College Hoops Thread '10-'11

[The Poet]

Some early finals for you, and some Sunday games also:


Boston College 63 - Virginia 44 = A good win for the Eagles, which might move them off the bubble . . . or might not. And one damn poor showing by the Cavs.

Kansas State 80 - Missouri 70 = A better win for the Wildcats, that needed another badly, and a sign they are turning things around. As for the Tigers . . . well, I never had all that much faith in them anyway.

Syracuse 58 - Georgetown 51 = A few weeks ago all the experts were talking about how good the Hoyas had become. Now they have lost 3 or 4, and their last 2 at home to boot. Neither team needed this game for an at-large, but the Orange helped right their boat a little here.

James Madison 72 - VCU 69 = OK, this one shocks me a little, I must admit. I figured VCU would take it easily, and better stake a claim for an at-large. The win does not help JM in that regard, but it's still a nice one.

Missouri State 69 - Wichita State 64 = But I did figure this would be a good close game, what with the Missouri Valley up for grabs.

Vanderbilt 90 - LSU 69 = Here too, that's about what I expected. Vandy may not be the best SEC team, but LSU has tried very hard to be the worst. They would be too, if not for . . .

Arkansas 57 - Auburn 55 = Once again, the Tigers prove they truly suck. And once again, the Razorbacks demonstrate that they ain't all that good either.

Iowa State 83 - Nebraska 82 (OT) = Hey, didn't the Cornhuskers just beat somebody good? Well, what is there excuse for this? Sheesh.

Temple 57 - George Washington 41 = Though the final might not show it, GW gave the Owls about as much game as they wanted here. But give Temple credit for stepping up when they had to.

Florida State 65 - Miami 59 = Not a very good win for the Seminoles, but much better than another loss. Yet they'll need to find some mojo if they expect to make any noise in March.

BYU 80 - San Diego State 67 = A poor second half for the Aztecs, on their own court too boot. Give BYU the Mountain West, and watch SDSU drop like a rock next week.

Sunday we can see:


West Virginia vs. Rutgers = The Mountaineers may have enough good wins to grab a bid, and one against the Scarlet Knights would not exactly qualify as another. Still, they need to win it.

U. Conn vs. Cincinnati = These two are pretty safe for bids, but Cincy's gotten much less respect. The Bearcats are at home, and they can earn some if they take the Huskies, who are take-able.

Purdue vs. Michigan State = The Makers are also safe, but the Spartans are far from it. They have started to play better, and they'll need to to win this one. It alone could take them off the bubble, so figure Izzo will have them focused. That may not be enough, but may make for a good game nonetheless.

Xavier vs. Dayton = With Temple's win, Xavier needs to take this one to keep its A-10 lead. It won't be easy, but I think they shall.

Pitt vs. Louisville = In the Bucket, where the Cards are tough. Me, I give the Panthers an edge, but not a huge one.

Fairfield vs. Iona = The Stags already own the MAAC regular season. Regardless, this one should be a good game.

Providence vs. Marquette = These two have been up-and-down all year. The Friars don't have a prayer for an at-large, and the Golden Eagles may need a few more Ws to get over the hump. They can start now, if they plan to.

Ohio State vs. Indiana = This game, this race for bids, this regular season's already done for both these teams. If you're a Buckeye, you like that. If a Hoosier, you don't.

Wisconsin vs. Northwestern = I'd not expect N'Western to give the Badgers much of a contest, and the boys from Madison play out the string while they wait for March.

North Carolina vs. Maryland = But here, this one could go either way. The Heels have better talent, and are at home where they've been perfect so far, but they have shown inconsistent focus and desire. On the other hand, the Terps are smack-dab on that dreaded bubble, and know they need a quality win here. Much as I hate to say it, flip a coin.

Washington vs. Washington State = The Huskies were suposed to be the class of the Pac-10, and can still catch the UCLA Bruins for 2nd place . . . if the Bruins co-operate with that a little. But don't kid yourself. The Cougars could beat their in-state rival. They may not be quite as good, but they are at least decent, while the Huskies have not been the force they were predicted to become. I give them an edge at home, but I would not bet a dime on that.


And that, that's all for me. Enjoy. Screw Drew.

[jcruse64]

Tough weekend, with 5 Top 10 teams going down.

I really didn't think UL had a chance against Pitt, but it was a good game for them. I walked outside in the 2nd half, and missed the drama; anyone have the 411 on the T on the cheerleader????

I watched the Dook game....Wow!!!! Too bad so sad . It was actually a pretty fun game to watch.

Is Texas reverting to form??????

BYU has SDSU's number this season, and really seemed to control them all game.

And what the heck happened to Arizona? Didn't get to see it.

