College Hoops Thread 2011-2012

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by jcruse64

Well, you DID say don't pencil the win in for the 'Heels. Wow, did not expect that from them though. Be interesting to see how they respond to this.

SDSU popped the Rebels pretty nicely.`

Coach Cal needs to take a few of the guys to the wood shed. Pitiful win.

Murray stays undefeated...barely. Teams are seeing some success in doubling/tripling Canaan up, and our inside game is not the same with Aska out. But, despite having to rely mostly on guard play, they continue the bend-but-don't-break style to get the win. I still don't see them as a top 20 team, even though I'm loving the attention this is giving them.

Pitino should be happy for a win, but it looks to me like he's lost control of his team. They just seem to go off the face of the Earth sometimes.

I had a bad feeling about that UNC/FSU game, so the loss did not surprise me. I was, however, sadly shocked at their bad play in the first half, and the horrible play in the second. A very good win for the Semiholes, and hopefully a wake-up call for the Heels.

Yeah, the Aztecs pretty much cut the hearts out of UNLV. I'll say good for them despite the fact I'm not a fan of Steve Fisher, partly due to the fact I still dislike the Rebs from back in Tark the Shark days. Yeah, I'm an old fogey, but my memory's still good.

UK has a lot of young talent, and you get what you get with yound talent . . . which often includes head-slapping frustrations. Count your blessings that the SEC pretty much seems to be the Wildcats, then everybody else . . . as if that's anything new.

As with my Heels, I figured your Racers would face a challenge in that game. But they survived, a win's a win, and though they may not actually be (as of now) the 12th best team in the nation they have done what they've needed to do, and deserve the success and acclaim. Enjoy it as long as it lasts.

You'd know better than me about the Cardinals. I do know Pitino earned the "reputation" of recruiting willful bad boys at times, many of whom felt they were the cat's @$$ and had to listen to nobody save those voices in their own heads . . . many of them from here in New Jersey. You're welcome, Rick.

Aside from needing to pay some more on my massive medical bills online and other such crap today, the penny-ante lotto bozos have started bugging me again today, so I have no time for a full update. Maybe I can catch up on the biggies at least tomorrow. Until then then, enjoy.

[jcruse64]

Yeah, I hear you on Pitino's recruiting. A shame; I thought he looked like a great coach when he took over a UK program that was lucky to have one blue chipper in Mashurn, and made lemonade from lemons. Those were the days...

Pitt has just lost again; never saw that coming . Tough season.

Baylor-KU just starting.

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by jcruse64

Yeah, I hear you on Pitino's recruiting. A shame; I thought he looked like a great coach when he took over a UK program that was lucky to have one blue chipper in Mashurn, and made lemonade from lemons. Those were the days...

Pitt has just lost again; never saw that coming . Tough season.

Baylor-KU just starting.

The only other thing I'll say about Pitino is that there are some coaches I like less, and many I like better.

As for Pitt, I'll risk bad karma by saying thank goodness some team out there is making the struggle my Heels have had look minor.

Bears/Jayhawks now over, and so's Baylor's undefeated season. Color me shocked.

I'm hoping to catch up a little, so keep your fingers crossed. Later.

[SteelCityBoy]

Originally Posted by jcruse64

Pitt has just lost again; never saw that coming . Tough season

Can't believe they are losing the way they are...

Making college basketball much less fun for me this year.

[jwintosh]

[The Poet]

As I don't know how my remaining time will go, lemme flop-flip my normal post and cite today's action before I return to recent history. Tonight:


Georgetown vs. DePaul = Could be a really good game. After finding themselves, the young Hoyas have come back down to earth a bit. The Blue Demons are maybe not as good, yet have played quite well at times.

Michigan State vs. Michigan = Aside from the fact that these two are rumored to dislike each other, they have comparable talent. I'm not a fan of the Spartans, but I prefer them much more than the Wolverines, for various reasons. Yet I give them the edge here not so much because of that then for the fact the Logans cannot score the ball.

Auburn vs. LSU = These two are doing better than I expected so far, and as conference wins may get few and far between for both this one is huge. Look for a battle.

Iowa vs. Purdue = Different league, same story here.

Maryland vs. Florida State = A different different league, and aside from that spanking the 'Noles gave my Heels it is the same here too. Can FSU build upon their huge win, or can the Terps catch them complacent? Should be interesting.

Arkansas vs. Kentucky = And speaking of interesting, note that the Wildcats have survived several scares recently against inferior talent. Can they keep that up, or are they bound to stumble a few times? Keep your eye on this one, since the 'Hogs have a chance, even in Rupp.

Boise State vs. Colorado State = And this is one of those tight mid-major ones which can turn out to be the best match-up of the night.


Over the past few days I've missed a ton of games, and many of them very good. As I both can't and shan't bore you with all of them, I'll just mention a few key ones not already noted elsewhere. In the balance of Saturday action:


Auburn 69 - Mississippi 68 (2OT) = Quite a fight here, despite the low-scoring involved. A nice win for the Tigers, if not a great one.

Oklahoma 82 - Kansas State 73 = But this was a very good one for the Sooners. Can anyone in Manhattan KS tell me if Frank Martin's head has exploded yet?

Marquette 62 - Pittsburgh 57 = Though I predicted from the get-go that the Panthers wouldn't make much noise in March, I never thought they'd be so silent this soon.

