, but it's keeping me from doing this. So lemme get to it, quick and dirty.
For those wondering about the "Aztec" comments above: San Diego State 62 - San Francisco 56 = Like I said, 13-0 . . . and, like I said, not the 7th best team in the land. To say they were "shaky" in this narrow victory is being generous, and to say Steve Fisher wasn't happy is being modest, if not downright deceitful. In other games last night: UNLV 63 - Kansas State 59 = Yeah, and I said above I had little faith in UNLV. But they may not have taken this had not key K-State seniors Jacob Pullen and Curtis Kelly been set down for a few games by the NCAA for receipt of improper benefits. Their Coach Frank Martin ain't happy about it. Tough. BYU 72 - Weber State 66 = And though I figured Weber State could give the Cougars a half, this tight W shows why I'm no big believer in BYU too. USC 65 - Tennessee 64 = The Vols are falling apart. Maybe it's Bruce Pearl's bad karma. UAB 68 - VCU 65 = I told you this one would be good. Valparaiso 103 - Oakland 102 = Same here. Presbyterian 66 - Wake Forest 64 = And I told you to keep an eye on this one. Idaho 69 - Oregon 65 = Again, the 7-5 Ducks demonstrate their cupcakeness. So far their only "quality" win is over UCSB! Austin Peay 86 - Morehead State 85 (OT) = What else do you need say? Already today Kentucky crushed Winthrop 89-52 (whatta shock), and Miami took Rice 73-67. Quickly, other games amongst many tonight, and many I perforce must skip: Baylor vs. San Diego = N/C. Villanova vs. Monmouth = N/C 2. Pitt vs. American = N/C 3. South Carolina vs. Furman = Could be damned good, this one. Liberty vs. Hampton = And though few people care, same here. Michigan State vs. Texas = And despite many people caring, same here. U. Conn vs Harvard = I'd expect the Cardinal to hang fairly tough, at least for a while. UCF vs. U. Mass = UCF might just lose its new ranking tonight, if they ain't careful. Marshall vs. James Madison = Two quality programs, one good game. Clemson vs. Charleston = This will go down to the last minute. Syracuse vs. Drexel = And Drexel will give the Orange more game than they want. Rider vs. LaSalle = Again, two good teams head-to-head. Florida vs. Radford = Back to N/C territory. Notre Dame vs. UMBC = Still there. Indiana vs. Northern Iowa = But not here. This is a potential war. Vermont vs. Iona = This one too. Missouri vs. Illinois = This one three. San Diego State vs. IUPUI = Only if the Aztecs again come out flat will this one last past the half. Samford vs. Creighton = Don't be surprised if this one is a hell of a game, believe it or not. Kansas vs. California = KU should win by a dozen, and maybe more if Selby is hot again. Utah vs. Butler = Here, here is one to watch. Xavier vs. Gonzaga = Here's another. Florida State vs. Hawaii = And if you can stay up until the wee hours, this one might be decent too. Wish I had more time, but I don't. Add your own games or comments, and enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
How about them UConn women :noon
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Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
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Update to follow. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
There were quite a few good games last night, but few surprises or important scores to note. So I only selected a couple or four:
San Diego State 56 - IUPUI 54 = For the second game inna row, the Aztecs have tried to spit the bit, and both times against teams they should have owned . . . if they are a Top Ten team, anyway. Is the pressure starting to get to them? Or are they just tired, and ready for a break? Me, I'm always of the opinion that several regular-season losses are good for a squad, as you learn more from them than you do from easy wins. Plus, it's always better to get it out of the way sooner than later. Missouri 75 - Illinois 64 = The Tiger win does not surprise me. The margin over the Illini does seem just a tad high, however. Texas 67 - Michigan State 55 = Same here, save that I'm starting to wonder why the Spartans are still getting so much respect. Hey, they are now 8-4, with their only "quality" wins over South Carolina and Washington . . . which ain't sayin' all that much. True, they have played a tough schedule, but still . . . :confused: Florida 66 - Radford 55 = And the Gators keep confusing me also. Who the hell are they, and why was Radford this damn close? The Highlanders have lost 9 in succession, and have not beaten a Division 1 team all year! Florida should have WON by 55, or at least 33. Sheesh! Today we have fewer games than yesterday, but still there's some decent ones to choose from. Already Arizona State has edged N.C. A&T 56-50 (not too good), and Miami took Akron 69-61 (maybe a tad better). Other games I'm interested in include: # 2 Ohio State vs. Oakland = One would expect the Buckeyes to romp, but Oakland has been a tough out. I don't call for an upset, or even a close game, but I am interested to see how they play against OSU. # 10 Georgetown vs. # 16 Memphis = The Hoyas have been solid, but not dominant. The Tigers, like their confreres in Knoxville, have seemed to hit a wall. I think G'town by four possessions, but it should be a nice game anyway. # 11 Kansas State vs. Mo. Kansas City = And K-State should not need their two suspended stars to win this one, so I don't want no whining from Coach Martin, win or lose. # 15 Baylor vs. Washington State = This one could be fairly tight, with whoever executes in the last 5 minutes taking it. # 17 Minnesota vs. So. Dakota State = And this one might last a half or so, before the Gophers go for the throat. # 19 Tennessee vs. Belmont = The Vols, as we all know, have shattered like a Christmas ornament dropped upon the hearth. And don't expect Belmont to wrap them up any gift either, since they have a nice team and a successful program. # 23 BYU vs. UTEP = UTEP's not the best team in Tejas, but they're not the worst either. This could be a closer game than you think. Virginia Tech vs. St. Bonaventure = And here's a real nice matchup, believe it or not. ODU vs. Presbyterian = Plus, the Blue Hose have shown they are no pushovers, so keep an eye on this. Colorado vs. Indiana = And here we have another toss-up. Florida State vs. Butler = Ditto. New Mexico vs. Northern Iowa = Yep, here too. Utah vs. Hawaii = And again. I could even find you some more, but that's gonna be it from me for now. So, enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Although there was only one result last night which can be called an upset, there were a fair number of notable scores. I'll begin with the upset:
Washington State 77 - Baylor 71 = OK, so maybe this is only an upset because the Bears are overranked at # 15, for no good reason. Look at the facts: The Cougars are now 10-1, with a few good wins over the likes of Gonzaga, Miss. State, Santa Clara, Portland, with their only loss being a close one to Kansas State. On the other hand, this was Baylor's 2nd loss, who have played a soft schedule, with their best wins over Arizona State and LaSalle, plus their other loss was to Gonzaga. Maybe this game will act as a reality check . . . if not for them, for the "experts". Tennessee 66 - Belmont 65 = But here was a near upset, though maybe not either. The Vols are in disarray and just escaped their 4th L in a row, and as I told you yesterday, Belmont is no Christmas cookie. Minnesota 85 - South Dakota State 73 = And though this was nowhere near an upset, it was a lot damn closer than it really should have been. Georgetown 86 - Memphis 69 = And this was even further away from an upset, as I figured the Hoyas would learn the young Tigers. However, I did not expect they would take their lunch and give them a wedgie, so maybe that's upsetting to some. But again, to be honest, Memphis has not played all that well, and have not taxed themselves with a difficult schedule either (wins over Miami, LSU, Western Kentucky? meh.), so if they don't get their act together they may even end up a mid-pack CUSA team. Butler 67 - Florida State 64 = On the other hand, the Bulldogs have played a decent schedule, and perhaps are finally finding life after Gordon Hayward. Miami 69 - Akron 61 = Not a great win for the Hurricanes, but not a worse loss either. Virginia Tech 76 - St. Bonaventure 68 (OT) = Hey, I told you that, believe it or not, this one would be good. Northern Iowa 66 - New Mexico 60 = And again, I told you. Arizona State 56 - N.C. A&T 50 = As with the Miami one above, not a nice victory for the Sun Devils, but better than no victory at all. UCLA 74 - UC Irvine 73 = Same here for the Bruins. There is very little action anywhere over the next three days, as one would expect. In case you didn't realize it, there's some sort of holiday happening. Yet there are several possible good matchups. Tonight: Colorado State vs. Southern Mississippi = These are fairly even squads, and should be fun. Mississippi vs. Saint Louis = Ole Miss is a bit better, but far from unbeatable, so if SL shows up, this could be some fun too. On Saturday, AKA Christmas Day: Mississippi State vs. Hawaii = Why is it half the games over the "break" involve the state of Mississippi? Well, whatever. In any case, this one should stay pretty even. Baylor vs. Florida State = As I said above, the Bears have scarcely tested themselves so far. The Semi-holes will be one, for most of the game anyway. Butler vs. Washington State = Both teams need to build upon their last victory. I'd expect a real war here. On Sunday, Boxing Day: Richmond vs. Seton Hall = It should not shock you by now to know I am a closet Spider fan, and not one bit a Pirate one. Still, I believe this will be a decent game. Besides, you have no other option, so you might as well watch it. That's it. I'll be out of here until Monday afternoon, so Merry Christmas to all, and to all . . . enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Well, I'm back, and because of the blizzard I'm even a little early, since I was the only one who could make it to work. When your commute is two minutes, by foot, there's little excuse. I hope you all had a great holiday, but now it' time to put my ample honker back on the grindstone.
