Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Kansas up a football final at the half, of 42-18. Ole Miss over Vols 33-28 at the break, and Sooners by 5 with 4 minutes left. For what seems the umpteenth time, Tar Heels trying to dig themselves out of the massive hole they earlier dug, and only down 14 at the break. :r

Hell, I've gotta laugh - I'm too big a boy to cry. :ss

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

And the Orangemen of Syracuse go.....

Woot

Woot


Woot.


BTW, I pay attention to Siena, it's right down the road from me.:banger

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Good for your Orange, and good for you re Siena. Most people never hear of them until Selection Sunday, when they say "Who the fark's Siena? I thought that was a crayon!"

Oklahoma 66 - Missouri 61. Kansas owning TT, Ole Miss up 6 over Vols, and the Heels have cut into Wreck's lead - by a whole point.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Kansas 89 - Texas Tech 63. No contest. Ole Miss and Tenn going into OT, and Heels get within 5 with plenty of time left.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Ole Miss up by one with 50 ticks in OT. Heels down by one with 3 1/2 left.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Heels up 2 with 1:46 left.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Vols up 2 with 15 ticks. What a bunch of games!

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Tennessee 71 - Mississippi 69 (OT). Heels up one with 35 ticks.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Georgia Tech 73 - UNC 71. Tar Heels had their chances. I'm beginning to think they will never learn to show up for the entire game.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Were I to post all the close scores over the past few days I'd be at it all afternoon, so I'll just hit the highlights here. In the balance of the games Saturday:

Texas 72 - Texas A&M 67 (OT) = The Longhorns, ranked No. 1 for the very first time, did most definitely dodge a bullet from the Aggies, and on their own court even. The 'Horns took their first lead in the game in OT, and were down by as much as 13 in the first half . . . which may not sound like much, but it was their largest deficit of the season.

Kentucky 72 - Auburn 67 = However, the Wildcats once again showed their total dominance as they completely outclassed the powerful Auburn Tigers (9-9) to remain undefeated . . . of course. Their helpless opponent was down by an insurmountable 3 whole points when they finally got the ball back with a mere 37 seconds left, and if they had hit a desperation shot to tie the match they would only have prolonged their embarrassing slaughter. Watch out, UCLA . . . your 88-game winning streak is just outside of UK's grasp.

Northwestern 72 - Purdue 64 = This is likely third on my list here due to the fact that I believed the Boilermakers should have owned the court. Back when they were ranked 4th I said I felt that was too high . . . guess 6th was also.

Kansas State 87 - Colorado 81 = And this is fourth not only because I thought it might just be this close but also because there were an outrageous 94 FTs in this one. I'd have hated to be the pea in those whistles.

Ohio State 60 - Wisconsin 51 = The resurgence of the Buckeyes continues.

Michigan State 73 - Illinois 63 = Though closer than I expected, the Spartans keep pace.

Cincinnati 60 - Notre Dame 58 = After losing that heartbreaker to St. John's, Bearcats hand the Irish one.

Florida State 63 - Virginia Tech 58 = Just your typical Semi-Hokie matchup.

Virginia 75 - Miami 57 = Wait a second here . . . the Cavaliers are on top of the ACC, ahead of the Devils, the Heels, the Terps, the Deacs, the whoevers? Who'd a thunk? Not me. And to spank Miami by nearly 20? Whoa.

I found only a few games Sunday to note, given than others were totally expected:

Indiana 81 - Minnesota 78 (OT) = The Hoosiers are far from back, but this is a nice win.

Michigan 68 - U. Conn 63 = And this is a better one for the Logans.

Villanova 82 - Georgetown 77 = And this was just about what one would want in a 'Nova/Hoya match, but not exactly what I'd expect. That's a lot of points in a Georgetown game, given their history of stingy D.

Tonight there are only a handful of decent games scheduled. Fairfield has already beaten Canisius 76-74, and the Rider/Iona game may be about as good. But the two you guys will care about are:

Syracuse vs. Notre Dame = The Orange should own the Irish, but you never know in conference matchups.

Texas vs. Kansas State = The Longhorns have been winning, but things have gotten tougher for them lately, so this could be some fun here too.

Enjoy.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

and so they did.

More wootage from the 'Cuse.

Did I mention I really like this squad? Very balanced, they don't have a heavy hitter and don't need to rely on one to win, unlike some other teams. Should make them very dangerous when the dance comes round.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

UK is the only remaining undefeated team left...even though they suck and should have lost like 8 games by now. They are just super lucky and manage to barely make shots at the end of games to beat the measly opponents they play...no worries, I am sure their luck will run out.

C-A-T-S Cats Cats Cats!

