College Hoops Thread '10-'11

The Poet · 02-02-2011, 05:10 PM

So I've goofed around long enough, and need to get to this. Scores of note (to me, anyway) from last night includes one stunner:

Mississippi 71 - Kentucky 69 = The Rebels hit a late 3 to steal one at home against the Wildcats. I did not think they had a chance at beating UK, which is just one more indication of how dumb I am. Maybe Cal was right to whine about his lack of depth.

Wichita State 70 - Indiana State 54 = Though I am not shocked that the Shockers won the game, I did feel it would be a lot closer than this. The win puts them 1/2-game up in the MVC, and drops the Sycamores into 4th.

Wisconsin 66 - Purdue 59 = But I can't say I'm even a bit surprised by this. I espected a low-scoring and tight contest, and we got one. It would have been even tighter had the 'Makers made more shots, as they only managed to score 19 in the first half.

Florida 65 - Vanderbilt 61 (OT) = Well, I told you to flip a coin on this one, since both teams have been suffering from ADD all season long. They will win a few, then lose a few, then win, then lose, then win. But at least they are consistently inconsistent.

Kansas 88 - Texas Tech 66 = And I also told you this would be no contest at all. The Jayhawks improve to 6-1 in the Big 12. However, if they want to catch Texas (7-0) they not only have to continue to win their games, they will need some help from somebody else. They have no head-to-head with the Longhorns left on their schedule. Their best bet? Hope that Rick Barnes pulls his traditional crap, and blows a few from the bench.

North Carolina 106 - Boston College 74 = And I told you that this one might go down to the wire. Again, how dumb am I? The Heels spanked the Eagles up in Boston, and Harrison Barnes topped his newly-minted season high set against NCSU Saturday by scoring 26. UNC moves into a tie with Duke atop the ACC, and if they get some help from the Terps tonight, they shall own it alone. Have they turned things around? It's still too early for me to say that . . . lemme see them squash ten or twelve more teams first.

There is a bunch of action scheduled tonight, barring more postponements due to weather. For instance, last night's Baylor/Oklahoma game was moved to this afternoon, with the Bears owning a 5-point bulge at the half. Other games include:

Minnesota vs. Indiana = The Hoosiers did manage to beat Illinois in Bloomington, so they are certainly capable of beating the Gophers too. I don't see it happening, but remember . . . I did not see Ole Miss beating UK either.

West Virginia vs. Seton Hall = And the Pirates absolutely crushed the Orange in the Dome not long ago, so they too have a shot in Morgantown. Yet again, I don't expect that to happen.

Hofstra vs. George Mason = Both of these want to stay as near the top of the CAC as possible, and with their competition for that lead playing the "have-nots" of the league, they both will want this win tonight. I look for a close fight to the finish in Fairfax.

Syracuse vs. U. Conn = This may be the premier marquee matchup of the night up in icy Hartford (as opposed to snowbound Syracuse). After winning their first 18, the 'Cuse has dropped 4 in a row. It gets no easier for them tonight. Then again, it might not be so easy for the Huskies either, coming off their homecourt heartbreaker against Louisville. I dunno why, but I have a feeling Boeheim will turn his boys around this evening.

Villanova vs. Marquette = And I'd expect this one to be as good a game as the one above. These two are pretty even, and either is capable of playing a good game. 'Nova has home court, so maybe they have the slight edge. But they just lost to the Hoyas in Philly, and thus I'd not bet the farm on it.

Virginia Tech vs. N.C. State = The Wolfpack is coming off that whuppin' by the Heels in Chapel Hill, and are probably glad to be in Raleigh tonight. The Hokies have, at times, played much better than NCSU, yet they have had some problems on the road. It does not look as if either team will make a serious move in the ACC, but both look to still be in contention for post-season play, be it NCAA, NIT, or one of those "Hunh?" tourneys. This one might be better than you'd think.