Northwestern 81 - Michigan State 74 = Many of you may have been shocked by this. Me, my surprise is tempered by the fact that I foresaw the Spartans had had a great run, which was doomed to end soon. Izzo is a great coach, but even he can only do so much.

Richmond 76 - Temple 65 = As I stated at the time, I respect the Owls but root for the Spiders. They needed a good win like this one.

Marshall 65 - UCF 64 = I'm not so certain this is a good W for the Herd, but it sure beats a loss.


On Sunday 1/15:


Ohio State 80 - Indiana 63 = As with those Spartans above, I was glad to see the Hoosiers make themselves relevant but felt they'd done about all that could be reasonably expected. This whippin' lends them some perspective, let's assume.

Duke 73 - Clemson 66 = Maybe I should just hold my peace on this one, considering how my Heels did, but even down in Littlejohn this ain't much of a win for Dook against a weaker team. Shoot, just look at some of the teams Clemson's already lost to this year? Still, it's a W for the Blue Devils, even if K isn't happy about it.


On Monday 1/16:


Marquette 74 - Louisville 63 = The Cardinals grabbed an early double-digit lead, then p!$$ed it away, and into a double-digit loss. Though the old saw says it couldn't happen to a nicer guy, in Rick's case it easily could.

Syracuse 71 - Pittsburgh 63 = I suppose I could take the opportunity here to bash the Panthers again, yet when one considers how many bad losses they've already posted, and consider that this was against an undefeated team on their court, I think it is actually a pretty decent showing. And for those Orange fans who still believe your boys will go without a L all year, take warning as you look at both this and at . . .

Kansas 92 - Baylor 74 = Am I the only one who shrugs at this and thinks "OK, so?" I've told you and told you the Bears were (a) playing too many cupcakes, and (b) were escaping by the skin of their teeth when they dared face any decent competition. The Jayhawks have always been the class of the league, and this Bear-skinning shows they still are, until somebody else proves otherwise.


Well, that's all I've time for, but I welcome you guys picking out others I've missed. Believe me, there's a buttload. Until later then . . . enjoy.

[The Poet]

Maybe I can get this in, if I'm concise. Read, "hasty". Last night:


Georgetown 83 - DePaul 75 = The Hoyas need every league win they can get to try and keep pace, or at least pace enough to get a higher-seed in the Big East tourney.

LSU 65 - Auburn 58 (OT) = I believe I said they'd both want this one badly.

Michigan 60 - Michigan State 59 = Once again, the Wolverines fail to score over 65 points. Luckily for them, the Spartans scored one fewer than did the home team.

Western Carolina 141 - Toccoa Falls 39 = Yeah, you read that right. The score at the half was 72-17 Catamounts. Well, at least it wasn't the bullet-dodging of their 2001 meeting, when WCU edged this small Christian school 133-58. I guess The Doors were right: "You CANNOT petition The Lord with prayer!"


Tonight has a lot of great mid-major action, plus a few biggies:


LaSalle vs. Temple = This ought to be fun.

St. Joseph's vs. Xavier = Here too.

Clemson vs. Miami = Here too, as they fight to stay out of the ACC cellar.

U Conn vs. Cincinnati = Ditto, if the Bearcats play the way they are capable of doing, even up in Storrs.

Kent State vs. Ohio = And the hits just keep on coming.

Murray State vs. Morehead State = In previous years this would be another war. Maybe not so much tonight, but Joe's Racers should not get complacent.

Indiana vs. Nebraska = And last year the 'Huskers may have had a better chance against the Hoosiers, but this one is most likely IU's to win . . . or lose, in lieu of beating beaten.

Marshall vs. West Virginia = No waffling here . . . this will be a war.

Memphis vs. UCF = And this one too, since both are hoping to gain enough momentum to gain at-large attention come March.

Wyoming vs. Air Froce = Nobody much cares (well, maybe some do about service academies, but only for that), yet I can see this one being damn good too.

Wichita State vs. Northern Iowa = Both have the talent and tradition to make this a contest.

Creighton vs. Missouri State = MSU hasn't the same tradition as Creighton, but they will put up a fight nonetheless.

Texas vs. Kansas State = The 'Horns have not shown us much so far this year, but the Manhattan 'Cats have had some struggles of late. A win by UT would not only help their confidence, it might give Frank Martin a stroke.

Mississippi State vs. Mississippi = OK, it ain't Duke/UNC, or UK/Louisville, or even UCLA/USC, but it is an in-state rivalry between teams that have had their moments this season.

San Diego State vs. New Mexico = The Aztecs get back into the Top 25 this week, based upon their good play. If they aren't careful, they will drop out of the Top 25 after this game. It's in Albuquerque, and the Lobos can hoop a little.

TCU vs. UNLV = And I even give those horny Texans a shot at the Rebels, even in Vegas. OK, not much of one, but it could be closer than you'd think.


Sorry for the brevity, but that's the way it goes. Hey, do you expect War and Peace every freakin' day? Jeez. So until later . . . enjoy.

[jcruse64]

MSU vs MSU ended up being a war for sure . Down by 11 twice, I think, and only got a lead back late in the 2nd. Morehead was looking to make a statement on defending home, and they gave a great shot on it. Morehead has a good coach, I think, and he likes to put the zone to good advantage. Murray has had problems wit the zone. Despite a rough game, including a horrible start, I was glad they had such a struggle. I think it will help later on.

That LSU game was a good one for sure.

Watching Texas/Kansas St now. K State was laying it on good, but Texas has come to within 1 early in H2; fun game also.