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Yup, that's the word on them

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

18-0 I will take it. Better to be lucky than good. :banger

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Well. I'm glad some others are getting into this too. And James, nobody ever said that UK did not have a great team this year, one that (failing a stumble this week) will likely take over the # 1 spot in the next poll. My only point was, good as they have played, they have not played unbeatable ball . . . despite their record. Further, I am of the mind that, in this day and age, no team can survive the NCAA with a perfect record, and I will hold this opinion until some team proves me wrong.

That being said, let us note that some basketball was played last night which did NOT involve UK. This is not indisputable proof that the game exists without Wildcat involvement, yet it does present some evidence to that effect. For instance:

Kansas State 71 - Texas 62 = So now we are down to that previously mentioned last of the unbeaten squads. The Longhorns waited a looooong time to finally be ranked the best team in the nation, and very quickly found out that life's rough at the top. Well, they won't have to sweat that again, at least for a while . . . unless the also previously mentioned "stumble" occurs, that is. Kudos to K-State for a great win, and for especially good play on D. As for the 'Horns, they should look on the bright side: Not only is the pressure off now, but they improved on their 35% shooting against Texas A&M in their prior game by stepping it up . . . to 36%.

Syracuse 84 - Notre Dame 71 = The Juice keeps running. Hey, the Irish ain't much this year, but any double-digit W in conference play is peachy-fine by me.

Virginia 69 - N. C. Wilmington 67 = Just as soon as I was starting to wonder if the Cavs are finally back, they pull a stunt like this. Yes, it is a win. But for a team with 12 Ws, and 3-0 so far in the ACC, playing against one with 12 Ls, AND ON THEIR HOME COURT!!, to win it by a deuce on a jumper with 2 ticks left? Another of my "bad" wins here.

Tonight there are a few games with the potential to be really good, and even of significance, despite the continued absence of UK from the schedule:

Tennessee vs. Alabama = The Vols have a few of their "felons" back on the court (as opposed to "in court"), and have played quite well even without them. Just ask the Jayhawks. But 'Bama ain't no cupcake either. Give the Rockytoppers the edge, yet don't plan on any blowouts.

Clemson vs. Georgia Tech = Though I'll be the first to admit that beating the Tar Heels hasn't the cache this year as it has had in the past, one cannot help but note that these two have done so . . . one by a spanking in Death Valley and the other by holding off a furious rally in Chapel Hill. This one ought to be a battle.

Ohio State vs. Northwestern = This one too. OSU has found themselves again, and Northwestern is coming off one of the best wins ever. Plus, this is the Big 10, so have the medics ready.

Oklahoma vs. Texas A&M = The Aggies put a scare into the 'Horns, and are reviving some of the rep they earlier squandered. The Sooners are pretty decent too. If both teams show up equally, A&M may win by two possessions or so, yet if either one stays in the locker room you never know.

Boston College vs. Miami = And it just keeps on coming. Both these teams need the conference win, yet they only hand out one.

Purdue vs. Illinois = As for this one, not so much. Purdue should spank the Illini, but then again I thought they'd spank Northwestern too. That alone proves WTF I know.

Northern Iowa vs. Wichita State = And why do I bring this one up? Well NIU is ranked for only the 2nd time in . . . forever . . . and at # 20 their highest one also. As for Wichita State, they do have some history of good teams, so all-in-all this caught my eye. Do you guys care? Maybe not, but then why should I care if you do? :ss

Enjoy.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Texas is my team, but it hurts to watch them from the line

that has to get fixed

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

In other news, Jim Calhoun is taking a leave of absence from U. Conn. to deal with an undisclosed medical issue. The 67-year-old coach has had several health problems in recent years, ranging from cancer to dehydration to broken ribs from an accident. Furthermore, he is likely under some mental and emotional strain due to the continuing NCAA investigation of violations regarding the recruitment of Nate Miles.

Place your bets now, friends: If Calhoun has coached his last game, will U. Conn ever be U. Conn again? They came out of nowhere when he arrived, so shall they disappear into that same void when he leaves? Only time will tell.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

I hear what you are saying there, brother, but I checked the stats and they don't quite support your pain issues. Yeah, I know it depends a lot on game situation, and on how many misses are the front-end of 1&1s, but of the 'Horns who average over 3 attempts per game only Pittman reeks at 53.7%. All the others hit 2 of 3 or better - which ain't great, but ain't crap either - while Brown is at a steller 93.5%. Your guys may be poor, but they are far from the bricklayers you seem to present them as being.

But then again, they are your boys, and you know them better than me.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Well, what do you know? I managed to get a few right last night:

Tennessee 63 - Alabama 56 = As I thought, the Vols got the W, but did not spank the Tide.

Georgia Tech - Clemson 64 = And this was the battle I predicted, coming down to a pair of FTs with 2 ticks left.

Boston College 79 - Miami 75 = And another war here too. Man, am I good!

