College Hoops Thread 2011-2012

[The Poet]

I'm still too busy, and too pressed for time, but lemme take a few minutes to hit a couple of highlights over the last few days. On Saturday:


Florida 84 - Texas A&M 64 = The Aggies finally got around to playing somebody, and got their butts handed to them by the Gators.

Southern Miss 86 - Mississippi 82 = Another loss by an SEC West team.

UNLV 64 - Illinois 48 = I'm not surprised the Rebels beat the Illini, but the score seems awfully low to me.

Indiana State 61 - Vanderbilt 55 = The Comms continue to prove they were over-ranked.

St. Joseph's 74 - Villanova 58 = The Hawks continue their good season, and the Philly 'Cats continue to struggle.

Kansas State 71 - Alabama 58 = Again, I'm not shocked the Manhattan 'Cats beat the Tide, but the margin is a bit surprising. K-State's down. On the other hand, we're talking SEC West again, so there's that.


On Sunday:


Oral Roberts 64 - Xavier 42 = The Musketeers pay the price for their fight with Cincy, and get embarrassed. Good. Serves them right.

Seton Hall 80 - Mercer 77 (OT) = Why note this one? Well, the Pirates have been crowing that they're back, but this is NOT a good sign of that. Mercer? Please.

Virginia 67 - Oregon 54 = The Cavs have been playing very well, and this W got them back into the rankings for the first time since they spent one whole week there back during the 2007-08 campaign.


On Monday:


Marshall 87 - Belmont 86 = Just a great game between two good mid-majors.

Illinois 64 - Cornell 60 = Were I an Illini, I would not consider this much of a bounce-back victory after that UNLV loss. Hey, Cornell's not Harvard nor Princeton.

LSU 67 - Maraquette 59 = OK, so I give enough grief to SEC West teams, it's time I was able to give them some props. A very good win for the Tigers.

Davidson 80 - Kansas 74 = And speaking of good wins, this is the best one the Charlotte 'Cats have had since Curry left, at least.


Tonight's limited action has some with potential, but I'll limit myself to:


Oakland vs. Arizona = I have that feeling this could be damn good, or at least better than the Desert 'Cats would wish.

Ohio State vs. Lamar = And this one could stay fairly competitive for a half or more too.

Louisville ve. Charleston = I don't think Charleston's as good as in the past, but I do think they can give the Cardinals a decent game.


Sorry, that's all I have time for today. Maybe the Christmas rush will give me more of a break soon. Until then, enjoy.

[The Poet]

Forgive me for not getting to this yesterday, but hopefully the worst of the Christmas rush is over. Still, I'm pressed for time, so here's a short update:


On Tuesday, scores of note (to me, anyway);


Louisville 69 - Charleston 62 = I expected a good game, and we got one.

N. C. State 67 - St. Bonaventure 65 = Not a great win for the 'Pack, but a good one nonetheless.

Richmond 90 - ODU 82 (OT) = And a great in-state fight here.

Wright State 80 - Idaho 78 (OT) = And a great out-state one here, since one can't get much more out-state than Idaho.


On Tuesday:


North Carolina 82 - Texas 63 = OK, so the 'Horns are down this year. The Heels were down the last two years, and lost both games to UT, so this is sweet . . . especially when you consider that we also won the Battle of the Barnes, meaning Harrison over Rick.

Fresno State 68 - Arizona State 65 = The Sun Devils still struggle to find themselves, just as much of the Pac-12 has.

Middle Tennessee State 68 - Mississippi 56 = I can't prove it, but had I had the time yesterday I would have called this one. Ole Miss keeps up the poor rep of the SEC West.


Today's action includes a lot of games that might be pretty good, such as:


Kansas State vs. Southern Illinois = K-State's trying to get better, yet they may be tested here.

Charleston vs. Coastal Carolina = An in-state battle with potential.

Florida vs. Florida State = Here's another, if the 'Noles show up.

Syracuse vs. Tulane = Hey, would you believe I give the Green Wave half-a-shot in the Dome (of course, in the Dome) tonight? If nothing else, they are smart enough to recognize a zone defense.

Davidson vs. U. Mass = This is one of those that popped out for me.

Georgetown vs. Memphis = The Hoyas have done better than most expected, and the Tigers have done worse. Still, keep an eye on this one to see how things develop.

Gerogia Tech vs. Mercer = Yeah, one may think the Wreck will roll, but I'm not so sure of that.

Elon vs. San Diego State = And these two can maybe give us a close one also.

Miami vs. Charlotte = Ditto.

West Virginia vs. Missouri State = Dit-three.

Rice vs. Texas A&M = And dit-four for this in-stater.

Louisiana Tech vs. Arkansas = Don't ask me why, but I got that tickle here again.

South Florida vs. Southern Miss = Here, I'm more confident we'll have a game.

Creighton vs. Northwestern = Here too.

Boise State vs. Iowa = And here.

Illinois vs. Missouri = Perhaps the key match-up of the night, and one will drop in the rankings. The other may rise, or may not.

St. Mary's vs. Baylor = This one could be just about as tough on the Bears as that BYU game was. I'm not going to say the Gaels will win, but as we've seen too little of Baylor against good competition . . . well, anything is possible when you don't know what you got.


That, sadly, is all I've time for. Hopefully I'll be able to do a better job in the near future. Until then then, enjoy.

[jsnake]

How about my Missouri Tigers! These boys are on fire. Actually hurt themselves a bunch in tonight's game but a win is a win.

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by jsnake

How about my Missouri Tigers! These boys are on fire. Actually hurt themselves a bunch in tonight's game but a win is a win.

