College Basketball!

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by LloydLungs

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.

I can speak to that, at least some...

Mason has struggled.. including that loss to W&M followed up by a loss to their heated rival, ODU.. They were 0-3 in the conference this season..

But that doesn't tell the whole story of their attendance issues...

I think the biggest problem is that they're a commuter school. And they have a pretty big arena that is used for concerts and the like in Northern Virginia. The attendance numbers are posted for the W&M @ GMU game and it was 4500. I'd argue that's somewhat respectable for a commuter school when school is not yet in session.

So anyway, the W&M @ GMU game last year that was just after students got back, was 4300. So, I think they are getting a bump. I think I read they sold like 500 or so more season tickets, which as far as % is a huge jump.

They're just going to have a hard time when they're a commuter school competing in a market for college basketball with Maryland, Georgetown, and George Washington - so it's going to be difficult to get casual fans.

[wade moore]

Dola: I've been to several games at GMU, including an NIT game a few years ago.

Even when it's a packed house, that has to be about the quietest crowds I have ever seen - it's very disturbing.

[LloydLungs]

Originally Posted by wade moore

I think the biggest problem is that they're a commuter school.

Ahhh, okay. That's kind of what I figured. As a fan of the horribly supported UNO Privateers, another mid-major commuter school, I've always wondered if we would get a really significant attendance bump if we made an insane Mason-esque run to the F4. Now that GMU actually did it and we have a live guinea pig for this experiment, the answer seems to be somewhere in the area of "kinda sorta not really."

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by LloydLungs

Ahhh, okay. That's kind of what I figured. As a fan of the horribly supported UNO Privateers, another mid-major commuter school, I've always wondered if we would get a really significant attendance bump if we made an insane Mason-esque run to the F4. Now that GMU actually did it and we have a live guinea pig for this experiment, the answer seems to be somewhere in the area of "kinda sorta not really."

Yeah.. I'm curious to see what their attendance numbers for conference games will be when students come back. That will be the true test imo... of course, if they keep losing, it will be harder to judge...

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by LloydLungs

Ahhh, okay. That's kind of what I figured. As a fan of the horribly supported UNO Privateers, another mid-major commuter school, I've always wondered if we would get a really significant attendance bump if we made an insane Mason-esque run to the F4. Now that GMU actually did it and we have a live guinea pig for this experiment, the answer seems to be somewhere in the area of "kinda sorta not really."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriot_Center

10,000 seat capacity and thy had 9,800 for the Wichita St. game where they raised the banner.

So, that shows something to me.. you have to wonder if they started hot how different their numbers would be right now.

[JonInMiddleGA]

GT 74
Duke 63

[Recoil]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

GT 74
Duke 63

That's even with the refs in Coach K's pocket all night. First solid game I've seen from GT in awhile.

[spleen1015]

Too many turnovers and too many 3 pointers.

I'm starting to dislike Paulus.

[Galaril]

Air Force is looking strong at 16 -1 (12 staright wins) and looks at least to have a great shot at earning their bid to the tournament this year.

[cartman]

Texas has a strong game, defeating Mizzou 88-68. Kevin Durant is bona fide.

[digamma]

Originally Posted by Recoil

That's even with the refs in Coach K's pocket all night. First solid game I've seen from GT in awhile.

Just finished watching the game on Tivo. It really is amazing how many close calls Duke gets. Of course, there were the obvious ones too, namely the shot to Dickey's face from McRoberts and the brutal charge on Mario.

Still, GT has to move better without the ball and cut down on the turnovers.

[Radii]

UNC beats Virginia 79-69, surely this wasn't the same Virginia team that just lost at home to Stanford. UNC is starting very slowly and just eventually wearing teams down, they'll lose a few games along the way in the ACC when they get too far behind early I imagine. I love their offensive rebounding, watching them dominate second chance points is my favorite part about this team right now I believe.

UNC at an undefeated Clemson a week from now is looking like a *big* game.

Go Georgia Tech Looks like a number of top 25 teams fell tonight, including Duke. Marquette beat UConn, Vandy took down Tennessee, Illinois-Chicago over Butler.

[Butter]

Originally Posted by Radii

UNC at an undefeated Clemson a week from now is looking like a *big* game.

Goooooo Tigers!

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by Butter_of_69

Goooooo Tigers!

I'll second that....

Then again, it is time for our once a decade run...

[Radii]

So Kansas barely beats Iowa State in overtime, Clemson is no longer undefeated(lost at Maryland) and Virginia Tech is playing another great game and has a 10 point lead on UNC at the half.

[timmynausea]

WVU looks like a different team on the road. They got destroyed by Marquette today.

