Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

So do you know what happened last night, guys? Not such big news as the night before, but a few things worth noticing:

Charlotte 74 - Temple 64 = I told you those '49ers are dangerous. Guess the Owls didn't believe me.

Duke 70 - Florida State 56 = OK, so this one you had down in pencil before the tip-off. Me, I had it inked.

Florida 87 - Georgia 71 = Decent win for the Gators, who are trying to regain some balance. They started off with a string of Ws, then lost 3, won 3, lost 2, and now have won 4. As for the Bulldogs, they have good wins against Ga. Tech and UT, plus gave UK, Ole Miss, and Miss. State good games, but didn't show it last night. Hey, I guess they are who they are, no more and no less.

Ohio State 65 - Iowa 57 = I can't truly class this as a "bad" win for the Buckeyes, but I did expect a bigger margin . . . even in Iowa City.

Memphis 75 - Marshall 72 = Did I not tell you this would be a game?

New Mexico 76 - BYU 72 = I still don't much care, but give the Lobos some credit for putting the fear of God into those Mormons. New Mexico has a good team, yet were never as good as their proir ranking. Same goes for the Cougars. The Mountain West may be better than the Pac-10 this season, but that does not make them one of the Big Boys.

Oklahoma State 76 - Texas A&M 69 = And here's a good W for Oak State. Those Aggies haven't beaten any team better than "meh" since the end of November, and here have lost to one.

Providence 81 - U. Conn 66 = So maybe this is the shocker of the night, though I did say that the Friars are better than you think. But this good? Hey, 15 points is damn close to a spanking.

Vanderbilt 85 - Tennessee 76 = So maybe this is another shock, albeit a minor one. Both teams have had good and bad games, and so perhaps the biggest part of the "shock" is that 9-point margin . . . in Knoxville, not Nashville.

Texas 95 - Texas Tech 83 = So maybe this is a third minor shock, though not that the 'Horns got off their mini-slide but because they only beat this so-so squad by a dozen . . . in Austin.

And what do we have in store tonight? Well, I see a handful with some potential:

Pittsburgh vs. St. John's = The Panthers have not been as good as they should, and the Johnnies have snuck up on a few people this year. I wouldn't bet it, but I wouldn't have a stroke if this one was fairly close.

Georgia Tech vs. Wake Forest = Just your typical ACC slugfest, as is:

Virginia Tech vs. Virginia = The Cavs are the surprise of the conference so far. That may last the night, but it will not last until March.

Wisconsin vs. Purdue = And here's your Big Ten battle. Better alert the rescue squad.

Stanford vs. Arizona = This Pac-10 fiasco is fascinating. Both these teams are 10-9 overall, and 4-3 in conference play. And speaking of 4-3 in conference:

California vs. Arizona State = The Sun Devils are also 4-3, whereas the Bears have a commanding Pac-10 lead . . . at 5-2. But getting back to that 4-3 thing:

USC vs. Oregon State = The Trojans are also 4-3, as are:

UCLA vs. Oregon = Their crosstown rivals, the Bruins. Jesus, just close your eyes and throw a dart, why don'tcha?

Miss. State vs. Arkansas = The Razorbacks have been Piglets this year, so go with the OTHER Bulldogs in the SEC.

Mississippi vs. Auburn = Again, my heart's with Lebo's boys, but my head's with the Ole Miss Rebels.

Gonzaga vs. Santa Clara = This should be no contest. THESE Bulldogs, meaning the 'Zags (to distinguish them from all the other Dogs, Cats, Bears, or Birds out there), are not the only decent team in the WCC . . . but Santa Clara is not one of the others.

And as always, enjoy.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Congrats to your 'heels Thomas. Go ahead and fire 'em up :D

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Not yet, Jerry. I am presently 1-0 in the head-to-head, and you're 1-0 in the tiebreaker. As both these games were in Rahlee, I have the homecourt edge 2-1 to your 0-2. Advantage, Poet . . . but the fat lady ain't even on stage already. :ss

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

No big shockers in last night's action, though there were a few items of some note:

Arizona 76 - Stanford 68 = After jerking around for the first half of the season, the Wildcats have started to play better, moving themselves into contention in the Pac-10 with:

California 78 - Arizona State 70 = And after playing pretty well for the most part of this month, the Sun Devils have dropped two inna row to fall into a 5-way tie for 3rd place in conference play. That's right . . . half of the Pac-10 is 4-4 now.

Arkansas 67 - Mississippi State 62 = Now here's a bit of a surprise, since the 'Backs have not played well this year. This is a good win for them . . . in a conference where they've got that snowball's chance of winning.

Mississippi 84 - Auburn 74 = Unlike the Rebels, who have a good shot at winning the West half of the SEC.

Georgia Tech 79 - Wake Forest 58 = It's getting so the ACC's as confusing as the Pac-10, albeit at a somewhat higher level. Both these teams have had great wins and crappy losses, and nobody knows who's gonna show up for the next game.

Oregon 71 - UCLA 66 (OT) = This loss by the Bruins put them in that 4-4 logjam previously mentioned, while the Ducks' victory jump them into a 3-way tie for 8th . . . at 3-5 in Pac-10 play.

Oregon State 51 - USC 45 = Same exact story here, only different teams in the same states, literal and figurative.

Pittsburgh 63 - St. John's 53 = Pretty much what one should have expected. Johnnies did OK, Panthers did OK enough to win.

Purdue 60 - Wisconsin 57 = And pretty much the same expectations met here too . . . a war until the end.

Virginia Tech 76 - Virginia 71 (OT) = And pretty much the same here too . . . the Cavs slip back into the pack, starting on their way down the basement steps of the ACC.

Gonzaga 71 - Santa Clara 64 = And pretty much a "WTF were they doing here?" for the 'Zags, who should have totally outclassed this sub .500 squad. Yet it took a 12-0 run by Gonzaga in the last 5:55 to pull this one out of the fire. Sheesh. I don't wanna hear no whinin' from them come March that they didn't get seeded high enough. Know what I mean?