2 undefeateds left. Murray could get nailed by anyone, although getting Aska back in the next week or so will help a lot. What about 'Cuse-who do you see knocking them off???

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by jcruse64

2 undefeateds left. Murray could get nailed by anyone, although getting Aska back in the next week or so will help a lot. What about 'Cuse-who do you see knocking them off???

I'll deal with this one first, Joe. As with your Racers, anybody can knock Syracuse from the undefeated ranks. Against a zone, all it takes is one guy getting hot from downtown, or a bad defensive rebounding effort from the Orange, and they're down by 6 or 8 possessions . . . from which a zone-based team has difficulty recovering, especially as they have no experience pressing to force turnovers and increase possessions. But to be more specific, here's the games I'd be more leery of, were I Jim Boeheim:

1/21 @ Notre Dame = The Irish are not great, but they don't stink either. Plus, South Bend is not the Dome.

1/23 @ Cincinnati = The Bearcats have some bad losses, and some good wins too. And again, the Orange will be on the road.

2/8 Georgetown = 'Cuse is back home, but this is a dangerous Hoya squad. They themselves may not be experienced, but their coach has seen that zone many times, and knows how to attack it.

2/11 U. Conn = Pretty much the same story here, save that the Huskies do have more experience, and maybe a bit more talent too.

2/13 @ Louisville = The third tough game for Syracuse in less than a week, on the road again, and against another dangerous team. Yeah, Pitino's boys have sucked at times, but you know Rick will have them focused for this one. If they can respond . . . well, that's another question.

2/19 @ Rutgers = I don't know how they are doing it, but the Scarlet Knights have managed to surprise better teams, on their own court anyway. Even if the Orange survive all the above, and maybe more so if they do, I could see them coming into this one with a cocky attitude, and taking one in the stones.

2/25 @ U. Conn = In a mirror-image of the 'Cuse, the Huskies are tough at home and not so much on the road. Playing in the Nutmeg State perhaps adds enough spice to turn the table.

3/3 Louisville = You'd suspect, or if you are a Cardinal fan you'd hope, that by this point in the season Pitino'd have his team primed and ready for post-season. This game may not be key to Syracuse to secure them a high NCAA bid, but it might be huge for Louisville. If Rick can impart that to his kids, they should be hyped and focused.


Plus, even if the Orange can survive this minefield, they then enter the Big East tournament, where anything can happen. Remember last year, with the Huskies coming in with a 9-9 conference record, only to ride Kemba Walker all the way to the championship? And ALL of the above ignores the other possible factors: injuries, illness, suspensions, bad calls, bad weather, whatever. So there might not be your answer, but it may help some (including Orange faithful) understand why I don't see them going without a loss all year.


Back later, I hope.

[The Poet]

Here's some of the best games from last night:


Murray State 66 - Morehead State 60 = As Joe said, his Racers needed to come from 'way back to keep their season unblemished. I thought they'd have a little easier time of it, but I did realize how tricky road games can be against a long-standing rival.

Temple 76 - LaSalle 70 = Such as these two rivals, and about what you'd expect.

Cincinnati 70 - U. Conn 67 = If there is a surprise for the evening, it's maybe this one, even if only for the fact that it was in Storrs. Yeah, the Bearcats have played well on occasion, and the Huskies have had some problems. Still, I'd not have bet on this one.

Nebraska 70 - Indiana 69 = Nor this one, to be frank. True, I thought the Hoosiers had just about shot their bolt for now. But again, I figured they could handle the Cornhuskers. Shows what I know.

UCF 68 - Memphis 67 = And this was, as I felt it would be, a war.

Wichita State 71 - Northern Iowa 68 = Here also.

Creighton 66 - Missouri State 65 = Also also.

Kansas State 84 - Texas 80 = To be frank, the Longhorns came closer to giving Martin that stroke than I thought. Rememeber, lest I am mistaken, this was in Manhattan and not Austin.

San Diego State 75 - New Mexico 70 = Here's about exactly what I figured on, with the Lobos giving the Aztecs more fits than they wanted.


Tonight's action includes a lot of "who cares?" games, plus these:


Charleston vs. Davidson = Two good teams who need to either win their conference or make a lot of noise elsewhere to earn a bid, so it's big for both.

Duke vs. Wake Forest = I have to go with a wake tonight in Durham, for the Deacons. If the Blue Devils don't slaughter them, Coach K should retire.

Vanderbilt vs. Alabama = These two have p!$$ed away a lot of the respect they had early in the year, yet neither one is totally dead yet . . . like maybe Pitt. Should be fun.

Virginia vs. Georgia Tech = As with my prior comments saying schools such as Indiana and Michigan State had maybe shot their bolt already, the same may be true of the Cavaliers. If they lose to the Yellow Jackets it may be one further indication of that . . . and no, I don't care that it's in Hot'Lanta.

Boston College vs. N. C. State = And Jerry's 'Pack needs to jump on the Eagles here, if they want to stay at least mid-pack in the ACC.

Illinois vs. Penn State = I can't give the Nittany Lions much of a chance against the Illini, even in State College. However, you may remember that last year about this time PSU went on a bit of a run to win some they maybe shouldn't have. Hey, it's conference play, so who knows?

North Carolina vs. Virginia Tech = Speaking of who knows, who knows how the Heels will react in Blacksburg to that embarrassing performance (or lack of same, more accurately) against FSU. If Roy got their attention in practice this week, it could be bad news for the Hokies. If he didn't, and they put up another stinker, maybe he'll just throw in the towel for good.

