Preseason NCAA Basketball Poll is released

[GavMan33]

Xavier comes from behind very late at 72-68 to finish win an 8-0 run to finish off St. Joe's, 76-72. X moves to 20-4, 8-1 in the A-10, now 2 games up in the loss column over St. Joe's, Rhode Island, Charlotte, Richmond, and Temple.

This is a great week for Xavier in showing that they can come up big and win close games in the end. Although they almost lost the game @ STL, they did go 8-for-8 from the line right at the end of the game, and that kid just hit some unbelievable shots down at the other end. I think it was 6-for-6 at the end of the game today to get the W. X is a 76% FT shooting team, which will really help us come March.

As for St. Joe's, they lost an opportunity today. A win @ Xavier would have really boosted their resume. As I said earlier, they still have opportunities, but they definitely let this one get away.

Continuing from earlier, we have Rhode Island. I think they are IN. They started the season 14-1, to sneak their way into the Top 25 for the A-10 opener @ Dayton; lost that game, and fell out. A win @ Boston College, which they lost by 4, would've helped. But they own a home win vs. an average Providence team, and a win @ Syracuse.

They sit at 6-3 in the A-10 after they scratched out a 2-point win just now @ Fordham. Their 3 losses are all on the road, the opener at a healthy Dayton team, @ St. Louis in a damaging loss for them, and this week @ UMass. They still have opportunities, with a HUGE game for both teams when Xavier visits Kingston, RI, in one week. They also have 3 other home games, a rematch vs. UMass, vs. St. Joe's, and vs. Charlotte. As of right now, I think they're sitting very pretty. Beat Xavier and one of those other games, I'd move them to LOCK status, barring any other losses. Lose to Xavier, you gotta win 2 of those 3.

Temple is a darkhorse, though they had a very damaging loss earlier this week, one that could break them. They currently sit at 11-10, 4-3 in the A-10. Their nonconference is not good, their only relevant win (I use that term lightly) coming at home vs. Ohio. Temple continues to play all those MAC teams, part of the agreement with the MAC conference when Temple football joined the conference.

Unfortunately if not for a couple possessions, they could be a lot different right now. A two-point loss @ Charlotte and then a 1-point loss to St. Joe's in a Big 5 game really hurts. Couple that with the very damaging loss to a surprising Richmond on Wednesday may spell doom. They do have the spanking of Xavier on their side, but otherwise weak. The next three are Umass and Rhode Island at home, then @ Dayton. They have to get all 3 of those to keep in the discussion. Then they still get both St. Joe's and Charlotte again toward the end of the year. AKA-the margin for error is almost zero. I'll keep watching them until another loss....

[GavMan33]

I'm posting again, because I forgot to include something. I don't care what any of you say :lol

I think the Atlantic 10 gets 4 bids, even if they maybe deserve a fifth come Selection Sunday. I know the conference has gotten a lot of press this year, but publicly, it's still the Atlantic 10. And this isn't the glory days when UMass and Temple constantly went to the NCAAs, and John Chaney was threatening John Calipari's life :lol

If it comes down to a possible last at-large in from the Atlantic 10, and one from one of the other big conferences, I find it very hard to believe they would choose the team from the Atlantic 10. Just doesn't seem feasible to me....

[justinandimcool]

Washington just beat UCLA. Again. Amazing. :D

[seekupig]

Washington just beat UCLA. Again. Amazing. :D


i love it.... enough to change the KU ranking in my sig a day early.... :lol

[unccrombie]

unc is pathetic with lawson, ick

[kydmb99]

Kentucky's on ESPN's bubble watch :bounce


Ehhh... gotta start somewhere.

[JamesM]

No Nova....................


To next year!

[justinandimcool]

Thoughts from this weekend:

Big East- I think the year has progressed to a point where this tight competitive conference is starting to trim the fat. The tight middle of the pack will start separating like the red sea the next two weeks as Cincinatti, West Viriginia, Seton Hall, Depaul, and Villanova will end up freefalling. Of course anything can happen in this huge conference, but I personally don't think these teams can get it done. The 6 or 7 tournament bids representing the league, however, are still battling for position. Georgetown, Notre Dame, Louisville, and Connecticut are neck and neck. Georgetown seems to be the Final Four frontrunner from the Big East, their inability to beat Memphis and Louisville will give me a sense of doubt when picking the bracket, especially since both the Cardinals and UConn have been playing phenomally, as you all have probably noticed. The most fun I had watching this weekend though was Notre Dame. These guys can stroke it from outside (McAlarney, Hillesland, Jackson), and Harangody has alot of potential as the year progresses. I've never really been a believer in Marquette or Pittsburgh, as they're way too inconsistent and shorthanded. Should the seedings be unkind to them, a first or second round upset could be their fate. The wildcard however, is Syracuse. Some talented freshmen they've got, but they will be truly battletested the next few weeks with matcups against Georgetown at home and Louisville/Notre Dame on the road. Will see which side of the back they'll belong in.

Bottom line: Georgetown's still the favorite, but when UConn gets back to full strength, I think they'll be just as tough, even thought Louisville and Notre Dame will constantly be at the top end of the standings.


Big Ten- This league is stronger than everyone thinks. Purdue and Indiana may not be battle tested, Michigan State and Wisconsin maybe be shaky at times, but these teams all have two things in common- talent and solid coaching. Purdue sweeps Wisconsin for the year, and they'll be taking on Michigan State and Indiana during the next 10 day period. They've got 4 guys in near-double figures, and are overall solid both sides of the floor. However, if D.J. White controls the paint like he did against Ohio State today, Indiana will be the clear frontrunners. As they continue to improve with that dynamic duo of theirs, I think they'll silence the many skeptics. I wouldn't bet against an early exit for the Hoosiers, but I wouldn't count out a Final Four run. These guys are just that good. Michigan State and Wisconsin have the talent to match it though (I'll be honest and say that I haven't seen enough of them to say anything with much confidence), but I think this tournament will be fun to watch, as I never ever did get the hatred for the Big Ten.

Bottom line- It looks like a 4 bid league as Ohio State simply does not have any quality wins, but any of the 4 bids can make some noise in the tournament, at least on paper. Whichever is able to beat their fellow Big Ten frontrunners (I'm guessing Indiana), you can be sure I'll be riding their coattails when it's bracket time.

Big 12- Kansas, Kansas State, and Texas head the standings, but tomorrow's KU/TX showdown will give us all a hint as to who the favorites are. At the moment, however, Kansas still stands as a team that has encountered only one roadbump this year against a KSU team that was absolutely on fire for a night (remember they lost to a shorthanded Missouri team following the upset). They're getting it done both ends of the court, with 6 or 7 guys contributing night in and night out. The tandems of Beasley/Walker and Augustin/Abrams/James are too explosive to ignore, which makes this year's home stretch all the more exciting to watch as the top half of the standings begin playing each other. A&M and Baylor continue to be the tourney shoe-ins that haven't done anything worth being excited about, but we all know they can score in bunches, which makes them just as deadly as the 3 teams ahead.

Bottom line- I expect at least 2 of these teams to be in the Elite Eight, possibly three. I'm still not sold on Baylor and A&M, as I think the Bears' inexperience and Turgeon's unprovenness will make them vulnerable in the second round. But of course, there are more good signs than bad, and all 5 of these teams will be fun to follow in March.

SEC- Tennessee followed an impressive win over Florida with a total 2 point escape at LSU, and Vanderbilt continues to be less impressive as they struggle with bad teams and get blown out by good teams. They play Kentucky, Florida, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi State next, so we'll see where they stand exactly. It's possible for the Commodores (and while we're at it, Ole Miss seems to be falling off the map as well) to be ousted from tournament talks. That's a maybe though, I think they've got enough weapons to pull off a few more quality wins and get in. As Vandy loses credibility, Arkansas continues to climb with a 4 game winning streak, and riding momentum from last week's double blowout over Florida and Mississippi State into Tennessee and Mississippi State again this week. They've also get Kentucky in the near future, but I think Arkansas is a silent but legit contender with Beverley and Weems dominating the backcourt. I was never a believer in Florida's diaper dandies, and their two blowout losses showed how far they were from where they want to be. They've got talent on both ends of the floor for sure, but with extremely young guys that are hit or miss in Lucas, Speights, and Calathes, I'm not sure a successful March run is in the future (at least not like those of the past 2 years). Kentucky continues to patch up their resume by winning as many games as possible, and damn they're doing a good job. They're taking a 5 game winning streak into Vandy, LSU, and Georgia. As they continue to get to full strength and climb the standings, it won't be a matter of whether or not the make the tournament, but how far they'll go. If they get their role players to continue stepping up as Patterson and Bradley lead the way, I wouldn't count out a late run in the tourney.

Bottom line- At the top of such a competitive conference, Tennessee is the only proven one. Although 5 or 6 SEC teams have bids all but locked up, the Vols have showed the most signs of a Final Four run. Lofton showed a spurt of his old deadly ways against Florida, and the other guys that have been carrying this team (Smith #1 and #2, Chism, Prince) are only getting better defensively and becoming more cohesive as we move along. When the fog clears, these guys will be the deepest in March (unless, of course, UK spoils the fun).

