College Hoops Thread '10-'11

[The Poet]

I've already indicated that it's pretty slim pickin's this weekend, but I found a handful or three which, for one or another reason, struck my jaundiced eye. Today:

# 5 Pittsburgh vs. North Florida = If this isn't over by the half, the Panthers are not for real. This will be Pitt's 3rd game, so that "it's early" excuse is wearing thin.

# 13 Illinois vs. Southern Illinois = Not exactly the same as above, but, yeah, pretty much so too.

# 17 Butler vs. Marian = And though Butler has an excuse, as it may take them a month to stop looking around for Gordon Hayward, nota bene . . . it's a Div. II opponent. And, at the moment, Butler's only up 6, nearing the break.

# 18 Washington vs. McNeese State = Last year the Pac-10 gave some evidence in the Tournament that they were not nearly as bad as the experts said. This game won't give any evidence to support that, as even a 50-point win proves jack.

# 25 San Diego State vs. Long Beach State = I don't expect the Aztecs to stay in the Top 25 very long. However, I don't expect them to drop out with a loss here.

Dayton vs. Mount St. Mary's = Dayton is the defending NIT champ, and Mount St. Mary's has a good history . . . though not recently. I picked this game before it tipped, and so far it's pretty close. I expect the Flyers to open it up, however.

George Mason vs. Harvard = GM was the darling of the NCAAs a few years back, and the Crimson made a jump from pretenders to contenders in the Ivy last season. Could be a pretty decent contest.

Iona vs. Cleveland State = Except for the particulars, same here. Decent programs, so a decent shot at a game.

Penn vs. Davidson = Here again . . . though I must admit that much of my fascination with this match-up is seeing the wealthy and priviledged banging heads and sweating bullets.

Weber St. vs. Utah St. = Unless my memory fails me, these two schools match up fairly well. Could be fun.


I'm gonna take my luch now, and will be back with early finals, and Sunday games. Until then . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

Both Butler and Dayton have their respective games well in hand, with under 8 to play, just as one would expect. No shocks this afternoon.

Sunday's games will include:

# 1 Duke vs. Princeton = Doubtless the Dookie fanatics will be looking for a 40-point laugher. I think it will be half of that, or even a tad less, but it should be a W to begin their defense of the title. The Blue Devils are the superior team, but the Tigers are not the walk-overs that most big programs schedule for their openers.

# 10 Syracuse vs. Canisius = Again, I don't expect much of a contest. It's not because the Orange is that dominant, nor Canisius that terrible, but the skill level is not . . . level, that is. Jim Boeheim ain't the only one a full bubble off.

# 12 Gonzaga vs. IUPUI = Seems like I remember something about IUPUI getting hammered by the NCAA for . . . something. I recall no details, and I could be wrong completely. But it shouldn't matter either way. The Zags, as I've said before, are NEVER as good as their mouths claim they are, but they are decidedly better than WTFAT (Who-The-Fark-Are-Them).

# 14 Purdue vs. Howard = Even without Hummel, the Boilermakers should steam-roller here.

# 22 Temple vs. Toledo = The Owls didn't exactly dominate Seton Hall, but I don't believe the Rockets can even get off the pad this year. If this one's not done by halftime, it's time to fire Fran.

Kent State vs. Cleveland State = Here, there's a possibility for some entertainment.

Indiana vs. Wright State = Here too. Besides, I'm always interested in seeing a program like the Hoosiers get back on track.

Notre Dame vs. Liberty = And on a Sunday, no less. I'm not sure the game will be that great, nor do I much care, but if we're lucky maybe another Reformation War will break out between the Papists and the Heretics. For Country, and God . . . mine, not yours!


That's it. That's all I got, for now. Until next week, enjoy.

[jcruse64]

"Personally, I'm a stickler for the rules, and though I do agree that the Hoyas got screwed a bit, it is what it is. Man up, suck it up, and move along. Just my , and worth every penny."

I'm not up on the situation or the rules applying. Got any details? If this young man was given a chance before high school to come here and live, how did the Sanctified Ones decide he was verbotten?

I also seem to remember something regarding IUPUI having some issues last season.

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by jcruse64

"Personally, I'm a stickler for the rules, and though I do agree that the Hoyas got screwed a bit, it is what it is. Man up, suck it up, and move along. Just my , and worth every penny."

