College Hoops Thread '10-'11

[The Poet]

Duke has spanked Saint Louis, surprise surprise, by a measly 84-47 bulge. Meanwhile, both Louisville and Rutgers seem to have safe margins over UNLV and Auburn respt., but Michigan's getting all it can handle from Oakland. And Minnesota was only up 3 over East. Ky. at the break, but scored the first 7 in the second to gain a working lead.

Now, to Sunday games:


# 2 Ohio State vs. Western Carolina = This should be over by the half.

# 9 Georgetown vs. App. State = And, following their loss to Temple, the Hoyas should rule here too. All in all, it won't be a good Sunday in the Smokies.

# 12 Villanova vs. LaSalle = But here, here we have us a game.

# 16 Illinois vs. Northern Colorado = And here, here we don't. Or we shouldn't anyway.

Penn State vs. Virginia Tech = This could go down to who executes in the final three minutes.

Princeton vs. Tulsa = Yeah, same here.

Boston College vs. Maryland = Though neither of these teams are likely to challenge Dook for the ACC, neither is likely to challenge Wake and UVA for the cellar. Should be a nice one.

Clemson vs. Florida State = Ditto, in all regards.

South Florida vs. Kent State = Another potential close matchup.


That's all I got. I'll likely be back with more early scores in a bit, but if not . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

Some other games gone final this afternoon:

Louisville 77 - UNLV 69 = The Cardinals started edging out a lead in the 2nd, and come away with a pretty good win here.

Minnesota 71 - Eastern Kentucky 58 = About what I expected, with the Gophers breaking open a close one in the 2nd.

Rutgers 63 - Auburn 54 = And about what I hoped for. No, I don't really care if RU wins or not, but I want Auburn to get all the bad karma it has earned.

Michigan State 77 - Oakland 76 = ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME?!!? What is the wide wild world of holy hell is wrong with the Spartans? OK, it's a W, but you couldn't ask for much worse a W. Alright, I'll grant you Oakland has played some tough opponents, losing to the likes of WVU, Purdue, Wright State, and Illinois, so are not afraid of the Big Boys. But please! MSU began the season at #2 behind Dook, and though they have not played like #2, they have not played like #2 . . . if you get my drift. Or maybe they have. I'm confused now, and so are the Spartans.

[The Poet]

Well, there ain't jack$#!+ on for action tonight, at least with any meaning. OK, San Diego State plays Cal Poly, but that reminds me more of an episode of Numb3rs than it suggests a basketball game. I'm presuming this paucity is mainly due to finals. So let me just update some of the weekend results.

In the balance of Saturday's games:

Tennessee 83 - Pittsburgh 76 = I had the "three possessions" right in my prediction, but I put my dollar on the wrong horse's nose. In my defense, I did say I had little faith in Pitt.

Kansas State 68 - Loyola Chicago 60 = And I have said from the get-go I have little faith in K-State either. They should have spanked LC like a rented mule. This win was not as "bad" as Michigan States over Oakland, but it is pretty stinky.

Texas A&M 63 - Washington 62 = Meanwhile, this is a good win for the Aggies, over a squad that has been overranked for about 2 years now.

Notre Dame 83 - Gonzaga 79 = Whereas, in past years, this would have been a good win for the Irish. However, when one considers that the Bulldogs are now 4-5, it is not the deal it used to be. Yet it is fair-to-middlin' anyway, and much better than a loss.

Drexel 71 - Rider 67 (OT) = Here again, my prediction was wrong. I said this game could go down to the wire. Well, it didn't. It went beyond the wire.

Wisconsin 69 - Marquette 64 = I was hoping for a good show here, and we got one.

ODU 74 - Dayton 71 = About the "hell of a game" I expected.

Quinnipiac 73 - Rhode Island 66 = This one, I did not expect. Hey, I knew QU was decent, but I thought the Rams were much better. Guess I've gotta give up on them for a while, until they show me something otherwise.

UNC 96 - Long Beach State 91 = Yeah, not a great win for the Heels, but better that some others on Saturday. At least they found a bit of offense. Even Barnes did better, with 19 pts. and 10 boards. Now Roy has to work them some on D . . . to allow the 49ers to score 57 in the 2nd half, and eat up most of a big lead, that ain't good.


In Sunday's:


Villanova 84 - LaSalle 81 = I knew this one would be pretty good. LaSalle been pretty decent, and 'Nova's not been as advertised. Besides, when the Big Five bang heads, it echoes.

Southern Miss. 80 - California 78 = Another indication that the Pac-10 is not yet back up to snuff.

Drake 72 - Boise State 69 = Not a very important game, but an exciting one nonetheless.