UCLA vs. Oregon State = I've not mentioned the Bruins much of late, mainly due of course to their poor start. But if you haven't noticed, after losing 5 of their first 7 games, they've only lost twice since then, and that @ both Stanford and California, so they weren't the "bad" losses they posted earlier. Have they turned things around? Certainly, to some extent. This game won't tell us if this turn-around's for real or not, but maybe we should all start keeping an eye on Westwood once again. Oh, wait . . . we can't. They're not playing in Pauley this year, so even their home games are on the road.


That's it for me for now. Thanks for all your cards and letters, and keep 'em coming boys. Until later, enjoy.

[jcruse64]

Some really tough, close games last night. I thought Texas "might" come down with the win, but just couldn't. Also thought IU would come up with a win. I thought the Bearcats might pull that one off; I do not have any confidence in UConn, but I thought the same last year. Shows what I know.

Managed to get tickets for the rest of Murray's home games yesterday. The wife wants to hit the OVC tourney again this year; it's always a lot of fun, win or lose. She swears we are going to the Dance if Murray makes it this year. I had the opportunity to go the year MSU beat Valvano's team in round 1 and were narrowly beaten by Danny Manning's KU, but just could not afford it and eat too. Maybe this time...I still think we must win the OVC tourney to get in. One loss anywhere, in the OVC means no at-large, and they would likely drop out of the top 35 with a loss.

Dook is handling Wake pretty well, midway through H2. Vandy also handling Bama easily on the road.

Hey Poet, where did Mark Gottfried end up? I heard he is coaching again.

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by jcruse64

I had the opportunity to go the year MSU beat Valvano's team in round 1.

Hey Poet, where did Mark Gottfried end up? I heard he is coaching again.

Unknowingly, you sorta answered your own question there brother. Gottfried is midway through his first year as head coach of Jerry's N.C. State Wolfpack, and is doing fairly well so far. He may do even better next year and thereafter, as he's supposedly landed one of the best recruiting classes in the nation for 2012-13.

Update shortly.

[The Poet]

And speaking of The Wolfpack:


N. C. State 76 - Boston College 62 = Though not surprising that they took the low-flying Eagles in Raleigh last night, it is a little that they are now 14-5 overall and 3-1 early in ACC play. Furthermore, aside from that horrible loss to Georgia Tech, all the other 4 Ls have been "good" ones, against Vandy, Indiana, Stanford, and Syracuse. So even though they don't have any really good wins so far to go along with that, they are certainly on track to earn an at-large bid at the least.

And speaking of Georgia Tech:

Virginia 70 - Georgia Tech 38 = Wow. Now maybe you understand why I called NCSU's loss to them a bad one. Not even 40 points, in Atlanta no less? Is that some freakin' joke? The Cavs have played well, but please.


Most other action last night was pretty much what you'd think, so I'll only note a few:


Penn State 54 - Illinois 52 = This may have shocked a few aside from Illini fans, but as I told you yesterday the Lions turned from Nuttin'y to Nittany ones for a bit this time last season also. I'm not saying they shall keep it up, but just like chili history does repeat at times.

North Carolina 82 - Virginia Tech 68 = And just like that Florida State game, the Heels were down by a couple of possessions at the half. However, unlike that stinky loss, they actually came out of the locker-room for the second stanza, much to the chagrin of the Hokie fans in attendance.

California 69 - Washington 66 = Not only was this a key game for the Pac-12 chase, it was one of the few times last night the Golden State boys struck color against the GNW. For instance . . .

Washington State 81 - Stanford 69 = Instead of winning a close one, the Trees fell hard.

Oregon State 87 - UCLA 84 = At least the Bruins made it respectable in Corvallis.

Oregon 65 - USC 62 = As did the Trojans in Eugene.

Gonzaga 74 - San Francisco 63 = Well, at least ONE Bay Area team managed a W, but it don'na be the Dons.


To be perfectly honest with you, I see absolutely NOTHING worth watching tonight, so go ahead and let your SO rent that chick flick from Blockbuster . . . if you can find one that's still open anyway. I'll likely be back later with some early Saturday games. Later then.

[The Poet]

Alright, now this is more like it! If you're looking for some lunchtime action tomorrow, you have a regular smorgasbord available, including:


Maryland vs. Temple = This could be a key non-conference win in the eyes of the Selection Committee come March, so I'd expect a war in Philly here, since both may need all the help they can get.

Rutgers vs. Georgetown = And if the Scarlet Knights want to keep building on their unexpected success, they need to let their young team take advantage of the Hoya's young one. I don't know which way to go on this one, as I didn't think either one would be worth much, and am still not sure if either is for real or not.

Alabama vs. Kentucky = And it is even possible that the Tide can roll into Rupp and catch the young 'Cats napping. I wouldn't bet on it, however.

Wake Forest vs. Boston College = Just as every team wants to finish atop their league, no team wishes to end up on the bottom of the pile. Here's two in the ACC with that potential, so I'd look for a fight.

Villanova vs. St. John's = Different conference, same story.

South Carolina vs. Auburn = And here we go again. One may wonder why we'd bother, but sometimes mere survival is more intriguing than is thriving.

Purdue vs. Michigan State = The Boilermakers likely need this more, but I got the feeling that Izzo will once again have his Spartans wanting it more. It should be fun, regardless.

