My early season ballot, in order.
Then There Were Three...
After Tyler Hansbrough's thorough domination of Luke Harangody and the Fightin' Irish, I think we can safely say there are three legit POY contenders.
My early season ballot, in order.
My early season ballot, in order.
Maniac's Picks - Nov 26th
Both picks - LOCKS OF THE DAY:
Notre Dame + 10.5 v. North Carolina
Oklahoma -3 v UAB
Notre Dame + 10.5 v. North Carolina
Oklahoma -3 v UAB
Top 10 Games of the "Pre" Season
Another reason to get on the college Hoops bandwagon - big games between teams who aren't afraid to schedule tough. Here are 10 of the Best:
10. Texas Tech v. Pitt (Nov 27th). Tech put up 178 points earlier this season playing a NAIA foe I cannot remember. Let's see how they fare against the big boys. Also, with Pitt's schedule, this is one of the few legit glimpses you'll get of the Pathers before January's Big East schedule.
9. Wisconsin @ Marquette (Dec 6) - Two teams that always fly under the radar, but are always relevant nationally. Throw in the in-state rivaly Big Guy vs Small Guy factor, and you have a really intense ballgame
8. Michigan St @ Texas (Dallas - Dec 20th) - Easily the best college hoops day of the young season offers up another treat in Texas and Michigan St. Both teams have sincere Final 4 aspirations, and will benefit from a tournament-like environment in a huge arena.
7. UCLA @ Texas (Dec 4) - Good matchup between two team with Final Four aspirations, as well as a few question marks in the backcourt.
6. Davidson @ Purdue - Purdue's defense is notoriously stingy. Are they stingy enough to keep the clamps on Steph Curry? Georgetown and Wisconsin couldn't last March...
5. Xavier v. Duke (Nuetral Floor - Dec 20th) - The last time these two met was in the 2004 East Regional Final. Duke prevailed in the last 45 seconds, winning by 4. Since then, the two programs have had surprisingly similar post-season success. X tries to strike a blow for the "don't call me a mid-major" crowd against Golliath Duke.
4. UNC @ Michigan St. (Dec 3) - Tom Izzo's teams are always dangerous in March. Is this team dangerous enough in December to hang with the Heels? (My guess. No.)
3. Duke @ Purdue (Dec 2) - The dookies get a tough test on the road against a scrappy, smart Purdue squad. The kind of team that gave them fits over the past two seasons. Will Duke's increased athleticism be enough to get them over the hump? Is Purdue a nice story, or a serious Final Four contender?
2. North Carolina v. Notre Dame (Nov 26th). Two of four legit frontrunners for National player of the Year square off in Tyler Hansbrough and Luke Harangody, but these teams are far from one-man bands. These are two of the deepest, most balanced squads in the country. Notre Dame is one of 6 or 7 teams that can almost matchup with UNC (on paper). It will be interesting to see how it plays out.
1. Conecticut @ Gonzaga - (Dec 20th) The third of three fantastic games on Dec 20th, UConn travels to Seattle to tackle "America's Team" Gonzaga. Many experts are calling this the best team Mark Few has ever had in Spokane. If that is true, the Zags have a legit shot at reaching the school's first Final Four. A head-to-head matchup against the Huskies will tell a lot about both teams.
10. Texas Tech v. Pitt (Nov 27th). Tech put up 178 points earlier this season playing a NAIA foe I cannot remember. Let's see how they fare against the big boys. Also, with Pitt's schedule, this is one of the few legit glimpses you'll get of the Pathers before January's Big East schedule.
9. Wisconsin @ Marquette (Dec 6) - Two teams that always fly under the radar, but are always relevant nationally. Throw in the in-state rivaly Big Guy vs Small Guy factor, and you have a really intense ballgame
8. Michigan St @ Texas (Dallas - Dec 20th) - Easily the best college hoops day of the young season offers up another treat in Texas and Michigan St. Both teams have sincere Final 4 aspirations, and will benefit from a tournament-like environment in a huge arena.
7. UCLA @ Texas (Dec 4) - Good matchup between two team with Final Four aspirations, as well as a few question marks in the backcourt.