So far so good for Missou, though they tried their best to give it back to the Illini. And even though they've not played all that tough a schedule, this win plus the ones over Cal and 'Nova are nice.

Enjoy your undefeated season while it lasts, because it ends eventually.


Too damn busy again today for any update, so maybe I can do some tomorrow.

[The Poet]

Internet problems today. I suspect my boss downloaded some malwear on my work computer. You know how bosses are . . . they think they know it all because they are bosses. So despite some interesting results last night (like Pitt losing again, and the X-Men losing their 3rd inna row, and Baylor getting sorely tested by WVA), there will be no good update today. Thank God there's not much action scheduled over the holiday weekend. And thank God the company laptop's still OK (so far), so I may be able to do some work here Monday, when I'm working here Monday all damn day.

Have a great Christmas everybody. As always, enjoy.

[The Poet]

I maybe have the chance to catch up a little now, so lemme get to it, with at least those scores that I found of interest. On Thursday 12/22:


UTEP 61 - Clemson 48 = I can't say it's a good win for UTEP, but it is certainly a poor showing by the Tigers.

Michigan 77 - Bradley 66 = And with all due respect to Bradley (but no more than that), this is not a great showing by the Wolverines, especially in Ann Arbor. Yeah, a win's a win. Still . . .

UConn 79 - Fairfield 71 = Speaking of which, with this one in Hartford, it's not that good a win for the Huskies either.

N. C. State 88 - Northeastern 59 = However, considering the lower expectations for Jerry's 'Pack, this is a nice one for them in Raleigh.

Florida 82 - Florida State 64 = I can't say I'm surprised the Gators won, but I am a bit surprised that the 'Noles gave them no game whatsoever. I guess that vaunted defense of theirs was guarding the wrong goal.

Mercer 65 - Georgia Tech 59 = It looks as though the Ramblin' Wreck is indeed one, or at least a wreck.

Rice 65 - Texas A&M 58 = Do you recall me telling you we'd see what the Aggies are once they actually started playing somebody? Well, this made their 2nd loss in a row. You can't fault them for losing to the Gators, but the Owls had lost THEIR last two before this win, and to Lamar and Temple . . . decent teams, but not monsters.

Butler 71 - Stanford 66 = A very good road win for the Bulldogs, who needed one badly.

Missouri 78 - Illinois 74 = Here's the one referenced above, where the Tigers were running away from the Illini before they tried to choke. A good win for them, but maybe not as good a sign for things to come.

Michigan State 90 - Lehigh 81 = Honestly, I'm not sure what to make of this one. The Spartans have turned things around from their bad start, and Lehigh's not a total cupcake. But it's still not much of a statement, considering it was in East Lansing.

Long Beach State 68 - Xavier 58 = The Musketeers pay again for their idiocy in the Bearcats fight. Good. Serves them right. As for Long Beach . . . well, I'll get to that below.

Kansas 63 - USC 47 = This must have been one snorer of a game, but with it out in LA it's an OK win for the Jayhawks.


On Friday 12/23:


Clemson 83 - Southern Illinois 75 (OT) = The Tigers actually show up for a change, at least in the extra 5 minutes.

UNLV 85 - Cal 68 = Either the Golden Bears are ormolu, or the Rebels just ran them over.

Tennessee 66 - East Tennessee State 63 = Wow. The Vols win one. Not by much, but they win one.

Louisville 70 - Western Kentucky 60 = And the Cardinals win one too, yet almost equally unimpressively. Well, I guess it's better than losing one unimpressively.

Wagner 59 - Pitt 54 = Another terrible loss for the Panthers. But then again, maybe not. Looking at their schedule so far, they've really played next to nobody much, and their other loss came at home (like this one) to Long Beach State. As for LBS, I'll get to that.

Baylor 83 - West Virginia 81 (OT) = And speaking of not playing much of anybody, consider now the Bears. Just a week before they escaped BYU 86-83 in their FIRST tough challenge of the year, and now they needed OT to handle their second. I see a bad fall coming this winter, since they cannot hibernate throughout the Big 12 schedule.

UCLA 71 - Rochmond 63 = OK, I know the Spiders have played a little down so far this year. But the Bruins were flat-out flatlined, so I must consider this a good step forward for them.

Hawaii 84 - Xavier 82 (OT) = Losing 3 in a row is never a good thing, at least for a team with national aspirations. But losing it to the Rainbows? Lawsy mercy.

Long Beach State 64 - Auburn 43 = Another spanking issued to a SEC West team. As for those 49ers what handled the paddles . . . well, let's review. They earlier beat Pitt, and have just beaten Xavier, and now the Tigers. They did lose at Kansas, but by only 8 points. So why did my Heels get so much grief from the "experts" when they won their game 84-78? Hey, just askin', that's all.


On Sunday 12/25, in very limited action:


Xavier 87 - Southern Illinois 77 = Finally, the X-Men stop the bleeding and end a 3-game slide. Still, I'm not sure their internal acrimony has ended, so for that we'll need to wait and see.

UTEP 83 - Auburn 76 = A game, between two teams likely to go nowhere.

Hawaii 75 - Clemson 68 = And what goes for Xavier also goes for the Tigers, albeit to a somewhat lesser degree. Hey, nobody much expected Clemson to be a power, yet still a loss to the Rainbows is not good.