BYU vs. Wyoming = And this one should be over by the half. I don't care if it's in Laramie or not, and I don't care that I consider BYU to be grossly over-rated . . . the Coyboys don't have the horses to corral the Cougars. But while we're on the subject, explain this one to me . . . the Stormin' Mormans lost their last game to an unranked New Mexico squad, after beating rival San Diego State in the previous game. Subsequently, the Aztecs drop from 4th to 7th in the national ranks, while the Cougars drop from 9th to . . . 8th? What? And just how many votes does Joseph Smith get? Hey, it's not as if I really care all that much about this ranking nonsense, but I'd at least hope for some sensible nonsense.

Alabama vs. Mississippi State = The Tide is on top of the SEC West, and when you consider their overall 13-7 record, they'd better stay there if they want to Dance come March. The Bulldogs are coming off a huge win against the Gators, which got them to .500 in league play, and up a step above garbage with their 11-9 mark. This might just be the smallest of the big games this evening, for I don't think it much matters who wins . . . they both have a fairly high stinkage rating.

UTEP vs. UCF = I find this game interesting for two reasons. First, I wonder if, after opening their season 14-0, can the Orlando Mickeys ever win another game? Second, UTEP is involved in a 7-team logjam for the CUSA crown, with all 7 clustered between 5-2 and 4-3 in league play. Others in that dogpile include:

Southern Mississippi vs. UAB = As you might gather from the above, this one is vital for both teams to keep them in that dogpile cited above. Plus, it is just as vital for . . .

SMU vs. East Carolina = And if that's not enough to get your attention, consider that . . .

Memphis vs. Tulsa = . . . all 7 of those CUSA teams are in action tonight, with 6 of them going head-to-head! Although you can't honestly call this "Moving Day", you may get some idea of how big a night it might be for these guys. Whatever you do, stay tuned.

Nebraska vs. Kansas State = The Cornhuskers, believe it or not, have actually played some pretty decent ball lately, losing close ones to Missouri and Kansas, and beating Texas A&M by 9 points. Meanwhile, the disintegration of K-State continues, for not only have they lost 5 of their last 7 games, their top underclassman Wally Judge has just quit the team. What with their best players graduating after this season, this means that next year may be as much a challenge to them at this one has become. Don't forget . . . before the season started, many "experts" pencilled them into the Final Four! (To be fair, Michigan State was also considered chalk, so that shows you what the experts know.) I'm not going to say the 'Huskers will take this one in that other Manhattan, but I will say I won't be shocked if they do.

Iowa vs. Michigan State = And speaking of the Spartans, they'd better do something quick if they want to keep Izzo's NCAA streak alive. Tonight's game in Iowa City would be a good place for them to start, since, as bad as MSU has been, the Hawkeyes have been worse . . . much worse.

Duke vs. Maryland = In College Park, and for some strange reason, not in Cameron! So despite appearances to the contrary, the Blue Devils actually DO play road games! Speaking of which, they are coming off that embarrassment to St. John's in MSG on Sunday, and it is hard to predict how that will affect them tonight. Sometimes it focuses a team, and sometimes it gives them a hangover. If the latter, the Terps are certainly capable of taking advantage of the situation, dropping Dook below the Heels in the ACC. I don't expect that, but it would not surprise me . . . and one can always hope.

Clemson vs. Virginia = The Cavs are pretty much out of that race already, but the Tigers are lumped in with 3 others for 4th, so they still have an outside shot. When one considers that the other 2 teams in that "lump" also play tonight . . . the aforementioned Hokies and Terps . . . one can see that this is almost as big a night in the ACC as it is in the CUSA.

Georgia vs. Arkansas = The Bulldogs, at 3-4, are in the basement of the SEC East. The Hogs, at 4-3, are near the top of the SEC West. Does anybody but me consider this whole "East/West" dichotomy in the SEC to be totally bogus? Hey, there's only 12 teams total, so it's not exactly like there's any justifiable reason for it. Regardless, they are both decent teams, and this one down in Fayetteville should be a lot of fun.

