A New College Hoops Thread.....

[therealworldschampion 0]

I think a lot of people discount Kansas because they just plain do not like them.

 

I tend to think it's because of their history in the NCAA Tournament in the past 15 years...

[cabbageboy 0]

It's not that people don't like Kansas, but it's just that they are choking bitches. Yeah I know they made some FFs under Roy Williams, but in for instance 2002 who in that bracket was a serious threat? They're kinda like Zona in that regard, when people expect things from them they choke, and when they are ignored they do well.

 

I'm telling you, playing constant close games comes back to haunt you. UK last year is a prime example, I bet they won half their games with scores like 68-66. If you don't squash a JTTS type team in the tourney, it will come back to haunt you.

 

As far as U of L goes, it's just a matter of time at this point before we're basically out of the Top 25. Yeah we'll make the tourney since we already have 21 wins, but anything higher than a 6 seed would amaze me. We're doing the usual Feb. fade that every U of L team has done since about 1988. That Memphis game was essentially the death knell, as we have to play Marquette, Memphis, and DePaul all on the road, and get a tough Charlotte here.

 

Comparing Michigan St. not losing to jobbers to U of L is bizarre. The Big 10 doesn't really have the bizarro world rivalry games that CUSA has (mostly dating to the old Metro). To the outsider, U of L getting trounced by a shit Memphis team is shocking. To me, I know Memphis hates our guts so it's not real surprising. Bear in mind U of L players have had KNIVES thrown at them in road trips to Memphis.

 

Stuff like this is why I'll be glad to get out of CUSA. It's a conf. where a bunch of teams hate us, but we don't really care about them either way. That's why we'll never win it.

[iggymcfly 0]

Well, Kansas does have an Elite 8 trip and a trip to the national championship in the last two years. I think they're probably an Elite 8 team again this year, but exactly how far they get will depend on their draw.

[iggymcfly 0]

Actually, I just looked at Joe Lunardis bracket on ESPN, and if it stayed like it is now, I'd predict Kansas gets knocked out by Maryland in the second round.

 

With the (obviously tentative) way he has it set I'd have:

 

Alberquerque:

(3) Oklahoma St. over (4) Gonzaga

 

Chicago:

(1) Illinois over (3) Syracuse

 

Austin:

(2) Duke over (8) Maryland

 

Syracuse:

(1) North Carolina over (3) Washington

 

I'm not 100% sure who plays who from there, but from the way I understand it, in the Final Four, we'd have:

 

(1) Illinois over (3) Oklahoma St.

(2) Duke over (1) North Carolina

 

leading to a championship of

 

(1) Illinois over (2) Duke

[CanadianChris 0]

It's not that people don't like Kansas, but it's just that they are choking bitches. Yeah I know they made some FFs under Roy Williams, but in for instance 2002 who in that bracket was a serious threat? They're kinda like Zona in that regard, when people expect things from them they choke, and when they are ignored they do well.

I think it's more that the Jayhawks were choking bitches under Roy Williams. Kansas won a national title the last year Roy Williams was not coach (before last year). I think this is the year they could go all the way.

[Damaramu 0]

Kansas has the talent to go all the way. And they're seniors are probably hungry for it. Duke in the national title game? Not going to happen. Duke will not make it past the Elite 8. They just don't have enough depth and that was exposed at Maryland.

[iggymcfly 0]

Ha, I knew Kentucky was overrated. I may have been a little off on Pittsburgh, but the Wildcats showed they're definitely not a Top 3 team.

[Alro 0]

Ha, I knew Kentucky was overrated. I may have been a little off on Pittsburgh, but the Wildcats showed they're definitely not a Top 3 team.

No shit. I don't think anybody but the blindly loyal UK fans thought that they were a Top 3 team. I'll feel a little better when they drop a few spots. They should be a two seed come March, at best.

[cabbageboy 0]

I don't think UK is even a top 10 team. I've watched the games, yeah I know they are 19-3 but there are a few of those that they flat out had no business winning (U of L, Ole Miss, even Arkansas to some extent). I don't get why everyone is now saying "I wouldn't wanna be Miss St. on Sat." Why not? They're getting Winsome Frazier back, they have a shot in Rupp. I mean I can't see UK trashing them by 20 or anything.

 

I want a UK/Pitt Sweet 16 matchup. Know why? Because UK is basically a mirror image of PITT at this point. Hell, Pitt's games at least have their amusements to them....UK depressed me at times. A lot of the crap Tubby gets isn't due to not winning per se, but it's just that his teams are so much less entertaining than Pitino's at UK. For anyone who watched UK then, watching them go out and stink up the joint in a 60-51 game is just sad. Say what you want, but aesthetics do matter. Whereas Pitt fans are just glad to win at all, UK fans expect more than these stagnant, dreary wins (or even losses). UK fans want actual performance virtuosity, actual shooting. Not shock clock violations, turnovers and barely putting 60 points on the board.

