Before the season The Maniac guaranteed that IU would not finish last in the Big Ten. Then maurice Creek got hurt and we got nervous.
Both us and Hoosier Nation got to exhale deeply today. Jeremiah Rivers provided a steadying influence all day (and an impressive rebounding performance) as the Hoosiers used a stifling defense to frustrate and already frustrating Michigan team.
The Big Ten has suffered sone of the worst losses to injury of any league, but Michigan remains healthy. That is probably the most puzzling part for Wolverine fans as the team started the year #15 in the nation and now sits at 6-6.
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Good Wins and Bad L's
Another installment of what is to become a regular feature here at MarchManiacs.com, here's a quick look at the highs and lows from Tuesday.
I'm a bit biased here, but UCF losing at home in their own holiday classic to Jacksonville is one of the worst losses of the night. Many of our readers would beg to differ, but must surely now concede the Knights are not a top five team in the improved C-USA.
Cincinnati snatched a huge win in their BEast opener, beating Connecticut on two late Lance Stevenson free throws. After the close calls everywhere in week one, it is going to be a joy to cover this conference this year.
Louisville did what they were supposed to do; dispatch USF with relative ease. Perhaps the Bulls are not quite ready to leap out of the cellar, or maybe this is simply the start of the annual Card surge...
Just when we showered UAB with some mid-major love...they go out and lose to ACC cellar dwellar Virginia 72-63. However, not all mid majors dissapointed Wednesday. If you are already sick of hearing me glam on William & Mary, skip this paragraph. After beating Maryland 83-77 in College Park it is time to accept the Tribe as a legit tourney team. Legitimatly the CAA has three of them...
From mid-majors to low-majors, how about Harvard? Having already completed their now annual beating of Boston College they followed it up tonight with a 66-53 thumping of A-10 foe George Washington.
Northern Colorado continued their very unnoticed, yet impressive start. In the last two nights they have beaten Denver and TCU by double digits. Not saying UNC (the other one) is a team to lose sleep over, but I like to introduce you to your 14 and 15 seeds early.
Also tonight featured a pair of "come to Earth" losses for a few teams we can't help but love to love. Northwestern lost their Big 10 opener to Illinois, not a "bad" loss but certainly a dissapointing one.
One last news bulletin: George Mason is definitely NOT "this year's George Mason.". After watching the Patriots get pounded 80-53 by Radford; then glancing at W&M, VCU, and Old Dominion...it's hard to imagine this season getting much better for America's Cinderella.
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I'm a bit biased here, but UCF losing at home in their own holiday classic to Jacksonville is one of the worst losses of the night. Many of our readers would beg to differ, but must surely now concede the Knights are not a top five team in the improved C-USA.
Cincinnati snatched a huge win in their BEast opener, beating Connecticut on two late Lance Stevenson free throws. After the close calls everywhere in week one, it is going to be a joy to cover this conference this year.
Louisville did what they were supposed to do; dispatch USF with relative ease. Perhaps the Bulls are not quite ready to leap out of the cellar, or maybe this is simply the start of the annual Card surge...
Just when we showered UAB with some mid-major love...they go out and lose to ACC cellar dwellar Virginia 72-63. However, not all mid majors dissapointed Wednesday. If you are already sick of hearing me glam on William & Mary, skip this paragraph. After beating Maryland 83-77 in College Park it is time to accept the Tribe as a legit tourney team. Legitimatly the CAA has three of them...
From mid-majors to low-majors, how about Harvard? Having already completed their now annual beating of Boston College they followed it up tonight with a 66-53 thumping of A-10 foe George Washington.
Northern Colorado continued their very unnoticed, yet impressive start. In the last two nights they have beaten Denver and TCU by double digits. Not saying UNC (the other one) is a team to lose sleep over, but I like to introduce you to your 14 and 15 seeds early.
Also tonight featured a pair of "come to Earth" losses for a few teams we can't help but love to love. Northwestern lost their Big 10 opener to Illinois, not a "bad" loss but certainly a dissapointing one.
One last news bulletin: George Mason is definitely NOT "this year's George Mason.". After watching the Patriots get pounded 80-53 by Radford; then glancing at W&M, VCU, and Old Dominion...it's hard to imagine this season getting much better for America's Cinderella.
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Step Three
Step One: Convince your team that despite losing your best player for the entire year, you can still compete for the first tourney bid in school history.
Step Two: Amass 11-1 non-conference record with several quality wins.
Check. And check.
Tonight the Northwestern Wildcats set their sights on step three - win Big Ten games on the road en route to finishing above .500 in conference. They travel to Illinois tonight in a game the could really use if they are going to peek into the Top 25 for any length of time, and ulimately if they are going to sniff the rarified air of March.
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Step Two: Amass 11-1 non-conference record with several quality wins.
Check. And check.
Tonight the Northwestern Wildcats set their sights on step three - win Big Ten games on the road en route to finishing above .500 in conference. They travel to Illinois tonight in a game the could really use if they are going to peek into the Top 25 for any length of time, and ulimately if they are going to sniff the rarified air of March.
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Two Worth Watching
Conference play has commenced with a thundersand The Maniac is pretty pumped over the promise of a fantastic season on the horizon. The Missouri Valley pitted some of their top teams last night(Illinois State, Northern Iowa) against traditional powers Wichita State and Creighton; and both won. Throw in Missouri State and you have the makings of one heck of a conference battle.
If you like your conferences with a little more NCAA at-large bids at stake, might I suggest the Big East. West Virginia is undefeated and sixth in the NATION, yet needed OT to beat Seton Hall and a miracle finish to beat Marquette at home to move to 2-0 in the BEast. Neither opponent figured in the top 8 of the conference preseason. Now that's a tough road to sled.
That brings me to my first game of the night. While most people will pay attention to Cincy - UConn (good game) I'll be more interested in South Florida's trip to Lousiville. The Cards dissapointed early but have shown some signs of promise the past few weeks. The Bulls have been impressive early but have never been a factor in conference play since joining the Big East. Losing at the 'Ville would be no shame, but it is the type of game USF needs to win if they want to be in the at-large conversation. Vegas has the Bulls as 13 point dogs; I suspect it will be a decent ballgame. Either way it is a great early litmus test in the BEast.
My other game to watch tonight is one very few people will be able to. William & Mary is 9-2 with quality wins over Wake and VCU. Tonight they get a huge opportunity when they visit College Park and the Terps. A win here makes the Tribe a legit at-large front runner should they play well in the CAA yet get nosed out by VCU or Old Dominion (or even George Mason). I imagine the whole Colonial Conference will have an eye toward College Park tonight.
It feels like we've been writing about Maryland and Grevies Vasquez for about six seasons now. The article always talks about "potential" and how good both could be...and isn't that kind of the problem? If pressed for a real read on the Terps I'd put them sixth in the ACC. Truth is anywhere between third and tenth is a fair guess. The league is that balanced and the Terps are that much of an enigma.
There are some other great games across the nation tonight as the Big Ten and ACC, amongst others, get rolling. The two above are defintly worth the watch.
