College Hoops Thread '10-'11

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by CRIMPS

By the way... I love Dickie V. But can we all agree its probably time for him to hang it up? The "Diaper Dandies" and the "PTP's (Prime Time playa's)" are getting a little old, BABY!!!

I hear you, but I suspect he'll broadcast until he has an aneurysm on camera and falls face first into the monitor. And if it happens in Cameron, the Crazies will cheer him off the court.

Originally Posted by Parshooter

go bucks

Yeah, I'd go buck that myself.

Update to follow ASAP.

[The Poet]

So here's the notable (to me, anyway) scores from last night:

Duke 84 - Michigan State 79 = A pretty good game, and had the Spartans managed to stick a spear in Irving (who went for 31 on them) they could have won it. But there was no Thermopylaeic stand for them against the Blue Persians. I guess Izzo's at least happy for the good showing, and that K is pleased his boys withstood a challenge.

UCF 57 - Florida 54 = Here was the upset of the night, though I did tell you UCF was pretty decent and would give the Gators as much as they wanted. Well, they actually gave them just a bit more than that, and chalked up what is likely the biggest win in their history.

Boston College 88 - Indiana 76 = A good win for the Eagles over an improving Hoosier squad.

BYU 77 - Creighton 65 = The Cougars scored 6 more than the Bluejays in the first half, and another 6 in the second, so they were at least consistent.

Memphis 78 - Arkansas State 71 (OT) = The Memphis Tigers are winning, but they sure are winning ugly. I guess that beats losing ugly, but it is not a very positive sign for their chances over the long run.

ODU 77 - Richmond 70 = Seems I said this would be a good game, and it would have been even gooder had the Spiders made a few key buckets late. They had the halftime lead . . . if one point is actually a lead, that is.

Arizona 84 - Rice 57 = And why am I citing this one? Firstly, the Desert Wildcats are playing very well, after a few down seasons, and have only lost to the Jayhawks so far. Secondly, this Rice team they spanked has lost three inna row, with their previous one being to Texas . . . by 3 points. Does this mean 'Zona's good? Texas is bad? Rice is bi-polar? Eh, who knows?

South Florida 60 - VCU 59 (OT) = I predicted this one could be lotsa fun. It was so much fun, they even asked for more.

Purdue 58 - Va. Tech 55 (OT) = I also told you we'd have a good game here as well. Make sure you send the vig to the right address, fellas.


A quick glance at tonight's schedule didn't much impress me, but I'll comb through it again to see if I can find you a few anyway. Back soon.

[The Poet]

Well, I did manage to find a few games that may be fun, and might actually mean something down the road too. Of course, as always, the best contest could turn out to be between two 2-4 teams going nowhere fast, so keep your own eyes open for those. Otherwise, watch:

# 4 Kansas vs. UCLA = I don't expect the Bruins to salt the Jayhawks' tails, yet I also don't expect they'll not even show up for this one. A 20-point margin is likely by the end, but it could be fairly tight for a time. And hey, you never know . . . everybody gets hot, or gets cold.

# 9 Missouri vs. Oregon = Both of these are coming off losses: Missou's battle royale with Georgetown, and the Ducks' dunking by Dook. Me, I expect the Ducks to take another dip.

# 11 Baylor vs. Arizona State = It's much the same story here, though I have a little less faith in these Bears, and a little more in the Sun Devils. To hop on the horse I rode last year, I consider Herb Sendek to be the most underrated coach in the country. His teams may lose, but they rarely quit.

Charleston vs. Davidson = If you've been paying attention, you know the respect I have for the program at Charleston. Davidson also has some history, but they do not have the players this year. Expect an OK half or so, then a whipping.

Murray State vs. Eastern Kentucky = Here again, two pretty good programs, both of whom need a win badly. They may pull out the knives for this one.


That's about all I saw, but if you spotted any I missed, please let us know. In any case, and as always . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by The Poet

Of course, as always, the best contest could turn out to be between two 2-4 teams going nowhere fast, so keep your own eyes open for those.

