College Basketball!

[MJ4H]

die

[MJ4H]

i mean good game

[Groundhog]

I finally got to see Oden play thanks to a torrent of the Cinci-Ohio State game from the 15th. Man, not only does he look about 15 years older than everyone else on the court, but it was almost embarassing any time he got it within a few feet of the basket, with the sheer ease he just threw it down with. I had to stop watching at half time because it was just an absolute slaughter.

I don't recall seeing a big guy as dominant as him in college since... Duncan maybe? He is so clearly on another level compared to the (admittedly undersized) other guys on the court that it's hard to fathom. There's no garauntee that he'll be able to translate it over to the NBA against other 7-footers, but he's got to be the best big guy prospect since Duncan.

[k0ruptr]

or shaq even.

[Groundhog]

Yeah, Shaq was the first guy that came to mind while watching him. It reminded me of seeing Shaq as a rookie in Orlando. I never did see Shaq play college though, where as I did see a bit of Duncan at Wake.

[dawgfan]

Washington rebounded nicely from the Gonzaga loss with a big win over LSU tonight 88-72. Spencer Hawes and Jon Brockman dominated the middle as Hawes went for 23 & 12 and Brockman went 19 & 14 while limiting "Big Baby" Glenn Davis to 8 & 9.

[miami_fan]

I did not get to see any of the games today due to an emergency flight to Germany. So I am looking for some impressions for those that did watch these games.

Ohio State v Florida- Reading the recaps, it seems like the Gators dominated the paint by having more quality big men than the Buckeyes. Maybe Oden is not so ready for the pros.

Michigan v UCLA- Is this the year that Tommy Ammaker gets fired? UCLA is the #1 in the country but come on. This is supposed to be a better program than this.

USC v Wichita State- Have the Shockers been exposed?

[Wolfpack]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

Michigan v UCLA- Is this the year that Tommy Ammaker gets fired? UCLA is the #1 in the country but come on. This is supposed to be a better program than this.

Mebbe so. His team got trashed by a very undermanned NC State squad in the ACC-B10 Challenge and the Wolverines just don't have any real quality wins on the schedule so far.

My impression of things is that Michigan is now about where NC State was four or five years ago, perenially making the NIT and just missing the NCAA every year. Everyone says that Amaker is a great guy who runs the program with class and has successfully resurrected a moribund-but-once-proud program, but he just can't get over that hump. Same things were said about Sendek circa 2001 or so before he finally broke through with NCAA berths five years running. Problem was, Sendek went from just barely missing the NCAAs to just barely making them, not a substantive improvement aside from one Sweet 16 appearance and that was as a #10 seed (in other words, skirting in by the skin of his teeth). So, if the arc follows at Michigan, Amaker should finally break through this year or next, but he may not get much further before fanbase impatience pushes him out. Listening to sports talk in SE Michigan is very much deja vu for me whenever they're talking Michigan basketball these days.

[stevew]

What the hell happened in the FLA-tOSU game? It was tied at 35ish, I got busy at work, checked again and FLA was up by like 35. Crazyness. Oden already has primetime NBA defense, at least in my opinion.

[hoopsguy]

I think it was tied 40-40 when Oden picked up his 3rd foul. He went to the bench for about 3 minutes and Florida opened up a 7 point lead. Then he came back in but Florida was rolling. Their passing was very good. They ran a couple of pick and pop plays with Horford sticking jumpers and all of a sudden they were up fifteen with about 12 minutes left in the game. At that point it seemed like Ohio State pretty much decided to warm up the bus.

Anytime Matta wants to tell his guys to defend Humphrey coming out of a timeout, that would probably be a good idea as well.

[Radii]

UNLV is leading Texas Tech right now, but of course its inevitable, in the next week or two Bob Knight will become the winningest mens college basketball coach.

Of course I knew Dean Smith's record wouldn't last forever, but I was really, really hoping it would hold for another 5-10 years before being broken by Coach K at Duke. And if it did have to be broken before Coach K, *anyone* but Knight, my least favorite coach in America.