6. Davidson @ Purdue - Purdue's defense is notoriously stingy. Are they stingy enough to keep the clamps on Steph Curry? Georgetown and Wisconsin couldn't last March...
5. Xavier v. Duke (Nuetral Floor - Dec 20th) - The last time these two met was in the 2004 East Regional Final. Duke prevailed in the last 45 seconds, winning by 4. Since then, the two programs have had surprisingly similar post-season success. X tries to strike a blow for the "don't call me a mid-major" crowd against Golliath Duke.
4. UNC @ Michigan St. (Dec 3) - Tom Izzo's teams are always dangerous in March. Is this team dangerous enough in December to hang with the Heels? (My guess. No.)
3. Duke @ Purdue (Dec 2) - The dookies get a tough test on the road against a scrappy, smart Purdue squad. The kind of team that gave them fits over the past two seasons. Will Duke's increased athleticism be enough to get them over the hump? Is Purdue a nice story, or a serious Final Four contender?
2. North Carolina v. Notre Dame (Nov 26th). Two of four legit frontrunners for National player of the Year square off in Tyler Hansbrough and Luke Harangody, but these teams are far from one-man bands. These are two of the deepest, most balanced squads in the country. Notre Dame is one of 6 or 7 teams that can almost matchup with UNC (on paper). It will be interesting to see how it plays out.
1. Conecticut @ Gonzaga - (Dec 20th) The third of three fantastic games on Dec 20th, UConn travels to Seattle to tackle "America's Team" Gonzaga. Many experts are calling this the best team Mark Few has ever had in Spokane. If that is true, the Zags have a legit shot at reaching the school's first Final Four. A head-to-head matchup against the Huskies will tell a lot about both teams.
Low Water Mark?
I wrote about Tom Crean and the state of IU several days ago - but thought this quote was too good to keep to myself. I have the Texas v. Oregon game on in the background, and they just previewed the IU v. Chaminade game by saying "it should be a very competitive game."
As Bill Simmons might say "Ladies and gentlemen, your 2008-2009 Indiana Hoosiers."
Is Chaminade poised for their first big win since... well, "then"?
As Bill Simmons might say "Ladies and gentlemen, your 2008-2009 Indiana Hoosiers."
Is Chaminade poised for their first big win since... well, "then"?Bizarro Steph
Ok - this story is WHY I love college hoops. In what can only be described as Minor-League Baseball-esque, Loyola (MD) held the nation's leading scorer, Pistol Pete 2.0 - Steph Curry SCORELESS. Not a single point. Not one. In 32 minutes, taking 3 shots, all misses and drawing no fouls, Steph went scoreless.
How did Loyola accomplish this great feat? Well, by playing a carnival-like defense that involved taking a triangle and 2 to extreme lengths, they simply blanketed Steph's every move. Even at the sake of letting other teammates advance unimpeded to the basket.
At one point, Curry spent several possesions simply sitting in the corner, double-teamed, and allowed his teammates to play 4 on 3.
So - did this "defensive tactic" pay dividends??
I'll let the words of Loyola's coach best sum it up,
Coach, I hear ya, "follow him everywhere" - but he was in the crapper!
Read more at: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/recap?gid=200811250156
How did Loyola accomplish this great feat? Well, by playing a carnival-like defense that involved taking a triangle and 2 to extreme lengths, they simply blanketed Steph's every move. Even at the sake of letting other teammates advance unimpeded to the basket.
At one point, Curry spent several possesions simply sitting in the corner, double-teamed, and allowed his teammates to play 4 on 3.
So - did this "defensive tactic" pay dividends??
I'll let the words of Loyola's coach best sum it up,
“Anybody else ever hold him scoreless? I’m a history major. They’re going to remember that we held him scoreless or we lost by 30?”
~ Coach Jimmy Pastos
Coach, I hear ya, "follow him everywhere" - but he was in the crapper!Read more at: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/recap?gid=200811250156
Irish Eyes Opened Wide
Notre Dame seems to be an early favorite to slide into next weeks Bracketeering after an impressive victory over #6 Texas. Many of the questions around this year's Notre Dame squad were focused on how well they would deal with an athletic up-tempo defense. Question answered tonight. They can handle it.