ACC- In a span of 2 weeks this conference turned from a 2-bid league to a 4-bid league. Maryland continues to impress as they take a 4 game winning streak into Cameron on Wednesday. Though shaky in the beginning of they year, I believe their win over UNC was legit as they've got dangerous weapons both sides of the floor They'll give teams fits in the low post with Gist and Osby and their backcourt is a solid one with Vasquez and Hayes. I'd like to think they're a lock for the tournament as their schedule past Duke is fairly easy. Whether or not they've got the consistency to beat who they're supposed to beat is the question. How far in March? Who knows. I still need to watch a few more Terp games to know for sure, but they're not a team you wanna mess around with. Clemson's got 5 guys averaging double digits, and seem to consistently come up with good starts against UNC (ie right now). They'll beat who they have to beat and get into the tournament, but if Purnell can get these guys playing smooth, hard, 5 man basketball, they can pound it inside and run with any team (literally).

Bottom line- Duke is obviously the front runner since they beat UNC. I'll take into account that Lawson was gone and Duke won't make 13 three pointers every night, but over the course of the season Duke's starting 5 plue Scheyer have showed up night in/night out, playing consistently great basketball (barring the shaky 1st half against BC). This team has way too many dangerous weapons that constantly perform at a high level, and I expect nothing short of an Elite 8 run out of them. Carolina is of course missing Lawson, but with near upsets WITH Lawson against Clemson (maybe tonight even), GT, and a loss to Maryland, it's obvious that their weakness lies in defense and lack of consistency from role players (Ginyard, Ellington, Greene, etc). Any team with Hansbrough and Lawson has a shot in March, but if the other guys don't perform, forget about it. I'm confident they'll pull out something good, but I won't be surprised if they fail.


Pac-10- The conference continues to be 9 teams that can beat each other any given night (exemplified by Cal's win over Wazzou and Washington's win today over UCLA), but it's obvious it's a 6 big league for now as Oregon continues to fall off the map. UCLA is still a frontrunner and IMO the 3rd or 4th best team in the country with Memphis, Kansas, and Duke. Their weapons range from inside (Love, Mata, Mbah M Boute) to outside (Collison, Westbrook, Shipp), and offense to defense. They lost at Washington the past 4 years, so it's nothing to be worried about, although their matchup with USC on Sunday is ;) Stanford shows to be as strong as I predicted them to be early on. Not only are the Lopez twins unstoppable down low, but when Anthony Goods, Lawrence Hill, and Taj Finger constantly making shots, could a possible Final Four run be in the works? Could be, as they provide matchup problems for everyone. They take a 7 game winning streak into Arizona this week. Speaking of the Arizona teams, they sit in the middle of the pack with Washington state and USC. These 4 continue to beat down on each other (WSU over USC, ASU over AZ, AZ over USC, WSU over ASU, USC over ASU, AZ over WSU, you get it). Arizona State and Washington State both showed signs of falling off the map with 5 and 3 game losing streaks respectively, but Wazzou should be getting back in the mix this week against the Oregon teams, especially with Weaver heating up and Low/Rochestie hitting jumpers, not to mention Cowgill playing hard against the enormous big men in the conference. ASU is still a question, but with Glasser and Pendergraph playing well together, not to mention James Harden, they can beat just about anybody. 5 losses in a row is alot to make up for, but tonight's win over Arizona will hopefully give them momentum with Stanford coming into town. USC still has a tough resume on their side (gave Memphis and Kansas fits, beat UCLA) but they need to prove themselves further to get the high seed their talent implies. Arizona's talent also exceeds what most coaches could ask for, but it becomes a nightly question whether or not Budinger shows up, which is a huge problem. Bayless cannot be the number one guy for the Cats to be successful in a conference laden with big men, and Hill and McClellan are simply not as good as the other frontcourts. Budinger has to show up. UCLA comes to town followed by the Oregon teams, so the Trojans will benefit highly with another upset and a climb up the standings. As far as March goes, they're good enough to beat anyone, but they're young and inconsistent enough to get beaten by anyone.

Bottom line- UCLA is a Final Four frontrunner followed closely by Stanford, and the 4 teams below them have just as much potential, and the 4 teams below THEM are eager to spoil the fun and possibly steal a bid. I'm not kidding when I say 9 of these teams can steal the championship without much surprise, but it's a 5 bid league right now, with Arizona State having the most to prove. I expect UCLA and Stanford in the Elite Eight, as the other 4 (WSU, USC, ASU, AZ) are upset prone.

Non-power conferences- Memphis continues to dominate C-USA, and the A-10 begins to look stronger with St. Joes and Charlotte joining Xavier and Rhode Island as top dogs. Memphis is dominant on all sides of the floor, battle tested, well-coached, and has sufficient talent to make as deep of a run as their record implies. What will be their downfall? Free throw shooting and perimeter defense. It's not enough to really be skeptical of this team, because they are legit, but are they a Final Four lock? I don't think so. St. Mary's with a good win over Gonzaga, Butler steals one at Valpo, Xavier beats the buzzer against Saint Louis, Drake is still hot. These guys will have high seeds in March, and it could be upset galore as they are all not overwhelmingrly strong teams. Oh and watch out for Cal-State Northridge, a huge loss against rival Pacific, so they'll have to fight to win their Big West bid. But dammit, they live so close to my house, it would be so cool to see them on CBS in March again :)

Projected Elite Eight Without Seeing the Brackets: Memphis, Kansas, Duke, UCLA, Stanford, Tennessee, North Carolina, Kansas State

[justinandimcool]

It's a slow night for me, but I went to a party last night, hooked up with the birthday girl, went out shopping, I have a life outside of CBB, I swear :lol

[justinandimcool]

Clemson/UNC in OT again. Love. It.

[seekupig]

Clemson/UNC in OT again. Love. It.

and once again, the Tigers piss away a huge lead with five minutes to go to give the Heels a chance.....

Clemson was up 14 with five minutes to play..... :lol

[seekupig]

2OT coming up...... great game. :thumbsup

[JamesM]

UNC gonna take it

[unccrombie]

w.o.w what a game

[seekupig]

all the big girls are hauling ass out of the Dean Dome at this very moment to collect on the "Tar Heel Special" at Bojangles. 2 sausage biscuits for $1 after every game in which the Tar Heels score over 100 points.

"the secondary break.... keeping fat girls full since 2004"

[unccrombie]

all the big girls are hauling ass out of the Dean Dome at this very moment to collect on the "Tar Heel Special" at Bojangles. 2 sausage biscuits for $1 after every game in which the Tar Heels score over 100 points.

"the secondary break.... keeping fat girls full since 2004"
:thumbsup

[clayj41]

53-0 :D


UNC showed a lot of heart to come back and win this one. They really needed this one, especially with the letdown at Duke and the fact that UCLA lost today. Hansbrough continues to prove himself as my all-time favorite Tar Heel...he is such a beast!

[willthethrill]

Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler.

[GavMan33]

Justin-Hopefully you were able to play her some Boyz II Men or some Usher. Or some R.Kelly for that matter. Always means good things :thumbsup

Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad loss today for UMass. Their schedule is relatively light the rest of the way, which may work in their favor. But even in the event they run the rest of the table and finish 11-5 in the A-10, I still think they're gonna need an A-10 Semifinal appearance to have a legit at-large shot. All their "big" win games are gone, with the exception of the pending game @ Rhode Island. They have a very tall task ahead of them....

I'm very nervous all of a sudden for the Atlantic 10. I think 5 bids is out of the question, and I now think 4 is gonna be a stretch. I'm gonna put my money on Xavier, Rhode Island, St. Joe's. I think a surprise conference tournament winner will still keep those 3 in as at-larges. Stay tuned, I'll update next weekend....

[smeritt]

Losing Nic Wise hurts u of a so bad. They are not deep as it is and he is a spark plug. Shown today in the ASU game that should have been a blowout

[UNC41]

I get corporate tickets to the T-Wolves game, and look what I miss ...

FSN is replaying the game at 1:30. Worth getting up for in the middle of the night and watching?

[unccrombie]

I get corporate tickets to the T-Wolves game, and look what I miss ...

FSN is replaying the game at 1:30. Worth getting up for in the middle of the night and watching?
the last 7 minutes through OT, such heart stopping action, big shot after big shot by both teams

[UNC41]

the last 7 minutes through OT, such heart stopping action, big shot after big shot by both teams

I've got to be to work by 8:00, so does wake up at 2:45 and watch the game from there seem like the best way to go?

[seekupig]

I've got to be to work by 8:00, so does wake up at 2:45 and watch the game from there seem like the best way to go?

are they replaying the entire game, or is it one of those replays that's chopped up to fit into a two hour time slot? it went close to three hours in real time...

[UNC41]

are they replaying the entire game, or is it one of those replays that's chopped up to fit into a two hour time slot? it went close to three hours in real time...

Good call, man. Good call. It says 1:30 - 4:00. I think I'm going to go with 2:30 as the time to get up.

Oh, and polls to me by noon Central tomorrow.

[HolyCow]

I'm embarassed.

