College Hoops: November

[cabbageboy 0]

Michigan St. is just not a team I constantly want to see in the Final 4. As I said, if it ain't IU coming out of the Big 10 to do something in the tourney, I don't care. It's not that Michigan St. isn't exciting at times...the UK game in the tourney was quite the thriller. But the wrong team won there, flat out...as the UNC game showed in the FF. With UK's size inside they could have possibly neutralized Sean May and made a game of it the 2nd time around. But MSU? Who thought they had a hope in hell?

 

Crimson, look at it this way. I do hate Wisconsin worse at least, though I'll admit that they've taken steps to get away from the horrible 55-52 games they used to play. Their game vs. UNC was actually quite good. Do I want to see them far in a bracket though? Fuck no.

[SilverPhoenix 0]

And we have our first upset people.

 

The Bearkats of Sam Houston State defeated the Missouri Tigers 80 - 77 in the NIT Tournament.

 

It may not mean much in the future, but it definetely means the Tigers coach is in the hot seat.

[Damaramu 0]

Quinn Snyder(Tigers head coach) showed up to Big XII media day shaking and visibly nervous and then he accused the media of trying to get rid of him.

He really sucks. He's had immensly talented teams and he's done NOTHING with them.

From what I understand Mizzou wants to fire Snyder this year and Pinkel(football coach) next year.

[Guest Leelee]

Dama, do you feel the Big XII is underrated in basketball.

[Damaramu 0]

No b/c last year it was the third best conference and it's going into this year as the third best again.

It's a tough conference. Kansas and OSU are rebuilding but they still had really good recruiting classes.

[Guest Leelee]

Do you know any hot boys who play for OU?

[Damaramu 0]

Do you know any hot boys who play for OU?

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Umm.......they're dudes. You're a chick. Go look at the pics and tell me if they're hot. I wouldn't know. I know hot girls that play on the girls team.

[Crimson Platypus 0]

Michigan St. is just not a team I constantly want to see in the Final 4.  As I said, if it ain't IU coming out of the Big 10 to do something in the tourney, I don't care.  It's not that Michigan St. isn't exciting at times...the UK game in the tourney was quite the thriller.  But the wrong team won there, flat out...as the UNC game showed in the FF.  With UK's size inside they could have possibly neutralized Sean May and made a game of it the 2nd time around.  But MSU?  Who thought they had a hope in hell?

 

Crimson, look at it this way.  I do hate Wisconsin worse at least, though I'll admit that they've taken steps to get away from the horrible 55-52 games they used to play.  Their game vs. UNC was actually quite good.  Do I want to see them far in a bracket though?  Fuck no.

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I will agree that Wisconsin plays an ugly, boring style of basketball. That grind it out garbage is not enjoyable at all.

 

As far as the UK game in the tourney, the better team won, not the wrong one. So how well did UK's size do them in the first game against May? The one where he had 14 points and 19 rebounds in a 91-78 win?

 

Bottom line is that you hate MSU, just admit it.

[Guest Leelee]

Hawaii blew out Michigan St., today.

 

I hope Chaminade can beat them next.

 

Also, UC Irvine gives Stanford a firm beating at home.

[cabbageboy 0]

Michigan St. wasn't a better team than UK...hell they were a 5 seed with no real momentum and had done zilch of note the entire year. They just got hot over a couple of days. To be honest in that Austin bracket there was no one that was a Final Four caliber team, thus SOMEONE had to come out of it. Duke was an undeserving 1 seed, UK was a very fragile 2 having just lost the SEC title to FLORIDA, etc.

 

As I've said, I don't really hate MSU...where I'm from they aren't a real big rivalry with anyone (the UK thing is more of a pseudo rivalry). Teams I actively HATE are total scum like Cincy or maybe Memphis (though not so much now that U of L is in the Big East).

 

U of L may not get exposed at this point though, nothing but jobbers until the trip to Rupp on Dec. 17. We beat TN Martin today in unspectacular fashion.

 

I'll go on a limb and predict this upset: IU over Duke. Marco Killingsworth is a big plus for IU.

[Crimson Platypus 0]

Hawaii blew out Michigan St., today. 

 

I hope Chaminade can beat them next.

 

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Do you know anything about the game or did you just see the score and come post some shit?

[Alro 0]

Let me preface this by saying I did not see the games, only the scores.

 

I want to know what the hell Florida is doing beating Wake Forest and Syracuse. Did they just get lucky? I didn't expect Florida to do shit this year.

[cabbageboy 0]

Alro I saw a bit of those games and I too am mystified. Florida lost Walsh, Roberson, and Lee so I didn't think they would have shit this year. Florida always seems to have good early season runs before being exposed in the SEC.

 

Tomorrow is where basketball picks up, with the Maui thing starting up soon and the Guardians tourney (UK vs. Iowa, WVU vs. Texas, winners face each other).

[Guest Leelee]

Hawaii blew out Michigan St., today. 

 

I hope Chaminade can beat them next.

 

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Do you know anything about the game or did you just see the score and come post some shit?

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Ooh, another over-protective homer. I love you kids.

 

No, of course, I didn't watch it. I don't believe it was on nationally. Apparently, the MSU kids all had cramps, or something. Either way, a bad loss.

[Damaramu 0]

Fuck. Duke is really really really really good. I don't know if I can take Vitale this season.

And did Reddick hit the gym or something? The dude looks more muscular than normal.

[Guest]

In other news, UCLA looks nice. I can't fathom them playing Duke in the final of the preseason NIT. I'd explode.

[SilverPhoenix 0]

Let me preface this by saying I did not see the games, only the scores. 

 

I want to know what the hell Florida is doing beating Wake Forest and Syracuse.  Did they just get lucky?  I didn't expect Florida to do shit this year.