Missouri vs. Oklahoma State = The Missou Tigers, ranked 14th in the country, are closer to the basement of the Big 12 than they are to the lead with their 3-3 conference mark. A few more league losses, such as in their upcoming TWO meetings with Kansas, and they may even drop out of the Top Twenty. Oak State has a shot at giving them another in Stillwater tonight, for although they have lost 5 of their last 6, they have beaten a few good teams this year. I wouldn't bet on them winning tonight, but most anything can happen in conference play, on any given night.

San Diego State vs. Colorado State = Such as the Rams giving the Aztecs their 2nd loss of the season in Fort Collins tonight. Hey, SDSU may be the young darling of this season, but those Rams have played pretty good ball also . . . on occasion, anyway. Plus, I am always a bit leery when a "sea-level" team suits up for a mile-high game. Keep your eye on this one . . . if you can keep your eyes open at all that late in the evening.

USC vs. UCLA = Here's another interesting late-night contest for you. Maybe the Bruins aren't back, but they are only one game back in the Pac. I'd give them the edge no paper over the Trojans even if it wasn't in Pauley, but as it will be played on a Wooden court, I think they won't need OT like they did against ASU to take the win.

Utah State vs. Nevada = People have started talking about the Aggies, not only because they already have a 3-game lead in the WAC (for what that's worth, considering it is jammed with teams just above or well below .500), but because since they lost to Georgetown 'way back on Dec. 4th they have not lost, and bring a 15-game streak onto their home court tonight. I don't expect the crappy Pack to snap it this evening. Fact is, as they really don't play any serious competition until they face St. Mary's on the 19th, they will likely extend that streak for a while yet. Still, that does not make them a Top TwentyFive team, and if you believe they are . . . well, I have this bridge I'd like to sell you.

By the way, in case you are interested, the Sooners had a huge 2nd half down in Norman, and beat Baylor 73-66. Not only is this a good win for Oklahoma, it just further muddles up that clusterfark in the middle of the Big 12 race. You can pencil Texas and Kansas in at the top, but the rest of it will take a looooooong time to shake out.

That's all for now. Hey, ain't that enough? As always, enjoy.