On Friday, Christmas Eve: Mississippi 69 - Saint Louis 61 = As I said, if the Billikens showed up, this one could be some fun. Maybe if Rick Majerus had shown up himself (he was out sick, though it is reportedly not serious), they perhaps could have grabbed the upset. Colorado State 63 - Southern Mississippi 58 = And I also had the feeling this would be close too. So, though there wasn't much action, what there was was choice. On Saturday Christmas Day: Florida State 68 - Baylor 61 = Well, the Bears failed their test against the Seminoles, and have paid the price by dropping out of the latest AP poll . . . and with good reason. But despite their overranking, this was still a good win for FSU. Hawaii 68 - Mississippi State 57 = This one was not as close as I thought it would be, but it likely would have been had the Bulldogs not put their two best bigs in the penalty box. Renardo Sidney and Elgin Bailey were both suspended from the MSU team indefinitely, and only because they got into a fistfight in the stands Thursday night, in front of cameras to boot. Hey, what's a little beatdown between roommates, hunh? Their absence allowed the Rainbow Warriors to own the paint, and take the win. Good for them, and good for Miss. State for not putting up with such nonsense. San Diego 67 - Utah 64 = I did not mention this game in my post last Friday because I did not think the Toreros had a snowball's chance in Honolulu. It's not that the Utes are that good, being merely a .500 or so team, but San Diego purely sucks! This victory "improved" their record to 3-10, and was their first win over a D-1 opponent all year. Good for them, and keep it up, Toreros. The Aztecs need a little competition. :D On Sunday, Boxing Day (or here on the East Coast, the first day of a White Kwanzaa): Richmond 69 - Seton Hall 61 = As I had hoped, a decent game, and a Spider W. And the fact that Pirates senior guard Jeremy Hazell was shot the night before played no factor in the game, since he was already out after wrist surgery for an injury sustained early this month. Reportedly, his wound was not life-threatening, being a shot in the arm (which he wasn't for the Hall). I wish him a rapid and full recovery, and advise him that a night in the hospital is better than the 3-to-5 in jail. If he doubts this he should just ask his former teammates (and his former coach). :r I'm gonna take a little break now, and be back later with the upcoming schedule . . . what hasn't been cancelled due to the blizzard (already the Fordham game at Georgia Tech is snowed out). Back shortly. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
My 'net went down for a time, and I thought I'd not get to come back and preview. But it's up again, so lemme try to get this in before it crashes again. So far, there's been no official word of other games cancelled do to the weather, which means we may have tonight:
# 2 Ohio State vs. Tennessee-Martin = Though we really won't have this one, as it shouldn't be much of a game at all. # 4 U. Conn vs. # 6 Pitt = And though I'm still not convinced either of these two deserve their high rankings (though I'm also lothe to propose alternative choices), this should be a great matchup to begin Big Mouth Conference play for both teams. # 22 Louisville vs. Morgan State = And if this one lasts more than a half, I'd be shocked. Penn State vs. Indiana = Neither of these squads will compete for the national championship, or even their conference one, but they are fairly evenly matched and should give us a decent game. Missouri vs. Northern Illinois = However, this one should be double-digits for the Tigers by the horn. UAB vs. George Washington = The Blazers have a better team, and ought to build a lead as the game progresses. Yet we could get a half or more of action before then. There will also be a couple of early games on Tuesday, before I get in here: Purdue vs. Michigan = The Boilermakers have not been great, especially on the offensive end, while the Wolverines have played better than anyone expected. This one just might be pretty close. N.C. State vs. Alabama A&M = But if this one is, that means Sidney Lowe has still not gotten the attention of his young Wolfpack talent, and he just might be advised to start looking for a new job now. Back sometime tomorrow afternoon, unless one of you poses a query or objection. Until then . . . enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Out of the limited number of games last night, only a few scores struck me:
Pitt 78 - U. Conn. 63 = Going into this, I thought it was a toss-up, yet it seems the only thing tossed up was the Huskies' lunch. The victory by the Panthers does not surprise me, but the size of the margin does a bit. Guess this is a reality check in Storrs. Penn. State 69 - Indiana 60 = As I expected, a pretty close game. Portland 66 - Nevada 62 = Here's one I did not preview, and for damn good reason: I didn't think the Wolf Pack had a shot in hell at giving the Pilots any sort of game at all. Portland came in with a 10-3 record, with Nevada at a sickly 3-9. They are now 3-10, but can consider this a moral victory, if such a thing exists. In today's action, Purdue has already crushed Michigan 80-57, and at last check N.C. State was doing much the same to Alabama A&M. Other games of some importance, or at least interest, include: # 5 Syracuse vs. Providence = The Orange should prevail, even by double-digits, but the Friars ain't all that bad themselves, so should give us a fairly good one here. # 11 Kentucky vs. Coppin State = And if this one's still a game at the half, I'll be surprised. # 14 Minnesota vs. Wisconsin = As one would normally expect of these two, here shall be a war. There will be blood in the lane before it's over. Cincinnati vs. DePaul = The Bearcats are better, and will probably win by a bunch. Yet the Blue Demons can be dangerous, and 4 of their 6 losses were by anywhere from 7 to 2 stinkin' points. Xavier vs. Albany = The Musketeers don't seem to be as good as they have been in the past, while the Great Danes may be a little better. However, a little better will likely be a little too little. Pick the X-Men to open it up in the 2nd half. South Florida vs. Seton Hall = Both the Bulls and the Pirates are about .500 teams, and with Big Mouth play just starting they won't remain that "good" for long. This might mean we'd expect a close one, and it may well be. But Seton Hall has had so much crap hit them in the last year (the latest being having their star senior shot!) they may be in shock, and won't show up at all. Don't be surprised if this becomes a laffer. Florida vs. Fairfield = The Gators should be on an entirely different level than are the Stags, and they may be planning on a walk-over here. It could happen. Yet Fairfield, after losing three inna row to "better" competition (Rutgers, Penn State, St. Joe's), they have run off 7 Ws. They will lose, but they might just give Billy Donovan some anxious moments. Valparaiso vs. Ball State = The Valpo Crusaders are OK, and the Ball State Lettermen . . . uh, Cardinals . . . aren't terrible. This one could be fun. North Carolina vs. Rutgers = I am assuming that the Tar Heels managed to get into Newark Liberty International Snowbank to make this game at The Garden. If so, then I also hope that, aside from getting there, they also show up. They have more talent than does the Scarlet Knights, and have even begun to play a bit better. But Rutgers hasn't played badly themselves, losing only to Princeton and St. Joe's so far, while beating decent teams like Fairfield, Miami, and St. Peter's. If both teams play to their potential, the Heels will win big. If only one plays up to snuff, Roy better hope it is his kids. Sam Houston State vs. Air Force = To be honest, I don't know a damn thing about either team. But their records are similar, so I hope they can give us some sort of action. Oh, and at the half, it was NCSU 42-'Bama A&M 20. But 'Bama's scored the first point of the second, so it ain't over yet! :r Back tomorrow, so until then . . . enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
If my boss ever gets the fark out of here, I'll get to the update and preview. If not, then I'll certainly have a chance tomorrow . . . I'm gonna be here about 10 straight hours, alone.
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Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Since the boss kept hangin' about last evening, tying up the phones and generally making a nuisance of himself, I had no chance to do this then. So now lemme put on a full-court press and play a little catch-up.