Texas A&M 65 - Oklahoma 62 = The hits just keep on coming. I said Aggies by two possessions or so . . . so, is 3 points one, or one-and-a-half?

Purdue 84 - Illinois 78 = OK, here maybe I slipped a bit. I figured the Boilermakers would stomp Illinois, and they didn't. But hey, a W's a W, right?

Ohio State 76 - Northwestern 56 = OK, here maybe I slipped a lot. Though I did not give the Buckeyes an official nod, I did favor them in my heart . . . but not by 20 points. Yet the Wildcats need take much of the blame here, as nobody can figure out what they are. First they win 9 inna row to get people interested, then they lose 2, win 2, then L - W - L. Sheesh, you guys are supposed to be smart, so will you please make up your minds?

Wichita State 60 - Northern Iowa 51 = Help me out here, fellas, since I've lost count. How many times already this season has a team crept into the polls only to immediately fall on their face? It's getting so it's expected.

Tonight there are a goodly number of decent and meaningful games of note:

Michigan State vs. Iowa = Well, maybe not this one. The Spartans should own the Hawkeyes. But it is a conference game anyway.

Temple vs. Xavier = So is this one, and both are unbeaten in the A-10. That ends tonight, and it should be a hoot. The Owls have been a bit more consistent, but the X-men have the talent to take them.

Pittsburgh vs. Georgetown = Do I really need to say anything here? Panthers/Hoyas. There it is.

UNC vs. Wake Forest = And I have no idea what to say here either, but for different reasons. On paper the Tar Heels have as much talent as anyone else in the nation, and should dominate the Deacs. Their problem, however, is that the game is played on hardwood, not on paper, and they haven't been doing that . . . playing, I mean.

Texas Tech vs. Iowa State = Tech's national ranking disappeared a long time ago, and they are presently 0-3 in conference play. I expect that ends tonight.

BYU vs. Wyoming = The Cougars are ranked #14, with an 18-1 record . . . which tells you two things. Imprimis, they should own Wyoming. Secundus, nobody much cares.

Villanova vs. Rutgers = Imprimis above holds here for these felines over the Knights. However, being the Bid East, a lotta people care.

Auburn vs. LSU = These are both 0-3 in the SEC. I'm willing to bet that one of them get off the snide this evening.

Kansas vs. Baylor = When you're counting up those "rank" losers re my question re Northern Iowa above, don't forget the Bears. The Jayhawks should add to their pain, and then some.

Wisconsin vs. Michigan = The Badgers have not been playing as well as most expected, while the Wolverines have started to do better. This one just might be a blast.

Mississippi vs. South Carolina = And don't be too shocked if the Gamecocks give Ole Miss a cocky game also. I won't call the upset, but don't give too many points away.

Duke vs. N. C. State = Ehhhhh, as much as I'd like to give the Wolfpack a shot in this one, I really cannot do so. They have played better than I thought they would, but so has Dook . . . and I though the Devils were decent to begin with. However, stranger things have happened.

West Virginia vs. Marshall = And I'm not giving you this one simply because the Mountaineers are ranked, or because it is a non-conference in-state rivalry matchup. Maybe you don't know it, but the Thundering Herd is 15-2 (10-0 at home, 4-0 in CUSA play), plus they have a 6' 11" freshman hight Hassan Whiteside who averages 5.6 blocks/game. When you have a force like that in the paint, anything can happen.

Enjoy.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Hot off the press, and not many details yet, and not many people who truly care anyway, but here's the latest: Georgia Southern has been put on two-year probation by the NCAA for violations regarding academic cheating on behalf of two former players. Further, all wins in which those players participated have been voided.

Man, talk about your Statesboro blues!

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Oh, and I almost forgot: On January 20th, 1892, Dr. James Naismith split up the students at his Springfield MA YMCA and played a new game he had invented. The final score was 9 to 9. And no, I was not there.

Happy birthday, basketball.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

It was a good night for the Wake Co. boys! (well they used to be in Wake Forest. :D)

WF 82, UNC 69 - On the Hill. 'ol Roy is on a streak! Three straight!

Duke 74, NC State 88 - In Raleigh. Was never really close, the Pack out hustled and out pressed the Dookies in the first half. They looked stunned that the pack was trying to play basketball against them! Duke pressed most of the second half, and made matters worse. :tu If State had not have had so many turnovers in the first half, it would have been a bigger blowout!

Tuesday may be tough for those 'heels Thomas. :)

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

And why should Tuesday be any different than the rest of this season for the Heels, Jerry? See, I TOLD you you were jinxing us . . . as if we needed the help anyway. :r

Congratulations to your Wolfpack on that Dook victory. I'll post more on it in my regular update to follow.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

OK, regular update as promised, and might as well start with those two above:

N.C. State 88 - Duke 74 = What Jerry didn't mention is that this is the Pack's first home victory against the Blue Devils since 2004. So hey, can you really blame me for not picking them to pull off the upset? Good for them.