Kansas State 77 - Long Beach State 60 = The 49ers go down fairly hard in the championship game of the Diamond Head Classic, to a K-State team that everybody said would be down this year. But so far the Manhattan 'Cats have lost only to West Virginia (another supposed "down" squad), and beated decent teams like Virginia Tech and Alabama, and in these Hawaiian games Southern Illinois and UTEP. Maybe they're not as bad as some believe. We'll maybe find out between Jan. 4-10, when they face in succession Kansas, Missouri, and Baylor.


That's all for now. There are no games today, and not many worth watching (IMHO) tomorrow either. I'll give youse guys a chance to reflect and respond, and shall be back later to deal with that slim handful on 12/27. Later.

[The Poet]

Alright, let me get these Tuesday games out of the way now. Conference play kicks off a little bit for some, including:


Pittsburgh vs. Notre Dame = In South Bend. The Panthers have lost at home to no less than Wagner, so you know they can lose on the road to the Irish. I don't think they shall, but it should be a decent game.

Providence vs. St. John's = The opening of the Big Mouth Conference season for these two too. It's in Sweater Stadium, but I give the Friars the edge over the Red Whatever-They-Call-Themselves-This-Week.

Illinois vs. Minnesota = And the start of Big Ten + Two play for them also, in what should really be a damn good game. Yeah, the Illini have gotten more respect, but the Gophers have perhaps been ignored too much. Illinois has already lost in Champaign once, so don't be shocked if they drop another.

Wisconsin vs. Nebraska = It's in Lincoln, and shall be the Cornhuskers' inaugeration into the Big Ten+ . . . with a loss, I predict. The Badgers' two Ls came at the hands of ranked UNC and Marquette, while the Huskers' three came from Oregon, Wake Forest, and Creighton . . . not cupcakes, but not killers either. This could be the beginning of a looooong few weeks in Lincoln too; after this, Nebraska faces Michigan State, @ Ohio State, @ Illinois, Penn State, @ Wisconsin, Indiana, and Ohio State again. Damn! Maybe they'd better win this one, or their conference season may be over before January's done.

Virginia vs. Maryland Eastern Shore = The Cavs remain ranked, and won't lose that here. But there seems to be something going on in Charlottesville. Two of their players announced they want to transfer out of the program over this weekend. Did they just get fed up with the fact that UVA actually expects you to go to class and pass exams, or is there another problem? As much as I'd like to see the Cavs do well, I worry that, if this stuff continues, their ACC success may be limited.


That's it for now. If I don't talk at you tomorrow I'll be back Wednesday. Until when then, enjoy.

[The Poet]

I got slammed again at work today, so have not time to post. As I'll be here longer tomorrow, I should get a chance to catch up then.

Enjoy, even without me.

[The Poet]

Hey hey hey, I might actually get a chance to do this today, and catch up a little on what we've missed. And in fact we've missed some good ones, such as on Tuesday 12/27:


Notre Dame 72 - Pittsburgh 59 = Considering how iffy the Panthers have played, this loss in South Bend is no shock. But I cannot figure out what in the hell is wrong with Jamie Dixon's team . . . and apparently he can't either. They normally don't choke until March, and unless the Irish are better than I believe a 13-point defeat is a choke, even on the road. There's no doubt their previous loss at home to Wagner was one.

St. John's 91 - Providence 67 = And I don't think the Friars are as good as they've been before, at least so far, and I KNOW the Johnnies are not much more than decent. This kind of a spanking is hard to understand, and I don't care that it was in Louie's house.

Georgia 92 - Winthrop 86 (OT) = In Athens, no less. If this is any indication, the Bulldogs need not even shw up for upcoming games against Kentucky and Florida.

Illinois 81 - Minnesota 72 (2OT) = Wow. What a start to the Big Ten+ season for both teams. Neither is likely to challenge for the league championship, but they both are likely to receive at-large consideration, so both wanted this early victory. Can't you tell?

Wisconsin 64 - Nebraska 40 = One of these teams IS likely to challenge for the conference lead, and the other is NOT. The Badgers got the glacial style of game they prefer (yeah, I know they've said they like to run more than in the past, but that's a load), while the 'Huskers could only manage 14 points in the 2nd half. Shucks, you can't win that way.


On Wednesday 12/28, two undefeated teams went down:

Georgetown 71 - Louisville 68 = Before the season started, nobody gave the young Hoyas much thought. If they haven't by now, then this will certainly get their attention. And keep in mind, this was in the KFC Yumi Crum Bucket also, which makes the drumstick all the crispier.

Michigan State 80 - Indiana 65 = And nobody gave either one of these two much thought back in November, especially after the Spartans dropped their first two. As for the Hoosiers, they were expected to be a year or so away still, yet surprised a lot of people by going undefeated to this point, which included their handing Kentucky their first loss. This was a game of runs that was much closer than the final, so you MSU fans should not get too up, nor you IU ones too down. I still don't know how real either of these two are, but I respect both programs and wish both well.

Oklahoma State 68 - SMU 58 (2OT) = I didn't see it, but it was probably an exciting game to watch, though it may not have been very entertaining. Hey, only 126 total points in 50 minutes of play? The Cowboys finally broke the Mustangs with a 10-0 run . . . in that 2nd OT, when they pitched a shutout.

Missouri State 77 - Creighton 65 = If you're looking for a surprise, here it is. The Bluejays are a much better team than the Bears, and should never have lost by a dozen to a squad struggling to stay above .500, particularly in Omaha. Not so much a surprise is . . .

U Conn 60 - South Florida 57 = The Huskies are NOT a Top Ten team, and if not for Calhoun's home-cooking of one batch of cupcakes after another they wouldn't be thought one either. Well, the picnic's over, and this visit to Tampa to face a "meh" Bulls team came within a possession of proving my contention. And speaking of over-ranked teams . . .