Kansas State vs. Oklahoma State = So could this one in Stillwater, no matter what the oddsmakers think. Yeah, the Manhattan 'Cats have been better than the Cowboys, but they've looked bad at times also. And even though Oak State's Big 12 records sucks on the road . . . Travis Ford is 5-22 for his career . . . he is 21-5 in league games at home. Keep your eye on this one.

SMU vs. Memphis = Had you asked me to pick this one in November, I'd have gone with the Tigers to pull down the Mustangs and have them for lunch. Now, I'm not so sure. Neither team has shown me much, and since 2 of their 6 losses have been in Memphis I'm not sure home-court means much either. Could be fun, though.


That's the early tip-offs for you, and if we don't get snowed out tomorrow I'll be back with later games. Until then then then, enjoy.

[The Poet]

We've already one final for today:


Temple 73 - Maryland 60 = Maybe not a great win for the Owls, but a decent one anyway, and another disappointing performance for the Terps.

Aside from that, only the Michigan State/Purdue game seems to be "over", with the Spartans holding a healthy lead. All the others are much too close to call, including Kentucky/Alabama in Lexington. I'll try to keep you advised.

Later action today is far too vast to cover properly, with many games looking to be good. I shall mention many, but not bore you with them all:


Michigan vs. Arkansas = Even if this wasn't in Fayetteville, I'd give the Hogs a shot. I have not been impressed with the Wolverines's scoring ability, though they could win a close one on the road. Should be interesting either way.

Missouri vs. Baylor = And this would have been more interesting had both still remained undefeated to this point. Still, with both at 17-1, you'd imagine this will be a war.

Georgia Tech vs. Clemson = So will this one, albeit for different reasons. The battle for the basement of the ACC has begun.

Belmont vs. South Carolina Upstate = I've been a bit disappointed so far with Belmont's play, as I expected them to continue to rule their roost. And the SCU Spartans should not provide a huge challenge, even in Spartenburg. But if the Bruins want to return to the NCAAs they need to get busy, soon.

Cincinnati vs. West Virginia = These two came into the season with differing expectations, with the Bearcats slipping somewhat and the Mountaineers climbing a lot. This conference game is huge for both.

Indiana State vs. Creighton = The Sycamores could maybe bring Bird back and have a good chance against the Bluejays, but without him I expect they'll just provide a comfortable nest for those indigo avians.

Florida State vs. Duke = The Seminoles finally had a great win last week . . . either that, or my Heels just sucked . . . but that was at home. A better indication as to whether or not they've turned things around to meet early predictions would be a win against the Blue Devils in Cameron today. I would not bet on it, but I wouldn't bet against it either. This will be interesting, one way or the other.

Kansas vs. Texas = So will this one, although the Jayhawks must be favored. The Longhorns do have 12 wins, but none of them can be called good ones. Perhaps their best performance was last week, in a "good loss" at K-State by 4 points. KU is the 'Horns 3rd ranked opponent in a row, and even a blind steer finds a haybale now and then. But I don't think that's gonna happen.

Oklahoma vs. Texas A&M = Remember when the Aggies were ranked? I do, even if they don't. These two meet today with identical 10-7 and 1-4 records, so you can expect both to be ready for a fight.

U Conn vs. Tennessee = The Huskies again risk leaving the Nutmeg State, and even though it's against the "meh" Volunteers they might regret that unfortunate decision to actually schedule a few road games. The Vols, despite their problems, are 7-3 in Knoxville, including a close loss to Memphis and a stunning win over the Gators. This one's worth keeping an eye on.

U Mass vs. Richmond = So is this one, as it pits two good mid-major programs against each other. Besides, I always keep an eye on Spiders.

Stanford vs. Washington = As happened last year, a logjam is forming atop the Pac-12. Cal holds an early 6-1 advantage, but these two here enter play with 5-2 & 4-2 resp't records. That alone tells you how important this game is, as is . . .

Arizona vs. Colorado = . . . because the Desert 'Cats and the Buffaloes have 4-2 league records themselves, and are part of that jam-up. So you know they both want this one.

Syracuse vs. Notre Dame = It's in South Bend, which gives the Irish that anyway. It may not be enough to squeeze the Orange, but you gotta know Boeheim's not gonna think that way. He knows he can't go without a loss all year, even if you don't.

LSU vs. Florida = On the one hand, I don't give the Tigers much of a chance here. On the other, the Gators have managed to stink up the joint at times. Me, I can't see a contest here, but what do I know?

Marshall vs. Southern Mississippi = It seems that teams like these two almost always give us a good show, maybe because they know they can't skate into the NCAAs with a handful of at-large bids allocated for their league.

Kent State vs. Akron = Same story here, and two teams that have done pretty well so far.

Colorado State vs. Wyoming = And here again also.

California vs. Washington State = The Cougars are not part of that Pac-12 pack mentioned above, but if the Bears want to stay on top of the pile they can't afford to stumble up in Pullman tonight. For that reason alone, it's big.

Marquette vs. Providence = On the surface, this does not look to be much of a match-up, even in Rhode Island. But remember that the Friars did manage to edge Louisville recently, by a slim 90-59 margin. Anything can happen.

Mississippi State vs. Vanderbilt = The Commodores were, like those aforementioned Gators, subject to several early disappointing performances. However, they have won 8 in a row now, and maybe have finally found their game. And despite the Bulldogs higher ranking, they are 2-2 in the SEC, with Vandy 4-0. Besides, that funky floating court in Nashville is a baitch for many teams. This could be fun.