UK got a much needed win, and Florida really didn't look good either.

The Racers cap off yet another regular season championship; now we just gotta win our tourney. I think we could give a good accounting at the Dance again this year.

So, does KU get the top spot this week????

[JaKaacH]

Originally Posted by jcruse64

So, does KU get the top spot this week????

Yes

[rebelknight]

Originally Posted by jcruse64

So, does KU get the top spot this week????

Should be interesting. I see number 1 votes being split 3 ways. Ohio State and Kansas are the obvious ones but after giving SDSU votes last week the voters proved they arent afraid to vote for a team like BYU. So those are the three I see getting votes. Who takes the top spot? well thats still up in the air (but of course I'm hoping its my Buckeyes)

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by jcruse64

Tough weekend, with 5 Top 10 teams going down.

I really didn't think UL had a chance against Pitt, but it was a good game for them. I walked outside in the 2nd half, and missed the drama; anyone have the 411 on the T on the cheerleader????

I watched the Dook game....Wow!!!! Too bad so sad . It was actually a pretty fun game to watch.

Is Texas reverting to form??????

BYU has SDSU's number this season, and really seemed to control them all game.

And what the heck happened to Arizona? Didn't get to see it.

UK got a much needed win, and Florida really didn't look good either.

The Racers cap off yet another regular season championship; now we just gotta win our tourney. I think we could give a good accounting at the Dance again this year.

So, does KU get the top spot this week????

Me, I did figure the Cards had a shot at home against Pitt. The Panthers are good, but there are no dominating teams this year, and anyone can lose. The refs did their best to give it to them, however. At the end of regulation, with 2 ticks left, Louisville got a guy free on the inbounds for an open layup for the win, and he was hammered from the front and back. No call. As for that T at the end of OT, which gave Pitt ANOTHER chance, the Cardinal player broke away in the final seconds. He could have dribbled to the corner and ran out the clock, but he went for the snowbird to give Louisville the 5-point margin with 0.3 left. Since humans can't react that fast, the clock ran out, and a cheerleader ran onto the court and, to make matters worse, grabbed the ball and flipped it towards the hoop in celebration. The zebras huddled, put time back on the clock, and assessed the T, allowing Pitt to get within 3 with the 2 FTs. Then they got the ball inbounds and came sorta kinda close to hitting the prayer for a 2nd OT. Hey, I'm not a Louisville fan, nor a Pitt hater, but I was p!$$ed myself at the calls.

As for Duke, it does make this last week in the ACC a bit more interesting. More on that later.

And Texas? Until the Longhorns and Rick Barnes shows me otherwise, I always expect the same from them . . . a good season, and an early summer.

I thought that BYU/SDSU game could go either way, and never thought it would be so easy for the Cougars. Man, I hope BYU gets a 1-seed . . . in the same bracket as my Tar Heels.

I also thought that UCLA/'Zona game would be close, but I didn't see the action either. What happened? The Bruins won in Pauley. It's not like it's the first time, right?

Yes, a good win for Cal's kids, though again, no shock in Rupp. And what happened to the Gators? Well, maybe they ain't as good as some think, and only lead the SEC due to "parity" . . . maybe they all suck. Remember, they got spanked at home early by the Buckeyes, and lost in in-state powerhouses UCF and Jacksonville too.

I do hope your Racers earn a bid, since they've done so much right so far to get one. And yes, they could win a game in the NCAAs, if they get the automatic. Hey, last year Ohio U. beat Georgetown!

And does KU get the # 1?

Originally Posted by JaKaacH

Yes

No.

Originally Posted by rebelknight

Should be interesting. I see number 1 votes being split 3 ways. Ohio State and Kansas are the obvious ones but after giving SDSU votes last week the voters proved they arent afraid to vote for a team like BYU. So those are the three I see getting votes. Who takes the top spot? well thats still up in the air (but of course I'm hoping its my Buckeyes)

Well, you got it, for at least a week. But as this season should have taught us, it really don't mean JaKaacH, right?


Update soon.

[The Poet]

Well, it happened again. I was halfway through writing my post, and the damn thing disappeared. So this 2nd try will be abbreviated:


Baylor 58 - Texas A&M 51 = Good Bear win, and needed.

Colorado 91 - Texas 89 = I had a feeling the Buffaloes could take the 'Horns in Boulder.

UAB 68 - Houston 55 = The Blazers step up when others didn't, and take the slim lead over 4 others in the CUSA.

Kentucky 76 - Florida 68 = No big shock that the Wildcats win a good one in Rupp.

Michigan 70 - Minnesota 63 = The Wolverines continue to improve, while the Gophers go south.

