College Hoops 1/16/2006 - 1/29/2006

[SilverPhoenix 0]

After a wild first 2 weeks, where we have seen. Teams being upset. Teams rising beyond expectations, Teams Falling Flat and others just becoming invisible. The College Hoops Season Continues along. We're now in the 3rd Week of Conference Play.

 

Lets start with the Weekly Wrapup.

 

RPI as of 1/16/2006

 

1 Big Ten 0.5956

2 ACC 0.5864

3 SEC 0.5830

4 Big East 0.5824

5 Missouri Valley 0.5641

6 Big XII 0.5522

7 Pac 10 0.5503

8 Mountain West 0.5254

9 Atlantic 10 0.5199

10 Colonial Athletic 0.5158

 

11 Western Athletic 0.5126

12 West Coast 0.5111

13 MAAC 0.5083

14 Horizon League 0.5031

15 Mid-American 0.5023

16 Sun Belt 0.4933

17 Conference USA 0.4881

18 Big Sky 0.4773

19 Southland 0.4756

20 Ohio Valley 0.4687

 

21 Patriot League 0.4653

22 Southern 0.4582

23 Big South 0.4579

24 Ivy League 0.4522

25 Big West 0.4451

26 America East 0.4438

27 Northeast 0.4431

28 Mid Continent 0.4369

29 MEAC 0.4307

30 Independent 0.4222

 

31 SWAC 0.4140

32 Atlantic Sun 0.4114

 

Lots of things look the same, except for the Big XII which jump up 5 spots to 6th overall. The SEC is now over the Big East in RPI, which makes you scratch your head as well. Otherwise things look quite the same.

[cabbageboy 0]

That RPI is moronic. How can anyone justify the ACC or SEC being ahead of the Big East in RPI? The ACC has turned into Duke and a bunch of JTTS type teams, none of whom I'd think would last past the 2nd round (maybe NC St. could be Sweet 16 at best). The SEC is utterly putrid, with no one but Florida even in the Top 25.

 

The Big East is just insane. I took a look at U of L's upcoming schedule and it's all UConn, Nova, Cincy twice, Syracuse, WVU....just insanity.

[Guest Princess Leena]

Yes, it's very strange that the SEC passes the Big East. The Big East has the higher winning percentage, plus I'm sure those teams overall have played a tougher schedule.

 

I'm also surprised the MVC remains ahead of the Big 12. The MVC gets a lot of credit, and deservedly should be mentioned as better than a mid-major, now.... but, it's still top heavy. And only N. Iowa has the "big name" wins from there.

 

Atlantic Sun is painful this year... Kennesaw looks like they might win, eek... but the MEAC and SWAC are worse, damnit.

[SilverPhoenix 0]

And now, the Major Conference Rankings.

 

ACC

 

Duke (1) 4-0 16-0

N.C. State 3-1 14-2

North Carolina 2-1 10-3

Georgia Tech 2-1 9-5

Miami (FL) 2-1 10-6

Florida St. 2-2 11-3

Clemson 2-2 13-4

Maryland 2-2 12-4

Virginia 2-2 8-6

Boston Coll. 1-3 12-4

Wake Forest 0-3 11-5

Virginia Tech 0-4 10-7

 

A-10

 

Geo. Washington 3-0 12-1

Xavier 3-0 11-2

Charlotte 3-1 10-6

Rhode Island 2-1 8-6

Richmond 2-1 9-7

Massachusetts 2-1 7-6

Saint Louis 2-1 8-7

Fordham 2-1 7-9

La Salle 2-2 10-4

Temple 2-2 8-6

St. Joseph's 1-3 6-7

Dayton 0-3 8-9

St. Bonaventure 0-4 6-9

Duquesne 0-4 2-13

 

Big East

 

West Virginia 4-0 12-3

Pittsburgh 3-0 14-0

Syracuse 3-0 15-2

Connecticut 2-1 14-1

Villanova 2-1 11-2

Rutgers 2-1 12-4

Cincinnati 2-2 13-4

Georgetown 2-2 10-4

Marquette 2-2 12-5

Louisville 1-2 13-3

Seton Hall 1-2 9-5

St. John's 1-2 8-6

Notre Dame 1-3 10-5

DePaul 1-3 8-7

Providence 0-3 7-7

South Florida 0-3 6-10

 