South Dakota State vs. North Dakota State = Yeah, nobody outside the Dakotas cares, one way or the other. But this one just hopped out at me. They are resp't. 15-5, 7-1 and 13-5, 6-2, so even though you don't give a damn you can bet your bottom dollar they do.

Ohio State vs. Nebraska = In Lincoln, as if that makes a difference. The only thing more shocking than a Buckeye loss today is the fact the Cornhuskers have actually won 2 Big Ten+ games already. Yeah, it could happen again . . . but not tonight.

ODU vs. VCU = So if you want to watch a close game in this timeslot, tune in this one instead.

Louisville vs. Pittsburgh = Or even this one, if those above are sucky by halftime. The Cardinals have had a crazy season, and the Panthers have been even nuttier. Hell, I never thought they'd come into this holding 2-4 and 0-6 Big East records, did you? But this does mean that neither can stand many more Ls, so figure both Pitino and Dixon will have their boys primed.

Murray State vs. SIU Edwardsville = And if Joe's Racers don't absolutely romp over the 5-11, 3-4 Cougars, even if it's on the road, then they should add a dishonorary loss onto their unblemished record just on general principles.

Air Force vs. San Diego State = Quietly, or at least more quietly than last year, the Aztecs are building another great season. The Falcons could spoil that late tonight, as they can hoop and swoop a little, but I would not count on it. Still, it ought to be fun.

New Mexico vs. UNLV = So should this one, and even in Sin City I give the Lobos a decent chance at pulling down the Runnin' Rebels, or at the least nipping at their heels all night.

St. Mary's vs. Santa Clara = For no particular reasons I can name, I have grown to like both these teams over the years. Maybe it's because they play well, play clean, play tough opponents, and pretty much keep their yaps shut. The Gaels have the much-superior squad this year, but I don't expect the Broncos to simply roll over on their own court. They won't win, barring strange circumstances, but they will do their best to compete.


While typing all that garbage above, a few more finals came in:


Georgetown 52 - Rutgers 50 = The Hoyas avoid what might have been an embarrassing loss on their court, even if just barely. Meanwhile, the Scarlet Knights can't be too disappointed with another good showing, despite the loss.

Wake Forest 71 - Boston College 56 = Wow. Though I'm not surprised the Deacs won, seeing as how they've played better at times than was expected, such a spanking was unexpected. Hey, this was in Chestnut Hill, not Winston-Salem or Greensboro!

Michigan State 83 - Purdue 58 = Another somewhat surprising spanking, for much the same reason. True, it was in East Lansing, and the Spartans have been better than the Boilermakers. Still, a 25-point margin between these two is unusual.

Kentucky 77 - Alabama 71 = And there is nothing at all surprising about this one, at least to me. The Wildcats win at home, and the Tide gave them much more of a fight than they wanted. It's somewhat lucky for Calipari that his young team seems to have learned how to win the tight ones as opposed to lose them. I guess I could give the credit to Cal's coaching, but as I don't think he actually DOES any, I cannot bring myself to do so.


Lunchtime, brothers. I'll try to get back later with some more early finals, and a look at Sunday games. Bye for now.

[The Poet]

A few more early finals for you now:


Dayton 87 - Xavier 72 = After winning 4 in a row, and giving some indication that they'd finally gotten back on track, the X-Men drop their 6th loss since the Bearcat Brawl to the Flyers.

Villanova 79 - St. John's 76 (OT) = Big East wins will be few and far between for both teams, so it's no wonder they fought so hard for this one. A good road victory for the Philly 'Cats, considering.

Memphis 63 - SMU 45 = Not a great showing by the Tigers, but an even worse one by the Schmoo.


In rather limited Sunday action, we will have:


N.C. State vs. Miami = I don't know how good Jerry's 'Pack is, but I do think they are better than these 'Canes. But can they travel, that's the question.

Penn State vs. Indiana = The Hoosiers have started to come back down to earth, yet are still gonna be tough in Bloomington. So, do I think that PSU can follow up their upset of the Illini with another one? No.

Wisconsin vs. Illinois = Speaking of the Illini, they will have a tough time trying to rebound from that loss in State College against the Badgers. True, the boys from Madison have not been all they were thought, but they are still a tough out. This might be the best game of the day. Speaking of Wisconsin . . .

Wisconsin-Milwaukee vs. Cleveland State = This one may be just as good, or even a little better.

South Florida vs. DePaul = Or maybe this one will be, since both teams are equally capable . . . or at times, incapable.

Virginia Tech vs. Virginia = Or maybe this one will be, if the Hokies can recover from that slapping around my Heels gave them in the second half the other evening. But as it is in Charlottesville, and as the Cavs have remained the surprise of the ACC so far (or at least the pleasant one ), I'll go with them, by 4 possessions at least.

Northwestern vs. Minnesota = The Smarty 'Cats don't travel well. Yet prior to the 20-point whippin' they just took from those Badgers above, they did beat Michigan State, and lost to Michigan by only a deuce. As for the Gophers, they lost their first 4 conference games before winning the last two over Indiana and Penn State, so both teams enter this 2-4 in league play. Look for a good one here.

Drake vs. Northern Iowa = And this one's just another of those that jumped off the page and smacked me in the schnozz. Of course, considering its size, how could it miss?


That's it from me for now. Until later then, enjoy.

[jcruse64]

Wow! FSU on an ACC romp! Sweet buzzer shot sinks dook at home, breaking their home court streak. Yeah, I'm cheering!