Wake Forest 82 - UNC 69 = And this is the Deacs first win in Chapel Hill since 2003 . . . but I didn't call this one at all. Wake hit 56% of their threes, which didn't hurt their chances. The Heels had both Zeller and Ed Davis on the bench with injuries, which didn't help their chances. Yet as usual it was the backcourt that let Carolina down . . . which I DID call, 'way back in post # 1 of this thread. Good for Wake.

Kansas 81 - Baylor 75 = This one was closer than I thought it would be, especially playing in Lawrence. But neither the Jayhawk win nor the closeness of the Bear loss seems to be the story here. That's all about Coach Drew pulling his team off the court during the pregame Kansas intros. He claims it was because he couldn't hear himself think, much less talk to his squad. Self claims it was a deliberate diss. Some experts agree with Bill, while others feel it was a brilliant move to disrupt the focus of the Jayhawks. My call? No harm, no foul.

DePaul 51 - Marquette 50 = And why do I put this next on my list? Well, a fortnight after the Blue Demons can their coach, they get their first regular season Big East W in 25 tries . . . thanks to a jumper with 7/10ths left. Whoa.

Georgia Southern 68 - App. State 65 = And why is this next next? Well, the day after the NCAA slaps Ga. Southern with one hefty probation, they have something to cheer about in Statesboro . . . for an hour or so, anyway.

Auburn 84 - LSU 80 = And why this? Well, just because I told you this would be a good 'un.

West Virginia 68 - Marshall 60 = And this one too.

Michigan State 70 - Iowa 63 = And this one . . . well, I told you the Spartans would whip up on the Hawkeyes. Well, they did win, didn't they?

Georgetown 74 - Pittsburgh 66 = And this one was what you would want from this matchup . . . a battle.

Temple 77 - Xavier 72 = And here was another one, and no surprise either.

Texas Tech 78 - Iowa State 71 = And this one was a bit of one, but not really.

Wisconsin 54 - Michigan 48 = And this one is surprising only in that one wonders if they actually played both halves, or called the game at the break. Well, at least together they broke 100 points . . . barely.

Most of the games tonight are amongst the hoi-polloi, but there are a handful of some note:

Louisville vs. Seton Hall = I did say, "of some note". The Cardinals are not as good as prior seasons, and the Pirates are a little better. Go with L'ville by two possessions.

Indiana vs. Penn State = Mainly a battle to stay out of the Big 10 basement, but could be fun anyway.

Gonzaga vs. Pepperdine = The Waves have had better teams, and this one's in Spokane, not Malibu. The 'Zags should dominate.

Oregon State vs. Stanford = Both these teams are attempting to reach the .500 plateau tonight, both in-conference and overall. This could get ugly . . . or uglier.

Washington vs. UCLA = And if you think my Tar Heels stink, consider the Bruins. This couldn't be much uglier.

Oregon vs. California = And this is more of the same. For all you Pac-10 fans out there, I hope that surf's up for you, as nothing much else is.

Enjoy.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Was at the Temple game last nite ....shooting clinic in the second half...Temple shot 68% :tu

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Glad you liked it, Keith. Tell us . . . were the Owls that hot, or did the X-men just give up on D and let them shoot?

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

As I have been accused of unfairly dissing John Calipari on this thread, I find it incumbant to report the following: Coach Cal hosted a telethon called "Hoops For Haiti" which has raised to date 1.2 million dollars for the American Red Cross, to be used for desperately needed aid to that nation so tragically hurt in the recent earthquake there. Good for Calipari, and for all the Wildcat fans who supported him in this most worthy cause.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

I just noticed one other score of note from last night:

UTEP 72 - Memphis 67 = And why is this noteworthy? Well, this loss by the Tigers ends their consecutive winning streak in Conference USA play at 64 straight. Hey, even if you don't give the CUSA much props, that's still pretty impressive.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

I gotta say Thomas.....while Xavier is certainly not as tough as Temple defensively, there were not a lot of open looks...it was a good game, not over 'til it was.....

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

There's a handful of scores from last night which caught my eye, for one reason or another:

Seton Hall 80 - Louisville 77 = Or even three or four reasons. OK, this was at The Rock, but the Pirates have not been this successful in quite some time. Plus, this means Roy Williams ain't the only big-time coach with 3 Ls inna row, since Pitino just dropped his third. Plus, this means the Cardinals are still stuck at 1,599 wins, and holding. Plus, all my great UK friends are likely all a'titter on Twitter too.

Florida 71 - Arkansas 66 = And the one reason here is that these are two "meh" teams in a top-heavy conference trying to remain respectable. The Gators are up and down, while the 'Hogs are rolling in the mud.