I still have the News and Observer from the day after Dean broke Rupp's record with a win over Colorado in the NCAA Tournament. As someone who grew up a short drive from Chapel Hill worshipping UNC basketball and Dean Smith, that day and that record are up there near the top of the list of moments I've experienced as a sports fan.

Seeing the record go down, espicially to Bob Knight, is a sad, sad moment for me.

[MrBug708]

UCLA looked scary good today....

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

UCLA looked scary good today....

And yet they really struggled on Thursday.

I'll take what we're getting, because you can't complain too hard about a team that is #1 several weeks in a row now, and one of three undefeated teams going into January, but I have seen signs this team is bound to lose one pretty soon if they keep playing around before putting things away.

Oregon is a tough place to play anyway, and this year's UO squad is actually pretty good. We go there next weekend.

[dawgfan]

Ugh. My Huskies need to learn how to play on the road - blowing the game to USC and then getting hammered by UCLA (much like they got hammered by Gonzaga) isn't going to cut it.

A ton of talent on this team, but they really miss the veteran play of guys like Brandon Roy and Bobby Jones.

[Radii]

Virginia Tech wins at Duke in overtime! WOOHOO.

[MJ4H]

Arkansas pounding #8 Alabama 44-20 at halftime. Finally something good happening in Arkansas sports. Let's see if we can keep this up.

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by Radii

Virginia Tech wins at Duke in overtime! WOOHOO.

Paulus played like absolutel crap today. He turned the ball over on their first 4 possessions.

[k0ruptr]

Come on ducks

[MJ4H]

Arkansas wins over #8 Alabama 88-61.

[k0ruptr]

YEA BABY. Ducks beat Ucla by 2 68-66

[Toddzilla]

Hokies pwn Duke...isn't that like 2 of 3 with the one loss a miracle last-second shot victory by Duke. Phsaw, this ACC stuff is easy....

[dime]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

Paulus played like absolutel crap today. He turned the ball over on their first 4 possessions.

paulus, like steve wojocieowski before him, is just not a good player. he is, however, apparently coach k's favorite and so he'll be getting plenty of undeserved minutes anyway.

[Radii]

wow, go Oregon! UNC will be #1 assuming they can hold off Florida State tomorrow then.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by k0ruptr

YEA BABY. Ducks beat Ucla by 2 68-66

Pac-10 is a bitch this year.

[VPI97]

Originally Posted by Toddzilla

Hokies pwn Duke

[Radii]

Originally Posted by VPI97

That was a great highlight.

[Radii]

Originally Posted by MattJones4Heisman

Arkansas wins over #8 Alabama 88-61.

Is Arkansas any good? It looks like they've lost to good teams and beaten bad teams so far, at least until today with the big win over Alabama.

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by dime

paulus, like steve wojocieowski before him, is just not a good player. he is, however, apparently coach k's favorite and so he'll be getting plenty of undeserved minutes anyway.

Yeah, anyone who leads the ACC in assists when they're a freshmen isn't any good.

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by Radii

Is Arkansas any good? It looks like they've lost to good teams and beaten bad teams so far, at least until today with the big win over Alabama.

At this stage I have to say yes, though it is still somewhat difficult to discern. Pretty inconsistent. Today was probably the best performance I've seen from an Arkansas basketball team since 95. I've also seen some pretty bad stuff from them this season.

Overall, they have a chance to be very, very solid this season. The incosistency has me worried, though.

[WSUCougar]

Cougars take down #7 Arizona in OT, 77-73. We're now 13-2. WOOT!

[Craptacular]

Originally Posted by WSUCougar

Cougars take down #7 Arizona in OT, 77-73. We're now 13-2. WOOT!

I'm amazed that any team coached by a Bennett can score more than 70, even in OT.

[Chief Rum]

I'm a homer (so be warned), but I think early evidence suggests the Pac 10 might be the strongest league this year. UCLA, Arizona and UDub are all top squads, and Oregon, Wazzu and USC have all been very good this year.