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If you like your conferences with a little more NCAA at-large bids at stake, might I suggest the Big East. West Virginia is undefeated and sixth in the NATION, yet needed OT to beat Seton Hall and a miracle finish to beat Marquette at home to move to 2-0 in the BEast. Neither opponent figured in the top 8 of the conference preseason. Now that's a tough road to sled.
That brings me to my first game of the night. While most people will pay attention to Cincy - UConn (good game) I'll be more interested in South Florida's trip to Lousiville. The Cards dissapointed early but have shown some signs of promise the past few weeks. The Bulls have been impressive early but have never been a factor in conference play since joining the Big East. Losing at the 'Ville would be no shame, but it is the type of game USF needs to win if they want to be in the at-large conversation. Vegas has the Bulls as 13 point dogs; I suspect it will be a decent ballgame. Either way it is a great early litmus test in the BEast.
My other game to watch tonight is one very few people will be able to. William & Mary is 9-2 with quality wins over Wake and VCU. Tonight they get a huge opportunity when they visit College Park and the Terps. A win here makes the Tribe a legit at-large front runner should they play well in the CAA yet get nosed out by VCU or Old Dominion (or even George Mason). I imagine the whole Colonial Conference will have an eye toward College Park tonight.
It feels like we've been writing about Maryland and Grevies Vasquez for about six seasons now. The article always talks about "potential" and how good both could be...and isn't that kind of the problem? If pressed for a real read on the Terps I'd put them sixth in the ACC. Truth is anywhere between third and tenth is a fair guess. The league is that balanced and the Terps are that much of an enigma.
There are some other great games across the nation tonight as the Big Ten and ACC, amongst others, get rolling. The two above are defintly worth the watch.
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More Tuesday Picks
Marquette +12 @ West Virginia: The Mountaineers are fresh off a hard-fought OT win at Seton Hall and get to return home for more Big East fun. I like the Mountaineers, but just don't think they are 13 points better than a solid Marquette team at this point in the year. Gimme the Eagles and the points.
St Joseph's +13.5 @ Siena: The Saints clearly miss Kenny Hasbrouk from last year's magical team. They are still solid, but have had some offensive struggles. St. Joe's record is terrible; 4-6, but their losses to Villanova, Minnesota, Cornell, and Purdue are certinaly excusable. That's the recipe for a battle-tested team. I don't see them getting blown out tonight, and wouldn't be stunned if they won outright.
Wichita State (pick) @ Illinois St: Missouri Valley play gets under way tonight, and true to form of the last few years there is nary a bad matchup in sight. Wichita State has been one of the pleasant surprises so far this season and Illinois State has been good as well. THe difference to me? Illinois State did this last year as well before looking painfully pedestrian once conference play rolled around. The Shockers have taken down Texas Tech and pummeled Iowa and Cleveland State. Illinois State has lost to Niagara and Ohio, and their only decent win is over Utah. Gimme the Shockers on the road in a pick 'em that should be fun to watch.
Texas Tech +8 @ New Mexico: This is a tough one to pick, as both teams have inflated records with only a single loss; both losses recent and both to teams (Wichita St. amd Oral Roberts) that make you pause in rating the Red Raiders and Lobos. The Pit is a tough place to play, but the line seems a little too big considering that Texas Tech is likely no worse than an equal team. I'm gonna take Knight Jr. and the Red Raiders plus the eight.
Syracuse -3 @ Seton Hall: The poor Pirates, their early season excitement over 9-0 was followed up with Temple (L), West Virginia (L), and now they get Syracuse. Unfortunatly the road never gets much easier in the Big East, but three consecutive Top 20 (and Bracketeering Top 11) teams in a row is tough for even the best of squads. The 'Cuse should be amped up to play after three non-challenging weeks. I like the 'Cuse tonight, like all seven other picks, on the road.
Maniac's Record: 26-19-1 ATS
St Joseph's +13.5 @ Siena: The Saints clearly miss Kenny Hasbrouk from last year's magical team. They are still solid, but have had some offensive struggles. St. Joe's record is terrible; 4-6, but their losses to Villanova, Minnesota, Cornell, and Purdue are certinaly excusable. That's the recipe for a battle-tested team. I don't see them getting blown out tonight, and wouldn't be stunned if they won outright.
Wichita State (pick) @ Illinois St: Missouri Valley play gets under way tonight, and true to form of the last few years there is nary a bad matchup in sight. Wichita State has been one of the pleasant surprises so far this season and Illinois State has been good as well. THe difference to me? Illinois State did this last year as well before looking painfully pedestrian once conference play rolled around. The Shockers have taken down Texas Tech and pummeled Iowa and Cleveland State. Illinois State has lost to Niagara and Ohio, and their only decent win is over Utah. Gimme the Shockers on the road in a pick 'em that should be fun to watch.
Texas Tech +8 @ New Mexico: This is a tough one to pick, as both teams have inflated records with only a single loss; both losses recent and both to teams (Wichita St. amd Oral Roberts) that make you pause in rating the Red Raiders and Lobos. The Pit is a tough place to play, but the line seems a little too big considering that Texas Tech is likely no worse than an equal team. I'm gonna take Knight Jr. and the Red Raiders plus the eight.
Syracuse -3 @ Seton Hall: The poor Pirates, their early season excitement over 9-0 was followed up with Temple (L), West Virginia (L), and now they get Syracuse. Unfortunatly the road never gets much easier in the Big East, but three consecutive Top 20 (and Bracketeering Top 11) teams in a row is tough for even the best of squads. The 'Cuse should be amped up to play after three non-challenging weeks. I like the 'Cuse tonight, like all seven other picks, on the road.
Maniac's Record: 26-19-1 ATS
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Quick Picks - Dec 29th
It has been a bountiful holiday season of picks for The Maniac, and with today being one of the last full spreads of 2009 and we are set to feast on some winners. The slate is full of good, if not great, games, both in conference and out. Here's a quick rundown of the day in hoops.
4PM: Cornell +2 @ Lasalle - The Explorers are one of the teams quietly looking to challenge in the A-10 from the middle of the pack. Cornell has played a brutal slate early and have proven to be up for the challenge. The Red have already played Alabama, Seton Hall, St John's, Syracuse, UMass and St. Joe's. They went 4-2 in those games. Suffice it to say they will not be overwhelmed by Lasalle. Give me the Red in another resume builder.
7PM: Rhode Island -3 @ Drexel - I'll take another road team, this time the Rams of R.I. They have quietly built a 9-1 record, losing only @ VCU by 2. Granted, they have no marquee wins yet, but I wouldn't put Drexel on a marquee either. Gimme the Rams laying the three.
8PM: Northern Iowa @ Creighton -1 - The Jays have struggled mightily this season, while the Panthers of UNI are off to a 9-1 start that includes wins over Iowa State, Denver, Boston College, Siena and Iowa. Not a terrible slate. Creighton meanwhile is in unfamiliar territory, entering conference play with a sub-.500 record. However all 6 losses were to RPI Top 100 (5 in the Top 50) and all were on the road or a neutral court. I like Creighton to get home and use the opportunity to remind the MVC that the road to glory still passes through Nebraska.