Xavier 86 - Duquesne 50 = And pretty much the kind of game I normally ignore, except for the fact that I've become fascinated with this X-Men team. Who are they? Sometimes they play like world-beaters, and sometimes like scrubs. Guess they had their Wheaties yesterday.

There really not much to keep your attention tonight, as usual on mid-winter Fridays, unless you're really into the Ivy League race. In fact, the only game which piqued my noodle is the Butler/Wisc. Green Bay matchup, and it could be a good one. But as usual, there are a buttload of games on Saturday, so as usual I shall mention some that tip off early tomorrow:

U. Conn vs. Marquette = Wow. I mean, wow. Both these teams are good, and neither has been great except in spurts. Here's an early toss-up.

Temple vs. LaSalle = Here . . . not so much. The Owls are coming off their loss to Charlotte, so should be focused. And LaSalle has not been much of a challenge this year. Don't plan on any classic Big 5 magic in this one.

West Virginia vs. Louisville = The Mountaineers have a better team, yet the Cardinals have managed to show up for a few games so far, and do have some talent. Go with WVA, but not as heavy as one might think from the simple stats.

Georgetown vs. Duke = Again . . . wow. As has become the custom, once again all the pundits are lauding the Big East and dissing the ACC, and shall continue to do so . . .until the ACC once again escorts the Big East out of the NCAAs. :r This one should be a real battle, as both are quite good. Me, I cannot wait.

George Washington vs. Rhode Island = And why the hell would I bring this turkey up? Well, here's the thing. RI is 16-3, so may be better than you might believe. And GWU? They may only be a so-so 12-7, but they are an impressive 6-3 on the road. It's games like this one that can sneak up on you, if you're not paying attention.

Georgia Tech vs. Kentucky . . . State = Kentucky STATE?? Who are they? Where are they, save I presume somewhere in Kentucky? And most importantly, why are the Yellow Jackets playing a November game at the end of January? Ramblin' Wreck, indeed!


I'll give you more tomorrow afternoon. Until then, enjoy.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Maybe by the time I finish this breakdown of upcoming action, I'll have some meaningful scores to report. Until then, you can look forward to this additional action today:

Syracuse vs. DePaul = But don't expect a lot of it here. The 'Cuse is 7-1 in conference, while DePaul is 1-7. That ratio will only increase.

Indiana vs. Illinois = OK, neither one is the power they have been in the paast, but that does not mean this won't be fun to watch.

LSU vs. Mississippi State = Unlike this one, which should not be fun at all. MS is pretty decent, and LSU pretty much sucks.

N.C. State vs. N.C. Central = Hey, what's with these November games in January? Do you reckon the Wolfpack will bounce back from their loss to the Tar Heels today?

Oklahoma State vs. Missouri = This one should be a blast, from start to finish.

Boston College vs. Florida State = This one could be OK too. The Seminoles are a bit better than the Eagles, but the game's in chilly Chestnut Hill. May go down to the end.

Arkansas vs. Mississippi = PPD until tomorrow, due to a dusting of winter weather in the Delta. Despite the 'Hogs big win over Miss. State earlier this week, they'd probably prefer it to be postponed even longer.

Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt = That loss to the Gamecocks may have focused the Wildcats, so this has the potential to get real ugly real quickly in Rupp this afternoon. However, the Comms are better than the Cocks, and have been preparing for this one . . . and if Vandy holds any edge against UK, it's in the study hall.

Stanford vs. Arizona State = Remember me telling you about all those 4-4 squads in the Pac-10 race? After this game, one of these won't be in that group. Expect a fight.

Auburn vs. Alabama = What's the motivation here? Well, Auburn is 10-11 overall and wants to reach .500, whereas 'Bama is 3-3 in conference, and wants to STAY at .500 there. Besides, they don't much like each other either. Shields up.

ODU vs. Northeastern = And here we have one of those mid-major clashes that most ignore, at the peril of missing one hell of a game.

Texas vs. Baylor = The Longhorns have slipped a bit of late, and the Bears are trying to hang tough. Rick Barnes may convince his guys to show up today, and if so the 'Horns have the decided edge. However, first someone has to convince Barnes himself to show up also.

Iowa vs. Michigan = Just like that Hoosier/Illini game above, here are two Big 10 teams that ain't all that good . . . but the game itself just might be, due to that very fact.

USC vs. Oregon = And just like EVERY Pac-10 game, this one can put a squad either into or out of contention.

New Mexico vs. TCU = After hitting a holiday slump, the Lobos have won 5 inna row. Make that six.

Michigan State vs. Northwestern = The Spartans are playing better and better, while the Brainiacs have come to the realization that basketball is not an academic endeavor. The Spartans take over in the 2nd half to win by 2 handfuls.

Kansas vs Kansas State = This one is in that slightly smaller Manhattan, so one has to give K-State a shot here . . . they are fairly good, most nights. But the Jayhawks are, to be fair, both better and more experienced. It may be a 1 or 2 possession game late, yet I'd go with KU.

Georgia vs. South Carolina = Here are two teams with good, or even great, wins . . . and some pretty crappy losses too. Should be fun, since we don't know who'll show up on either side.

UCLA vs. Oregon State = And we're back into that Pac-10 clusterfark again.

Providence vs. Cincinnati = Furthermore, there's a bunch of Big East teams fighting to stay in the hunt. Here's a pair of them, and both are good.

UAB vs. UTEP = And come to think of it, so's the CUSA, and here's the fight for the lead.

Oklahoma vs. Nebraska = And come to think of it, this would be a good football game . . . but not so much in hoops. The Sooners are OK, but the Huskers not so much.

BYU vs. Utah = An in-state rivalry? Don't count on it.

Gonzaga vs. San Francisco = If Bill Russell's there for the alumni game and suits up for SF, they have a shot. Otherwise, NFW.

