College Hoops Thread 2011-2012

[The Poet]

Now maybe I can catch up a little bit here, if I skip much too many good games and just hit the biggies. In the balance of action Saturday 1/7:


Kansas State 75 - Missouri 59 = I've been saying all along that the Tigers' easy scheduling would come back and bite them in the butt eventually. The K-State win does not surprise me one bit, and even the margin's not a total shock.

St. John's 57 - Cincinnati 55 = And considering how the Bearcats have played at times, even with the run they made after that Xavier brawl, this is not much of a shock either.

Notre Dame 67 - Louisville 65 (2OT) = But this is somewhat of one, especially as the better team lost in double-OT at home.

Illinois 59 - Nebraska 54 = And the surprise here is how close the 'Huskers came to their first ever Big Ten+ win.

Rutgers 67 - U Conn 60 = Much like Missou, and as I've said before, the Husky losses will keep coming once they go on the road and actually play somebody . . . and apparently, much to my surprise, the Scarlet Knights can actually BE somebody, on certain nights anyway.

Charlotte 57 - St. Joseph's 52 = The shock here is not only that the "meh" 49ers could beat the decent Hawks, but that they could do so in Philly.

Syracuse 73 - Marquette 66 = The handwriting is on the wall for the Orange, if you ask me. You don't believe me, and think a 3-possession win is good enough? Well, take note that the score at the half was 37-19 for the 'Cuse, yet the Golden Eagles came damn close to stealing the victory despite the fact they did not even get to the game until after the break.

Dayton 87 - Temple 77 = I don't know, maybe the Owls feel that beating Dook made their season already, and they have no need to show up anymore. Don't get me wrong . . . I'm not convinced the Blue Devils are great, nor am I unaware that the Flyers are pretty decent. Still . . . .

Virginia 52 - Miami 51 = Hmmmmm. The Cavs may be beginning to unravel, as the 'Canes have shown no sign of being able to play ball so far this year to date. But maybe it was just an off night, since everybody has them.

Arkansas 98 - Mississippi State 88 = This must have been a track meet, and certainly not the defensive "40 minutes of hell" the 'Hogs used to boast. Just consider . . .

Stanford 103 - Oregon State 101 (4OT) = It took these two twice as long to score nearly as much. A hard-fought win for the Tree, who'll need them to challenge their neighbors in Berkeley for the Pac-12.


On Sunday 1/8:


Michigan 59 - Wisconsin 41 = As much as the two games above were NBA-type scores, this ugly contest was more typical of a football contest between these teams, as was . . .

Arizona 57 - USC 46 = At least the snarling mammels just cited had the excuse that the Badgers almost always play slowly. But these two? Maybe they merely suck. Speaking of which . . .

N. C. State 79 - Maryland 74 = OK, the Terps are supposed to suck this year, yet they made a game of it against Jerry's 'Pack. It's a decent win for Moo U to begin their ACC season, but maybe it's not a very good sign of things to come.


On Monday 1/9:


U Conn 64 - West Virginia 57 = The Huskies do win, but don't dissuade me of my opinion. The Mountaineers are OK, and probably better than was expected, but U Conn thought they'd repeat as champs this year, the silly gooses.

Cincinnati 68 - Georgetown 64 = And the young Hoya squad stumbles twice in a row, against a yo-yo Bearcat team this time. I just hope they get their act back together before they face the likes of Syracuse and the aforementioned Huskies.


Tonight has some potential for decent conference matchups:


Florida vs. Georgia = This may not be one of them. Yeah, the Gators have tripped a few times, but the Bulldogs haven't even crawled, much less walked.

Florida State vs. Virginia Tech = It was supposed these two would challenge for the upper half of the ACC, though not for the top two slots. They've not shown much sign of that, but that makes this head-to-head all that more important to both.

Louisville vs. Providence = Although the Firars have had a decent game or three so far, I can't see them taking the Cardinals. But then again, I couldn't see some others doing so, so Pitino's boys have the "ability" to disappoint their fans . . . amongst whom I do NOT count myself.

DePaul vs. Seton Hall = Despite a few very surprising good wins, I still don't have much long-term faith in the Pirates. But the Blue Demons ain't exactly the Lakers, so though this may be close I'll give the locals an edge.

Iowa vs. Michigan State = And despite a good win or two by the Hawkeyes, I think the Spartans will continue to roll, for now anyway.

Baylor vs. Kansas State = If the Manhattan 'Cats play as well as they did against the Missou Tigers, they will back-to-back hand teams their first loss of the year. Me, I'm gonna say it happens, and the Bears go down this evening.