Mississippi 68 - Alabama 63 = Hey, I tried to tell you last week the Tide was weak.

Murray State 66 - Eastern Kentucky 56 = Joe's Racers take the OVC. For his sake, let's hope it's not their last hurrah.

Princeton 66 - Columbia 61 // Yale 70 - Harvard 69 = The Tigers grab a slim lead in the Ivy race. Now all they have to do is hold it.

Mississippi State 70 - Tennessee 69 = The Vols continue to drop.

UCLA 71 - Arizona 49 = I'm not surprised the Bruins win in Pauley, but for the desert 'Cats to not even show up for the 2nd half? Odd.

St. John's 81 - Villanova 68 = Another good victory for the surging Storm. But for them to jump from unranked to # 23 to # 15 in two weeks? It's that Big Mouth Conference syndrome once again.

Virginia Tech 64 - Duke 60 = The Hokies get that signature win to at least put them back on the bubble. Not only that, but Dook makes CBS look like geniuses. Why?


Well, on Sunday:


North Carolina 87 - Maryland 76 = The Heels actually play a good game start to finish, and beat the Terps to tie Duke atop the ACC at 12-2 each. So, if they can beat Florida State on the road this week (not easy, but doable), and if the Blue Devils take care of business in Cameron against Clemson (easier, though not a gimme), then Saturday night we can watch Duke/Carolina head-to-head for the conference championship. PRIME TIME, BAY-BEE!!!

U. Conn 67 - Cincinnati 59 = Not exactly the Cats and Dogs fight I expected, but good enough, and a decent win for the Huskies.

Xavier 66 - Dayton 62 = And maybe a tiny bit closer than I thought it might be, though not much.

Iona 74 - Fairfield 69 = And about as close as I figured, although I did think it would go the other way. Hey, that's why they play 'em.

Louisville 62 - Pitt 59 (OT) = I watched sizable hunks of this game, and came away with 2 impressions. Both teams can play a little D. Neither team looked all that confident on offense. A fairly exciting game, anyway.

Purdue 67 - Michigan State 47 = OK, I didn't expect the Spartans to win this. But to lose by 20, in a low-scoring contest? Maybe if Izzo was as smart as he thinks he is, he'd STOP lobbying for that at-large, and just wait 'til next year.

Washington State 80 - Washington 69 = And OK, I never thought these Huskies were all that good anyway. But to lose this badly, and drop 2 back of UCLA and Arizona in the Pac-10, with only 2 to play. Sheesh.



Tonight's there's only 2 games I noticed:


Villanova vs. Notre Dame = 'Nova needs to get itself back on track, and better show up against the Irish. Me, I'm not sure they can do so.

Kansas State vs. Texas = But K-State has started showing up again, so give them some chance down in Austin.


That's all for today. Enjoy. Screw Drew.

[jcruse64]

Just so you know, you aren't the only one who loses posts while writing them. I'm on a laptop at home, and being a 4-finger typist (after MANY years of practice, by the way), I have run into this a couple of times when posting to this forum. Can't remember it happening at any other web forum, or in Word. Somehow, as I'm racing through a post, I must be hitting a combination of 2 or 3 keys at once that moves the cursor AND deletes what's in front of it. Really deflating when it occurs. .

Notre Dame just lit up Villanova!

Guys, I can't even begin to think about how I'm going to pick brackets this season!!!!!

[JaKaacH]

Google documents...auto saves....Just say'n

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by jcruse64

Just so you know, you aren't the only one who loses posts while writing them. I'm on a laptop at home, and being a 4-finger typist (after MANY years of practice, by the way), I have run into this a couple of times when posting to this forum. Can't remember it happening at any other web forum, or in Word. Somehow, as I'm racing through a post, I must be hitting a combination of 2 or 3 keys at once that moves the cursor AND deletes what's in front of it. Really deflating when it occurs. .

Notre Dame just lit up Villanova!

Guys, I can't even begin to think about how I'm going to pick brackets this season!!!!!

Well, I'm sorry for you, but I'm glad I'm not the only one cussing at the screen from time to time. As for your typing, while writing the sentence above, I first typed "screed" instead of "screen" . . . which, on second thought, may have been a Freudian slip.

Yeah, Baby Brother Ben Hansbrough lit it up in his final game in South Bend to give the Irish a spanking over the slumping Philly Wildcats.

Brackets? We don't need no stinkin' brackets! This year may be as wide open a tourney as we've ever seen.

Originally Posted by JaKaacH

Google documents...auto saves....Just say'n

OK, just say'n, but you assume we know what it is you say'n.


Update soon . . . if I don't lose it again.