Then on Sunday we have a decent number of good games also. Aside from that Arkansas/Mississippi make-up, there is:

Pittsburgh vs. South Florida = Alright, so maybe not this one. Pitt has not been great, but they should be good enough to take this one fairly easily.

Virginia Tech vs. Miami = And the Hokies should take this one too, since the 'Canes can't do much of anything this year.

Tennessee vs. Florida = But here, if the Gators show up . . . like they do about every other game . . . we could have a war.

Ohio State vs. Minnesota = Here too, though I'd lean towards the Buckeyes.

Purdue vs. Penn State = Pleeze. The Nuttin'ly Lions remain "perfect" in the Big 10, and will go to 0-9.

California vs. Arizona = This one likely will not decide the Pac-10 for good, but it will determine if Cal will stay on top, or if 'Zona can add another tie to the league.

Maryland vs. Clemson = The Terps find themselves atop the ACC. The Tigers will end this in Littlejohn.

UNC vs. UVA = Can the Tar Heels finally get on a roll? Can the Cavaliers get back on one? Beats the livin' crap outta me.

This has taken much too long, so let me go see if I have some finals to report yet. I'll be back, so until then, enjoy.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Temple 64 - LaSalle 52 = An OK win for the Owls, though I thought the margin might be higher.

Louisville is up 10 over WVA second half, and G'town even more over Dook late first. Marquette is giving U.Conn a real fight, like I expected.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Marquette 70 - U. Conn 68 = That "early toss-up" was just that.

West Virginia by 2 with 5.8 ticks left, Hoyas still have Dook in hand, and DePaul up big over the Orange . . . but it's real early there.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

West Virginia 77 - Louisville 74 = Yeah, like I said . . . go with WVA, but not by much.

Blue Devils cutting into Hoya lead, and Blue Demons kicking Orange butt . . . but it's STILL early.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Hoyas survive Dook push, and open it up to 15 with 7 1/2 left. Still time, but none to waste. Syracuse comes back strong to be down only 35-31 at the break.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

It's not over, but it really is - Georgetown has Duke down big late. Syracuse cuts it to one stinkin' point. In other action, Rhode Island takes George Washington 72-66 . . . I told you it would be a good one. Indiana/Illinois tied at 36 at the break . . . I told you that too.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Georgetown 89 - Duke 77 = Hope you enjoyed the game, Mr. President, as I'm sure Coach K didn't. Oh, and Georgia Tech did not double-up on Kentucky State, only winning 98-50. N.C. State up double-digits in their "November" matchup with N.C. Central, and Miss. State in control over LSU. Plus, the 'Cuse falls back asleep, letting DePaul jump ahead again.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

The Orange finally tie it, with 4+ minutes left.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Syracuse narrowly escapes one embarassing defeat, coming on late to take a crappy DePaul team 59-57. The W goes to the Orange, but the credit should go to the Blue.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Hoosiers/Illini a total war, tied at 66 with 2 1/2 left, and tight all game long.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

BC/Fla. St. a one-point game with just under 17 to play. The weather may be cold outside, but there's plenty of hot action indoors!

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Illinois takes Indiana 72-70. Kentucky up 5 points early on Vandy, which doesn't mean much . . . yet. There's about a dozen 1-point games in action at the moment, but I've had enough for today. Talk to you Monday evening, and we'll catch up then. Until then then . . . enjoy.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Brother, brothers, there were a few that snuck up on us this weekend, as well as a few that followed form. Tossing out those expected blowouts, here's the ones that caught my eye:

Baylor 80 - Texas 77 (OT) = Aside from one hell of a game, the collapse of the 'Horns is notable. After going 17-0 and grabbing their first #1 ranking, they have lost 3 of 4. But give the Bears credit . . . they are not typically the class in this conference.

Kansas 81 - Kansas State 79 (OT) = What, does the Big 12 suddenly think that 40 minutes of basketball isn't enough? Give the Jayhawks some credit for pulling out the W in Manhattan against K-State. Yet I may have to do some reassessment here . . . maybe KU's not at good as I thought, or K-State is better.

Kentucky 85 - Vanderbilt 72 = I pretty much expected UK to bounce back, but I thought Vandy might keed it a little closer. Shows what I know.

San Francisco 81 - Gonzaga 78 (OT) = Everybody has a bad loss every now and then, and this is not the worst in living memory . . . hey, to this day citing Chaminade in Charlottesville's like bringing up Bucky in Beantown. But this one's pretty damn bad. The 'Zags are not just better than SF, they should have so totally outclassed them as to chase them into the Bay. Don't blame me for this one . . . blame them.

UTEP 74 - UAB 65 (2OT) = Well, here was your battle to remain in the CUSA hunt . . . now that Memphis doesn't get the automatic.

Arizona State 88 - Stanford 70 = And here was one to remain in the Pac-10 chase . . . along with everybody else. Like:

UCLA 62 - Oregon State 52 = Ain't this a kicker? The Bruins are 10-11 overall, yet tied for 3rd in conference play at 5-4, along with the aforementioned Sun Devils. Meanwhile, OSU was kicked into the basement alone, at 3-6, with 5 teams now tied for 5th at 4-5.

Auburn 58 - Alabama 57 = Here's just what I expected from two "meh" teams fighting for some self-respect . . . and bragging rights. Hope my man Jeff Lebo enjoyed this one, as he hasn't had much to cheer about this season, and isn't likely to have much more either.

Florida State 61 - Boston College 57 = Again, this ran pretty much to form.

BYU 82 - Utah 69 = And this one too.

Cincinnati 92 - Providence 88 = Ditto. Two decent teams fighting for their lives.

Michigan State 79 - Northwestern 70 = Dit-three. The Spartans are about 10 points better than N'western, and proved it.

South Carolina 78 - Georgia 77 = Dit-four. Neither team is really consistent, but either can be good on any given night.