Big Ten

 

Wisconsin 4-0 14-2

Illinois 2-1 16-1

Indiana 2-1 10-3

Iowa 2-1 13-4

Ohio St. 2-2 12-2

Michigan St. 2-2 14-4

Northwestern 2-2 9-6

Michigan 1-2 11-3

Penn St. 1-2 9-5

Purdue 1-3 7-8

Minnesota 0-3 9-5

 

Big XII

 

Texas 2-0 14-2

Nebraska 2-0 12-3

Oklahoma St. 2-1 12-5

Missouri 2-1 9-5

Texas Tech 2-1 10-7

Kansas 1-1 10-5

Colorado 1-2 11-3

Texas A&M 1-2 11-3

Oklahoma 1-2 10-4

Kansas St. 1-2 10-4

Iowa St. 1-2 11-5

 

Conference USA

 

Memphis 2-0 15-2

UAB 2-0 12-3

UTEP 2-0 9-5

Rice 2-0 8-7

Marshall 1-1 7-7

UCF 1-1 7-7

So. Miss 1-1 7-10

Tulsa 1-1 6-9

Houston 0-2 9-5

SMU 0-2 7-7

ECU 0-2 6-9

Tulane 0-2 4-10

 

Mid-American

 

East

Miami (OH) 5-0 8-5

Ohio 4-0 10-2

Akron 4-0 10-3

Kent St. 4-0 10-5

Buffalo 2-2 12-3

Bowling Grn. 2-2 6-8

 

West

Northern Illinois 3-2 8-5

W. Michigan 1-3 4-10

Toledo 1-4 8-5

Ball St. 0-4 4-8

East. Michigan 0-4 3-9

Cent. Michigan 0-5 2-11

 

Missouri Valley

 

Southern Ill. 6-0 13-3

No. Iowa 5-2 15-3

Wichita St. 5-2 14-4

Creighton 5-2 11-4

Missou. State 4-3 11-4

Bradley 3-4 9-6

Drake 3-4 10-8

Evansville 1-5 5-9

Indiana St. 1-6 8-7

Illinois St. 1-6 6-9

 

Mountain West

 

Air Force 3-1 15-2

San Diego St. 3-1 10-6

Wyoming 3-1 10-7

UNLV 2-1 8-7

New Mexico 2-2 11-6

Colorado St. 1-2 12-4

BYU 1-2 9-5

Utah 1-3 8-7

TCU 0-3 4-13

 

Pac 10

 

UCLA 4-2 14-3

Washington 3-2 14-2

California 3-2 9-5

Stanford 3-2 7-6

Oregon 3-2 9-8

USC 3-3 12-5

Arizona 3-3 10-6

Wash. St. 2-3 9-5

Oregon St. 2-3 9-7

Arizona St. 1-5 7-8

 

SEC

 

East

Florida 3-0 16-0

Tennessee 2-1 11-2

Vanderbilt 2-1 11-3

Georgia 1-2 11-5

Kentucky 0-2 10-6

SC 0-3 9-7

 

West

Ole Miss 3-0 13-3

LSU 2-0 10-5

Alabama 2-1 9-6

Arkansas 1-2 12-4

Miss. State 1-2 11-5

Auburn 0-3 8-6

 

WAC

 

La. Tech 4-0 11-6

Nevada 3-1 13-3

N.M. State 3-1 7-8

Utah St. 3-2 11-4

Hawaii 2-2 8-6

Fresno St. 1-2 8-6

Boise St. 1-3 8-7

San Jose St. 0-2 4-11

Idaho 0-4 3-11

[Guest Princess Leena]

This year looks like a bad one for non-power conference teams to make the tourney. Not many are standing out.

 

Northern Iowa looks like the only team out of the MVC with a good chance of an at-large... other than them, unless one of the other big 4 teams in there start dominating the conference, I see them struggling to get in. But, they'll probably knock each other out.