[The Poet]

Last night, as already mentioned:


Notre Dame 93 - Villanova 72 = The boys from South Bend win their 13th conference game, and are only 1/2 back of Pitt for the regular season title. Meanwhile, 'Nova has lost 3 in a row now, and 5 of their last 7, and are now 11th in the league with their 9-8 record. As they finish at Pitt, they seem likely to end with a .500 mark . . . yet they are still ranked in the Top Twenty in the nation! And you wonder why I call this the Big Mouth Conference? What a load of crap.

Kansas State 75 - Texas 70 = This is one of those whose meaning is hard to nail down. Does it mean that K-State has gotten over their mid-season doldrums? Does it mean the Longhorns are doing what they seem to always do this time of year, which is crumble? Regardless, a good victory for the prairie 'Cats, and just one more reason for the 'Horn fans to hold their peace.


Today conference tournament action begins in the Big South (yeah, I said SOUTH, not Mouth) and the Horizon, with the Atlantic Sun, Patriot, and Ohio Valley starting tomorrow. Unless the first round or two give us some upsets, I'll wait until they shake out a little before I really get into them. Otherwise tonight we have:


Florida vs. Alabama = The winner of this one, against the leaders in the SEC East and West divisions, will give us our league champ. Though both are coming off losses, the Gators lost to a better team, and are a better team themselves than are the Tide. Plus, it is in Gainesville. I figure they win by a dozen.

Baylor vs. Oklahoma State = To me, the Bears are squarely on the bubble, and need some late help. And although a win in Stillwater won't be a huge deal, it will be better than another poor loss. Give Baylor a slight edge, but don't be shocked if they spit the bit again.

Purdue vs. Illinois = And the Boilermakers are safe, but the Illini are also on that bubble. I really don't see them helping themselves this evening. Hey, it could happen, but don't hold your breath.

Ohio State vs. Penn State = In fact, I give the Nittany Lions a better shot at shocking the Buckeyes than I give the Illini above. It's still not much of a shot, but they have been tough at times on their own court, while OSU doesn't have all that much to play for . . . except their # 1 ranking, and 1st place in the Big Ten. So, on second thought, go with the Buckeyes, big.

Vanderbilt vs. Kentucky = And here's the battle for 3rd place in the SEC, with Vandy holding a game lead over UK. You KNOW they want to finish ahead of the Wildcats so bad they can taste it. That won't be easy. Though they did beat them the first time, that was in Nashville, whereas this one's in Rupp. Kentucky is tough in Lexington. This is a pick 'em, with maybe UK a point or two favorite.

Missouri vs. Nebraska = The Missou Tigers have gotten just about the same consistent respect, and play from their team, all season long. They aren't great, but they aren't just lucky or feeding off a weak schedule. But the Cornhuskers themselves, who've gotten damn little respect, have had a couple of good wins themselves. This might actually be a pretty good game in Lincoln tonight.

Boston College vs. Virginia Tech = The Hokies are assured of finishing above .500 in the ACC, and that along with their signature victory over Duke makes them a shoo-in for an at-large. But BC is in a dogfight with Maryland to stay at .500 in the league, AND for a shot at getting onto that bubble, much less getting safely over it. It is in Blacksburg, but I'm not sure that VT has yet recovered from this weekend, and may have a let-down. I figure this one to be close, start to finish.

N. C. State vs. Virginia = And these two are safe too . . . safe in the knowledge that, shortly after The Selection Show March 13th, they will get calls from the NIT. Their 5-9 records in the ACC are good enough to warrent that. Still, it should be a pretty competitive game in Charlottesville, and another of those pick 'ems.

San Diego State vs. Wyoming = The Aztecs just lost their 2nd game of the year, to the same BYU squad to whom they lost their FIRST game of the year. So, since they are not playing BYU tonight, I'm gonna go with SDSU to rebound in Laramie.


That's it for me for now, so I'll hit "submit" before I lose another one. Enjoy. Screw Drew.

[jcruse64]

You said screed...heh

Purdue's having a rough 1st half, but climbing back into it with less than 5 in the 1st.

Or, rather, they were just spotting Illinois some points before getting into it...

[E.J.]

BYU just booted their 2nd most important player off the team. Apparently got his girlfriend pregnant.

Strangely, coming into Spring Football last year, they did this same thing with the school's all time leading rusher.....for the exact same reason....(different girl) He is now with the Chicago Bears....but didn't play a down with BYU last year.

Long story short, you can write off BYU as a threat in the NCAA tournament.

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by E.J.

BYU just booted their 2nd most important player off the team. Apparently got his girlfriend pregnant.

Strangely, coming into Spring Football last year, they did this same thing with the school's all time leading rusher.....for the exact same reason....(different girl) He is now with the Chicago Bears....but didn't play a down with BYU last year.