San Jose State 70 - Eastern Washington 69 = Ditto.

West Virginia 64 - Duquesne 61 = Ditto, albeit slightly more important.

Florida State 75 - Clemson 69 = Ditto, in all regards. Wait a second . . . is there an echo in here?

Boston College 79 - Maryland 75 = Just what I said it would be: i.e., somebody would win a close one.

Princeton 82 - Tulsa 78 (2OT) = Again, I was all wet here. I said (well, sorta) that this could go down to who executes in the last 3 minutes. Yet in the end, it came down to who executed in the second extra 5 minutes.


I would end by saying you should "enjoy", but with the garbage on tonight I dasn't tell you how. Yet if you keep your ears on, you might find something going on somewhere . . . like LIU/Northwestern, or LSU/Coastal Carolina. Who knows? So, later then.

[The Poet]

You can't say I didn't warn you to keep your ears on. By which I mean, last night:

Coastal Carolina 78 - LSU 69 (OT) = Yeah, I had me a feeling about this one, though I really don't know why.

Siena 72 - Florida Atlantic 69 = And I even took a quick look at this one, but as the Saints of Siena are NOT having their typical good year (so far), I skipped on it.

San Diego State 51 - Cal Poly 45 = As I understand, a few of the Aztec top scorers were either out sick or playing ill. Well, the whole team followed suit. Shoot, they only scored 16 in the first half! Lucky for them, CP only scored 15. This is one of those "bad" wins, for sure.


Again, tonight, there's some slim pickin's:


# 7 Tennessee vs. Oakland = At first glance, you'd think the Vols would romp. They may just do that. But at first glance you'd have thought that Michigan State would have romped over Oakland too, yet they edged them by a single point. I'm interested to see what happens here, if only for comparison reasons.

# 20 Louisville vs. Drexel = This could be a pretty decent game. The Dragons have not played a very tough schedule, yet their 6-1 record shows they can play at least a little bit. Meanwhile, the Cardinals have been playing above their expectations. I wouldn't call for the upset, but this may be closer than Pitino wants.

Tulane vs. New Orleans = The Battle of Nawlins, with or without Colonel Jackson, could also be fairly close. Neither team is great, but neither one stinks. That's just the bayou you smellin', frere.

Santa Clara vs. Pacific = Another potential good matchup, this one on the Left instead of Gulf Coast. The Broncos and Tigers have played similar levels of competition, with some good and some bad opponents, and both have 5-4 records.


That's not a lot to choose from, but try your best to enjoy.

[The Poet]

Late start today, so let's get right to last night's notable scores:

Oakland 89 - Tennessee 82 = Well well well well well! Oakland goes to 6-5 with this monster win, after giving Michigan State all they could handle Saturday. Looking at the other teams they've beaten, and those they have lost to, I still can't believe they are for real. But the proof is in the pudding, so either they are or the Vols are not.

Drexel 52 - Louisville 46 = I didn't have the balls to call for this upset, but I did feel the Dragons could give L'ville game. Well, it was a pretty crappy game, with both teams shooting under 40% from the floor and under 50% from the stripe, but it was more game than the Cardinals wanted. And so the second undefeated team falls, on the same night.

Tulane 57 - New Orleans 53 = I figured on a nice tight game here, and we got it.

Pacific 69 - Santa Clara 59 - Not as nice, not as tight, but worth the effort to stay up and watch.


Tonight's action continues the finals week crapfest, and is barely worth citing. Does anybody really care that Ohio State will stomp Florida Gulf Coast, or Baylor/Bethune-Cookman, Minnesota/Akron, UNLV/UCSB? But there may be a couple of competitive matchups:

Oregon State vs. Montana = Neither the Beavers nor the Grizzlies have played a tough schedule, nor have either played all that well, both being about .500 squads. So, in a night when there's not much to choose from, here might be some fun.

South Florida vs. Auburn = The Bulls have beaten Texas Tech and VCU, yet lost to to UCF and Florida Atlantic. As they don't know which team they are, how could I? Meanwhile, the Tigers have played next to nobody, and have beaten damn few of them. Again, we beggars can't be very choosy.


Don't ask me how you possibly can, but try to . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

Turns out, there actually were a few pretty good games last night, the most important being:

UCSB 68 - UNLV 62 = After opening their season with 9 straight wins, some of them against quality opponents, the Runnin' Rebels have now lost 2 in a row. Maybe you can overlook the one to Louisville, but to lose to the Gauchos? Ay caramba! The Rebels have no one to blame but themselves, as they shot 29% from the field, and missed 14 of 34 FTs to boot.

