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

[CanadianChris 0]

Big East has a legit shot at an unprecedented EIGHT teams in the tournament this year. West Virginia, Pitt, UConn and Nova are all locks, Syracuse and Cincinnati are pretty likely, and Georgetown, Marquette, Rutgers and St. John's have decent shots, especially with Georgetown's win and the Johnnies knocking off Pitt today. DePaul might even have an outside shot if they can get their act together (although I doubt it).

[iggymcfly 0]

Well, so much for Florida being #1. They blew their chance tonight against Tennessee. I guess that with two wins over Top 5 teams now, you have to take the Vols somewhat seriously.

[SilverPhoenix 0]

Big East has a legit shot at an unprecedented EIGHT teams in the tournament this year. West Virginia, Pitt, UConn and Nova are all locks, Syracuse and Cincinnati are pretty likely, and Georgetown, Marquette, Rutgers and St. John's have decent shots, especially with Georgetown's win and the Johnnies knocking off Pitt today. DePaul might even have an outside shot if they can get their act together (although I doubt it).

 

I think what the most amazing things are.

 

- All 12 Teams that make the Tournament may have a shot to go to the postseason in some form.

- The only truly sucky team in this conference is South Florida and possibly DePaul (Though they beat Wake Forest in Winston Salem)

[Damaramu 0]

Man my Bob Knight story got no-sold. Then again that was nothing compared to the usual Knight fare.

[iggymcfly 0]

Well, in a day in which all three undefeated teams lost, I don't think Bob Knight's whiny interview is really a major story.

[SilverPhoenix 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.

 

Dama, my bad. I was too high on the Big East Victory Parade to notice it.

 

And that is classic Knight. He usually sums it all up in one question when he loses, and with this Texas Tech Team that sucks big time, the less said, the better.

[Guest Princess Leena]

Who's gonna be #1 now?

 

Assuming UConn finished off Louisville... I think they deserve it. Hardest schedule of the 1-loss teams. Beat Georgetown.

[SilverPhoenix 0]

Who's gonna be #1 now?

 

Assuming UConn finished off Louisville... I think they deserve it. Hardest schedule of the 1-loss teams. Beat Georgetown.

 

With 2:29 and with Free Throws U-Conn is up 65 - 55.

 

If UConn wins this game. Here's my Top 5.

 

1) UConn

2) Duke

3) Villanova

4) Florida

5) Memphis

 

Then you have Texas and Illinois who also have cases (escpecially with CUSA being so damn bad....) this is going to cause any voter a headache.

[iggymcfly 0]

Who will be number one? Yeah, it's gonna be UConn. They're one of the teams that the media loves to hype up, and they're the highest ranked team that didn't lose this week.

 

As for who deserves to be number one though, that's a totally different question. At this point, I think it still has to be Duke. They've played a much tougher schedule than UConn regardless of whether they lost to a common opponent.

 

Some quick comparisons:

 

Wins over currently ranked teams

Duke: Memphis, at Indiana, Texas, Maryland, NC State

UConn: Gonzaga, at Syracuse, at Louisville

 

Loss

Duke: by 3 to Georgetown

UConn: by 15 to Marquette

 

Overall SOS according to Sagarin

Duke: 4th

UConn: 217th

[ANKLELOCK 0]

What a great night of basketball.

 

I say it three times a week nowadays, but I love Bruce Pearl.

[Danville_Wrestling 0]

Thanks for supplying the Bobby Knight info Dama, I got a good laugh out of it.

 

UConn should be #1 but Louisville looked pretty good throughout much of the game. However, they need Dean back quickly so they don't get jobbed out too much in the conference.

 

Thank god UK won today as well. It looks like their shooting is getting better with Patrick Sparks and Rondo stepping up to make two huge 3's down the stretch. However, they are going to have to play much better as Tennessee and Florida loom large on the schedule.

[cabbageboy 0]

UK showing signs of life is really a bad thing for them, if that makes any sense. I knew it would happen, the SEC blows too hard for UK to not get well in conf. play. They'll make some kind of heatless minor tourney run (maybe 2nd round, Sweet 16 if they are VERY lucky) and then nothing will change in Lexington.

 

I'm amazed U of L is still ranked. It doens't really matter since now we're REALLY screwed having to return those Nova and UConn games, get Cincy twice, Marquette will be tough, WVU and Cuse on the road. We're fucked basically.

 

I think WVU is the best team in the conference by the way. In the games U of L has had vs. Nova, Pitt, and UConn I wasn't all that thrilled with any of the 3. Pitt is just their usual violenct, thug selves...they won't go anywhere past the Sweet 16 (kinda hard to when you score 60 points a night). Nova is all guards and not enough size, and has a tendency to let teams hang around. And UConn? Lots of talent but I don't really see that unquestioned top guy like a Richard Hamilton or Emeka Okafor or Ben Gordon. It's like a whole team of #3 options, like a whole team of Dockerys.

[Damaramu 0]

So UConn is number 1. That's fair I'd say.

 

Texas has turned out to be much better than everyone in the Big 12 and it sucks. I thought that OU was much better than they are. Apparently the rest of the country thought so too b/c OU was ranked 5.