I'm not up on the situation or the rules applying. Got any details? If this young man was given a chance before high school to come here and live, how did the Sanctified Ones decide he was verbotten?

I also seem to remember something regarding IUPUI having some issues last season.

My knowledge of the NCAA rules are vague too (as some would argue the rules themselves are), but as I understand it any student athlete puts his amateur status at risk if he accepts anything . . . and I do mean ANYTHING . . . from anybody who is not related to said athlete, in the fear that a gift of any sort may influence him or her. For instance, a football player at my alma mater got investigated a month or so back because it came to light that he received a wristband to attend a pool party. And you may recall that John Wall had to sit out a few early games for UK last season because of $850 he got from his AAU coach while in high school, despite the fact that Wall repaid the coach. As for this Hoya player getting an airline ticket from Nigeria to the USA, which would be . . . what, maybe $1,000 value? . . . I can, as I said before, understand why Georgetown feels it should not be their problem, as they did not (as far as I know) have anything to do with it. On the other hand, a 9-game suspension at the beginning of the season, especially since the kid's only a freshman, is merely a rap on the knuckles at worst, and a slap on the wrist at best.

As for IUPUI, all 14 of their athletic programs face sanctions due to violations involving "an office outside the athletic department which tracks athletic eligibility". The violations were self-reported, the sanctions were self-imposed and upheld by the NCAA, and include 3 years probation, the loss of some scholarships, and the vacation of victories in 6 sports from 2003-07, including 18 men's basketball wins from '03-04.

I'll be back in a bit with your normal broadcasting schedule.

[NCRadioMan]

Originally Posted by The Poet

# 1 Duke vs. Princeton = Doubtless the Dookie fanatics will be looking for a 40-point laugher. I think it will be half of that, or even a tad less, but it should be a W to begin their defense of the title. The Blue Devils are the superior team, but the Tigers are not the walk-overs that most big programs schedule for their openers.

Nah, 40 is about right as the starters only played half of the second half.

And as you know, you can't defend something that can't be taken away. Duke is pursuing the '10-'11 Championship along with everyone else.

Kyrie Irving is a super-star in the making. I can't tell you how impressed with him I am and when Seth Curry is on, he really is a Curry. The only problem/dissapointment I see is that Irving will probably be NBA bound after this year.

Originally Posted by The Poet

a 9-game suspension at the beginning of the season, especially since the kid's only a freshman, is merely a rap on the knuckles at worst, and a slap on the wrist at best.

Agreed. They easily could have made in ineligible for the year.

[The Poet]

This first weekend of the season was pretty damn dull, which is to be expected to some extent, but perhaps not to this degree. What games that were not the pre-ordained blow-outs were otherwise fairly meaningless, or at least uninteresting. In fact, I did not see one single score from Saturday's action which piqued my pickle, so I'm gonna skip it completely. Of course, if any of YOU have one you'd like to post, please join in and do so. Sunday's action was little better, yet I did spot a few of note, minimal as it be:

Cleveland State 69 - Kent State 66 = Two mid-majors who are at least OK gave us a game.

Eastern Kentucky 64 - Indiana State 59 (OT) = Same story here.

Oregon 72 - UCSB 70 = What got me here was two things. First, it's not much of a win for a Pac-10 team over a "Who???" program like UCSB. Second, and in emphasis, UCSB had been beaten the day before 68-60 by powerhouse North Dakota State. So, does this mean the Pac-10 will get dissed all this year too? We shall see.

Finally, before I give you some games this evening, it perhaps is incumbant to give one final congratulations to the 2010 NCAA Champs by reporting:

On Sunday the Duke Blue Devils celebrated, first by channelling their inner Elizabeth Arden and slapping another coat of lipstick on that pig of a place, Cameron Indoor Sty-dium with their 2010 banner, then by defeating the school they pretend to be by crushing Princeton University 97-60. Yet, to be fair, neither the environment not the outcome would have been much different had the game been held in Jadwin Gym.


There are a few games involving ranked teams this evening, and a few others that may be pretty decent . . . or not:

# 7 Kansas vs. Valparaiso = Unless you're an alum of either school, don't bother tuning in.

# 19 Memphis vs. Miami = This one could be a bit better, but if UM's young talent can produce they should prevail over . . . uh, UM.

