College Hoops Thread 2011-2012 - Page 12

The Poet · 02-11-2012, 12:32 PM

Another early final:

Notre Dame 84 - DePaul 76 = A pretty good game on both sides, and another nice win for the Irish.

WVA still leads Louisville with about 3 left, but only by one possession. Speaking of one possession, FSU's up that over Miami at the break, as is my Heels over the Cavs.

As is normal, I can't cover all the upcoming games. Here's my picks:

Kansas State vs. Texas = This has all the makings of a battle. K-State's been iffy of late, and UT's been a little better. Should be fun in Austin.

Saint Louis vs. LaSalle = There's a logjam near the top of the A-10, and these two are in the midst of it. It's huge for them both. Me, I'll favor the Billikens, mainly because I like typing "Billikens" instead of all the Wildcats, Tigers, and Bears I usually get. Oh my!

VCU vs. ODU = As above, the Rams are in a 3-way for 1st in the Colonial, with ODU just one back. Need I say more?

Cincinnati vs. Marquette = A key Big East battle for these two "also-rans" for the league's elite.

Tennessee vs. Florida = I've learned not to have a lot of faith in the Gators, but I have even less in the Vols. Hey, strange things happen, but I don't think it shall here.

California vs. UCLA = Remember me speaking of bears above? Well, the Golden ones need to take care of the Bruins down in La-La to stay in the Pac-12 lead.

Maryland vs. Duke = And the Blue Devils need to defend home turf against the Terps to do the same in the ACC. If they're not still too jazzed by that win in Chapel Hill, they should be able to.

Oklahoma State vs. Kansas = I can't give the Cowboys much of a shot against the Jayhawks in Lawrence, can you?

San Diego State vs. UNLV = As Larry noted above, this is a huge game for the Aztecs against the Runnin' Rebels, and one that could go either way. You can pick one if you choose, but it's a gamble. But it is in Vegas, so you're in the right place for one.

Wichita State vs. Creighton = And here's another big game, with the two best teams in the MVC facing off in Omaha for the league lead. The Shockers hold it at this moment (21-4, 12-2), but just barely over the Bluejays (21-4, 11-3). For a "small" conference, they don't get much bigger.

Washington State vs. Oregon = When one considers how the Pac-12 has been slipping towards "small" status in hoops lately, you might think this one's huge too. Well, for the Ducks it is.

Michigan State vs. Ohio State = And here's another "small" conference match-up for you.

With the Spartans 8-3 and the Buckeyes 9-2 in Big Ten+ play, they don't get a lot bigger. I'd give MSU a chance in Columbus, but they'd better bring their A game.

Harvard vs. Princeton = The Tigers don't look like they're going to compete for the Ivy this year, but they may be able to muddy the waters some if they can upset the Crimson in Jadwin Gym. You know they'd like to play spoilers, again, so this may be some fun.

Austin Peay vs. Murray State = Will Joe's Racers rebound from their first loss of the season? Well, if they can't beat the crappy Governors, they ought to just up and quit.

Xavier vs. Temple = And here's another key game in the jammed-up A-10, with the X-Men fully capable of knocking the Owls down into the rest of the pack . . . if they have exorcised the bad karma still floating around them from that Cincy brawl.

Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt = OK, it's in Nashville, on that funky floating court suspended above the benches. OK, the Commodores have won a few big games. But do you really think they've shown enough consistency to pick them over the 'Cats? I'm not a gambling man, and certainly not a UK fan, but if you do I'll take some of that action.

Santa Clara vs. St. Mary's = The Left Coast Gaels got spanked pretty badly by Gonzaga, and may just take it out on the Broncos late tonight. As those Broncs have been whipped more than once already, and are pretty well broken, I'd expect as much.

One final while I was typing all that crap above:

Louisville 77 = West Virginia 74 = The Cardinals do just enough late to take this one, and hand the Mountaineers another heartbreaker. Not a bad game, if you like Big Mouth basketball.

Back a little later, guys. I gotta keep an eye on my Heels for a bit now.

The Poet · 02-11-2012, 01:02 PM

Only one more final so far, though a few are getting close:

North Carolina 70 - Virginia 52 = An ugly, ugly ugly win for the Heels. Neither team could shoot worth a doodly-squat from the field. But it does bounce them back from that Duke fiasco, and put the Cavs a bit out-of-reach in the ACC for now. And FYI, John Henson again dunked the ball at the end, like he did against the Terps, and so has likely p!$$ed them off as well.

Lunch time. I'll return shortly with some more scores and some Sunday games too.

The Poet · 02-11-2012, 02:04 PM

As promised, or threatened, here's some more early finals:

Florida State 64 - Miami 59 = The 'Canes made a game of it, but were unable to help out my Tar Heels by stealing this one. On the bright side, they were also unable to help Dook too.

Syracuse 85 - U Conn 67 = Though I'd hoped for a slightly better game, I'm not shocked at the outcome. The Huskies have now lost 8 of their last 11 games, lost their head coach due to health issues, and lost their appeal to the NCAA to allow them to swap regular-season games in exchange for a post-season ban imposed in 2013 for sanctions following their abysmal academic standing. Not a good time to be in Storrs, I'd imagine.

Missouri 72 - Baylor 57 = And though not as precipitous as with U Conn, the Bears have now lost 4 or their last 8 contests. Seem to me I kept saying that, once cupcake-time was over, so would be Baylor.

Georgia 70 - Mississippi State 68 (OT) = This would have been a shocker in Athens, but in Starkville, it's just nuts.

Sunday's limited action includes:

Pittsburgh vs. Seton Hall = Aside from being important when it comes to future positioning in the Big East tourney, we have two teams squarly on the bubble here. A few wins or losses here or there will spell the difference, so I'd look for a war in this one. Besides, most of us are curious to see if Pitt can actually get its act together, before it's too late.

Illinois vs. Michigan = And I'd assume both these are safely off the bubble, on the plus side. Still, it's two pretty good Big Ten teams head-to-head, and either one can win this game. As I'm wary of the Wolverines' scoring woes, I'd not expect a huge margin either direction.

St. John's vs. Georgetown = And I'd assume both of THESE are safely off the bubble too, yet on differing sides. The Red Storm seems to have blown out to sea, and the Hoyas have done much more than expected. If this one in DC's still a contest with 10 minutes left, I'd be surprised.

Washington vs. Oregon State = Yeah, seems like nobody much cares about the Pac-12 anymore, but that does not mean this one ain't huge, particularly for the Huskies on the road.

Northwestern vs. Purdue = And now we're back on that damned bubble again. I could see one, or both, or neither of these two getting an at-large, so every game down the stretch could be the deciding factor. You figure they have a better chance grabbing Ws against the also-rans as opposed to the kingpins, so you can also figure they will be focused for this one.

I may be back today, I may not see you until Monday. In either case, enjoy.

mase · 02-13-2012, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Poet

St. John's vs. Georgetown = And I'd assume both of THESE are safely off the bubble too, yet on differing sides. The Red Storm seems to have blown out to sea, and the Hoyas have done much more than expected. If this one in DC's still a contest with 10 minutes left, I'd be surprised.

This one was a lot closer than anticipated. The final score is not indicative of how close this game was.

The Poet · 02-13-2012, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mase

This one was a lot closer than anticipated. The final score is not indicative of how close this game was.

Did the Hoyas play down to their competition, Kevin, or did the Johnnies play up?

Regular update shortly.

The Poet · 02-13-2012, 04:18 PM

OK, let's try to do this now. There were a lot of good close games, and too many to cover, so I'll again just hit the ones I feel most notable:

Texas 75 - Kansas State 64 = For a while these two teams were headed in different directions. Guess what? They still are. The 'Horns have won three in a row, and the Prairie 'Cats have lost 3 of their last 5 games. With 6-6 records, they are presently tied for 5th in the Big12Minus2 Conference. Both may get to Dance, but neither may Dance for long.

Charleston 86 - Davidson 78 = Though CoC's not been bad this year, they're not as good as they've been in the past. The Wildcats have been the class of the Southern Conference, but have stumbled a few times lately. Either one of these can get hot and make a run to the NCAAs, or get cold and fall flat. Keep an eye on this.

Tennessee 75 - Florida 70 = One of several big "upsets" this weekend, and one I would not have called. Yes, the Gators have been spotty, and the Vols have had a good win or three. But for UT to beat this ranked team in Gainesville? Beats me too.