Minnesota 66 - Akron 58 = And the Gophers did manage to pull out the victory, but they sure didn't do it very convincingly.

Eastern Washington 95 - Seattle 91 = This contest for the upper-left corner was one hard-fought battle to the end.

Montana 71 - Oregon State 66 = Plus, this one in the same general neck of the woods . . . well, upper back, anyway . . . was also.

Marshall 56 - Savannah State 47 = If you think your team's got bad luck, look at the Savannah State Tigers. They have not won a Division 1 game all season, but of their 11 losses they've had 8 of under 10 points. And they've played some damn decent teams too, like Dayton, Cincy, Indiana, Georgia Tech, and now Marshall.

Wake Forest 69 - N.C.Greensboro 67 = Meanwhile, the only halfway decent win the Deacs have had all year was their edging of Iowa. Now, they just barely edged a women's teachers college. Sheesh.

Saint Louis 69 - Jacksonville 64 = No more and no less than a tight one from two OK teams.

Presbyterian 74 - Jacksonville State 70 (OT) = And more of the same, from two appreciably less OK ones.


There is still very little going on, but I did find more games of note tonight:


Memphis vs. Austin Peay = This one could actually be closer than you think, at first glance. Sure, the Tigers have more talent, but they have shown lapses and growing pains.

N.C. State vs. Youngstown State = Speaking of growing pains, the Wolfpack's had them in spades. They really need to make some hay about getting their act together, before they take it to the Broadway of the ACC season.

AR Little Rock vs. Rice = I dunno, I really don't, but this one popped out at me for some dang reason.

LSU vs. McNeese State = Same here. Sometimes you just get a feeling.

Weber State vs. Tulsa = This one, I know why it pops. Here are two fairly decent programs, and both will want the W.

American vs. Northwestern = But now, we're back to the factor. Beats me, I just got a hunch.

Northern Arizona vs. Arizona = I am not convinced the desert Wildcats are back. On the other hand, the Lumberjacks have only lost to Iowa State, Creighton, and USC . . . all at least middlin' teams. Yet they really haven't beaten anybody so far, since the rest of their schedule has been crap. This will at least tell us something about one of these AZ teams.


That's it from me for now. Enjoy.

[The Poet]

Boy, sometimes I even surprise myself as to how good, or how lucky, I am. Yesterday I picked a handful of games I thought might be close, often for no reason but my gut. And what happened last night in those contests? Well:


Memphis 70 - Austin Peay 68 (OT) = Hey, I told you Pastner's boys have at times played like just that . . . boys. To give them some credit, they did finally show up when they needed to, and erased a 15-point 2nd-half deficit to force OT. However, to be honest and objective about it . . .

LSU 78 - McNeese State 66 (OT) = As I said yesterday, I just had a feeling this would be tight.

Tulsa 81 - Weber State 79 (OT) = And as I said yesterday, I just KNEW this one would be tight.

Florida Atlantic 82 - Troy 77 (OT) = This was NOT one of my picks, but give these two crappy teams props for a hard-fought war.

Arizona 63 - Northern Arizona 58 = I'm not sure if this says anything much about either team, as I did not know to begin with what these teams truly are, and this victory showed neither dominance nor incompetence. Still, it was a good game.

Rice 65 - AR Little Rock 55 = And though this one was not nearly as close as some others, it was still close enough to remain interesting until the end.


Tonight there is much less going on, and I only found 4 that have (IMHO) some potential:


Tennessee vs. Charlotte = OK, well maybe not this one. The 49ers have not played all that well so far, and the Vols are likely cheesed about their loss to Oakland, and thus I'd expect them to focus, and win by 20.

Oregon vs. Virginia = But this one could be a lot better. I don't think either team is all that good, but I think both are good enough to give the other game.

Chattanooga vs. Elon = Same here.

Boise State vs. Utah = And again.


There will be many more games, of higher interest, on Saturday. I'll deal with most of them tomorrow, but there are a few with early tips I'll mention now, including:


# 3 Kansas vs. USC = The Jayhawks are a better team, without a doubt. However, they are also a team in some turmoil, as they just suspended a player due to his arrest for assault and trespassing. And I don't know if heralded freshman Josh Selby will be active then or not (I know it should be soon), but even if so, the addition of anyone new to a game situation (as opposed to practice) can be more disruptive than it is helpful, at least initially.

# 15 Georgetown vs. Loyola MD = I don't think the Hoyas are all that good, but they should not have any trouble here.

Oakland vs. Michigan = In case you haven't noticed, Oakland's had a good week. They lost to the Spartans by a point, then gave the Vols their first loss of this season. The Wolverines have only lost close games to Syracuse and UTEP, but they really don't have a "quality" victory. Clemson? Utah? Harvard, by 3? I'm curious to see if Oakland can keep it up.