 

I'm not saying U of L is God's gift to basketball this year, but at least we usually play an enjoyable, exciting style and get roughly 80 pts a game. This stuff matters to people.

[Damaramu 0]

Thank god OU finally strung together an impressive win! Although it was against Nebraska so it wasn't that great!

[fairtoflair7 0]

I'd advise everybody to watch out for my GDub Colonials come tourney time. With wins over MSU and the Terps, I think we can beat anyone except UNC/Illinois. Fear POPS!@!

[iggymcfly 0]

Maryland's too up-and-down to be worth too much of a feather in the cap. I could see GW pulling a 6/11 upset, but I don't think they'll make it past the second round.

[Damaramu 0]

This is a good night. Duke just lost. I feel the joy sweeping through the land right now.

[iggymcfly 0]

Virginia Tech's actually better than people think. They definitely deserve a tourney berth.

[cabbageboy 0]

Yeah baby. U of L managed to somehow rally from 11 down with 5 mins left to beat Marquette. I knew that wouldn't be easy tonight after we squashed them bad here, especially with Diener back. We punked him out tonight though, just had 9. Get this quote from Diener:

 

"I just missed it, missed it bad, and it was the story of the night. Give them credit, they played good defense. I missed layups, and the supposed best player on the floor, I should make layups."

 

I ask you, how can you not hate this little prick?

 

And yes, Duke jobbed tonight. That keeps the weirdest trend ever going on these 7 and 9:00 games on the same night: U of L beats Marquette, Duke lost to Maryland....then U of L beat Cincy, Duke lost to Wake. U of L gets waxed by Memphis, Duke holds off UNC. U of L beats Quette again, Duke jobs to Va Tech. Isn't that the weirdest thing?

It's almost like fate is tying these two teams together and we're destined to meet in the tourney.

[Damaramu 0]

OU is losing at KSU. I think OU is proving lately an inability to do anything productive on the road. I see a 32 team round exit in the tourney.

Also Kansas is losing at ISU.

I think the road in the Big XII is just to difficult.

[Damaramu 0]

No that game is at Kansas.

ISU is becoming a force out of nowhere! They've won like 7 straight haven't they and now they're about to pick up a huge win at Kansas? Man where did these guys come from!?

[Damaramu 0]

And Kansas fights back to send it into OT! Oh man.

You may hate them but god damn they are giving us some good games.

[Damaramu 0]

What a win for ISU.

 

BUT WHAT A FINISH IN MANHATTAN!

OH MY GOD!

Both teams are tied at 67. OU has fought back from a 16 point 2nd half deficit.

The in-bounds pass is thrown RIGHT TO a KSU defender who goes to lay it in and MISSES! But he's fouled!

He hits 1 out of 2 free throws and gives KSU a 1 point lead.

Drew Lavender who's starting job was yanked and came off the bench to score 27 points takes it the length of the court and takes his 5'7" body(i've stood side by side with him before and he's closer to 5'5") in between several KSU defenders and lays it up as time expires. It rolls on the rim and Bookout and Gray jump up to tip it in with no time left! If they touched it the basket isn't good! OU runs off the court thinking they won. They're called back out on the court by the officials and it's reviewed and GRAY AND BOOKOUT NEVER TOUCHED IT! WHAT A FINISH!

I was nervous watching them all huddled around the monitor and then Sampson went nuts and ran off the court in excitement and they gave OU the game.

It was awesome seeing them run off the court right after the shot like they'd just stolen something! YES!

 

Wow I'm exhausted. OU basketball has never made me feel like this before.

[Guest MikeSC]

Hmm, my Cocks beat Kentucky soundly --- and are now presently getting the shit kicked out of them by Alabama.

 

Yup, Carolina consistency. LOVE IT!

-=Mike

[Guest spidyfan77]

SC played like psycho jobbers from hell vs. UK, and UK was practically sleepwalking, heh. The UK we saw tonight that trashed Miss St. would beat SC by 25 with little trouble. That does beg the question though: what IS the real UK?

 

Tomorrow U of L has St. Louis and for some bizarre reason we're favored by 21! I can assure anyone here we won't win by that much, those guys just play too slow of a style to really kill them. Dean has mono now as well..what's next Juan Palacios getting VD?

