[The Poet]

As promised, here's a few early finals:


Kentucky 69 - Louisvlle 62 = The Cardinals made a late run in the first half to make it a game, then made another late in the 2nd to make it respectable. I didn't get to see it, but as I doubt that either defense was all that dominant, the game must have been pretty sloppy. UK may not move up in the polls, but Louisville shall certainly drop a few spots.

U Conn 83 - St. John's 69 = The Johnnies were totally outclassed by the Huskies in Hartford.

Virginia Tech 67 - Oklahoma 61 = Not a great win for the Hokies, but a decent ony anyway.

South Carolina 72 - S. C. Upstate 66 = And not a great win for the Gamecocks, nor a decent one either.


Later games today include:


Harvard vs. St. Joseph's = This one ought to be tons of fun. I can easily see the Crimson losing to the Hawks, and losing their ranking to boot.

Purdue vs. Illinois = Both the Boilermakers and the Illini need all the conference wins they can muster to keep pace with the big boys. This should be a war.

UCLA vs. California = The Bruins have had a horrid start, and a win against the Berkeley boys would go a long way towards improving their outlook. I can't see it happening, but UCLA does have the talent . . . if they show up, finally.

Kansas vs. North Dakota = Don't bother.

Arizona vs. Arizona State = And despite my respect for Herb Sendek, don't bother all that much with this one either. Yeah, the Sun Devils could surprise me, but I wouldn't bet on that.

Oregon State vs. Washington State = Both start out 0-1 in league play, so both want the win. As the Pac-12 might be fairly open, at least below the top one or two spots, every team needs any victory they can steal.

Creighton vs. Wichita State = It's in Wichita, but even if it wasn't I'd give the Shockers a shot here.

Ohio State vs. Indiana = In Bloomington, so you have to give the Hoosiers one also. The Buckeyes have not been as dominant as expected, while IU's been much better than was thought. They may not be back yet, but a win here would go a long way towards that aim.

Saint Louis vs. New Mexico = Here's one of those match-ups of good teams that hold the potential for a nail-biter.

UNLV vs. Hawaii = The Runnin' Rebels visit Honolulu, but a win by the Rainbows would be a definite lulu.

Gonzaga vs. Xavier = Has the Musketeers recovered from their brawl with Cincy? If so, they ought to edge the 'Zags. If not, it could be another ugly loss.

Charlotte vs. Memphis = The Tigers have been just another of those teams from the Volunteer State that have sorely disappointed their fans so far. The 49ers don't have the personnel to compete with Memphis if they play up to their pre-season hype, but as they've rarely done so so far this might be a good one.

Oregon vs. Washington = Like that other Great NW fight above, both teams would like to challenge for, at least, respectability in the Pac-12. This should focus both of them to play well.


On Sunday, in limited action, we have:


Rutgers vs. South Florida = Can the Scarlet Knights do a double-dip against the Sunshine State and gore the Bulls. Hey, if they can beat the Gators, they can win this one. But for some reason I expect them to have a let-down, so it may be just as close as their last OT game.

Marquette vs. Villanova = You'd expect the Golden Eagles to be angry after their embarrassment at home against Vandy, which does not bode well for a so-far so-so 'Nova. I'm not saying the Wildcats can't win, as I've a lot of respect for Jay Wright. However, Jay Wright won't be in uniform, so I'd bet on Marquette were I you.

North Carolina vs. Monmouth = The game itself doesn't promise to be much, as the Hawks have only won 2 games so far this season. Yet it does hold interest for Tar Heels, as it shall mark the return to Chapel Hill of former players King Rice, Derrick Phelps, and Brian Reese, all teammates in the 90's. The Monmouth coaching staff will likely get the biggest hand of the day in the Dean Dome.

Michigan vs. Minnseota = So if you're looking for a more competitive contest, tune this one in. I can see it going either way, and expect it to come down to who executes in the final few minutes.

Akron vs. Marshall = And on a slightly different level, I'd expect much the same here.

Syracuse vs. DePaul = And believe it or not, I expect it here too. The 'Cuse have again screwed up their scheduling, and are actually playing a road game in Rosemont! Who'd a thunk? The Orange will probably previal, but I think the Blue Demons will give them a scare or two before it's over.

Duke vs. Penn = But I don't expect the Blue Devils to get much of one from the Quakers.

Cincinnati vs. Pittsburgh = Here's an intereting match-up for you, as both teams have had some downright stinkers, with upsets they should never have allowed. They may not actually fight, but they should battle even if only out of pride.


That's it for now. I may be back a little later, and may not. In either case, enjoy.