Season Record: 26-19-1 ATS
4PM: Cornell +2 @ Lasalle - The Explorers are one of the teams quietly looking to challenge in the A-10 from the middle of the pack. Cornell has played a brutal slate early and have proven to be up for the challenge. The Red have already played Alabama, Seton Hall, St John's, Syracuse, UMass and St. Joe's. They went 4-2 in those games. Suffice it to say they will not be overwhelmed by Lasalle. Give me the Red in another resume builder.
7PM: Rhode Island -3 @ Drexel - I'll take another road team, this time the Rams of R.I. They have quietly built a 9-1 record, losing only @ VCU by 2. Granted, they have no marquee wins yet, but I wouldn't put Drexel on a marquee either. Gimme the Rams laying the three.
8PM: Northern Iowa @ Creighton -1 - The Jays have struggled mightily this season, while the Panthers of UNI are off to a 9-1 start that includes wins over Iowa State, Denver, Boston College, Siena and Iowa. Not a terrible slate. Creighton meanwhile is in unfamiliar territory, entering conference play with a sub-.500 record. However all 6 losses were to RPI Top 100 (5 in the Top 50) and all were on the road or a neutral court. I like Creighton to get home and use the opportunity to remind the MVC that the road to glory still passes through Nebraska.
Season Record: 26-19-1 ATS
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Christmas Bracketeering - Dec 27th, 2009
It has been about three weeks since our last poll, and many things have started to sort themselves out. From the outset we have had Texas in the top slot and have taken plenty of heat for it. Even during these times of Christmas cheer, there is still nothing I enjoy more than saying "I told you so." After consecutive wins over North Carolina and Michigan State, both by double digits, in a three day span, it is hard to dispute the Longhorns are deserving of their slot.
Meanwhile out West, just when we were ready to bury the Pac 10 pre-season co-favorite Washington seems to have woken up. With dominating wins over Portland and Texas A&M the Huskies showed it may have been to early to write them off. Even more impressive? They may not be the best team in the beleaguered Pac-10. We'll save our answer for #16 in this week's Bracketeering.
And alas, the Maniac has long been championing the case of the mid-major but admits the usual suspects are making it tough this year. Gonzaga took one of the most severe beatings I've witnessed to Duke, losing by 35 in game Duke could have easily won by 50. Memphis looks pedestrian at best and has lost to lowly UMass, Xavier continues to struggle offensively and Butler is flirting with the title of most overrated team in the country in the preseason polls (relax Bulldogs, there's still Cal...). Isn't it ironinc when the most overrated teams in the AP polls are #21 Butler and #25 Gonzaga?!? Not all is lost for the mid-majors though, check out spots #11 & #15 for our favorites so far.
I hope everyone got what they wanted under the tree this year. And for anyone who needs a little more hoops in their stocking, we appreciate you forwarding us their way!
Enjoy the special Maniac Christmas edition of Bracketeering.
FINAL FOUR:
1. Texas - Avery Bradley is the best freshman not named John Wall or Xavier Henry. Funny more people haven't heard of him yet, but rest assured, everyone will soon. Texas has been flawless in December and has us anticipating the Feb 8th matchup versus Kansas with bated breath. It is a shame that unbalanced scheduling will only give us these two once in 2010 (until the conference tourney final and possibly the Final Four...)
2. Kentucky - A little high? One could argue Syracuse has done more and that Kansas HAS more. What is indisputable though is that the most breathtaking collection of freshman talent since Michigan 1992 is starting to gel and settle into their roles. The results have been impressive of late. While broadcasters slobber over John Wall like he's Brett Farve, watch the play of fellow freshman backcourt mate Eric Bledsoe. Were it not for Farve... er, Wall, he might be touted as the best freshman PG in the country.
3. Syracuse - They've done absolutely nothing to merit dropping a spot in Bracketeering. The only reason? We do it a little different then the polls, rather than moving up or down a prescribed number of slots predicated solely on who wins and losses above and below you, we try to rank the teams on how well they are actually playing basketball. Syracuse has essentially not played in three weeks (St Bonnie, Oakland and St Francis). I'm curious to see how the layoff affects the Orange tomorrow night against a scrappy Jeremy Hazell and Seton Hall.
4. Kansas - The Jayhawks looked good playing a dissapointing, but athletic Michigan team and dispatched a better-than-their-record Cal club to move to 11-0. However they have yet to face a single Top 25 team and have played only one game out of the friendly confines of the Phogg. Call me a hater (and many of you already have) but I still am perplpexed how KU is a unanimous #1 in the AP Poll when the three teams listed above have done so much more in the early going.
ELITE EIGHT:
5. Duke - Yes, they lost to Wisconsin earlier, but anyone who watched them eviscerate Gonzaga with pressure defense, tremendous ballhandling and the best (yes, we said best) backcourt in the country has to walk away impressed with the Devils. Singler, Scheyer and Smith have done it against Gonzaga, handled the athleticism of UConn and beat a now-ranked Charlotte team by 50 earlier this season. I know it is fashionable to beat on Duke these days, but Coach K finally has a team with Final Four talent again.
6. Purdue - No reason to doubt them, but no real reason to believe they are definitivley better than last year's version (which is essentially the same exact team a year older). Other than the one-point win over Tennessee the schedule has been pretty pedestiran. They showed some scrap coming back at Alabama, but the Tide are by no means a tourney team in 2010. It will be interesting to see if the Boilers can dominate in Big Ten play. I suspect they drop 4-6 games in conference. That isn't to say they are not a very good team, but there is a talent disparity between them and the five listed above them (and possibly a few below).
7. West Virginia - The showed some guts winning in OT at Seton Hall in the first of the never-ending slew of road tests the BEast will provide, BUT the late collapse that necessitated OT is cause for some concern. We'll keep the 'Eers 7th for now, but obviously the Jan 1st game at Purdue looms large.
8.UConn - A three point loss to Kentucky at Rupp should not be cause for alarm. What is cause for concern is the lack of development by "savior" Ater Majok in his long awaited joining of the team. They desperately need to find another scorer to help out Kemba Walker, Dyson and Robinson, and hope Majok can be it; still defensively the Huskies are as good as anyone.
Sweet and lurking: The next tier
9. Kansas State - Overlooked in the preseason perhaps, but the Wildcats should have everyone's attention by now. In their last four games they have beaten Xavier, UNLV, Alabama and Washington State all by AT LEAST 13 points. They are a clear notch below Texas and Kansas, but not many other teams in the country. Frank Martin has done a heck of a job getting the Wildcats to legitimate respectability in 2010.
10. North Carolina - I'm still not in love with the early results, but continue to contend UNC has a higher ceiling than any other team in the ACC and is a legit Final Four challenger. Tonight's sleepwalker against Rutgers would have gotten them beat by 9 of the 11 other teams in the ACC. Let's hope for their sake Roy wakes them up before conference play kicks off.