Games of note Tuesday 12/28: Wisconsin 68 - Minnesota 60 = I begin with what most consider an upset. I'm not one of them, for as I predicted, this one turned out to be a war. It's a great win for the Badgers, and not that bad a loss for the Gophers, disappointing as it may be. Syracuse 81 - Providence 74 = And though the Orange did not quite hit that double-digit margin I predicted, they did get the W over what I knew would be a tough Friar team. Purdue 80 - Michigan 57 = And yes, I know I already gave this final, but there's one interesting point I missed. This was but a 4-point lead for the Boilermakers at the half, then they scored 50 in the second to blow away the Wolverines. So you see, Purdue CAN score, on occasion anyway. N.C. Asheville 85 - Western Carolina 79 (OT) = I did not preview this one, but this Battle of the Smokies deserves to be noted. St. Bonaventure 82 - Siena 79 = Nor did I pick this one, yet it too turned into a real snowball fight. UNC 78 - Rutgers 55 = And I'm not so much citing this rout in MSG because I'm a Heel, but rather to mention an interesting factoid: Carolina and Rutgers (which, despite the deceiving name, IS the University of New Jersey, believe it or not) have met on the court 13 times. The first game was back in 1921, and Rutgers took the victory (I have no idea of the score, but knowing what I do of basketball of the past, it was likely something like 11-8 :r ). Since then, the Scarlet Knights have lost to the Tar Heels each and every time. So it's not quite a century of futility, but it is getting close. On Wednesday 12/29: Duke 108 - N.C. Greensboro 62 = I kick off last night's action with this one not because the game was good, or in any way unexpected. The UNC-G Spartans didn't have a snowball's chance against the Blue Devils . . . well, maybe if Durham had gotten socked with 2 feet of snow so their bus couldn't have made it over to Greensboro they might have gotten a forfeit . . . as they have yet to win a game all year, no matter how good or bad the competition, and fell to 0-12. But I would be remiss if I did not congratulate Coach K on his 880th win, which puts him one above Dean Smith for sole possession of second in all-time victories behind his mentor, Bobby Knight (with, if I'm not mistaken, has 902). Coach K deserves all the accolades for passing his arch rival . . . and, if he had the same amount of class Coach Smith did, he would now retire, in the same way Dean did once he got one more win then Adolph Rupp. :D Notre Dame 69 - Georgetown 55 = And though this can't be considered a huge upset, as the Irish have played well all season, and the Hoyas have been shaky at times, the win is a very good one, and the margin is a bit of a shock. But it is not the only one like this . . . Tennessee 68 - Tenn. Martin 62 = Are you freakin' kidding me? The Vols were hot as a pistol, but have fallen apart. OK, they got the W. Big deal. The Skyhawks have only won 4 games so far this year, and only two were against D-1 squads. Their previous game was a loss to Ohio State . . . by 60 points, or 10X the margin here. Please. Illinois 87 - Iowa 77 = And this one for the Illini ain't a whole lot better. OK, these Hawks are better than those above, but not by all that much. Iowa is now 7-6, and their only "quality" win was against a meh Alabama team. Washington 73 - USC 67 (OT) = And this one for the Huskies is a good amount worse. They are supposed to be the class of the Pac-10, whereas the Trojans are about a .500 team at best. I don't care that the game was in LA . . . to go to OT here is pitiful. Vanderbilt 77 - Marquette 76 = OK, so this one's not so bad. The Commodores are pretty good , but not commanding, and the Golden Eagles ain't half-bad themselves. Their 3 previous losses were to Dook, Gonzaga, and Wisconsin, so there's no shame there. Auburn 88 - Georgia Southern 84 (OT) = Not a very good win for the Tigers, but considering how bad they are I guess it's better than another loss. Quinnipiaac 82 - Boston U. 81 = In case you haven't been noticing, the Q. Bobcats have been having a nice year so far. This close victory moves them to 9-2, with their only losses coming to decent team, Vermont and U. Mass. Dayton 73 - George Mason 67 = And the Flyers have made a little noise too. This is another good win for them. The Patriots are not what they were some years back, but they had won 7 in a row before this loss. New Hampshire 68 - Cornell 66 = To be honest, I don't know if this is an OK win, or a bad one, for the NH Wildcats. On the one hand, they pretty much stink. On the other, the Big Red totally sucks, as this was their 8th loss in a row. But on the third hand, 6 of those 8 Ls were by 5 points or less. So I am completely befuddled. Yeah, I know: "What else is new?" Towson 93 - LaSalle 90 (OT) = And this just adds to my confusion. The LaSalle Explorers may be a .500 team, but they have played fairly well at times, and only lost to Villanova by 3 back on the 12th. Meanwhile, the Tigers have been lousy, coming into the game at 3-7. This should not have gone to OT, and LaSalle should not have lost. But it did, and they did, and I don't get it. St. Mary's 94 - Mississippi State 72 = But this one, I do get. The Gaels are pretty danged good, and may have had the edge even before the Bulldogs became a doughnut team by suspending their two best bigs for fighting in the stands out in Hawaii. Lends a whole new meaning to "Dawg Pound", doesn't it? Rhode Island 67 - Boston College 65 = The BC Eagles were on a roll, and had even started to gain some national attention. But the Rams told them where they could shove that with this victory. Here was an excellent game from two good teams, either of which could have, or even should have, won. Delaware 54 - Santa Clara 53 = And though the Blue Hens and the Broncos are both .500 teams, they were well-matched, as the final indicates. New Mexico 61 - Texas Tech 60 = But now I'm back in the puzzlement again. The Lobos have been playing well, and the Red Raiders have not been playing worth a squat. This should not have been a 1-point game, even in Lubbock. UCLA 80 - Washington State 71 = And though this should perhaps confuse me too, it really doesn't. The Pac-10 is still a mess, and although the Bruins are not back, and though this was just the Cougars 3rd loss all season, nothing out of the Left Coast surprises me all that much these days. Just chalk it up as a nice win for UCLA, and move on. St. John's 81 - West Virginia 71 = And even though the Johnnies are even further away from being back than are the aforementioned Bruins, and from a greater distance (time-wise, I mean), this is an even better win for the Red Storm, over what has recently been one of the better teams in the Big Mouth Conference. And and even even though though the Mountaineers may not be nearly as good this year, they still are not garbage, so give St. John's some credit, and some hope they won't be scraping the bottom of the barrel in the East again. I'll check out the upcoming action and give my preview later in the day. See you then. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Big game tonite is Big Five matchup between Temple and Nova, at Nova....Hoot Hoot!! Go Owls!!
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Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
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Some other action has already concluded today. Charlotte edged Mercer 64-63, and Virginia Tech had more trouble with South Carolina Upstate than it probably should have, only pushing it out late for a 64-53 win. And at last check, with 5 minutes to go, Belmont was up over Miami OH by 7. To follow we will have these: # 10 Missouri vs. ODU = I can see this one being really close, and it may depend on who can execute in the last few minutes. # 16 BYU vs. Buffalo = However, this one should not be close at all. I don't have great faith in BYU, but I have none at all for Buffalo. # 19 UCF vs. Princeton = Seems to me the Tigers have been playing better, and they certainly have faced enough quality opposition to be ready for this game. As for UCF, I am interested to see if that OTHER MJ, Marcus Jordan, can continue to do his daddy proud. Might be a decent contest. # 21 Memphis vs. Lipscomb = And this might be more decent than you might think. The Tigers have repeatedly shown their youth, and Lipscomb may not have the name, but they are no easy out either. VCU vs. New Hampshire = While I want to think VCU should own this one, I just have this feeling NH will hang real tough. Iowa State vs. Virginia = And though neither of these two are the class of their respective conferences, they are both at least decent, and are fairly evenly matched. Should be fun. Arizona vs. Oregon = I realize the desert Wildcats are not totally back, but I also realize the Ducks suck. This could get real ugly, real early. Arizona State vs. Oregon State = But here we have two closer squads, so we could have some entertainment before it's over. I could pick many others, yet as they are in the "who cares?" category (South Dakota State vs. Mo. KC? Wisc. GB vs. Detroit?) I'll just leave you with . . . enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
I've got much too much to cover, and much too little time, so . . .
Last night: BYU 90 - Buffalo 82 = Maybe this tells you why I've been saying all along I have little faith in the Cougars. UCF 68 - Princeton 62 = I knew the Tigers would keep this close. Villanova 78 - Temple 74 = And as I told Keith, I'd give 'Nova the slight edge. I could give a dozen more, but there's no time. So . . . Today already, Purdue stomped Northwestern 82-69, Kentucky beat Louisville 78-63, and that Charleston team I keep telling you is no damn cupcake crushed Tennessee 91-78. In progress are many others, including St. Joe's/Siena, UCLA/Wash., and Minn./Mich. State. Maybe I can get back with finals. Others good ones are: Florida vs. Xavier Texas A&M vs. McNeese State U. Conn vs. South Florida Ohio State vs. Indiana On New Year's Day: West Virginia vs. Marquette Georgetown vs. DePaul Valparaiso vs. Butler New Mexico vs. Dayton Syracuse vs. Notre Dame Boston College vs. South Carolina St. John's vs. Providence On Sunday 1/2/11: Villanova vs. Rutgers Gonzaga vs. Wake Forest Memphis vs. Tennessee State UNC vs. St. Francis PA Penn State vs. Michigan Marshall vs. St. Bonaventure Vanderbilt vs. Davidson LSU vs. Virginia Illinois vs. Wisconsin Charlotte vs. Georgia Tech Kansas vs. Miami OH Duke vs. Miami FL California vs. Stanford I'd love to give my usual commentaries on these, but hey . . . you try working in a liquor store on New Year's Eve, and when the MegaMillions jackpot is about $250M. Sheesh, will these people stop handing me money and just go the fark home? Enjoy your games, and have a great New Year's. If not sooner, I'll be back Monday. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Were I to comment on every close game that ended one year and began another, I'd tire and bore myself much more than you. So, skipping all the blowouts and the who-gives-a-fark contests, I can trim this down to a manageable number of meaningful scores.