02-02-2011, 05:10 PM	#11
The Poet Il megglior fabbro Join Date: Jun 2009 First Name: Thomas Location: Hickory, NC Posts: 8,420 Trading: (2)	Re: College Hoops Thread '10-'11 So I've goofed around long enough, and need to get to this. Scores of note (to me, anyway) from last night includes one stunner: Mississippi 71 - Kentucky 69 = The Rebels hit a late 3 to steal one at home against the Wildcats. I did not think they had a chance at beating UK, which is just one more indication of how dumb I am. Maybe Cal was right to whine about his lack of depth. Wichita State 70 - Indiana State 54 = Though I am not shocked that the Shockers won the game, I did feel it would be a lot closer than this. The win puts them 1/2-game up in the MVC, and drops the Sycamores into 4th. Wisconsin 66 - Purdue 59 = But I can't say I'm even a bit surprised by this. I espected a low-scoring and tight contest, and we got one. It would have been even tighter had the 'Makers made more shots, as they only managed to score 19 in the first half. Florida 65 - Vanderbilt 61 (OT) = Well, I told you to flip a coin on this one, since both teams have been suffering from ADD all season long. They will win a few, then lose a few, then win, then lose, then win. But at least they are consistently inconsistent. Kansas 88 - Texas Tech 66 = And I also told you this would be no contest at all. The Jayhawks improve to 6-1 in the Big 12. However, if they want to catch Texas (7-0) they not only have to continue to win their games, they will need some help from somebody else. They have no head-to-head with the Longhorns left on their schedule. Their best bet? Hope that Rick Barnes pulls his traditional crap, and blows a few from the bench. North Carolina 106 - Boston College 74 = And I told you that this one might go down to the wire. Again, how dumb am I? The Heels spanked the Eagles up in Boston, and Harrison Barnes topped his newly-minted season high set against NCSU Saturday by scoring 26. UNC moves into a tie with Duke atop the ACC, and if they get some help from the Terps tonight, they shall own it alone. Have they turned things around? It's still too early for me to say that . . . lemme see them squash ten or twelve more teams first. There is a bunch of action scheduled tonight, barring more postponements due to weather. For instance, last night's Baylor/Oklahoma game was moved to this afternoon, with the Bears owning a 5-point bulge at the half. Other games include: Minnesota vs. Indiana = The Hoosiers did manage to beat Illinois in Bloomington, so they are certainly capable of beating the Gophers too. I don't see it happening, but remember . . . I did not see Ole Miss beating UK either. West Virginia vs. Seton Hall = And the Pirates absolutely crushed the Orange in the Dome not long ago, so they too have a shot in Morgantown. Yet again, I don't expect that to happen. Hofstra vs. George Mason = Both of these want to stay as near the top of the CAC as possible, and with their competition for that lead playing the "have-nots" of the league, they both will want this win tonight. I look for a close fight to the finish in Fairfax. Syracuse vs. U. Conn = This may be the premier marquee matchup of the night up in icy Hartford (as opposed to snowbound Syracuse). After winning their first 18, the 'Cuse has dropped 4 in a row. It gets no easier for them tonight. Then again, it might not be so easy for the Huskies either, coming off their homecourt heartbreaker against Louisville. I dunno why, but I have a feeling Boeheim will turn his boys around this evening. Villanova vs. Marquette = And I'd expect this one to be as good a game as the one above. These two are pretty even, and either is capable of playing a good game. 'Nova has home court, so maybe they have the slight edge. But they just lost to the Hoyas in Philly, and thus I'd not bet the farm on it. Virginia Tech vs. N.C. State = The Wolfpack is coming off that whuppin' by the Heels in Chapel Hill, and are probably glad to be in Raleigh tonight. The Hokies have, at times, played much better than NCSU, yet they have had some problems on the road. It does not look as if either team will make a serious move in the ACC, but both look to still be in contention for post-season play, be it NCAA, NIT, or one of those "Hunh?" tourneys. This one might be better than you'd think. BYU vs. Wyoming = And this one should be over by the half. I don't care if it's in Laramie or not, and I don't care that I consider BYU to be grossly over-rated . . . the Coyboys don't have the horses to corral the Cougars. But while we're on the subject, explain this one to me . . . the Stormin' Mormans lost their last game to an unranked New Mexico squad, after beating rival San Diego State in the previous game. Subsequently, the Aztecs drop from 4th to 7th in the national ranks, while the Cougars drop from 9th to . . . 