[seekupig]

just stumbled upon a new site for you college b-ball junkies.......

updated bracket projections, background info on all teams, dates for each site of the tournament, background on the tournament committee, etc...

http://www.bracketography.com/

[nhl123_2000]

Great game here in Chapel Hill tonight. The dean dome was rockin' tonight and nice to get a passionate W in the absence of the 1st (and 2nd) string pg.

And what needs to be said about Tyler other than he's an absolute beast. His girlfriends a friend of mine and I'm gonna need to make her keep doing what she's doing.

Go heels!

[UNC41]

just stumbled upon a new site for you college b-ball junkies.......

updated bracket projections, background info on all teams, dates for each site of the tournament, background on the tournament committee, etc...

http://www.bracketography.com/

If UCLA is a No. 2 and is put in the West again I'll be pissed ...

[willthethrill]

So what does everyone like of Arizona even after the ass whipping UCLA handed us?

When is the UNC/Duke game? Time and night please?

And seeing as Bryan brought it up who is your favorite NCAA basketball athlete not on your team?

I love Paulus and Lofton but my favorite has got to be Sean Singletary

just stumbled upon a new site for you college b-ball junkies.......

updated bracket projections, background info on all teams, dates for each site of the tournament, background on the tournament committee, etc...

http://www.bracketography.com/

Haha, they have NC State in.

[clayj41]

Good call, man. Good call. It says 1:30 - 4:00. I think I'm going to go with 2:30 as the time to get up.

Definitely check it out Bryan. There's so many ups and downs in the game. The fact that with five minutes left to go in regulation I was cursing at the television and then five minutes later I was jumping for joy says a lot!:lol

[nhl123_2000]

Clay I know the feeling - but try being there in the Dean Dome. Man it was nerve racking as shit.

[clayj41]

Clay I know the feeling - but try being there in the Dean Dome. Man it was nerve racking as shit.

I couldn't imagine man! By the end of it all I would've been both physically and mentally exhausted.

[UNC41]

Ok, going to bed. Back up in just over three hours to watch the last hour and a half ...

POLLS!

[UNC41]

Well, that game was DEFINITELY worth getting up in the middle of the night to watch. The only disappointing thing is the part they cut out was from the under 8:00 TV timeout in the second half to about two minutes right before Green hit his first three. Oh well, awesome game.

Hansbrough's performance was the kind NPOYs are made of, both offensively and defensively. That play where he was defending out near halfcourt and picked the guy clean was nuts.

[irishluck314]

Can Clemson please beat UNC one time pleaseeeee

[UNC41]

Can Clemson please beat UNC one time pleaseeeee

Better luck next year ...

[uncDMBfan]

53-0 The streak lives...

fyi Purnell sucks.

[SoRight24]

Anyone who has the time to take a trip over to CUTigers.com

BUNCH of sore losers over there, nearly everyone is blaming the refs.

It must suck when your team can't close the deal, in basketball or football.

[darbini]

You'd be pretty pissed if you came that close to ending a 52 game losing streak, only to let it slip through your fingers. I didn't see the game, but I did see that UNC had 36 free throw attempts while Clemson had 7. Was Clemson really that physical against UNC or did UNC get the calls? 5 times as many ft attempts, that's crazy! It doesn't come across as fair and square(eventhough it may be) so I can see why someone would be a sore loser.

[dmbphan07]

I'm very nervous all of a sudden for the Atlantic 10. I think 5 bids is out of the question, and I now think 4 is gonna be a stretch. I'm gonna put my money on Xavier, Rhode Island, St. Joe's. I think a surprise conference tournament winner will still keep those 3 in as at-larges. Stay tuned, I'll update next weekend....

atlantic 10 with 4 or 5 bids? people were saying the acc might only get 3 or 4. if the A10 gets more bids than the acc...thats just retarded

[unccrombie]

You'd be pretty pissed if you came that close to ending a 52 game losing streak, only to let it slip through your fingers. I didn't see the game, but I did see that UNC had 36 free throw attempts while Clemson had 7. Was Clemson really that physical against UNC or did UNC get the calls? 5 times as many ft attempts, that's crazy! It doesn't come across as fair and square(eventhough it may be) so I can see why someone would be a sore loser.
and of those 7 they made 1 :haha even if they had 36 attempts they would have made around 10 at most :lol clemson wasn't that physical, a lot of jump shots and 3's. they we're 12/28. carolina only fouled them 14 times, on the other side clemson had 31

[unccrombie]

atlantic 10 with 4 or 5 bids? people were saying the acc might only get 3 or 4. if the A10 gets more bids than the acc...thats just retarded
realistically the current top 4 in the acc should be the only teams in. if the a-10 has better teams so be it, i don't want GT/VT in just because theyre from the acc and history

[unccrombie]

going for 3 in a row here, on bracketology you have #1 memphis vs a pesky #9 clemson team. let's start layin some bricks

[dmbphan07]

go terps!

[GavMan33]

atlantic 10 with 4 or 5 bids? people were saying the acc might only get 3 or 4. if the A10 gets more bids than the acc...thats just retarded

This is exactly my point. The public opinion of the Atlantic 10 vs. any of the other Big 6 will be why a middle-of-the-road team from one of them would get in as a #12 than an A-10 would....

[UNLTrpt]

Nebraska got the win on Saturday over TTech.

I can really see them going 5-3 down the stretch in the Big 12. If we could take care of business with Mizzou, ISU, OSU and Colorado and protect the home floor against OU. That would put us at .500 in the conf.

Maybe we could steal one in the Texas, KSU and Texas A&M. I'd be happy

[UNC41]

Week 14 Ants NCAA Basketball Poll

1. Memphis (4) 100, 1/1
2. Kansas 95, 2/3
3. Duke 93. 2/3
4. North Carolina 87, 4/5
5. Tennessee 85, 4/5
6. UCLA 79, 6/7
7. Stanford 74, 7/8
8. Georgetown 71, 6/10
9. Xavier 68, 8/10
10. Texas 62, 8/13
11. Michigan St. 59, 9/14
12. Butler 56, 9/14
13. Wisconsin 52, 11/15
14. UConn 46, 12/17
15. Drake 42, 15/16
16. Indiana 41, 12/21
17. Notre Dame 38, 13/20
18. Texas A&M 31, 16/21
19. Kansas St. 26, 18/22
20. (tie) Washington St. 19, 19/23
Purdue 19, 20/22
22. Pittsburgh 16, 20/24
23. Louisville 15, 18/NR
24. Marquette 8, 21/NR
25. St. Mary's 7, 22

Also Receiving Votes: Vanderbilt 4, Mississippi St. 1

Participating Voters: UNC41, willthethrill, clayj41, seekupig

[clayj41]

Hansbrough's performance was the kind NPOYs are made of, both offensively and defensively. That play where he was defending out near halfcourt and picked the guy clean was nuts.

:thumbsup That was the play of the game in my opinion.

[GavMan33]

Do or die tonight for Villanova....

[seekupig]

Do or die tonight for Villanova....

die. :thumbsup





and in the less important game of the evening, KU tries to put themselves in great position to win the Big XII title by winning in Austin, TX. :)

[JamesM]

Do or die tonight for Villanova....

I know!

die. :thumbsup

Knock on wood!

[Mustang1]

Nebraska got the win on Saturday over TTech.

I can really see them going 5-3 down the stretch in the Big 12. If we could take care of business with Mizzou, ISU, OSU and Colorado and protect the home floor against OU. That would put us at .500 in the conf.

Maybe we could steal one in the Texas, KSU and Texas A&M. I'd be happy

Sorry, but I see 4-4 at best. CU & MU are probably wins but the other games are toss-ups (OU, OSU, ISU) or tourney teams (A&M, UT, KSU).

[DMBCubs25]

Nova lookin good tonight

[seekupig]

PLEASE don't let this game go to overtime......

[UNC41]

Nova got absolutely jobbed ...

[seekupig]

i feel bad for 'Nova..... that might be the worst call i've ever seen at the end of a game....

[GavMan33]

That's so poor. What an awful way to end a game. Scottie Reynolds, while the contact was minimal, got MUCH more than Wallace got on the sideline. That's so poor....

[smeritt]

Refs screwed that game.

[UNC41]

I'm honestly trying to think of the last time I saw a worse call.

[seekupig]

I'm honestly trying to think of the last time I saw a worse call.

i can't. i've seen some bad ones, but nothing like that.

a touch foul 80 feet from the basket in a tie game with 0.1 seconds left should never be called. never.

not to mention when the team is in the double bonus and you're sending the best FT shooter in school history to the line. i've got a feeling someone will be getting a phone call from the Big East office in the morning.

[willthethrill]

53-0 The streak lives...

fyi Purnell sucks.

Don't go there. He's a good coach who is going to help bring power back to the ACC again. He's probably my second or third favorite coach in the ACC.

You'd be pretty pissed if you came that close to ending a 52 game losing streak, only to let it slip through your fingers. I didn't see the game, but I did see that UNC had 36 free throw attempts while Clemson had 7. Was Clemson really that physical against UNC or did UNC get the calls? 5 times as many ft attempts, that's crazy! It doesn't come across as fair and square(eventhough it may be) so I can see why someone would be a sore loser.