UNLV 65 - San Diego State 63 = The sort of tough game Larry and I expected, and the tough loss Larry was hoping his Aztecs could avoid.

Wichita State 89 - Creighton 68 = Another "upset", though in my eyes only by the sizable margin by the Shockers on the road. And if you've followed college hoops, you know these two have been dooking it out like Dook/Carolina for decades, so it's really not a shocker at all.

Michigan State 58 - Ohio State 48 = But this one may be one, not so much for the Spartan win but for the fact the Buckeyes could not break 50 on their own court. Yet take nothing away from MSU's great win.

Princeton 70 - Harvard 62 = And take nothing away from this Tiger one in Jadwin Gym. Princeton may not be going anywhere this year, but you know they love to spoil things for the Crimson.

Youngstown State 71 - Valparaiso 53 = Much like that MSU/OSU one above, the result's not as surprising as is the margin. Valpo's been not all that much better a team, yet a spanking like this was not expected.

Kentucky 69 - Vanderbilt 63 = Do you give the Comms any props for making a decent game of this? Me, I won't give them much, considering how many times they've already disappointed me this year. On the other hand, it's hard to give much props to the 'Cats either. Yeah, they won. Good for them. But even on the road, the "best team in the country" should have maybe done better against one that's struggled as much as Vandy.

And speaking of struggling, on Sunday we saw:

Seton Hall 73 - Pittsburgh 66 = The Panthers looked for a week or so that they'd finally found their game. Well, apparently they haven't. Meanwhile, after losing 6 in a row, the Pirates are trying to make a late push for an at-large. As the Selection Committee may again give a .500 . . . or sub. . . . Big Mouth team a bid (the Hall's 6-7 in conference play), they do have a shot, if they don't blow it over the next few weeks.

Michigan 70 - Illinois 61 = And speaking of sub .500 in league play, the Illini are midpack in the Big Ten+ at 5-7, and with 5 of their last 6 being potential tough ones (Purdue, OSU, Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin) they are in danger of getting that kiss-from-your-sis NIT invite.

Georgetown 71 - St. John's 61 = I did not see this one, so don't know if it was truly as close as Kevin says (though I've no reason to doubt him). As for me, I'll take a 10-point win any day. Yeah, the Johnnies have pretty much stunk this year, but remember they do have some young talent that did win as Cincinnati and at home over West Virginia, so they can hoop a bit . . . from time to time, anyway. Hey, on any given night, right?

And tonight's few games include a couple worth noting:

Syracuse vs. Louisville = Can Pitino's Cards get up for the Orange in the Crum Bucket, and get that one signature win they've failed to so far? (Hey, at this point it's hard to count those against Vandy, Pitt, or U Conn

) Maybe. They have enough talent, and Rick does know how to bust up that zone. This could be fun.

Iowa State vs. Baylor = And even though this one's in Waco, this one could be fun also. The Bears may have had their confidence shaken lately, and the Cyclones have played quite well on occasion. It's at least worth keeping watch on, for a half or so anyway, to see how things are shakin'.

MeNeese State vs. Northwestern State = Say what? Who? Well, these two look to be amongst the class of the Southland, with the Cowboys at 8-2 and the Demons at 7-4 in the East Division, good for 1st and a tie for 2nd place. And I'll let you find out for yourself which one's the Cowboys and which the Demons, and which one's hosting in Natchitoches. Where?

Mississippi Valley State vs. Southern = And this one pitting the 12-0 Delta Devils against the 9-3 Jaguars is a key one in the Southwestern Athletic Conference race. Yeah, you and I might not give a damn, but rest assured somebody does.

Kansas vs. Kansas State = In fact, you may not give a damn about this one either. The Jayhawks no longer have a stranglehold on the Big12NoMore lead, being tied at 10-2 with the Mizzou Tigers. And the 'Cats aren't going to challenge either one of those, as they've slipped into that mid-pack tie mentioned above with the 'Horns at 6-6. Still, this is in Manhattan, not Lawrence, and I also have been led to understand that these two teams don't much care for each other. The knives might come out tonight.

That's all for now. Enjoy.

The Poet · 02-14-2012, 03:40 PM

FYI, I did my regular update, but when I clicked Post Reply it would not load, would not load, would not load, would not load . . . then it went away.

Hell, I ain't doing it again.

The Poet · 02-15-2012, 03:12 PM

OK, let me do this quick and dirty, and hopefully it won't get lost in the ozone today. Monday scores of some note:

Syracuse 52 - Louisville 51 = A disappointing loss for the Cardinals, and maybe even a disappointing win for the Orange, though better than a loss.

Baylor 79 - Iowa State 64 = The Bears bounce back from the skinning they took from Mizzou.

Kansas 59 - Kansas State 53 = Not quite the offensive offensive of the 'Cuse/L'ville game, and not a very impressive win for the Jayhawks over the struggling 'Cats, even in Manhattan.

Last night gave us a few big upsets, if there's really any such thing in college hoops:

Clemson 60 - Virginia 48 = Littlejohn's almost as tough a place to play as is Cameron or the Dean Dome, and the Tigers took advantage of a Cav team that again could not shoot the ball.

TCU 102 - UNLV 97 (OT) = Wow. I may not be a huge believer in the Rebels, but I never thought the Horned Frogs could take them. Honestly, did you?

LSU 69 - Mississippi State 67 (OT) = This one's not nearly as big a shock to me. True, the Bulldogs came into it at 19-6, but had lost 3 of their last 7 games. This makes 4 of 8 now, which for you mathematically-challenged ones is 50%.

Texas 69 - Oklahoma 58 = And even in Norman I'm not surprised at this. The 'Horns continue to make their late move towards an at-large.

Florida 61 - Alabama 52 = With both teams hobbled by suspensions and injuries, this was a toss-up. The Gators rebound from what must have been an embarrassing loss to the crappy Volunteers.

Seton Hall 94 - St. John's 64 = Are the Pirates for real, or is it that the Johnnies just suck? Maybe, and almost certainly.

Tonight:

Northwestern vs. Indiana = The Hoosiers have earned national ranking . . . or have they? Yes, they have won a lot more games than was predicted, but don't forget they are only 7-6 in Big Ten+ play. I give the Smarty 'Cats at least half-a-shot at an upset in Bloomington to drop IU to .500.

Rutgers vs. Notre Dame = And I'll even give the Scarlet Knights a half-a-half-a-shot at an upset over the Irish in South Bend. No, I don't think it's gonna happen, but I also don't think ND's good enough to be consistent night after night.

Detroit vs. Wright State = A big game in a smaller conference, which may mean it means even more.

North Carolina vs. Miami = The Heels have been spotty, and more so on the road. Yeah, they ought to beat the 'Canes handily. However, if Miama could beat Dook in Durham, they can also beat Carolina in Coral Gables.

Murray State vs. SE Missouri State = Has Joe's Racers learned their lesson? If not, I could see a tight one on the road tonight.

Purdue vs. Illinois = At 16-9 each, both of these are bubblicious for now. The Illini have the signature wins (Gonzaga, OSU, MSU), but have lost 6 of 7 lately. The Boilermakers don't have those good wins (unless you count one over Illinois) and have lost 6 of their last 10 games. Big as this is for both, you're best off if you flip a coin.

Oklahoma State vs. Missouri = Hey, if TCU can beat UNLV, the Cowboys can beat the Tigers. They WON'T, but they can.

New Mexico vs. San Diego State = The Aztecs face another tough challenge here, and could drop their 2nd in a row. At present they are tied with the Lobos for the Mountain West lead at 6-2, with the Runnin' Rebels just 1/2-back at 6-3 (thanks to those TCU Frogs). This should be a dogfight.

Loyola Marymount vs. St. Mary's = And this could be one also. LM's not as good as the Gaels, who are at home to boot, but they can hoop enough to make a game of it.

I could give you more, but if it goes away again I've just wasted more of my time . . . not to mention yours. So I'll see you later. Enjoy.

The Poet · 02-15-2012, 04:02 PM

OK, this is weird. I just went to Yahoo to check the latest RPI rankings, as it takes at least this long in the season for it to begin to make even the slightest bit of sense. Well, I don't know why, but at this moment they list at the top of the rating:

Nebraska Omaha!!