Like I said. There were a bunch of those last night, and a few are listed below. I say a few because, let's be honest, who really wants to read about IPFW over Mo. KC or Winthrop over VMI in OT, or Robert Morris by 1 over LIU, or for that matter DePaul by 2 over Northern Illinois, with both of them moving to 2-4? Not me. Eastern Illinois edging Tenn. State, or High Point over Gardner-Webb anybody? But otherwise:

# 4 Kansas 77 - UCLA 76 = Well, I can't exactly say I saw this coming, though I did say anything could happen. Late FTs are all that saved KU's bacon, and it was indeed "fairly tight for a time" . . . said time being up until the horn.

# 9 Missouri 83 - Oregon 80 = One would have thought that, if the Tigers are worthy of their ranking, their marathon loss to the Hoyas would have focused them more than this. Are the Ducks better than I think? Their game against Duke showed no evidence of that, so perhaps Missou's not as good as the "experts" think they are.

Murray State 74 - Eastern Kentucky 72 = As I predicted, they brought out the knives for this, with the Racers getting the edge . . . or would that be giving it?

Valparaiso 68 - Ill. Chicago 66 (OT) = OK, we're not talking true powers here, but they are at least in line so far to play .500 or better this year.


There is not a whole lot of action this evening, yet there are a few games of interest:


# 5 Kansas State vs. Washington State = I'm still not convinced K-State deserves a Top Five rank, or even Top Ten, but they have not played badly. Their only loss, by 14, was to Dook, so you can't fault them for that one. Meanwhile, the Cougars are undefeated at 5-0. However, their only two "quality" wins are over Portland and Fresno State, so this will be their first test . . . nearly a month into the season. This one could get ugly for them.

# 7 U. Conn vs. UMBC = And this one will get ugly, early and often.

# 12 Villanova vs. St. Joseph's = A Big Five battle can always have potential, as these schools have been playing each other since Hector was a pup. But if 'Nova does not absolutely pluck the Hawks, I'd be shocked, and Jay Wright will be pi$$ed.

UAB vs. Georgia = This one could be quite fun, actually. I'd pick UAB by 10 or so, but the Bulldogs are a bit better than they've played so far, and may make it a game.


Saturday will have a ton of games, and some of them tip off early, so let me give you those:


# 10 Kentucky vs. UNC = My Heels have not shown they can consistently play with the big boys, and tend to go on those same scoring droughts that doomed them last year. If they can't correct this, people will be leaving the Dean Dome early tomorrow afternoon.

# 16 Georgetown vs. Utah State = I don't think the Aggies can hang with the Hoyas for 40 minutes, so you can pencil this one in right now.

Detroit vs. Wright State = This one could be as tight as new drawers.

VCU vs. William & Mary = And this one could be too, at least for a half or so.


I'll give you more Saturday action, plus Sunday game, on the morrow. Until then . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

I seem to be having tons of internet problems today. Hopefully it will clear up enough for me to do my posts, but if not, please understand. You've been there too, I presume.

[The Poet]

OK, lemme give this a shot here, though it's tough to type with fingers crossed. I only found a few scores from last night worth noting:


# 5 Kansas State 63 - Washington State 58 = Yeah, it's a win for these particular Wildcats, but not a dominant one for sure. I felt this could get ugly for the Pac-10 Cougars, as they had faced little opposition so far, yet it almost got ugly for K-State instead.

# 12 Villanova 71 - St. Joseph's 60 = And this was not much better for the Philly Wildcats. This loss put the Hawks under .500 at 3-4, and two of those losses were by more points than this one of eleven . . . to Western Kentucky and Drexel, for cryin' out loud. I know Jay Wright will take the W, but I can't believe he's all that happy about it.

Georgia 66 - UAB 64 = Well, my pick was off, as I went with UAB here, but I did feel it could be a pretty good game. Turns out, it was, and is a good win badly needed by the Bulldogs.


Today's action has already begun, with Georgetown breaking open a close game in the second half to take a comfortable lead over Utah State, while Wright State/Detroit, VCU/Wm.&Mary, and UK/UNC all being razor tight (f'instance, my Heel lead by 1 with 4+ left in the first). While I work on my preview update, these games may resolve themselves better, so I'll keep you advised. Later, brohs.

[The Poet]

The balance of Saturday action gives us one holy hell $#!+load of potential good matchups, many between so-so teams that both will fight for the victory, and thus may give us great games. But I'd be at it all day if I posted them all, so I will limit myself to only a few too many, as opposed to one damned overkill:


# 1 Duke vs. Butler = This rematch of last year's championship game won't be that, at all. I'd be surprised if the Blue Devils win by less than 20.