11. Temple - One thing I have always loved about the Owls was their unabashed approach to scheduling big. It has led to plenty of 19-12 seasons...and subsequent 11 or 12th seeded "upset" wins in the tourney. Christmas has passed (both the player and the season) but these Owls have wins over Penn State, Villanova and at Seton Hall in their last four games.
12. Georgetown - Wins over Temple, Washington and Butler make up for the home loss against Old Dominion. The 16 point bounce back win over Harvard is a better win that it would appear on paper as well. The Hoyas will be a Top 5 team in the Big East all year...and that is good enough to be a Top 16 team in Bracketeering any day.
13. Villanova - Not in love with this team, but they have stacked up a few quality wins and haven't lost any glaring games (Temple was unranked, but shouldn't have been). Their early conference schedule is soft enough that they should continue to climb in the polls, with next real test (aside from @ Marquette) is Jan 17th hosting the above Hoyas.
14. Michigan State - Something hasn't quite clicked yet this year for Sparty, but something tells me Izzo will have that straightened out by March. Their losses; @ Florida, @ Texas, and @ UNC are all really valuable learning experiences. I'd trade Michigan State's 8-3 with anyone elses in the country. However their best wins are Gonzaga by 4 and... and... um.... Valpo? UMass? Wofford??
15. UAB - While everyone was glamming Tulsa as the new challenger to Memphis's C-USA throne, Mike Davis's Blazers have stormed into national consciousness. In the past three weeks they have taken down Cincinnati, South Alamaba and Butler; all by double digits in controlling fashoin. Their only loss is Kent State was back in the second game of the year. The Blazers have put themselves in rare non-Memphis territory - at-large participants even if they lose the C-USA tourney.
16. USC - I know, the Pac-10 sucks. I know, the Trojans have 4 losses, more than a lot of ranked teams I left out (like Washington (my #17 for the record), Wisconsin, Ohio State, Northwestern, New Mexico, Tennessee, Texas Tech...etc). However, in three of the last four games USC has posted the following wins:
Yup, that's three BIG wins...
Bracket Busts: Some early season disappointments
Cal, Notre Dame, UCLA, Davidson (they miss Steph, but they have been really really bad with a brutal schedule), Memphis, Xavier, Butler, Oklahoma, DePaul (lost to Floida Gulf Coast this week - unacceptable for a Big East team), Creighton, Auburn, Tulsa, The Pac-10!
Half Court Heaves: Teams outside the common radar worth keeping an eye on
Dayton, Rhode Island, UTEP, South Florida, Coastal Carolina, Western Carolina, Murray State, Harvard, Cornell, Northwestern, Minnesota, William & Mary, VCU and ODU (The CAA conference really), Oral Roberts, Northern Colorado, St. Mary's, Lousiana Tech, Niagara, Miami (OH) - the best 3-9 team EVER, Wichita State & Missouri State, Long Beach State
Meanwhile out West, just when we were ready to bury the Pac 10 pre-season co-favorite Washington seems to have woken up. With dominating wins over Portland and Texas A&M the Huskies showed it may have been to early to write them off. Even more impressive? They may not be the best team in the beleaguered Pac-10. We'll save our answer for #16 in this week's Bracketeering.
And alas, the Maniac has long been championing the case of the mid-major but admits the usual suspects are making it tough this year. Gonzaga took one of the most severe beatings I've witnessed to Duke, losing by 35 in game Duke could have easily won by 50. Memphis looks pedestrian at best and has lost to lowly UMass, Xavier continues to struggle offensively and Butler is flirting with the title of most overrated team in the country in the preseason polls (relax Bulldogs, there's still Cal...). Isn't it ironinc when the most overrated teams in the AP polls are #21 Butler and #25 Gonzaga?!? Not all is lost for the mid-majors though, check out spots #11 & #15 for our favorites so far.
I hope everyone got what they wanted under the tree this year. And for anyone who needs a little more hoops in their stocking, we appreciate you forwarding us their way!
Enjoy the special Maniac Christmas edition of Bracketeering.
FINAL FOUR:
1. Texas - Avery Bradley is the best freshman not named John Wall or Xavier Henry. Funny more people haven't heard of him yet, but rest assured, everyone will soon. Texas has been flawless in December and has us anticipating the Feb 8th matchup versus Kansas with bated breath. It is a shame that unbalanced scheduling will only give us these two once in 2010 (until the conference tourney final and possibly the Final Four...)
2. Kentucky - A little high? One could argue Syracuse has done more and that Kansas HAS more. What is indisputable though is that the most breathtaking collection of freshman talent since Michigan 1992 is starting to gel and settle into their roles. The results have been impressive of late. While broadcasters slobber over John Wall like he's Brett Farve, watch the play of fellow freshman backcourt mate Eric Bledsoe. Were it not for Farve... er, Wall, he might be touted as the best freshman PG in the country.3. Syracuse - They've done absolutely nothing to merit dropping a spot in Bracketeering. The only reason? We do it a little different then the polls, rather than moving up or down a prescribed number of slots predicated solely on who wins and losses above and below you, we try to rank the teams on how well they are actually playing basketball. Syracuse has essentially not played in three weeks (St Bonnie, Oakland and St Francis). I'm curious to see how the layoff affects the Orange tomorrow night against a scrappy Jeremy Hazell and Seton Hall.
4. Kansas - The Jayhawks looked good playing a dissapointing, but athletic Michigan team and dispatched a better-than-their-record Cal club to move to 11-0. However they have yet to face a single Top 25 team and have played only one game out of the friendly confines of the Phogg. Call me a hater (and many of you already have) but I still am perplpexed how KU is a unanimous #1 in the AP Poll when the three teams listed above have done so much more in the early going.
ELITE EIGHT:
5. Duke - Yes, they lost to Wisconsin earlier, but anyone who watched them eviscerate Gonzaga with pressure defense, tremendous ballhandling and the best (yes, we said best) backcourt in the country has to walk away impressed with the Devils. Singler, Scheyer and Smith have done it against Gonzaga, handled the athleticism of UConn and beat a now-ranked Charlotte team by 50 earlier this season. I know it is fashionable to beat on Duke these days, but Coach K finally has a team with Final Four talent again.6. Purdue - No reason to doubt them, but no real reason to believe they are definitivley better than last year's version (which is essentially the same exact team a year older). Other than the one-point win over Tennessee the schedule has been pretty pedestiran. They showed some scrap coming back at Alabama, but the Tide are by no means a tourney team in 2010. It will be interesting to see if the Boilers can dominate in Big Ten play. I suspect they drop 4-6 games in conference. That isn't to say they are not a very good team, but there is a talent disparity between them and the five listed above them (and possibly a few below).
7. West Virginia - The showed some guts winning in OT at Seton Hall in the first of the never-ending slew of road tests the BEast will provide, BUT the late collapse that necessitated OT is cause for some concern. We'll keep the 'Eers 7th for now, but obviously the Jan 1st game at Purdue looms large.