East Carolina vs. Coastal Carolina = This one's just another of those testy matchups between two decent squads, and should be some fun.


I'll be back tomorrow afternoon to cherry-pick a few more games for you from the balance of the weekend's action. Until then . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

Good Lord, there's a lot of games today . . . at long last . . . so let me get to it. I may even need to break this into bits, just to avoid the "post lost" problems I've had in the past. And I will certainly need to cherry-pick, which means you'll need to add any matchups which interest you, but which I skipped for brevity's sake.


But first, there were a few notable scores last night:


Charlotte 49 - Tennessee 48 = This one shocks me. Yeah, the 49ers needed a late shot to edge the Vols, but they should never had been in that position to begin with. UNC-C has not played very well this year, and judging by their meager scoring they played no better yesterday. Still, it is a great win for them, and they "improve" to a 5-6 record. Meanwhile UT should have been focused after their embarrassing loss to Oakland, yet apparently were not. So, after beating teams like 'Nova and Pitt, and reaching a # 7 ranking, they have lost 2 in a row, to teams they really should have beaten.

Chattanooga 71 - Elon 65 = But at least another team from the Volunteer State showed up against one from the Old North one. I thought this would be decent, and it was.

Utah 86 - Boise State 84 = This too I felt had some po', and such was the case.

Arizona State 78 - Nevada 75 = This was one of those contests between two so-so squads, so-so I skipped it. Yet it was a lot of fun, and at least a so-so victory for the Sun Devils.

Virginia 63 - Oregon 48 = But here, I thought it would be closer. UVA has spent a generation near the bottom of the ACC, while the Ducks are supposed to be "competitive" in the Left Coast League. Well, I caught a little friendly fire back a few weeks back when I called them another cupcake for Dook. Maybe I wasn't so far off.


Today's action is already underway, yet most of the scores are too lopsided to matter much, with the notable exception that USC is hanging pretty tough with the Jayhawks . . . so far . . ., and East Carolina/Coastal Carolina is a war. Select (believe it or not) games to follow include:


# 2 Ohio State vs. South Carolina = If any team has shown up as well as Duke this year, it's been the Buckeyes. They should take this. But the Gamecocks are pretty good themselves, and are known to toss a few upsets into their seasons. Remember, they gave Kentucky their first loss last year, back when people aside from Wildcats thought they were unbeatable.

# 5 Syracuse vs. Iona = And the Orange should take this, by three or four possessions anyway, but don't be shocked if the Gaels hang for a time. After losing their first 3, they've won 7 in a row, including one over the Richmond Spiders.

# 6 Kansas State vs. Florida = K-State's star Pullen has been pullin' a bit of a disappearing act lately, and the Gators have been inconsistent. This might actually be a fairly tight game . . . if it does not turn into a blowout.

# 8 Pitt vs. MD Eastern Shore = Meanwhile, this one is done, before it even begins.

# 9 Baylor vs. Gonzaga = Here we have a matchup between polar opposites, in that the Bears are not used to playing at this perceived level, whereas the 'Zags are not playing up to the level they are accustomed to. For that reason alone, I find this game interesting.

# 10 Villanova vs. Delaware = The 'Nova Cats have been inconsistent too, and Delaware's been at least OK. But their best win was over ODU, and good as that is, it's not at the "upset" heights one over 'Nova would be. Keep your eye on this, but don't let a blowout surprise you.

# 11 San Diego State vs. UCSB = The Aztecs remain on a roll. But the Gauchos are coming off big victories over Santa Clara and UNLV. This may be a decent contest here.

# 12 Illinois vs. Ill. Chicago = Yeah, I've used this joke before, but it is apt: "Ill Chicago is right". No contest.

# 13 Missouri vs. Central Arkansas = Save for the lame joke, ditto.

# 14 Michigan State vs. Prairie View A&M = And the only thing interesting about this one is the fact that Tom Izzo will be sitting it out, serving a one-game suspension by the NCAA for a minor violation during a summer camp. He does not like it, his AD at MSU does not like it, but unlike a number of whiners out there they both say it is what it is, and are moving past it. Good for them . . . and good for them that the suspension is now, as opposed to when they are actually playing somebody.

# 16 BYU vs. UCLA = Although I don't have a lot of faith in the Cougars, I have even less that the Bruins are back. This should be double-digits.