To finish up for Friday 12/31: Michigan State 71 - Minnesota 62 = A good win for the Spartans, who lost their mojo for a time, and may be getting some back. U. Conn 66 - South Florida 61 (OT) = OK, the Bulls are not total crap, but they are nearly that. They had lost 5 of their previous 6 coming into Hartford for this one, whereas the Huskies had moved from pre-season nobodies up to # 4 in the polls. So tell me . . . is this how a supposedly top team performs in what is essentially a home game against a sub. 500 opponent? U. Conn is seriously over-rated, and is due for a equally serious comeuppance. On Sat. 1/1/11: Dayton 76 - New Mexico 73 (2OT) = Had I had had the time last Friday, I would have told you to catch this one. The only bad thing about this game was the relatively poor shooting by both teams, and thus the low score for a double-OT game. Collectively, they were 49-128 from the field, and together gathered 92 rebounds . . . nearly twice as many as shots made. St. John's 67 - Providence 65 = You may recall last year, when the Red Storm (god, I hate that name!) got off to a very good start, only to come down to earth again. Well, the Johnnies are at it again, and this win coupled with their previous one over WVU gives them a boost to begin conference play. Hey, at 2-0 they are ahead of U. Conn, Georgetown, and Notre Dame . . . all ranked squads. Arizona State 60 - Oregon 55 = This marks the Ducks 4th L in succession. I told you the Ducks suck, didn't I Bryan? :D And speaking of Bryan . . . On Sunday 1/2: Duke 74 - Miami 63 = I guess this is a good enough win for the Blue Devils. Yes, Dook is the unanimous # 1 in both major polls, yes it was in Cameron, and yes the Hurricanes are not total garbage, though they have yet to beat any team this year that is, has been, or is likely to be ranked. But it is the ACC, so I reckon a measly 11-point victory is reason enough to be, if not happy, at least content. Memphis 91 - Tennessee State 86 = However, if anybody in yodeling distance of Graceland is happy with this poor-ass showing by the Tigers, they oughta be horse-whipped. To edge Tenn. State like this, what with their 6-8 record, and only "boasting" 4 D-1 wins . . . in your own house? Whatta loadda crap. Illinois 69 - Wisconsin 61 = Much like the Duke win, I guess this is fine for the Illini, and even a bit better. They are not supposed to be as good as Dook, while the Badgers are better than is Miami. And, as with the ACC, wins in the Big 10 ain't that easy to come by, so you take what you can get. Michigan 76 - Penn State 69 = Like this. Oregon State 76 - Arizona 75 = For those of you desert Wildcat fans who thought your team was back, this does not of necessity mean otherwise. Yet when you consider that the Beavers will struggle to remain a .500 squad, it does not bode well either. Charlotte 86 - Georgia Tech 83 (2OT) = In the long run, it is unlikely this game will mean much to either team, as neither seem likely to make much noise this season. But it was one hell of a fight, and they both deserve some props for the entertainment value alone. Bucknell 62 - Richmond 61 = Here's one that catches me by surprise. The Spiders have played very well, and the Bison have been . . . well, the Bison. Hey, I guess that's why they play the games, right? There are a number of games tonight, but only a few offer the reasonable expectation of being any damned good: Kentucky vs. Pennsylvania = This ain't one of them. The Wildcats will probably win by a higher number than they can count. But that's no problem, as the Quakers can always give them the derivative in base 8. Kansas State vs. Savannah State = And this won't be one either. These Wildcats might even win by a greater margin. Texas A&M vs. Nicholls State = And though this may be a bit closer, it won't be close enough to be worth watching. Georgetown vs. St. John's = OK, now here we could have about 3/4ths a game here. I'd expect the Hoyas to prevail in the end, but I don't expect the new and improved Johnnies to fold up like a cheap tent. Michigan State vs. Northwestern = The Spartans are trying to regain their poise, and need to win big to maintain some forward momentum. Yet, although this particular pride of Wildcats are not what those noted above are, they are not total pushovers either. Could be fairly close, for a half or so anyway. Rhode Island vs. Florida = And this one could actually be one damn nice one, start to finish. The Gators are up-and-down, and the Rams are pretty decent most nights. It could go either way. Jacksonville vs. Campbell = And this one will actually be one damn nice one, you can count on it. The Dolphins might be slightly better, but it is in the Fighting Camels' oasis, so plan on it going down to the wire. That's it for now. Enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
I found several interesting results from last night's action, the most notable being:
St. John's 61 - Georgetown 58 = Although I figured the Johnnies could give the Hoyas game, I would never have had the chutzpah to predict they would win. And although I rarely ever mention the much-maligned RPI rankings, I do strongly suspect that this loss will drop Georgetown from its # 1 rating there, a position they have held without sufficient justification for a week or more now. Otherwise, I shall only say that the Hoyas seem to have fallen back into their age-old habit, that of being a very good defensive team, and a totally average offensive one. Michigan State 65 - Northwestern 62 = And I find this one nearly as interesting, since the Spartans really should have won by much more than a single possession. So, for all you critics giving Roy Williams such a hard time, why don't you save a few bolts for Tom Izzo, hunh? Auburn 65 - Florida State 60 = Here again, there seems no good reason for this loss by the Semiholes. Prior to this one, they had only dropped games to quality opponents like Florida, Ohio State, and Butler, while beating a good Baylor squad along the way. As for Auburn, they pretty much have stunk up the gym all year long, and not in a good way. This one had to hurt. But, speaking of Butler . . . Wisc. Milwaukee 76 - Butler 52 = Wow. Hey, I started out saying to begin this thread that Butler would not be nearly as good nor as successful as last year's group, yet of late they have been playing better. Well, their 6-game winning streak has ended, with a big boom. I'm not saying W-M sucks, but when a team loses by 24 points, it stings. Texas A&M 66 - Nicholls State 55 = And any time a team which supposedly deserves a national ranking beats a bunch like Nicholls State by a mere 11 points, it should sting a little too. We've seen worse wins this season, but not by a lot. Jacksonville 67 - Campbell 65 = I told you this would be one damn nice game that would go down to the end. See, I'm not a complete idiot. There are quite a few games this evening, but many of them pit one 2-10 team against another, so although they may thus be close ones, who actually gives a flying fark? However, there are a handful of pretty good ones, or at least ones with the potential to be pretty good: Ohio State vs. Iowa = The Buckeyes are much better than the Hawkeyes, yet keep your Owneyes on this one. As with any conference matchup, it just might turn into a fight before it's over . . . and in the Big Ten, that could be taken literally. Pitt vs. Providence = And it's pretty much the same story here. Put your money on the Panthers, but don't be shocked if the Friars cover the spread (and no, I have no idea what that spread is, but it really doesn't matter). Texas vs. Arkansas = The hits just keep on comin'. Once more, the Longhorns have the beef, but the Razorbacks have the nasty attitude. Expect a fairly close one. U. Conn vs. Notre Dame = And though this is less a David/Goliath situation than those above, being more of a heavyweight bout, this one could go a long way towards telling us which of these 2 Big Mouth teams are for real . . . if either actually are. Indiana vs. Minnesota = Back to the Big Ten, and another shot at a bloody battle. The Gophers have the better personnel, but the Hoosiers are playing a bit better than they have in years, so they could make a decent game of it, for at least a half or more. West Virginia vs. DePaul = Here again, we have two well-matched opponents, with WVA being the slight favorite (in my eyes, anyway). Yet the Blue Demons have played OK from time to time, and since both teams are now 0-2 in conference play, you know both want the victory. If nothing else, the intensity should be there all game long. Missouri State vs. Creighton = And here we might have, with the exception of the Huskies/Irish game (or some of those 2-10 opponents previously mentioned, then ignored), the most even matchup of the evening. A last-second shot, or even OT, might just decide this one. That's what got my attention for tonight, but if you have any candidates to nominate, feel not merely free, but encouraged. Regardless . . . enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
As I suspected there would be, many of those "2-10" team matchups last night were as tight as one would expect. But who really cares? So, as for those games about which some may actually care:
Notre Dame 73 - U. Conn 70 = Though no one can really consider this an upset, it was definitely a good win for the Irish. The single-possession victory may be a factor of the home court advantage, however, so don't real all that much into it. Both teams have shown that they are better than decent, although both might be a bit over-rated at this point . . . which still remains to be seen. Ohio State 73 - Iowa 68 = And this is definitely a "bad" win for the Buckeyes. Yeah, I know I flat-out told you this one just might turn into a real battle, which it certainly did. But still, for the supposedly # 2 team in the country to win by 2 possessions over a .500 squad, that ain't so hot. Pitt 83 - Providence 79 = I still have no idea what the spread was in this game, but I still expect the 4-point margin did cover it. I just had a feeling the Friars would hang tough, partly because they are a fairly decent team, partly because I don't think Pitt's as good as people say. Minnesota 67 - Indiana 63 = And I found this interesting not so much for the Gopher win as for the fact that, yes indeed, the Hoosiers hung real tough. West Virginia 67 - DePaul 65 = Like I predicted, this one stayed intense from tip to horn. WVA built a 3-point lead at the half, and held on to 2/3rds of it for the W. Tonight has an OK selection of games for you to choose from, including: Duke vs. UAB = First off, Dook is going to lose one of these nights. However, though this may stay close for a while, I don't think that will happen this evening. Secondly, Dook will. or so I understand, actually play a game or two outside of the friendly confines of Cameron Indoor Stydium before this season is over. However again, that will not happen tonight. Talk about your home cooking! Hey, you think I'm kidding? Aside from that one early season tourney they were in, the Blue Devils have visited only the Ducks so far this year. Well, they DID go to Greensboro to stomp the 0-11 UNC-G squad, but please . . . do you really consider that an "away" game for them. Gimme a break. Kansas vs. Mo. KC = I shortened the name of the Jayhawks opponent, to match how short this game will be. Hell, it ain't even tipped yet, and it's over already. Purdue vs. Penn State = Now, this one could be quite a bit closer, but if the Boilermakers can actually make a few shots they will prevail by double-digits before it's done. UCF vs. Marshall = Really? The UCF Knights are 13-0, and ranked # 19? OK, good for them. Tonight they kick off their conference schedule against an experienced Thundering Herd, so don't be shocked if both of those facts come to a screeching halt. San Diego State vs. TCU = And this will begin conference play for the 6th-ranked (6th? Are you kiddin' me?) Aztecs also. Although this one's deep in the heart of Texas, I don't expect TCU will end the magic for SDSU . . . yet. But stranger things have happened, especially in conference play, so keep your ears on. Memphis vs. Tennessee = The Tigers have not played all that well, and have managed to dodge a few slugs to remain amongst the ranked. Meanwhile, the Vols have folded up like a cheap suit (by which I mean clothing, and not a tort or criminal proceeding). Yet I don't think they are as bad as they have played lately, so don't be surprised if they actually manage to get their act back together, focus, and give their non-conference in-state rival one hell of a fight. BYU vs. UNLV = As with many other games, this alphabet soup of a matchup kicks off the Mountain West action for these two, who seem to be the only legitimate challenge to the aforementioned Aztecs. I think this should be too close to call. Charlotte vs. Richmond = The 49ers started off all over the map, going up and down like a teeter-totter team. But of late, they have played much better. The Spiders have been much more consistent, yet are coming off an embarrassing loss to Bucknell. This one should be a lot of fun, start to finish. Louisville vs. Seton Hall = And this one should be fun too, until about midway through the 2nd. Then the Cardinals will pull away, and leave the Pirates out to sea. George Mason vs. Hofstra = Two decent teams, one decent game, and one decent run by one or the other will decide it. Marquette vs. Rutgers = Though this may be a bit closer than the L'ville/SHU game, I'd expect the Golden Eagles to poop on the Scarlet Knights before it's done . . . at least, if they learned anything from watching the Tar Heels defend the paint against them. Rutgers can't hit from outside to save their lives, even if left open. Mississippi vs. SMU = To be honest, I have no idea what to expect here. Both the Mustangs and the Rebels have pretty good records. However, neither team has really played much of anybody so far. This one could be good, or could stink on ice, either direction. Tulane vs. Rice = And, with the exception of Rice's close losses at Texas and Miami, much the same could be said here too. Missouri vs. Northern Alabama = But not here. This is another one you can pencil in now. Michigan vs. Wisconsin = But not here. Although neither one threatens to become a national contender, you can always expect the fur to fly when you toss a Wolverine in with a Badger. That's whats I gots today. Enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
There were very few surprises, and no big shocks, in last night's action, so I will limit myself to only a few scores which, for one or another reason, struck me:
Tennessee 104 - Memphis 84 = A Volunteer victory is no surprise, as they are a better team than their recent play has indicated. A Tiger loss is also no surprise, as this young team has had many "growth" problems this season, and should probably consider themselves lucky that this was just their 3rd loss so far, since they posted several narrow wins. However, the margin of victory far exceeded my expectations. ODU 49 - Northeastern 34 = And the total amount of scoring here is absolutely atrocious. Look at it this way: Had these two collectively been playing that Memphis team above, they together would still have lost by a point. Harvard 78 - Boston College 69 = The Crimson have not been receiving nearly the amount of press they did last year, when experts thought they'd make the NCAAs for the first time in . . . what, decades? On the other hand, the Eagles have been getting good reviews, with some going so far as to say that, though they were unlikely to challenge Duke in the ACC, they might just challenge all others. That may still be the case, but this Beantown defeat lends little evidence to that. Yet there are other factors to consider too. First, this makes the third straight meeting where Harvard has "upset" BC. And second, BC's new coach is Steve Donahue, late of Cornell, who was the Ivy opponent that had Harvard's number under his tenure there . . . so the revenge element was undoubtedly sweet. Tonight's slate of games include: Villanova vs. South Florida = I would not expect 'Nova will be pushed in this one, though it may remain close for a time. Illinois vs. Northwestern = And pretty much the same story here. It may not be a blowout, but it should be comfortable late in the game for the Illini. Cincinnati vs. Xavier = The Bearcats come into this at 14-0, but they have not faced much quality opposition yet. The X-men do not seem to have as good a team as some in their past, but they aren't patsies either. This might actually turn into a fairly decent contest. Charleston vs. Furman = And here too, we have teams that both can play a little. This could go down to the last few possessions. Washington vs. Oregon = I have yet to see any indication that Washington is really all that good. I have seen a fair amount of evidence that the Ducks suck. I don't think this one will stay in single digits for long. Washington State vs. Oregon State = But this Northwest Passage matchup could be an entirely different matter. WSU may be 10-4 overall, as opposed to OSU's 7-6, but in conference play they are respectively 0-2 versus 2-0. The Cougars need a conference victory badly, but the Beavers need a win of any sort to remain above .500. If nothing else, the intensity should be there. California vs. Arizona = The desert Wildcats have played better than the experts predicted they would, but are coming off a disappointing loss to those aforementioned Beavers. The Golden Bears started off quite well with some early wins, most notably to then # 21 Temple, but have been up-and-down since, yoyoing between Ls and Ws. So give the edge to 'Zona, as we can't depend upon the good Bear squad showing up, as opposed to the bad one. That's my picks for tonight. Enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
For what it's worth, here's the scores that jumped out at me from last night:
Villanova 83 - South Florida 71 = As I thought, the Wildcats were not hard-pressed. Yet, as I thought, the Bulls weren't bullied either. All in all, just about what you'd expect. Charleston 76 - Furman 72 = Again, I felt this would be a good one, and it certainly was. Arizona 73 - California 71 = Though I cannot say I'm at all surprised at the closeness of this final, I will confess I really have little idea what it truly means, if anything. It is a good win for the Wildcats, but not by any means a dominant performance against the Golden Bears . . . who sometimes play well, and sometimes play like crap. Boise State 102 - San Jose State 101 (4OT) = That's right, 4OT. So this game turned into a game-and-a-half, and nearly went further than that. Two other interesting notes here. This was the first time the SJS Spartans have scored 100 points since 1979, or a span of 914 games. And, this was the first time the BS Broncos have played an overtime game . . . ever. There's not one hell of a lot happening tonight, not even the normally-expected Ivy action we're accustomed to seeing on Fridays. In fact, I found only two which jazzed me even a teeny bit: Cleveland State vs. Butler = The Bulldogs have the name and rep, but the Vikings have the record, at 15-1 overall and 4-0 conference. True, Butler has played a slightly better schedule, but CS hasn't exactly been dogging it either, what with wins over decent teams like South Florida, St. Bonnie's, Wisc. Milwaukee (who beat Butler Monday by 24), and Iona. Speaking of the Gaels . . . Iona vs. St. Peter's = . . . although neither they nor the Peacocks are world-beaters, they are both at least OK, and are fairly well matched. This one could be some fun. Now Saturday will be an entirely different matter altogether, with altogether too many games to choose from. I'll get a jump on it now by posting the contests which tip off early (meaning before 2 PM): Syracuse vs. Seton Hall = Though this is a home game for the Pirates, I can't see any way in hell they can beat the Orange. That's not because I think Syracuse is as great as their record, but rather because the Hall is "meh" on their best nights. Georgetown vs. West Virginia = And again, though the Hoyas have had their troubles at times, the Mountaineers are about 3/4th the team they've been in recent years. This should be closer than the one above, but unless the Hoyas' inability to score bites them in their big blue butts again, they should prevail. Michigan State vs. Penn State = The Spartans have had a good season so far, but they were expected to have a great one. That could still happen, and they are likely to school the NotMuch'enly Lions in State College. Kansas State vs. Oklahoma State = Now here, we just might have us a pretty decent game down in Stillwater. The "other Manhattan" Wildcats have the rep, but they haven't played much of anybody for over a month . . . and when they did (Florida & UNLV), they lost. The Cowboys have a good shot of making a run at them, believe it or not. North Carolina vs. Virginia = The Tar Heels are still only hitting on about 5 of 8 cylinders, which should be enough to give them the edge in Charlottesville, especially in the paint. But the Cavs are actually decent so far this year, at 10-5 and with wins over Minnesota and Va. Tech, and their guards will hurt you if you don't guard them first. So, all in all, this one could be a toss-up. Missouri vs. Colorado = Here too, you have to give the Tigers an edge, as they have played better than have the Buffaloes. But again, the Buffs have not been bad themselves, and this game is in Boulder, so the altitude might give the lowlanders some problems before it's all said and done. Keep an eye on the second half, to see if it becomes a factor. Tennessee vs. Arkansas = The Vols posted a big, and badly needed, win over Memphis Wednesday, but it is not a given that they have righted their ship. As for the 'Backs, they have a good record, but have lost their games against "quality" opponents, and were embarrassed by the Longhorns in their last contest, losing by 33. This one is hard to call because A) We don't know which UT team will show up down in Fayetteville, and B) We don't know what the Razorbacks are, period. Austin Peay vs. Murray State = And here we have one of those classic mid-major matchups that could, before all is said and done, actually become the best game of the day. Flip a coin on this one. If I don't make it back here later today, I'll chat on you tomorrow afternoon. Until then then . . . enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Should be at the Austin Peay/Murray State game tomorrow; hope we win!
I see that the NCAA has rejected for the last time the bid for Enes to play for Calipari in Lexington. I didn't expect there to be any change there. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Quote:
Well, that action is already underway, and like all the other early games, it is precisely the war one would expect. Nobody, nowhere, has yet to gain any meaningful edge over their opponent, including that AP/MSU contest. And yes, I also saw the NCAA has rejected UK's additional appeal regarding the statue of Enes Kanter. So now those "Free Enes' pleas have truly been appeased, as he is now free to sit in the stands and await the NBA Draft. As wise men have noted, be careful what you wish for. Last night neither of those games I picked to have potential became thus, as both Butler and Iona dominated their respective opponents. But two other games were actually pretty exciting: Canisius 62 - Siena 61 = Though these two schools have both had better teams, and better records in past years, they did give us some fun here. Creighton 72 - Southern Illinois 66 (OT) = And you could say the precise same thing here. While we await some resolution in the early games, let me select some that will follow later today. And I use the term "select some" judiciously, because there are so many good possibilities I could not cite them all . . . thus the length of my "short list", to whit: Pitt vs. Marquette = Though one would be smart to pick Pitt, don't expect Marquette to get spanked. In fact, they even have a shot at winning this one. Don't bet on it, but don't bet the farm on the Panthers either. SMU vs. Tulane = And though this one won't be played on the same level, it has the potential to be a close contest. George Mason vs. ODU = Ditto. Baylor vs. Texas Tech = The Bears have shown some weaknesses lately, yet still should have enough to beat TT . . . maybe not by much, but a win's a win. California vs. Arizona State = Even if this wasn't a conference game, it would be a toss-up. Neither team has dominant talent, but both are smart and well-coached. Wake Forest vs. N.C. State = And even if this wasn't both a conference game and one between in-state rivals, the intensity would be there. The Deaks have enough pride to wish to avoid their predicted slot in the ACC basement, and the 'Pack is trying to take a step up in the world . . . and save Sidney Lowe's job. Expect a war, with State edging it out. BYU vs. Air Force = I have said before I don't consider the Cougars to truly be amongst the country's elite. That being said . . . again . . . I don't think the Falcons have enough to stop them here. Florida State vs. Virginia Tech = Here is another vital early conference game. Neither squad is likely to challenge Duke in the ACC, but both want to end the season with enough wins for a bid to the NCAAs. U. Conn vs. Texas = This might be the marquee matchup of the day, and I can't tell you who to pick here. I'm leaning a bit towards the Longhorns, but they have the habit of collapsing under pressure in big games. On the other hand, the Huskies have had surprisingly great success so far, yet I feel they have over-achieved and may be approaching the limits of their good fortune. I guess this is why they actually play the games. Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma = And I have a similar "U. Conn-ish" feeling about A&M, which is why I give the Sooners a chance of pulling off the upset here. Hey, it is in Norman. Memphis vs. East Carolina = The Tigers were just humbled by the Vols, so should come into this one with renewed focus. But a young team sometimes goes in the other direction after a spanking, so give the Pirates a shot, albeit a slim one, of keeping this close for a while. San Diego State vs. Utah = Though the Aztecs may be little better than contenders in several other leagues, they do seem to be the class of the Mountain West. So, whether they are Runnin' or not, the Utes ain't got more than a prayer here. Alabama vs. Mississippi State = And again we have one of those key conference games between programs who are "also-rans" in their league. Both need every win they can garner, and we can expect they know that well enough to give us a good one here. Georgia Tech vs. Boston College = Didn't I just tell you? Are you paying any attention at all? Why do I even bother? Charlotte vs. St. Bonaventure = Must I keep repeating myself? Sheesh, wake up already! Kentucky vs. Georgia = With or without Enes Kanter, UK has better talent than do the Bulldogs. But the 'Dawgs ain't dogs themselves, and they are totally capable of giving the Wildcats a game here. Could be a lot closer than Cal would like. Vanderbilt vs. South Carolina = The Comms have a better team too, but the 'Cocks are always up. ;) Besides, they need the W more. I won't say that they will win down in Columbia, but I will say that, if they do, I won't consider it to be a big upset. UCF vs. Houston = UCF is ranked # 19 in the AP poll, and # 13 in the decidedly odd RPI rating. That same RPI poll gives their Strength of Schedule rating at 107th. So, if they haven't played anybody, how can you expect me to predict how they will play? Hey, I'm not calling for the Cougars to knock off the Knights . . . I'm just saying this whole hype about Disney University is pretty Mickey Mouse. Miami vs. Clemson = Hey, guess what? We're back to those important conference games again. And again, as neither team is all that much better, or worse, than the other, you can expect a close and hard-fought war. LSU vs. Auburn = Ibid. Washington vs. Oregon State = Ditto. Stanford vs. Arizona = Op. cit. Ole Miss vs. Florida = Etc. Providence vs. Rutgers = USW St. John's vs. Notre Dame = OK, slightly different, as the Irish are perceived as being the superior team. But the Red Storm has played pretty well so far, and might just have a few surprises for those leprechauns. Iowa State vs. Nebraska = No surprises here, just another tight fight. Portland vs. Gonzaga = Yep. UNLV vs. TCU = Maybe a three-possession edge for the Casino Runs, but not much more. Oregon vs. Washington State = And maybe that for the Cougars too, but more because the Ducks are merely waddling through their schedule. I might pick a dozen or three more, but that should be enough. I'll be back later with some early results, and a preview of Sunday's action. Until then, enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Well, Joe, that Austin Peay/Murray State game is finally over, and I'm sorry to say your Racers came up juuuust short, losing 66-64. The fell behind by 10 at the half, but made a game of it . . . as we both figured they would.