Stanford may not do much this year, but they have soome good, young talent with those twin towers they recruited. Considering a solid coach like Sendek is at ASU, they may not be down long either. But that's for the future.

This year, the league just looks brutally good.

[HerRealName]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

Ugh. My Huskies need to learn how to play on the road - blowing the game to USC and then getting hammered by UCLA (much like they got hammered by Gonzaga) isn't going to cut it.

A ton of talent on this team, but they really miss the veteran play of guys like Brandon Roy and Bobby Jones.

Washington is probably my favoirite non-Ohio State team to watch this year. The offensive talent is impressive but their lack of attention on defense and turnovers just kill them in tight games. I'm not a big Dentmon fan.

Not only does the Pac 10 look to be the strongest league, there isn't even a close second.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

I'm a homer (so be warned), but I think early evidence suggests the Pac 10 might be the strongest league this year. UCLA, Arizona and UDub are all top squads, and Oregon, Wazzu and USC have all been very good this year.

Stanford may not do much this year, but they have soome good, young talent with those twin towers they recruited. Considering a solid coach like Sendek is at ASU, they may not be down long either. But that's for the future.

This year, the league just looks brutally good.

EAST COAST BIAS!!!!!



But I agree with you.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by HerRealName

Washington is probably my favoirite non-Ohio State team to watch this year. The offensive talent is impressive but their lack of attention on defense and turnovers just kill them in tight games. I'm not a big Dentmon fan.

Not only does the Pac 10 look to be the strongest league, there isn't even a close second.

Yep. Dentmon was being counted on heavily this year to carry the ball-handling load, but he's struggled. And they desperately miss the defensive intensity of Bobby Jones and Brandon Roy - both guy who you could stick on a hot opponent and be comfortable they'd cool them off in a hurry.

What's tantalizing about this group is imagining where they could be if Hawes decides to stick around for another year - there's nobody graduating from this team outside of a walk-on in Brandon Burmeister, and there's another 7-footer waiting in the wings rehabbing an injury in Joe Wolfinger and an athletic wing in Joel Smith who should be back in 2-3 weeks.

Romar has done a phenomenal job of turning around Husky basketball and getting the program to the point where it's knocking on the door of elite status. As disappointed as I was with the 0-3 Pac-10 start and the whipping at Gonzaga, it's light years from the last years of Bob Bender and the days when Lynn Nance or Andy Russo was coach.

[dime]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

Yeah, anyone who leads the ACC in assists when they're a freshmen isn't any good.

you're kidding, right? please tell me you're kidding. even dookies don't try and defend paulus.

[Radii]

Florida State hangs with North Carolina for a half, but UNC is just too deep and ran away with it, 84-58. UNC will be the new #1, hopefully they can hang on to it for awhile.

I haven't seen Florida play enough to really make a good comparasion, but Hansbrough and Wright are just an incredible frontcourt duo, if they're not the best frontcourt in the nation, they're damn close behind Noah/Horford.

[Radii]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

I'm a homer (so be warned), but I think early evidence suggests the Pac 10 might be the strongest league this year. UCLA, Arizona and UDub are all top squads, and Oregon, Wazzu and USC have all been very good this year.

I agree with you too. Stanford's upset of Virginia at Virginia today only adds to the argument. The ACC is good this year, but this is one of those "UNC, Duke, then everyone else" years, where the ACC has two national title contenders, but top to bottom probably isn't going to be the strongest conference. The years where there are four or five teams in the ACC that are considered capable of a final four run are more fun, but eh, as a UNC fan, I'm not complaining

The potential is still there for the ACC to end up on top, with Virginia Tech, Florida State, Maryland, Boston College, Clemson, and Georgia Tech all having talent... but yeah, its the Pac 10 right now.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by Radii

I agree with you too. Stanford's upset of Virginia at Virginia today only adds to the argument. The ACC is good this year, but this is one of those "UNC, Duke, then everyone else" years, where the ACC has two national title contenders, but top to bottom probably isn't going to be the strongest conference. The years where there are four or five teams in the ACC that are considered capable of a final four run are more fun, but eh, as a UNC fan, I'm not complaining

The potential is still there for the ACC to end up on top, with Virginia Tech, Florida State, Maryland, Boston College, Clemson, and Georgia Tech all having talent... but yeah, its the Pac 10 right now.