# 17 Kentucky vs. Miss. Valley State = And this will be double-digits.

# 19 Purdue vs. Indiana State = And this might not be, but it should be a Boilermaker W nonetheless.

# 20 Louisville vs. Gardner-Webb = But this one could be a lot closer than you might expect. The Cardinals have shown some holes, and G-W's not terrible.

# 22 UNLV vs. Southern Utah = The back-to-back losses by the Rebels will likely drop them from the ranks, yet they will also likely take this game . . . though I don't expect a spanking.

# 22 Texas vs. North Carolina = Yeah, I know . . . there are TWO # 22s in this week's AP poll, and no # 23. If there were a # 23 playing for the Tar Heels today, the Longhorns would have no chance. But there isn't, so this one will depend on whose young players show up instead. It should be within 2 or 3 possessions, either way.

# 25 Texas A&M vs. Arkansas = The Aggies have a better team than the Razorbacks, but this too should be close enough to hold your interest.


That's it for the "ranked" contests. I'll be back later with some other choices.

[The Poet]

We have 2 early finals of note:

Kansas 70 - USC 68 = Touted freshman Josh Selby made his debut for the Jayhawks, and they certainly needed him to pull this one out. He scored a game-high 21, and after KU had blown a big lead and let the Spartans get in the thick of it, even taking a slim lead, Selby hit the go-ahead 3 with 26 seconds to go, sealing a victory that was harder than it should have been . . . especially in Phog Allen Fieldhouse.

Coastal Carolina 59 - ECTC 58 = I figured this one would be fun, and it most certainly was all that.


Most of the other scores were either spankings or "who the hell cares?" games, but take note that, as I type, Ill. Chicago holds a slim lead over Illinois midway through the 2nd half. As for other games today, aside from those already posted:


UCF vs. Miami = This was an "early" pick, and with 20 seconds left, UCF leads by 3.

Stanford vs. Butler = This was another, but Butler's stomping the Cardinal.

Ohio vs. St. Bonaventure = At the moment, Bonnies by 5 with under 4 to play.

Cleveland State vs. West Virginia = WVA by 7 with 3 1/2 to go.

New Hampshire vs. Rhode Island = RI by 7 with 5 to go.

Tulane vs. VCU = VCU by 2 with under 3 to play.

Richmond vs. Georgia Tech = Not yet underway, but has the potential to be one damn close insectoid matchup between Spiders and Yellow Jackets.

James Madison vs. South Florida = And this too should be tight, at least for a while, though I'd expect the Bulls to bull forwards late.

LSU vs. Wichita State = And another decent pairing of close, albeit merely OK, teams.

Mississippi State vs. Virginia Tech = I'd give the Hokies the edge, but not by a ton.

Wake Forest vs. Xavier = And if the X-men ever decide to start playing, they should take the Deacs with some ease.


Sunday's schedule is crap, but there are two that could be at least worth checking out:

# 24 Notre Dame vs. Stony Brook = Sorry, make that one, as the Irish should cruise here.

Arizona vs. N. C. State = And if the Wolfpack does not finally start playing better, the desert Wildcats will spank them. However, they do have the young talent to make it a game.


That's it for now. I'm tired, so I'll leave you with . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

The Geek Squad is supposed to show up today, to check on my computer problems, so I may not be able to update today. Keep posted, and I will too.

[The Poet]

OK, so the Geek Squad cancelled, at the precise time they were supposed to be here, because the geek did not have his needed tools. What a geek, indeed. So lemme try to do at least a quick report of weekend action, of the more important scores. Hey, if I went into all the good games, I'd be here until midnight.

In the balance of Saturday there were some upsets and battles, including:


Gonzaga 68 - Baylor 64 = In previous years this would be no news, but as te Bears have been playing much better than the 'Zags (for a change), you'd have to call this an upset.

Florida 57 - Kansas State 44 = And the Gators once again access their bipolar personality, and beat an overrated K-State team which played like garbage. Forty-four points? Fifteen of 55 from the field, and 11-19 from the stripe? Crapola.

UCLA 86 - BYU 79 = Like the first game mentioned above, this would not have shocked you in the past. And, like the second, an overrated BYU squad got beat fairly convincingly. A much-needed quality win for the Bruins, who've had danged few lately.

Illinois Chicago 57 - Illinois 54 = And, unlike all the other ones above, there's just no gawddamn excuse for this. Are you kidding me? The Flames, coming in at 4-7, and on a 4-game losing streak, burn the Illini? Double-crapola, with a side of sheesh.

Syracuse 83 - Iona 77 = And this was not an upset, but it was too darn close to one to please Jim Boeheim, I guarantee you.