Yea, those stats really pop out when looking at a box score. But you would understand why if you watched the game. Tyler drew a lot of those fouls (I think he shot like 19 FTs), but even more could be called. He probably gets less calls than anyone in the country. And let's be honest, he plays for the contact. But he gets fouled A LOT.

Also, add to that, that UNC is the best in the ACC at not fouling. I didn't think there was any poor officiating that helped one team or the other. I was pretty pissed about some calls they made against UNC, but when you win it helps erase those from memory more than when a loss follows.

UNC is going to get more FT attempts than their opponent almost every game, and they're going to make more almost every time. Also, look at the fouls: 31 on CU, 14 on UNC. The Heels were fouled twice as much. Now look at the FT attempts: CU had 7, UNC had 36. It helps that CU was fouling at the end of the 2OT to try to come back, but that disparity is a result of UNC drawing contact on the way to the hoop. Sometimes the CU drives were so easy that there was no one even close to be able to foul them.

Anyway, that's my take.

[willthethrill]

i can't. i've seen some bad ones, but nothing like that.

a touch foul 80 feet from the basket in a tie game with 0.1 seconds left should never be called. never.

not to mention when the team is in the double bonus and you're sending the best FT shooter in school history to the line. i've got a feeling someone will be getting a phone call from the Big East office in the morning.

Speaking of the Big East, when did that conference become the Big 10 East? 55-53? Each team with droughts of 17 minutes without a FG?!

[SmoothD41]

that official should be suspended.

by the way, Roy Hibbert is so overrated. He's over 7 feet tall, and averages ALMOST 7 rebounds a game? D.J. White, and several other big men, would destroy him if given the opportunity.

[seekupig]

this game is a bit of a change of pace from the Nova/Georgetown game.... :lol

it's funny how styles of play can vary so much from one conference to the next.

[SmoothD41]

Speaking of the Big East, when did that conference become the Big 10 East? 55-53? Each team with droughts of 17 minutes without a FG?!

defense/bad shooting....on the other end of the spectrum, sometimes ACC games piss me off because of the lack of defense.

[seekupig]

Speaking of the Big East, when did that conference become the Big 10 East? 55-53? Each team with droughts of 17 minutes without a FG?!

Nova scored only 4 FG's in the second half and managed to erase a 12 point deficit... :lol

[HolyCow]

I can't get over how poorly that Nova game ended. That's absolutely unfair.

[willthethrill]

Jackson's playing really well.

[UNC41]

Yea, those stats really pop out when looking at a box score. But you would understand why if you watched the game. Tyler drew a lot of those fouls (I think he shot like 19 FTs), but even more could be called. He probably gets less calls than anyone in the country. And let's be honest, he plays for the contact. But he gets fouled A LOT.

Also, add to that, that UNC is the best in the ACC at not fouling. I didn't think there was any poor officiating that helped one team or the other. I was pretty pissed about some calls they made against UNC, but when you win it helps erase those from memory more than when a loss follows.

UNC is going to get more FT attempts than their opponent almost every game, and they're going to make more almost every time. Also, look at the fouls: 31 on CU, 14 on UNC. The Heels were fouled twice as much. Now look at the FT attempts: CU had 7, UNC had 36. It helps that CU was fouling at the end of the 2OT to try to come back, but that disparity is a result of UNC drawing contact on the way to the hoop. Sometimes the CU drives were so easy that there was no one even close to be able to foul them.

Anyway, that's my take.

Clemson pressured the ball pretty much everywhere on the court all night and didn't give up many freebies down low. North Carolina spent 30+ minutes giving up uncontested layups. Of course the team getting bunnies all game long is going to be fouled less.

[seekupig]

Clemson pressured the ball pretty much everywhere on the court all night and didn't give up many freebies down low. North Carolina spent 30+ minutes giving up uncontested layups. Of course the team getting bunnies all game long is going to be fouled less.

i was arguing that point to somebody earlier today.... but they couldn't grasp what i was saying.

on one hand people want to say "UNC has a horrible defense, people get to the basket without being touched, blah, blah, blah."

on the other hand they want to say that because of the difference in FT attempts, the refs are playing favorites and giving UNC the game.

you can't have it both ways..... i'm of the opinion that at many times, Carolina's poor defense keeps them out of foul trouble because they are in fact "not touching anybody on their way to the basket."

then the Psycho T thing comes up. "how does a big man never foul out?" easy.... he doesn't jump on defense. he's got ONLY 6 BLOCKED SHOTS FOR THE SEASON. it's not hard for a big man to stay out of foul trouble when they're not asked to block shots and they have good footwork....


end of rant. :D

[justinandimcool]

that official should be suspended.

by the way, Roy Hibbert is so overrated. He's over 7 feet tall, and averages ALMOST 7 rebounds a game? D.J. White, and several other big men, would destroy him if given the opportunity.


:thumbsup

He's not a rebounder, but he can work well without the ball if he's able to overpower his defender, and that's what makes him so valuable. Not to mention his presence on the defensive end, although Reynolds did get some runners up over him.


Anyways, I was going to comment on that final play, but everyone else seems to have it covered.




Texas and Kansas is a heck of a ball game, although both are slacking a wee bit on defense, mostly KU. A few too many uncontested outside shots by my estimation. But the chemistry these two teams have is fun to watch.

[seekupig]

on the other end of the spectrum, sometimes ACC games piss me off because of the lack of defense.


or maybe it's the 9-0 Big Ten/ACC Challenge pwnage that's got you pissed off.....;) :D

[willthethrill]

Clemson pressured the ball pretty much everywhere on the court all night and didn't give up many freebies down low. North Carolina spent 30+ minutes giving up uncontested layups. Of course the team getting bunnies all game long is going to be fouled less.

Yea, that's what I meant in my last comment. Kind of funny how that played out. Not to mention troubling.

[SoRight24]

Nova got HOSED!

What a bush league call by the refs.

[willthethrill]

or maybe it's the 9-0 Big Ten/ACC Challenge pwnage that's got you pissed off.....;) :D

Nah, no defense in the ACC is a much easier argument. :rolleyes

Nice post above, I do get really upset when Tyler doesn't seem to show a lot of punch on D, but I think that's probably by design (i.e. instructions from Roy).

[willthethrill]

Geez. Comparing KU's ball movement to what UNC does in the halfcourt without Ty is sickening. They really spread it out and whip the ball around well. It's almost like an NBA team, one that passes.

[SmoothD41]

or maybe it's the 9-0 Big Ten/ACC Challenge pwnage that's got you pissed off.....;) :D

maybe...but i just appreciate tough, physical games with lots of defense.

probably a little bit of both :)

[willthethrill]

maybe...but i just appreciate tough, physical games with lots of defense.

probably a little bit of both :)

Hey, it's what you grew up with, I can definitely understand that. It's like political culture: the style of basketball is inherent in your region and it gets in your blood.

[unccrombie]

I'm honestly trying to think of the last time I saw a worse call.
for nova fans it was back in '05 when a certain favorite team of ours hosed them in te carrier dome :lol

[unccrombie]

Geez. Comparing KU's ball movement to what UNC does in the halfcourt without Ty is sickening. They really spread it out and whip the ball around well. It's almost like an NBA team, one that passes.
so true, really impressive stuff

[justinandimcool]

maybe...but i just appreciate tough, physical games with lots of defense.


Same. I love the Big Ten.

Can't stand teams with all offense and no D. Which makes it so painful to watch my own USC team play (we have defense, we're just small and overmatched that we rely on our offense twice as much to win games).

[justinandimcool]

Geez. Comparing KU's ball movement to what UNC does in the halfcourt without Ty is sickening. They really spread it out and whip the ball around well. It's almost like an NBA team, one that passes.


:thumbsup Probably my favorite team to watch.

[UNC41]

Geez. Comparing KU's ball movement to what UNC does in the halfcourt without Ty is sickening. They really spread it out and whip the ball around well. It's almost like an NBA team, one that passes.

It's so pretty, but they've got to start boxing out defensively.

Hey, it's what you grew up with, I can definitely understand that. It's like political culture: the style of basketball is inherent in your region and it gets in your blood.

I grew up in Big 10 Country and avoided that disease ... :lol

[justinandimcool]

Chalmers is trying to do much by himself the last few possessions.

[JamesM]

Fuck.......

1. Georgetown
2. Georgetown Referees
3. Life

If you have any information on the referee who called that foul on Corey Stokes, please PM me.

[seekupig]

that sucked. :mad

[willthethrill]

Wow. That's why I watch college basketball. Tough loss Dustin, the Big 12 is no joke up top this year. Y'all are still a #1 seed.

[justinandimcool]

That was a fantastic game, Kansas did nothing wrong down the stretch, Texas just plays too well down the stretch.

[chiznaz]

I hate it when texas wins in anything, but that helps A&M big time in the BigXII race.

