Quote:
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.
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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.