College Hoops Thread '10-'11

[jcruse64]

Missouri is SEC competition????

It's going to be interesting to see what happens in the SEC this season, with the issues at UK and UT.

Looking forward to Murray State going back to the Dance again. Morehead State might ave been serious competition this year, and may still be, but I think they have some NCAA issues and consequences this season.

Which conference do you see as the most dominant this season?

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by jcruse64

Missouri is SEC competition????

It's going to be interesting to see what happens in the SEC this season, with the issues at UK and UT.

Looking forward to Murray State going back to the Dance again. Morehead State might ave been serious competition this year, and may still be, but I think they have some NCAA issues and consequences this season.

Which conference do you see as the most dominant this season?

Missou Tiggers are ranked #15 in both polls, which we both know don't mean jack. But only the Gators and UK are ranked above them (in the SEC), and as you note, the Wildcats have some player issues. The Vols have some too, as well as a gun-shy coach problem.

Murray State may not be one of the "name" mid-majors (Gonzaga, Xavier, Dayton, Butler, Richmond, whoever), yet they have as much a chance as anyone . . . if they come to play. And yeah, I don't remember the particulars, but Morehead does have some $#!+ going on with the NCAA. I'll see if I can pull up the particulars.

Dominant conference? Off the top of my head, I'd pick the Big Ten. Behind them, probably the Big East and Big 12, then the thinner ACC and SEC. Of course, not only does this all depend on health and performance questions (such as, will Texas EVER play to their potential?), but also how problems at schools like UK and KU will shake out.

Originally Posted by kelmac07

I really like Pitt this year!!

I like Pitt almost every year, but until they actuall DO something I'm not gonna LOVE them. Hell, I ain't even old enough to remember 1941, which was their first . . . and ONLY . . . trip to the Final Four.

Speaking of underachievers like Pitt and UT, both of them help kick off the action tonight:

# 5 Pittsburgh vs. Rhode Island = The Panthers host the Rams, and should open it up in the second half. But don't expect RI to roll over and play dead. They won 26 games last year, made the semis of the NIT, and return about 10 veterans. They will come to play.

# 13 Illinois vs. UC Irvine = If this turns out to be any more than a live scrimmage for the Illini, then I might have to reassess my ranking of the Big 10. The Anteaters had a crappy team last year, and the only change of note was their canning of the coach (Pat Douglass, who won a school-record 197 games yet still lost his job) to bring in fresh blood . . . at the wrong end of the bench. I can't name a single head coach who ever hit a game-winner from the sidelines.

Maryland vs. Seattle = The Terps lose much of their best talent, and return only 6 scholarship veterans. This should be more than enough to pluck the Redhawks. Seattle wasn't bad last year, but they weren't good either . . . and likely won't be this year too.

Texas vs. Navy = This would be the most interesting game of this first night . . . if David Robinson was still a Midshipman. He ain't. The Longhorns usually don't collapse until late in the season, so I'd expect a romp in Austin. But there's something going on down there, mark my word. News is they not only are losing out on a number of future recruits they were counting upon, but their redshirt freshman guard Shawn Williams just quit the team. I guess Rich Barnes never heeded Johnny Winter's warning: "There's so much $#!+ in Texas, you're bound to step in some."

That's all on tonight. I don't expect much quality action, but it's better than no college basketball at all. Enjoy.

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by jcruse64

Morehead State might have been serious competition this year, and may still be, but I think they have some NCAA issues and consequences this season.

Yes, back at the end of August the NCAA placed Morehead State on 2 years probation for "recruiting violations related to booster activity." But their self-imposed sanctions (they ratted themselves out, which is always the best way to handle it) are not too serious. Aside from the loss of one scholarship, and a temporary reduction of recruiting days, visits, and calls, they have "a permanent ban from recruiting student athletes in all sports from the NIA school in Newark, N.J."

So, they are banned in perpetuity from Newark? Many would say that's a good thing.

[jcruse64]

Have to agree with ya on the Newark ban . They were great competition to Murray State last season, so I expect good things from the "other" MSU this season.

Looking forward to the Maui Classic!!!

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by jcruse64

Have to agree with ya on the Newark ban . They were great competition to Murray State last season, so I expect good things from the "other" MSU this season.

Looking forward to the Maui Classic!!!

As a Heel, I'm looking forward to ANYTHING, after last season.

I have to begin with a retraction, and apology. Twice above I mentioned Missouri as being competitive in the SEC this year. But they could go undefeated, and still not be a factor in the SEC, since they play in the Big 12. I could make the excuse that all the conference-jumping has me confused, yet you all know I need no excuse to be confused, so that won't pan out. I might also complain that all the Tigers and Wildcats in the college zoology got me boggled. There is truth to that, but it's more due to my puzzlement as to why supposedly smart college people have so little imagination, or so small a vocabulary. Fact is, however, it was just a brain-fart on my part . . . not the first, but the first of many to follow on this thread.

Now, to the action:

# 5 Pittsburgh 83 - Rhode Island 75 = Did I not tell you that the Rams were pretty tough? Pitt had to rally from 8 down to finally fleece them, and escaped at home the first "upset" of the new season.

# 13 Illinois 79 - UC Irvine 65 = Maybe I picked the Big Ten to be the class of this year too soon. Yeah, the Illini opened up an early 42-18 lead, but the Anteaters ate much of that away. A 14-point victory is no better than "meh", especially as the game was in Champaign.

Texas 83 - Navy 52 = Now, this is more like what these "early' games should be. Playing with 4 new starters, the Longhorns had a 23-9 run shortly after the break, and this sunk the Midshipmen's battleship.

Maryland 105 - Seattle 76 = Now, this is exactly like what these games should be. Playing their first game in 4 years without Greivis Vasquez on the court, the Terps committed 29 turnovers, yet STILL ran the Redhawks right outta College Park.


There are no games scheduled for this evening, so you will have to wait until tomorrow night to . . . enjoy.