[justinandimcool]

i was arguing that point to somebody earlier today.... but they couldn't grasp what i was saying.

on one hand people want to say "UNC has a horrible defense, people get to the basket without being touched, blah, blah, blah."

on the other hand they want to say that because of the difference in FT attempts, the refs are playing favorites and giving UNC the game.

you can't have it both ways..... i'm of the opinion that at many times, Carolina's poor defense keeps them out of foul trouble because they are in fact "not touching anybody on their way to the basket."

then the Psycho T thing comes up. "how does a big man never foul out?" easy.... he doesn't jump on defense. he's got ONLY 6 BLOCKED SHOTS FOR THE SEASON. it's not hard for a big man to stay out of foul trouble when they're not asked to block shots and they have good footwork....


end of rant. :D


Agree. That's why I have trouble putting them in the Final Four. You can't have teams like GT or Maryland (they're a good team I know, but I'm just saying) running it up to 70 and 80 with ease, or else extremely potent offensive teams like Kansas, Memphis and UCLA would eat UNC alive.

[UNC41]

that sucked. :mad

Tough loss, but it was a road conference game. Those things happen. Kansas isn't playing at the same level they were a month ago, but they are good enough to hang with any team in the nation on a neutral court.

That was a fantastic game, Kansas did nothing wrong down the stretch, Texas just plays too well down the stretch.

Kansas defended well down the stretch, but they didn't box out. Texas got a dunk and a layup off the offensive glass late, and there was the one possession they got two offensive boards, but couldn't get anything out of them.

[seekupig]

poor Colorado. they're the team that's gotten Kansas the games following their only two losses of the season..... :lol

[whygohome?]

that was a hell of a game.

[justinandimcool]

Tough loss, but it was a road conference game. Those things happen. Kansas isn't playing at the same level they were a month ago, but they are good enough to hang with any team in the nation on a neutral court.



Kansas defended well down the stretch, but they didn't box out. Texas got a dunk and a layup off the offensive glass late, and there was the one possession they got two offensive boards, but couldn't get anything out of them.


Yeah that dunk was hard to box out though, James ran in from 15 feet out of nowhere. But I see what you mean, boxing out is definitely something KU can work on. I also think the zone took them out of their style late in the game.

I think if Texas moved the ball as well as Kansas they'd be right up there in #1 seed talks. They've got all the weapons. But hey they just beat the Jayhawks so what do I know. A great passing point guard and a couple of athletic big men that can shoot, sky's the limit for this offense.

[RJ2kWJ]

poor Colorado. they're the team that's gotten Kansas the games following their only two losses of the season..... :lol

I hear that. :lol

What a game though... I was commenting to my friends in the room the whole game on Kansas' passing. Unbelievable. :thumbsup

[unccrombie]

Agree. That's why I have trouble putting them in the Final Four. You can't have teams like GT or Maryland (they're a good team I know, but I'm just saying) running it up to 70 and 80 with ease, or else extremely potent offensive teams like Kansas, Memphis and UCLA would eat UNC alive.
the only team that could "eat unc alive" would be kansas. if ty is on the floor that is

[seekupig]

Tough loss, but it was a road conference game. Those things happen. Kansas isn't playing at the same level they were a month ago, but they are good enough to hang with any team in the nation on a neutral court.

2 losses, both on the road, in-conference, vs. top 25 teams.... nothing to be upset about at this point.

in my opinion, not having those kind of games down the stretch is going to be the downfall of Memphis.

[justinandimcool]

the only team that could "eat unc alive" would be kansas. if ty is on the floor that is

Kevin Love and Joey Dorsey could wrestle with Hansbrough any day, and IMO:

Collison, Shipp, Iboya, Mbah M Boute, Westbrook = Rose, CDR, Anderson, Mack > Lawson, Ginyard, Ellington, Greene, Thomas

If UNC has trouble on defense (which they most likely well against those teams) they'll have to rely on two things: the running game, and those guys above hitting shots. If that happens, I believe they are overmatched as inconsistent as the Heels have been compared to fellow powerhouses.

[UNC41]

Agree. That's why I have trouble putting them in the Final Four. You can't have teams like GT or Maryland (they're a good team I know, but I'm just saying) running it up to 70 and 80 with ease, or else extremely potent offensive teams like Kansas, Memphis and UCLA would eat UNC alive.

With a healthy Lawson, UNC is capable of playing at the defensive level they need to in order to win it all. It all comes down to committing to D. Without him, they aren't. Q just isn't a good defense.

I don't think UCLA would eat UNC alive either way. The biggest deficiency when the Heels play poor defense is the give up 3s, and the Bruins aren't a great shooting team from outside.

Yeah that dunk was hard to box out though, James ran in from 15 feet out of nowhere. But I see what you mean, boxing out is definitely something KU can work on. I also think the zone took them out of their style late in the game.

I think if Texas moved the ball as well as Kansas they'd be right up there in #1 seed talks. They've got all the weapons. But hey they just beat the Jayhawks so what do I know. A great passing point guard and a couple of athletic big men that can shoot, sky's the limit for this offense.

It was a hell of a play by James, but I just saw the replay and Kaun was standing in the paint picking his ass. Texas can be real good when they're on. Tonight and the Tennessee game are perfect examples. But I don't think they can win six games in a row unless Augustin starts playing the way he did a month ago. Also, you can pound the ball against them. Arthur and Jackson were both effective in the paint offensively.

[justinandimcool]

With a healthy Lawson, UNC is capable of playing at the defensive level they need to in order to win it all. It all comes down to committing to D. Without him, they aren't. Q just isn't a good defense.



I believe that, but IMO Lawson's defense alone won't get it done, it's what the Heels are able to defend inside that will help them.



I don't think UCLA would eat UNC alive either way. The biggest deficiency when the Heels play poor defense is the give up 3s, and the Bruins aren't a great shooting team from outside.

:shrug Not so sure. Shipp and Collison constantly find ways getting open, and they're dangerous outside.


It was a hell of a play by James, but I just saw the replay and Kaun was standing in the paint picking his ass. Texas can be real good when they're on. Tonight and the Tennessee game are perfect examples. But I don't think they can win six games in a row unless Augustin starts playing the way he did a month ago. Also, you can pound the ball against them. Arthur and Jackson were both effective in the paint offensively.

:thumbsup I see your point. But I wish these guys would all stay next year, because they've got National Championship potential with that roster.

[JamesM]

I hate my fucking life.

(see avatar to see why.)

[justinandimcool]

I hate my fucking life.

(see avatar to see why.)


I would too if I were you. But after losing 5 in a row by double digits, this win wouldn't have helped that much. :shrug

[UNC41]

Kevin Love and Joey Dorsey could wrestle with Hansbrough any day, and IMO:

Collison, Shipp, Iboya, Mbah M Boute, Westbrook = Rose, CDR, Anderson, Mack > Lawson, Ginyard, Ellington, Greene, Thomas

If UNC has trouble on defense (which they most likely well against those teams) they'll have to rely on two things: the running game, and those guys above hitting shots. If that happens, I believe they are overmatched as inconsistent as the Heels have been compared to fellow powerhouses.

I like Hansbrough against those two more than you may think. I don't think Love could keep up with the pace North Carolina will try to play all game, especially with him being the only guy who matches up with Tyler on UCLA's roster, and I think UNC wins the battle on the boards. They get some flack for their work down low, but the Heels do lead the nation in rebounding. As for Dorsey, I think if North Carolina and Memphis play 10 times he gets in foul trouble 6 or 7 of those games. With a healthy Lawson running the break neither one of those teams runs UNC out of the gym.

Kansas honestly scares me more than either of those teams. By the time the tourney rolls around I'm confident Roy will have the boys ready. If not, I think it's a team who shoots it well from outside that is most likely to take them down. If UNC's defense breaks down it'll lead to more outside looks than easy buckets down low. Tennessee is a team I would hate to play if the Heels aren't defending well come tourney time.

[clayj41]

What a great night of basketball!

[unccrombie]

Kevin Love and Joey Dorsey could wrestle with Hansbrough any day, and IMO:

Collison, Shipp, Iboya, Mbah M Boute, Westbrook = Rose, CDR, Anderson, Mack > Lawson, Ginyard, Ellington, Greene, Thomas

If UNC has trouble on defense (which they most likely well against those teams) they'll have to rely on two things: the running game, and those guys above hitting shots. If that happens, I believe they are overmatched as inconsistent as the Heels have been compared to fellow powerhouses.
i believe they could too, but he has proven over and over he can dominate other big men. so im not too worried, he always puts up big numbers when needed. and as for the supporting cast, if everyone is on their game and in an ideal situation unc prevails. i see memphis as a clemson to unc really, ucla on the other hand would be more a challenge, and i believe if anything that game would come down to location

[unccrombie]

:shrug Not so sure. Shipp and Collison constantly find ways getting open, and they're dangerous outside.

shipp is average at best, but ill concur on collison, 43% is nasty

[willthethrill]

I believe that, but IMO Lawson's defense alone won't get it done, it's what the Heels are able to defend inside that will help them.
It's really not the Heels' interior D that hurts them. It's that they allow too much penetration, and in turn, the other team scores a lot on drives, which can be attributed to poor lateral D on the perimeter.

And yes, one Ty Lawson remedies this. I don't know how many of you saw the BC game, but he completely nullified Tyrese Rice at point, and had been playing great, man-up D before got injured. He was causing havoc in the FSU game before he went down.

UNC goes from a below average defensive ACC team without Ty, to the second-best defensive ACC team with him in the game. EVERYBODY plays worse when Q is in the game, on both ends of the floor. He causes so much tentativeness in everyone. No confidence.