Long story short, you can write off BYU as a threat in the NCAA tournament.

So is that the story then? I've found no details elsewhere, and thought maybe they booted him off for having a glass of iced tea.


I "laugh", but I am serious. A violation of BYU's honor code is a bit different than other schools. There you can be cited for a violation if you smoke, drink alcohol, drink coffee or tea, or get too frisky with a person of the opposite sex (or I presume, the same sex too ). Though I may not agree with the absolute moral strictness of BYU's policy, I must commend them for having one, since I'm sick of seeing players at other schools getting arrested for drunk driving, assault, rape, whatever, and still getting their minutes on the court . . . between their minutes IN the court.


Update to follow ASAP.

[E.J.]

It is impressive the resolve the school has to follow this code, to the point of destroying their athletic teams. Can you imagine a school kicking off their best player and all time leading rusher for having premarital sex in the off season? Same school, in the biggest run their basketball team has ever had, kicking off their second most important player for the same thing....weeks before tournament time and the end of the season(easily could have been swept under the rug until April).

There are varying degrees of violations and MANY would not result in dismissal from the team, but there are others(stuff not even frowned on at other Universities) that will result in that and more....

I am not a BYU fan, though them being local....I was actually excited to see if they could make a run to the Elite 8.... My Utes are not getting in and my Aggies are not doing any damage.

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by jcruse64

You said screed...heh

Purdue's having a rough 1st half, but climbing back into it with less than 5 in the 1st.

Or, rather, they were just spotting Illinois some points before getting into it...

And they obvoiusly didn't spot them quite enough. They managed to tie the Illini 37-all by the break, then:


Purdue 75 - Illinois 67 = The win is no shock, and I suppose that when one considers the problems those 'Makers have had maker'ing shots from time to time, the margin's no biggie either, even at home. Are the Illini clearly off the bubble, on the wrong side? Maybe.

Florida 78 - Alabama 51 = No surprise to me at all. The SEC East is pretty good. The SEC West is pretty ugly.

Kentucky 68 - Vanderbilt 66 = A good win for the 'Cats to defend homecourt, and a decent attempt at the "upset" for the Comms.

Nebraska 69 - Missouri 58 = And it seems like I said the Tigers might be vulnerable if they didn't come to play.

Oklahoma State 71 - Baylor 60 = Baylor has done its very best to avoid an at-large bid. This makes their 4th loss in 6 games, and one of those wins was against Wayland Baptist. You can pretty much stick a fork in these Bears.

Virginia 69 - N.C. State 58 = And these two were done long ago. Question now is, is Sidney Lowe done too?

Boston College 76 - Virginia Tech 61 = So the Hokies beat Dook in blacksburg, then lose to BC big on the same court? Does this mean the Eagles have earned themselves off the bubble? We will see.


Today already, in the Atlantic Sun tourney, Belmont crushed Kennesaw State 72-57. Later tonight we have:


Iowa vs. Michigan State = The only question here is, can the Spartans get enough to earn an at-large? A win will help them a little, and a loss will hurt them a lot.

Louisville vs. Providence = I can't see the Friars taking the Cards in the Yumi. If they do, Pitino won't be happy.

U. Conn vs. West Virginia = In Morgantown, so this could be a total war.

Western Michigan vs. Ball State = And why bring this up? Well, it is for 1st place in the MAC West . . . for what that's worth. Still, give them both some props. As I know next to nothing about either team, I won't predict a victor.

Temple vs. U. Mass = I do know a little about these two, and don't think the Owls will have much trouble here.

UNC vs. Florida State // Duke vs. Clemson = I lumped these two together for a reason. The Heels and the Blue Devils are tied for the ACC, and both have good opponents here. UNC will have a tougher time beating the 'Noles on the road than Dook will have against the Tigers in Cameron, but both could go either way. Hey, I don't care if you hate Duke and/or Carolina, or if you really don't give a damn one way or the other, but if you love college basketball you'll be hoping both win, or both lose, tonight. That way, when they meet Saturday night in Chapel Hill, it will be for all the marbles.

Maryland vs. Miami = The Terps need to do something to get into the discussion for an at-large, and even then it may be too late. At 7-7 in ACC and 18-11 overall, you might think they're safe, but you'd be wrong. They have to win this one on the road, and beat UVA in College Park to end the season, then win at least a game in the ACC Tourney. It starts tonight . . . or ends, if they're not careful.