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I saw that game. Syracuse made a lot of mistakes, but honestly, Florida looked damn good at this point. Their front court is powerful, and is going to give teams nightmares. Kentucky better scout the Gators very well, because they can sneak up on anyone, at anytime, and beat them.

 

Of course, watch Florida blow a game with Auburn or Mississippi.

 

Either way, 2 big wins for the Gators. At this point, I put them ahead of the Crimson Suck...I mean Tide.

[Crimson Platypus 0]

Hawaii blew out Michigan St., today. 

 

I hope Chaminade can beat them next.

 

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Do you know anything about the game or did you just see the score and come post some shit?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Ooh, another over-protective homer. I love you kids.

 

No, of course, I didn't watch it. I don't believe it was on nationally. Apparently, the MSU kids all had cramps, or something. Either way, a bad loss.

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I'm really not an over-protective homer, trust me, when MSU sucks I'm the first to admit it (see: football, horrid). It's hardly a bad loss when 4 players had to leave the game with cramps. It's nothing. Not one team in the NCAA would win a game without 4 top players. Period.

[Guest]

Zags/Maryland on ESPN2 right now.

[mike546 0]

UConn needs Marcus Williams back ASAP. The lack of a good guard is killing them right now.

[Guest]

They're getting a game, just as Kentucky did today.

[Alro 0]

I didn't see the UK game last night (my class schedule is really messing with my ability to watch UK during the week). Judging from the stats, poor shooting was their problem. They amazingly managed to out rebound Iowa, which means Kentucky is doing something right or Iowa is really, really bad at rebounding.

 

I don't want to be your typical, fanatical Kentucky fan, but this loss does not make me feel good about the season. I'll save my solid prediction of doom and gloom until after I see the outcome of tonight's game.

[cabbageboy 0]

Alro, I have no idea why no one in the fucking state of KY can beat fucking IOWA! I went off on a huge tirade about this last night actually. I mean fuck it's just Iowa, they are a semi talented Big 10 JTTS. We all know Alford's bunch will start strong, win some unexpected games in the pre conf. tourneys, and then once the Big 10 season starts they'll go in the tank as usual.

 

UK's biggest problem is that they don't have anyone to just give the ball to in a clutch situation where Tubby can say "Get the hell out of this guy's way." Rondo is way too out of control and erratic. U of L isn't worth a shit this year but at least we've got Taquan Dean to give the ball to.

 

Oh, and WVU truly choked away that game against Texas. And they got a bit screwed on that non call at the end where Gansy was blatantly fouled. UK will lose to WVU tonight most likely as well.

[Guest Leelee]

I watched Gonzaga beat Maryland.

 

Maryland doesn't look much better than last year, so I don't know why they're ranked. Their best player is Caner-Medley, who needs shots force fed to him by others. Their guards can't defend. Gonzaga looks good, but they still rely too much on the outside shot.

[Crimson Platypus 0]

I thought that Bastista looked pretty good Leelee, but it seemed like Maryland was double teaming him a lot.

 

I agree with you on Maryland though.

[Guest Leelee]

Batista seems to have good skills. But, he's not a main option for their offense... I don't even remember him getting any touches in the 1st half, although he has been in foul trouble. And MSU seems to not have much trouble scoring inside. And that Morrison is a hell of a player. He's got hops, too.

 

Also, it's weird watching a game where often more than 50% of the floor is occupied by white players.

[Crimson Platypus 0]

Holy shit what a shot by Ager!

 

That charge they just called on Davis was absurd. That dude was standing UNDER the basket!!

 

 

OT #3, a great game going on here.

[Crimson Platypus 0]

Good loss to a good team there. Morrison was unstoppable.

[cabbageboy 0]

Yeah that has to be an early contender for Game of the Year. Probably about ****3/4 if one is open to doing ratings for games. Can't really go the full ***** since it was a game that has no real importance in the grand scheme of things.

 

That's an interesting topic. What are some ***** games in college hoops? In the regional finals last year I'd say all 4 games were easily at ****, but if I had to rank them I'd go like this:

 

Louisville vs. West Virginia: *****. Yes, I'm a mega U of L fan but this was one of the greatest games I've ever seen, even looking at it a few weeks later in a calmer perspective. Amazing trick shots, both teams playing at an insane level, guys coming in off the bench and making key plays, a thrilling comeback (that wasn't really WVU choking...it took place over most of the last 30 mins).

 

UNC vs. Wisconsin: ****. This was a very good game and Wisconsin brought it way more than I thought they would (losing 88-82), but really I don't think at any point there was a legit threat UNC could lose here.

 

Michigan St. vs. Kentucky: ****1/2. Incredible double OT thriller with a jaw dropping finale to regulation in Sparks' 3. UK had their chances to finish it in OT but screwed up, and MSU kinda screwed up at the end of regulation anyway, so I can't go ***** on this one. And though Crimson would disagree, the wrong team won.

 

Illinois vs. Arizona: ****1/2. This was another amazing game but given your point of view either Zona choked horribly the last 5 mins. of regulation or the refs blatantly refused to call ANY type of foul on Illinois as they were stealing the ball at will. Either way it leaves just enough of a sour taste that I'd drop it from *****.

 

Anyone else got some game ratings? I mean there are some obvious ***** games like Duke/UK from 1992, but any others?

[Guest Leelee]

Please don't make star rating games a trend.

 

I'd rate last year's final a *. I hated the way Illinois played last year. I hate jump shooting teams. I love hosses. And Illinois took it to the extreme in that game. It would have been **, but one more star deducted for Roy Williams winning. I wanted to see him cry after blowing it for the 124234th time, and hopefully swear on CBS again.