California 89 - Oregon 57 = And these are two normally pretty "meh" in their conference, though this year the Bears are the early king of the hill. I often ignore spankings like this, yet those boys from Berkeley deserve some press . . . they are usually on an entirely different high.

Gonzaga 91 - Pepperdine 84 = And this made me wonder if I'm having flashbacks too. Hey, a score like that was not odd at all, back in 1995 or so. But the 'Zags should have owned the Waves better than the Royal Navy, so 7 points ain't squat.

Indiana 67 - Penn State 61 = And the Hoosiers make it to .500, while PSU is PU POS at 0-6 in the Big Ten.

Siena 67 = Loyola (MD) 61 = And the Saints remain unbeaten in the MAAC at 9-0 . . . though just barely. The Greyhounds, 2-7 in conference play, led this one 60-54 late, but only managed one FT from that point. Siena ducked this one, for sure. And speaking of Loyola . . .

Portland 79 - Loyola Marymount 39 = OK, I didn't give a dang about Portland even back when they managed to sneak into the Top 25, and I sure don't give a dang now either. But 39 points for LM? You old farts like me certainly remember, back in the days of Hank Gathers and Bo Kimble, when Loyola would score that much in 10 minutes! For them to score under a point a minute in this game? How times have changed. But look on the bright side; at least they beat . . .

Stanford 59 - Oregon State 35 = Thirty-five stinking points? More than the Beavers' tails were flat! Their TO total equaled their rebounds, at 19 each, which was one more than their total shot made for the game . . . including their FTs. Sheesh.

UCLA 62 - Washington 61 = The Bruins hit the .500 mark in Pac-10 play, and at 3-3 are back in contention. Of course, no other team is better than 4-2, and none worst than 2-4, so maybe even schools NOT in the Pac-10 can still win this title.


As usual on Friday nights, ain't much happening . . . unless you want to watch St. Peters/Niagara or Wofford/Charleston. These will likely be pretty decent games. And as usual, I'll only give you those Saturday games which have a noon tip-off:

Michigan State vs. Minnesota = The Spartans haven't been great, and the Gophers have been fairly good. Expect a tussle here.

Mississippi State vs. Alabama = I can't figure this MSU out, and the Tide's been in-and-out. Go with the Bulldogs and maybe three possessions.

Villanova vs. St. John's = The Redmen are the best they have been in a decade . . . but they ain't this good. 'Nova by a bunch.

Georgetown vs. Rutgers = You could go with the Scarlet Knights in this one . . . if it were Stringer's girls playing the Lady Hoyas. But the distaff being datstaff instead, it's no contest. Georgetown rarely scores a ton of points, so don't expect the final to appear like a total blowout, yet don't be shocked if the Rutgers men put up a football total against the Hoya D.

I'll be back here tomorrow afternoon with more. Until then, enjoy.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

So far today all the early games are still too close to call, although Georgetown is beginning to dismount the Scarlet Knights. I'll keep you updated, but here's some of what else you can expect this weekend. Today we have (amongst a slew of others, like Charlotte/LaSalle or DePaul/Notre Dame):

Temple vs Fordham = Not much of a contest here. The Rams get fleeced.

Vanderbilt vs. Auburn = As much as I'd like to give my guy Jeff Lebo a shot here, I gotta go with the Commodores.

Boston College vs. Virginia Tech = The Hokies should take the Eagles, but you never know in the ACC.

Mississippi vs. LSU = Ole Miss take the Tigers' lunchmoney.

Syracuse vs. Marquette = The Orange have played very well, and I expect them to do so again. Yet Marquette may make it uncomfortable for a while.

California vs. Oregon State = Nobody understands the Pac-10 this year. I think the Bears will win, and the Beavers will score more than 35 points.

Ohio State vs. West Virginia = Likely the best non-conference matchup here, and maybe the best game overall. Toss a coin.

Kansas vs. Iowa State = Likely the worst conference matchup. What's that stoopid rocksalt chant again?

Virginia vs. Wake Forest = Are the Cavs for real? Can the Deacs build on their win in Chapel Hill. Should be a fun one.

Baylor vs. U. Mass = No matter how badly the Bears stomp those Massholes, it won't keep them in the rankings.

Texas vs. U. Conn = Hmmmm. Can George Blaney, subbing while Calhoun's MIA, invent some tricks to challenge the 'Horns? Maybe. I wouldn't bet on it, but he's certainly more experienced than Rick Barnes. Texas by ten would be my guess.

Purdue vs. Michigan = The Boilermakers have been nearly as disappointing as the Tar Heels, and the Logans have started to play better. These two are tied 3-3 in conference. Might just be close.

Kansas State vs. Oklahoma State = This is in that slightly smaller Manhattan, so give K-State the edge. Yet I'm still not convinced they are for real, so don't give them a huge one.