8.UConn - A three point loss to Kentucky at Rupp should not be cause for alarm. What is cause for concern is the lack of development by "savior" Ater Majok in his long awaited joining of the team. They desperately need to find another scorer to help out Kemba Walker, Dyson and Robinson, and hope Majok can be it; still defensively the Huskies are as good as anyone.
Sweet and lurking: The next tier
9. Kansas State - Overlooked in the preseason perhaps, but the Wildcats should have everyone's attention by now. In their last four games they have beaten Xavier, UNLV, Alabama and Washington State all by AT LEAST 13 points. They are a clear notch below Texas and Kansas, but not many other teams in the country. Frank Martin has done a heck of a job getting the Wildcats to legitimate respectability in 2010.
10. North Carolina - I'm still not in love with the early results, but continue to contend UNC has a higher ceiling than any other team in the ACC and is a legit Final Four challenger. Tonight's sleepwalker against Rutgers would have gotten them beat by 9 of the 11 other teams in the ACC. Let's hope for their sake Roy wakes them up before conference play kicks off.
11. Temple - One thing I have always loved about the Owls was their unabashed approach to scheduling big. It has led to plenty of 19-12 seasons...and subsequent 11 or 12th seeded "upset" wins in the tourney. Christmas has passed (both the player and the season) but these Owls have wins over Penn State, Villanova and at Seton Hall in their last four games.
12. Georgetown - Wins over Temple, Washington and Butler make up for the home loss against Old Dominion. The 16 point bounce back win over Harvard is a better win that it would appear on paper as well. The Hoyas will be a Top 5 team in the Big East all year...and that is good enough to be a Top 16 team in Bracketeering any day.
13. Villanova - Not in love with this team, but they have stacked up a few quality wins and haven't lost any glaring games (Temple was unranked, but shouldn't have been). Their early conference schedule is soft enough that they should continue to climb in the polls, with next real test (aside from @ Marquette) is Jan 17th hosting the above Hoyas.
14. Michigan State - Something hasn't quite clicked yet this year for Sparty, but something tells me Izzo will have that straightened out by March. Their losses; @ Florida, @ Texas, and @ UNC are all really valuable learning experiences. I'd trade Michigan State's 8-3 with anyone elses in the country. However their best wins are Gonzaga by 4 and... and... um.... Valpo? UMass? Wofford??
15. UAB - While everyone was glamming Tulsa as the new challenger to Memphis's C-USA throne, Mike Davis's Blazers have stormed into national consciousness. In the past three weeks they have taken down Cincinnati, South Alamaba and Butler; all by double digits in controlling fashoin. Their only loss is Kent State was back in the second game of the year. The Blazers have put themselves in rare non-Memphis territory - at-large participants even if they lose the C-USA tourney.
16. USC - I know, the Pac-10 sucks. I know, the Trojans have 4 losses, more than a lot of ranked teams I left out (like Washington (my #17 for the record), Wisconsin, Ohio State, Northwestern, New Mexico, Tennessee, Texas Tech...etc). However, in three of the last four games USC has posted the following wins:
Tennessee 77-57Hard to find a much better run anywhere outside the top 15, so we're giving SC the nod, with apologies to those listed above.
St Mary's 60-49
UNLV 67-56
Yup, that's three BIG wins... Cal, Notre Dame, UCLA, Davidson (they miss Steph, but they have been really really bad with a brutal schedule), Memphis, Xavier, Butler, Oklahoma, DePaul (lost to Floida Gulf Coast this week - unacceptable for a Big East team), Creighton, Auburn, Tulsa, The Pac-10!
Half Court Heaves: Teams outside the common radar worth keeping an eye on
Dayton, Rhode Island, UTEP, South Florida, Coastal Carolina, Western Carolina, Murray State, Harvard, Cornell, Northwestern, Minnesota, William & Mary, VCU and ODU (The CAA conference really), Oral Roberts, Northern Colorado, St. Mary's, Lousiana Tech, Niagara, Miami (OH) - the best 3-9 team EVER, Wichita State & Missouri State, Long Beach State
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A Crime of Passion
Imagine this: North Carolina last year, with a number 1 seed assured, decides to sit Tyler Hansbrough, Wayne Ellington, Ty Lawson, Danny Green; essentially throwing the ACC Championship.
Let's go four years back. St Joseph's, with a number one seed long-since sewn up decides to "lose on purpose" before the NCAA tourney in order to prevent an unlikely injury to Jameer Nelson or Delonte West.
Never happen you say? Of course not, not in college basketball. At least not yet.
Yesterday in Indianapolis, the Colts did precisely that. Leading 15-10 late in the third quarter over the Jets (coincidentally fighting for their playoff lives) decided to pull Peyton Manning and their starters. Never mind that Peyton has not missed a single game in his dozen plus years in the NFL. Apparently the risk of injury was more important that the integrity of the game; more important than a chance at becoming a legend; a chance to become Sports Gods immortal.
Most of you know what happened next. The second and third stringers looked hopeless, and the hope of the perfect season was quickly dashed, 29-15.
Not that the Colts apparently cared.
"Lay Down", I got 'cha Coach... can I stay in the game now??
Every year someone will take home the "ultimate" prize. This year someone will. Next year someone will. The year after that. And, yep, barring a 2012-like cataclysm, someone will again. And again. And again.
Folks, there's a reason Mercury Morris was given 3+ minutes to "rap" on Sportscenter last year. It wasn't because he won a Superbowl. It wasn't because of his hip-hop proclivity (in fact, Biz Markee said "Oh - SNAP - this guy su-ucks."). It was because in 1972 he and his Dolphins did something no other football team has ever done. The perfect season, the thing all football athletes strive for...except of course if you own, manage, or coach the Colts.
It is unlikely that Kentucky, Syracuse or the winner of Texas/Kansas can even approach such a historic feat on the court this season. No one since Indiana in 1975 has. Very, very few have even come close.
But you can bet each one of them, if the opportunity avails, will be trying like hell to be more than champions. They will strive to be what every athlete's coaches implore them passionately to be, what every athlete strives for from the first day he or she puts on his or her uniform...
Their very best.
I have to wonder today, if when the '72 Dolphins pop their traditional bottle of champagne if it; like the Colts since of history, drive and passion; will too taste a little flat.
Let's go four years back. St Joseph's, with a number one seed long-since sewn up decides to "lose on purpose" before the NCAA tourney in order to prevent an unlikely injury to Jameer Nelson or Delonte West.
Never happen you say? Of course not, not in college basketball. At least not yet.
Yesterday in Indianapolis, the Colts did precisely that. Leading 15-10 late in the third quarter over the Jets (coincidentally fighting for their playoff lives) decided to pull Peyton Manning and their starters. Never mind that Peyton has not missed a single game in his dozen plus years in the NFL. Apparently the risk of injury was more important that the integrity of the game; more important than a chance at becoming a legend; a chance to become Sports Gods immortal.
Most of you know what happened next. The second and third stringers looked hopeless, and the hope of the perfect season was quickly dashed, 29-15.
Not that the Colts apparently cared.