And don't get on the Heels for letting teams score in the 70s. It's the nature of the beast for the fast-paced game they play. Granted the Maryland game was shitty D, but any team that gets 10-12 more possessions per game is going to score more. That's why a Roy Williams coached team will never have the top scoring D in the league.

[clayj41]

EVERYBODY plays worse when Q is in the game, on both ends of the floor. He causes so much tentativeness in everyone. No confidence.

:thumbsup I truly believe this.

[willthethrill]

:thumbsup I truly believe this.
Because it's true.:D

[seekupig]

since it's been brough up a few times tonite, i'll list the five teams that i DO NOT want to see in KU's bracket....

1. UCLA
2. Georgetown
3. Wisconsin
4. Bucknell
5. Bradley

[UNLTrpt]

Sorry, but I see 4-4 at best. CU & MU are probably wins but the other games are toss-ups (OU, OSU, ISU) or tourney teams (A&M, UT, KSU).

OSU hasn't exactly been lighting things up in the Big 12.
I'll give you a ISU tossup. Its at hilton, and we have trouble there sometimes (ok a lot of time)

The fact that they're on the road does give them the advantage too.

But I think we're playing better and if we play up to our potential, we could go 5-3. And Nebraska is always good for a Big 12 upset every year...so ya never know.

But all 5 of those are winnable.

[uncDMBfan]

I hate my fucking life.

(see avatar to see why.)


I feel for ya man. Ya'll have gotten literally jobbed a couple times. How are those Gtown & NCSU games turning out for you.

[uncDMBfan]

Any of you Heels on IC??

[SoRight24]

Any of you Heels on IC??

Premium subscriber. :thumbsup

When I'm not on ants, I'm over there.

[willthethrill]

since it's been brough up a few times tonite, i'll list the five teams that i DO NOT want to see in KU's bracket....

1. UCLA
2. Georgetown
3. Wisconsin
4. Bucknell
5. Bradley
Hahahaha. I guess we don't want to see Weber St. in ours. Although Arceneaux has to have graduated by now, right?
Premium subscriber. :thumbsup

When I'm not on ants, I'm over there.
Ditto. The best recruiting site on the Scout network.

[UNC41]

I'm on IC, but not Premium. I should be though. I lurk much more than I post, and that's probably because the non-Premium basketball is so similar to DMBc.

So the Heels are playing without their 1st, 2nd and 4th options at PG tonight. Yikes.

[SoRight24]

I'm on IC, but not Premium. I should be though. I lurk much more than I post, and that's probably because the non-Premium basketball is so similar to DMBc.

So the Heels are playing without their 1st, 2nd and 4th options at PG tonight. Yikes.

Where are you hearing that Marcus won't play?

[irishluck314]

Can someone tell me why you would call that foul with .01 left and the kid wasent even in the act of shooting. :thumbsdow

[UNC41]

Where are you hearing that Marcus won't play?

Yeah it was just a bad link from the regular board at IC. I really need Premium.

[seekupig]

found this in the Raleigh News & Observer.....

Who Is UNC's 5th Point Guard?

North Carolina faces one of the top points guards in the league Tuesday in Virginia’s Sean Singletary (18.6 ppg, 5.9 apg), and it’s unclear how many opposing point guards the Tar Heels will have to throw at him.
Not only is starter Ty Lawson expected to miss his third straight game with a sprained left ankle, but Marcus Ginyard — the starting small forward who has also been serving as back-up point guard — sprained his right ankle during Sunday’s first half. The junior also has a sprained left big toe, so “he’s got two bad wheels,” coach Roy Williams said.
With Ginyard’s status uncertain — he was scheduled to receive treatment today — and Bobby Frasor sidelined for the season with a torn ACL, Williams said Monday morning that he didn’t know who his fifth option at point guard would be.
“I don’t have a contingency plan because I’ve never had to find out who your fifth point guard is.”
One possibility: sophomore Marc Campbell, a transfer from UNC Greensboro.

[GavMan33]

Anybody got conference tournament plans yet? I imagine I'll run into Wednesday tickets at MSG for the opening round of the Big East Tournament, then down to Atlantic City for the Atlantic 10 Tournament, and stay down there as long as Xavier plays. Last year, after a win over Dayton in the quarters, I was sent home early after a surprising Semifinal loss to upstart Rhode Island. It should be a very fun tourney this year, as there are lots of good teams in the conference this year. I encourage any of you in the South Jersey/Philadelphia area to take a drive down the AC Expressway for the tournament, should be a lot of fun.

Oh yeah. Boardwalk Hall, the site of last year's and this year's tournament, is a hole. They have renovated it recently, but a hole nonetheless. In the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 season, the tournament was at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, which was cool because once again, I went to all the games of the tournament. But US Bank is a shitty venue as well. It just made it better that all the students could go, and winning 4 games in 4 days in 2006 was pretty sweet. But that place is still a hole.

In 2003 and 2004, the tourney was at UD Arena in Dayton, where they play the big #64 vs. #65 game. Dayton won the title in 03 and Xavier in 04, then X won again in 06 in Cincinnati. So 3 of the 4 years the tourney was in Ohio, the home teams won the thing. Coincidence? The tournament should be played in Philadelphia, like it always was....

[GavMan33]

found this in the Raleigh News & Observer.....

Who Is UNC's 5th Point Guard?

North Carolina faces one of the top points guards in the league Tuesday in Virginia’s Sean Singletary (18.6 ppg, 5.9 apg), and it’s unclear how many opposing point guards the Tar Heels will have to throw at him.
Not only is starter Ty Lawson expected to miss his third straight game with a sprained left ankle, but Marcus Ginyard — the starting small forward who has also been serving as back-up point guard — sprained his right ankle during Sunday’s first half. The junior also has a sprained left big toe, so “he’s got two bad wheels,” coach Roy Williams said.
With Ginyard’s status uncertain — he was scheduled to receive treatment today — and Bobby Frasor sidelined for the season with a torn ACL, Williams said Monday morning that he didn’t know who his fifth option at point guard would be.
“I don’t have a contingency plan because I’ve never had to find out who your fifth point guard is.”
One possibility: sophomore Marc Campbell, a transfer from UNC Greensboro.

I don't have a clue obviously. But I do think you're going to see why Roy Williams is one of the top coaches in the country. If you can deal with things like finding a 5th point guard, you're one of the best....

[GavMan33]

And in a separate post, I know what you Carolina guys mean. If Drew Lavender were to go down, it would be a very tough time to maintain what we've been doing for a long period of time. Short-term we'd be OK, but in the long-term? That'd spell trouble....God Bless Xavier

[seekupig]

And in a separate post, I know what you Carolina guys mean. If Drew Lavender were to go down, it would be a very tough time to maintain what we've been doing for a long period of time. Short-term we'd be OK, but in the long-term? That'd spell trouble....God Bless Xavier

if Russel Robinson went down for KU, we'd plug Sherron Collins in his place, without much if any of a dropoff. the impact on our depth though, is another story....

[UNC41]

The Big East backs the officials in last night's Georgetown/Villanova game. Ridiculous.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3242789

[seekupig]

The Big East backs the officials in last night's Georgetown/Villanova game. Ridiculous.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3242789


"Phew! Phew! Wins are hard to come by in this league, so to walk away with a win feels good." -John Thompson III

[seekupig]

any of you guys know a site where i can watch the Clemson @ UNC game in it's entirety. i'm working on a little side project and need to be able to watch the game from whistle to horn to make an accurate case for what i'm arguing. thanks in advance...

[JamesM]

The Big East backs the officials in last night's Georgetown/Villanova game. Ridiculous.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3242789 Fuck that shit. We might not get into the Big East tournament now.

[clayj41]

any of you guys know a site where i can watch the Clemson @ UNC game in it's entirety. i'm working on a little side project and need to be able to watch the game from whistle to horn to make an accurate case for what i'm arguing. thanks in advance...

Let me guess, it has to do with officiating and foul calls?:rolleyes

[seekupig]

Let me guess, it has to do with officiating and foul calls?:rolleyes

yes, but much to your rolleyeyed suprise (;) ), it's an argument in favor of UNC, not one bashing the refs. i'm looking at style of play, open shots, untouched layups, and the way Clemson wasn't aggressive in the paint to make a case for the game being called fairly. the ultimate point being that you can't judge refs on the box score, as there are many other factors involved..... :)

so now will you help find somewhere to watch the game, tarhole? :D ;)

[clayj41]

yes, but much to your rolleyeyed suprise (;) ), it's an argument in favor of UNC, not one bashing the refs. i'm looking at style of play, open shots, untouched layups, and the way Clemson wasn't aggressive in the paint to make a case for the game being called fairly. the ultimate point being that you can't judge refs on the box score, as there are many other factors involved..... :)

so now will you help find somewhere to watch the game, tarhole? :D ;)

Good to hear! I've been listening to them argue on PTI the last two days about this game. The fact of the matter is that Clemson had no inside presence and shot 28 three-pointers! UNC on the other hand only has two real perimeter shooters in Green and Ellington and they weren't hitting anything. On the rare occasion that Q actually shoots its usually off dribble penetration in an attempt to get down the lane. Then of course you have Psycho T and Thompson.