UAB vs. Southern Miss. // Memphis vs. East Carolina // Tulsa vs. Rice // UTEP vs. Marshall = Here might just be the night that decides the CUSA for good. UAB is on top at 10-4, with Southern Miss locked in that 4-way for 2nd at 9-5. So this game is a pick 'em. Memphis is also 9-5, playing at ECTC, who ain't terrible themselves. So here's another close one, with the Tigers having a teeny edge. Now Tulsa (9-5) should not have much trouble with Rice, but UTEP (9-5) will have a struggle with the Herd. Keep you eye on all of these.

Cincinnati vs. Marquette = Are the experts right, that the Committee will go 10 or 11 deep in the Big Mouth Conference? Maybe, and if so then maybe both these teams are safe. But they should not count on that, especially the Golden Eagles, so they'd better bring it tonight.

Pitt vs South Florida = And if the Panthers lose THIS one on the road, they should just stay in Tampa and look for jobs making cheap cigars.

Kansas vs. Texas A&M = This is in Phog Allen, so give the Jayhawks an edge. But it still should be a pretty decent game, at least until the last 5 minutes or so. And who knows? KU's not unbeatable.

BYU vs. New Mexico = The Cougars play their first game after losing their best big man (see above), and do so against one of the two teams they've already lost to this year. The Lobos have a pretty good team, and if they can take advantage of BYU's new doughnut (hey, are doughnuts forbidden in Utah too?), maybe they can steal one, and take away all hopes for a # 1 seed for the Stormin' Mormons.


That's it for me today. Enjoy. Screw Drew.

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by E.J.

It is impressive the resolve the school has to follow this code, to the point of destroying their athletic teams. Can you imagine a school kicking off their best player and all time leading rusher for having premarital sex in the off season? Same school, in the biggest run their basketball team has ever had, kicking off their second most important player for the same thing....weeks before tournament time and the end of the season(easily could have been swept under the rug until April).

There are varying degrees of violations and MANY would not result in dismissal from the team, but there are others(stuff not even frowned on at other Universities) that will result in that and more....

I am not a BYU fan, though them being local....I was actually excited to see if they could make a run to the Elite 8.... My Utes are not getting in and my Aggies are not doing any damage.

Again, I can't disagree with you on their resolve in standing up to the principles they assert, even if I don't agree with said principles to such a strict degree. But rules are rules, and BYU deserves credit for taking such a potentially self-destructive stance. They are, from a moral viewpoint, completely correct. "A basketball game is just a basketball game, and is nothing when compared to one's immortal soul." I put that in quotes to denote it is not necessarily my firm view, and certainly not as a mockery of theirs, but merely to condense what I feel they believed in this matter.

Good for them.

[The Poet]

OK, so here's some big scores from last night:


New Mexico 82 - BYU 64 = Even before the Cougars suspended their # 2 star, I'd have given the Lobos a shot at the win. This huge a one means 2 things. One, BYU has likely lost any chance at a 1-seed, and might just miss out on a 2, depending on how the end of their (and others) season ends. Two, they'd best make an adjustment in how they play quickly, or it won't matter much WHERE they are seeded.

Duke 70 - Clemson 59 = In and of itself it's no big deal, and totally expected. However . . .

North Carolina 72 - Florida State 70 = . . . coupled with this, it's big for the fans. These two remain tied atop the ACC, and will meet in Chapel Hill Saturday night, and winner takes all.

UAB 67 - Southern Miss 66 = Man, does that one lone point mean a lot. The Blazers remain alone on top of the CUSA by 1 game, with 1 game left against . . .

East Carolina 68 - Memphis 57 = . . . The Pirates, who may not have helped themselves much, but did play the spoiler to the Tigers, who are now out of the race for the CUSA regular season. But it's still not over yet, because . . .

UTEP 82 - Marshall 74 = . . . The Miners stayed one game back with what was, considering the quality of the opponent, a pretty easy win. Not only that . . .

Tulsa 67 - Rice 57 = . . . The Golden Hurricane remain just one back too, so this will be decided on the last day. As those 3 do NOT meet head-to-head (UAB, UTEP, Tulsa), this means the Blazers control their own fate. However, if they stumble while the other two win, we'd have to go to tie-breakers in a 3-way CUSA finish.

Iowa State 95 - Colorado 90 = This one shocks me, as the Buffaloes have played well while the Cyclones lost 12 of 13 before winning their last 2. This W does not help them, but it puts a big hole in Colorado's hopes for an at-large.

Kansas 64 - Texas A&M 51 = And this is about what you'd expect in Lawrence, and does little regarding bids, save maybe solidifying the Jayhawks for their anticipated 1-seed.

Temple 73 - U. Mass 67 (OT) = What? It took the Owls an extra 5 to put down the Meh-nuitmen? That is not a good sign, right here before tourney time.

Miami 80 - Maryland 66 = But I don't think either one of these will have to worry about that. Both of these teams pretty much clinched their NIT invites last night.