"Lay Down", I got 'cha Coach... can I stay in the game now??Every year someone will take home the "ultimate" prize. This year someone will. Next year someone will. The year after that. And, yep, barring a 2012-like cataclysm, someone will again. And again. And again.
Folks, there's a reason Mercury Morris was given 3+ minutes to "rap" on Sportscenter last year. It wasn't because he won a Superbowl. It wasn't because of his hip-hop proclivity (in fact, Biz Markee said "Oh - SNAP - this guy su-ucks."). It was because in 1972 he and his Dolphins did something no other football team has ever done. The perfect season, the thing all football athletes strive for...except of course if you own, manage, or coach the Colts.
It is unlikely that Kentucky, Syracuse or the winner of Texas/Kansas can even approach such a historic feat on the court this season. No one since Indiana in 1975 has. Very, very few have even come close.
But you can bet each one of them, if the opportunity avails, will be trying like hell to be more than champions. They will strive to be what every athlete's coaches implore them passionately to be, what every athlete strives for from the first day he or she puts on his or her uniform...
Their very best.
I have to wonder today, if when the '72 Dolphins pop their traditional bottle of champagne if it; like the Colts since of history, drive and passion; will too taste a little flat.
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The Belly of the BEast
The Maniac is finally able to sit after gorging on obscene amounts of Christmas Feastings. It got me thinking about who might be feasting and who might be looking at a famine in the bountiful upcoming Big East buffet.
* (Maniac's Note: Each team plays all 15 teams once, and three random teams twice. Ergo, schedule really really matters when the difference is one or two wins)
The Middle of the BEast:
Nearly everyone from the Big East enters conference play at 9-1, 10-1, 11-2, or 8-3 at worst. Assuming Syracuse, West Virginia, Villanova and UConn as tourney locks, that leaves three to an unlikely five bids likely up for grabs. So who will separate themselves from the pack and battle for bids five through eight (and possibly nine) that the conference will receive?
Cincinnati - The Cats looked great early, but have slipped the last few weeks. At 8-3, they will need to go 10-8 in conference to feel safe, but do benefit from drawing Villanova, Syracuse, Georgetown and West Virginia only once. The only of the sure-fire tourney teams they get twice is UConn. If they handle the games they should win, the Cats will be in good shape in March.
Georgetown - The obvious favorite, but the Hoyas looked to be at exactly the same spot last year. The home loss to Old Dominion makes me at least aware that the Hoyas as not in lock status yet. Their mid-conference tussle with Duke is an aggressive, yet daring chance to steal a win that tips the scales in their favor should they find themselves muddled in a big group with eight to ten conference wins.
Marquette - The Eagles were the early darling after wins over Xavier and Michigan. All of a sudden, neither of those wins are over a ranked team (or tourney lock) and the losses to Florida State, Wisconsin and NC State represent the only other quality opponents en route to their 8-3 start. The Eagles will have some work to do in conference and feel like a team we will be talking about needing a win or two in the conference tourney to feel safely in the field of 65.
Notre Dame - Doesn't it feel like Luke Harangody has been here forever? The senior All-American might be feeling like he is living his career in reverse, Benjamin Snooze Button style. Each year, instead of growing up, it feels like the Irish regress. The Irish are 11-2, and like all league team, are only a 10-8 conference record away from the Big Dance. After home losses to Loyola Marymount and missing an opportunity for a quality win against Northwestern, the resume is shockingly blank. Their three best wins are probably UCLA, Long Beach State and UCF. That leaves a lot of work to be done in conference, and not much preparation for the task ahead. Looks like the "duck" of the Irish might do them in this season.
St John's - It is easy to be a little down on the Johnnies after their 71-66 loss to Cornell, but as our faithful readers already know, Cornell is really good. I'm calling my shot three months early and tagging them the 13 seed to be afraid of. Their only other loss is a respectable 9-pointer to Duke. They have wins over Temple and Siena. Only the Owls give them a chip to play outside of conference wins they amass. It is going to take 10-8, and I'm not sure they are quite good enough to get that many wins, but 8 or 9 and a bubble perch is not out of the question. The scheduling Gods have done them a favor, as they play each of the top five teams in conference (the four locks and G'Town) only once each. They get L'ville, Pitt and DePaul twice.
Louisville - What to make of Pitino and the Cards? They are the toughest team to get a read on. The were blasted by Charlotte and Western Carolina at home. They have beaten the hell out of Oral Roberts and Western Kentucky who have some good wins on their resumes. The Jan 2nd game against Kentucky provides an opportunity to gain some desperatly needed confidence and momentum. Assuming they do not pull the upset, the Cards have left themselves a lot of work to do in conference play. The Big East is a tough place to do that. They get Syracuse and UConn twice, and go to Morgantown in their lone shot at the Mountaineers.
Seton Hall - The Pirates were the trendy pick preseason to make the "leap" into the top half of the BEast. They might, but so far The Maniac just doesn't see it. Their best wins are Cornell and UMass. They really haven't played the schedule to prepare them for what is coming. I think everyone might get a preview of that tomorrow when they play WVU. They play WVU twice, but go to 'Nova, to G'town and to UConn in their lone meetings. That is a recipe for losses and a lack of quality wins over ranked opponents. It has the makings of a Providence 2008-2009 like resume for the Pirates. However, the one saving grace might be the final four conference games are all very winnable. That late momentum surge could pop the bubble in the Pirates favor.
Pitt - Was it really ten months ago the Panthers were ranked #1 in the nation?!? It feels like a lot longer, not just for me, but also for Jamie Dixon. The young Panthers have looked good at times, beating Wichita State and playing a good first half against Texas, but their resume is really thin. A double-digit loss to Indiana is a sub-RPI 100 loss and it is hard to imagine them picking up more than 7-8 wins in conference, though home&home's with St Johns and Seton Hall might give them a chance to earn a bid in a mano y mano y mano slugfest.
South Florida - An easy team to dismiss into the bottom four (with Rutgers, Providence and DePaul) if you haven't watched them play, but the Bulls are a much improved, and talent laden squad. They have an NBA-caliber talent in Dominque Jones, and are sitting at 10-2. They have wins over San Diego and Virginia and lost by just three to South Carolina and Central Michigan. They will have do some real work in conference, but the Bulls are no longer the gimme they might have been in past years. They get St. Johns and Notre Dame twice, so if the Bulls want it there is a chance to go take it.
Maniac's Crystal Ball:
IN: Georgetown, Cincinnati
BUBBLE IN: Louisville (Seton Hall, St. John's or Notre Dame) - IF eight or nine, depends a lot on conference tourneys and the Pac-10's sepatation in league play
BUBBLE OUT: South Florida, Marquette
* (Maniac's Note: Each team plays all 15 teams once, and three random teams twice. Ergo, schedule really really matters when the difference is one or two wins)
The Middle of the BEast:
Nearly everyone from the Big East enters conference play at 9-1, 10-1, 11-2, or 8-3 at worst. Assuming Syracuse, West Virginia, Villanova and UConn as tourney locks, that leaves three to an unlikely five bids likely up for grabs. So who will separate themselves from the pack and battle for bids five through eight (and possibly nine) that the conference will receive?