 

Nevada will likely get one, if they can remain around the top of the WAC.

 

Air Force really deserves one, as they only have 2 losses, and one was at Washington. But, they've also done some feasting on my beloved Independent teams, so their SOS is probably awful.

 

Bucknell has a good case for one... considering that 2 of their 3 losses are against Duke and Villanova... but, Patriot league play is going to kill them. Any conference season losses would really hurt.

 

Buffalo still has a shot... but, they need to stop blowing close games in conference play.

[SilverPhoenix 0]

I don't think anyone else gives a crap, but in the Martin Luther King JR. Afternoon Battle, which was a MEAC Game. The North Carolina A & T Aggies defeated the Bethune Cookman Wildcats 69 - 67 off a couple of Free Throws with 7 seconds left.

 

The Aggies leave the category of the winless that is occupied by such teams as (subtracting Non D-I wins) Morehead State, Savannah State, Morgan State and Baylor.

 

There was even a celebration as the fans rushed out onto the field like they've just won a trip to the NCAA Tournament.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Didn't Savannah State go winless last year, too? Poor guys.

[RepoMan 0]

Buffalo still has a shot... but, they need to stop blowing close games in conference play.

Buffalo has no depth and are going to have a tough time winning MAC road games.

 

Only 3 MAC schools have a shot at an at large imo at this point, Miami, Ohio and Akron, but they must tear through a MAC East that also includes Buffalo and Kent State. Arguably, the top 5 MAC teams are in the East. (Northern Illinois and UB seem like a toss up, NIU escaping with a 2 pt win vs. UB at Home). The MAC is going to canablize itself and the MAC East standing are going to be a giant cluster fuck, meaning one bid for the MAC again. Being ranked behind the MAC and Horizen in RPI really hurts too.

[therealworldschampion 0]

Kansas/Missouri in overtime after Kansas missed a chance to win the game blowing 2 free throws with 0.4 seconds left.

[therealworldschampion 0]

Oh God, not even 3 minutes into the UConn/Syracuse broadcast and Vitale mentions JJ Redick and Duke.

[therealworldschampion 0]

Illinois at Indiana ought to be good tonight

[SilverPhoenix 0]

Last night was nuts. Kansas had the game, and I mean literally had the game. They spent the last 6 minutes, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, and after seeing the Syracuse/UConn game, I wished they hadn't left it.

 

Tonights 4 games all look to be pretty hot. Not to mention ESPN Classic is showing games again with Villanova/Seton Hall tonight.

 

Speaking of tonight's games. Does anyone wish they would stop showing so many SEC games, and give us more Valley ones?

[Damaramu 0]

How does Moody miss those free throws? Of course it's not worse than the kid from Memphis.

OU sucks but Texas Tech sucks worse. I'll be covering the game so I'll either be asking

"What went right?" or "How did you shoot 35% from the field!?" after the game to Sampson.

[iggymcfly 0]

You could be asking both; you never know. OU seems to have a penchant for winning games in the 40s.

[SilverPhoenix 0]

And Louisville loses yet another one.

 

This time to St. Johns.

 

Kentucky stopped the bleeding as well.

[ANKLELOCK 0]

Vols lead #4 Memphis 45-41 at the half.

[Damaramu 0]

I probably get to meet Bobby Knight on Saturday. Kick ass.

[cabbageboy 0]

U of L is just reeling right now. I was worried this was going to happen, simply because I knew we were highly overrated to begin the season. The frustrating thing is that U of L could be pretty solid if Dean wasn't constantly hurt. He was supposed to carry us this year. But right now? Just 1-3 in Conf. play with an assbeating from UConn upcoming, and then at Rutgers, at Nova, Cincy twice, at UConn, at Cuse, at WVU. I mean hell, we'll be lucky to beat DePaul and Marquette.

[SilverPhoenix 0]

And tonight following the UNC/Virginia is the big Cincinatti Rivarly Game.

 

Xavier Vs. Cincinatti.

 

Go Musketeers!!