They apparently have a 10-16 overall record, and against other rated teams they are 0-2 against RPI 1-50 teams, 0-1 against 51-100, 0-2 against 101-150, 0-0 against 151-200, and 1-8 against 200+ teams. I'm assuming their other 9 wins came against non-D1 squads.

Somebody's screwed up badly here, and it wasn't me this time.

The Poet · 02-16-2012, 04:12 PM

Many of last night's game were about what you'd expect, so I'm limiting my notes to:

Indiana 71 - Northwestern 66 = The 'Cats hung tough in Bloomington, but the Hoosiers and little brother Zeller did enough to get the win. Maybe their mid-season slump is over, and they've gotten a second wind.

Murray State 75 - SE Missouri State 66 = Unless I'm mistaked, Joe, this should clinch the regular season league championship for your Racers. I'm not sure what that gets you, however, since the NCAA may still insist you win the tournament to get a ticket to the Dance. I'm also not sure how I feel about that either, as it's both unfair if it happens, and unfair to a bubble-team that's played a tougher schedule who gets left out in the cold if the OVC gets an at-large.

North Carolina 73 - Miami 64 = Most of the Heels' wins have come off of outscoring and outrebounding opponents. Last night UNC again struggle from the field, and the 'Canes kept the battle of the boards close too. Thus the Heels had to win on the defensive end, making key stops and scoring off forced turnovers. I guess in a way that's a good thing, but I'd REALLY like to see them put it all together at least ONCE this year! Still, a W's a W, and at 9-2 it puts UNC 1/2-game up in the ACC.

Tennessee 77 - Arkansas 58 = And what's up with the Vols all of a sudden? They have won 5 of their last 6, with their only loss in that stretch being AT Kentucky, and improve to 14-12 and 6-5. They may need to run the table to earn an at-large at this point, or make that run in the SEC Tourney, but at least the folks in Knoxville have something to cheer about . . . for now.

Purdue 67 - Illinois 62 = On the other side of that coin, the Illini are in freefall, and Bruce Weber's on the hotseat for it. Since they got that huge win over Ohio State, Illinois has lost 7 of 8, and that one win was by a single point over MSU, an ugly 42-41 "triumph". Meanwhile the Boilermakers continue their late push for an at-large, improving to 17-9 and 7-6. I can see at least 2 more Ws in their future, hosting Nebraska and Penn State. They have no signature wins so far, yet they do have 3 more shots at that too, hosting MSU and at Michigan and Indiana. Should be interesting.

New Mexico 77 - San Diego State 67 = Did I not tell you the Aztecs could lose their 2nd in a row? The Lobos grab the Mountain West lead, and in San Diego to boot.

Loyola-Marymount 75 - St. Mary's 60 = And did I not also tell you LM could hoop enough to give the Gaels problems on THEIR homecourt. Yet even I did not expect such a lop-sided victory as this one was.

Tonight has some very important games, including:

Wisconsin vs. Michigan State = The Badgers are 4th in the Big Ten+ race at 8-4, with the Spartans in 2nd at 9-3, with the Buckeyes a whole 1/2-game on top at 10-3. Need I say any more about the vitalness of this for both teams? Yeah, both likely have bids already, but still.

Virginia Tech vs. Florida State = And the Seminoles need this one to regain a tie with the Tar Heels atop the ACC. I can't give the Hokies much of a shot for the upset down in Tallahassee, but I can always hope for the best.

West Virginia vs. Pittsburgh = At this point of the season I'm just curious about both these squads. Neither may Dance in March, or at least not for long if they do, but as both have good traditions and "meh" performance . . . well, as I said, I'm curious. Ain't you?

N. C. State vs. Duke = Like FSU above, the Blue Devils need the win to get back into that tie with UNC. But the Wolfpack may need this even more. They do have records of 18-7 and 7-3, which puts them alone in 4th place behind those Big Boys, and which one might think would assure them an at-large already. But their RPI is fairly low (around 50 the last I looked), and their win over Indiana 'way back on Nov. 30 can't be counted as a signature win, as the Hoosiers hadn't found their footing at that point. It would be great for Jerry's 'Pack to get one, and if they don't get it tonight in Durham they can try again in their next two chances in Raleigh . . . against FSU and UNC. If you look at the Big Picture for all 4 teams, you see how huge this could be.

Arizona vs. Washington State = And this could be as huge in the equally-logjammed Pac12. The Desert 'Cats are in a 3-way tie for 3rd in the league at 9-4, a full game behind Cal and Washington at 10-3. Couple this with . . .

Oregon vs. California = In Berkeley, where the Golden Bears have only lost twice all year (which is maybe twice too many, but whatever), and with the Ducks being another of those 3rd-place 9-4 squads, and with . . .

Arizona State vs. Washington = The Huskies almost assured of a victory at home against the putrid Sun Devils, and you can see what a big night it will be on the Left Coast this evening.

Vanderbilt vs. Mississippi = I threw this in for much the same reason I did the WVU/Pitt one . . . because I'm curious. Yeah, maybe Vandy's been a bit better than those 2 Big Mouth Conference teams, yet they've been no more consistent. By this time of the year one normally knows if a team's for real or not, but the Comms still have me baffled . . . though I'm leaning towards NOT.

Gonzaga vs. Santa Clara = The stumble by St. Mary's last night has opened the door for the Bulldogs to steal the WCC from them late. A win over Santa Clara tonight would put the 'Zags just a game behind the Gaels, and even-up on the loss-side. I don't expect the Broncos can defend their home court tonight, as they pretty much suck this year.

That's gonna be all for me for now. Enjoy.

Col. Kurtz · 02-16-2012, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Poet

...

N. C. State vs. Duke = Like FSU above, the Blue Devils need the win to get back into that tie with UNC. But the Wolfpack may need this even more. They do have records of 18-7 and 7-3, which puts them alone in 4th place behind those Big Boys, and which one might think would assure them an at-large already. But their RPI is fairly low (around 50 the last I looked), and their win over Indiana 'way back on Nov. 30 can't be counted as a signature win, as the Hoosiers hadn't found their footing at that point. It would be great for Jerry's 'Pack to get one, and if they don't get it tonight in Durham they can try again in their next two chances in Raleigh . . . against FSU and UNC. If you look at the Big Picture for all 4 teams, you see how huge this could be.....

Amazing season so far. Much better that expected in Gottfried's debut. (even if he is a 'bama boy). The schedule is one thing he vowed to fix in his first interview here. He seems to be real competitor. He said he'd rather lose close games to the best in the country than win against Belmont Abbey.... He won me over right there.

Of course we've been getting spanked by some of the best in the country just down 70 and 54 for many years now.

However, I suspect Bryan will be crying tonight....

or I'll be saying "Just wait till football season!"

jcruse64 · 02-16-2012, 07:12 PM

Col,

we liked Gottfried just fine, when he was here at Murray State. I hope he does well for ya'll too.

Murray wins a road game, but rival SEMO did not fold on them. Good match for the Racers to get ready for the weekend's BracketBuster.
Also, that DID clench the regular season title, but will likely mean nuthin if the OVC tourney title is lost, even with a win this weekend. I would hate it, but can also understand it, unless the selection they lose goes to a 17-win program...

This FSU/VT game is ending.....

Holy Cow!!!! What a finish!!! VT can't hit 2 freebies w/ 10s left, and FSU goes down and hits a 3 t win. VT pops the rim at the buzzer to lose. Wow!!! And VT had FSU down BADLY in H2. Wow! Gotta hit your freebies.

Okay, now to watch Pitt/WV and Vandy/Ole Miss.

The Poet · 02-17-2012, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Col. Kurtz

Amazing season so far. Much better that expected in Gottfried's debut. (even if he is a 'bama boy). The schedule is one thing he vowed to fix in his first interview here. He seems to be real competitor. He said he'd rather lose close games to the best in the country than win against Belmont Abbey.... He won me over right there.

Of course we've been getting spanked by some of the best in the country just down 70 and 54 for many years now.

However, I suspect Bryan will be crying tonight....

or I'll be saying "Just wait till football season!"

Just wait for till football season, Jerry . . . even though "Duke football" is sort of an oxymoron.

Well, your 'Pack had its shot, but the Blue Devils made another late comeback to steal it from you. Hey, I know how you feel there, brother.

But had you held on, and had the Hokies done the same, it would have been a GREAT night for both of us.