Texas A&M 71 - Arkansas 62 (OT) = Nor was this one, but if the Aggies were gonna outscore the 'Backs 11-2, like they did in OT, then why the hell couldn't they do it sooner?

Texas 78 - UNC 76 = Nor was this. But is was a quality victory for the Longhorns, and considering the problems the Tar Heels have been having, a quality loss for them . . . if there is such a thing, that is.

St. Bonaventure 112 - Ohio 107 (4OT) = And this . . . well, this was just a game-and-a-half, with neither team giving up, so both deserve some props.


As I said, I could mention a dozen other great games, some even of some significance, but there's just too many. If you have any you wish to note, or want some input on, feel free to bring them up. And, following this logic, there were a double-handful of fun games Sunday too. However, as none of them were truly "important", I'm gonna skip them all.

To move on to today's schedule, the first thing to note is the Florida Gators have already done what they've done all year . . . followed a good win with a bad loss, dropping one to Jacksonville 71-68 in OT. So, their shiny-new # 20 ranking is already gone, thank you very much and see you later. Other games later tonight include:

# 1 Duke vs. Elon = Well, this won't be much of a game at all, barring some miracle, and the only significance it will have is to Coach K himself. A victory will tie him with Dean Smith with 879 wins. Maybe it means something to him, and it almost certainly does to Dook fans. It almost certainly means little to Coach Smith, and nothing to me. K could win 10K games, and still not be as loved in North Carolina as Deano.

# 4 U. Conn vs. Coppin State = This must be a Christmas present for Jim Calhoun, to help take his mind off the fact the women's team is getting all the press, what with them tying the UCLA men's record of 88 straight wins.

# 5 Syracuse vs. Morgan State = And here's another gimme, though with the Orange zone there's always a shot a shooter can keep it close.

# 16 Memphis vs. TAMU Corpus Christi = Seems to me I recall TAMU playing some good team tough last year sometime. That being said, I'd expect this to be done by the half.

Vermont vs. Fairfield = And this is just one of those nice matchups.

Davidson vs. St. John's = Same here, and could be fun.

Stephen F. Austin vs. UTEP = And, although UTEP is a better team, SFA ain't all that bad either.


So, enjoy.

[BryanB]

Congrats to Coach K. No matter your opinion of Duke you gotta admit he is pretty good.

If it wasn't for Dean Smith, Krzyzewski would not be the force he is now, and vice versa. The greatest rivalry between coaches I can remember.

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by BryanB

Congrats to Coach K. No matter your opinion of Duke you gotta admit he is pretty good.

If it wasn't for Dean Smith, Krzyzewski would not be the force he is now, and vice versa. The greatest rivalry between coaches I can remember.

I too congratulate Coach K, for his consistency, his integrity, and his success. Now, if he could just learn how to take a joke.

And I would agree that, at least in the field of college basketball, the rivalry between Coach Smith and Coach Krzyzewski stands second to none.

Update, hopefully, to follow.

[The Poet]

For those clueless as to what Bryan and I were talking about:

Duke 98 - Elon 72 = And no, the game was pretty meaningless, in and of itself. And yes, Dook was flat and listless at home, yet still won by about 4 touchdowns. But the win tied Coach K with Dean Smith with 879, and # 2 on the all-time list behind The Kaptain's General, Bobby Knight. His next will put him in sole possession of the # 2 slot . . . if he can manage to beat perennial powerhouse N.C. Greensboro.


In other action, some of some actual significance:


U. Conn 76 - Coppin State 64 = At best, a win of this magnitude is pretty damn crappy. Four or five possessions, over Coppin State? And this is supposed to be the # 4 team in the nation? Gimme a break.

Memphis 68 - TAMU Corpus Christi 63 = And for the Memphis Tigers to let TAMU finish within 2 possessions? Jeez.

Virginia 50 - Norfolk State 49 = And more of the same here, actually. UVA's not gotten much notice, but they are now 8-3 with a few decent wins in there too. Meanwhile, NS has only one 1 game all year, and haven't really played much of anybody either.


Tonight there are many, many games, and I won't bore you with all that could be close. But to pick a few handfuls of "important" games:


# 2 Ohio State vs. N.C. Asheville = If the Buckeyes don't win by 20, they will appear on my Wall Of Shame tomorrow.

# 7 San Diego State vs. San Francisco = I'd expect much the same here, but there will be no shaming from me towards the Aztecs either way. OK, so they are 12-0, set to go 13-0 tonight, and have a shot of going XX-0 until sometime in March. All props to them. But they have played damn few decent teams, and anyone who thinks they are truly the 7th best team in the nation is nutz.

# 11 Kansas State vs. UNLV = Both teams have had reality checks lately, and I would expect both to come out shooting. This one could be close.