Illinois State vs. Wichita State = Just one damn fine game between two good programs.

Northern Iowa vs. Creighton = Same here.

Ohio State vs. Illinois = I think the Buckeyes have much more talent than do the Illini, but they've proven that this does not mean they know how to win. I can see this being a close one in Champaign, and don't be shocked if OSU drops another one.

North Carolina vs. Miami = But be surprised if the Heels lose this one. They are ending a long homestand, and despite a few lapses from time to time have started to play some pretty dominant ball for the most part. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes have fairly much stunk. Anything can happen in league play, but some things should not be expected.

San Diego State vs. Chicago State = And here's the laffer of the night for you. The Aztecs may not be as good as last year's version, but the boys from the Windy City have failed to win a game all year to date. That win will come tonight only if the Aztec bus breaks down and forces a forfeit.


Well, my fingers are starting to bleed, so I'll call it quits for now. Pipe up with your own thoughts, brothers, and until later then . . . enjoy.

[jcruse64]

Going back an forth between the Gators/Bulldogs and UL/Providence right now. The Gators starting to pile on the Dogs early in H2. Probably won't change much on that aspect.

UL, at the half, is getting their butts handed to them by Providence. I'd hate to be in Ricky's locker room right now. They played like they're asleep in H1, but the Cards are a team that put a run on very quickly, if a fire is lit under them.

Hope I get to see a little of the OSU/Illini game before I fall asleep in the chair.

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by jcruse64

Going back an forth between the Gators/Bulldogs and UL/Providence right now. The Gators starting to pile on the Dogs early in H2. Probably won't change much on that aspect.

UL, at the half, is getting their butts handed to them by Providence. I'd hate to be in Ricky's locker room right now. They played like they're asleep in H1, but the Cards are a team that put a run on very quickly, if a fire is lit under them.

Hope I get to see a little of the OSU/Illini game before I fall asleep in the chair.

Yeah, the Gators did dogpile on UGA, so maybe BillyBoy is starting to get their attention after too many stumbles. And Pitino had no success in lighting a fire under his Cards, who got fried by the Friars 90-59, at home no less.

As for OSU/Illini, it was the Buckeyes who fell asleep.


Illinois 79 - Ohio State 74 = I'm not too surprised by this at all, since OSU has NOT played up to the level I expected of them.

Baylor 75 - Kansas State 73 = And no, I'm still not backing down on my stance about the Bears being overrated, though I must give them some credit for their uncanny ability (so far) to win close games. This is the 4th one they've won by a mere one possession, meaning that of their 16 wins 25% have come due to a shot either made or missed here and there.

Florida State 63 - Virginia Tech 59 = The Seminoles were supposed to be the only ACC team capable of challenging UNC and Duke for the top, yet have shown little sign of that so far. This is a decent win for them, but I hope they got it out of their system before my Heels visit soon. Speaking of which . . .

North Carolina 73 - Miami 56 = UNC ends its long homestand with another fairly easy victory, which wasn't really as close as the final margin. The best thing to come out of this was that Carolina's backcourt, considered to be weaker than their bigs AND the guards for the 'Canes, did most of the damage to build the lead on a night when the frontcourt struggled.

San Diego State 73 - Chicago State 65 = I cite this one because I'm a little shocked the Aztecs had so much trouble at home with a team without a win all year. That's not a good sign, and I bet Stevie's p!$$ed about it.

Wichita State 65 - Illinois State 62 = Hey, I told you this would be a good game.

Creighton 63 - Northern Iowa 60 = Ditto, bro.


There are a number of interesting games this evening, including:


Michigan vs. Northwestern = The Smarty 'Cats can beat the Logans if they play well, considering how UM struggles to score too damn often. I don't think they will, but it's worth keeping an eye on this one.

Rutgers vs. Pittsburgh = If you think you know who'll win this one, you're a better man than me. Both teams have shocked me this year, either by losing games they should have won, or winning those they should have lost. For that alone, it's worth keeping track.

Charlotte vs. U Mass = Can the 49ers build upon their big road win over Temple with another here?

St. John's vs. Marquette = Much like the Big East contest above, this one's hard to call. I feel the Golden Eagles should soar above the Storm, yet they have stalled before.

Duquesne vs. Xavier = And this one could be a flat-out war. The X-Men have better talent, but they also seem to still be screwed up between the ears.

Syracuse vs. Villanova = I like Jay Wright and the Philly 'Cats better than I doo Boeheim and his Orange, but so far this year they've rarely shown me enough to pick them, even on their home court. As much as I expect the 'Cuse to stumble soon, I can't see that happening tonight.