# 3 Pitt vs. Rider = Please. This one's already over.

# 6 Michigan State vs. Bowling Green = So is this one, though it could be argued that the Spartans deserve a break about now.

# 8 Syracuse vs. N.C. State = The Wolfpack has not shown much improvement over last year, and although I'm not convinced the Orange is a Top Ten team I don't think they will have a big problem here . . . if they show up, anyway.

# 14 Memphis vs. Western Kentucky = Now this might be a better game. So far, Memphis has won, but not convincingly over better opponents. WKy might just give them as much as they can handle.

# 15 Minnesota vs. Cornell = Don't even bother here. Of their 5 losses, Cornell's been spanked by both Seton Hall and Syracuse, so expect their Big Red bottoms to take more punishment today.

# 17 San Diego State vs. Wichita State = Now here's another one that could be fun, at least for a half, or a half and a half.

# 20 Illinois vs. Gonzaga = And here too. The 'Zags need a big win in the worst way, and Mark Few will have them ready for this one.

# 21 BYU vs. Hawaii = Although this may not be a total mauling, I'd expect the Cougars to prevail with some ease.

# 22 Purdue vs. Alabama = The Boilermakers have looked to me like a team looking to collapse. They may not do so against a "meh" 'Bama team, but don't expect a hammering either.

# 23 Washington vs. Texas Tech = On the one hand, the Huskies have only lost to Kentucky and Michigan State, so they have that going for them. On the other, their "quality" wins are over the likes of Virginia and Long Beach State. Yet, on the third hand, the Red Raiders' losses to St. Mary's and South Florida are their only "quality losses", if you get my meaning, and aside from those two games they have played absolutely nobody. Hey, the guys from Lubbock could surprise me, but I wouldn't bet the ranch.

# 24 UNLV vs. Nevada = The Rebels are off and Runnin', at least for now, while this Wolf Pack from the desert has played much worse than the one from Tobacco Road. Although they have played next to nobody, they've only managed to win once so far. They will not double down today.


That's it for the "ranked" squads, and I'll be back soon with some other action, and some early scores.

[The Poet]

Well, I've been a bit busy to get to my promised postings, but I have to put this one up now:


UNC 75 - Kentucky 73 = Whooo Hooooo!


Back after I catch my breath, and eat a bite or two.

[The Poet]

OK, I've calmed down a bit, so let's finish this up. First, to expand on early finals:

(As reported) North Carolina 75 - # 10 Kentucky 73 = A close game throughout, with the Heels showing some signs they haven't for a long time. Despite falling behind by a few possessions in both halves, they did not crumble, they kept the game close, and they edged out several leads . . . including the last one. Shoot, there were 5 lead changes in the final three minutes. Tyler Zeller was the key for the Tar Heels, scoring 27 points and hitting all 6 of his FTs in the final 90 seconds to keep Carolina up. This win may not have turned UNC around for good, but at least these guys now know they can do it in the clutch.

# 16 Georgetown 65 - Utah State 51 = A decent enough win, I guess, for the Hoyas, though not one to brag about.

Detroit 78 - Wright State 69 = This game was closer than the final, and was about what I thought it would be.

VCU 59 - William & Mary 55 = Same here.

Michigan 65 - Harvard 62 = And maybe this narrow margin should not surprise me, as the Crimson were decent last year while the Wolverines have not been great of late. Still, it does.

Oklahoma State 92 - LaSalle 87 (2 OT) = And though I cannot prove it, this was one of those games I had planned to tell you would be a close one to watch . . . but I got distracted.


So let me tell you some other games I think you keep an eye on today:

California vs. Iowa State = Neither is a world-beater, but neither is total crap either.

Belmont vs. Vanderbilt = The Battle of Nashville could easily draw blood.

West Virginia vs. Miami = Here too, two well-matched teams.

Rhode Island vs. Providence = I give the Rams the edge, but any in-state rivalry can bite you.

Boston College vs. U. Mass = What I just said.

Murray State vs. Morehead State = Two more wanna-be's going head-to-head.

Utah vs. Bradley = And these two may not quite be "wanna-be's", but they are fairly even.

Illinois State vs. Montana State = I dunno, there's just something about this one . . . don't ask me what.

Oregon State vs. Colorado = Yeah, here too.