Washington State vs. UCLA = As mentioned before, the Pac-10 race is wide open. These two are 4-3 and 3-3 respectively, and the Bruins are just 8-10 overall, while the Cougars are 14-5. Plus, this is in Pauley. Toss that coin again.

Kentucky vs. Arkansas = Put that coin back in your pocket. Wildcats WILL stumble, but not this weekend, and will wake up next Monday as #1.

Tennessee vs. Georgia = The Bulldogs have lost 3 in a row, and have only one truly quality win (over the Ramblin' Wreck). On the other side, the Vols seemed to have awakened when half of them got popped. Tenn by ten.

N. C. State vs. Maryland = If the Pack can take the Terps, they'll be back in the ranks for the first time in . . . jeez, beats me. But it won't be easy. You still got that coin handy?

Rhode Island vs. Xavier = Me, I like games like this one. People expect Xavier to be good, and they have been . . . about half the time. This may be a war.

Gonzaga vs. Loyola Marymount = Time was, this was one too. No longer. 'Zags will romp.

Duke vs. Clemson = I think Coach K will have his boys ready for this one, and Devils will bounce back against the Tigers. It won't be a killing, but it will be a win.

Arizona vs. Arizona State = My interest here? Can Herb Sendek wrest bragging rights away from the Wildcats? I won't call it, but I'm rooting for these Devils.

BYU vs. San Diego State = The second bad weekend inna row for Sandyeggo sports fans.

Washington vs. USC = Back to that fight to the finish in the Pac-10. You gotta admit, this is fun . . . in a way.

There are a couple of nice games Sunday also, such as:

Cincinnati vs. Louisville = Both these squads need the W, and bad.

Georgia Tech vs. Florida State = And these match up pretty well too.

Pittsburgh vs. Seton Hall = And these shouldn't, but the Panthers haven't been great lately, while the Pirates have stolen a few good wins.

Northern Iowa vs. Indiana State = If Bird still played for Indy State, a win here by NIU might keep them in the rankings. But Larry flew the coop loooooong ago.

Wisconsin vs. Penn State = OK, so this one is a clunker.

Indiana vs. Iowa = And this won't determine the Big Ten either, but it might be nice to see the Hoosiers get back into the game again.


I'll be back in a few with some score updates. Enjoy.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Georgetown totally kicking Rutger's butt, as you'd expect. Perhaps less so, Minnesota holds a slight edge over Michigan State mid-second, as does Alabama over Miss. State. And a shock to me, Villanova and St. John's in an all-out war.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Final: Georgetown 88 - Rutgers 63. The outcome no shock, though I expected more a 63-40 score. Alabama up one possession with 1 1/2 left, MSU up a point with 15 seconds, and 'Nova opening up double-digits on Johnnies.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Spartans edge Gophers 65-64. 'Bama/Miss St. down to FTs in closing seconds. 'Nova running away. Halftime: Temple 22, Fordham 19. Guess the Owls aren't hot shooting today! Auburn up early over Vandy, and BC/Va. Tech a battle.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Alabama 62, Miss. State 57. There goes THEIR ranking!

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Temple score half as many points in first 4 minutes of second half as they did the entire first, and goes up by ten. Va. Tech up 9 over BC.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Villanova 81 - St. John's 71 = Closer than I thought it would be. Temple going nutz on Rams now, as Ohio State is over WVA. Auburn up 10 over Vandy, and KU not yet chasing Iowa State out of Ames.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

At the half, Va.Tech 38, BC 29. Marquette giving Syracuse all they can handle early, as is LSU over Ole Miss and Iowa St. over Kansas.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Temple 62 - Fordham 45, or the margin you'd expect, if not the score. OSU up 40-28 over WVA at the break, while 'Cuse/Marquette tied @ 34. Vandy and BC coming back to make a game of it in second, and Kansas starting to open up decent lead.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Kansas 38-25 over Iowa State at break. WVA cuts OSU lead in half early second. Auburn still up a little over Vandy.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Hokies hold on to edge BC 63-62. Vandy, Syracuse, and West Virginia all doubling up on opponents in second half to take leads.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Finals: Ole Miss 73 - LSU 63. Texas A&M 67 - Colorado 63. Vanderbilt 82 - Auburn 74. Plus Syracuse and West Virginia getting close to wins, unless something odd happens.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Syracuse 76 - Marquette 71 = I said they'd give the Orange all they'd want, and they did . . . just not enough.

West Virginia 71 - Ohio State 65 = A game of two different halves. OSU outscored WVA 40-28 in the first, then were beaten 25-43 in the second.