I agree about State's surprising season so far, and with the job Gottfried's done. Plus, if that stellar recruiting class he's got coming in next year lives up to expectations it will only get better at Moo U.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcruse64

Col,

we liked Gottfried just fine, when he was here at Murray State. I hope he does well for ya'll too.

Murray wins a road game, but rival SEMO did not fold on them. Good match for the Racers to get ready for the weekend's BracketBuster.
Also, that DID clench the regular season title, but will likely mean nuthin if the OVC tourney title is lost, even with a win this weekend. I would hate it, but can also understand it, unless the selection they lose goes to a 17-win program...

This FSU/VT game is ending.....

Holy Cow!!!! What a finish!!! VT can't hit 2 freebies w/ 10s left, and FSU goes down and hits a 3 t win. VT pops the rim at the buzzer to lose. Wow!!! And VT had FSU down BADLY in H2. Wow! Gotta hit your freebies.

Okay, now to watch Pitt/WV and Vandy/Ole Miss.

Yeah, like Jerry's 'Pack (and my Heels also) the Hokies just could not catch a break last night. And though I felt NCSU could give Dook a game, I never thought VT could hang so tough on the road at FSU. Once more, shows what I know.

As for your Racers maybe getting dissed by the Selection Committee if they don't take the OVC tourney, I will feel you pain, or even anger. Yet you do seem to have a good handle on reality, and thus won't let it completely ruin a magical season . . . or your sleep and digestion.

Back with details in update shortly.

The Poet · 02-16-2012, 04:14 PM

Oh, and I forgot to tell you, Nebraska-Omaha beat Nebraska-Kearney 85-68 last night to improve to 11-16 and retain their spot on top of the RPI Ratings . . . according to Yahoo, anyway.

The Poet · 02-17-2012, 03:30 PM

OK, to get firstly to those scores already mentioned above:

Duke 78 - N. C. State 73 = The 'Pack came into Cameron hot, but could not cool down the Curry to hold off the Blue Devils. NCSU led by 16 at the break, and got it up to 20 or so, yet could not keep Dook from surging back to steal it away from them. Well, they did play well, and have two more shots at that "upset" they want to follow, both in Raleigh. And congrats to Duke for playing tough when it really counted.

Florida State 48 - Virginia Tech 47 = The 'Noles dodged a bullet on their home court also, and the Hokies missed a shot at their best win since they got the Cavs in Charlottesville earlier. Again, good for them for playing tough, but I'm not going to give 'grats to the Semiholes for exhibiting more luck than skill. If they play that way in Raleigh Saturday, Jerry may have something to grin about.

Michigan State 69 - Wisconsin 55 = Long ago, in a galaxy far far away, the Spartans started off 0-2 and were predicted to crash and burn. Meanwhile, in a distant star system, the Badgers were supposed to be the singular challenge to The Evil Empire in Columbus OH for control of The Force in Big Ten+ play. How things can change when a Jedi like Tom Izzo gets his lightsaber humming. (Hell, I don't know why I went there, aside from being bored, unless I've been tempted by The Dark Side.)

West Virginia 66 - Pittsburgh 48 = It has stopped being surprising when the Panthers lose, but even against a decent Mountaineer squad this one puzzles. Pitt was only down 1 at the half, yet were still blown out . . . AT HOME! Pitiful.

Vanderbilt 102 - Mississippi 76 = Speaking of blowouts, the Comms got one I did not expect here. Sure, they had to be favored over the Rebels, but just as I said I'd about been convinced they are not for real, they just purely stomp their opponent, on the road.

Tonight gives me only a pair of games I've even the slightest interest in:

Cornell vs. Penn = With Harvard at 7-1 and Yale at 6-2, both Big Red (5-3) and the Quakers (5-2) are gonna need some help along the way to take the Ivy. Still, they have to win tonight to keep those hopes reasonably alive, and as they both can't do so this one's huge.

Valparaiso vs. Loyola-Marymount = One of ESPN's early Bracket Buster games, and it should be a pretty good one to boot.

And since I've got a little time, lemme also get some early Saturday action posted here now:

Drexel vs. Cleveland State = Another BB game, and with the same potential to be a Barn-Burner.

Louisville vs. DePaul = A pretty important game for the Cardinals in Rosemont, as at the least Pitino wants his kids gearing up for post-season play in hostile environments. As for the Blue Demons, it would be a huge upset for them were they to take this one, though its meaning over the long haul would be next-to-nothing. Unless they run the table in the Big East Tourney, they're already dead.

Marquette vs. U. Conn = The same might even hold true for the Huskies . . . kinda like it did last year.

A win in Hartford would go some ways towards saving U Conn's season, though with the way they've played this last month deems that unlikely. And even though they are safely out of the cellar, another loss would put them 2 games under .500 in league play. Me, I'm expecting just that.

Wichita State vs. Davidson = Another Bracket Buster, but though I'd like to give the Wildcats a decent chance in Charlotte (well, its suburbs, anyway) here, I really think the Shockers are the better team. Would it be a shocker if Davidson won? No, but it would be at least a minor upset.

UCLA vs. St. John's = No, NOT a BB-matchup, though maybe it might as well be one. Much like DePaul, the Johnnies ain't going nowhere without a miracle. The Bruins might not either, although their play of late has improved . . . if that's really saying anything. Hey, even the Wear twins have contributed in big ways recently, and this Tar Heel has no problem saying "Good for them." This is in MSG, and it's a hard one to call. SJU has talented freshmen who show up to play about every 3rd or 4th game, and UCLA's seemingly played down to their opponents all year. Flip a coin over these two legendary programs.

Maryland vs. Virginia = The Terps haven't done much this year, while the Cavs have done a lot more than was expected of them. Yet they have also lost 3 or their last 4, which isn't a good sign. It's in Charlottesville, and UVA's only lost to VT there so far, and I'd lean towards them in this one.

Florida State vs. N. C. State = Here's the Wolfpack's second chance for that signature win they need to solidify that at-large they lust for, badly. I'm gonna give them at least as good a shot at it as I did last night against Duke, and you know how close that one was. Plus, of the 'Noles' 7 losses, 4 of them came on the road. On the other hand, 4 of State's losses have come at home, so there's that too.

UNLV vs. New Mexico = The Runnin' Rebels are coming off a big upset loss at TCU, while the Lobos are coming off a huge win at San Diego State. So one wants to turn things around, and the other wants to continue on its roll. I'm looking for a war in Albuquerque.

Tennessee vs. Alabama = Can the Vols continue to surprise people by finally winning some games, and will the Tide continue to recede by losing them? I'd say it's about 50/50.

Kansas State vs. Baylor = The 'Cats have dropped two in a row already now, and are likely to make that four, what with this one in Waco followed by a visit to Missouri. As I'm not a big fan of of Frank Martin, I'd have to say it couldn't happen to a much-nicer guy.

That's about all for the moment. If I don't see you here later today, I'll be back tomorrow with later weekend action. Until when then, enjoy.

SD Beerman · 02-17-2012, 04:01 PM

The NC State meltdown was bad. But not as bad as VT against FLA State. I expect SDSU to bounce back Sat.

The Poet · 02-17-2012, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SD Beerman

The NC State meltdown was bad. But not as bad as VT against FLA State. I expect SDSU to bounce back Sat.

From the perspective of THIS Tar Heel, BOTH meltdowns sucked.

I've not looked yet - who's your Aztecs facing tomorrow Larry?

Col. Kurtz · 02-17-2012, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Poet

..
Duke 78 - N. C. State 73 = The 'Pack came into Cameron hot, but could not cool down the Curry to hold off the Blue Devils. NCSU led by 16 at the break, and got it up to 20 or so, yet could not keep Dook from surging back to steal it away from them. Well, they did play well, and have two more shots at that "upset" they want to follow, both in Raleigh. And congrats to Duke for playing tough when it really counted.
..

The Pack played 30 minutes of great basketball. However, the last ten is what counted.. It looked like the Pack was worn out. Dook put the full court press on in the second half and just outran our guys. It's easy to do when you have three first strings. The pack seems to have about 4/5 of a first string. That and foul troubles were too much.... Perhaps next year...

Of course the local radio callers are saying the officials threw if for Duke.