[Radii]

Virginia Tech is looking good. Carolina is struggling to get shots at all, much less good ones. Va Tech has some seriously good athletes.

[cartman]

Texas beats Oklahoma 80-69, in a game that wasn't as close as the final score indicated. Kevin Durant is a man playing among boys.

[cartman]

Brent Musburger is a freaking moron. 16.7 seconds left, Va Tech with a 3 point lead: "North Carolina has to be careful now, because the Hokies can run out the clock".

W...T...F... Is he really that stupid?

[Radii]

Originally Posted by cartman

Brent Musburger is a freaking moron. 16.7 seconds left, Va Tech with a 3 point lead: "North Carolina has to be careful now, because the Hokies can run out the clock".

Yes, yes he is.


Virginia Tech played a great game, they outhustled and outworked UNC for 36 minutes. I gave up on the game and turned the channel until a friend IM'd me and asked if I was watching the comeback.

I feel a LOT better seeing that UNC didn't roll over and die. Not many teams can limit their turnovers against UNC and not many can shut down the inside game, but if you can do either, it exposes the youth that UNC has. Congrats to Virginia Tech, very very good win for you guys.

[Toddzilla]

Originally Posted by Radii

UNC at an undefeated Clemson a week from now is looking like a *big* game.

Oops - sorry to spoil that for you

[Radii]

Originally Posted by Toddzilla

Oops - sorry to spoil that for you

Clemson already lost earlier in the day! But it will still be a big game to see if UNC can play a better game on the road, and how Clemson does against another top 25 team.

[sooner333]

Durant really was among boys today...noone above 6-7 on the team today with Longar out, plus OU just doesn't have the offensive power this year. I like what Capel is doing recruiting and getting out of the team on defense...but I really don't feel that Durant can be stopped by anyone.

Longar's suspension was total bullshit and Knight can go suck it. I can't wait until they come and we beat their fucking asses in Norman.

[Galaril]

Air Force beats Wyoming (11-4) with a shot at the buzzer and goes to a AF record 17-1. Ther RPI is 5th with a 39th SOS which is better than Ohio St.,Butler,Clemson,Wshington St.,Kansas or Wisconsin to name but a few.

[wade moore]

So...

Do we have to consider VT to be a legit title contender now?

[Radii]

Originally Posted by wade moore

Do we have to consider VT to be a legit title contender now?

ACC or NCAA? I'd say they now have the potential to become a legit NCAA Tournament threat and they're certainly a team you can't take lightly, but in the end, I still expect them to be a team that, while capable of beating anybody, suffers way too many losses to inferior teams to be taken as a serious contender for anything.

Perhaps I'll be proven wrong, 3 of their next 4 ACC games are on the road, and the home game is vs Maryland, they need to win 2 or 3 of those I think.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Radii

ACC or NCAA? I'd say they now have the potential to become a legit NCAA Tournament threat and they're certainly a team you can't take lightly, but in the end, I still expect them to be a team that, while capable of beating anybody, suffers way too many losses to inferior teams to be taken as a serious contender for anything.

Perhaps I'll be proven wrong, 3 of their next 4 ACC games are on the road, and the home game is vs Maryland, they need to win 2 or 3 of those I think.

I meant both I guess.

I know that VT played @WM I think 2 seasons ago and some of the Freshmen they had I thought would really be great ACC players as they amtured. I'll have to check, but I imagine some of those are their stars now. You could tell that that season they really made a commitment to have a real ACC basketball program.

[stevew]

I'm really developing a man crush on Greg Oden. And that shot that OSU hit to beat Tennessee was just stone cold. I wish I could watch more games, but I'm always seemingly working when the Buckeyes are on.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by stevew

I'm really developing a man crush on Greg Oden.

You and me both. I wish he'd stay in college 3 more seasons. Imagine the kind of numbers he'd put up as a senior? It would be an awesome sight to watch.

[miami_fan]

Oden was a beast yesterday. I think Bruce Pearl was impressed.

He's a dominant player," Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl said of Oden, last year's national high school player of the year who was highly recruited. "He's got a chance to be Bill Russell at 7-foot. He's got a chance to be a real impact player."

[miami_fan]

Dola,
Folks may want to keep an eye on the Oregon Ducks. Aaron Brooks (not the QB) won another game for them tonight.

[Z²+]

Is there really anything more entertaining in all of college basketball than watching Jim Calhoun wildly gesticulate as he chases a referee down the sideline every 10 to 15 seconds? I almost missed most of Pitt's dominating victory over UConn because I was too busy laughing at Calhoun.