Cornell 86 - Harvard 50 = And why toss this one into the mix? Well, you may recall that Harvard got a bit of national buzz earlier this season for making their first run at an NCAA bid in a looooooong time. And Cornell's the other class of the Ivy this year, so their W's no big shock. But Big Red beating the vaunted Crimson by such a huge margin? Who'd a thunk. Hell, who'd a thunk they could even score that many points!

As for the games on Sunday, we had:

Arizona 76 - California 72 = And I put this first as this Wildcat win put them tied in first with the Cal Bears . . . at an eminently "mountable" 6-3. Thus ends our Pac-10 summary.

Clemson 62 - Maryland 53 = And this Terp loss helped Duke grab a 1/2 game lead in the ACC.

Miami 82 - Virginia Tech 75 = OK, so this Hokie loss isn't as bad as the 'Zags one, but it should never have happened either.

Arkansas 80 - Mississippi 73 = And this one's a pretty nasty slip by Ole Miss. Ain't no way the Razorbacks should have taken this. Maybe they should postpone ALL their games due to snow.

South Florida 70 - Pittsburgh 61 = And here's even more of the same old crap. "Pitt" is right, since they played that way.

Virginia 75 - UNC 60 = Speaking of playing like the pits, my Heels did it again, letting the Cavs score 18 unanswered as they disappeared once more. It's too damn bad that The Eleven don't allow stronger cusswords here.

Tennessee 61 - Florida 60 = Now this was the best game on Sunday, though I doubt the Gators feel that way. They had the win, then gave it up, then got it back, then gave it up again. But give the Vols some props here, as they never gave up.

There are only two games tonight of any true note:

U. Conn vs. Louisville = It's getting so these two are like too many others this year, in that you never know whether or not they will show up to play. If both do, the Huskies will prevail.

Texas vs. Oklahoma State = In Stillwater, no less, so don't be too shocked if the Cowboys bulldog the Longhorns.

Enjoy.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

The truth he speaks. But sometimes, just sometimes, chance smiles on a team.:banger

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Yes indeed, my brother. Everybody get one for free. :r

In the two big games last night, we had two surprises that weren't, really:

Texas 72 - Oklahoma State 60 = OK, you can't say the win is a shock, and not even the margin, as the Longhorns have better talent than they have shown of late. The surprise is that their hero, the freshman who pulled their bacon out of the Cowboys' campfire, was the same Jordan Hamilton who played only 2 minutes against Baylor in that 'Horn loss. Last night he scored 27 of those points, or nearly 40% of them.

Louisville 82 - U. Conn 69 = And you can't really say the Cardinals win is a shock either, since they have played well at times while the Huskies had lost 5 of their last 7 going into this one, with only their stunner against the aforementioned Longhorns plus a spanking of St. John's easing their collapse. What is the surprise is the margin, which was due to U. Conn's 38% shooting woes and their 18 TOs.


There are not a lot of games this evening, yet there are a handful worth noting:

Miami vs. Wake Forest = The 'Canes have started to play a little better, and the Deacs are all over the map. Give WF the nod, as they have both an edge in talent and the home court.

Syracuse vs. Providence = The Friars aren't terrible, but they have only one quality win (if one against the sinking U. Conn squad qualifies). Don't expect them to get their second one tonight. The Orange is turning into a really decent team, the game is in their Dome, and Boeheim likely ran their butts off to purge them of that DePaul scare.

Villanova vs. Seton Hall = And this one is at 'Nova, but it could be up the Turnpike or on Mars for all the diff it will make. Wildcats by a bunch.

Michigan vs. Northwestern = And as for these Wildcats . . . well, they may beat the Wolverines, but it's getting to the point where it's pointless either way this one goes. The Logans are a .500 team, and though N'western is 14-7 overall they are 3-6 in Big Ten play.

Kentucky vs. Mississippi = And as for THESE Wildcats, I'd guess it's possible that Ole Miss may give them some trouble in Rupp, at least for a half or so, but I don't count on the upset.

Kansas State vs. Nebraska = And as for THESE Wildcats . . . holy crud, you'd think college kids would have a bit more imagination, or at least a bigger vocabulary . . . they should totally shuck the Huskers. Honestly, Nebraska stinks. They lost 5 inna row before their big win over Oklahoma on Saturday, and this will start their next string of Ls . . . after this game, they are @ Kansas, Baylor, @ Texas, @ K-State, and then Missou.

BYU vs. TCU = NC.

Michigan State vs. Wisconsin = The Spartans seem to be the class of the Big Ten, but the Badgers ain't half-bad either. Plus, the game's in Madison (no, not MY Madison, theirs), so I'd expect this to be a good one.

Enjoy.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Well, the two "no contest" contests last night were exactly that, what with big wins by BYU and K-State. As for other action, where there actually was some:

Kentucky 85 - Mississippi 75 = But it wasn't really even that close, though Ole Miss did pull to within 3 with 14 minutes left. However, UK was pretty much in control all night, what with John Wall trying to play his way out of Cal's doghouse and into the NBA in front of 20 pro scouts.

Northwestern 67 - Michigan 52 = And these Wildcats . . . oh, yeah, I already did that . . . played themselves to a 4-6 Big 10 standing.

Syracuse 85 - Providence 68 = I told you the Friars didn't have a prayer, didn't I?

Villanova 81 - Seton Hall 71 = Yet it seems these piratical preachers did, until they ran out of gas anyway. Their 50% shooting helped them to a 58-56 lead over the . . . what else? Wildcats . . . but then they hit the wall and went 6-21 the rest of the way.

Wake Forest 62 - Miami 53 = Yeah, OK . . . the Deacs use their better squad and home court to get the 9-point victory. No big shock here.

Wisconsin 67 - Michigan State 47 = One big shock here. No, not that the Badgers won, as the Spartans haven't won in Madison since 2001. Yet for them to score only 47 points? That's pretty par for Wisconsin's plodding play (in fact, they themselves scored 47 in their loss to MSU back on Jan. 6th), but it's pretty poor for a running Spartan team.