But in Bracketeering, like the bungling BCS, style points count. And new ND questions cropped up, Memphis-like questions after they did everything possible to give the game back to Texas. Bricking consecutive free-throws and allowing three Texas 3's - only to be spared when a half-court heave glanced off the rim.
A win is a win come March seeding time. But it was 60 seconds away from assuring.
Check out the following story from the AP.
LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Luke Harangody had 29 points and 13 rebounds and No. 8 Notre Dame hung on to beat No. 6 Texas 81-80 on Tuesday night in the semifinals of the EA Sports Maui Invitational.
FOR COMPLETE STORY CLICK HERE:
Just another 29/13 night. Ho Hum...
But in Bracketeering, like the bungling BCS, style points count. And new ND questions cropped up, Memphis-like questions after they did everything possible to give the game back to Texas. Bricking consecutive free-throws and allowing three Texas 3's - only to be spared when a half-court heave glanced off the rim.
A win is a win come March seeding time. But it was 60 seconds away from assuring.
Check out the following story from the AP.
LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Luke Harangody had 29 points and 13 rebounds and No. 8 Notre Dame hung on to beat No. 6 Texas 81-80 on Tuesday night in the semifinals of the EA Sports Maui Invitational.
FOR COMPLETE STORY CLICK HERE:
Just another 29/13 night. Ho Hum...Maniac's Picks - Nov 25th
Fresh off a 4-1 day, the Maniac is back for more pre-season tourney prognostications.
Notre Dame +2.5 over Texas
Florida -5 over Washington
Arizona -11 over Santa Clara
Creighton -3 over Ark Little Rock
Notre Dame +2.5 over Texas
Florida -5 over Washington
Arizona -11 over Santa Clara
Creighton -3 over Ark Little Rock
The Cuse is Loose!
Some thoughts from resident Syracuse honk and recreational gambling aficionado, the Kaiser.Ah, Syracuse actually beats a ranked non conference team... I hope Dante' Green watched the game and thought to himself, "Hey... maybe I should have stayed in school to play one more year for a Hall of Fame coach instead of playing in BFE Sacramento for the old coach from NBC's Hang Time."
Or maybe he's thinking "Why is Cheryl Miller my coach?" Who knows?
Tonight the 'Cuse gets Kansas. And you know what, the Jayhawks probably win this game.
You know what else Kansas? Who Cares?!?
In the last 20 yrs, these 2 teams have played 2 meaningful games: 1996 Elite 8 (sorry Jaques - and Roy "I do less with more" Williams). Repeat that result for the 03 National Championship. KU fan can yell "Rock Chalk Jayhawk" at meaningless regular season games, preseason tourneys, or even a second round beat down in the NCAA's (the last time Drew Gooden actually did something other than grow a soul patch on the back of his head).
When the stakes are the highest, the 'Cuse win. Scoreboard. End of story.
Rock, Chalk, Scoreboard Bitches!!Maniac's Pick - Nov 24th
Slow start to the season at 2-4-0. Hopefully the turnaround begins here:
MANIAC PICKS!
Notre Dame - 15 over IU
UCONN -4.5 over Wisconsin
Florida -3 over Syracuse
Lock of the Day:
Miami(FL) -5 OVER San Diego
MANIAC PICKS!Notre Dame - 15 over IU
UCONN -4.5 over Wisconsin
Florida -3 over Syracuse
Lock of the Day:
Miami(FL) -5 OVER San Diego
Who-siers?
"Who the hell are these guys??"~ Indiana Basketball Fans
Rebuilding? Try "starting from scratch."
Tom Crean introduces his IU version 1.0 to the nation today at 5:30 in Maui versus the #8 Fighting Irish. Crean will get it done, he has one of the top 5 recruiting classes in the nation coming in next year according to many recruiting ranking services like Rivals.com. For now though, starting 4 freshman and a junior (none of whom stepped on the court for IU last year) it is going to be a rough road.
Maniacs pick: Notre Dame by 23.
Rolling with the Kaiser - Nov 24th
Nothing could be wiser than gamblin' with the Kaiser!Making his first of many guest appearances on March Maniacs is our guest "wagering for entertainment purposes ONLY" columnist, The Kaiser.