I have a lot of respect for the ACC--I know they won't be down long, and UNC looks very good. And the Big East is so damn huge and full of great coaches, it's not hard to guess they will be adding a few top teams to the lists before the end of the year (although the lack of a dominant team like UConn or Villanova from years past probably means they beat each other up this year).

But the Pac 10 has had some very strong up turns to kickstart what is happening this year. It started four years ago when Howland and Bennett were hired, or maybe a little further back when Romar got started at UDub. There have been a string of strong hires in the league's coaching ranks. Johnson replacing Montgomery meant there wasn't as much drop off at Stanford as you would expect, Kent is a great recruiter at UO (if questionable gameday coach), and Papa taught son everything he knows at Wazzu. Howland and Romar are two of the most respected "in their prime" coaches in basketball, and Lute is still the dean. Now add Sendek and a vet coach like Floyd at USC, and you are looking at one of the best groups of league coaches around.

Kansas, UNC, Duke, etc. can still go west and pick up talent, but not like they used to. Duke is getting Singler and King next year, UNC got Thompson, etc., but some of the best recruits out west like Hawes, Brockman and Webster (ended up going pro) to UDub; Love, Afflalo and Farmar to UCLA; Budinger to UA; the Lopez twins to Stanford, are all staying out west. And we're bringing in top players from the east like Mayo at USC and Hairston on Oregon. And Lute's been recruiting nationally for well over a decade now.

It's a shame most of the country back east won't get many opportunities to watch the ball out here before tourney time (stupid conference heads).

[Wolfpack]

Originally Posted by Radii

I agree with you too. Stanford's upset of Virginia at Virginia today only adds to the argument. The ACC is good this year, but this is one of those "UNC, Duke, then everyone else" years, where the ACC has two national title contenders, but top to bottom probably isn't going to be the strongest conference. The years where there are four or five teams in the ACC that are considered capable of a final four run are more fun, but eh, as a UNC fan, I'm not complaining

The potential is still there for the ACC to end up on top, with Virginia Tech, Florida State, Maryland, Boston College, Clemson, and Georgia Tech all having talent... but yeah, its the Pac 10 right now.

Actually, I think this year is more "UNC and everyone else" rather than "UNC, Duke, and everyone else". Duke has been considerably overrated all year and generally has only moved up because of attrition ahead of them in the polls. What I've seen of Duke so far (granted it's limited here in Michigan) has not impressed me at all. I think they're much closer to #3 in the ACC than #1, given how Carolina's been destroying opponents this year.

(God, that whole paragraph was painful to type.)

And, whodathunkit? Clemson is the last unbeaten team in all of D-I basketball. After Wake's winning of the football championship, Hell must be experiencing what Denver did on those back-to-back blizzards. I expect the seventh seal to be broken any time now.

[Butter]

Ohio State - Wisconsin Tuesday night. By far the 2 best teams in the Big Ten going at it. Should be a good game if OSU can shake the demons of their road losses at Florida and UNC.

[Radii]

Originally Posted by VPI97

hxxp://youtube.com/watch?v=DVuo7UJ7Rus

[Radii]

Originally Posted by Wolfpack

And, whodathunkit? Clemson is the last unbeaten team in all of D-I basketball. After Wake's winning of the football championship, Hell must be experiencing what Denver did on those back-to-back blizzards. I expect the seventh seal to be broken any time now.

I haven't gotten to see Clemson play yet. UNC at Clemson Jan 17th, if Clemson is still undefeated then they will have won at NC State and at Maryland. I don't expect that to happen.