UK juuust got by 'Bama, and I'm loving Davis more every game, and feeling cold over Jones more every game. Can't tell if the hand is still bothering him, or he's in a mood swing again.
Watching 'Cuse right now, and ND has pretty much had their way with them, at the half. I understand 'Cuse is without a couple of players this game.
Bearcats go down in a tough, last second loss.
Uconn has lost, what..3 or 4 out of the last 6?? UT showed up today.
Speaking of SEC, Michigan gets beat by Arkansas.
Pretty good game with KU vs Texas also.
Baylor loses again.

UL vs Pitt??? I'm going with Pitt on this one, the way the Cards have acted lately.

Go Racers!!!!!!!!

[The Poet]

Yeah, there was a lot of good action over the weekend, though many of the "upsets" were no huge surprise to me. Take for instance:


Notre Dame 67 - Syracuse 58 = I told you and I told you and I told you that once the Orange got out of the Dome and started playing teams who knew their zone they would lose. The margin may be a bit more than I'd have expected, but the result was inevitable. And don't think the Irish are exactly new at this sort of thing. Though it hasn't happened since 1987, this marks the 8th time they have knocked off the #1 team in the nation, moving them into a tie for 4th in that accomplishment. (P.S., FYI, North Carolina leads that group with 12 such wins. One might argue which mark is more impressive. On the one hand, though the Irish have a long and successful basketball history, they cannot be put into the same league as the top dozen or so traditional powers. This makes their #1 upsets remarkable in that way. However, while it is admittedly difficult to beat the top team in the country under such circumstances, it is absolutely impossible to beat the top team when you ARE the top team. As the Heels have found themselves in that position often, they've had that limitation to overcome. )

Tennessee 60 - U Conn 57 = And if you think I'm shocked by this one, then you just haven't been paying any attention. True, the Vols have been pretty crappy. But I told you from Day One that the Huskies were OK at best, and much too highly regarded. Like Syracuse, their early success was largely based upon their dependence upon home court advantage, and their weaknesses would show up more readily on the road.

Florida State 76 - Duke 73 = And the only thing that might surprise me some here is that it was in Cameron, where Dook is hard to beat. Otherwise, I also said from Day One they would likely compete at a slightly lower level this season, and that FSU could challenge in the ACC with them and UNC.

Arkansas 66 - Michigan 64 = Here there's no surprise at all. What is the now, the 10th time the Logans have failed to break the 65-point ceiling? This ain't baseball here, so pitching can't keep you in it . . . you have to score the ball.

Missouri 89 - Baylor 88 = And though I'm no huge believer in the Tigers, I believed even less in the Bears. The only surprise here is that they lost by a single stinkin' point.

West Virginia 77 - Cincinnati 74 (OT) = And perhaps the surprise here is that the Bearcats managed to take it into extra innings.

Kansas 69 - Texas 66 = While here the surprise is that the 'Horns actually had a shot at this upset in Austin . . . which would actually have BEEN an upset, unlike those others.

Texas A&M 81 - Oklahoma 75 (OT) = I'm not sure there's anything of note here at all, but it was a fun game.

Washington State 77 - California 75 = OK, you want an upset? Well, here it is. Again, as last year, the jam for the Pac-12 has gotten jammier, as there are now 4 teams atop with 2 losses each.

Mississippi State 78 - Vanderbilt 77 (OT) = The Comms take a step backwards, and earned it. Hey, if you can't defend your home court, even when given a second chance in OT, you don't deserve the W.

Louisville 73 - Pittsburgh 62 = If you're looking for a surprise here, then it's in the continued collapse of the Panthers. Nobody, and I do mean NOBODY, thought they'd be 11-9, and 0-7 in Big East play. Pitt fails in the spring, not in the fall and winter.

Murray State 82 - SIU Edwardsville 65 = No surpirse at all to be found here, either in the result or in the fact that the cheese stands alone now. Joe's Racers remain as the only undefeated team left in Division 1 hoops, and I feel confident I told you somewhere up above they were the most likely candidate for that distinction. I do believe that, barring more injuries or something, they have a decent shot of going unbeated . . . until March, when somebody will hand them their lunch and point them towards the door.

South Dakota State 91 - North Dakota State 88 (OT) = I threw this in because I still don't know why it jumped out at me on Saturday as looking to be a good one. Hell, like a broken clock, I'm right twice a day.


Sunday's games:


N. C. State 78 - Miami 73 = Joe's old boy Gottfried continues to take Jerry's 'Pack back towards the promised land. OK, a win over the 'Canes means little in itself, but take note that NCSU is presently tied atop the ACC with Dook and FSU at 4-1, and are a half-game ahead of my 3-1 Heels. That will likely chance come Thursday, when they visit Chapel Hill, but I reckon it's pretty sweet at the moment.

Indiana 73 - Penn State 54 = Though some may think the passing of JoePa was a negative factor here, a distraction for the Lions they could not overcome, I myself feel the Hoosiers would have taken this one in Bloomington regardless of the circumstances.

Wisconsin 67 - Illinois 63 = The Badgers hand the Illini another loss, and get a win they needed badly.

Virginia Tech 47 - Virginia 45 = This one is a tiny surprise for me, as I felt the Cavs would be able to win this in-state rivalry at home. But judging by the score, it was as much a case of the Cavs losing as the Hokies winning, so there's my out.