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Holy crap, Virginia beat UNC. I know UNC is not even close to last year's team, but after getting absolutely shitkicked last year, I had no expectations of UVA winning tonight. The team has still collapsed terribly against Fordham and Western Kentucky, but they're learning, and rebounding so, so much better than they have in the past three or four seasons. I love Dave Leitao as coach--he's developing players in a way Pete Gillen never could. UVA only has three or four guys (Singletary, Adrian Joseph, J.R. Reynolds, Jason Cain) who I'd consider ACC-caliber players, but he's making it work. He'll have them back in the tournament in a year.

[Mik 0]

UNC is performing close to how I expected this year.

 

Win some games they aren't supposed to win and lose some games they aren't supposed to lose.

 

They are the only team in NCAA history to have lost ALL of the starters from the previous years National Championship.

[SilverPhoenix 0]

Man, what a game last night. It was the first time I watched the Crosstown Shootout from Beginning to End, and I have to say it really is the most underrated rivalry game in College Basketball. It draws you in, and doesn't let you go until the final buzzer.

 

Both Cincinatti and Xavier played a solid game, sans the Free Throws down the stretch, when neither team could make their shots. What was surprising was that Xavier won anyway even though it made one 3 pointer out of the 20 it took. It really did come down to the fouls and the players on the court.

 

Congrats to Xavier though. If they win on Sunday, they'll definetely be ranked.

[therealworldschampion 0]

Georgetown is making Duke its bitch right now, leading by 14 at halftime.

[iggymcfly 0]

Redick's having a tremendous game and Duke's making a comeback. Georgetown's still up 4 with 2:30 to go.

[iggymcfly 0]

Well Duke lost. I think the weak link for the Blue Devils right now is Paulus. He was clearly rattled down the stretch, made a lot of bad turnovers and bad fouls, and even missed an open layup in the closing seconds. I know he's just a freshman and he should get better throughout the year, but if he gets this rattled in a non-conference game in January, I can't imagine what he'll be like in the NCAA tournament. Honestly, if Duke doesn't win it all, I think Paulus will be the reason why.

[LooseCannon25 0]

Yeah bitches....My Hoyas FINALLY won a big game. That's their biggest win since at least the 90's. Maybe they'll crack the top 25 now, or even 20

[Damaramu 0]

Well OU has a tremendous first half against Texas Tech and then proceeds to shoot 29% in the second half. But Texas Tech shot 22% in the first half so OU goes on to win the game 60-48.

 

Big Bob Knight was hilarious in the post game press conference.

Someone asks him "Coach what was the problem in the first half?" And he says something to the degree of "Well not knowing a whole hell of a lot about the situation I'd think that when you turn the ball over 12 times and go 5-21 from the field then that's a pretty big problem! Anymore questions!?" and he says this as he's walking out.

Then we're all laughing about it and he comes back into the room and says "You know someone taught me the alphabet once and they didn't ever ask me if I knew it again! Think about that!" and then he stormed out.

[Guest Princess Leena]

Duke's lack of a consistent PG finally bit them in the ass.

 

Same will happen in the big tourney, IMO.

 

But, the biggest upset of the day goes to mighty Independent North Dakota St. Bisons. They won at Wisconsin, soundly. Never overlook the Indys.

[Mik 0]

I hope so.

 

As any good former Tarheel would, I truly hate Duke and I want to punch JJ Redick in the face and cram one of his poems down his throat.

 

I'm really glad I caught the end of that game.

[SilverPhoenix 0]

Duke's lack of a consistent PG finally bit them in the ass.

 

Same will happen in the big tourney, IMO.

 

But, the biggest upset of the day goes to mighty Independent North Dakota St. Bisons. They won at Wisconsin, soundly. Never overlook the Indys.

 

I know you love your independents, but I love my Big East Teams, and ND State has got to take a back seat to Georgetown. (Though the ND State Bisons rock for winning) I saw it happening, but I still don't beleive it! Duke lost!! Go Hoyas!! Go Big East!! (Know that my Inner Big East Fanboy is smiling today.)

 

Now Bruce Pearl, please defeat Florida, please? The world does not need an SEC Team as the #1 Team in the nation.

 

Oh yeah...Has Dukie V gone into suicide watch yet?