Oh, and Kansas only 20 better than Iowa State with a minute left.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Kansas wins, California wins. Wake and Baylor well up early, Texas/U.Conn tied at 20 midway first.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Well, it's almost quittin' time for me, so's I'll sees y'all Monday afternoon. As always, enjoy.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Turns out there were a lot of good games this weekend, and even a couple you'd call upsets . . . well, maybe I wouldn't, but you would. So here's a few scores of note, discounting the blowouts and those already given, on Saturday:

U. Conn 88 - Texas 74 = And here's one of those "upsets". It doesn't shock me as much as it might you, as the Huskies are a little better than they have played much of the season, while the 'Horns are not as good as they once thought they were. Besides, George Blaney is a wily old codger, and Rick Barnes . . . well, is not.

Georgia 78 - Tennessee 63 = OK, now this one snuck up on me a bit. I knew the Bulldogs could maybe maybe win, if they played as well as they have once or twice this season, but I expected the Vols to continue to play well. Plus, the 15-point margin is 'way out of my expectations, much as:

Duke 60 - Clemson 47 = Here I figured the Blue Devils would win, but again that margin is greater than I would have called, just like:

Maryland 88 - N. C. State 64 = Yeah, I know I said I was going to ignore the blowouts, but c'mon! The 'Pack took Dook early in the week, then didn't even show up in College Park. I was thinking the score would be more like:

Florida 58 - South Carolina 56 = Now here you have a tough conference contest, much like:

BYU 71 - San Diego State 69 = And here's a score I really don't get. Don't misunderstand me . . . I had no great confidence in BYU. However, I had none at all in SDSU. Can you say "bad win"? Now, if you want a good one:

Oklahoma State 73 - Kansas State 69 = This is the same K-State team that beat Texas early in the week, only to lose this one on their home court. And it gets no easier for them either, as Baylor and Kansas are next in line. Finally on Saturday we had:

Purdue 69 - Michigan 59 = Actually, there's nothing much of note in this, since it is about what one would call. Purdue's been good but not great, and Michigan's been poor but improving. That final makes sense.

As for the games on Sunday, we had:

Florida State 68 - Georgia Tech 66 = Just another one of those tough conference wars.

Seton Hall 64 - Pittsburgh 61 = And just another one of . . . wait, Pirates over Panthers? Looks like the Hall DID learn a few things from those early tough losses, and now are able to get a few tough wins. As for Pitt . . . well, they are not the biggest disappointment amongst the NCAA elite this season (that's totally my Heels), but they are not all that far behind.

Louisville 68 - Cincinnati 60 = Here we have two teams searching for their identity. Most nights neither can find their @$$ half the time, but either is capable of giving an effort. Maybe by season's end one or the other will locate theirs.

Wisconsin 79 - Penn State 71 (OT) = OK, Badgers, there's just no stinkin' excuse for this. The Nuttin'y Lions came into this matchup at 8-10 overall, 0-6 in Big Ten play, and they ain't even that good. And here you had to pull one out in OT, when it should have been done by the half? Sheesh.

There's not a lot tonight, though there are two potential really nice games. And no, I'm not referring to the St. Joe's/Penn contest . . . in previous years this Big 5 matchup would be a total battle, but both squads stink this season. Yet we do have:

Syracuse vs. Georgetown = I really don't need to say any more than that, do I?

Kansas vs. Missouri = The Jayhawks will likely rule from the get-go, but games such as this one can always sneak up on you and bite you where it hurts. Keep your eye on the score, as weird $#!+ happens.

Enjoy.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

The 'Cuse dismantled Georgetown, and are looking mighty strong.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Yes they did, to the tune of 73-56, and yes they are. In fact, at this point I'd have to predict them as one of the # 1 seeds. Yet to be fair, if history is any judge, I'd also have to predict they'd be one of the two # 1s to get knocked off by the second weekend. :r

In the other big game last night, Kansas took Missouri 84-63, which shouldn't shock anyone. It also shouldn't shock anyone that they are another of my early # 1s, and one of the OTHER two who I'd say are more likely to survive.

There is not a ton of action tonight, but there are a fair number of important games, for one reason or another:

Kentucky vs. South Carolina = Even at home, I can't give the Gamecocks much of a chance here. But one can never tell . . . the 'Cats have to have a bad night, sooner or later.

Michigan State vs. Michigan = And I can't give the Logans much of a shot either, though in-state rivals often seem to step up, or step down.

Boston College vs. Clemson = The ACC may not be quite as wide open as the Pac-10 race, but it ain't far off. I give the Tigers the edge here, although they are not nearly as good on the road as in Littlejohn.

Miami vs. Maryland = If the Terps TCOB like they did against NCSU, this one's NC.

Kansas State vs. Baylor = I hate to keep dissing these two programs, but I gotta be honest . . . I have no faith in either one to win this game. Toss a coin.

UAB vs. Tulsa = And here we might very well have the best contest nobody much cares about. Expect a war.

West Virginia vs. DePaul = Expect a slaughter. Although losing their coach has seemed to focus the Blue Demons a bit, it will take more than focus for them to win this one . . . like maybe the Mountaineers missing their bus.