Baylor 54 - Mississippi State 52 = When it comes to cupcakes, those Dogs above have nothing on these Bears here. Baylor has to date faced only three quality opponents. If you total their margins of victory over BYU, WVA, and now THESE Dogs, you only come up with seven in all. Yeah, they're still one of the four undefeated teams left, but that ends soon . . . as it will for both Syracuse and Missouri, you can bet on it. Joe's Racers MAY stay unblemished for a while, but I would not bet on that.


Tonight we have a number of games that are interesting for one reason or another:


Campbell vs. N. C. State = The Fghting Camels are a pretty decent mid-major, and Jerry's Wolfpack is still trying to find themselves. It's in Raleigh, so give the 'Pack an edge, but expect a good one.

Harvard vs. Boston College = I don't expect a good one here, and not because the Eagles are an ACC team. They appear to suck, and the Crimson have played well. I could be wrong, but I think this will be over long before it's over.

Penn vs. Davidson = But now this match-up of Northern Ivy vs. Southern Ivy could be a lot more fun. I believe the Wildcats are better than the Quakers (they did beat Kansas in Lawrence, remember?), and the game's in Charlotte (well, Davidson, actually, but some of you don't even know where CHARLOTTE is, much less Davidson), but it might be fairly entertaining, though maybe not as entertaining as . . .

Yale vs. Wake Forest = Two more Mason/Dixon Ivies pair off, in Greensboro. One of them will win. I have little faith in either one, so this could be an all-out War Of Northern Aggression.

VCU vs. Akron = And this just looks to be a good match-up.

Florida vs. Rutgers = And this doesn't. The Gators have played better of late, and the Scarlet Knights are . . . well, the Scarlet Knights. It's in Piscataway, but that should make no difference whatsoever.

North Carolina vs. Elon = In fact, this one may be closer than the one above. The Heel should prevail with a reasonably comfortable margin before it's done, but don't expect the Phoenixes to totally flame out.

Michigan vs. Penn State = I've no idea what the Nittany Lions have this year, but I do know the Logans can struggle to score. Keep your eye on this one to see if an "upset" develops.

Kansas vs. Howard = And keep your eye off this one, unless you happen to actually be in Allen Fieldhouse tonight. Instead, watch . . .

Marshall vs. Belmont = Because this one should be a game, start to finish, just like . . .

Northern Iowa vs. Illinois State = With NI's D, I give them some edge. But I don't know who has the edge with . . .

Wisc.-Milwaukee vs. Valparaiso = Nor do I know which way to go with . . .

Oklahoma vs. Cincinnati = Both can play OK, and both can stink up an gym. Speaking of stinking up gyms . . .

Vanderbilt vs. Marquette = The Commodores have done a lot of that. The Golden Eagles have not. If Vandy can manage to show up (and I've stopped expecting that they will), this will be a hell of a game.

Oregon State vs Washington = This might too, though nobody seems to know, or believe in, ANY Pac-12 team, such as . . .

Oregon vs. Washington State = Both these games are in the state of Washington, which leads me to ask the same question that seems to enter my head each year when previewing the scheduling in this conference: Do they have agreements where teams from the same state share airplanes and busses to the games? Are they really that "green" on the Left Coast? But to finish with the West Coast games, perhaps the best on the docket is . . .

BYU vs St. Mary's = The Gaels stumbled against Denver, and again against Baylor, but otherwise they've been solid. The Cougars also lost to those Bears and to the Wisconsin Badgers, plus a stumble of their own in their opener at Utah State, yet have been solid themselves. This one in Moraga, wherever the hell that is, but wherever it is it ain't in Utah. If you can stay up this late you might catch a good one here.


That's it for today, my brothers. See you hopefully tomorrow. Until then, enjoy.

[mase]

Glad to see my Hoyas keep winning. Crazy things happening...

5 minutes to go and Marquette down by 20 to Vandy.

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by mase

Glad to see my Hoyas keep winning. Crazy things happening...

5 minutes to go and Marquette down by 20 to Vandy.

Georgetown has played a lot better than was expected from this young squad. Good for them. I'll be interested to see how they continue once Big East games begin in earnest.

The Commodores have perhaps been the biggest disappointment to the "experts" so far this year, but this was definitely a great win for them, especially on the road, and by such a large margin. But the biggest shock of the night was that double-OT win by Rutgers over the Gators.

I'm too busy, or maybe too lazy, to do a full update today. If I'm not too slammed tomorrow . . . and why would a liquor store be busy on New Year's Eve? . . . I'll play a little catch-up Saturday, or at the latest Monday. Until then then, enjoy.

[mase]

Yeah that Rutgers win was incredible.

Hope that tomorrow isn't too bad for you. Enjoy New Year's Eve if you can.

[jcruse64]

Rutgers game was very good; looked like the gators just folded up in OT2.

Murray State is 14-0!!!! Yeah, I'm a homer Got tickets to the Austin Peay game, an ESPNU showing. If they show a short, blonde spitfire in MSU garb being forcibly removed from the arena, prayers and bail would be appreciated; it will be my wife .

Really looking forward to a good UK/UL matchup today.

Happy New Year, folks!!!

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by mase

Yeah that Rutgers win was incredible.

Hope that tomorrow isn't too bad for you. Enjoy New Year's Eve if you can.

Thanks, Kevin, and the same to you.

Originally Posted by jcruse64

Rutgers game was very good; looked like the gators just folded up in OT2.