For Monday Kaiser says:
mid tenn st +9
unlv - 2
oregon st - 9
bama -3
umass -15.5
Bracketeering - Nov 23rd
Take it or leave it - the Maniac's first edition of Bracketeering for 08-09
FINAL FOUR:
1. UNC - Zeller's loss was eased by Hansbrough's return. The likely medical red-shirt might be an odd blessing
2. UCONN - Not sold on UCONN going into today, but a convincing win over an experienced and solid Miami club gets them the #2 spot.
3. Duke - Yes, they had an early struggle against Rhode Island, but it is obvious this Duke team has the explosiveness and athleticism that has been lacking the past two years.
4. Louisville - A nice welcome for Samardo Samuels. If he can contribute at a 15-10 level, this team can legitimatly challenge UNC for the title.
ELITE EIGHT:
5. Purdue - not severely tested yet, but will find out real soon as their next two games are against BC and Duke. Purdue has all the tools in place to win the Big 10, and make a Final Four run.
6. Oklahoma - Yes, they sleepwalked through a too-close Gardner-Webb victory, but the win against Davidson showed me two things: Freshman PG Willie Warren is legit, and that Blake Griffin is the most dominant player in the country.
7. Gonzaga - Tons of returning talent and athleticism. Their usual November/December gauntlet gets under way this week as they begin a 6-game stretch that includes: Oklahoma St, Washington St, Indiana, Arizona and UCONN. Win 4 of 5 and they move UP in the poll.
8. Xavier - Homer pick? Maybe. But at this juncture with nuetral floor wins over Missouri, Va Tech and Memphis, they have done more to earn it than anyone else so far this season.
Sweet and lurking: The next tier
Michigan St, Pitt, Notre Dame, Memphis, Wake Forest, Davidson, Texas Tech, Marquette, Tennessee, UAB, Florida
Bracket Busts: Some early season disappointments
UCLA, USC, Arizona.. notice a trend??
Half Court Heaves: Long shots worth keeping an eye on
Clemson, Seton Hall, Minnesota, Cincinnati, St. Mary's, LSU, Air Force
It's EARLY, but so far, the Muskies have something to shout about.
FINAL FOUR:
1. UNC - Zeller's loss was eased by Hansbrough's return. The likely medical red-shirt might be an odd blessing
2. UCONN - Not sold on UCONN going into today, but a convincing win over an experienced and solid Miami club gets them the #2 spot.
3. Duke - Yes, they had an early struggle against Rhode Island, but it is obvious this Duke team has the explosiveness and athleticism that has been lacking the past two years.
4. Louisville - A nice welcome for Samardo Samuels. If he can contribute at a 15-10 level, this team can legitimatly challenge UNC for the title.
ELITE EIGHT:
5. Purdue - not severely tested yet, but will find out real soon as their next two games are against BC and Duke. Purdue has all the tools in place to win the Big 10, and make a Final Four run.6. Oklahoma - Yes, they sleepwalked through a too-close Gardner-Webb victory, but the win against Davidson showed me two things: Freshman PG Willie Warren is legit, and that Blake Griffin is the most dominant player in the country.
7. Gonzaga - Tons of returning talent and athleticism. Their usual November/December gauntlet gets under way this week as they begin a 6-game stretch that includes: Oklahoma St, Washington St, Indiana, Arizona and UCONN. Win 4 of 5 and they move UP in the poll.
8. Xavier - Homer pick? Maybe. But at this juncture with nuetral floor wins over Missouri, Va Tech and Memphis, they have done more to earn it than anyone else so far this season.
Sweet and lurking: The next tier
Michigan St, Pitt, Notre Dame, Memphis, Wake Forest, Davidson, Texas Tech, Marquette, Tennessee, UAB, Florida
Bracket Busts: Some early season disappointments
UCLA, USC, Arizona.. notice a trend??
Half Court Heaves: Long shots worth keeping an eye on
Clemson, Seton Hall, Minnesota, Cincinnati, St. Mary's, LSU, Air Force
It's EARLY, but so far, the Muskies have something to shout about.
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