Cincinnati - The Cats looked great early, but have slipped the last few weeks. At 8-3, they will need to go 10-8 in conference to feel safe, but do benefit from drawing Villanova, Syracuse, Georgetown and West Virginia only once. The only of the sure-fire tourney teams they get twice is UConn. If they handle the games they should win, the Cats will be in good shape in March.
Georgetown - The obvious favorite, but the Hoyas looked to be at exactly the same spot last year. The home loss to Old Dominion makes me at least aware that the Hoyas as not in lock status yet. Their mid-conference tussle with Duke is an aggressive, yet daring chance to steal a win that tips the scales in their favor should they find themselves muddled in a big group with eight to ten conference wins.
Marquette - The Eagles were the early darling after wins over Xavier and Michigan. All of a sudden, neither of those wins are over a ranked team (or tourney lock) and the losses to Florida State, Wisconsin and NC State represent the only other quality opponents en route to their 8-3 start. The Eagles will have some work to do in conference and feel like a team we will be talking about needing a win or two in the conference tourney to feel safely in the field of 65.
Notre Dame - Doesn't it feel like Luke Harangody has been here forever? The senior All-American might be feeling like he is living his career in reverse, Benjamin Snooze Button style. Each year, instead of growing up, it feels like the Irish regress. The Irish are 11-2, and like all league team, are only a 10-8 conference record away from the Big Dance. After home losses to Loyola Marymount and missing an opportunity for a quality win against Northwestern, the resume is shockingly blank. Their three best wins are probably UCLA, Long Beach State and UCF. That leaves a lot of work to be done in conference, and not much preparation for the task ahead. Looks like the "duck" of the Irish might do them in this season.
St John's - It is easy to be a little down on the Johnnies after their 71-66 loss to Cornell, but as our faithful readers already know, Cornell is really good. I'm calling my shot three months early and tagging them the 13 seed to be afraid of. Their only other loss is a respectable 9-pointer to Duke. They have wins over Temple and Siena. Only the Owls give them a chip to play outside of conference wins they amass. It is going to take 10-8, and I'm not sure they are quite good enough to get that many wins, but 8 or 9 and a bubble perch is not out of the question. The scheduling Gods have done them a favor, as they play each of the top five teams in conference (the four locks and G'Town) only once each. They get L'ville, Pitt and DePaul twice.
Louisville - What to make of Pitino and the Cards? They are the toughest team to get a read on. The were blasted by Charlotte and Western Carolina at home. They have beaten the hell out of Oral Roberts and Western Kentucky who have some good wins on their resumes. The Jan 2nd game against Kentucky provides an opportunity to gain some desperatly needed confidence and momentum. Assuming they do not pull the upset, the Cards have left themselves a lot of work to do in conference play. The Big East is a tough place to do that. They get Syracuse and UConn twice, and go to Morgantown in their lone shot at the Mountaineers.
Seton Hall - The Pirates were the trendy pick preseason to make the "leap" into the top half of the BEast. They might, but so far The Maniac just doesn't see it. Their best wins are Cornell and UMass. They really haven't played the schedule to prepare them for what is coming. I think everyone might get a preview of that tomorrow when they play WVU. They play WVU twice, but go to 'Nova, to G'town and to UConn in their lone meetings. That is a recipe for losses and a lack of quality wins over ranked opponents. It has the makings of a Providence 2008-2009 like resume for the Pirates. However, the one saving grace might be the final four conference games are all very winnable. That late momentum surge could pop the bubble in the Pirates favor.
Pitt - Was it really ten months ago the Panthers were ranked #1 in the nation?!? It feels like a lot longer, not just for me, but also for Jamie Dixon. The young Panthers have looked good at times, beating Wichita State and playing a good first half against Texas, but their resume is really thin. A double-digit loss to Indiana is a sub-RPI 100 loss and it is hard to imagine them picking up more than 7-8 wins in conference, though home&home's with St Johns and Seton Hall might give them a chance to earn a bid in a mano y mano y mano slugfest.
South Florida - An easy team to dismiss into the bottom four (with Rutgers, Providence and DePaul) if you haven't watched them play, but the Bulls are a much improved, and talent laden squad. They have an NBA-caliber talent in Dominque Jones, and are sitting at 10-2. They have wins over San Diego and Virginia and lost by just three to South Carolina and Central Michigan. They will have do some real work in conference, but the Bulls are no longer the gimme they might have been in past years. They get St. Johns and Notre Dame twice, so if the Bulls want it there is a chance to go take it.
Maniac's Crystal Ball:
IN: Georgetown, Cincinnati
BUBBLE IN: Louisville (Seton Hall, St. John's or Notre Dame) - IF eight or nine, depends a lot on conference tourneys and the Pac-10's sepatation in league play
BUBBLE OUT: South Florida, Marquette
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Best Wins & Worst Lossses of the Week
The past four days have produced more of their share of surprising results. Of course, whether it is a "good win" or a "bad loss" depends largely on the color jersey one is wearing...
Here's the Maniac's take on a great end to the bulk of the "non-conference" schedule
Sunday:
Kansas State took an 18 point lead in the first half, and cruised to an easy victory at Alabama. The Tide's record may not be strong, but they are tough at home and pushed a very good Purdue team to the final buzzer several weeks ago. I am on board with K State deserving a Top Ten slot in the Christmas Bracketeering Edition.
Arizona State might be the sleeper team in the Pac-10. Their 3-point win over San Diego State Sunday is one that will help come March.
Clemson absolutely hammered Charleston, 99-54. Charleston is not an upper tier team, but one would have thought Bobby Cremin's Cougars would have given their in-state big brother a better run.
Cleveland State is a far cry from last year's squad that upset Wake Forest in the first round. However their 80-78 loss to West Virginia gives the Mountaineer's a "bad loss" that won't show up in the RPI. Cleveland State followed up that daring near upset with a 13 point loss to wounded Ohio State. Cleveland State is 4-9 on the season, while WVU remains undefeated heading into a Christmas day tussle with Seton Hall.
I'm not sure whether to give Duke more credit or ring more panic alarms in Gonzaga after the Devils 76-41 pasting of the Zags. This one will loom large on Selection Sunday.
Illinois State notched a nice win for the Valley with their 73-63 win at Utah. The Valley and MWC are often pitted against each other for the few "spare" at large bids. This is nice win to have in the hip pocket.
Richmond continued the A-10's super play with a road win at the then-#13 Florida Gators. The Gators might be showing their hand a bit after another home loss (this time to South Alabama) followed. Richmond is one of five teams who can win the A-10 and contend for an at-large bid.
Speaking of the A-10, Temple did it again. This time they clipped undefeated Seton Hall in their own gym. This is looking like not only a tourney team, but a team that might be hanging around into the second weekend of March.
Mississippi State got a nice win at a tough Houston squad, and is continuing to look good after a tough few opening weeks.