I get to cover the OU/Texas game this weekend though. Should be fun b/c college gameday will be there and so will Dickie V.

[CanadianChris 0]

Should be fun b/c college gameday will be there and so will Dickie V.

Sorry, I can't see how that last part would be fun.

[iggymcfly 0]

I didn't get them done on time this week, but here's my complete Top 25 anyway.

 

Iggy's College Basketball Rankings for January 24, 2006

(through Monday's games; previous week's ranking in parenthesis)

1. Duke 17-1 (1)
2. Texas 16-2 (3)
3. Memphis 17-2 (5)
4. Connecticut 16-1 (7)
5. Florida 17-1 (2)
6. Villanova 13-2 (6)
7. Illinois 17-2 (7)
8. Gonzaga 16-3 (9)
9. Washington 16-2 (10)
10. Pittsburgh 15-1 (4)
11. Michigan State 15-4 (13)
12. Indiana 12-3 (15)
13. West Virginia 14-3 (16)
14. Tennessee 12-3 (21)
15. NC State 15-3 (11)
16. Ohio State 14-2 (14)
17. George Washington 14-1 (19)
18. Georgetown 12-4 (NR)
19. UCLA 15-4 (18)
20. Iowa 14-5 (20)
21. Michigan 13-3 (23)
22. Maryland 13-4 (NR)
23. Syracuse 15-5 (22)
24. Wisconsin 15-3 (12)
25. LSU 12-5 (NR)

Close: North Carolina, Bucknell, Boston College, Northern Iowa, Louisville

 

Dropped out: Louisville (17), North Carolina (24), Xavier (25)

[cabbageboy 0]

I don't really get why Florida has dropped in the polls. They are still 17-1 and lost to a ranked team on the road. Should they really have dropped behind Texas and Memphis, who both have 2 losses?

 

Texas is getting solid but I still can't put them all THAT high. A 30 point beating from Duke and a 20 pt. asskicking from Tennessee still hang over them.

[iggymcfly 0]

I don't really get why Florida has dropped in the polls. They are still 17-1 and lost to a ranked team on the road. Should they really have dropped behind Texas and Memphis, who both have 2 losses?

 

Texas is getting solid but I still can't put them all THAT high. A 30 point beating from Duke and a 20 pt. asskicking from Tennessee still hang over them.

 

 

It's because Tennessee is the best team they've played thus far. The only other team that Florida's played this year that's even in the Top 25 is Syracuse, and they only beat them by 5 at home.

 

Texas on the other hand has defeated West Virginia and Iowa at neutral sites, Villanova at home, and Memphis on the road. That's four wins that are better than anything Florida's done all year. To put it another way, Texas is 4-2 against Top 25 teams while Florida is 1-1.

 

Memphis, likewise has beaten UCLA, Gonzaga, and Tennessee, and only picked up losses against the Top 2 teams in the country. I don't think you can say that a Florida team that hasn't beaten a Top 20 team all year is better than Memphis because Memphis picked up two losses to the two best teams in the country.

 

UConn's a similar situation, as their schedule's not quite as weak as Florida's, but they haven't really done anything outside of the Gonzaga win, and they're the only team in the Top 8 that has a really bad loss.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Without McCray, Maryland is done. They wont do anything without their leading scorer. They'll be NIT bound again this year because nobody is going to care come March that they were 13-4 vs a cupcake schedule prior to losing him now.

[SilverPhoenix 0]

I don't really get why Florida has dropped in the polls. They are still 17-1 and lost to a ranked team on the road. Should they really have dropped behind Texas and Memphis, who both have 2 losses?

 

Texas is getting solid but I still can't put them all THAT high. A 30 point beating from Duke and a 20 pt. asskicking from Tennessee still hang over them.

 

 

UConn's a similar situation, as their schedule's not quite as weak as Florida's, but they haven't really done anything outside of the Gonzaga win, and they're the only team in the Top 8 that has a really bad loss.

 

A number 32 RPI says no. I'm not going to argue whether Duke should be Number 1, but there is no question who 2 should be. Despite their OOC SoS, they're in the best conference in the nation, bar none (last weekend proved this) and they've only lost to a team, while not a Top Team, with a RPI in the Top 35, who has a winning IC Record we last checked. So yeah, this is my first Major Disagreement your rankings.

[Guest Princess Leena]

Duke's SOS is 4th? Damn... the good results by Texas, Memphis, St. John's, etc... lately must really be helping them.

 

Duke's schedule is tougher than UConn's... but, I don't see it by such a wide margin. I don't see Maryland being close to a Top 25 team, nor Wake being a Top 25 team now... so, they're about equal in Top 25 wins. Duke has played their share of lower teams as well.

 

If we go truly by stats... Duke should be #1... but, I still go back to that fluky VT win. Of course, you can say the same thing about UConn over LSU, since they relied on LSU missing their last shot... but, whatever. One can go either way on that.

 

It sucks that the real reason UConn is #1 in the polls is because they lost earlier.

[iggymcfly 0]

I don't really get why Florida has dropped in the polls. They are still 17-1 and lost to a ranked team on the road. Should they really have dropped behind Texas and Memphis, who both have 2 losses?