I'm gonna go look see if any good stuff happens Sunday. Back soon.

[The Poet]

Well, those 'net problems came back to bite me, so I never got back with the Sunday games. Let me put on the run-and-jump D, and try to catch up a little.

In the balance of Saturday games:

# 1 Duke 82 - Butler 70 = It was closer than the 20 I predicted, though not by much. Butler hung tight for 30 minutes, but the Blue Devils were just too much in the end.

# 8 Syracuse 65 - N. C. State 59 = You can I suppose look at this two ways . . . either a nice showing by a young (and improving?) Wolfpack, or another win by the Orange that was too damn close for comfort.

# 15 Minnesota 71 - Cornell 66 = Speaking of being too damn close . . . WTF? The Golden Gophers should have licked all the Big Red off Cornell's candy.

California 76 - Iowa State 73 = This gives Cal 3 pretty decent wins, counting Temple and New Mexico. Maybe the Golden Bears are more real than the Gophers. Oh, wait a second . . . they are the ones who only scored 5 points in a half, right? Nevermind.

Miami 79 - West Virginia 76 = And a decent win for the Hurricanes, too.

Boston College 76 - U. Mass 71 = And not a bad one for the Eagles.

Providence 87 - Rhode Island 74 = My Rams let me down in this one, big time. Yeah, I know the Friars had only lost to LaSalle coming into this one, but they really hadn't played anybody of note aside from them. Now, they have, and they won. Perhaps they'll again be something besides an afterthought in the Big Mouth Conference.


Here are the scores from Sunday I found interesting:


USC 73 - # 19 Texas 56 = A loss by the Longhorns does not much shock me. I've said for years Rick Barnes tends to do less with more talent than any other coach I know. But normally they don't collapse this badly until later in the season. A nearly 20-point loss to the Trojans, who've lost to Rider, Bradley, Nebraska, and TCU? Please.

Richmond 67 - Arizona State 61 = As with much of the Pac-10, nobody's sure exactly what the are or what they have. Regardless, this is a good win for the Spiders.

Temple 64 - Maryland 61 = And the Owls needed this one over the Terps also, as they try to right their ship.

South Carolina 64 - Clemson 60 = In case you didn't know it, these two schools don't much like each other. Though neither is likely to be atop their respective conferences, they both remember when they were in the same one, and they always fight hard until the end. This game was no exception.

Virginia 57 - Virginia Tech 54 = About the opposite could be said about this game, in nearly all particulars. Still, it was a very good win for a Cavalier team that hasn't done a whole heck of a lot for too long a time now.


There are not a lot of games this evening, and I only found two of note. Well, one, actually:


# 5 Kansas State vs. Alcorn State = This isn't it. If the 0-6 Braves can stick with the Manhattan Wildcats for more than ten minutes, I'll be stunned.

# 21 Washington vs. Portland = But this one could be a lot . . . a lot! . . . closer. The Huskies may be the class of the Pac-10 (or may not, as it's too soon to tell, or even tell if the P-10 even has any class), but they've proven little so far. Meanwhile, the Pilots are 7-2, losing only to Kentucky and Washington State. However, to be fair, they haven't played much of a schedule either. The Huskies should win by three possessions or so.


That's it for now. Back tomorrow, I hope. If I missed any scores or news you found important, feel free to add those, and I will likely at least comment. Until later then. Enjoy.

[The Poet]

As it turned out, neither of those games above were worth watching, save except for their fans. In fact, only one score jumped out at me:

Houston 64 - Nevada 61 = The Cougars may not be "Guy Lewis" back, but they are making some steps in the right direction. And I thought this was a decent win for them . . . until I noticed that this was Nevada's 7th loss in a row. Well, actually more, if you go back to last season.


There are not a lot of games tonight, but it does promise to give us some better ones. For instance:


# 4 Kansas vs. # 13 Memphis = Both teams are undefeated, so we can feel fairly secure in the knowledge that this will end tonight. The Jayhawks have been playing well, but have not been world-beaters. Meanwhile, the Tigers have shown the inconsistency of youth, of their players and their coach. I'd go with KU, but UM has a shot of making it close.

# 7 Michigan State vs. # 8 Syracuse = The Spartans have lost twice, to U. Conn and Duke, yet retain a higher ranking than the undefeated Orange . . . who haven't played much of anybody yet. Northern Iowa? Michigan? Georgia Tech and N.C. State? And some of those final scores have been mighty tight. Shoot, they only beat Wm.&Mary by 3! Go with MSU here . . . that zone won't stop their shooters.