Murray State is 14-0!!!! Yeah, I'm a homer Got tickets to the Austin Peay game, an ESPNU showing. If they show a short, blonde spitfire in MSU garb being forcibly removed from the arena, prayers and bail would be appreciated; it will be my wife .

Really looking forward to a good UK/UL matchup today.

Happy New Year, folks!!!

And a Happy New Year to you, Joe, and to everybody else also. Have a great time at that AP game. Go Racers! They may be the only ones with a legitimate shot at going without a regular season loss this year. Then, come March, we'll maybe see how real they are.

The Battle of the Bluegrass State has already tipped off, and I'll keep an eye on it as I'm preparing my update. Back shortly, I hope. Enjoy.

[The Poet]

Big games in progress have not been so big so far, with UConn and UK handing it to St. John's and Louisville, and unless they turn around both games are already over. While they continue, lemme catch up some. On Thursday:


Rutgers 85 - Florida 83 (2OT) = As mentioned above, this one's a shock. I realize the Gators have been spotty at times, but letting the Scarlet Knights take them is inexcusable.

Vanderbilt 74 - Marquette 57 = This one would not be as much a surprise, despite the fact that this other SEC team has been even more spotty than Florida. However, both the margin and the fact that the Comms were on the road add significance to a badly-needed win for them.

N. C. State 87 - Campbell 81 = The Wolfpack has been somewhat better than "meh", while the Fighting Camels have been humping along fairly well, considering. Jerry may not be delighted by this win, but I feel it is at least a decent one, and certainly better than a loss.

Wake Forest 72 - Yale 71 = And considering where the Demon Deacons were last year, this is not a bad win either. Also, regarding head-to-head between the "Two Ivy Leagues" . . .

Davidson 75 - Penn 70 = Had this happened during the Curry era (or the Lefty one, for you old-timers), this would not be that good a win. But were I a Wildcat, I'd take it, thank you very much.

VCU 76 - Akron 75 (OT) = I expected a battle in this one, and we got it.

Belmont 79 - Marshall 74 = Ditto.

Illinois State 65 - Northern Iowa 61 = Same here, though I thought NI'd take it. Shows what I know.

Wisc-Milwaukee 57 - Valparaiso 55 = And here's another one, which despite the low scoring was one fine contest between two good mid-majors.

Cincinnati 56 - Oklahoma 55 = And here again, with the Bearcats getting a win they desperately needed.

St. Mary's 98 - BYU 82 = Way to go, Gaels. Not only did they beat the Mormons, they kinda spanked them too.


On Friday:


Georgia 58 - Delaware State 51 = The Bulldogs post a totally unimpressive victory.

Northeastern 53 - Vermont 51 = Both programs have been better in the past, yet still gave us a fun game.

Missouri 75 - ODU 68 = Missou remains undefeated, though against an ODU team that's also been better before this year. 'Grats to the Tigers, and enjoy it while you can . . . your run will end soon.

Princeton 75 - Florida State 73 (3OT) = Wow. The Garden State sure handed it to the Sunshine State over these two days, with both the Scarlet Knights and the Tigers hanging L's on the Gators and 'Noles . . . though it took a comnbined 5 OTs to do it.

George Mason 84 - Charleston 76 = I don't think CoC's as good as before, and I know GM's not going to reach another Final Four this year. Still, it's a good win for them.

Temple 66 - Delaware 63 = But like that Georgia win above, I can't consider this to be a very good showing by the Owls.

Auburn 78 - Georgia Southern 75 = Nor is this one by the Tigers.

Murray State 73 - Eastern Illinois 40 = I normally refrain from posting blowouts, but I wanna keep on Joe's good side . . . and give some props to the Racers for staying unblemished to date.

Seton Hall 67 - West Virginia 48 = Speaking of blowouts, what about this one? By itself it means little, as we know the Mountaineers are down some this year. But have you noticed that the Pirates are quietly 12-2 so far, including decent wins over VCU, St. Joe's, Auburn, Wake, and Dayton? Are they for real? We may find out come this Tuesday, when they face the UConn Huskies.

James Madison 71 - Stetson 69 (OT) = Neither team is likely to make much noise this season, but the did give us an entertaining contest here.

Wagner 64 - Santa Clara 62 = The Seahawks follow up their stunning victory over the Pitt Panthers by edging a decent Broncos squad. Good for them.


While I was typing the above, Louisville made a huge comeback to get back into their game in Rupp. However, St. John's has not done the same against those Huskies. Some other games which tip-off early today include:


Viginia Tech vs. Oklahoma State = The Cowboys have grabbed a slim lead over the Hokies with 5 gone in the second, but it's still too close to call. I expect it to stay that way.

Iowa vs. Wisconsin = The Hawkeyes are up a trey in Madison over the Badgers, but it's only midway through the first. Anything can happen, and I think those Badgers will wrest control eventually. But I don't expect a blowout.

Rice vs. Texas = I get that feeling that this Lone Star War will be exactly that.

N. C. State vs. Western Carolina = And if Jerry's 'Pack want to keep any sort of respect, they'd better take care of the Catamounts in this in-state fight. I believe they will, but it might be closer than Jerry'd wish.

Florida vs. Yale = You'd expect the Gators to bounce back from that embarrassing loss to Rutgers. I'd expect that too. Still, if the Scarlet Knights can beat them, so can the Eli.

Wis-Milwaukee vs. Butler = The Bulldogs, national runner-up the last two years, are struggling at 7-7 so far. Me, I think they'll drop below .500 today.