The Poet · 02-17-2012, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Col. Kurtz

The Pack played 30 minutes of great basketball. However, the last ten is what counted.. It looked like the Pack was worn out. Dook put the full court press on in the second half and just outran our guys. It's easy to do when you have three first strings. The pack seems to have about 4/5 of a first string. That and foul troubles were too much.... Perhaps next year...

Of course the local radio callers are saying the officials threw if for Duke.

I was rootin' for them, Jerry, though for somewhat selfish reasons.

And yeah, the zebras always get the blame . . . and even on rare occasions deserve some.

jcruse64 · 02-17-2012, 07:57 PM

Speaking of "zebra blame"; I do not claim to know all the rules of the college game, so I will ask you guys. Saw a weird "call" at the last Racer home game. Racers are on D, and covering pretty good, when the ref blows the whistle. Everyone stands there for about 5 s, and the ref NEVER makes a signal or vocal call. After about 5s, he goes to the scorers' table without making the call and asks to see the display for a replay. Stands there with another ref and watches relay for a couple of minutes, and then walks back on-court and signals the foul (I don't even remember now, I was so shocked by the actions). Is that even LEGAL?!?!?!?!? I thought the rule was, you blow the whistle, you make your call, NOT "I think there's gonna be a foul here, so I'll blow, then go look and see".

I thought this on par with last year during the Racer's BracketBuster game, when the refs stopped play and actually went to the ESPN crew and ASKED THEM what they thought they saw. We have had some horrible refs the last few seasons, and I've seen some awful calls made against Racer opponents also, so I do not say this out of "homerism".

02-11-2012, 12:32 PM	#1
The Poet Il megglior fabbro Join Date: Jun 2009 First Name: Thomas Location: Hickory, NC Posts: 8,420 Trading: (2)	Re: College Hoops Thread 2011-2012 Another early final: Notre Dame 84 - DePaul 76 = A pretty good game on both sides, and another nice win for the Irish. WVA still leads Louisville with about 3 left, but only by one possession. Speaking of one possession, FSU's up that over Miami at the break, as is my Heels over the Cavs. As is normal, I can't cover all the upcoming games. Here's my picks: Kansas State vs. Texas = This has all the makings of a battle. K-State's been iffy of late, and UT's been a little better. Should be fun in Austin. Saint Louis vs. LaSalle = There's a logjam near the top of the A-10, and these two are in the midst of it. It's huge for them both. Me, I'll favor the Billikens, mainly because I like typing "Billikens" instead of all the Wildcats, Tigers, and Bears I usually get. Oh my! VCU vs. ODU = As above, the Rams are in a 3-way for 1st in the Colonial, with ODU just one back. Need I say more? Cincinnati vs. Marquette = A key Big East battle for these two "also-rans" for the league's elite. Tennessee vs. Florida = I've learned not to have a lot of faith in the Gators, but I have even less in the Vols. Hey, strange things happen, but I don't think it shall here. California vs. UCLA = Remember me speaking of bears above? Well, the Golden ones need to take care of the Bruins down in La-La to stay in the Pac-12 lead. Maryland vs. Duke = And the Blue Devils need to defend home turf against the Terps to do the same in the ACC. If they're not still too jazzed by that win in Chapel Hill, they should be able to. Oklahoma State vs. Kansas = I can't give the Cowboys much of a shot against the Jayhawks in Lawrence, can you? San Diego State vs. UNLV = As Larry noted above, this is a huge game for the Aztecs against the Runnin' Rebels, and one that could go either way. You can pick one if you choose, but it's a gamble. But it is in Vegas, so you're in the right place for one. Wichita State vs. Creighton = And here's another big game, with the two best teams in the MVC facing off in Omaha for the league lead. The Shockers hold it at this moment (21-4, 12-2), but just barely over the Bluejays (21-4, 11-3). For a "small" conference, they don't get much bigger. Washington State vs. Oregon = When one considers how the Pac-12 has been slipping towards "small" status in hoops lately, you might think this one's huge too. Well, for the Ducks it is. Michigan State vs. Ohio State = And here's another "small" conference match-up for you. With the Spartans 8-3 and the Buckeyes 9-2 in Big Ten+ play, they don't get a lot bigger. I'd give MSU a chance in Columbus, but they'd better bring their A game. Harvard vs. Princeton = The Tigers don't look like they're going to compete for the Ivy this year, but they may be able to muddy the waters some if they can upset the Crimson in Jadwin Gym. You know they'd like to play spoilers, again, so this may be some fun. Austin Peay vs. Murray State = Will Joe's Racers rebound from their first loss of the season? Well, if they can't beat the crappy Governors, they ought to just up and quit. Xavier vs. Temple = And here's another key game in the jammed-up A-10, with the X-Men fully capable of knocking the Owls down into the rest of the pack . . . if they have exorcised the bad karma still floating around them from that Cincy brawl. Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt = OK, it's in Nashville, on that funky floating court suspended above the benches. OK, the Commodores have won a few big games. But do you really think they've shown enough consistency to pick them over the 'Cats? I'm not a gambling man, and certainly not a UK fan, but if you do I'll take some of that action. Santa Clara vs. St. Mary's = The Left Coast Gaels got spanked pretty badly by Gonzaga, and may just take it out on the Broncos late tonight. As those Broncs have been whipped more than once already, and are pretty well broken, I'd expect as much. One final while I was typing all that crap above: Louisville 77 = West Virginia 74 = The Cardinals do just enough late to take this one, and hand the Mountaineers another heartbreaker. Not a bad game, if you like Big Mouth basketball. Back a little later, guys. I gotta keep an eye on my Heels for a bit now. __________________ Ninety percent of everything is crap - Theodore Sturgeon.

02-11-2012, 01:02 PM	#2
The Poet Il megglior fabbro Join Date: Jun 2009 First Name: Thomas Location: Hickory, NC Posts: 8,420 Trading: (2)	Re: College Hoops Thread 2011-2012 Only one more final so far, though a few are getting close: North Carolina 70 - Virginia 52 = An ugly, ugly ugly win for the Heels. Neither team could shoot worth a doodly-squat from the field. But it does bounce them back from that Duke fiasco, and put the Cavs a bit out-of-reach in the ACC for now. And FYI, John Henson again dunked the ball at the end, like he did against the Terps, and so has likely p!$$ed them off as well. Lunch time. I'll return shortly with some more scores and some Sunday games too. __________________ Ninety percent of everything is crap - Theodore Sturgeon.

02-11-2012, 02:04 PM	#3
The Poet Il megglior fabbro Join Date: Jun 2009 First Name: Thomas Location: Hickory, NC Posts: 8,420 Trading: (2)	Re: College Hoops Thread 2011-2012 As promised, or threatened, here's some more early finals: Florida State 64 - Miami 59 = The 'Canes made a game of it, but were unable to help out my Tar Heels by stealing this one. On the bright side, they were also unable to help Dook too. Syracuse 85 - U Conn 67 = Though I'd hoped for a slightly better game, I'm not shocked at the outcome. The Huskies have now lost 8 of their last 11 games, lost their head coach due to health issues, and lost their appeal to the NCAA to allow them to swap regular-season games in exchange for a post-season ban imposed in 2013 for sanctions following their abysmal academic standing. Not a good time to be in Storrs, I'd imagine. Missouri 72 - Baylor 57 = And though not as precipitous as with U Conn, the Bears have now lost 4 or their last 8 contests. Seem to me I kept saying that, once cupcake-time was over, so would be Baylor. Georgia 70 - Mississippi State 68 (OT) = This would have been a shocker in Athens, but in Starkville, it's just nuts. Sunday's limited action includes: Pittsburgh vs. Seton Hall = Aside from being important when it comes to future positioning in the Big East tourney, we have two teams squarly on the bubble here. A few wins or losses here or there will spell the difference, so I'd look for a war in this one. Besides, most of us are curious to see if Pitt can actually get its act together, before it's too late. Illinois vs. Michigan = And I'd assume both these are safely off the bubble, on the plus side. Still, it's two pretty good Big Ten teams head-to-head, and either one can win this game. As I'm wary of the Wolverines' scoring woes, I'd not expect a huge margin either direction. St. John's vs. Georgetown = And I'd assume both of THESE are safely off the bubble too, yet on differing sides. The Red Storm seems to have blown out to sea, and the Hoyas have done much more than expected. If this one in DC's still a contest with 10 minutes left, I'd be surprised. Washington vs. Oregon State = Yeah, seems like nobody much cares about the Pac-12 anymore, but that does not mean this one ain't huge, particularly for the Huskies on the road. Northwestern vs. Purdue = And now we're back on that damned bubble again. I could see one, or both, or neither of these two getting an at-large, so every game down the stretch could be the deciding factor. You figure they have a better chance grabbing Ws against the also-rans as opposed to the kingpins, so you can also figure they will be focused for this one. I may be back today, I may not see you until Monday. In either case, enjoy. __________________ Ninety percent of everything is crap - Theodore Sturgeon.