Wake Forest vs. Maryland = Both these teams were predicted to suck, and they've both shown that "ability", though the Deacs have played somewhat better than was thought. I'm tempted to pick them to take the Terps in College Park, but as I have no faith in either squad I'd just be whistling in the dark.

Missouri vs. Iowa State = Will Missou rebound from their first loss (read, "spanking") of the season, or shall they drop another already? I give the Cyclones a decent shot in Ames, seeing as how they've already racked up decent wins against Providence, Iowa, and both Texas and Texas A&M. While we're on the subject . . .

Texas vs. Texas A&M = The Aggies were once in the position the aforementioned Missouri Tigers were, and considered to be a national power. Meanwhile, the 'Horns were expected to be down, and haven't shown the experts wrong. Anything can happen in a rivalry game, so look for blood to be shed before this is done.

Kentucky vs. Auburn = And look for blood to be shed here also . . . all of it Tiger blood.

Arkansas vs. Mississippi = Though neither team is likely to be standing long in March, they are both at least OK. This should be a lot of fun.

Penn State vs. Nebraska = I don't know if the Cornhuskers can earn even a single conference victory in their first Big Ten+ season, but this one in Lincoln may be their best shot at one.

Temple vs. Saint Louis = Two good mid-majors go head-to-head, which is almost always a good show.

Georgia Tech vs. N. C. State = I'm not sure how many victories Jerry's Wolfpack can manage in ACC play, so they can't let ones like this one get away from them . . . especially if they have serious aspirations to get back to the NCAAs again come Spring.

Kansas vs. Texas Tech = I didn't bother to take note where this one's being played. I don't think it matters all that much. The Jayhawks should build a double-digit margin, then coast.

LSU vs. Alabama = So if you want to see a battle, look here instead. I heard rumors that these two recently met on the gridiron in some meaningless post-season bowl, so you'd think both teams and the crowd might be a bit into this roundball rematch.


That's gonna do it for me for now. Keep those cards and letters coming, kiddies, and as always . . . enjoy.

Originally Posted by The Poet

Yeah, the Gators did dogpile on UGA, so maybe BillyBoy is starting to get their attention after too many stumbles. And Pitino had no success in lighting a fire under his Cards, who got fried by the Friars 90-59, at home no less.

As for OSU/Illini, it was the Buckeyes who fell asleep.


Illinois 79 - Ohio State 74 = I'm not too surprised by this at all, since OSU has NOT played up to the level I expected of them.

Baylor 75 - Kansas State 73 = And no, I'm still not backing down on my stance about the Bears being overrated, though I must give them some credit for their uncanny ability (so far) to win close games. This is the 4th one they've won by a mere one possession, meaning that of their 16 wins 25% have come due to a shot either made or missed here and there.

Florida State 63 - Virginia Tech 59 = The Seminoles were supposed to be the only ACC team capable of challenging UNC and Duke for the top, yet have shown little sign of that so far. This is a decent win for them, but I hope they got it out of their system before my Heels visit soon. Speaking of which . . .

North Carolina 73 - Miami 56 = UNC ends its long homestand with another fairly easy victory, which wasn't really as close as the final margin. The best thing to come out of this was that Carolina's backcourt, considered to be weaker than their bigs AND the guards for the 'Canes, did most of the damage to build the lead on a night when the frontcourt struggled.

San Diego State 73 - Chicago State 65 = I cite this one because I'm a little shocked the Aztecs had so much trouble at home with a team without a win all year. That's not a good sign, and I bet Stevie's p!$$ed about it.

Wichita State 65 - Illinois State 62 = Hey, I told you this would be a good game.

Creighton 63 - Northern Iowa 60 = Ditto, bro.


There are a number of interesting games this evening, including:


Michigan vs. Northwestern = The Smarty 'Cats can beat the Logans if they play well, considering how UM struggles to score too damn often. I don't think they will, but it's worth keeping an eye on this one.

Rutgers vs. Pittsburgh = If you think you know who'll win this one, you're a better man than me. Both teams have shocked me this year, either by losing games they should have won, or winning those they should have lost. For that alone, it's worth keeping track.

Charlotte vs. U Mass = Can the 49ers build upon their big road win over Temple with another here?

St. John's vs. Marquette = Much like the Big East contest above, this one's hard to call. I feel the Golden Eagles should soar above the Storm, yet they have stalled before.

Duquesne vs. Xavier = And this one could be a flat-out war. The X-Men have better talent, but they also seem to still be screwed up between the ears.