Boise State vs. Idaho = Get out your potato guns. This one could be fun.

Georgetown vs. Providence = The Hoyas have done very well, and the Friars have not. Still, anything can happen in conference play, so keep an eye on this one.

Mississippi State vs. Utah State = I've yet to be convinced that MSU's for real. A win here won't convince me they are, nor will a loss convince me they aren't. I get that feeling this will be close, even if it is in Starkville.

Northwestern vs. Oklahoma = And I get that feeling about this one too.

Michigan State vs. Nebraska = And I don't get that feeling about this one. The Spartans have won a dozen inna row, and Izzo likely won't let them lose focus. As for the Cornhuskers . . . well, their nightmare introduction to the Big Ten+ has just begun.

Drake vs. Missouri State = Yeah, nobody much cares about either one of these teams, but I think it may be a pretty decent match-up.

South Alabama vs. Middle Tennessee State = Same here.


I'll be back a little later with early finals and other games today and Sunday. Enjoy.

[The Poet]

As promised, here's a few early finals:


Kentucky 69 - Louisvlle 62 = The Cardinals made a late run in the first half to make it a game, then made another late in the 2nd to make it respectable. I didn't get to see it, but as I doubt that either defense was all that dominant, the game must have been pretty sloppy. UK may not move up in the polls, but Louisville shall certainly drop a few spots.

U Conn 83 - St. John's 69 = The Johnnies were totally outclassed by the Huskies in Hartford.

Virginia Tech 67 - Oklahoma 61 = Not a great win for the Hokies, but a decent ony anyway.

South Carolina 72 - S. C. Upstate 66 = And not a great win for the Gamecocks, nor a decent one either.


Later games today include:


Harvard vs. St. Joseph's = This one ought to be tons of fun. I can easily see the Crimson losing to the Hawks, and losing their ranking to boot.

Purdue vs. Illinois = Both the Boilermakers and the Illini need all the conference wins they can muster to keep pace with the big boys. This should be a war.

UCLA vs. California = The Bruins have had a horrid start, and a win against the Berkeley boys would go a long way towards improving their outlook. I can't see it happening, but UCLA does have the talent . . . if they show up, finally.

Kansas vs. North Dakota = Don't bother.

Arizona vs. Arizona State = And despite my respect for Herb Sendek, don't bother all that much with this one either. Yeah, the Sun Devils could surprise me, but I wouldn't bet on that.

Oregon State vs. Washington State = Both start out 0-1 in league play, so both want the win. As the Pac-12 might be fairly open, at least below the top one or two spots, every team needs any victory they can steal.

Creighton vs. Wichita State = It's in Wichita, but even if it wasn't I'd give the Shockers a shot here.

Ohio State vs. Indiana = In Bloomington, so you have to give the Hoosiers one also. The Buckeyes have not been as dominant as expected, while IU's been much better than was thought. They may not be back yet, but a win here would go a long way towards that aim.

Saint Louis vs. New Mexico = Here's one of those match-ups of good teams that hold the potential for a nail-biter.

UNLV vs. Hawaii = The Runnin' Rebels visit Honolulu, but a win by the Rainbows would be a definite lulu.

Gonzaga vs. Xavier = Has the Musketeers recovered from their brawl with Cincy? If so, they ought to edge the 'Zags. If not, it could be another ugly loss.

Charlotte vs. Memphis = The Tigers have been just another of those teams from the Volunteer State that have sorely disappointed their fans so far. The 49ers don't have the personnel to compete with Memphis if they play up to their pre-season hype, but as they've rarely done so so far this might be a good one.

Oregon vs. Washington = Like that other Great NW fight above, both teams would like to challenge for, at least, respectability in the Pac-12. This should focus both of them to play well.


On Sunday, in limited action, we have:


Rutgers vs. South Florida = Can the Scarlet Knights do a double-dip against the Sunshine State and gore the Bulls. Hey, if they can beat the Gators, they can win this one. But for some reason I expect them to have a let-down, so it may be just as close as their last OT game.

Marquette vs. Villanova = You'd expect the Golden Eagles to be angry after their embarrassment at home against Vandy, which does not bode well for a so-far so-so 'Nova. I'm not saying the Wildcats can't win, as I've a lot of respect for Jay Wright. However, Jay Wright won't be in uniform, so I'd bet on Marquette were I you.

North Carolina vs. Monmouth = The game itself doesn't promise to be much, as the Hawks have only won 2 games so far this season. Yet it does hold interest for Tar Heels, as it shall mark the return to Chapel Hill of former players King Rice, Derrick Phelps, and Brian Reese, all teammates in the 90's. The Monmouth coaching staff will likely get the biggest hand of the day in the Dean Dome.

Michigan vs. Minnseota = So if you're looking for a more competitive contest, tune this one in. I can see it going either way, and expect it to come down to who executes in the final few minutes.

Akron vs. Marshall = And on a slightly different level, I'd expect much the same here.

Syracuse vs. DePaul = And believe it or not, I expect it here too. The 'Cuse have again screwed up their scheduling, and are actually playing a road game in Rosemont! Who'd a thunk? The Orange will probably previal, but I think the Blue Demons will give them a scare or two before it's over.

Duke vs. Penn = But I don't expect the Blue Devils to get much of one from the Quakers.

Cincinnati vs. Pittsburgh = Here's an intereting match-up for you, as both teams have had some downright stinkers, with upsets they should never have allowed. They may not actually fight, but they should battle even if only out of pride.


That's it for now. I may be back a little later, and may not. In either case, enjoy.