[cartman]

Oklahoma State just put up a candidate for "shot of the year". It'll definitely be on SportsCenter tonight.

The Cowboys' guard mishandled a pass as the shot clock was at 2. He ran towards the sidelines, dove, and threw the ball up hoping to hit the rim, and it went in.

[cartman]

Candidate for game of the year as well. Triple OT, Oklahoma State gets a 3 at the buzzer to beat Texas 105-103.

[DeToxRox]

That was the best game I've seen. Period. Unreal.

[MylesKnight]

Kevin Durant is dead on what KG would've looked like if he attended college.

[LoneStarGirl]

That was an awesome game last night. I picked it up at the second half and could not turn it off. Cartman, what do you think about the freshman staying and playing another year? Texas is starting 4 freshman and a sophomore, if those five stick around next year, that team is going to be incredible

[cartman]

Originally Posted by LoneStarGirl

That was an awesome game last night. I picked it up at the second half and could not turn it off. Cartman, what do you think about the freshman staying and playing another year? Texas is starting 4 freshman and a sophomore, if those five stick around next year, that team is going to be incredible

I'd be stunned if Durant stuck around another year. If they didn't change the age restriction, he would have been in the NBA this season. As for the other freshman, if a couple of them finish strong and Texas goes deep in the tourney, they are probably gone as well. I'd be surprised to see more than 3 of them back next season. But this is going to be a solid and scary team once March rolls around.

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by Z²+

Is there really anything more entertaining in all of college basketball than watching Jim Calhoun wildly gesticulate as he chases a referee down the sideline every 10 to 15 seconds? I almost missed most of Pitt's dominating victory over UConn because I was too busy laughing at Calhoun.

Tim Floyd and Lute Olson are two of the more entertaining coaches who like to yell at refs

[Huckleberry]

Originally Posted by cartman

I'd be stunned if Durant stuck around another year. If they didn't change the age restriction, he would have been in the NBA this season. As for the other freshman, if a couple of them finish strong and Texas goes deep in the tourney, they are probably gone as well. I'd be surprised to see more than 3 of them back next season. But this is going to be a solid and scary team once March rolls around.

No way anyone but Durant leaves. Augustin is a great college point guard but doesn't translate to an early entry. Damion James is the only other realistic threat to ever leave early but he fancies himself a wing player and will stay a year to play that position after Durant.

No way Durant doesn't leave.

At this point.

[LloydLungs]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Tim Floyd and Lute Olson are two of the more entertaining coaches who like to yell at refs

Tim has done his "run out onto the court" routine about once a season dating all the way back to his UNO days. I can pretty much predict when it's coming at this point.

[Toddzilla]

Way to go VT! One-and-done as a ranked team. Raise your hand if you thought VT was actually going to go an the road and win this game? Didn't think so. At least I made a few bucks on it.

[lungs]

The Wisconsin Badgers keep rolling. I don't see anybody stopping them in the Big Ten.

[Karlifornia]

Damn you, Aaron Brooks! I hate clutch guards who shoot 90%+ from the FT line.

[st.cronin]

How does Alondo Tucker still have eligibility??? Isn't he like 30????

[Johnny93g]

Originally Posted by lungs

The Wisconsin Badgers keep rolling. I don't see anybody stopping them in the Big Ten.

Indiana, we have them at Assembly Hall this year, while we do not make the trip to Wisconsin. ****


****The above statement is not an objective opinion

[SuperGrover]

Indiana will beat Wisconsin at home. Indiana is a very good basketball team.

[Johnny93g]

Originally Posted by SuperGrover

Indiana will beat Wisconsin at home. Indiana is a very good basketball team.

I've seen 16 of our 18 games this season, and i have not enjoyed the team this much in 5 years!!

I do believe the Hoosiers should be included with Ohio St and Wisconsin when talking about the top of the Big 10. Today's win at UCONN is HUGE!!! It's validation that we can win against a talented(yet young) team, in a hostile, away environment. DJ White is playing to his potential, Basset is playing like a senior, and everyone is defending like their life is on the line. Looking forward to Tuesday night when we visit Illinois. I'm sure the fans will let Coach Sampson know how displeased they were about the Eric Gordon situation

[SuperGrover]

It's validation that we can win against a talented(yet young) team, in a hostile, away environment.

I know you already are aware of this fact, but you've lost 4 games on the road against top 30 competition by a total of 20 points (dook, Ohio St., Butler, UK). Tonight might have been validation that you can WIN these games, but it's been clear you belong all season.

IU is flying below the radar and will continue to do so. However, as a UNC fan, they are a team I do not want to see on our side of the bracket come March.

[Butter]

So, UConn is good this year? Since when?