In tonight's action we have the following:

Ohio State vs. Penn State = The Nuttin'ly Lions attempt to keep their perfect conference record by going 0-10. I expect that will be no problem.

William & Mary vs. Old Dominion = Yeah, another of my good mid-major contest picks, to go along with:

George Washington vs. Charlotte = GW's fairly decent, and the 49ers are even better, with wins over Louisville, Richmond, and Temple.

Maine vs. Vermont = And although this one sounds more like a good hockey game, take note that they are fighting with Stony Brook for the lead in the American East conference. OK, so I don't care either, but no doubt somebody does.

N.C. State vs. Virginia = The Wolfpack's trying to get back on track and stay relevant in the ACC, and the Cavs are trying to build on their win in Chapel Hill and challenge for the top of it. Could be a real battle.

Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia = Here too, though it's the Big East instead.

Temple vs. Duquesne = Here, not so much. The Owls are pissed, and Duquesne pretty much reeks.

Georgetown vs. South Florida = On the surface you may not think this one worth noting, especially after the Hoyas dismantled Dook Saturday. However, they will not shoot 71% from the field . . . maybe ever again . . . and the Bulls were fairly good even before their victory over Pitt. G'town should win, but it may be closer than you'd believe.

Baylor vs. Iowa State = Hey, this could be that very same deal too. The Bears may be ranked in the top 20, but they are only 7th in the Big 12. Plus, there may be a hangover from their W over the Longhorns.

Vanderbilt vs. Mississippi State = And here we have two SEC squads trying to stay in the hunt, so it's another potential war.

UAB vs. Memphis = And the hits just keep on coming. UAB's in a 3-way tie at 6-1 for 1st in the CUSA, while perennial master Memphis is on their heels at 5-2. You think they both want the win?

Northern Iowa vs. Wichita State = And here's another of those great games nobody will watch. These two teams match up well, and will fight to the finish.

Texas A&M vs. Missouri = And these two . . . well, just because the national ranking hype has long gone does not mean we don't have a pair of good teams going head-to-head, just trying to keep their own above water in the Big 12.

Kansas vs. Colorado = And these two teams . . . well, not so much. If the Jayhawks win by less than 20, Self should pluck them all.

Enjoy.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

I hate to quote myself here, but what the pluck? It takes the Jayhawks overtime to beat Colorado 72-66? Bill Self said after the game that he did not want to say his boys played badly because that would not give the Buffaloes enough credit. Well, I respectfully disagree. I give Colorado all the credit in the world, and KU played like crap in regulation, and barely enough better in OT to survive against the team with the worst record in the Big 12. There's no damn excuse for this.

In other action we had a few other interesting things happen, such as:

South Florida 72 - Georgetown 64 = OK, the Bulls are not nearly as bad as the Buffs, and I knew the Hoyas had shot their shooting wad against Dook, so this isn't like the above. Just chalk it up as a great win for South Florida, and a pretty bad loss for G'town in their hometown.

West Virginia 70 - Pittsburgh 51 = And OK, I expected the Mountaineers would win this one anyway, but I figured Pitt would keep it fairly respectable. Yet even though this was in Morgantown, a losing margin just shy of 20 is 10 points too many.

Charlotte 72 - George Washington 68 = And OK, I'm just showing my @$$ here, since I told you this would be a good game.

Texas A&M 77 - Missouri 74 = And more of the same mooning here.

Northern Iowa 59 - Wichita State 56 = This would go quicker if we had a "moon" smiley icon here.

Vanderbilt 75 - Mississippi State 72 = :tpd: :D

Virginia 59 - N.C. State 47 = And this one was one hell of a fight too . . . for the first half. In fact, the Wolfpack went into the lockerroom at the half with a 3-point lead . . . then only scored 19 more in the second.

Memphis 85 - UAB 75 = And here the Tigers creep closer back to their traditional spot atop the CUSA by tying UAB at 6-2, just one behind Tulsa's and UTEP's 7-1.

There are a lot of games tonight between also-rans and never-weres, but scattered amongst them we do have:

Butler vs. Detroit = Should be a real good one.

Purdue vs. Indiana = Should be a slaughter.

Florida vs. Alabama = Should be a Gator win, but they are not consistent enough for one to bet on that.

Duke vs. Georgia Tech = The Blue Devils want some revenge for their earlier loss in Atlanta, not to mention that they want to get the nasty taste of the Hoya whuppin' out of their mouths, and I'd expect that to happen in Cameron tonight.

Cincinnati vs. Notre Dame = Seems like we have three or four of these "fighting for respect" games each night now, and most of them are real battles. This should be another.

Maryland vs. Florida State = And here's another.

Tennessee vs. LSU = And here . . . not so much, in that the Vols already have some respect and the Tigers don't warrant any.

UNC vs Virginia Tech = And speaking of not warranting any respect, take my Heels . . . please. If they do not start finding their baby blue @$$e$ soon, they'll have none left to find.

Gonzaga vs. Portland = And here's your mid-major battle of the Great Northwest. And while we're out on the Left Coast, take note of these:

Arizona State vs. Washington State
Arizona vs. Washington
California vs. USC
Stanford vs. UCLA

I've lumped all these together because that's exactly the way the Pac-10 is . . . all lumped together. Of these 8 of the 10 in action tonight, they are all squeezed between 6-3 and 4-5 in conference play. You can throw idle Oregon into that pot as well, since they're in that moshpit at 4-5 themselves. Only Oregon State is completely out of it . . . at 3-6. :r

Well, as always, enjoy.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Sorry, I can't deal with this today . . . and no, not because my Heels spit the bit again. I walked into work and into the middle of a total clusterfark, with yelling and screaming and all that $#!+, and I'm just too damn stressed. Sorry again, and I'll catch up tomorrow.