[jcruse64]

Actually, the Bluegrass Battle was VERY physical, I thought. Lots of fouls called, but the refs let them play. I thought we might get a couple of fights, for a minute. In H2, both teams had some foul number issues. While play got sloppy at times, there was very good D on both sides, and a fantastic number of blocks for both teams. While I am an admitted Cats Homer, and wanted them to win, I was hoping for a fight, and got it. I think the Cats took their foot off the pedal late in H1, and got lazy, and the Cards went into a press and made them pay. Pitino usually can teach a group how to put a full court press to great advantage, and the H1 run was a product of that.

I'd agree with UK not moving in the polls, except that IU slapped a loss onto The Ohio State, their 2nd "giant killer" game. That ought to smart on The OSU, though I'd like to see UK stay off the #1 spot until the end of the Final Four.

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by jcruse64

Actually, the Bluegrass Battle was VERY physical, I thought. Lots of fouls called, but the refs let them play. I thought we might get a couple of fights, for a minute. In H2, both teams had some foul number issues. While play got sloppy at times, there was very good D on both sides, and a fantastic number of blocks for both teams. While I am an admitted Cats Homer, and wanted them to win, I was hoping for a fight, and got it. I think the Cats took their foot off the pedal late in H1, and got lazy, and the Cards went into a press and made them pay. Pitino usually can teach a group how to put a full court press to great advantage, and the H1 run was a product of that.

I'd agree with UK not moving in the polls, except that IU slapped a loss onto The Ohio State, their 2nd "giant killer" game. That ought to smart on The OSU, though I'd like to see UK stay off the #1 spot until the end of the Final Four.

You mean you don't want your Racers to knock them off that first weekend? What kind of fan are you?

Weekend update to follow shortly after I enjoy my post-luncheon dog-rocket.

[The Poet]

Well, both those games referenced above influenced the polls, not surprisingly. As UK and OSU were pretty much "tied" in the voting, the Buckeye loss dropped them down out of the Top Five . . . which may be too much. Louisville dropped even more, but there's the excuse of back-to-back Ls to explain that. So to recap some more of the meaningful scores, on Saturday 12/31:


Indiana 74 - Ohio State 70 = I told you the Hoosiers had a shot at home against the Buckeyes. I'm still not totally convinced they are back to Knightly glory, but it is good to see them competing on a high level again.

Iowa 72 - Wisconsin 65 = But this one surprises me quite a bit. I didn't think the Hawkeyes had much of a chance in Madison against the Badgers . . . which shows you once again what little I know, and why they play the games.

Boise State 76 - Idaho 73 = This one was about what I did expect, however. I thought it would be a good game, and it certainly was.

N. C. State 82 - Western Carolina 55 = The victory by Jerry's 'Pack was pretty much expected, but the size of the margin was not, which may be a sign that this team is starting to play together better.

Georgetown 49 - Providence 40 = And though the Hoya win was expected, the crappy scoring by both sides makes that UK/Louisville score look like an old UNLV/Loyola Marymount romp.

Butler 54 - Wisc. Milwaukee 50 = Another low-scorer, but I'm sure the Bulldogs are happy they've stayed above .500, at least for now.

Michigan State 68 - Nebraska 55 = Nothing at all surprising here. In fact, what would be is if the Cornhuskers manage to win more that 2 or 3 games in conference play all season.

Mississippi State 66 - Utah State 64 = Some of you may have looked askance when I said this would be a good one. Well,

Purdue 75 - Illinois 60 = I missed this one, or maybe the Illini missed the bus. Although I figured it could go either way, so the Boilermaker win is no shock, the significant margin does shock me some.

Harvard 74 - St. Joseph's 69 = And you may think I missed this one too, as I pretty much called for St. Joe's to knock off the Crimson. But blame the Hawks for this, not me . . . they were up by 10 at the half, then didn't manage to make it out of the locker-room. Speaking of which . . .

Creighton 68 - Wichita State 61 = I gave the Shockers a shot here, and THEY were up 8 at the break. Looks like I'm the one who couldn't catch one . . . a break, I mean.

New Mexico 64 - Saint Louis 60 = I made no call here, save for a good game, and it was.

UNLV 74 - Hawaii 69 = But though the Rebels won, as I predicted, I never thought the Rainbows could hang so close.

Gonzaga 72 - Xavier 65 = Well, it wasn't all that ugly a loss for the Musketeers, but they continue to self-destruct. Maybe that crosstown win over the Bearcats was the worst thing that could have happened to the X-Men. This also means I have no clue if this was a good win for the 'Zags, or not. Furthermore, to contrast this . . .


On Sunday 1/1:


Cincinnati 66 - Pittsburgh 63 = Since that fight mentioned above, the one that seemingly ruined Xavier's momentum, the previously struggling Bearcats have won 6 in a row after that row. Meanwhile, Pitt slips deeper into the pits, which is unusual for them. They normally don't collapse until March.

South Florida 67 - Rutgers 65 = The Scarlet Knights follow up their stunning victory over the Gators by dropping this one to the Bulls. Who can figure this $#!+ out?

Marquette 81 - Villanova 77 = As I thought, Marquette rebounded from their loss with a win. But there's some hope for the Philly 'Cats here, since they made a pretty damn good showing of it, so maybe they can get better before the end of the year.

North Carolina 102 - Monmouth 65 = And as I thought, not much of a game. But also as I thought, and my sole (or is that "soul"?) reason for mentioning this at all was the 30-second standing ovation King Rice et. al. received during introductions. Some programs are just programs, but others are family.