Michigan State 85 - Iowa 66 = And I am far from convinced that the Spartans have done any better than that themselves, though they have definitely tried their damdest to make a case for an at-large to the NCAAs. Hey, they at least have a shot at that now.

Northwestern 68 - Minnesota 57 = But I don't think they are gonna steal one from the Golden Gophers, as the Gophers have pretty much p!$$ed that away already. Hey, if the Committee gives a bid to a team that's now 6-11 in conference play, they need to put THEMSELVES on probation.

West Virginia 65 - U. Conn 56 = Me, I'm not surprised the Mountaineers won this one at home. Me, I am once again shocked and appalled that a team which is in a 3-way tie for 9th place in their conference with a 9-8 record is still considered to be a Top Twenty team. Well, OK then, give the Big Mouth Conference a dozen bids to the Dance. All that will mean in the end is that they will have more NCAA losses than any other conference.


Tonight conference touney action continues in those already mentioned, and begins in the Northeast and Missouri Valley. Aside from that:


St. John's vs. Seton Hall = The new darlings of college hoops cross the Hudson to beat up on the Pirates in the Rock. After the win they'll go out into the streets of Newark, and get beat up themselves.

Tennessee vs. South Carolina = The Vols visit the Palmetto State, where they could drop another one, no problem. If they do, they'll also drop below .500 in SEC play, and may also drop any shot at an at-large. But hey, somehow it is fitting that Volunteers should be in Invitation tournaments anyway, right?

Wisconsin vs. Indiana = The Hoosiers host the Glaciers, and may even give them a half or so. At this point it matters little to either team. One is safely in the NCAA, one is safely out of all contention, and nothing short of a full-out riot's gonna change any of that.

UCLA vs. Washington = The Bruins will have their hands full up in Seattle as they try to hold onto their share of the Pac-10 lead. This could go either way without surprising me, but I'm pulling for the Beach Boys. Hey, if they win then maybe they will get a little bit of that respect briefly received by . . .

Arizona vs. Oregon State = The Wildcats had their moment in the desert sun, but had their lunch stolen in the LA smog. I'd expect them to retain at least a tie for the Pac-10, as they should easily handle the Beavers down in Tucson. Hey, if that kid from BYU had done the same, instead of handling beavers up in Salt Lake City, maybe he'd be playing tonight!

USC vs. Washington State = Me, I'm not one of those guys who think the Pac-10's all as crappy as some of the experts say. I think they proved that last year, after winning more tourney games than was expected by those experts. Here are two teams that, under most circumstances, would receive at-large bids. There may be one for them to fight over, and there may not. So this could be a huge game.


That's it for now. Enjoy. Screw Drew.

[The Poet]

Leaving out possible conference tourney "upsets" only one big surprise from last night's key games:


Seton Hall 84 - St. John's 70 = Maybe the Johnnies took a little break, or maybe the Hall just starting hitting their outside shots when it's too late to save their season. But regardless it is a good win for the Pirates, whose fans have had nothing much to cheer about lately. But I truly don't understand the Red Storm chippiness late. Lavin was ejected with about 2 minutes left for arguing with the refs, then continuing to argue after he'd been slapped with his first T. Then with 8 seconds to go, and the game decided already, senior SJ forward Justin Burrell was ejected for a flagrant when he chased down a SH player in the open court. Hey, that's NYC basketball . . . back in 1954!

Tennessee 73 - South Carolina 69 = Hey, the Vols can win a game, and on the road to boot! It may not be "Rocky Top", but it is at least "Rocky Middlin' ".

Wisconsin 77 - Indiana 67 = The Hoosiers gave a pretty good showing at home, but it just wasn't enough.

Washington 70 - UCLA 63 = The Bruins blow their share of the Pac-10 lead, to . . .

Arizona 70 - Oregon State 59 = . . . but to be fair, the 'Cats had an easier draw here. But to be fair fair, neither 'Zona nor UCLA was supposed to be here in the first place, so good for both of them.

Washington State 85 - USC 77 = Maybe both, or one, or neither of these teams will get an at-large next weekend. The Cougars' high scorer for the year, Klay Thompson, was their 2nd-highest scorer last night . . . until after the game, anyway, when he was busted for possession of pot.


Tonight has some more conference tourney action, such as in the Southern and Colonial, and most notably for Joe in the Ohio Valley, where his Racers will have a tough one against Tennessee Tech, with (hopefully) a tougher one ahead against the winner of Morehead State/Austin Peay. Otherwise:


Princeton vs. Dartmouth // Harvard vs. Penn = The Tigers are a pretty meaningless 1/2-game up on the Crimson (10-1 vs. 10-2), but they have a good chance to stretch that out tonight. They ought to handle Dartmouth, and Haa'vaad could have trouble against the pesky Quakers.