02-13-2012, 04:18 PM	#6
The Poet Il megglior fabbro Join Date: Jun 2009 First Name: Thomas Location: Hickory, NC Posts: 8,420 Trading: (2)	Re: College Hoops Thread 2011-2012 OK, let's try to do this now. There were a lot of good close games, and too many to cover, so I'll again just hit the ones I feel most notable: Texas 75 - Kansas State 64 = For a while these two teams were headed in different directions. Guess what? They still are. The 'Horns have won three in a row, and the Prairie 'Cats have lost 3 of their last 5 games. With 6-6 records, they are presently tied for 5th in the Big12Minus2 Conference. Both may get to Dance, but neither may Dance for long. Charleston 86 - Davidson 78 = Though CoC's not been bad this year, they're not as good as they've been in the past. The Wildcats have been the class of the Southern Conference, but have stumbled a few times lately. Either one of these can get hot and make a run to the NCAAs, or get cold and fall flat. Keep an eye on this. Tennessee 75 - Florida 70 = One of several big "upsets" this weekend, and one I would not have called. Yes, the Gators have been spotty, and the Vols have had a good win or three. But for UT to beat this ranked team in Gainesville? Beats me too. UNLV 65 - San Diego State 63 = The sort of tough game Larry and I expected, and the tough loss Larry was hoping his Aztecs could avoid. Wichita State 89 - Creighton 68 = Another "upset", though in my eyes only by the sizable margin by the Shockers on the road. And if you've followed college hoops, you know these two have been dooking it out like Dook/Carolina for decades, so it's really not a shocker at all. Michigan State 58 - Ohio State 48 = But this one may be one, not so much for the Spartan win but for the fact the Buckeyes could not break 50 on their own court. Yet take nothing away from MSU's great win. Princeton 70 - Harvard 62 = And take nothing away from this Tiger one in Jadwin Gym. Princeton may not be going anywhere this year, but you know they love to spoil things for the Crimson. Youngstown State 71 - Valparaiso 53 = Much like that MSU/OSU one above, the result's not as surprising as is the margin. Valpo's been not all that much better a team, yet a spanking like this was not expected. Kentucky 69 - Vanderbilt 63 = Do you give the Comms any props for making a decent game of this? Me, I won't give them much, considering how many times they've already disappointed me this year. On the other hand, it's hard to give much props to the 'Cats either. Yeah, they won. Good for them. But even on the road, the "best team in the country" should have maybe done better against one that's struggled as much as Vandy. And speaking of struggling, on Sunday we saw: Seton Hall 73 - Pittsburgh 66 = The Panthers looked for a week or so that they'd finally found their game. Well, apparently they haven't. Meanwhile, after losing 6 in a row, the Pirates are trying to make a late push for an at-large. As the Selection Committee may again give a .500 . . . or sub. . . . Big Mouth team a bid (the Hall's 6-7 in conference play), they do have a shot, if they don't blow it over the next few weeks. Michigan 70 - Illinois 61 = And speaking of sub .500 in league play, the Illini are midpack in the Big Ten+ at 5-7, and with 5 of their last 6 being potential tough ones (Purdue, OSU, Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin) they are in danger of getting that kiss-from-your-sis NIT invite. Georgetown 71 - St. John's 61 = I did not see this one, so don't know if it was truly as close as Kevin says (though I've no reason to doubt him). As for me, I'll take a 10-point win any day. Yeah, the Johnnies have pretty much stunk this year, but remember they do have some young talent that did win as Cincinnati and at home over West Virginia, so they can hoop a bit . . . from time to time, anyway. Hey, on any given night, right? And tonight's few games include a couple worth noting: Syracuse vs. Louisville = Can Pitino's Cards get up for the Orange in the Crum Bucket, and get that one signature win they've failed to so far? (Hey, at this point it's hard to count those against Vandy, Pitt, or U Conn ) Maybe. They have enough talent, and Rick does know how to bust up that zone. This could be fun. Iowa State vs. Baylor = And even though this one's in Waco, this one could be fun also. The Bears may have had their confidence shaken lately, and the Cyclones have played quite well on occasion. It's at least worth keeping watch on, for a half or so anyway, to see how things are shakin'. MeNeese State vs. Northwestern State = Say what? Who? Well, these two look to be amongst the class of the Southland, with the Cowboys at 8-2 and the Demons at 7-4 in the East Division, good for 1st and a tie for 2nd place. And I'll let you find out for yourself which one's the Cowboys and which the Demons, and which one's hosting in Natchitoches. Where? Mississippi Valley State vs. Southern = And this one pitting the 12-0 Delta Devils against the 9-3 Jaguars is a key one in the Southwestern Athletic Conference race. Yeah, you and I might not give a damn, but rest assured somebody does. Kansas vs. Kansas State = In fact, you may not give a damn about this one either. The Jayhawks no longer have a stranglehold on the Big12NoMore lead, being tied at 10-2 with the Mizzou Tigers. And the 'Cats aren't going to challenge either one of those, as they've slipped into that mid-pack tie mentioned above with the 'Horns at 6-6. Still, this is in Manhattan, not Lawrence, and I also have been led to understand that these two teams don't much care for each other. The knives might come out tonight. That's all for now. Enjoy. __________________ Ninety percent of everything is crap - Theodore Sturgeon.

02-14-2012, 03:40 PM	#7
The Poet Il megglior fabbro Join Date: Jun 2009 First Name: Thomas Location: Hickory, NC Posts: 8,420 Trading: (2)	Re: College Hoops Thread 2011-2012 FYI, I did my regular update, but when I clicked Post Reply it would not load, would not load, would not load, would not load . . . then it went away. Hell, I ain't doing it again. __________________ Ninety percent of everything is crap - Theodore Sturgeon.

02-15-2012, 03:12 PM	#8
The Poet Il megglior fabbro Join Date: Jun 2009 First Name: Thomas Location: Hickory, NC Posts: 8,420 Trading: (2)	Re: College Hoops Thread 2011-2012 OK, let me do this quick and dirty, and hopefully it won't get lost in the ozone today. Monday scores of some note: Syracuse 52 - Louisville 51 = A disappointing loss for the Cardinals, and maybe even a disappointing win for the Orange, though better than a loss. Baylor 79 - Iowa State 64 = The Bears bounce back from the skinning they took from Mizzou. Kansas 59 - Kansas State 53 = Not quite the offensive offensive of the 'Cuse/L'ville game, and not a very impressive win for the Jayhawks over the struggling 'Cats, even in Manhattan. Last night gave us a few big upsets, if there's really any such thing in college hoops: Clemson 60 - Virginia 48 = Littlejohn's almost as tough a place to play as is Cameron or the Dean Dome, and the Tigers took advantage of a Cav team that again could not shoot the ball. TCU 102 - UNLV 97 (OT) = Wow. I may not be a huge believer in the Rebels, but I never thought the Horned Frogs could take them. Honestly, did you? LSU 69 - Mississippi State 67 (OT) = This one's not nearly as big a shock to me. True, the Bulldogs came into it at 19-6, but had lost 3 of their last 7 games. This makes 4 of 8 now, which for you mathematically-challenged ones is 50%. Texas 69 - Oklahoma 58 = And even in Norman I'm not surprised at this. The 'Horns continue to make their late move towards an at-large. Florida 61 - Alabama 52 = With both teams hobbled by suspensions and injuries, this was a toss-up. The Gators rebound from what must have been an embarrassing loss to the crappy Volunteers. Seton Hall 94 - St. John's 64 = Are the Pirates for real, or is it that the Johnnies just suck? Maybe, and almost certainly. Tonight: Northwestern vs. Indiana = The Hoosiers have earned national ranking . . . or have they? Yes, they have won a lot more games than was predicted, but don't forget they are only 7-6 in Big Ten+ play. I give the Smarty 'Cats at least half-a-shot at an upset in Bloomington to drop IU to .500. Rutgers vs. Notre Dame = And I'll even give the Scarlet Knights a half-a-half-a-shot at an upset over the Irish in South Bend. No, I don't think it's gonna happen, but I also don't think ND's good enough to be consistent night after night. Detroit vs. Wright State = A big game in a smaller conference, which may mean it means even more. North Carolina vs. Miami = The Heels have been spotty, and more so on the road. Yeah, they ought to beat the 'Canes handily. However, if Miama could beat Dook in Durham, they can also beat Carolina in Coral Gables. Murray State vs. SE Missouri State = Has Joe's Racers learned their lesson? If not, I could see a tight one on the road tonight. Purdue vs. Illinois = At 16-9 each, both of these are bubblicious for now. The Illini have the signature wins (Gonzaga, OSU, MSU), but have lost 6 of 7 lately. The Boilermakers don't have those good wins (unless you count one over Illinois) and have lost 6 of their last 10 games. Big as this is for both, you're best off if you flip a coin. Oklahoma State vs. Missouri = Hey, if TCU can beat UNLV, the Cowboys can beat the Tigers. They WON'T, but they can. New Mexico vs. San Diego State = The Aztecs face another tough challenge here, and could drop their 2nd in a row. At present they are tied with the Lobos for the Mountain West lead at 6-2, with the Runnin' Rebels just 1/2-back at 6-3 (thanks to those TCU Frogs). This should be a dogfight. Loyola Marymount vs. St. Mary's = And this could be one also. LM's not as good as the Gaels, who are at home to boot, but they can hoop enough to make a game of it. I could give you more, but if it goes away again I've just wasted more of my time . . . not to mention yours. So I'll see you later. Enjoy. __________________ Ninety percent of everything is crap - Theodore Sturgeon.