[Alro 0]

I don't know who that team was that played in Rupp Arena last night, but I wish they would put on a Kentucky uniform more often. Last night was about as good as I've seen Kentucky play all season. Maybe 6:00 am practices aren't a bad thing.

[cabbageboy 0]

Well U of L managed to beat down St. Louis today after causing me to nearly burst a blood vessel by trailing some of the 1st half (sorry but you do NOT trail at all to a total gimp like St. Louis).

 

As far as UK goes, I'm not sure what to read into this game. UK has looked very strong at times this year, but then sometimes they look hideous. Which is the real UK?

[iggymcfly 0]

OK, they're hot and fresh this time. Here's my college basketball rankings for the new week.

 

1. Illinois 27-0

2. Boston College 22-1

3. North Carolina 22-3

4. Duke 19-4

5. Wake Forest 22-4

6. Oklahoma State 20-3

7. Kansas 20-3

8. Kentucky 20-3

9. Washington 21-4

10. Michigan State 19-4

11. Connecticut 17-6

12. Pittsburgh 18-5

13. Syracuse 22-5

14. Gonzaga 21-4

15. Louisville 23-4

16. Villanova 17-6

17. Arizona 23-4

18. Oklahoma 19-6

19. Alabama 21-4

20. Wisconsin 17-6

21. Utah 23-3

22. Pacific 22-2

23. Charlotte 19-4

24. Notre Dame 16-7

25. Texas Tech 16-7

[cabbageboy 0]

Please explain how Duke is #4 after jobbing to Va Tech this week. I figured they'd beat Wake at home, but they lost to VIRGINIA TECH. I know Va Tech is better than normal, but Duke shouldn't be jobbing to old Metro jobbers.

 

Anyone else find it hilarious that BC's fans stormed the court after beating Syracuse? I mean they are ranked HIGHER than Cuse. Just shows they're still a 2nd tier program, doing stuff like that. Reminds me of Memphis storming the court last year after beating U of L by 4...when both Dean and Garcia were hurt and didn't play.

[iggymcfly 0]

Here's the deal with Duke. Since they have so little depth, their players get a little fatigued, and they lose a couple games that they shouldn't here and there. However, when they're playing in a big game, and giving their best effort, they get the job done consistently.

 

I knew there would be comments about them being ranked that high, but especially watching that Wake/Duke game, you can just tell they're more talented than Wake Forest. They were one shot away from winning at Wake, and when they were at home, Wake never really had a chance to win the game.

 

Also, you can't really tell me that Duke losing to Maryland and VT is any worse than Wake losing to GT and Florida State.

 

As for the BC thing, I agree completely. When I saw that, I honestly felt embarrassed for them. I remember, earlier in the season, I was at the UCLA/WSU game, and we had almost the same record as them, and the Cougs were actually favored by four points. When we were up three with 5 seconds left, everybody started moving up to the railings, and you could tell they wanted to rush the floor. The idea of it bothered me enough that part of me was actually glad that we gave up the easy three and let them win in overtime.

[Damaramu 0]

I'd also switch OSU and Wake on those rankings. OSU is way better than that. I think they may end up with a #1 seed instead of the one everyone expected Kansas to get because I think they're going to go ahead and win the Big XII regular season and tournament. And outright winning the 3rd best conference definitely deserves a #1 seed.

[cabbageboy 0]

Well, it depends. Unforunately for OSU they have to play AT Kansas, and I can't see Kansas losing something like 3 or 4 in a row (yes OU can take them tonight). I do agree OSU is likely better but the schedule will screw em.

 

I'm in a sorta agreement with Wake. These guys are just scary bad on the defensive end. Tubby or Pitino would either one SHIT if their teams were giving up 100 to people multiple times a year. Goon Redick, mug him, but for God's sake don't let him go for 38.

 

In the end, Wake and BC are teams at the opposite end of the spectrum. BC goes out and staggers past teams with scores in the 60s and plays great D. Wake goes out and has to outscore people, going into the 90s and even 100 sometimes. Might be an interesting tourney matchup though neither team is real high on my list to win it all. I never trust teams to go far that 1. Give up way too many points or 2. Can't score and/or blow teams out.

[Damaramu 0]

Also, you can't really tell me that Duke losing to Maryland and VT is any worse than Wake losing to GT and Florida State.

It's not worse the FSU but by your logic of "GT is great and going to the Final Four" then it is worse than losing to GT.

[Damaramu 0]

Kansas is down 37-22 at the half in Norman! This could be the Jayhawks first 3 game losing streak in 11 years.

Man this Kansas team has fallen apart.

How many teams does The Big XII get in?

 

Kansas, OSU, OU, Tech, Texas, and maybe ISU?