# 20 Georgetown vs. Tulane = If this does not go easier for the Hoyas than did their opener against ODU, then they are in deep trouble. I fully expect it shall go easier, however.

Richmond vs. William & Mary = This could be a snoozer, but for some reason I've just got a feeling. Yeah, I know . . . they make creams for that.

Pacific vs. Nevada = It's that same itch here again.

Murray State vs. East Tennessee State = Damn, it's starting to drive me nuts . . . or, to be more truthful, "putt" me nuts.

Minnesota vs. Siena = You Big Ten fans may think I'm kidding here, but I ain't.

USC vs. Santa Clara = You Pac-10 fans may think I'm kidding here, but I ain't.

St. Mary's vs. St. John's = Aside from the obvious "forbidden love" reason, I've just got that itch again. Ohhhhhh, John! Ohhhhhh, Mary!



That's about it for now. Enjoy.

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by NCRadioMan

And as you know, you can't defend something that can't be taken away. Duke is pursuing the '10-'11 Championship along with everyone else.

Kyrie Irving is a super-star in the making. I can't tell you how impressed with him I am and when Seth Curry is on, he really is a Curry. The only problem/dissapointment I see is that Irving will probably be NBA bound after this year.

Point A: True dat, but it still sounds like you're already making excuses.

Point B: Yeah, I'm curious to see Irving in action myself, just as I'm curious to see if Seth is half the shooter as his brother, or his daddy. And as for Irving being "one-and-done", I'll make you a deal: I'll do all I can to convince him to stay for a few years, if you do the same to persuade Harrison Barnes to stay in school.

[NCRadioMan]

Originally Posted by The Poet

And as for Irving being "one-and-done", I'll make you a deal: I'll do all I can to convince him to stay for a few years, if you do the same to persuade Harrison Barnes to stay in school.

Deal!

And yes, Seth is a deadly spot-up shooter.

[The Poet]

Not many of the games last night were all that good, either despite or due to my itches, but a few scores jumped out at me:

# 19 Memphis 72 - Miami 68 = Yes, Josh Pastner has a young team. Yes, he has already kicked one of those freshmen off his squad. But to struggle like this with a so-so Miami team does not bode well.

Clemson 78 - Wofford 70 = And in Littlejohn, no less. Again, not a very good win.

Kennesaw State 80 - Georgia Tech 63 = But it ain't half as bad as this terrible loss. Sure, everybody expected the Yellow Jackets to be down this year, yet I myself did not think they'd be this rambled a wreck.

Oklahoma 71 - N.C. Central 63 (OT) = Even though the Sooners did wake up in the extra session, it is another crappy win. Speaking of waking up . . .

Wake Forest 63 - Hampton 56 = As with Ga. Tech, the Deacs are supposed to be down. This shows just how down.

Providence 58 - Yale 55 = The Friars haven't been a Big East factor in a while. The Elis aren't supposed to be one in the Ivy. This game may mean nothing in the long haul, but it sure is odd.

St. Mary's 76 - St. John's 71 = At long last, one of my "picks" for games last night actually turned out to be a decent one. Hey, even a blind hog finds an acorn every now and then.


Action has already started today, most notably (so far) being # 17 Baylor's win over La Salle 74-64. That's an OK victory, but not a bold statement by the Bears. In other finals, Stony Brook, Kent State, and Northeastern have also won, with Norteastern outscoring Southern Illinois 3-2 in OT. Sheesh. Plus, as we speak # 3 Kansas State and # 22 Virginia Tech are having a war in Manhattan heading towards the half, in this first real test for both programs. I'll keep you posted. Later on, look for these games:

# 1 Duke vs. Miami OH = Another scrimmage for the Blue Devils.

# 2 Michigan State vs. South Carolina = This could be half a game, by which I mean the 'Cocks could be game for a half. If it is the second half, they might even pullet the upset.

# 4 Ohio State vs. # 9 Florida = And if this one isn't a game, then one of these coaches is going to be p!$$ed.

# 6 Villanova vs. Marist = And if this one's not over by the break, Jay Wright won't be right for days.

# 10 Syracuse vs. Detroit = I don't think there's any way Detroit can beat the Orange. I also don't think there's any way all but the most fanatic fans won't fall asleep during this one.