Anyways, I've got the game DVR'ed but I guess that doesn't help you.:lol

[willthethrill]

If it had been on ESPN, I'd say ESPN360. But I have no idea unless you know someone who DVR'ed it. I do, if you're really desperate to come to Chapel Hill.

Tar Heel Fan (http://tarheelfan.wordpress.com/2008/02/11/clemson-wants-a-word-with-greensboro/#more-1474) has a good take on everything that went into this particular scenario.

And if those are wuffies you're trying to convince, just show them the FTA for and against for them this year.

NC State FTA/game = 24.7
NC State opponent's FTA/game = 13.8

Style of play. Some people just don't understand basketball. There's a reason that it's Clemson that's making a big deal about this...

[justinandimcool]

Purdue's defense is just as interesting to watch as any potent offense out there. Fuck the Big Ten haters :p

[justinandimcool]

Purdue's defense is just as interesting to watch as any potent offense out there. Fuck the Big Ten haters :p

Okay, this was a bit of a stretch, but it's still fun to watch :lol

[willthethrill]

How many times does Roy need to see our screen help split to do something about it? That's obviously their prerogative.

[clayj41]

Solid way to close the half after letting UVA get back in the game. I can't believe how well Hansbrough is shooting tonight and news flash....Ellington has shown up! Now they just need to take better care of the ball and of course play better defense.

[willthethrill]

Ellington played really well last game too, save a few plays. Tyler is rendering Len Elmore's "formula" useless with his play. God he is good.

[clayj41]

Ellington played really well last game too, save a few plays. Tyler is rendering Len Elmore's "formula" useless with his play. God he is good.

Yeah I'm pleasantly surprised with Ellington's performance the last two games and nothing needs to be said about Hansbrough...he is the man!

[clayj41]

Purdue = Best Team in Big 10


Hummel was nasty tonight!

[UNC41]

Hansbrough is just nuts. If he stays four years I think he goes down as the greatest player in school history. Ellington has shown up again. Nice to see that happening two games multiple games in a row. Stepheson is a walking turnover.

Is Purdue the best team in the Big 10? I didn't see anything aside from the last two minutes. It could still be Michigan St, but they are very inconsistent. I haven't seen them play recently. I just can't buy into the Indiana hype when they've done nothing but beat up on the conference's bottom feeders.

[willthethrill]

Hansbrough is just nuts. If he stays four years I think he goes down as the greatest player in school history.
I've had a lot of conversations about this, and I totally agree. He'll own any and every conceivable record at UNC, and many in the ACC as well. At his current pace he would break Redick's career points total (man that would be sweet).

Ellington has shown up again. Nice to see that happening two games multiple games in a row.
YES. Crucial for UNC to grow into the team they're supposed to be.

Stepheson is a walking turnover.
It's pretty bad that I have this thought almost every single game. I had such high hopes for him, he's such a beast. With no coordination.

[irishluck314]

My Spartans lost damn.....Purdue is HOTT watch out Big 10

[clayj41]

It's pretty bad that I have this thought almost every single game. I had such high hopes for him, he's such a beast. With no coordination.

:thumbsup He contributes absolutely nothing.

[dreamingtreeIU]

im just glad i have a ticket for next tuesday....... i also have one for tomorrow nite im tryin to get rid of if anyones interested

[willthethrill]

Somebody needs to tell Q what defense is.

[UNC41]

I've had a lot of conversations about this, and I totally agree. He'll own any and every conceivable record at UNC, and many in the ACC as well. At his current pace he would break Redick's career points total (man that would be sweet).

It's pretty bad that I have this thought almost every single game. I had such high hopes for him, he's such a beast. With no coordination.

If Hansbrough is at UNC for four years he could very well wind up a four-time All-American, two time ACC POY and two time NPOY. It would be nuts. He is such a treat to watch. I would absolutely love to see him break Redick's record.

It wouldn't surprise me to see Stepheson transfer after this year. I can't imagine he beats out Davis for playing time next year, and Zeller could even be ahead of him if he shows the ability to d-up against DI competition.

[UNC41]

Somebody needs to tell Q what defense is.

Somebody needs to tell Q what defense is.

That needed to be posted twice.

[seekupig]

i would vote Beasley over Hansbrough slightly right now for NPOY.... but arguments can be made for both players. at this point, i think it's pretty much a two man race.....

[willthethrill]

If Hansbrough is at UNC for four years he could very well wind up a four-time All-American, two time ACC POY and two time NPOY. It would be nuts. He is such a treat to watch. I would absolutely love to see him break Redick's record.

It wouldn't surprise me to see Stepheson transfer after this year. I can't imagine he beats out Davis for playing time next year, and Zeller could even be ahead of him if he shows the ability to d-up against DI competition.

Definitely. I'm almost surprised Alex hasn't left already. I feel bad for him though. He just hasn't developed.

That Hansbrough block was SICK.

[willthethrill]

Psycho T and Silky T(hompson)

Damnit put this game away already.

[UNC41]

i would vote Beasley over Hansbrough slightly right now for NPOY.... but arguments can be made for both players. at this point, i think it's pretty much a two man race.....

There's something like 5 NPOYs given out. I don't think we'll have a consensus this year.

Definitely. I'm almost surprised Alex hasn't left already. I feel bad for him though. He just hasn't developed.

That Hansbrough block was SICK.

When you combine Alex's lack of development with all of the bigs the Heels have coming in the next couple years, I don't see him ever seeing huge minutes.

How bout that second block?

I like the looks Marcus is making when playing the point, but he doesn't have the feel to make the passes. There have been at least three tonight Ty would have turned into easy baskets. You've got to give him credit for stepping in and trying as a starting SF though.

[willthethrill]

I like the looks Marcus is making when playing the point, but he doesn't have the feel to make the passes. There have been at least three tonight Ty would have turned into easy baskets. You've got to give him credit for stepping in and trying as a starting SF though.

Yea, he's showing vision, but he doesn't have the knack for that pass because he has no experience at the position.

[irishluck314]

Virginia is actually making this a game :O

[irishluck314]

2 mins left in the game and Virginia has made 7-29 FT WOW!!

[irishluck314]

75-74 UNC damn free throws

[UNC41]

Well, a road win in the ACC is a road win in the ACC. Not pretty, but a win nonetheless.

Now that the game is over I can say I am a huge Singletary fan. He reminds me of a 6' Hansbrough with the effort he puts in every night. I would have loved to see him at a major program.

Oh, and Irish, that was 3s, not FTs.

[clayj41]

What a nail biter! Good to see the signature Psycho T shotput shot helped seal the deal.:lol Horrible perimeter D there at the end which was typical. I feel sorry for Sean Singletary though...he's an amazing player.

[clayj41]

2 mins left in the game and Virginia has made 7-29 FT WOW!!

Yeah, like Bryan just said...that was there 3 point shoothing not their free throw shooting.

[irishluck314]

oh i thought he said free throws my bad fellas

[justinandimcool]

UVA not being able to take advantage of another not so stellar night for UNC. Missed the foul, missed the rebound, and UK not being able to catch one break (NOT ONE). I don't think I've ever been more depressed watching games with teams I'm not affiliated with :lol

[clayj41]

How bout that second block?

:thumbsup Both were huge. I definitely wasn't expecting Tyler to step out on the screen and block Singletary though.

[GavMan33]

I've never seen a 1-man team like Virginia. I feel so bad for Singletary, he does everything for them. He still gets out and distributes that basketball. He made the huge steal from behind on the Carolina fast break. He hit the 3 to make it 75-74. And it's amazing to me that coming out a timeout, how your squad, on a make, doesn't match up. That was excruciating to watch. Singletary is playing by himself....

[justinandimcool]

Singletary is playing by himself....

Yep, it was just sad to watch. His teammates did come up big with a few shots, but you can tell he's the one trying the hardest out there. I hope he has a stellar NBA career ahead and plays with just as much as heart, I'd hate to see his college career end without a bid.

[SmoothD41]

I just can't buy into the Indiana hype when they've done nothing but beat up on the conference's bottom feeders.

the entire country has basically been shitting on Indiana all season long because of their weak schedule, errr, schedule that was made weak because teams like So. Illinois, Kentucky, Georgia Tech, and Illinois all suck this year...they haven't had much hype at all. I'm the only one around here that hypes them, only because I know how much talent they have on that team. You are right though, they are very unproven so far.

If they can win their next three games (wiconsin, michigan state, purdue), then they should and will be hyped.

They are improving every game...but the next three games will clearly decide how good Indiana is going to be this year.

[SmoothD41]

I think this might be the end of Kentucky.

[justinandimcool]

the entire country has basically been shitting on Indiana all season long because of their weak schedule, errr, schedule that was made weak because teams like So. Illinois, Kentucky, Georgia Tech, and Illinois all suck this year...they haven't had much hype at all. I'm the only one around here that hypes them, only because I know how much talent they have on that team. You are right though, they are very unproven so far.

If they can win their next three games (wiconsin, michigan state, purdue), then they should and will be hyped.

They are improving every game...but the next three games will clearly decide how good Indiana is going to be this year.

I think I'm starting to buy the "hype". Not many players can compete with DJ White down there, and Gordon/Crawford is about as dangerous of a backcourt as you can have. I put them slightly below Purdue though, as I'm still not sure about their defense.