Some other early finals: West Virginia 65 - Georgetown 59 = I told you that the Hoyas should prevail, if they could manage to shoot. They did shoot pretty well, at .500 from the field and better than .900 from the line. But they turned the ball over 18 times, as opposed to WVA's 13. That still doesn't fully explain this loss, yet I'm gonna grap aholt of any excuse. A great win for the Mountaineers, who really needed one. North Carolina 62 - Virginia 56 = Unlike the Hoyas though, the Tar Heels shot like crap. With .370 from the field and a "meh" .700 from the stripe, they should consider themselves fortunate that some of those FTs came late to give them the narrow victory . . . since this one was a LOT closer than the 6-point edge indicates. Syracuse 61 - Seton Hall 56 = The Orange keep rolling, but this one's not all that juicy. True, the Pirates have lost a few close ones to good squads, but in their prior two they were duly spanked by Cincy and Louisville. There is no good reason the supposedly # 4 team in the land should edge them like this, so I must class this as one of those "bad" wins for the 'Cuse. I'm gonna do my lunch now, and come back with my Sunday picks. Later, dudes. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Wow, it's starting to look like this is going to turn into one of those "Upset Weekends" we sometimes see in college hoops. Aside from that Georgetown loss, we already have:
Penn State 66 - Michigan State 62 = How in the high holy hell could the Spartans lose to Penn State? Whereas their previous four losses only dropped them from # 2 to # 18 (while my Tar Heels' four dropped them from # 8 to the point where they barely even get a handful of votes, period), this one should drop them out of the rankings altogether. I say "should", as so far none of the experts have seem to be all that concerned about the quality . . . or lack of . . . MSU's play. Oklahoma State 76 - Kansas State 62 = And this one almost equates as a spanking, and over another team that's been ranked as high as (I believe) # 3. After this, the Manhattanites will be lucky to stay in the ranked at all. Meanwhile, Colorado appears to have a safe lead over Missouri, and Arkansas a 6-point one over Tennessee with under 2 to play. If these hold up, that makes five upsets, and the weekend's barely started! Speaking of the weekend, the notable games of Sunday include: Villanova vs. Cincinnati = This one could go either way, so I don't feel this would be an upset no matter what happens, despite 'Nova's lofty rank. Purdue vs. Iowa = And though I think the Boilermakers will win, I would not be shocked it the Hawkeyes take aim at them. Louisville vs. South Florida = The Bulls have played a tough schedule, and it seems to be wearing on them. They have lost 5 in a row, and I expect that will soon become 6. Ohio State vs. Minnesota = On the other hand, the Buckeyes have not tested themselves all that much. You doubt me? That's fine. But nota bene, that aforementioned RPI Strength Of Schedule puts them at 151st, which means nearly half the D-1 teams in the country have played a harder schedule than OSU. Not only will this game change that SOS, it might just be their first loss too. I would not bet on it, but stranger things have happened . . . today. Cleveland State vs. Valparaiso = Though you BCS-type fans may not care much, this one should be tons of fun. Illinois State vs. Southern Illinois = Here too. Kansas vs. Michigan = The Jayhawks have played very well, though not unbeatable ball by any means. The Wolverines have had their moments, but far too few. I'd expect it to stay close for a time, but for KU to open it up in the 2nd. Xavier vs. Rhode Island = Both these teams want some quality wins to earn at least a shot at an at-large bid, if they cannot take their conference. Plan on this one being tight. Duke vs. Maryland = In Cameron, of course, as the Blue Devils apparently decided to begin their quest for a repeat by heavily front-loading their schedule with home games. This might bite them in their wide blue butts before the season's done, but for now you can figure they will handle the Terps on their own turf. Indiana vs. Northwestern = And here's another of those "also-ran" conference games which is vital for both teams. Here it could go down to the last few shots. Missouri State vs. Wichita State = These are 2 other pretty decent teams, and they will scrap for a victory. UCLA vs. USC = And this Battle of Los Angeles is just one more of those numerous important conference games for two pretenders to the throne. Meanwhile, as I was typing all that, those two other upsets went final: Colorado 89 - Missouri 76 = A great win for the Buffaloes, and that's no bull. Arkansas 68 - Tennessee 65 = The Vols made an effort to pull this one out of their butts late, but fell just shy. And despite the bipolar nature of UT's season, this is still a good win for the Razorbacks. See you come Monday, and we'll see what other surprises occur. Until then . . . enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
A few high seeds taking it in the shorts yesterday.