Akron 67 - Marshall 51 = I'm a bit disappointed that the Herd didn't give the Zips all the game I predicted. Oh well, you can't win 'em all.

Michigan 61 - Minnesota 56 = Now this is more like it, and more of the contest I expected. A good win for the Wolverines, though I'm still concerned with their lack of scoring ability. So far this season they've only had 2 games when they've scored over 80 pionts, and 6 when they've tallied under 65. And they ain't exactly the Hoyas of the 80s either.


Today's action has already started in some places, but only one final so far has any real meaning:


Rhode Island 78 - Boston College 72 (2OT) = The Rams pretty much stink this year, and this is only their 3rd victory so far. Guess that means the Eagles won't be challenging for the ACC crown.


In other games:


ODU vs. James Madison = As I type it's at the half, with JM up 2. I think ODU will make a game of it before it's done.

Chattanooga vs. Tennessee = In most years, one would have to favor the Vols fairly heavily. I don't know if the Mocs can beat this present batch in Knoxville, but they may scare them a bit.

Virginia vs. LSU = It's in Baton Rouge, so despite my misgivings about SEC West teams I gotta give the Tigers a shot here, at least to challenge the Cavs. UVA's played much better than expected (and good for them), but not only am I not totally convinced they are for real, I also suspect they have some internat turmoil disturbing their chemistry. Hey, players don't leave in the middle of a season without some reason, be it good or bad.

Baylor vs. Texas A&M = And speaking of not being convinced someone's for real, I don't buy into the Bears all that much. If the Aggies can play up to their pre-season hype for a change, they could hang that first L around Baylor's neck.

Drexel vs. Georgia State = This is just one of those I get that feeling could be fun.

Wofford vs. Wake Forest = This one could be too, though I'm more interested to see how the Deacs play. After the abysmal last few years they've had down in Greensboro, they can use any W they can get.

Coastal Carolina vs. Campbell = Here's two pretty good mid-majors going head-to-head, so keep an eye on this.

Vanderbilt vs. Miami (OH) = And much like that Wake/Wofford game, my interest stems from my curiosity as to which group of Commodores will show up in Nashville tonight.


That's all for me today. See you later, and enjoy.

[The Poet]

In last night's limited action there were only a few scores of note:


Baylor 61 - Texas A&M 52 = The Bears remain undefeated, and I remain unconvinced about them. The Aggies have been one of the more disappointing teams so far this year, though not as disappointing as . . .

Vanderbilt 69 - Miami OH 62 = I guess a bad win is better than a worse loss, but this does not impress me at all, at least not favorably. What does more is . . .

Virginia 57 - LSU 52 = Yeah, I know the Tigers aren't a great team, but a win on the road by the Cavs at this point of the season means a lot in Charlottesville, I'm sure.

ODU 67 - James Madison 61 (OT) = I figured ODU'd get back into this one before the horn, and they did, even if just barely. Then after the horn, they did what they needed to do.

Wofford 56 - Wake Forest 52 = A decent win for the Terriers on the road, and a sign that the Deacons will continue to slide, even if not quite as far as last year.

Campbell 70 - Coastal Carolina 65 = Again, I figured on a pretty good game here, and the Camels managed to get over the hump for a decent victory.


Tonight also has limited action, but there are a few marquee match-ups:


Ohio State vs. Nebraska = This isn't one of them. The Buckeyes will recover from their "upset" by the Hoosiers and shuck the 'Huskers, who'll need to wait a while longer before they earn their first Big Ten+ win.

Michigan State vs. Wisconsin = But this one could be a real barn-burner. These two are seemingly headed in different directions, with the Spartans on a roll and the Badgers digging themselves a hole. One wants to keep the streak going, and the other needs to turn it around. It is in Madison, but if the Hawkeyes can beat UW there so can MSU. Look for a war.

U Conn vs. Seton Hall = And this may be one too, considering how well the Pirates have looked at times, and considering that the Huskies are doing what they've yet to do much of this year . . . playing a decent opponent in a true road game. And against South Florida away from the Nutmeg State, U Conn won by only 3 lousy points. You should definitely keep an eye on Newark tonight.

Florida vs. UAB = In most years I'd think this one could be fun, but UAB hasn't shown us much so far. At times, neither have the Gators, yet I feel they'll be able to handle this with some ease.

Kentucky vs. AR Little Rock = And I'd also give the Wildcats a slight edge over the 5-10 Trojans.

Harvard vs. Fordham = It's in duh Bronx, but the Rams ain't the Yankees. The Crimson ain't the Rod Sux either, but they oughta take it, bad.

Louisville vs. St. John's = And this is in the Garden, but I don't give the Johnnies much hope here. The Cardinals rebound from their back-to-back losses against the Hoyas and 'Cats.

Missouri vs. Oklahoma = The Tigers are another of those teams I've not bought into yet, due mainly because they've not played much of anybody. A win against the Sooners won't change my mind, but a loss just might. For this alone the game is of interest.

Alabama vs. Georgia Tech = And I'm not sure either the Tide or the Wreck can play with The Big Boys. 'Bama has a better record, but 2 or their three losses have come on the road. This one's in Atlanta. Like above, a Tide win will tell me little. One by the Jackets will tell me a little more, though not all that much.

SMU vs. Mississippi = Here again, I'm not sure what this will tell us, at least about the Rebels. A win by the Mustangs in Oxford may indicate they're not gawd-awful, yet won't tell us that they are any damn good. So again, no prediction here, but just an interest to see what's what.


That's about all for this evening. Pick your poison, and enjoy.