[timmynausea]

It may not have seemed like a very big deal at the time, but Arkansas's win over West Virginia was a pretty impressive victory. WVU is 13-1 and 3-0 in the Big East with double digit wins over UConn, Villanova and most recently St. Johns, whom they destroyed by 27 on Saturday. They're now 21st in the Coaches' poll.

[Mustang]

A new dunking move... "The Flying Teabag"

Originally Posted by VPI97

[wade moore]

w00t, my W&M Tribe getting some national press...

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2723839

William & Mary wins at George Mason: Don't look now, but Bill and Mary may just be one of the top three or four teams in the CAA. Meanwhile, Mason obviously is struggling, losing again to Old Dominion on the weekend. Drexel is the class of the league so far, with Hofstra, VCU, ODU and now William & Mary in hot pursuit.

And we just got done completing a 14 point win on the road in the conference. Keep in mind we were 8-20 and 3-15 in the conference last season. We've won 10 games already and are 3-1 in the conference.

Now, I recognize that almost no one in the nation could give two craps about our team, but as a fan that goes to every single home game and listens to many away games on the radio - this is a great feeling.

[RedKingGold]

Originally Posted by wade moore

w00t, my W&M Tribe getting some national press...

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2723839



And we just got done completing a 14 point win on the road in the conference. Keep in mind we were 8-20 and 3-15 in the conference last season. We've won 10 games already and are 3-1 in the conference.

Now, I recognize that almost no one in the nation could give two craps about our team, but as a fan that goes to every single home game and listens to many away games on the radio - this is a great feeling.

Drexel is better.

In all seriousness, I saw Drexel beat up 'Nova and was surprised with how athletic they are. They could be a team that does some damage in the tourney (Sweet 16?)

[LloydLungs]

Originally Posted by wade moore

Now, I recognize that almost no one in the nation could give two craps about our team, but as a fan that goes to every single home game and listens to many away games on the radio - this is a great feeling.

After what happened last year, I would say that anybody claiming to enjoy college basketball should be interested in the CAA. But I'm just a mid-major shill. Plus I have a W&M t-shirt with the feather, so I guess it's a collector's item now.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by RedKingGold

Drexel is better.

In all seriousness, I saw Drexel beat up 'Nova and was surprised with how athletic they are. They could be a team that does some damage in the tourney (Sweet 16?)

Drexel is certainly better. But I'm happy with W&M after them having not one a CAA Tourney game in the 10 years I've been here, one winning season in that time, and dramatically losing seasons since I graduated, etc... Basically, they're actually competitive.

I too believe Drexel has the chance to make some noise. The honest hope from the CAA fans is that they lose in the conference tourney giving us our one honest shot at being a two-bid league two seasons in a row (for those that don't know, GMU lost in the CAA tourney and were actually an at-large bid)...

Originally Posted by LloydLungs

After what happened last year, I would say that anybody claiming to enjoy college basketball should be interested in the CAA. But I'm just a mid-major shill. Plus I have a W&M t-shirt with the feather, so I guess it's a collector's item now.

I'm not just a mid-major shill, but a CAA shill ... I think it's a great, up-and-coming conference.. unfortunately much of the major talent is young this year so we're probably not quite as good as last year, but we have been recruiting well as a conference for several years now and GMU's final four performance (and their persistent mentions in the media afterwards - i.e. in relation to Boise St.) have certainly helped us.. it helps when people say, "oh, you play George Mason?!"...

Anyway, the CAA is very entertaining and it's nice to be able to go to a game and actually get tickets, have a seat, etc...

Edit: And yeah, this year at homecoming the local shops were cleaned out of all of their feather gear...

[LloydLungs]

Originally Posted by wade moore

Anyway, the CAA is very entertaining and it's nice to be able to go to a game and actually get tickets, have a seat, etc...

Which reminds me... The CAA game carried on Full Court tonight was UNCW at George Mason. I know GMU has struggled this season, and it's a lousy opponent on a Monday night, but it just surprised me how empty their place looked on TV. They went to the flippin' Final Four! I would've thought that would have been a tough ticket this year even on nights like these.