# 19 Purdue vs. Valparaiso = And I'm even a little tempted to go with Valpo here. Purdue has struggled offensively all season . . . well, actually since they lost Robbie Hummel last spring . . . and they've now lost key reserve John Hart. Also, D.J. Byrd is questionable for tonight too. I'm not going to call for the upset, but if it happens don't be all that shocked.

James Madison vs. Marshall = Here's just two damn decent teams, going toe-to-toe.

Georgia vs. Georgia Tech = And both of these have started showing signs of improvement also. Plus, they don't much like each other.

ODU vs. East Carolina = Here is another one of those that has the potential to become a real barn-burner.

Long Beach State vs. Utah State = Pretty much the same game here, transported 1500 miles west . . . or however far Logan UT is from Greenville NC.

That's all I gots. Hey, it's better than last night, and maybe as good as tomorrow. That remains to be seen. Until then, then . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

My computer problems seem to be back, so the following posts may be briefer than normal. Yeah, I can hear you now . . . "Thank God!"

Last night, some of the teams in my picks did not show up to play. It happens. Here are what I consider the the more meaningful scores:


Kansas 81 - Memphis 68 = I'm not surprised at the Jayhawk victory, and the margin seems about right too. I am a bit surprised that Memphis is still getting all their respect, when they haven't played well enough to deserve it.

Syracuse 72 - Michigan State 58 = But here is one that shocks me. Yeah, not only did I pick the Spartans, but they couldn't even stay close in this one. So maybe MSU is being overrated too. Regardless, a good win for the Orange.

Georgia 73 - Georgia Tech 72 = And a good win for the Bulldogs too. As for the Jackets, nobody can figure them out. They were edged here, and earlier by the aforementioned Syracuse Orange, yet were spanked by Kennesaw State and Northwestern. Don't ask me . . . I've no clue.

Marshall 67 - James Madison 63 = So, at least a few of my game picks turned out to be decent, anyway.

Belmont 88 - Middle Tennessee State 87 (2OT) = I looked at this one yesterday, and considered posting it, but for some reason it did not make my cut. Mea culpa. This was the one game to watch, if you could only watch the one.


Tonight's lineup is pretty packed:


# 1 Duke vs. Bradley = The Braves have lost 4 in a row, and that will be 5 after tonight. But Dook has lost star freshman guard Kyrie Irving for an indefinite period to a toe injury. That won't hurt them tonight, but with the ACC starting soon, it could.

# 3 Pitt vs. Delaware State = This one is also already over, before it tips off.

# 6 U. Conn vs. Fairleigh Dickinson = Make that three not to watch.

# 12 Villanova vs. Penn = This might be a tad better, but not much.

# 14 San Diego State vs. California = OK, here we might actually have us a contest . . . by which I mean something under double-digits. And at times the Bears have played well enough to even challenge the Aztecs.

# 15 Missouri vs. Vanderbilt = Here too we could have a good game. Missou's not been dominant, and Vandy's played well on occasion.

# 16 Illinois vs. Oakland = Oakland is not total crap, winning 4 in a row, but they have lost to every halfway decent team they've played. Tonight begins a losing streak for them, since they follow this game with Michigan State and Tennessee.

# 17 Kentucky vs. # 23 Notre Dame = Like the Spartan/Orange game last night, this pits a higher ranked team with two losses against a lower ranked one with zero. So don't ask me to make a fool of myself again. I'm just hoping it's a good one.

# 18 BYU vs. Vermont = The Cougars have dodged bullets from Utah State, South Florida, and St. Mary's to remain undefeated. The Catamounts have only lost to U. Conn. This just might be another slug fired at BYU's head, believe it or not.

# 20 UNLV vs. Boise State = This might be close for a while, but I'd expect the Rebels to Run away during the second half.

# 22 Minnesota vs. St. Joseph's = And this should be about the same story here.

# 24 Louisville vs. San Francisco = Pairing city against city, it's no contest. Pairing team against team, it's also no contest, albeit flop-flipped.

Providence vs. Boston College = The Friars showed me something with the way they handled Rhode Island. The Eagles have shown a few good signs too. This one could be fun.