I'm gonna go outside and have a cigar now, before the blizzard starts, and before I shoot somebody. :ss

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

OK, time to play a little catch-up. By the time I finish this I might even have some finals to report on the early games, and I can get to the BIG Arizona story that just developed. Until then, then.

On Thursday 2/4:

Florida 66 - Alabama 65 = One hell of a fight here. I said it should go to the Gators, but don't bet the farm, boys. Yep.

Butler 63 - Detroit 58 = And I said this should be a good one, and it was.

Duke 86 - Georgia Tech 67 = And Dook got their revenge, and then some.

Maryland 71 - Florida State 67 = And here they both fought for respect.

Purdue 78 - Indiana 75 = And here . . . what the hell? Purdue should have beaten the Hoosiers into the hardwood like carpet tacks, but instead it was more like coated 10-penny nails. The Boilermakers got the win, but Indiana deserves some props.

Tennessee 59 - LSU 54 = And it's pretty much the same story here. LSU got the L, but earned a bit of respect for keeping it this close.

Notre Dame 83 - Cincinnati 65 = And I expected the Bearcats to make a real game of this one. They didn't, and the Irish had all the fight.

Virginia Tech 74 - UNC 70 = And I really don't know what to say anymore. Good win for the Hokies, and another bad loss for the Heels.

USC 66 - California 63
UCLA 77 - Stanford 73
Arizona State 81 - Washington State 70
Washington 81 - Arizona 75

And these, aside from being some competitive games, just further added to the logjam in the Pac-10. As things stand now, before the games scheduled today (Saturday), there are 4 teams tied for first place with 6-4 records, with 2 more just behind at 5-5. Whoa.


I only saw one game of any interest on Friday, the lightest day of the roundball week:

Princeton 56 - Harvard 53 = And what's so interesting about this? Well, early on there was a bunch of hype about Tommy Amaker getting the Crimson into the NCAA field for the first time in . . . nearly forever. With the Tiger win last night it puts them at 3-0 in Ivy play, behind Cornell at 5-0, whereas Hahvaad is now 3-2. And the Ivy ain't gettin' no at-large bids, my brothers.

In today's action, quickly, we have:

Georgetown vs. Villanova
Xavier vs. Dayton
West Virginia vs. St. John's
Wake Forest vs. Virginia
Marquette vs. Providence
Mississippi State vs. Florida
Oklahoma State vs. Texas Tech
Auburn vs. Alabama
Temple vs Richmond
Kansas State vs. Iowa State
Duke vs. Boston College
Baylor vs. Texas A&M
Clemson vs. Virginia Tech
ODU vs. VCU
Gonzaga vs. Memphis
Wisconsin vs. Michigan
N.C. State vs. Georgia Tech
Texas vs. Oklahoma
Kentucky vs. LSU
BYU vs. UNLV
California vs. UCLA
New Mexico vs. San Diego State
Mississippi vs. Alabama
Kansas vs. Nebraska
Pittsburgh vs. Seton Hall
Tennessee vs. South Carolina
Miami vs. Florida State
Butler vs. Wright State
Vanderbilt vs. Georgia
Arizona vs. Washington State
Michigan State vs. Illinois
Tulsa vs. UTEP
Arizona State vs. Washington

And those are just the games of note, for one reason or another. As for Sunday, we have:

Ohio State vs. Iowa
Notre Dame vs. South Florida
Syracuse vs. Cincinnati
UNC vs Maryland

I'll be right back with some updates. Enjoy.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

While I'm waiting for a few of the early games to go final, let's deal with the news out of the desert.

Arizona has announced it has placed itself on probation for the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons due to violations by former coach Lute Olson involving an offseason AAU tournament, as well as involvement of a boosters club in this activity. They will give up one scholarship next season, and limit recruiting and campus visits for the next two seasons, and they have disbanded that said boosters club. The NCAA has announced that it will withhold the right to revisit and modify these self-imposed sanctions.

Hey, do you think they may reduce them? :r

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Finals:

West Virginia 79 - St. John's 60 - About what you'd expect, except that the Johnnies held an 11-point lead at the break. WVA scored 57 of their 79 points in the 2nd half.

Marquette 82 - Providence 79 = Again, what you'd expect from two well-matched teams.

Wake and UVA have gone into OT, and Dayton is kicking Xavier's butt late. The others are still too close to call.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Dayton 90 - Xavier 65.

Villanova's been trying to dig itself out of it's 19-point halftime hole against the Hoyas, but it doesn't look like it gonna happen. Deacs/Cavs still a battle.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Wake Forest 64 - Virginia 61. Georgetown a minute from beating 'Nova.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Georgetown 103 - Villanova 90 = A real defensive struggle here.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

The Temple must be infested - Spiders are all over the Owls at the half, 44-26.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Florida 69 - Mississippi State 62. Auburn/Arkansas going into OT. Some others holding tough against better competition, like BC/Dook and PSU/Minn, while Fordham - Fordham, by gawd, still leads Charlotte late in the 2nd.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Oh, and Iowa State is only 4 behind K-State, with over 5 minutes left.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Texas Tech 81 - Oklahoma State 74. Arkansas 82 - Auburn 79 (OT). And Richmond Spiders 8 seconds from biting Temple Owls badly.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Richmond 71 - Temple 54 = The win does not shock me, but the margin's a surprise.
Minnesota 66 - Penn State 64 = The win does not surprise me, but the margin's a shock.

And Dook/BC a 2-point game with 26 ticks left.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Blue Devils hold on to edge Eagles 66-63, in one tough fight. And speaking of tough fights, Charlotte had to battle all afternoon to best the 2-19 Fordam Rams 77-72, in a game that was much closer than that final.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

And another one that was closer than it prolly should have been:

Kansas State 79 - Iowa State 75.