Syracuse vs. Villanova = I like Jay Wright and the Philly 'Cats better than I doo Boeheim and his Orange, but so far this year they've rarely shown me enough to pick them, even on their home court. As much as I expect the 'Cuse to stumble soon, I can't see that happening tonight.

Wake Forest vs. Maryland = Both these teams were predicted to suck, and they've both shown that "ability", though the Deacs have played somewhat better than was thought. I'm tempted to pick them to take the Terps in College Park, but as I have no faith in either squad I'd just be whistling in the dark.

Missouri vs. Iowa State = Will Missou rebound from their first loss (read, "spanking") of the season, or shall they drop another already? I give the Cyclones a decent shot in Ames, seeing as how they've already racked up decent wins against Providence, Iowa, and both Texas and Texas A&M. While we're on the subject . . .

Texas vs. Texas A&M = The Aggies were once in the position the aforementioned Missouri Tigers were, and considered to be a national power. Meanwhile, the 'Horns were expected to be down, and haven't shown the experts wrong. Anything can happen in a rivalry game, so look for blood to be shed before this is done.

Kentucky vs. Auburn = And look for blood to be shed here also . . . all of it Tiger blood.

Arkansas vs. Mississippi = Though neither team is likely to be standing long in March, they are both at least OK. This should be a lot of fun.

Penn State vs. Nebraska = I don't know if the Cornhuskers can earn even a single conference victory in their first Big Ten+ season, but this one in Lincoln may be their best shot at one.

Temple vs. Saint Louis = Two good mid-majors go head-to-head, which is almost always a good show.

Georgia Tech vs. N. C. State = I'm not sure how many victories Jerry's Wolfpack can manage in ACC play, so they can't let ones like this one get away from them . . . especially if they have serious aspirations to get back to the NCAAs again come Spring.

Kansas vs. Texas Tech = I didn't bother to take note where this one's being played. I don't think it matters all that much. The Jayhawks should build a double-digit margin, then coast.

LSU vs. Alabama = So if you want to see a battle, look here instead. I heard rumors that these two recently met on the gridiron in some meaningless post-season bowl, so you'd think both teams and the crowd might be a bit into this roundball rematch.


That's gonna do it for me for now. Keep those cards and letters coming, kiddies, and as always . . . enjoy.

Keep expecting the Cuse to lose, eventually you'll get it right, LOL.

or not.

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by jcruse64

Heh! You won't hear a peep, you'll hear a POP!!!! Looks like fan interest if coming on; Saturday's home game is already sold out.

I was VERY disappointed in the Cat's performance, until the last 4 or 5 minutes. They were FLAT most of the game. The Tigers almost chewed 'em up.

Go Virginia!!!

Were I you, Joe, I'd be disappointed in the relatively narrow victory over a "meh" Jack State squad. Still. a W's a W.

Go Virginia? Well, I guess they went pretty good in Cameron under the circumstances, before they finally went . . . with a fight, but went regardless.

Originally Posted by Wanger

So, which got thrown last night? A HUGE surprise, to me. I wonder if the Gophs can find a way to keep playing like that over the course of the rest of the season. Some people are calling for Tubby's job, because he has underachieved since he's been here, and had a tremendous amount of players that have left the program that are playing well elsewhere.

I was not so surprised as you with the Gopher win, for although I know the Hoosiers have played well above expectations (and am personally glad to see a storied program make strides back to prominence), they are also young and vulnerable to stumbles. As I stated earlier, when they made it into the Top Ten in the ranks, they had likely reached about as high as they could go. I do believe that Tubby gets less respect than he's earned, both at Minnseota (not a traditional hoops power, so what more do they want?) and previously at Kentucky. He seems to me a class act, on and off the court, which should count for as much as wins and losses do. True, it's hard for the fans to see this at times, but there it is nonetheless.

Originally Posted by Resipsa

Keep expecting the Cuse to lose, eventually you'll get it right, LOL.

If you are a longtime Orange fan, or at least one who's paid attention, you know how this goes. The 'Cuse will begin each season playing a lot of homegames against lower to mid-level opponents who haven't the talent and/or experience to deal with Boeheim's zone, and they will rack up a string of victories. Then they start playing those who are capable and knowledgeable to take advantages of said zone, who are able to attack it successfully and build a lead on the Orange, who are then either unable to make up the deficit because the zone does not lend itself to catch-up success, or they are forced to try to create more possessions by changing to a press, which they haven't practiced enough to pull off.

Hey, I'm not putting them down with this assessment, but merely citing history.

Lemme try to play some catch-up myself now, and prepare a update. Back soon, I hope.