Arkansas vs. Seton Hall = So could this one, if the SH Pirates show up to play. As for the 'Backs, good or bad, they always show up.

UNC vs. Evansville = After two disappointing years, losing 30 games to injury during that time, Tyler Zeller has started to show signs of being a quality big man. But it's not in the post the Heels have been hurting; rather, it is guard play and outside shooting. If that is even halfway decent, this will be a scrimmage. If not, the Heels may get another scare . . . at least.

TCU vs. Texas Tech = This one could be close, from the tipoff to the horn.

Gonzaga vs. Washington State = Both of these teams have some talent, and they both need this victory. Depending on who comes to play, and how they succeed at it, one will get it. I'm leaning towards the 'Zags, but they've already let me down a Few times this year.


That's about it for me. Toss in your , if you choose. Until later then. Enjoy.

[BryanB]

Originally Posted by The Poet

# 1 Duke vs. Bradley = The Braves have lost 4 in a row, and that will be 5 after tonight. But Dook has lost star freshman guard Kyrie Irving for an indefinite period to a toe injury. That won't hurt them tonight, but with the ACC starting soon, it could.

Looks like Mr. Dawkins decided to step up. Irving will be missed but we can manage the next month or so without him. Hopefully the injury is being played up alittle.

Duke - 83
Bradley - 48

Helping you out alittle bit Thomas.

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by BryanB

Looks like Mr. Dawkins decided to step up. Irving will be missed but we can manage the next month or so without him. Hopefully the injury is being played up alittle.

Duke - 83
Bradley - 48

Helping you out alittle bit Thomas.

Why, thank you! As for Irving being out a while, I agree your boys should be OK without him for now. I can feel for him, and can even muster a tiny bit of sympathy for the team too, but as for Dook fans . . . well, many of them were the same ones who scoffed back in '09 when Ty Lawson was fighting through the same sort of injury. "Awww, poor baby! Him cain't play, him gots a sore piggy!" It's karma, baby . . . suck it up.

Hopefully, my regular update to follow ASAP.

[SD Beerman]

# 14 San Diego State vs. California = OK, here we might actually have us a contest . . . by which I mean something under double-digits. And at times the Bears have played well enough to even challenge the Aztecs.


SDSU looking good....

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by SD Beerman

# 14 San Diego State vs. California = OK, here we might actually have us a contest . . . by which I mean something under double-digits. And at times the Bears have played well enough to even challenge the Aztecs.


SDSU looking good....

So far, so good. But even though the final of 77-57 seems a spanking, note that the Aztecs led by only 2 at the half. Then the Cal Teddys went on another scoring drought, albeit not as bad as their 1/4-point/minutes pace earlier in the season.

Other scores of interest, to me anyway:


# 15 Missouri 85 - Vanderbilt 82 (OT) = Well, I did manage to call this one as close. You'd really be hard-pressed to get one closer.

# 17 Kentucky 72 - # 23 Notre Dame 58 = A good bounceback win for the Wildcats, and a good reality check for the Irish. But yet again, this one was tied 40-all at the break. Then, only one team came out of the locker room.

# 20 UNLV 75 - Boise State 72 = And this one was bass-ackwards from what I expected. The Rebels Ran up a nice lead early, then BS stormed back to make it a real game.

# 22 Minnesota 83 - St. Joseph's 73 = I guess this is an OK win for the Gophers, but St. Joe's should really not have been this close.

Boston College 88 - Providence 86 = Well, I had a feeling this one could be fun. It does not always work out that way, but here it totally did.

TCU 81 - Texas Tech 77 = Here too. I expected a tight one, and it was.

UNC 76 - Evansville 49 = OK, I normally don't post blowouts. And no, I'm not doing so because it is my Heels, or because I think it is that good a win. But there was some question earlier as to why Evansville was another cupcake on the schedule for UNC. Seems Roy was just following a tradition started by Coach Smith, that of scheduling a game close to every player's home at some time during his career, so that his family and friends can watch him play. This one was about 60 miles from Tyler Zeller's home. So there .


There is damn little up this evening, so you'll have to be content with:


# 2 Ohio State vs. IUPUI = Alright, so maybe not with this whipping.

# 9 Georgetown vs. Temple = But this one should be a lot more fun.

Florida vs. Kent State = On paper, the Gators should rule. But they have not played well enough to look past Kent State, lest they stub their toes.