Murray State/Austin Peay game: Kennedy still showing he has difficulty with teams that zone his guys. They did a good job of coming back from 13 or 14 down, but seemed to let off the gas a bit. Then...The Call. MSU guy gets the ball going back with a Peay guy on him, and twists away. Ref whistles, then says nothing else. After a minute of confusion, it a full T/O. Refs stand around during T/O, then when MSU is just about to inbounds the ball, another whistle, and the refs are going to the sidelines to review something. 10 minutes later, the refs go to the scorer table and then to the TV color guys to ask their opinion on something. 5 minutes later, they call a flagrant foul on the kid who twisted away from his incoming defender. Replay showed no contact, but still a foul. And it took 15 minutes to figure this out after a T/O called for a no-foul whistle?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? I've seen some weird, bad calls in college ball, but nothing ever like this one. Didn't cost MSU the game, but didn't help either. VERY weird sequence of events, and one of the most flagrant ref flubs I've ever seen. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
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Back with the Weekend Update ASAP. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
As already noted, it was a weekend for upsets and near-upsets, from start to finish. Not counting those results previously posted, we had during the balance of Saturday:
Georgia 77 - Kentucky 70 = I previewed this by saying the 'Dawgs weren't, and that it could be closer than Calipari wanted. Well, that was most certainly true. And although I did give Georgia a chance, we still must consider this a true upset. Houston 76 - UCF 71 = But not necessarily this one. Though I admitted that I . . . nor no one else for that matter . . . knew who the Knights really are, as they've not actually played anyone yet, I did for at least the second time on this thread call them "Mickey Mouse". So count this as a decent win for the Houston Cougars, yet not one which makes their season. South Carolina 83 - Vanderbilt 75 (OT) = Nor this one either. In fact, I flat-out said I would not consider it an upset if the 'Cocks took it to the Comms. So, I won't. However, as the "experts" do, we'll count it as one more. Pitt 89 - Marquette 81 = And here's the first of those "near upsets" which occurred. But once again, maybe not. I told you Marquette could make this one close, and they did. Memphis 61 - East Carolina 58 = However, there's no doubt on this one. The Tigers have the talent to run the Pirates out of the gym, and though I felt EeeZeeTeeCee could keep it respectable for a time, I never thought it would be a 1-possession decision by the end. Give the Pirates props, and the Tigers :sl. U. Conn 82 - Texas 81 (OT) = This one would not have been an upset, no matter the outcome. I could not, so did not, pick either squad here (albeit a slight leaning that ultimately went the wrong way), and that was a wiser decision than most of those I make. It's a good, and hard-fought, victory for the Huskies, and a disappointing, though far from shameful, loss for the 'Horns. BYU 76 - Air Force 66 = Although I figured that the over-rated Cougars would down the Falcons, I never thought the Academy boys could stay this close. One would be pressed to consider this a "near upset", yet it does perhaps offer some evidence to support my lack of respect for BYU's ultimate chances in the national race. Florida 77 - Mississippi 71 = And although one might make a stronger case about this being a "near upset", I myself have seen too much inconsistent play from the Gators to give them all that much credit either. And although I did lump this game in with a handful of all-important conference games which could go either way, I still believe the Gators possess more talent than the Rebels, and should perhaps have won more handily. Rutgers 85 - Providence 72 = Since both teams are, at best, mid-pack Big Mouth teams, and both came into this one on 3-game losing streaks, I still find it a bit of a shock that the Scarlet Knights managed such a "decisive" victory over a Friars team that has, at times, played quite well. Does any of that make any sense at all, or sound like so much specious obfuscation? St. Bonaventure 92 - Charlotte 88 (3OT) = This was by far the closest of the group of vital conference matchups I listed, and was as good a win for the Bonnies as it was a heartbreaker for the 49ers. ODU 69 - George Mason 65 = Here too. Clemson 79 - Miami 72 = Here three. California 65 - Arizona State 61 = Here four. LSU 62 - Auburn 55 = Here, not so much, as both these teams are pretty crappy, so it won't make any difference in the end. On Sunday the Madness continued, or at least tried to anyway: Duke 71 - Maryland 64 = Not to show any lack of respect to the Terps, as they do have a pretty good team, but one would tend to believe that the unanimous # 1 team in the nation could possibly manage a teeny bit more than a 7-point victory on their own damn court, would one not? Hey, these conference games are no laughing matter. If you don't believe me, just ask . . . Ohio State 67 - Minnesota 64 = The Buckeyes finally actually decided to play a real game against a real opponent, and damn near got a real loss for their audacity of facing anyone except another cupcake. And so, for those who think the Blue Devils exhibited a lack of dominance, consider this one, or even . . . Kansas 67 - Michigan 60 (OT) = I watched a good portion of this game, but in the end I had to switch it off. Both teams played like crap. One might expect that from the youthful Wolverines, but the Jayhawks have pretensions of greatness. Well, of what I saw, that is precisely what they are . . . pretenders. Had UM been able to hit almost ANYTHING from outside 15 feet, they would have plucked the Prairie Fowls. Arizona 67 - Stanford 57 = This game is at least as significant for the fact that it was postponed due to the tragedy in Tucson as to any consequence of the game itself. A good win for the Wildcats, after a horrible day for the state of Arizona, and for the nation as a whole. Villanova 72 - Cincinnati 61 = Meanwhile, the Philly Wildcats hand the Bearcats their first loss of the season . . . though it could easily be argued that this was actually Cincy's first GAME of the season, as their previous list of victims were far from the highest water. Well, the floodgates are opened now, so expect the Ls to start piling up. Butler 84 - Youngstown State 79 = This was a better game than I thought it might be . . . which doesn't say much of anything, I know, but still . . . . Creighton 74 - Evansville 69 = Ditto. Miami OH 92 - Ohio U 88 (3OT) = Dit-three, as in 3 OT. Valparaiso 64 - Cleveland State 58 = But here, I pretty much figured it would be fun. USC 63 - UCLA 52 = Not as good a game as I had hoped, but in the long run it likely won't mean all that much to either team, as neither one scares anybody. Missouri State 59 - Wichita State 56 = However, I hoped for a scrappy game in this one, and I got what I wanted. There's not a lot of action tonight, once you toss out all those game which are either mismatches, and likely blowouts, or contests between teams where both of them suck. So I have only two for you to TiVo: Notre Dame vs. Marquette = Here is one that should go down to whoever makes the key plays in the final 2 minutes. Jacksonville vs. Belmont = And if that game above turns into a laffer, either way, check out this one with some possibilities. I'm starting to get blisters here, so I'll leave you with . . . enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
It was a great weekend of Basketball, upsets are always fun....Lot's of OT as well. Go Aztecs!:noon
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Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
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Yes, upsets are always fun . . . unless it's your guys getting upset. :D And yes, so far so good for your Aztecs. I guess they could be the Butler or George Mason of 2011, though I'd really like to see them actually play somebody before March. However, I don't see a whole lot of quality opposition on their schedule . . . good teams, OK yeah, but not any truly great ones. They could be in for a rude awakening once they have to face a squad from a power conference, in their second or third game of the NCAAs. We'll see. Update to follow. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
Sadly, that Belmont/Jacksonville game didn't turn out to be so hot after all, with the Bruins slapping the Dolphins around like they were spawning salmon, 81-50. Hey, Belmont has a danged good team, don't kid yourselves . . . especially when they play someone from out of state. Of their 3 losses to date, 2 were to Tennessee, and the 3rd to Vandy. Go figure.
However, we can take some consolation in the fact that the upsets keep on coming: Marquette 79 - Notre Dame 57 = Well, so maybe this is not such a big upset as the "experts" would lead you to believe. I myself said it would be tight . . . but it wasn't. Stupid me. I failed to notice that, when the Irish lose, they lose big and not small. Their other 2 losses so far were to Kentucky (72-58) and Syracuse (70-58). Odd ain't it, how similar those outcomes are. Unlike last night, there are a fair number of important games this evening. Many of them involve the same team that got knocked off over the weekend, and thus gives them the opportunity to bounce back . . . or not. For instance: Kentucky vs. Auburn = I was not all that surprised that Georgia tamed the Wildcats Saturday. I will be totally flummoxed if the Tigers even show up for this game in Rupp. Wisconsin vs. Michigan State = On the other hand, I was totally flummoxed that the Nittany Lions beat the Spartans, and I don't care if the game was played in Joe Paterno's basement . . . there's no excuse for it. MSU has the talent to beat the Badgers, but I'm beginning to doubt if they have the will. Therefore I am extremely interested to see what happens here, in what should, all things being equal, be a pick 'em at best. Texas vs. Texas Tech = And though you cannot call the Longhorns' loss to U. Conn an upset, it still should focus them for this in-state rival . . . which is not good news for the struggling Red Raiders. And speaking of U. Conn . . . U. Conn vs. Rutgers = The Scarlet Knights got their first conference win Saturday, but with this one against the Huskies being followed by the Hoyas, it might be a while before they get their 2nd one. I would plan on tuning this one out at the half. BYU vs. Utah = And pretty much the same thing here. Though I don't much like the Cougars, I can't see the Utes runnin' out of anything but time . . . despite their decent showing against Larry's Aztecs in their last game. Baylor vs. Oklahoma = Although the Bears have been stumbling a bit recently, they should have enough to handle the Sooners. Illinois vs. Penn State = Before Saturday, I would have said there was no damn way the Illini could lose to PSU. But Illinois has not exactly been lights-out, and if the Lions can take Michigan State on their floor, they can take this one too. Were I a betting man, I most definitely would NOT bet that however. Penn State got a great win Saturday, and strike me as a team that will still be celebrating that, and figure their season's already made. Expect a spanking here. Florida vs. Tennessee = And here we have a game between two teams that have oscillated between wonderful to woeful. Flip a coin . . . Gators or Vols. Georgia Tech vs. Clemson = The Jackets have been a bit better than was expected, and the Tigers have been . . . well, the Tigers. Can I borrow that coin again? N.C. State vs. Boston College = Earlier in the year I would have picked the Eagles by three or four possessions. But they have been iffy of late, and the Wolfpack is on a bit of a roll . . . against pretty crappy teams, that's true, yet momentum is still momentum. This one just might go down to the final few shots. That's what I see tonight. Pick your own personal poison, and enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
I can't say there were many surprises last night, except for:
Penn State 57 - Illinois 55 = I never thought the Nittany Lions could get two big upsets in a row. They are not assured of making a run at the Big Ten, but they sure are making some noise . . . and one heck of a mess. Good for them. U. Conn 67 - Rutgers 53 = OK, so maybe this is a mild surprise, as I figured the Huskies would win by 24 . . . or 34 . . . and not merely 14. Michigan State 64 - Wisconsin 61 (OT) = But this was no shock at all. This seemed like a pick 'em from the start, and both wanted a win. Both tried hard for it, and the Spartans pulled it off. Were the game against anybody but the Badgers, I'd say the score was too low, yet they are nothing if not masters of limiting possessions. Florida 81 - Tennessee 75 (OT) = This is more like what the score of a "big conference" OT game should be, and as it was another of those toss-ups, the outcome should have been expected, even if the victor could not be predicted. A good one for the Gators, and another strike against the Pearless Vols. Baylor 74 - Oklahoma 61 = The Bears took care of business. 'Nuff said. Boston College 75 - N.C. State 66 = Maybe I should have stuck with my feeling about the Eagles by 3 or 4 possessions. As for the 'Pack, they have again shown they haven't figured out who they are. There's a lot more action tonight, and so I must limit myself to those games which might actually mean something, or at least might actually be competitive: Ohio State vs. Michigan = The Wolverines played the Jayhawks tough on Sunday, and only needed one shot or one stop for a huge victory. However, from what I saw, this was more a factor of KU playing poorly than it was of Michigan playing well. Though the confidence their young players gained may keep them close for a time, I expect the Buckeyes to open it up big. Cincinnati vs. South Florida = The Bulls began this year well enough, but have collapsed of late, losing 6 in a row. Let's figure on that becoming 7 before the night is done. U. Mass vs. Xavier = But this could be a barn-burner. These A-10 teams have identical 9-5 and 1-0 records, so they will both be focused on the win. Georgia Tech vs. Clemson = This one was postponed from last night. I have the feeling the Ramblin' Wreck might just wish they could postpone if forever. But who knows? If I've learned anything about the Tigers over the years, it is that they tend to crumble, sooner or later. Missouri vs. Nebraska = And these Tigers are coming off their upset loss to the Buffaloes, so although the Cornhuskers have a gaudy 13-2 record (against mainly a bunch of nobodies), you can plan on Missou turning it around quickly. But then again, with what we've seen the last few days, who knows? Syracuse vs. St. John's = The Orange have remained unbeaten despite dodging a few bullets, including their last close win against a pitiful Seton Hall team. And St. John's has been playing better than they have in several decades. This one is in MSG, which won't mean a whole heck of a lot, as the "home court" will depend on whose fans show up. That should be a toss-up, and if the Red Storm can hit some shots over the Orange zone the game might be one also. Me, I figure SU over SJ by 3 possessions. Villanova vs. Louisville = Here is another huge Big Mouth Conference game which could go either way. In fact, were it in the new Crum Bucket Arena instead of down in Philly, I might give an edge to the Cardinals. They still could win, but I'll go with the Cheesesteaks by a handful. Pitt vs. Georgetown = And here's another one. The Hoyas have lost 3 or their last 4, and despite their high ranking are 1-3 in conference play. the Panthers are 3-0, and ranked much higher, but their prior two Ws (as well as earlier ones over Rhode Island, Maryland, and Texas) were pretty danged close. Though both teams want the victory, Georgetown needs is much more, and their home crowd just might get it for them. I would not bet on that, however. Temple vs. St. Bonaventure = And though the Owls have gotten more respect, do NOT dismiss the Bonnies. I don't believe they will win, but they are capable of giving Temple as much as they want. Georgia vs. Vanderbilt = On the one side, the Bulldogs are coming off a huge win over Kentucky in one of those weekend upsets we saw. On the other, Vandy was victim to one of them, losing to the Gamecocks. This one is interesting if only to see which happens . . . if the 'Dawgs can build on their victory, or if the Comms can recover. It is in Nashville, but Vandy's edge won't be as high as is their court. Memphis vs. SMU = The Memphis Tigers have had the consistency of lumpy gravy, sometimes playing well and sometimes not playing at all. And SMU has played . . . well, nobody. If UM does not win by 20, they need to call off classes while they practice 24/7. And knowing what I do of Memphis academics, that should not be an issue. :r Maryland vs. Wake Forest = And if the Terps haven't buried the Deacs by halftime, Gary Williams will have a fit of apoplexy right there on the bench. Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma State = The Oak State Cowboys got one of those huge wins by beating K-State Saturday, and I see no reason why they cannot give the Aggies all they want also. Figure on a tight one here. Arkansas vs. LSU = The Razorbacks also got one of those upsets, though as it was over the bipolar Tennessee Volunteers it is hard to say exactly what that means. Regardless, LSU has already lost to such powerhouses as Nicholls State, Coastal Carolina, North Texas, Rice, and Virginia. Yeah, it may be down in Baton Rouge, but don't figure the Tigers will turn their season around tonight. UTEP vs. Tulane = In the classroom, this one's not even close. But on the hardwood, they are fairly evenly matched. I think this one may be a lot of fun. Wichita State vs. Creighton = And I will be surprised if this one is NOT a lot of fun. Both teams are decent, and both programs have good histories. Kansas vs. Iowa State = Maybe they just had a bad game . . . hey, it happens . . . but to be honest I did not see much from the Jayhawks against the Wolverines on Sunday. Their offense was ragged, and their defense seemed to be effective mainly because Michigan couldn't hit the broadside of a barn were they inside of it. If that game is any true indication, KU will go down some time soon. Give the Cyclones a slim chance at that, but a chance nonetheless. Colorado vs. Kansas State = Like that Georgia/Vandy game above, we have two teams coming from opposite poles here. The Buffaloes got a great win over Missou, while the Wildcats dropped one to Oak State. And like that other game, the interest here lies in which way they both will go from here. Let's just hope it is a good game. Duke vs. Florida State = Hey, something's wrong here! This game is in Tallahassee, not in Durham! Can that be right? Dook actually plays road games too? What DO you know! Color me shocked. But you, don't you be shocked if the Semiholes manage to give the Blue Devils a pretty good game here. I don't think they will win, but they may give K some anxious moments late. South Carolina vs. Alabama = No doubt the 'Cocks are up after their win over Vanderbilt. Furthermore, their only "bad" loss so far has been to Furman, and the Paladins are not a garbage team. Now the Tide, that's some garbage for you. Sure, they could win in Tuscaloosa. They COULD . . . but they won't. San Diego State vs. UNLV = And here is one of those game that I (and the Beerman) have been waiting for. The Aztecs entered this season at the bottom of the national rankings, and have inched their way up to an amazing # 6. There are only a few potential stumbling blocks between them and an undefeated regular season. Here's one of them. The Runnin' Rebels are not the vintage Shark-fed monsters of the past, but they are not totally without talent of their own. I know there are two people here who will be keeping an eye on this one. Maybe you should too. Colorado State vs. New Mexico = And if either one or both of those teams, as well as BYU, stumble in the Mountain West, here are two more who could make a run at it. Yet to do so, they both need the victory tonight. As that is highly unlikely, you can figure this one will be a war. I may be back today, I may not. In either case . . . enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
HA, Puke goes down. I'm one of the millions of haters and proud of it. Not that it matters at this point in the season, but that should put the Buckeyes as #1.
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Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
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And though I'm a proud Tar Heel, I do not number myself amongst "the millions of haters" of the Blue Devils, and I am equally proud of that. I learned my hoops etiquette and sportsmanship from Dean Smith, and he would tolerate none of that. Update to follow ASAP. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
For those of you who were lost by Marc's remarks, and my opine:
Florida State 66 - Duke 61 = The so-called "experts" had recently begun to express the thought that the Blue Devils would make it through the ACC season undefeated. Yeah, right . . . like that was gonna happen. This was their first, and may not be their last either. However, although it does open the door a tiny crack for a conference opponent to slip past them, I would not count on that happening. Ohio State 68 - Michigan 64 = And here's some evidence to support the supposition that the Buckeyes will also stumble at some point. Although the Wolverines have played considerably better that expected, they are not the main opposition to OSU in the Big Ten. If the Buckeyes can just barely slip past UM, what does that foreshadow when they face the likes of Purdue, Illinois, Michigan State, Wisconsin, or Minnesota again . . . who they also just edged by 3, on their home court no less. Kansas 84 - Iowa State 79 = As I said already, I was not impressed by the Jayhawks when they faced those Wolverines above. Here again, they only got past the Cyclones by a couple of buckets. Not a very good sign. Colorado 74 - Kansas State 66 = The Buffaloes follow up their win over Missou with another big one. Meanwhile, the Wildcats continue their collapse. Hey, if you have the time and the inclination, go back to the first page of this thread, where I told you K-State was more pretender than contender. Not blowing my own horn, just arguing that I'm not nearly as stupid as I look. Hell, I couldn't hardly be. SMU 64 - Memphis 58 = Speaking of collapses, the Tigers go down again. The difference here is, there's no damn excuse for this one. The Mustangs came into this one with a 9-6 record, and none of their games, be they wins or losses, could have been called "good" because they really hadn't played anybody worth a fryin' fish. It's time to consider the possibility that Memphis ain't either. Vanderbilt 73 - Georgia 66 = The Bulldogs got a great win Saturday to move them into the Top 25. The Commodores bounced back from their upset loss, and bounced Georgia right back out of the rankings again. So it goes. Cincinnati 74 - South Florida 66 = I figured the Bulls would drop another game here. I did not figure the Bearcats would seemingly have so much trouble with them. Mark this down as a good showing for South Florida, and a pretty poor one for Cincy. San Diego State 55 - UNLV 49 = And although the Aztecs remain unbeaten, this one should not boost their confidence any. It was an ugly victory in an ugly game (6 technical fouls were called) on their own floor. OK, so the beat goes on, ugly or not, but still . . . . Tonight has another full slate of action, but as has happened before many of them involve losing programs head-to-head. These may be competitive, but do they really matter? Of those remaining one, which may matter at some point: Rhode Island vs. Richmond = The Rams and the Spiders both have good teams, and both need any win they can get to help win a possible at-large come March. Expect a war here. Purdue vs. Minnesota = The Boilermakers have actually started to score a little bit, and the Gophers are distracted by off-the-court problems (or perhaps "in-court", depending on your point of view). Still, though I give PU the edge, I think it will remain close throughout. Providence vs. West Virginia = And this one should be fun too. If you're putting a few bucks down, lay it on the Mountaineers . . . but make sure it's only a few. ODU vs. Drexel = Just like that Ram/Spider game, here's one both teams will want. They are well matched, and should give us a great contest. Belmont vs. Lipscomp = And this Battle of Nashville is a key one in the Atlantic Sun. And since there's only so many "at-large bids" available, it just might be even bigger. North Carolina vs. Virginia Tech = And although the ACC normally does not have to worry about getting their fair share of bids, there's still not an unlimited number, as the Heels found out last year. Those Heels took a step backwards Saturday in Charlottesville, having one of those scoring droughts which doomed them so often in 2010. As for the Hokies have had some injuries and illness of late, and have to compete in the Dean Dome to boot. Carolina should be favored by 2 or 3 possessions, but they'd better show up ready to play. Washington vs. Stanford = And this one's down in NoCal, yet the Huskies should still be favored too. But the Cardinal is at least a decent team, so can give UW a game. The X-factor may be the off-court distractions facing the Huskies, what with reports about police investigations against players for some serious offenses. If Lorenzo Romar and his boys don't have other things on their minds . . . well, perhaps they ought to. That's gonna be it for now. Enjoy. |
Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
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Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11
I highly doubt any team will go undefeated this year. As long as the Bucks are in the top 4 at tourney time, and get a #1 seed, that's all that matters, to that point.
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