[JRod1229]

wow... just plane wow... I hope a fight breaks out... i am pretty confident someone is about to get thrown out... don't even know what to say about this

[seekupig]

if anyone is looking for a quiet place to go study or sleep, i think the "Kentucky Basketball, we're the best of all time and we know it" thread is pretty empty right now.

Vandy 52 - UK 14, two minutes into the 2nd half... :lol

[SmoothD41]

I think I'm starting to buy the "hype". Not many players can compete with DJ White down there, and Gordon/Crawford is about as dangerous of a backcourt as you can have. I put them slightly below Purdue though, as I'm still not sure about their defense.

:thumbsup

good to see DJ White getting some recognition from someone outside of Indiana...he seems to fly under the radar for some reason. I think he is getting overshadowed by Gordon...which is lame because Gordon hasn't even played that well against any good teams. I'm anxious to see what he does in the next three games.

Anyways, DJ White is an absolute beast.

[JRod1229]

if anyone is looking for a quiet place to go study or sleep, i think the "Kentucky Basketball, we're the best of all time and we know it" thread is pretty empty right now.

Vandy 52 - UK 14, two minutes into the 2nd half... :lol

and continue to kick us when we're down... way to go d-bag

[UNC41]

Yep, it was just sad to watch. His teammates did come up big with a few shots, but you can tell he's the one trying the hardest out there. I hope he has a stellar NBA career ahead and plays with just as much as heart, I'd hate to see his college career end without a bid.

Like I said, the Singletary is a mini-Hansbrough. He's easily my favorite non-Heel in the ACC.

the entire country has basically been shitting on Indiana all season long because of their weak schedule, errr, schedule that was made weak because teams like So. Illinois, Kentucky, Georgia Tech, and Illinois all suck this year...they haven't had much hype at all. I'm the only one around here that hypes them, only because I know how much talent they have on that team. You are right though, they are very unproven so far.

If they can win their next three games (wiconsin, michigan state, purdue), then they should and will be hyped.

They are improving every game...but the next three games will clearly decide how good Indiana is going to be this year.

I'm not doubting the amount of raw talent on the team, but aside from White they're pretty young and it shows. I just can't buy into them because their best win is Ohio St.,who is a solid team, but it happened two games ago. Lately, I've seen the Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Ohio St. games and don't see the improvement you do.

EDIT: I'm looking forward they do against some good competition the next three games to see how they stack up against good teams. It's something we haven't seen yet.

[UNC41]

:thumbsup

good to see DJ White getting some recognition from someone outside of Indiana...he seems to fly under the radar for some reason. I think he is getting overshadowed by Gordon...which is lame because Gordon hasn't even played that well against any good teams. I'm anxious to see what he does in the next three games.

Anyways, DJ White is an absolute beast.

If anyone from Indiana is getting Big 10 POY it better be White.

[SmoothD41]

If anyone from Indiana is getting Big 10 POY it better be White.

agree completely.

[SmoothD41]

i'm turning this kentucky game off...i don't like them at all, but this is just pitiful and sad to watch.

they are down 42 points. Kentucky, down 42 points.

[seekupig]

and continue to kick us when we're down... way to go d-bag

blow me.

i've been one of the biggest UK supporters in recent weeks, i've been defending Gillispie since day one, and was actually feeling sorry for the Wildcats. but then you guys won a few games in a row to get to 12-9 and are talking about making noise in the tournament. talking about no team in the SEC can beat you when all your players are healthy. i liked you guys a lot better when you realized you suck.... so hopefully this game goes a long ways in rebuilding our relationship.:)

hope your guys didn't forget anything in the overnight bag.... 'cause it looks like it would come in handy right now.

[JRod1229]

dont think anyone other than myself and the 11 vanderbilt fans are watching... but I am fairly confident Ogivly may leave this game with a broken nose..

[JRod1229]

blow me.

i've been one of the biggest UK supporters in recent weeks, i've been defending Gillispie since day one, and was actually feeling sorry for the Wildcats. but then you guys won a few games in a row to get to 12-9 and are talking about making noise in the tournament. talking about no team in the SEC can beat you when all your players are healthy. i liked you guys a lot better when you realized you suck.... so hopefully this game goes a long ways in rebuilding our relationship.:)

hope your guys didn't forget anything in the overnight bag.... 'cause it looks like it would come in handy right now.

funny I really only saw UNC talking about or team positively recently.. you do realize we're still in 2nd in the east... ESPN said we could lose 3 games in the second half and still make it... not saying thats gonna happen... but we're not done yet...

[UNC41]

dont think anyone other than myself and the 11 vanderbilt fans are watching... but I am fairly confident Ogivly may leave this game with a broken nose..

Better a broke nose than a torn apart ass ... :)

[willthethrill]

Why the talk of a fight? I haven't been watching. What's up?

[whygohome?]

you can all go to hell.

[UNC41]

funny I really only saw UNC talking about or team positively recently.. you do realize we're still in 2nd in the east... ESPN said we could lose 3 games in the second half and still make it... not saying thats gonna happen... but we're not done yet...

Dustin has been telling Kentucky fans to be patient all year, and that Gilipse was the right move to make.

[kydmb99]

blow me.

i've been one of the biggest UK supporters in recent weeks, i've been defending Gillispie since day one, and was actually feeling sorry for the Wildcats. but then you guys won a few games in a row to get to 12-9 and are talking about making noise in the tournament. talking about no team in the SEC can beat you when all your players are healthy. i liked you guys a lot better when you realized you suck.... so hopefully this game goes a long ways in rebuilding our relationship.:)

hope your guys didn't forget anything in the overnight bag.... 'cause it looks like it would come in handy right now.

I think I personally can speak for all UK fans when I say we don't give a flying fuck what you think.

[whygohome?]

^ :thumbsup

[seekupig]

I think I personally can speak for all UK fans when I say we don't give a flying fuck what you think.

+1
nice work, ace. :thumbsup



if Ashley Judd is at the NIT, is she still hot?

[willthethrill]

Why the talk of a fight? I haven't been watching. What's up?

I meant this seriously. I see the score, but what was going on that was close to a fight?

[clayj41]

:thumbsup

good to see DJ White getting some recognition from someone outside of Indiana...he seems to fly under the radar for some reason. I think he is getting overshadowed by Gordon...which is lame because Gordon hasn't even played that well against any good teams. I'm anxious to see what he does in the next three games.

Anyways, DJ White is an absolute beast.

:thumbsup DJ is a better POY candidate than Gordon.

[UNC41]

:thumbsup DJ is a better POY candidate than Gordon.

I watch Gordon at times and think he could use another year of ball like Brandan Wright could have, but like Wright, I don't think there's a chance it happens.

[clayj41]

I watch Gordon at times and think he could use another year of ball like Brandan Wright could have, but like Wright, I don't think there's a chance it happens.

:thumbsup He would definitely benefit from another year of school. I could see him becoming an unstoppable player if he stuck around...but I don't see him sticking around.

[whygohome?]

+1
nice work, ace. :thumbsup



if Ashley Judd is at the NIT, is she still hot?

:lol damn

[unccrombie]

I think I personally can speak for all UK fans when I say we don't give a flying fuck what you think.
spoken like a true UK fan

[whygohome?]

spoken like a true UK fan

dont start that shit.

[UNC41]

For the first time all year Kentucky is the lead on SportsCenter ...

[unccrombie]

dont start that shit.
i didn't start anything, some other wise ass did

[clayj41]

For the first time all year Kentucky is the lead on SportsCenter ...

Bittersweet...:lol

[whygohome?]

what is this, 'UNC circle jerk cause UK lost by a million' night?

[kydmb99]

spoken like a true UK fan

What? I really wasn't trying to be a dick, but I honestly couldn't give two shits if he "felt sorry for us" or felt happier when at least "we realized we suck."

I'm pretty sure if UNC had just gotten beat by 40 in a crucial game and some UK fan was on here saying... Well I felt sorry for you guys when you went 8-20, at least then you realized you sucked or some bullshit like that you'd just let it slide right off your back. Please. :rolleyes

[UNC41]

I'm pretty sure if UNC had just gotten beat by 40 in a crucial game and some UK fan was on here saying... Well I felt sorry for you guys when you went 8-20, at least then you realized you sucked or some bullshit like that you'd just let it slide right off your back. Please. :rolleyes

I would say, that season was absolutely dreadful to go through, but I don't think quite as bad as a 10 year Final Four drought.

[clayj41]

what is this, 'UNC circle jerk cause UK lost by a million' night?

Screw you man! I really have no smpathy for your team or fans, and I'm enjoying your down season...just like UK fans did when UNC went 8-20 and when IU went 14-15 just a few years ago. Just be happy that your season isn't that bad...yet.

[kydmb99]

I would say, that season was absolutely dreadful to go through, but I don't think quite as bad as a 10 year Final Four drought.

Ummm.... alright? :confused

[clayj41]

I'm pretty sure if UNC had just gotten beat by 40 in a crucial game and some UK fan was on here saying... Well I felt sorry for you guys when you went 8-20, at least then you realized you sucked or some bullshit like that you'd just let it slide right off your back. Please. :rolleyes