02-15-2012, 04:02 PM	#9
The Poet Il megglior fabbro Join Date: Jun 2009 First Name: Thomas Location: Hickory, NC Posts: 8,420 Trading: (2)	Re: College Hoops Thread 2011-2012 OK, this is weird. I just went to Yahoo to check the latest RPI rankings, as it takes at least this long in the season for it to begin to make even the slightest bit of sense. Well, I don't know why, but at this moment they list at the top of the rating: Nebraska Omaha!! They apparently have a 10-16 overall record, and against other rated teams they are 0-2 against RPI 1-50 teams, 0-1 against 51-100, 0-2 against 101-150, 0-0 against 151-200, and 1-8 against 200+ teams. I'm assuming their other 9 wins came against non-D1 squads. Somebody's screwed up badly here, and it wasn't me this time. __________________ Ninety percent of everything is crap - Theodore Sturgeon.

02-16-2012, 04:12 PM	#10
The Poet Il megglior fabbro Join Date: Jun 2009 First Name: Thomas Location: Hickory, NC Posts: 8,420 Trading: (2)	Re: College Hoops Thread 2011-2012 Many of last night's game were about what you'd expect, so I'm limiting my notes to: Indiana 71 - Northwestern 66 = The 'Cats hung tough in Bloomington, but the Hoosiers and little brother Zeller did enough to get the win. Maybe their mid-season slump is over, and they've gotten a second wind. Murray State 75 - SE Missouri State 66 = Unless I'm mistaked, Joe, this should clinch the regular season league championship for your Racers. I'm not sure what that gets you, however, since the NCAA may still insist you win the tournament to get a ticket to the Dance. I'm also not sure how I feel about that either, as it's both unfair if it happens, and unfair to a bubble-team that's played a tougher schedule who gets left out in the cold if the OVC gets an at-large. North Carolina 73 - Miami 64 = Most of the Heels' wins have come off of outscoring and outrebounding opponents. Last night UNC again struggle from the field, and the 'Canes kept the battle of the boards close too. Thus the Heels had to win on the defensive end, making key stops and scoring off forced turnovers. I guess in a way that's a good thing, but I'd REALLY like to see them put it all together at least ONCE this year! Still, a W's a W, and at 9-2 it puts UNC 1/2-game up in the ACC. Tennessee 77 - Arkansas 58 = And what's up with the Vols all of a sudden? They have won 5 of their last 6, with their only loss in that stretch being AT Kentucky, and improve to 14-12 and 6-5. They may need to run the table to earn an at-large at this point, or make that run in the SEC Tourney, but at least the folks in Knoxville have something to cheer about . . . for now. Purdue 67 - Illinois 62 = On the other side of that coin, the Illini are in freefall, and Bruce Weber's on the hotseat for it. Since they got that huge win over Ohio State, Illinois has lost 7 of 8, and that one win was by a single point over MSU, an ugly 42-41 "triumph". Meanwhile the Boilermakers continue their late push for an at-large, improving to 17-9 and 7-6. I can see at least 2 more Ws in their future, hosting Nebraska and Penn State. They have no signature wins so far, yet they do have 3 more shots at that too, hosting MSU and at Michigan and Indiana. Should be interesting. New Mexico 77 - San Diego State 67 = Did I not tell you the Aztecs could lose their 2nd in a row? The Lobos grab the Mountain West lead, and in San Diego to boot. Loyola-Marymount 75 - St. Mary's 60 = And did I not also tell you LM could hoop enough to give the Gaels problems on THEIR homecourt. Yet even I did not expect such a lop-sided victory as this one was. Tonight has some very important games, including: Wisconsin vs. Michigan State = The Badgers are 4th in the Big Ten+ race at 8-4, with the Spartans in 2nd at 9-3, with the Buckeyes a whole 1/2-game on top at 10-3. Need I say any more about the vitalness of this for both teams? Yeah, both likely have bids already, but still. Virginia Tech vs. Florida State = And the Seminoles need this one to regain a tie with the Tar Heels atop the ACC. I can't give the Hokies much of a shot for the upset down in Tallahassee, but I can always hope for the best. West Virginia vs. Pittsburgh = At this point of the season I'm just curious about both these squads. Neither may Dance in March, or at least not for long if they do, but as both have good traditions and "meh" performance . . . well, as I said, I'm curious. Ain't you? N. C. State vs. Duke = Like FSU above, the Blue Devils need the win to get back into that tie with UNC. But the Wolfpack may need this even more. They do have records of 18-7 and 7-3, which puts them alone in 4th place behind those Big Boys, and which one might think would assure them an at-large already. But their RPI is fairly low (around 50 the last I looked), and their win over Indiana 'way back on Nov. 30 can't be counted as a signature win, as the Hoosiers hadn't found their footing at that point. It would be great for Jerry's 'Pack to get one, and if they don't get it tonight in Durham they can try again in their next two chances in Raleigh . . . against FSU and UNC. If you look at the Big Picture for all 4 teams, you see how huge this could be. Arizona vs. Washington State = And this could be as huge in the equally-logjammed Pac12. The Desert 'Cats are in a 3-way tie for 3rd in the league at 9-4, a full game behind Cal and Washington at 10-3. Couple this with . . . Oregon vs. California = In Berkeley, where the Golden Bears have only lost twice all year (which is maybe twice too many, but whatever), and with the Ducks being another of those 3rd-place 9-4 squads, and with . . . Arizona State vs. Washington = The Huskies almost assured of a victory at home against the putrid Sun Devils, and you can see what a big night it will be on the Left Coast this evening. Vanderbilt vs. Mississippi = I threw this in for much the same reason I did the WVU/Pitt one . . . because I'm curious. Yeah, maybe Vandy's been a bit better than those 2 Big Mouth Conference teams, yet they've been no more consistent. By this time of the year one normally knows if a team's for real or not, but the Comms still have me baffled . . . though I'm leaning towards NOT. Gonzaga vs. Santa Clara = The stumble by St. Mary's last night has opened the door for the Bulldogs to steal the WCC from them late. A win over Santa Clara tonight would put the 'Zags just a game behind the Gaels, and even-up on the loss-side. I don't expect the Broncos can defend their home court tonight, as they pretty much suck this year. That's gonna be all for me for now. Enjoy. __________________ Ninety percent of everything is crap - Theodore Sturgeon.