# 11 Gonzaga vs. # 25 San Diego State = Remember a few days ago, me saying that I didn't think the Aztecs would stay in the rankings very long? Well, here you go . . . and there they go.

# 16 Butler vs. Louisville = After what they did last season, I don't wish to diss Butler. Plus, I'm neither a Cardinal nor a Pitino fan. But it would not shock me to see the Bulldogs get bitten, here in the opening game at the new KFC Crum-bucket Arena.

# 17 Washington vs. Eastern Washington = If the Pac-10 wants to regain any props at all, this needs to be a blow-out.

# 24 Tennessee vs. Belmont = Hmmm. Were I a betting man, I may put a few bucks on the Vols. But it would only be a few bucks. UT is in turmoil, Pearl is in a pickle, and Belmont is no patsy.

Wake Forest vs. VCU = If the Deacs play like they did against Hampton, they'll get their cassocks altered.

Georgia vs. Colorado = Here are a pair of darkhorses who could give us a close one.

Florida State vs. Gardner-Webb = No, I'm not joking here. Gardner-Webb's win over UNC-Charlotte means one hell of a lot more than the Seminoles' one over UNC-Greensboro.

New Mexico vs. Arizona State = Desert warfare here, with two programs trying to move up a level.


At the half, K-State leads the Hokies by a point, 30-29. Hold on to your hats.

[The Poet]

Hokies up 2, 15:16 left.



Whoops! Now it's tied @ 38 all.

[The Poet]

Wildcats have opened up 6-point lead with 11:00 to play.

[The Poet]

Up 7, 8:08. Hokies need some stops.

[The Poet]

Up 9, 6 1/2. Just checked the boxscore, and it's brick city out there. Both teams shooting about 32% from the field, and 50% from the stripe. Criminy . . . or criminal.

[The Poet]

With under 5 to play, K-State 64-49. I would like to say they are pullin' away, but Pullen's only scored 11 of those.

[The Poet]

Under 4 minutes, and Wildcats have it in hand, 66-49. Also, those other Wildcats, Villanova, have already doubled-up on Marist 2/3rds through the first.

[The Poet]

It's all over in Manhattan . . . Kansas, that is. K-State 73-57 over Hokies. And it should be all over in Villanova too, but those 'Cats are only up a dozen heading towards the half. Meanwhile, it's just started in Gainsville, with the Buckeyes and Gators trading early jabs.

[The Poet]

It's about time to lock up and go home, so I'll leave you by saying 'Nova has an unimpressive 13-point edge early in the 2nd, while the Gators have a pretty meaningless 6-point advantage with 7 left in the first . . . though that's better than being down 6, I'll grant you. With that, I'm out for today. Enjoy.

[The Poet]

Again, skipping over the blow-outs (for the most part, anyway) and the "who the fark cares" games, the balance of yesterday's action included:

# 4 Ohio State 93 - # 9 Florida 75 = Here's that one spanking which is notable. This game was close, then all of a sudden it wasn't. Plus, it was in Gainsville. It is too early to say the Buckeyes are that good, or the Gators over-rated, or if this was just one of those games teams sometimes have, when somebody puts a lid on their basket. Hell, my Heels had a dozen of those last year. In a month or three, we'll know better.

# 2 Michigan State 82 - South Carolina 73 = Some Spartan faithful might be concerned that this game got this close. Shoot, if the 'Cocks had had even a so-so first half (they only scored 25 before the break), this would have been a nail-biter. But remember that SC was the first team to beat Kentucky last season, so a walkover was not likely.

# 10 Syracuse 66 - Detroit 55 = Unlike the one above, this win would worry me a bit, were I Orange and not Blue. The 55 allowed is just fine. The 66 scored is pitiful.

# 25 San Diego State 79 - # 11 Gonzaga 76 = Here's one that shocks me. I mean no diss to the Aztecs, despite my predictions regarding them, but the Zags just don't lose games like this in Spokane. What factor the loss to injury of their star forward Elias Harris late in the game was to Gonzaga getting nipped, I can't say. But if they have lost him for a good portion of the season, and if their performance here is a true indication, the Zags may have a longer (or would that be shorter?) season than they are accustomed to. As for the Aztecs, good for you. Keep it up.

