College Hoops Thread 2011-2012

[jcruse64]

So far, Pitt is giving the Mountaineers a good game, and have it at the half. Could be a good 2 here.

Yeah, you DID call on Uconn, and I don't see anyone coming in to fill Walker's shoes this time to push them through the end. Digger's giving them down the road on The World-Wide Leader as I type.

I hear ya on the Bearcats. I bet Cronin is frustrated; just don't know for sure what team is going out on the floor, from game to game.

I just saw that Murray has drawn #18 St. Mary's for the Bracket Buster game. This will hopefully be a great test for the Racers, and one that they pass with racing colors going into the end of the season and preparing for tourney time.

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by jcruse64

So far, Pitt is giving the Mountaineers a good game, and have it at the half. Could be a good 2 here.

Yeah, you DID call on Uconn, and I don't see anyone coming in to fill Walker's shoes this time to push them through the end. Digger's giving them down the road on The World-Wide Leader as I type.

I hear ya on the Bearcats. I bet Cronin is frustrated; just don't know for sure what team is going out on the floor, from game to game.

I just saw that Murray has drawn #18 St. Mary's for the Bracket Buster game. This will hopefully be a great test for the Racers, and one that they pass with racing colors going into the end of the season and preparing for tourney time.

It is too early to feel the Panthers and the Mountaineers are heading in opposite directions, but it is true Pitt's winning streak is preferable to WVA's losing one.

Don't give me too much credit on calling the Huskies. With all due respect for U. Conn's 2010 championship, and the amazing post-season Kemba Walker produced for them, that trophy was as huge an upset as was NCSU's 1983 run by Valvano's Cardiac Kids. The odds of that happening again, even WITH Walker, were astronomical. Without, it's cosmological.

Cronin may take some comfort in the fact that his is not the only team that's been all over the place this year.

It's news to me that your Racers drew the Gaels. Not only should that be a tremendous game, it looks to be the major stumbling block remaining for that undefeated regular season MSU is persuing. I shall look forward to the contest, but maybe you shouldn't.


Last night's most important scores:


Pittsburgh 72 - West Virgina 66 = As referenced above, it's another good win for a Pitt team that's had too few, and another hertbreaker for the Mountaineers . . . this one at home.

Penn 82 - Princeton 67 = It's no surprise the Quakers won in the venerable Palestra, but the size of that margin is a bit of one. As I've noted several times already, these regular-season conference games in the Ivy are key.

Missouri 67 - Texas 66 = Did you think I was nutz when I gave the 'Horns a shot at hooking these Tigers? Well, I am nutz, admittedly, but still UT came within that shot of doing precisely that.


There are not a lot of games this evening, yet a fair number involve big names:


Clemson vs. Virginia = The Tigers visit Charlottesville, where the Cavs have already been upset by the VT Hokies. As Clemson's about on the same level, they too could pull one off. Yet I feel UVA is not only superior but has also learned a valued lesson, and shall defend their home court.

Michigan State vs. Illinois = The Illini started off better than projected, but have struggled lately, losing 6 of their last 11 and 3 in a row. Me, I think that will extend to 4 in Champaign tonight, as Izzo tries to get his Spartans into a tie with the Buckeyes atop the big Ten+.

Tennessee vs. Kentucky = Do I think the Volunteers can beat the Wildcats in Rupp? I've already confessed to being nutz, but I'm not that crazy.

Wisconsin vs. Penn State = And even though the Nittany Lions upset a few people in State College both this year and last (and even though the distractions of the Paterno/Sandusky stories are presumably lessened), I can't reasonably expect them to take the Badgers.

Seton Hall vs. Marquette = And even though the Pirates have had a few good wins, and the Golden Eagles a few bad losses, I can't call for an upset here either.

Kansas State vs. Iowa State = So if you're looking for that possible upset, look here. The Wildcats dropped one to a "meh" Sooner squad in Manhattan, and one day after the Cyclones stormed the court in Ames following an upset of the Jayhawks. Can they make it 2 in a row there? Yes. Will they? Ehhh, maybe. It's worth keeping an eye on anyway.

Vanderbilt vs. Arkansas = As is this one in Fayetteville. The Commodores have been inconsistent, both at home an on the road, and the 'Hogs have found an acorn here and there this year. This could be a good one.

North Carolina vs. Wake Forest = And this one could be an ugly one. I don't care if it's Winston-Salem or not, the Demon Deacons do not have the personnel to compete with the Tar Heels. They have lost 6 or their last 8 games, and will in all likelyhood fall to .500 for the season this evening. Again, weird things happen, but if so it will not be a case of the Deacs beating the Heels, but rather the Heels beating themselves.


So that's it for tonight. See you later, and enjoy.