I'm going away soon, so you take care, and take care of your own updates too. Enjoy.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

OK, since it has gotten to that point in the season where fewer things truly matter, although they may matter more, I'll just hit the highlights of the weekend action. On the balance of the games from Saturday 2/6:

Georgia 72 - Vanderbilt 58 = The fact that the Bulldogs won does not surprise me all that much, as they have proven they can, on occasion anyway, play a good game. But that large a margin over what should have been a superior Commodore team does puzzle me a bit.

Georgia Tech 73 - N.C. State 71 = And here's just one more tough loss for the Wolfpack.

Illinois 78 - Michigan State 73 = After winning 10 inna row, the Spartans have now lost 2 straight without Kalin Lucas on the floor. Since they have Purdue tomorrow, it may just get worse for them.

Oklahoma 80 - Texas 71 = And after reaching the #1 ranking for the first time in school history, the Longhorns have lost 4 of their last 6 games. It might get even worse for them also, tonight, as you will see below.

Texas A&M 78 - Baylor 71 = This does not make up for the Aggie losses to K-State and Texas, and certainly not the one to Oak State, but it doesn't hurt them in the least.

California 72 - UCLA 58 = And this is the only Pac-10 score I'll mention today, as it's the one that matters. It put the Bears back on top of the league at 7-4, with only 5 other teams on their short fuzzy tails with 6-5 records.

UNLV 73 - BYU 74 = And I've tried to tell you earlier that I did not BUY into BYU. Sure they have only 3 losses, but that makes 2 in the last 2 weeks. Furthermore, they just edged the Runnin' Rebels their first meeting, and just squeeked by Fresno State, UTEP, and San Diego State also. Finally, their schedule has more cupcakes than a kid's birthday party. And speaking of UTEP . . .

UTEP 73 - Tulsa 59 = Not only did the Miners spank their conference rivals, but it puts them in sole possession of the CUSA league lead . . . though Tulsa, UAB, and Memphis are still in the hunt.

On Sunday there were a few marquee games, including another stinker by my Heels, but only one with any real significance:

Syracuse 71 - Cincinnati 54 = Although neither the game nor the score was any shock at all, the win did move the Orange up to #2 in today's polls, right behind the Jayhawks. This is their highest ranking in a decade. Let's see now how long they can hold onto it.

There are only a few games to take note of tonight. To finish the point I started to make above:

Kansas vs. Texas = Like I said, it gets no easier for the 'Horns. Back on 2/1 Rick Barnes was quoted as saying that "sometimes adversity is good." That being the case, it will likely get even better for Texas this evening.

Villanova vs. West Virginia = And the Big East isn't totally Orange yet. Both these teams are still very much in the hunt, and 'Nova even gets to host the 'Cuse late this month.

Siena vs. Fairfield = And here's a key part of the race for the MAAC lead, as these two . . . along with Iona and St. Peter's . . . are the class of this conference.

As always, enjoy.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Sorry that I've missed a few days, but Tuesday I had too much work to complete before I had too much snow to work at all on Wednesday. Well, the world's a bit back to normal now, so lemme catch you up on my notable highlights. And hey, if you have any of your own to add, don't by shy.

On Monday 2/8:

Kansas 80 - Texas 68 = If I remember correctly, I said things would just get worse for the Longhorns.

Villanova 82 - West Virginia 75 = Just the tight tough battle one would expect.

Siena 69 - Fairfield 67 = For those of you who have yet to pay attention, there's some hellacious good mid-major games played.

On Tuesday 2/9:

Kentucky 66 - Alabama 55 = A decent enough margin of victory, I guess, though not the stomping one might have expected.

Purdue 76 - Michigan State 64 = The Boilermakers seem to have gotten over their earlier slump, while the Spartans have fallen into a funk.

Georgetown 79 - Providence 70 = OK, as the Friars are about the same level as the aforementioned Tide, this can be considered an so-so win by the Hoyas, but no more.

Vanderbilt 90 - Tennessee 71 = You want your good win? Well, here the Comms gave you one.

Illinois 63 - Wisconsin 56 - And here might be a better one. The Illini have gotten a bit warm, and this makes 5 Ws inna row now . . . and they preceeded this one with their besting of the Spartans.

On Wednesday 2/10:

Miami 64 - Georgia Tech 62 = Seems like this Yellow Jacket team only shows up for every other game. Well, I guess that's better than:

Duke 64 - UNC 54 = At this point the score is no surprise to anyone . . . except maybe that the Heels kept it this close. But it is THE GAME, so one has to report on it.

Syracuse 72 - U. Conn 67 = Under normal circumstances, I'd call this one a great win for the Orange. However, circumstances are not so normal this season, as 'Cuse has been hot while the Huskies have been dogging it. A five-point victory is better than a one-point loss, yet I'd have thought it should be more. Shows what I know.

Tonight there are a fair number of contests, including a slew of Pac-10 games, which will probably just add to the clumping of these lumpkins. Yet I only spotted two games which piqued my jones:

Mississippi vs. Mississippi State = Here are two pretty good and well-matched in-state conference rivals. What the hell else would you want?

Gonzaga vs. St. Mary's = You want some more? Well, here's some more! You all have likely heard of Gonzaga, and they are still ranked, as they have been most (if not all) of the season . . . for years now. But their overall record is 19-4, and they are 7-1 in the West Coast Conference. St. Mary's? The are 21-3, and 8-1 in the WCC. Think this ain't a big game?

As always, enjoy.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

A win is a win. Go Duke :D

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

And you know precisely where you can go, don't you? That way. :td :r

Sorry that I again had too much work to update yesterday, but I'll start working on it now and be back to youse guys ASAP.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

OK, here we go with updates on the action that wiggled my noodle.

On Thursday 2/11:

California 93 - Washington 81 = Alright, so not so much a national wiggle here, but it does keep the Golden Bears atop the Pac-10 . . . for what that's worth.

Gonzaga 80 - St. Mary's 61 = The 'Zags laid a pretty good spanking on the Gaels up in Spokane.

