Quote:
Originally Posted by Wanger
Gophers knock off the Tarheels. Didn't see the game, but from what I've read, Sampson and Mbakwe were all over the place. This is the 3rd straight year Tubby has knocked off a top 10 team. Could they make a big run this year? Who knows? But I'll bet it's fun to watch.  |
Yes they did, and congrats to the Gophers for a big win. It is NOT the "stunning upset" some reports want us to believe, however. Minnesota is always a tough Big Ten team, and Tubby an excellent coach (one who keeps getting run outta town for no damn good reason, it seems). The Gophers kept the score low enough to handle, with a LOT of help from the Heels. There were only 14 fewer shots taken collectively than in UNC's rout of Hofstra, but the Heels couldn't hit $#!+. For instance, "super-freshman" Harrison Barnes took 12 shots, and hit none. Here's why I don't buy into hype. Minnesota may deserve at least some credit for that . . . like Wanger, I did not watch it. Minnesota could very well have a nice, if not big, run this season. As for Carolina, they may progress into a good team, just as Barnes may become a great player. Neither is the case for now.
In other action yesterday:
# 5 Pitt 68 - Texas 66 = The Longhorns may have shown they are for real, despite the loss. Pitt hasn't shown they are a #5 team yet, and this provides no additional evidence. It's a good win for them, but that's about all you can say.
# 13 Illinois 80 - Maryland 76 = Pretty much the same story here. It's a nice bounce-back victory for the Illini, but a second painful loss by the Terps indicates just about as much of their abilities. Remember, they are still trying to adjust to life after Vasquez.
Rhode Island 75 - Charleston 66 = Man, I don't know how I missed this one. Two good mid-majors, head-to-head? It was bound to be a nice game.
Kent State 78 - Furman 74 (OT) = But nobody could have predicted this one, so gimme a pass here.
Mississippi State 76 - Appalachian State 74 = In Starksville, no less! And remember, the Mountaineers beat Tulsa in Oklahoma in their opener. Maybe the Southern Conference is getting another dawg in the pound.
ODU 59 - St. Peter's 52 = Games like this, especially early in the season, interest me. Are either of these teams any good, or are they both crap? That's part of the fun.
Xavier 86 - Iowa 73 = But you can almost always expect the X-men to field a decent squad. When a mid-major beats a team from a "big" conference by double-digits, it means something . . . even if it is the Hawkeyes.
Let's move on to contests today. These, for various reasons, pop out:
# 4 Ohio State vs. N.C. Wilmington = Yeah, OK. Well, I guess they both have to play
somebody, right?
# 6 Villanova vs. Lafayette = " " . " , " " " " " " " " , " ?
# 15 Missouri vs. North Florida = North Florida? There's a NORTH Florida? Who'da thunk?
# 16 Butler vs. Ball State = Butler wants to rebound from their spanking in Louisville. Ball State may be in for a long day. Yet Butler may be in for a considerably shorter season.
# 25 San Diego State vs. Wisc. Green Bay = I'm not gonna pick against the Aztecs again, until they show me something otherwise. That goes twice today.
# 23 BYU vs. Chicago State = The Cougars will win this game against the Cougars, and will NOT post a boastful taunt on their scoreboard afterwards. And yes, I know this is "out-of-order" re the rankings, but I have my reason. Namely . . .
Utah State vs. Southern Utah = The Aggies were the target of said taunt, after their loss the other night to BYU, where they were encouraged to enjoy it. But here's the odd thing that struck me: Is Utah State not allowed out of the state of Utah for some reason? They opened against Weber St., lost that BYU game, play SU today, then face Utah. WTF?
Wisconsin vs. UNLV = Talk about your contrast of programs, not to mention universities! The Badgers love to plod along, and welcome all the contact. The Rebels want to be . . . well, Runnin' . . . and the only contact that interests them is with an agent.
UAB vs. Arizona State = These two want to move up in the world. UAB has been there (sort of) in the past, and the Sun Devils got a tiny taste that ended bitterly last season. Might be a nice tight contest.
Dayton vs. Mississippi = Hey, I could say much the same thing about this one. So, I won't. Why repeat myself?
I'll take a break now, and come back with some Sunday games to keep your eyes on, plus maybe an update of afternoon action.