I'll look at the weekend games and be back later.

[The Poet]

Most of us here could name about half the teams which are already "in" the NCAA Tournament, albeit none are yet official. But this weekend we'll know for sure, as a number of conference tourneys (and one actual conference race!) will be decided. Aside from most of these . . . hey, how do you expect me to pick games when I don't know who's playing yet? . . . we will have:


Louisville vs. West Virginia = I'm gonna do what I did earlier, and give the Mountaineers a decent shot at winning this one in Morgantown.

Kansas vs. Missouri = But the way Missou's been playing, I can't give them much of a chance.

Virginia Tech vs. Clemson = These two are "bubbly" at the moment, though I'd put them both in. Yet the win would be huge for whoever wants it more.

Indiana vs. Illinois = And the Hoosiers are out, and maybe the Illini are too. But if they want any shot at all, they HAVE to win this.

Maryland vs. Virginia = And the Terps probably need this, plus a win or two in the ACC Tourney. That starts tomorrow, or ends there.

Georgetown vs Cincinnati = These two have been so consistently inconsistent that it's impossible to call.

Arizona vs. Oregon = The 'Cats got the Pac-10 lead last night, and I don't see the Ducks taking it away from them.

Michigan vs. Michigan State = Will either of these two get at-large bids? Will both? This game may not decide it one way or the other, but it is key for both.

Arkansas vs. Mississippi = You could say about the same thing for these two here.

Villanova vs. Pitt = And you can pencil both these in right now. Still, both have shown some weakness of late, and so both need to turn some things around.

UCLA vs. Washington State = Can the Bruins rebound to clinch 2nd place in league play, or will the Cougars get "high" for this one to act as spoilers?

Florida vs. Vanderbilt = These may be the 2 best teams, at least on a night-to-night basis, in the SEC this year. This should be fun.

Princeton vs. Harvard = And this just might give us our first "official" entrant into the tournament, if it truly does decide the Ivy as I'm assuming it shall.

UAB vs. East Carolina = Can the Blazers take the surging Pirates at home, and take the CUSA here? I'd give them odds.

Texas vs. Baylor = One of these collapsed early, and the other has done so lately. I figure one of them will win this game, and the other one will lose.

San Diego State vs. Colorado State = The Aztecs proved beyond a shadow of a doubt against BYU that they can be beaten, and badly. I don't believe CS can dish out such a spanking, but they can give them some game.

USC vs. Washington = I'm not sure the Trojans can get themselves an at-large, no matter what they do, but a win here would certainly improve their odds.

And then of course, we have THE GAME!!!

Duke vs. North Carolina = The Blue Devils have a 1-seed within reach, if not yet within grasp, and are unlikely to drop to less than a 2 no matter what transpires. The Heels have a chance of moving up as high as a 3-seed if they win and take the ACC regular season, and have a decent showing in the tourney (say, make it to the finals), and may even get a 2-seed if they win it all plus get a little help elsewhere. But all that aside, who cares? It's Duke/Carolina, in primetime bay-bee! What else do you need?


Sunday gives us a few to decompress from that, with:


Kentucky vs. Tennessee = On the one hand, it is in Knoxville, and the Wildcats have struggled outside of Rupp. On the other hand, the Vols have gone back and forth between contenders and pretenders all year long. You want a pick here? I say they both lose.

Boston College vs. Wake Forest = We held our wake for the Deacons long ago, but BC still is in the mix for an at-large. If the guys in Chestnut Hill have half the brains as their neighbors in Cambridge, they will show up and crush the Deacs.

Minnesota vs. Penn State = We may have close to the same situation here for the Gophers, though PSU should not be as easy an out. In fact, this might be a pretty decent game, start to finish.

Wisconsin vs. Ohio State = And though these two have no worries about their dancecards being punched, they do have pride . . . and revenge . . . in mind if nothing else. Well, the outright Big Ten lead may hang in the balance, if Purdue can somehow manage to beat Iowa , but what does that matter? This should be a real topper for the regular season, not only in this conference but in men's basketball in toto.


As I'm not supposed to be here tomorrow, I will be back Monday to see what went down. Until then, enjoy. Screw Drew.

[jcruse64]

Aaaarrrrrrrrrrrrgh!!!!!!!!!!! Top 3 guards in the conference can't hit the broad side of a barn and no inside game = tourney upset. Tennessee Tech nails the Racer's hides to the barn door instead. Sheeeesh! I hope the "other" MSU and Peay get knocked out too. I think someone was looking ahead a little too far.

Lotsa action this weekend...