UNC vs. N. C. State = The Tar Heels are in desperate need of a little redemption, and the Wolfpack needs to rebound from their embarassment by the Terps. Can the 'Pack do to the Heels what they did to Dook on that same court in Raleigh last week? Yes, they can. Will they? I'll let you know tomorrow.

Enjoy.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Oooopppsssieees.....

And this is why we play the game. The little ***** cats go down.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Yessirree, Bob . . . uh, Vic. That is indeed why they toss that orange up before they post the final score. And in case some of you missed it:

South Carolina 68 - Kentucky 62 = And in some ways the game wasn't even that close, as the 'Cats needed a 14-3 run midway thru the 2nd to grab a short-lived lead back from those game 'Cocks. S.C. wins their 3rd straight matchup against UK, which might cost them their # 1 ranking. It will certainly cost the Gamecocks $25,000 for rushing the court afterwards. :r

Hey, despite some vehement protests to the contrary, I've been saying it for weeks now: The Wildcats have had the tendency all too often this season to either let an opponent hang around or let them get right back into it after having them on the mat. It had to bite them in the butts eventually . . . and may again and again, if they keep planning on pulling it out of the fire at the end.

There were also a few other games last night, believe it or not, such as:

Michigan State 57 - Michigan 56 = And this one too was damn close to being an upset, as it not only took a jumper from Lucas with 3.5 ticks left to get the lead, it also took an alley-oop rolling of the iron with 0.9 to preserve the victory for the Spartans. I keep telling you these in-state conference games can be rough.

Kansas State 76 - Baylor 74 - Even the out-of-state ones, too. Seems like I advised you to flip a coin on this one, and seems like these two almost did just that.

Boston College 75 - Clemson 69 = OK, this was in Chestnut Hill, yet I really didn't think the Tigers would spit the bit here. They are better than the Eagles, but not last night.

UNC 77 - N. C. State 63 = The Tar Heels end their 3-game skid, while the Wolfpack have followed their defeat of Dook with 2 Ls of their own. Biggest item of note to me is that Carolina did this as much on the defensive end as on the other side of the court, which is more like UNC ball than their prior efforts. The 'Pack was held scoreless for 8+ minutes in the 2nd half as the Heels went on a 22-4 run, and State shot only 29% from the field that half. Maybe this will give the Heels a bit of much-needed confidence . . . as for me, it will take 3 or 10 more like this to do the trick.

UAB 65 - Tulsa 55 = I expected this to be closer . . . and again, it actually way. Tulsa had a 46-44 lead late due to the icy shooting of UAB, so since they could not hit from the field the Blazers hit 13 straight FTs to grab the W.

Washington 123 - Seattle 76 = OK, this is the kind of blowout I usually ignore, but hey . . . 123 points? Talk about your balanced scoring, that was 61 in the first half and 62 in the second. Holy crud.


There are a good number of nice games on tap this evening, such as:

Temple vs. Charlotte = The Owls are having a good season, and the '49ers are always dangerous.

Penn State vs. Illinois = OK, this may not be a great game. However, if PSU wants to get off the snide and win their first conference game, this might be a good time for it.

Villanova vs. Notre Dame = This may be a better game, but 'Nova should take it rather safely.

Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt = The Vols have had some better good wins, and both have had a few bad losses. This one's in Knoxville, which is the only thing that moves me to give UT the slight edge.

U. Conn vs. Providence = Can the Huskies build on their big win last weekend? I'd guess probably so, although Providence is better than you may think.

Georgia vs. Florida = Neither of these teams can seem to figure out who the hell they are, so what chance do I have? Again, I'll give the Gators that homecourt edge, if pushed.

Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma State = These two are both 3-2 in conference play, and both want to stay in contention . . . just in case the Jayhawks and the Longhorns get into a huge rumble and both get suspended from play. Should be a war.

Memphis vs. Marshall = Here are two decent teams to whom nobody seems to pay much attention. Both seem likely at this point to make the tourney, so maybe you should scout them out. This one ought to be fun as well.

Ohio State vs. Iowa = This one, not so much. Buckeyes by a bunch.

Iowa State vs. Oklahoma = And these two don't wanna let Colorado and Nebraska out of the basement, so this may be a battle too.

Texas vs. Texas Tech = The 'Horns need to find themselves again. Expect them to do so, though the Red Raiders won't roll over and die on them.

Duke vs. Florida State = For the first time in a while the Blue Devils want to prove they are the top of the ACC, and the Seminoles have pretensions themselves. This game is in Cameron, so give Dook and the Crazies the nod.

BYU vs. New Mexico = The Lobos and the Runnin' Rebels of UNLV seem to be the only conference threats facing BYU. As these are two more of those teams in which I have little long-term faith, I don't know who to pick . . . nor do I much care.

Enjoy.