Michigan 71 - Minnesota 63 = And the Wolverines have started to play a little bit better. They still stink, but they no longer totally suck.

Mississippi State 71 - Mississippi 63 = The win keeps MS in their division hunt.

St. John's 74 - Louisville 55 = "Back when" this score would not shock anybody, but in today's world this is pretty hard to believe. Hey, I know the Cardinals fairly reek, but I didn't think they were that bad.

Butler 68 - Youngstown State 57 = And why this one? Well, on the surface it may look just like another W for this ranked team. But look deeper and note that YS is only 2-12 in the Horizon Conference, and 8-16 overall, and then that 11-point bulge does not look as nice as it first appears.

On Friday 2/12:

Niagara 87 - Siena 74 = Maybe it's a good thing I had no chance to update yesterday, as I'd have given Niagara that same no chance. They are a so-so .500 mid-major team, whereas Siena should maybe have come into this game as a ranked opponent. But that's why they play the games. Not only did this end Siena's 15-game winning streak, it also gave them their first MAAC loss.

Pennsylvania 79 - Cornell 64 = And here we have some more of the same. Penn is 4-15 overall, and Cornell 20-4, so who'd have picked them to be 15 points better than the Red?

Pittsburgh 98 - West Virginia 95 (3 OT) = Wow. OK, Pitt is better than both Niagara and Penn, but WVA should have been better than Pitt also. Plus, 3 OTs? I repeat . . . wow.

Today's action is already underway, and I'll be back soon with some scores. Until then, here's a quick rundown of some of the matchups:

U. Conn vs. Cincinnati = Both teams are in need of a win for a bit of respect, and Calhoun is back. So far it's a pretty good game, and we'll see if it stays that way.

Michigan State vs. Penn State = And this one, shockingly, is a one-point game well into the second stanza. Stay tuned.

Duke vs. Maryland = It's in Cameron, so I'd expect the Blue Devils to hold onto their ACC lead.

Vanderbilt vs. LSU = On paper, it's no contest. Yet the Commodores have failed to show up on occasion, so who knows?

Baylor vs. Missouri = And this one should be a war from start to finish.

Wisconsin vs. Indiana = And this one should not be.

Villanova vs. Providence = 'Nova has a decided edge, yet it may be tighter than they'd prefer.

UNC vs. N.C. State = OK, so nobody but me and Jerry (Col. Kurtz) cares about this one, but it is a battle to stay out of the cellar. And it is in Chapel Hill, so the Heels won't have a long busride, win or lose.

Texas vs. Nebraska = I foresee the 'Horns getting off their recent snide today. If they don't, somebody should shoot them.

UNLV vs. San Diego State = And I foresee this one being one close fight.

Temple vs. Rhode Island = Here too. The Owls get all the press, but RI's got a decent team too.

Purdue vs. Iowa = Speaking of decent teams, there is one in this game too. :D

Florida vs. Xavier = You want you some good non-conference action today? Well, here you go.

Memphis vs. Tulsa = If the Tigers want any shot at retaining their CUSA crown by keeping in reach of not only Tulsa but UTEP and UAB also, they need this win badly. Let's see if they get it, as it won't be easy.

Virginia vs. Virginia Tech = The Cavs not only want to prove they are for real, they also want revenge on the Hokies. May be a lotta fun here.

Kansas vs. Iowa State = But don't expect much fun here . . . unless you're a complete Jayhawk homer.

Wake Forest vs. Georgia Tech = The Jackets have the ranking, but the Deacs have the better record. The gloves will be off.

Marquette vs. South Florida = And here's your two good teams nobody talks about.

Kentucky vs. Tennessee = And here's your two good teams nobody shuts up about. It's in Rupp, so I wouldn't bet on the Wildcats getting their 2nd loss . . . today.

As for tomorrow, Sunday's game include:

Syracuse vs. Louisville = The Orange will likely take it with some ease, but Pitino may still have a trick or three for Boeheim.

Ohio State vs. Illinois = The Illini have been playing much better, so give them a chance against the Buckeyes. I don't expect is, but it could happen.

Georgetown vs. Rutgers = And give the Scarlet Knights no chance in hell against the Hoyas.

Boston College vs. Florida State = OK, at last, here we have a game that's pretty evenly matched.

USC vs. UCLA = Hey, and here's another . . . if it really matters.

I'll be back with some early scores. Until then, enjoy.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

With 4 minutes left in the game, Cincy has scored only 49 total points. However, U. Conn's only scored 35. Jeez.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

May the not-so-worse team not lose :tu

But who knows? This should be a low scoring turnover fest :tu

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

With 1:14 left, the Spartans have a 10-point edge over Penn State.

They should be ashamed of themselves.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

What makes you think so? You think maybe Roy's bringing back the Four Corners? :r

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Final: Michigan State 65 - Penn State 54 = I don't care that it was at State College, this is NOT an impressive win.

Dook kicking the Terps shelled butts all over Durham at the half.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Cincinnati 60 - U. Conn 48 = Look at it this way: Although there wasn't a lot of scoring, the game was offensive in one way at least.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Clemson 74 - Miami 66. Duke starts off 2nd half just building on their lead. Oh, and late in the first, LSU has a 5-point edge over Vandy . . hey, I told you they don't always know when to show up!

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Dook 1 1/2 from beating Terps by 20+. Vandy shows up for 2nd half ant takes lead from LSU. Baylor/Missou tight in the 2nd, and 'Nova took only a 5-point bulge over Friars into lockerroom at the break.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Duke 77 - Maryland 56 = No surprise, thought I felt it should be closer. Also, #18 Butler (22-4) is ahead of Cleveland State (13-12) at the half . . . by a whole bucket, 29-27.

Re: College Hoops Thread '09-'10
 

Vandy/LSU and 'Nova/Providence both tied at the moment, late & early 2nd half respt.