Butler vs. Xavier = Here we have two class mid-major teams, neither of which have been especially good so far. Both need a victory, badly, so I'd expect both to be ready to play.


That's it. I know it's not much, but try your best to . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

The latest news out of Durham reports Coach K as saying Kyrie Irving's toe injury is much more serious than earlier believed, and though he will be re-evaluated in a week to 10 days, the possibility does exist that he may be out for the entire season.

If this is true, and it is also true that Irving intends to be a "one-and-done" player, then his career at Duke is over. We shall see.

[BigAsh]

Hoot Hoot!.....Love dem Owls over G-Town!....and Cograts to Coach Fran Dunphy on win # 400!!

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by BigAsh

Hoot Hoot!.....Love dem Owls over G-Town!....and Cograts to Coach Fran Dunphy on win # 400!!

Yes indeed, that is a quality win for Temple, and they needed one badly. They have not been playing up to their expectations . . . yet neither have the Hoyas, who themselves already dodged a few bullets. Congrats to Fran on # 400. Only 400 or so more, and he'll have something to brag about.

For those who are clueless, we're talking about:


Temple 68 - Georgetown 65 = As we've said, a good win for the Owls.


Other scores were:


# 2 Ohio State 75 - IUPUI 64 = Not so good a win for the Buckeyes, as this 11-point margin should really have been doubled.

Florida 65 - Kent State 52 = A slightly better one for the Gators here, as these two were somewhat a closer matchup.

Xavier 51 - Butler 49 = I had a feeling this would be tight, and it certainly was. A pretty good win for the X-men, and another indication that Butler's not going to have a miracle run like last year. But the shooting was absolute crap, on both sides, with the two combining for a lousy 32-101 from the field.

LaSalle 84 - Boston U. 81 = You know, I looked at this game yesterday, and thought about posting it as one with potential. But I was in a rush, and didn't. Mea culpa again. This game may have been the second-best one last night, after the Owl/Hoya one.


There is next to nothing tonight, and we are left with only:


Utah vs. Michigan = Neither team is total garbage, but neither one seems to be going much on anywhere this year either. Yet it could be close enough to provide some entertainment.

Western Carolina vs. Campbell = Smaller schools here, with smaller reps, but about the same story.

Iowa vs. Iowa State = Anytime you have a matchup between state rivals like this one, the possibility for some good action exists.


There will be, as expected, many many more choices on Saturday. I'll get a jump on it now by giving you some with an early tip:


# 1 Duke vs. Saint Louis = I would not gamble that the loss of Irving will hurt the Blue Devils here, as their bench is deep enough to cover that. Hell, their bench might be good enough to beat the Billikens themselves.

# 7 Michigan State vs. Oakland = The Spartans get a break, and will punish the Golden Grizzlies for the Orange crushing they got on Tuesday.

# 20 UNLV vs. # 24 Louisville = Both of these teams have played better than people expected. Neither of these teams have exactly proven they are totally for real. They are good, but Top 25 good? I dunno. Either because of or despite this, here's a very interesting contest.

Auburn vs. Rutgers = And neither of these teams have done a heck of a lot. Auburn's best win was an edging by 2 of Middle Tenn. State, while Rutgers was double-digits over Miami. Though I live in Joisey, I am not their fan, yet I think the Scarlet Knights should prevail. Besides, after the Tigers fired my guy Jeff Lebo, I wouldn't mind if they never won another game.


That's it for now. Back tomorrow afternoon with more. Enjoy.

[The Poet]

I've a bunch of work to do here, so lemme get to it. Last night:


Michigan 75 - Utah 64 = UM improves to a relatively gaudy 7-2 record with this victory, which may lead some to feel the Wolverines are back. Well, maybe so, but it remains to be seen. Aside from this one, the only "quality" wins they have are against Gardner-Webb, Clemson, and Harvard. That's not exactly Murderer's Row. Still, this is a decent W.

Iowa State 75 - Iowa 72 = As I said, an in-state rivalry can give you a good show. This one was.

Santa Clara 67 - San Jose State 63 = And maybe this one should have made my cut in yesterday's preview, as it was also a damn fine contest.


