Quote:
Originally Posted by jcruse64
My  :
NC State better have something better in the bag than that last-second 80-footer, or the drive home will be tough.
I know it's on the road, but the Gators act like they've been hit by a Mack truck. Not too good. |
As for Jerry's Wolfpack, that 80-footer was the only thing they had to cheer about last night. And the drive back to Raleigh may have been tough, but it's at least short.
As for the Gators, they did manage to survive down in Oxford, even if they nearly got Faulknered. I'm not sure what that means, but it sounds cool anyway.
But before I get to last night's action any deeper, lemme tell you a few Wednesday scores of note:
Oklahoma State 79 - Missouri 72 = The biggest surprise of the night, for even though I felt the Tigers are not as good as the "experts" believe, I still felt they'd handle Oak State. Shows what I know too.
Pittsburgh 86 - Providence 74 = Not a shock at all, as both teams have stunk, and somebody had to win. Yet it is notable for being Pitt's first conference win.
St. John's 78 - West Virginia 62 = So if you're looking for a shocker in the Big East, here it is. Yeah, the Red Storm has played pretty well from time to time, though not much recently. And the Mountaineers have over-achieved from expectations, so a loss is no huge stunner. Yet that margin, even in MSG, is fairly substancial.
Saint Louis 73 - Xavier 68 = The demise of the X-Men continues. They lose on their own court, still reaping the bad karma from that brawl with Cincy.
BYU 70 - Virginia Tech 68 = Though the Hokies cannot build upon their upset of UVA, they do give the Cougars one damn good fight. Considering, this may be a better loss for them than it is a win for BYU.
Duke 74 - Maryland 61 = I guess this is about what one would expect . . . a double-digit win over the Terps in College Park, being neither a stomping nor a nail-biter.
UNLV 77 - Boise State 72 (OT) = If the home team had managed to show up for that extra 5 minutes, the Broncos would have had a signature win. Still, a damn good game.
And last night, beginning with those already referenced by Joe and me:
North Carolina 74 - N. C. State 55 = The 'Pack came into Chapel Hill with a piece of the ACC lead, and left with their tails shaved. The win may not mean the Heels are now focused for the rest of the season, but perhaps the loss will help Gottfried get HIS boys focused on what they need to do . . . if it does not completely smash their confidence. But what should they have expected? They haven't won in the Smith Center in nearly a decade.
Florida 64 - Mississippi 60 = The Gators played their half-dozenth bad game of the year (at least), but did escape with a W. Tell me, does Billy Donovan have any hair left?
Nebraska 79 - Iowa 73 = Wow. The Cornhuskers not only win their 3rd Big Ten+ game, they actually do so on the road! Will wonders never cease?
Wisconsin-Milwaukee 53 - Butler 42 = If the score is any judge, this was a sloppy contest. But notable is the fact that the Bulldogs, national runner-up the past two years, fall to 12-10 . . . though at 6-4 can still be a factor in the Horizon race, IF they can win some games that is.
Wisconsin 57 - Indiana 50 = And the bloom is off in Bloomington, as the surprising Hoosiers have started to play down to their potential. Well, they've probably already had a better year than they expected to, and it's never too late to make adjustments. Meanwhile, the Badgers needed a "quality" win to bolster their sagging reps.
Virginia 66 - Boston College 49 = Plus, the Cavs needed one to rebound from that shocker against the Hokies. This one over the Eagles ain't it however, though it is better than another loss.
There's very few games this evening, and only two hold any interest to me at all:
Iona vs. Fairfield = For those not in the know, this match-up is usually a war. And even though the Gaels were supposed to dominate this year, they have not shown many signs of it. This alone makes it potential fun.
Harvard vs. Yale = Yeah, it's the Ivy, but one of the teams in the league will dance come March, and this game may be key. The Crimson was projected to win the conference, but they and the Eli are 2-0 early. And remember last year, when Harvard lost that one-game tie-breaking playoff to miss the NCAAs for the umpteenth-squared time. Every win and every loss, in a league with only one bid and no conference tournament, is huge.
If I get a chance, I'll look at the early Saturday games and get back to you. If not, I'll see you tomorrow. Whichever, enjoy.