02-16-2012, 07:12 PM	#12
jcruse64 Adjusting to the Life Join Date: Jan 2009 First Name: Joe Location: Paducah, KY USA planet Earth Posts: 313 Trading: (1)	Re: College Hoops Thread 2011-2012 Col, we liked Gottfried just fine, when he was here at Murray State. I hope he does well for ya'll too. Murray wins a road game, but rival SEMO did not fold on them. Good match for the Racers to get ready for the weekend's BracketBuster. Also, that DID clench the regular season title, but will likely mean nuthin if the OVC tourney title is lost, even with a win this weekend. I would hate it, but can also understand it, unless the selection they lose goes to a 17-win program... This FSU/VT game is ending..... Holy Cow!!!! What a finish!!! VT can't hit 2 freebies w/ 10s left, and FSU goes down and hits a 3 t win. VT pops the rim at the buzzer to lose. Wow!!! And VT had FSU down BADLY in H2. Wow! Gotta hit your freebies. Okay, now to watch Pitt/WV and Vandy/Ole Miss.

02-16-2012, 04:14 PM	#14
The Poet Il megglior fabbro Join Date: Jun 2009 First Name: Thomas Location: Hickory, NC Posts: 8,420 Trading: (2)	Re: College Hoops Thread 2011-2012 Oh, and I forgot to tell you, Nebraska-Omaha beat Nebraska-Kearney 85-68 last night to improve to 11-16 and retain their spot on top of the RPI Ratings . . . according to Yahoo, anyway. __________________ Ninety percent of everything is crap - Theodore Sturgeon.

02-17-2012, 03:30 PM	#15
The Poet Il megglior fabbro Join Date: Jun 2009 First Name: Thomas Location: Hickory, NC Posts: 8,420 Trading: (2)	Re: College Hoops Thread 2011-2012 OK, to get firstly to those scores already mentioned above: Duke 78 - N. C. State 73 = The 'Pack came into Cameron hot, but could not cool down the Curry to hold off the Blue Devils. NCSU led by 16 at the break, and got it up to 20 or so, yet could not keep Dook from surging back to steal it away from them. Well, they did play well, and have two more shots at that "upset" they want to follow, both in Raleigh. And congrats to Duke for playing tough when it really counted. Florida State 48 - Virginia Tech 47 = The 'Noles dodged a bullet on their home court also, and the Hokies missed a shot at their best win since they got the Cavs in Charlottesville earlier. Again, good for them for playing tough, but I'm not going to give 'grats to the Semiholes for exhibiting more luck than skill. If they play that way in Raleigh Saturday, Jerry may have something to grin about. Michigan State 69 - Wisconsin 55 = Long ago, in a galaxy far far away, the Spartans started off 0-2 and were predicted to crash and burn. Meanwhile, in a distant star system, the Badgers were supposed to be the singular challenge to The Evil Empire in Columbus OH for control of The Force in Big Ten+ play. How things can change when a Jedi like Tom Izzo gets his lightsaber humming. (Hell, I don't know why I went there, aside from being bored, unless I've been tempted by The Dark Side.) West Virginia 66 - Pittsburgh 48 = It has stopped being surprising when the Panthers lose, but even against a decent Mountaineer squad this one puzzles. Pitt was only down 1 at the half, yet were still blown out . . . AT HOME! Pitiful. Vanderbilt 102 - Mississippi 76 = Speaking of blowouts, the Comms got one I did not expect here. Sure, they had to be favored over the Rebels, but just as I said I'd about been convinced they are not for real, they just purely stomp their opponent, on the road. Tonight gives me only a pair of games I've even the slightest interest in: Cornell vs. Penn = With Harvard at 7-1 and Yale at 6-2, both Big Red (5-3) and the Quakers (5-2) are gonna need some help along the way to take the Ivy. Still, they have to win tonight to keep those hopes reasonably alive, and as they both can't do so this one's huge. Valparaiso vs. Loyola-Marymount = One of ESPN's early Bracket Buster games, and it should be a pretty good one to boot. And since I've got a little time, lemme also get some early Saturday action posted here now: Drexel vs. Cleveland State = Another BB game, and with the same potential to be a Barn-Burner. Louisville vs. DePaul = A pretty important game for the Cardinals in Rosemont, as at the least Pitino wants his kids gearing up for post-season play in hostile environments. As for the Blue Demons, it would be a huge upset for them were they to take this one, though its meaning over the long haul would be next-to-nothing. Unless they run the table in the Big East Tourney, they're already dead. Marquette vs. U. Conn = The same might even hold true for the Huskies . . . kinda like it did last year. A win in Hartford would go some ways towards saving U Conn's season, though with the way they've played this last month deems that unlikely. And even though they are safely out of the cellar, another loss would put them 2 games under .500 in league play. Me, I'm expecting just that. Wichita State vs. Davidson = Another Bracket Buster, but though I'd like to give the Wildcats a decent chance in Charlotte (well, its suburbs, anyway) here, I really think the Shockers are the better team. Would it be a shocker if Davidson won? No, but it would be at least a minor upset. UCLA vs. St. John's = No, NOT a BB-matchup, though maybe it might as well be one. Much like DePaul, the Johnnies ain't going nowhere without a miracle. The Bruins might not either, although their play of late has improved . . . if that's really saying anything. Hey, even the Wear twins have contributed in big ways recently, and this Tar Heel has no problem saying "Good for them." This is in MSG, and it's a hard one to call. SJU has talented freshmen who show up to play about every 3rd or 4th game, and UCLA's seemingly played down to their opponents all year. Flip a coin over these two legendary programs. Maryland vs. Virginia = The Terps haven't done much this year, while the Cavs have done a lot more than was expected of them. Yet they have also lost 3 or their last 4, which isn't a good sign. It's in Charlottesville, and UVA's only lost to VT there so far, and I'd lean towards them in this one. Florida State vs. N. C. State = Here's the Wolfpack's second chance for that signature win they need to solidify that at-large they lust for, badly. I'm gonna give them at least as good a shot at it as I did last night against Duke, and you know how close that one was. Plus, of the 'Noles' 7 losses, 4 of them came on the road. On the other hand, 4 of State's losses have come at home, so there's that too. UNLV vs. New Mexico = The Runnin' Rebels are coming off a big upset loss at TCU, while the Lobos are coming off a huge win at San Diego State. So one wants to turn things around, and the other wants to continue on its roll. I'm looking for a war in Albuquerque. Tennessee vs. Alabama = Can the Vols continue to surprise people by finally winning some games, and will the Tide continue to recede by losing them? I'd say it's about 50/50. Kansas State vs. Baylor = The 'Cats have dropped two in a row already now, and are likely to make that four, what with this one in Waco followed by a visit to Missouri. As I'm not a big fan of of Frank Martin, I'd have to say it couldn't happen to a much-nicer guy. That's about all for the moment. If I don't see you here later today, I'll be back tomorrow with later weekend action. Until when then, enjoy. __________________ Ninety percent of everything is crap - Theodore Sturgeon.

02-17-2012, 04:01 PM	#16
SD Beerman Have My Own Room Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Larry from Sunny S.D. Posts: 1,436 Trading: (3)	Re: College Hoops Thread 2011-2012 The NC State meltdown was bad. But not as bad as VT against FLA State. I expect SDSU to bounce back Sat.

02-17-2012, 07:57 PM	#20
jcruse64 Adjusting to the Life Join Date: Jan 2009 First Name: Joe Location: Paducah, KY USA planet Earth Posts: 313 Trading: (1)	Re: College Hoops Thread 2011-2012 Speaking of "zebra blame"; I do not claim to know all the rules of the college game, so I will ask you guys. Saw a weird "call" at the last Racer home game. Racers are on D, and covering pretty good, when the ref blows the whistle. Everyone stands there for about 5 s, and the ref NEVER makes a signal or vocal call. After about 5s, he goes to the scorers' table without making the call and asks to see the display for a replay. Stands there with another ref and watches relay for a couple of minutes, and then walks back on-court and signals the foul (I don't even remember now, I was so shocked by the actions). Is that even LEGAL?!?!?!?!? I thought the rule was, you blow the whistle, you make your call, NOT "I think there's gonna be a foul here, so I'll blow, then go look and see". I thought this on par with last year during the Racer's BracketBuster game, when the refs stopped play and actually went to the ESPN crew and ASKED THEM what they thought they saw. We have had some horrible refs the last few seasons, and I've seen some awful calls made against Racer opponents also, so I do not say this out of "homerism".