Tonight has only a few games of note:


Syracuse vs. Cincinnati = It is entirely possible that the 'Cuse will get their second loss tonight . . . but only if the Bearcats show up. As it is on their court, they have little excuse not to, but they seem to show up only about a third of the time, so who knows? I think it might be tight, but the Orange rebounds . . . for now, anyway. Still, keep an eye on it.

Belmont vs. East Tennessee State = The Belmont Bruins were supposed to walk away with the Atlantic Sun this year, as usual. But they've yet to gel, despite returning veterans, and as in the Pac-12 there's a mob at the top, with 5 teams at either 6-2 or 5-3 in league play. These are two of them, so this is big for both.

Texas A&M vs. Kansas = In Lawrence, so I wouldn't think the Jayhawks would have the problems with the Aggies they just had with the Longhorns in Austin. But now that I think about it more, the x-factor may be that those Aggies need to know that if they are going to make a move, they have to start now. But now that I think about it more more, it's as hard to beat KU in Allen Fieldhouse as it is to beat Dook in Cameron Indoor Sty-dium. But now that I think about it more more more, the Semiholes just did just that. Ahh, fug it all. Kansas by a dozen.


Later then. Enjoy.

[jcruse64]

Well, the Bearcats were playing 'Cuse pretty good, but now are down 6 with less than 1 minute.

The Cards surprised me; I really figured Pitt to try to make a turn there. Flat out stink this season.

Aggies against the Jayhawks up on the WWL next; hope the Aggies turn it on.

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by jcruse64

Well, the Bearcats were playing 'Cuse pretty good, but now are down 6 with less than 1 minute.

The Cards surprised me; I really figured Pitt to try to make a turn there. Flat out stink this season.

Aggies against the Jayhawks up on the WWL next; hope the Aggies turn it on.

Syracuse 60 - Cincinnati 53 = Yeah, I thought it had a chance to be pretty close, though I also felt the Bearcats have been too inconsistent to actually get the W. The Orange bounce back from their first L, but it wasn't much of a statement for them.

Kansas 64 - Texas A&M 54 = And this wasn't all that big a statement for the Jayhawks either. I did not see the game, so have no idea if the Aggies turned it on or not, yet when you consider the problems they've had, it's not too terrible a loss in Lawrence.

And yes, Pitt has been the pits.


In limited action, here's the other few scores I note:


Belmont 82 - East Tennessee State 70 = A good win for the Bruins against a conference contender. The odd thing about this one is that it was a tale of two halves, for both squads. The score was 27-12 at the break, so 75% of the scoring was done in the second stanza . . . by both damn teams, not just collectively. What, did somebody take the lids off the buckets during while they were in the lockerrooms?

Siena 65 - Iona 62 = And this is notable to me because the experts told us before the season started that the Gaels would be the Butler this year, the mid-major who could kill the giants. OK, I guess it could happen, as they haven't stunk up the joint like, say, Pitt has done. But with this loss to the 9-10 and 4-5 Jaspers, they fall to 15-5 and 7-2 in the MAAC, which means they can't even dominate in their own league. As for me, I can easily see the Gaels going deep into the NCAA tournament. Yet those Gaels will be from St. Mary's, a continent away from Iona.


There are a few games of interest tonight:


Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt = While the Commodores have been disappointing expectations, the Volunteers have at least managed to give their fans a pair of stunning "upsets" over highly-ranked teams. But those have been in Knoxville, while this one's down Mighty I-40 from Malfunction Junction into the Music City. Yeah, Vandy's been unable to defend home court. However, the Vols stink on the road. If the Comms don't win this one, they should just quit athletics and go back to class.

Michigan vs. Purdue = This could be a pretty close one. True, the Wolverines have gotten more attention and respect, and the Boilermakers are not as good as they've been recently. Yet I still don't like how the Logans score . . . or, more accurately, do NOT score. That alone could keep this tight.

Akron vs. Ball State = And this fight between the Zips and the Lettermens could be a good one too. They are fairly well matched, though Akron gets more press. As they also have a more-experienced program that's been there before, I'll give them a slim edge.

Baylor vs. Oklahoma = The Bears have now lost two games, both on the road and at home also. This one in Norman might be their third, if their confidence has been destroyed by these losses . . . which is entirely possible, especially in a program that's not really been there before. However, the Sooners are not exactly the best competition in the Big . . . uh, how many teams have stuck around out there? So though a Bear loss would not shock me, I would not bet on it.

South Florida vs. Marquette = So if you're looking for an upset, look at this. The Bulls have had a habit of knocking off teams, sneaking up on those who overlook them,and the Golden Eagles are primed for such an error. Marquette's always had a 'tude about them, going back at least to Al McGuire's time, and thus can be subject to hubris.

San Diego State vs. Wyoming = And to be honest, with all due respect for the Aztecs, they have begun to show some early signs of this disease themselves. Perhaps a little "come to Jesus" out in Laramie can cure them, or at least arrest the spread of the infection.

Kentucky vs. Georgia = This game is in Athens, yet it takes no Delphic Oracle to predict the likely outcome. Yeah, true, the young 'Cats could always beat themselves on any given night, but the Bulldogs couldn't beat them to the concession stand, even on their home court.

Miami vs. Georgia Tech = Here's an early key game to decide the ACC race . . . for the cellar. There are presently 3 teams with only 1 conference win so far, and this is two of them. So, why bother? Well, it just my be a full-out war, for that reason alone.


That's what I got for you today. So until tomorrow then, enjoy.