Louisville 88 - # 16 Butler 73 = This one does not shock me at all. Not only is L'ville a decent team with a storied past, with a winning coach, and opening up a new building, but a program that loses a player like Hayward will have those games when they are still looking around for somebody else to make a play. So, for those of you who were looking forward to that upcoming Duke/Butler rematch . . . you ain't gettin' it.

Virginia Commonwealth 90 - Wake Forest 69 - And I end the recap with another blow-out, significant for a different reason. VCU is a pretty good program, so the win should not be a surprise. However, the size of it may give you just some indication of how far down the Deacs have slipped.


Tonight's action will feature:


#6 Villanova vs. Boston U. = Don't expect much of a fight from BU here.

# 14 Purdue vs. Alcorn State = Nor here.

# 19 Memphis vs. Northwestern State = And as I've never even HEARD of N'western State, not here either.

# 23 BYU vs. Utah State = OK, may be a game for a half and a half, though maybe not for two halves.

# 24 Tennessee vs. Missouri State = Ibid.

South Alabama vs. Southern Mississippi = OK, may be a game.

Murray State vs. Mississippi = OK, will be a game.

Wisc. Green Bay vs. Marquette = Neither program is what it was once, so could be competitive.


Of course, you never know when some game you don't expect pops up and becomes a battle royale, so keep you ears on. In all cases . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

I've gotten a late start on this today (damn work! damn customers!), so lemme jump on it. Yesterday, of note:

# 6 Villanova 82 - Boston U. 66 = Does not sound all that close, but BU only scored 24 in the first half, then played 'Nova even in the second. The fans may be happy, but I'd bet Jay Wright isn't.

# 23 BYU 78 - Utah St. 72 = I thought this would be a close game, and it was closer than the Cougars wanted.

# 24 Tenn. 60 - Missouri State 56 = Same story here.

Seattle 83 - Oregon State 80 = And here we go again, with the "WTF happened to the Pac-10" trashing.

Chattanooga 73 - Kennesaw St. 69 = And why pick this one? Well, the Mocs got their first win, and Kennesaw took their first loss . . . after stomping Ga. Tech.

Ole Miss 77 - Murray State 61 = This is for all those MSU fans out there. Hey, I know there's one of you, at least.


Today action has already kicked off. Down in Puerto Rico, at the annual Bobby Knight Memorial Chair-Toss Competition, WVa has beaten Davidson 84-70, and Vandy "outscored" Nebraska 59-49 in what I assume was basketball, not football. And, at the half, UNC holds a slim edge over Hofstra at 58-33. My Heels did not need to play better than they did in their opener to take this game, as it seems they are on their way to doing, but they needed to do considerably better to give evidence they deserve a ranking, much less a Top Ten one. Maybe they are doing so. In other games to follow, there or elsewhere, keep an eye on:


# 3 Kansas State vs. Presbyterian = There are not enough prayers out there to spare one for Presbyterian. The Blue Hose get hosed.

# 5 Pitt vs. Maryland = Don't let Pitt's ranking, or the Terps "problems" with Charleston, fool you. This will be a test for both teams, and could be a tight one. Give Pitt the edge, but don't expect a spanking.

# 9 Florida vs. N.C. A&T = The Gators bounce back from their whipping by the Buckeyes . . . for what it's worth.

# 13 Illinois vs. Texas = Yeah, this has a shot at being a total war.

# 15 Missouri vs. Western Ill. = This, not so much.

# 17 Baylor vs. Jackson State = Nor this.

Minnesota vs. Western Kentucky = OK, now this one's a bit better. No, quite a bit better.

N.C. State vs. East Carolina = And this one could be good too. If nothing else, it may give us a chance to see if the Wolfpack's touted recruits can actually play.

Virginia vs. Stanford = They may be bottom-dwellers, but it is still an ACC/Pac-10 matchup. Could turn into a fight.


I may be back today, I may not. Regardless . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

Just checked the boxscore on Heels/Hofstra, which is turning into a laugher. Midway thru the second, UNC is 11-18 from the charity stripe . . . and 10-12 from beyond the arc. Whoa!