 

Texas is getting solid but I still can't put them all THAT high. A 30 point beating from Duke and a 20 pt. asskicking from Tennessee still hang over them.

 

 

UConn's a similar situation, as their schedule's not quite as weak as Florida's, but they haven't really done anything outside of the Gonzaga win, and they're the only team in the Top 8 that has a really bad loss.

 

A number 32 RPI says no. I'm not going to argue whether Duke should be Number 1, but there is no question who 2 should be. Despite their OOC SoS, they're in the best conference in the nation, bar none (last weekend proved this) and they've only lost to a team, while not a Top Team, with a RPI in the Top 35, who has a winning IC Record we last checked. So yeah, this is my first Major Disagreement your rankings.

 

By bad loss, I meant not in the Top 25. Tennessee and Georgetown are both Top 20 teams IMO, and Marquette is just a cut below. Furthermore, the Huskies lost that game by 15 points, making the loss significantly worse. Connecticut may be in the best conference in the country, but they haven't played any of the really good teams from that conference yet. They haven't played Nova, WVU, or Pitt yet, and at this point, their schedule's vastly inferior to that of Memphis or Texas. Now come back in a month when they've played all the heavy hitters, and if they still have one loss, they'll deserve the #2 spot or maybe even the #1 ranking.

[Guest Princess Leena]

And a hot WVU loses at home to Marshall... lol. A team that lost by 30 to an A-Sun team. I'll never try figuring out college hoops.

[Damaramu 0]

OU just blew out the worst team possibly in the country by 30 points......color me not impressed. Maybe if they SOMEHOW beat Texas.

[Guest NOTiggymcfly]

I don't really get why Florida has dropped in the polls. They are still 17-1 and lost to a ranked team on the road. Should they really have dropped behind Texas and Memphis, who both have 2 losses?

 

Texas is getting solid but I still can't put them all THAT high. A 30 point beating from Duke and a 20 pt. asskicking from Tennessee still hang over them.

 

 

It's because Tennessee is the best team they've played thus far. The only other team that Florida's played this year that's even in the Top 25 is Syracuse, and they only beat them by 5 at home.

 

Texas on the other hand has defeated West Virginia and Iowa at neutral sites, Villanova at home, and Memphis on the road. That's four wins that are better than anything Florida's done all year. To put it another way, Texas is 4-2 against Top 25 teams while Florida is 1-1.

 

Memphis, likewise has beaten UCLA, Gonzaga, and Tennessee, and only picked up losses against the Top 2 teams in the country. I don't think you can say that a Florida team that hasn't beaten a Top 20 team all year is better than Memphis because Memphis picked up two losses to the two best teams in the country.

 

UConn's a similar situation, as their schedule's not quite as weak as Florida's, but they haven't really done anything outside of the Gonzaga win, and they're the only team in the Top 8 that has a really bad loss.

 

Wow, what incredibly astute observations about Florida, iggy. I guess someone wasn't surprised that they lost to South Carolina. Jolly good show iggy. Jolly good show.

[Guest Princess Leena]

Not here.

[cabbageboy 0]

S. Carolina gave UK a serious game at Rupp this weekend so it doesn't shock me that they beat Florida tonight. The irony now is that UK despite that horrid 0-2 conf. start is right in the thick of things.

 

U of L baby! Finally a beatdown of Cincy 67-50. The real test of whether we're back on track is this weekend at Rutgers.

[SilverPhoenix 0]

As for the West Virginia loss....Look at the 3 point shots. There's your answer. If they're off, the worst team in the country can beat you (which Marshall is a top contender for)

 

I'm also not surprised Florida lost, looking at their schedule...At least UConn played in a highpowered tournament. This just makes the SEC look even worse, when their top team has lost 2 straight conference games. They better win their next one, or that ranking is going to plummet.

 

Speaking of rankings plummeting. Seton Hall took NC State to the woodshed by 18 points, in Raliegh. This marks the second year that they lose to a bottom of the barrel Big East Team.

[Damaramu 0]

Well I'm going to Norman tonight to cover the OU/Texas game. Texas is on a roll and OU can't score so it shouldn't be pretty but they cater good food for the media so that's always a bonus.....and hanging out with all the other media is fun too.

[Mik 0]

It was nice to see UNC blow out Arizona - even the walk-ons got into the game by the end. Good for them.

 

Tyler Hansbrough is a beast.

[cabbageboy 0]

The answer: Of course U of L isn't back on track.....lost today at Rutgers by 9. Honestly, at this point the NIT is too good for us.

 

I watched most of the Quette/Pitt game earlier today. I'm at the point where I just fucking HATE Marquette. Talk about a jobber that refuses to recognize their role in life. Pitt had them beat by about 8 in the last 15 seconds and of course Quette keeps fouling just to annoy me, even when the game was blatantly decided. It's one thing to do this garbage when you're down 3 late, but down 8 is time to just call off the dogs and let it end. Tom Crean has done that shit for years though, I remember seeing a U of L/Quette game in 2000 where we were up 9 or so late and they just kept fouling ad nauseum.