College Hoops Thread '10-'11

[The Poet]

I could post a couple of pages on the important conference games last night, which is typical of this time of year. Yet I shall limit myself to a dozen or so of note:


Providence 83 - Villanova 68 = Yeah, I know the Friars have had a few good games this season. Yeah, I know 'Nova has had its problems from time to time. Yeah, I know the game was in Rhode Island, and I also know the Big East has had a number of big upsets over the last couple of weeks. But this approaches a whuppin', and I never expected this. Another great win for Providence, and another piece of evidence that the Philly'Cats have issues to address.

Memphis 77 - UCF 61 = And amongst those other things I also know, I fully realize I didn't buy into the "national ranking" crap for the Orlando Mickeys when they started off 14-0. Thus I can't claim to be in total shock that they have now lost 5 in a row, and reside in the CUSA cellar alone. Yet a spanking like this begs the question of how the hell they managed to win those other games.

BYU 71 - San Diego State 58 = To a much lesser degree, the same point applies here. OK, I never expected the Aztecs to go undefeated all year, as I don't expect any team to do so these days. And though I never thought they were the 4th best team in the nation, just as I still don't think the Cougars are the 9th best (and maybe even moving up from that), I did understand that SDSU could lose this game in Provo. Yet they didn't just lose it . . . they got beat, but good. Go figure.

Charleston 65 - Georgia Southern 61 = And this one's somewhat surprising, since I feel Charleston is a much better team, is amongst the class of the Southern Conference,and should have chased GS off the court . . . even if that court was in Statesboro. Well, a win's a win, I reckon. Speaking of which . . .

ODU 51 - Georgia State 48 = This is pretty much the same story in the CAC, and the Monarchs nearly cacked it up. Again, a win's a win, but still. And still speaking of such . . .

UNC 74 - Miami 71 = Another league contender, in another league, just squeaking by a bottom-feeder in a road game. The Heels fell behind big early, but made a run to close the gap. Harrison Barnes hit a 3 at the halftime buzzer to tie it at 39 going into the break, and hit a 3 with 6.6 seconds left to give Carolina its winning margin. Those were his only 2 treys for the game, so I guess he deserves some props for picking the right spots. Once more, a win's a win. And while we're on the subject . . .

Murray State 67 - SIU Edwardsville 61 = Joe's Racers tried too damn hard to p!$$ this away. SIU-E is a pig of the independents, and has only won 4 D-1 games all year. For this one to be a 2-possession victory . . . well, again, it is better than a 1-possession loss, but not by much. Speaking of which . . .

Jacksonville 63 - North Florida 62 (OT) = OK, so maybe I will give the Dolphins a bit of a pass on this one. On the surface, one might think they should have totally outclassed the Ospreys, as their 13-6 record shames NF's 8-13 one. But look closer. The Ospreys came in 5-4 in the Atlantic Sun, as opposed to J'ville's 6-3. That's no significant diff. Furthermore, the Osprey losses include ones to Florida State, Pitt, Missouri, Purdue, Texas, Maryland, and Kansas State . . . not to mention good teams like Furman, Belmont, and Lipscomb. With experience like that, it no surprise they gave Jacksonville such a good game.

Louisville 55 - West Virginia 54 = And aside from the disgracefully low score, I will give both teams a pass on this one. I expected it to be a war, and it was.

SMU 59 - Tulsa 58 = I could say exactly the same thing here, but why bother? I tend to repeat myself enough already.

Northern Iowa 71 - Creighton 66 = The NIU Panthers kept at least some hope alive that they may get a shot at repeating their NCAA magic of last season by keeping pace in the Missouri Valley Conference. But they still must face all 3 of the other MVC contenders, so they'd better not stub their toes upon the also-rans.


Tonight's line-up includes even more vital conference action, including:


Michigan State vs. Michigan = Alright, so maybe this one's not all that vital. The Wolverines want it so as to stay out of the Big Ten basement, and the Spartans don't wish to drop out of a tie for 5th. Yet when you consider the fact that, at 12-7 and 4-3, MSU is STILL ranked 25th in the country, what difference does it really make. It seems as if they could lose a few more, and perhaps even move up the standings.

Hofstra vs. VCU = But there's no doubt this one's a biggie. Both of them are 8-1 in the CAC, just above George Mason and ODU. So both of them want the win badly. As it is down in Richmond, give the Rams a slim edge over the Pride. Still, it could go either way, and should be a real good one.

Maryland vs. Virginia = And here, the dreams of both for a NCAA bid is quickly becoming a fantasy. They are both 2-3 in ACC play, and have perhaps too much work to do to earn a slot come March. Tonight could be the first step up for one, and will be another step down for the other. They play it in Charlottesville, so the Cavs might be favored by a bucket or so.

Vanderbilt vs. Mississippi State = The Comms are still on the national radar, while the Bulldogs are not. Yet they are both 2-2 in SEC play, while MSU is actually in a better position in the West division than is Vandy in the (admittedly tougher) East. Even though the game is in Starksville, I have to go with Vandy here. I think they are a better team, and I KNOW they are a more experienced one. The 'Dawgs have not beaten a quality opponent all year . . . and mainly because they really haven't PLAYED a quality opponent all year, unless you count spankings by Virginia Tech, Washington State, St. Mary's, Alabama, and Georgia as "experience".

Austin Peay vs. Eastern Kentucky = The AP Governors want to keep pace with Tennessee State atop the OVC, and the Colonels can't afford to drop any lower than they are at present. They are the host, and as neither team seems to be that much better or worse than the other, it should be tight throughout.

Rider vs. Iona = And although the Fairfield Stags are ahead of both the Broncos and the Gaels in the MAAC (just barely, but still), both teams want to stay in touch with the lead. In their first meeting, Iona took it 100-96. These are good squads, so expect another fight to the finish.

Duke vs. Boston College = These are good squads too, and even though it is in Durham you can give the Eagles a shot at pulling off the upset, and remain in the hunt for the ACC. I wouldn't bet on it, as the Blue Devils are hard to beat in Cameron, but we should have a fairly decent game here.

UCLA vs. Arizona = Here are two storied programs, and at 5-2 both are still in the Pac-10 race. I think the desert 'Cats have played a little better, and this one is in Tucson to boot. I figure AZ by maybe three possessions.

Illinois vs. Indiana = OK, so I really don't give the Hoosiers much of a chance here, even in Bloomington. However, the Illini have lost 3 road games in a row, and their 14-6 record (though not as bad as Michigan State's 12-7) scarcely seems to justify their Top 20 rating. But hey, what do I know? Well, I know Indiana will show up, and may even give them game.

St. Mary's vs. Gonzaga = The Gaels are coming off a loss to Vandy, and a loss of their brief national ranking, yet at 5-0 hold a slim lead over surprising San Francisco in the West Coast Conference. Even more surprising, Gonzaga is a passable 13-7 overall, and at 3-2 in WCC play is tied for 3rd with Santa Clara . . . and not at their accustomed zenith. These factors make this a huge game for both schools, and I'd expect barns to be burning in Spokane tonight.


That's all for me today. Enjoy.