# 14 Purdue vs. IPFW = And this one could be dull. The Boilermakers have trouble scoring, and IPFW has trouble period. You'd have to pay me to watch this one.

# 19 Tennessee vs. USC = But this one could be a lot of fun. The Vols have lost 2 inna row, and the Trojans are playing better, having only lost to Kansas by 2.

# 23 BYU vs. Weber State = I think the Cougars will win, but Weber State can give them a half or more anyway.

Texas A&M vs. Wagner = And Wagner can give the Aggies half a half . . . maybe.

Wake Forest vs. Presbyterian = This is interesting because Wake is not very good, yet maybe a little better than some thought. On the other hand, The Blue Hose are not very good either, but they have had the guts to play almost anybody, so have that experience. Keep your eye on this one.

North Carolina vs. William & Mary = The Tar Heels have only this one and two more before the ACC season kicks off for them, so they'd better either start getting their act together now, or resign themselves to the possibility of repeating last year's disappointments.

Valparaiso vs. Oakland = These two have played some really good ball, on their own level at least, and that goes double for the Golden Grizzlies. I'm hoping for a good one here.

VCU vs. UAB = And pretty much the same story here, save maybe on a slightly higher level.

Stanford vs. Oklahoma State = And you can consider this one to be one more step up that same ladder.

UCLA vs. Montana State = After beating overranked, albeit still pretty good, BYU on Saturday, the Bruins need to start building on that by stomping the Bobcats into the dirt . . . or otherwise, face the same crap they did last year, with people claiming the Big Sky had surpassed the Pac-10.


Though I could give you two dozen likely good matchups tonight, I'm gonna leave it at that, and hope that you . . . enjoy.

[SD Beerman]

Originally Posted by The Poet

# 7 San Diego State vs. San Francisco = I'd expect much the same here, but there will be no shaming from me towards the Aztecs either way. OK, so they are 12-0, set to go 13-0 tonight, and have a shot of going XX-0 until sometime in March. All props to them. But they have played damn few decent teams, and anyone who thinks they are truly the 7th best team in the nation is nutz.




Though I could give you two dozen likely good matchups tonight, I'm gonna leave it at that, and hope that you . . . enjoy.

Maybe not 7 but we are having a good time here after beating a good team last week. Can't wait to play UNLV and BYU

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by SD Beerman

Maybe not 7 but we are having a good time here after beating a good team last week. Can't wait to play UNLV and BYU

Me neither, brother, for although I don't have a lot of faith in either the Casino Runs or the Stormin' Mormons, they will be the only sort of test your Aztecs will face until The Dance. And, # 7 or not, they are having a great year so far, and you SHOULD enjoy it, every danged second, as long as it lasts.


Update to follow.

[The Poet]

I guess I should be happy to have some customers, but it's keeping me from doing this. So lemme get to it, quick and dirty.

For those wondering about the "Aztec" comments above:

San Diego State 62 - San Francisco 56 = Like I said, 13-0 . . . and, like I said, not the 7th best team in the land. To say they were "shaky" in this narrow victory is being generous, and to say Steve Fisher wasn't happy is being modest, if not downright deceitful.


In other games last night:


UNLV 63 - Kansas State 59 = Yeah, and I said above I had little faith in UNLV. But they may not have taken this had not key K-State seniors Jacob Pullen and Curtis Kelly been set down for a few games by the NCAA for receipt of improper benefits. Their Coach Frank Martin ain't happy about it. Tough.

BYU 72 - Weber State 66 = And though I figured Weber State could give the Cougars a half, this tight W shows why I'm no big believer in BYU too.

USC 65 - Tennessee 64 = The Vols are falling apart. Maybe it's Bruce Pearl's bad karma.

UAB 68 - VCU 65 = I told you this one would be good.

Valparaiso 103 - Oakland 102 = Same here.

Presbyterian 66 - Wake Forest 64 = And I told you to keep an eye on this one.

Idaho 69 - Oregon 65 = Again, the 7-5 Ducks demonstrate their cupcakeness. So far their only "quality" win is over UCSB!

Austin Peay 86 - Morehead State 85 (OT) = What else do you need say?


Already today Kentucky crushed Winthrop 89-52 (whatta shock), and Miami took Rice 73-67. Quickly, other games amongst many tonight, and many I perforce must skip:


Baylor vs. San Diego = N/C.

Villanova vs. Monmouth = N/C 2.

Pitt vs. American = N/C 3.

South Carolina vs. Furman = Could be damned good, this one.

Liberty vs. Hampton = And though few people care, same here.