8th? What? And just how many votes does Joseph Smith get? Hey, it's not as if I really care all that much about this ranking nonsense, but I'd at least hope for some sensible nonsense. Alabama vs. Mississippi State = The Tide is on top of the SEC West, and when you consider their overall 13-7 record, they'd better stay there if they want to Dance come March. The Bulldogs are coming off a huge win against the Gators, which got them to .500 in league play, and up a step above garbage with their 11-9 mark. This might just be the smallest of the big games this evening, for I don't think it much matters who wins . . . they both have a fairly high stinkage rating. UTEP vs. UCF = I find this game interesting for two reasons. First, I wonder if, after opening their season 14-0, can the Orlando Mickeys ever win another game? Second, UTEP is involved in a 7-team logjam for the CUSA crown, with all 7 clustered between 5-2 and 4-3 in league play. Others in that dogpile include: Southern Mississippi vs. UAB = As you might gather from the above, this one is vital for both teams to keep them in that dogpile cited above. Plus, it is just as vital for . . . SMU vs. East Carolina = And if that's not enough to get your attention, consider that . . . Memphis vs. Tulsa = . . . all 7 of those CUSA teams are in action tonight, with 6 of them going head-to-head! Although you can't honestly call this "Moving Day", you may get some idea of how big a night it might be for these guys. Whatever you do, stay tuned. Nebraska vs. Kansas State = The Cornhuskers, believe it or not, have actually played some pretty decent ball lately, losing close ones to Missouri and Kansas, and beating Texas A&M by 9 points. Meanwhile, the disintegration of K-State continues, for not only have they lost 5 of their last 7 games, their top underclassman Wally Judge has just quit the team. What with their best players graduating after this season, this means that next year may be as much a challenge to them at this one has become. Don't forget . . . before the season started, many "experts" pencilled them into the Final Four! (To be fair, Michigan State was also considered chalk, so that shows you what the experts know.) I'm not going to say the 'Huskers will take this one in that other Manhattan, but I will say I won't be shocked if they do. Iowa vs. Michigan State = And speaking of the Spartans, they'd better do something quick if they want to keep Izzo's NCAA streak alive. Tonight's game in Iowa City would be a good place for them to start, since, as bad as MSU has been, the Hawkeyes have been worse . . . much worse. Duke vs. Maryland = In College Park, and for some strange reason, not in Cameron! So despite appearances to the contrary, the Blue Devils actually DO play road games! Speaking of which, they are coming off that embarrassment to St. John's in MSG on Sunday, and it is hard to predict how that will affect them tonight. Sometimes it focuses a team, and sometimes it gives them a hangover. If the latter, the Terps are certainly capable of taking advantage of the situation, dropping Dook below the Heels in the ACC. I don't expect that, but it would not surprise me . . . and one can always hope. Clemson vs. Virginia = The Cavs are pretty much out of that race already, but the Tigers are lumped in with 3 others for 4th, so they still have an outside shot. When one considers that the other 2 teams in that "lump" also play tonight . . . the aforementioned Hokies and Terps . . . one can see that this is almost as big a night in the ACC as it is in the CUSA. Georgia vs. Arkansas = The Bulldogs, at 3-4, are in the basement of the SEC East. The Hogs, at 4-3, are near the top of the SEC West. Does anybody but me consider this whole "East/West" dichotomy in the SEC to be totally bogus? Hey, there's only 12 teams total, so it's not exactly like there's any justifiable reason for it. Regardless, they are both decent teams, and this one down in Fayetteville should be a lot of fun. Missouri vs. Oklahoma State = The Missou Tigers, ranked 14th in the country, are closer to the basement of the Big 12 than they are to the lead with their 3-3 conference mark. A few more league losses, such as in their upcoming TWO meetings with Kansas, and they may even drop out of the Top Twenty. Oak State has a shot at giving them another in Stillwater tonight, for although they have lost 5 of their last 6, they have beaten a few good teams this year. I wouldn't bet on them winning tonight, but most anything can happen in conference play, on any given night. San Diego State vs. Colorado State = Such as the Rams giving the Aztecs their 2nd loss of the season in Fort Collins tonight. Hey, SDSU may be the young darling of this season, but those Rams have played pretty good ball also . . . on occasion, anyway. Plus, I am always a bit leery when a "sea-level" team suits up for a mile-high game. Keep your eye on this one . . . if you can keep your eyes open at all that late in the evening. USC vs. UCLA = Here's another interesting late-night contest for you. Maybe the Bruins aren't back, but they are only one game back in the Pac. I'd give them the edge no paper over the Trojans even if it wasn't in Pauley, but as it will be played on a Wooden court, I think they won't need OT like they did against ASU to take the win. Utah State vs. Nevada = People have started talking about the Aggies, not only because they already have a 3-game lead in the WAC (for what that's worth, considering it is jammed with teams just above or well below .500), but because since they lost to Georgetown 'way back on Dec. 4th they have not lost, and bring a 15-game streak onto their home court tonight. I don't expect the crappy Pack to snap it this evening. Fact is, as they really don't play any serious competition until they face St. Mary's on the 19th, they will likely extend that streak for a while yet. Still, that does not make them a Top TwentyFive team, and if you believe they are . . . well, I have this bridge I'd like to sell you. By the way, in case you are interested, the Sooners had a huge 2nd half down in Norman, and beat Baylor 73-66. Not only is this a good win for Oklahoma, it just further muddles up that clusterfark in the middle of the Big 12 race. You can pencil Texas and Kansas in at the top, but the rest of it will take a looooooong time to shake out. That's all for now. Hey, ain't that enough? As always, enjoy.