Were I to post all the games with potential to be good today, I'd be here until tomorrow. But as many pit .500 teams against each other (which does not mean these squads aren't good, as a lot are mid-majors or lower who have been beaten like drums by the Big Boys, so we have a false idea of who they truly are), I've tossed out a ton of them. Still, I'm left with a ton more. At the moment, 3 of the 4 early games are really tight, the exception being that Dook is trying to triple-up on St. Louis. To follow today, we have:


# 3 Pitt vs. # 11 Tennessee = Although I think the Panthers are better than the Vols, I don't think they are as good as a # 3 should be. Then again, I haven't much faith in UT either. I'd expect a pretty good one here, with Pitt taking it by maybe 3 possessions.

# 4 Kansas vs. Colorado State = But this one won't be nearly as good, nor as close.

# 5 K-State vs. Loyola Chicago = And this one has already ended, though it has yet to start.

# 8 Syracuse vs. Colgate = Please. You gotta ask?

# 14 San Diego State vs. San Diego = Apparently, the Aztecs have a pretty good team. Obviously, they are NOT the 14th best in the country. Yet I looked at their remaining schedule, and they do have a shot at remaining undefeated for the entire regular season. However: (A), This is mainly due to softness in the schedule, as the best opponents remaining are BYU and UNLV. (B) That undefeated streak, if it holds, will end come March.

# 15 Missouri vs. Presbyterian = And here's another cupcake turning buns up for the frosting of a paycheck. Yet they will give Missou a better game than some others above.

# 17 Kentucky vs. Indiana = The Hoosier faithful have a glimmer of hope that their team is finally coming back. I'm not so sure, since their record is a soft 7-1, with no really good wins. But if they can at least hang with the Wildcats and make this a contest, they can show me something. I'm very interested to see what happens here.

# 18 BYU vs. Arizona = And this is pretty much the exact same situation here. The desert Wildcats have only lost to Kansas, while the only "nice" wins the Cougars can boast are to Utah State and St. Mary's . . . which, as I said, are "nice", but not good. This game could tell us a lot about both teams.

# 19 Purdue vs. North Florida = But the only thing this one will tell us is if the Boilermakers can actually score enough to make it a laffer.

# 21 Washington vs. Texas A&M = This is more like it, and back to the same test of both squads which can give us a tight contest. The Aggies have not played a tough schedule, and lost to BC, but they do have a win over Temple. Meanwhile, though you can't fault the Huskies for losses to UK and MSU, that does leave their "quality" victories being UVA, Texas Tech, and Portland. Here's a test for both.

# 22 Minnesota vs. Eastern Kentucky = Maybe not exactly a "cupcake" game here, but not exactly a challenge either.

# 23 Notre Dame vs. Gonzaga = The Irish have played better than people thought they would, and the 'Zags have played worse, by a lot. They need the victory much more, so I would expect them to show up. That may not be enough, but the potential for a very nice game does exist.

# 25 Texas vs. Texas State = I think maybe Barnes & Co. can pull this one off.

TCU vs. Nebraska = And though these are not contenders for the crown, they should match up well and give a good show.

Wisconsin vs. Marquette = Same here. Both teams have shown positive signs.

Rhode Island vs. Quinnipiac = Which of these things is not like the other? Which of these things do not belong? Hey, I'm really just interested in seeing if you're paying attention . . . and if the Rams can stomp decent, albeit lesser, competition.

Rider vs. Drexel = Here, I'm not so much kidding. This one could go down to the wire.

Dayton vs. ODU = Here too, we should have us one hell of a game.

Cleveland State vs. Sam Houston State = I'm posting this one to give some props to the Vikings, who are off to an 11-0 start. And they actually do have some "eh" wins too, against Iona, Kent State, and Robert Morris f'instance. However, the Bearkats have played a tougher schedule, and lost only to Texas and Houston . . . the last one, by only 4 points. So just maybe the pillaging by the Vikes ends today.

VCU vs. Richmond = As with a few others above, this will be a good 'un.

UNC vs. Long Beach State = We don't yet know if the Heels are any damn good, despite their win over Kentucky. We do know the LBS 49ers are not very good, but they have played a fairly tough schedule, and 2 of their 5 losses are to ranked teams. Thus they won't be scared, so UNC better show up.


I could go on for another hour, but you wouldn't read them all anyway. Post your own picks, if you desire. Me, I'm gonna check for early results, plus Sunday's action. Back soon.