Michigan State vs. Texas = And despite many people caring, same here.

U. Conn vs Harvard = I'd expect the Cardinal to hang fairly tough, at least for a while.

UCF vs. U. Mass = UCF might just lose its new ranking tonight, if they ain't careful.

Marshall vs. James Madison = Two quality programs, one good game.

Clemson vs. Charleston = This will go down to the last minute.

Syracuse vs. Drexel = And Drexel will give the Orange more game than they want.

Rider vs. LaSalle = Again, two good teams head-to-head.

Florida vs. Radford = Back to N/C territory.

Notre Dame vs. UMBC = Still there.

Indiana vs. Northern Iowa = But not here. This is a potential war.

Vermont vs. Iona = This one too.

Missouri vs. Illinois = This one three.

San Diego State vs. IUPUI = Only if the Aztecs again come out flat will this one last past the half.

Samford vs. Creighton = Don't be surprised if this one is a hell of a game, believe it or not.

Kansas vs. California = KU should win by a dozen, and maybe more if Selby is hot again.

Utah vs. Butler = Here, here is one to watch.

Xavier vs. Gonzaga = Here's another.

Florida State vs. Hawaii = And if you can stay up until the wee hours, this one might be decent too.


Wish I had more time, but I don't. Add your own games or comments, and enjoy.

[Parshooter]

How about them UConn women

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by Parshooter

How about them UConn women

No need to be sorry. Geno and his girls have had a remarkable run, and there seems no end in sight. Of course, being the sexist misogynist pig I am, I'd be more impressed if somebody broke UCLA's men's streak, and not merely established a women's one.

Update to follow.

[The Poet]

There were quite a few good games last night, but few surprises or important scores to note. So I only selected a couple or four:


San Diego State 56 - IUPUI 54 = For the second game inna row, the Aztecs have tried to spit the bit, and both times against teams they should have owned . . . if they are a Top Ten team, anyway. Is the pressure starting to get to them? Or are they just tired, and ready for a break? Me, I'm always of the opinion that several regular-season losses are good for a squad, as you learn more from them than you do from easy wins. Plus, it's always better to get it out of the way sooner than later.

Missouri 75 - Illinois 64 = The Tiger win does not surprise me. The margin over the Illini does seem just a tad high, however.

Texas 67 - Michigan State 55 = Same here, save that I'm starting to wonder why the Spartans are still getting so much respect. Hey, they are now 8-4, with their only "quality" wins over South Carolina and Washington . . . which ain't sayin' all that much. True, they have played a tough schedule, but still . . .

Florida 66 - Radford 55 = And the Gators keep confusing me also. Who the hell are they, and why was Radford this damn close? The Highlanders have lost 9 in succession, and have not beaten a Division 1 team all year! Florida should have WON by 55, or at least 33. Sheesh!


Today we have fewer games than yesterday, but still there's some decent ones to choose from. Already Arizona State has edged N.C. A&T 56-50 (not too good), and Miami took Akron 69-61 (maybe a tad better). Other games I'm interested in include:


# 2 Ohio State vs. Oakland = One would expect the Buckeyes to romp, but Oakland has been a tough out. I don't call for an upset, or even a close game, but I am interested to see how they play against OSU.

# 10 Georgetown vs. # 16 Memphis = The Hoyas have been solid, but not dominant. The Tigers, like their confreres in Knoxville, have seemed to hit a wall. I think G'town by four possessions, but it should be a nice game anyway.

# 11 Kansas State vs. Mo. Kansas City = And K-State should not need their two suspended stars to win this one, so I don't want no whining from Coach Martin, win or lose.

# 15 Baylor vs. Washington State = This one could be fairly tight, with whoever executes in the last 5 minutes taking it.

# 17 Minnesota vs. So. Dakota State = And this one might last a half or so, before the Gophers go for the throat.

# 19 Tennessee vs. Belmont = The Vols, as we all know, have shattered like a Christmas ornament dropped upon the hearth. And don't expect Belmont to wrap them up any gift either, since they have a nice team and a successful program.

# 23 BYU vs. UTEP = UTEP's not the best team in Tejas, but they're not the worst either. This could be a closer game than you think.

Virginia Tech vs. St. Bonaventure = And here's a real nice matchup, believe it or not.

ODU vs. Presbyterian = Plus, the Blue Hose have shown they are no pushovers, so keep an eye on this.

Colorado vs. Indiana = And here we have another toss-up.

Florida State vs. Butler = Ditto.

New Mexico vs. Northern Iowa = Yep, here too.

Utah vs. Hawaii = And again.


I could even find you some more, but that's gonna be it from me for now. So, enjoy.