Northwestern is going to be flirting with a Top 25 ranking real soon. The Wildcats moved to 10-1 with a win over Stanford. They are a legit at-large contender this season.
Not all was lost in the Pac-10 though, USC earned the conference's first legit win with their 22 point schelaacking of the Tennessee Volunteers. Washington took out a little frustration on Portland, pummeling the Pilots by 35. It is looking more and more likely that Portland's hot start was a bit of a mirage.
Wofford beating South Carolina? What is it with the SEC in December against low-major opponents? It seems an annual trend at this point
Any doubts about Texas's legitimacy to knock off Kansas in the Big 12 should have been erased after their 11 point over the Tarheels. This week Texas knocked off UNC and Michigan State in the span of three days. Sounds like a team tuning up for, say, a Final Four?
Old Dominion started the season as the CAA fave, only to take a few tough losses early. They put their name back in the mix in a BIG way with the best win of the weekend, a 61-57 win at Georgetown.
SUNDAY:
Sunday games always get lost in the media swell that is NFL Sunday. Here's a few important results that might have snuck past...
Florida State opened ACC play with a nice road win at Georgia Tech. Wake Forest defended their home turf beating NC State. The Maniac sees a lot of canibalization going on in the ACC this year, as teams three through nine are virtually impossible to distinguish between.
South Florida's 69-60 win at San Diego is a good one. The Bulls have little chance to compete in the upper tier of the BEast, but they have shown some solid improvement at 9-2 this season.
MONDAY:
Yes, Arizona's last second win was thrilling. But an 83-82 win over Lipscomb has to make Cat fans seriously wonder if their record NCAA Tourney appearance streak is about dead. The follow-up win (in equally thrilling fashion) over NC State last night was a HUGE one.
UTEP is looking more and more like a tourney team after my early season skepticism. Oklahoma is not very good yet, but a 15 point win over the Sooners is a solid W for UTEP. WIth Character rounding into form and Culpepper the Miners look like a real challenger to Tulsa, UAB and Memphis is C-USA.
The Big Red of Cornell got a BIG win, taking down ST. John's 71-66. The Johnnies have been good thus far, and are a legit possibility to finish in the top half of the BEast. Cornell looks like a 13 seed to be wary of in March.
TUESDAY:
Clemson followed up their hammering of Charleston with a nice 20 point win over Western Carolina. The win won't pop on paper, but this is the same Catamount team that throttled Louisville a few weeks ago.
The Gators slide continued with a heartbreaking buzzer-beater by South Alabama. The Jags will compete for the Sun Belt title, and Richmond likewise in the A-10, but back-to-back home losses are an unsettling sign for Gator fans heading into SEC East play.
More Big 12 dominance: Double digit wins for both Kansas and Texas over Cal and Michigan State. I think all us hoops junkies have the matchup between the Jayhawks and Longhorns circled. (Feb 8th)
WEDNESDAY:
Missouri moved to 8-3 with a nice 13 point win over Illinois. The Illini have not looked like a tourney team to this point, but is still a nice comparison win from the Big12-Big10 comparison.
Old Dominion beating Charlotte is not a stunner. Beating them 81-48 raised a few eyebrows. The 49'ers are 9-2 and were gaining steam in the polls. Their two losses are by a combined total of 75 points.
Oral Roberts got another big win, tackling previously unbeaten New Mexico 75-66. They have already beaten Stanford and Missouri. The Golden Eagles should contend for the Summit League title. New Mexico needs to regroup quickly with Texas Tech, Dayton, San Diego State, and UNLV next on the slate. We'll know exactly how good the Lobos are in two weeks.
Is USC for real? They followed up the decimation of Tennessee with a nearly-as-impressive win over a very good St. Mary's team. As much as the Pac-10 has been beaten up, Washington, USC and Washington State have been pretty respectable of late.
In the game of the night, West Virginia got their first show-me-somethin' win of the year beating Ole Miss 76-66. The Mountaineers have Final Four talent, and a game like this one helps gets them ready for Big East play.
TEAMS OF THE WEEKS:
USC, Texas, and Old Dominion
DROPS OF THE WEEK:
Florida, Gonzaga, Charlotte
Here's the Maniac's take on a great end to the bulk of the "non-conference" schedule
Sunday:
Kansas State took an 18 point lead in the first half, and cruised to an easy victory at Alabama. The Tide's record may not be strong, but they are tough at home and pushed a very good Purdue team to the final buzzer several weeks ago. I am on board with K State deserving a Top Ten slot in the Christmas Bracketeering Edition.
Arizona State might be the sleeper team in the Pac-10. Their 3-point win over San Diego State Sunday is one that will help come March.
Clemson absolutely hammered Charleston, 99-54. Charleston is not an upper tier team, but one would have thought Bobby Cremin's Cougars would have given their in-state big brother a better run.
Cleveland State is a far cry from last year's squad that upset Wake Forest in the first round. However their 80-78 loss to West Virginia gives the Mountaineer's a "bad loss" that won't show up in the RPI. Cleveland State followed up that daring near upset with a 13 point loss to wounded Ohio State. Cleveland State is 4-9 on the season, while WVU remains undefeated heading into a Christmas day tussle with Seton Hall.
I'm not sure whether to give Duke more credit or ring more panic alarms in Gonzaga after the Devils 76-41 pasting of the Zags. This one will loom large on Selection Sunday.
Illinois State notched a nice win for the Valley with their 73-63 win at Utah. The Valley and MWC are often pitted against each other for the few "spare" at large bids. This is nice win to have in the hip pocket.
Richmond continued the A-10's super play with a road win at the then-#13 Florida Gators. The Gators might be showing their hand a bit after another home loss (this time to South Alabama) followed. Richmond is one of five teams who can win the A-10 and contend for an at-large bid.
Speaking of the A-10, Temple did it again. This time they clipped undefeated Seton Hall in their own gym. This is looking like not only a tourney team, but a team that might be hanging around into the second weekend of March.
Mississippi State got a nice win at a tough Houston squad, and is continuing to look good after a tough few opening weeks.
Northwestern is going to be flirting with a Top 25 ranking real soon. The Wildcats moved to 10-1 with a win over Stanford. They are a legit at-large contender this season.
Not all was lost in the Pac-10 though, USC earned the conference's first legit win with their 22 point schelaacking of the Tennessee Volunteers. Washington took out a little frustration on Portland, pummeling the Pilots by 35. It is looking more and more likely that Portland's hot start was a bit of a mirage.
Wofford beating South Carolina? What is it with the SEC in December against low-major opponents? It seems an annual trend at this point
Any doubts about Texas's legitimacy to knock off Kansas in the Big 12 should have been erased after their 11 point over the Tarheels. This week Texas knocked off UNC and Michigan State in the span of three days. Sounds like a team tuning up for, say, a Final Four?
Old Dominion started the season as the CAA fave, only to take a few tough losses early. They put their name back in the mix in a BIG way with the best win of the weekend, a 61-57 win at Georgetown.
SUNDAY:
Sunday games always get lost in the media swell that is NFL Sunday. Here's a few important results that might have snuck past...
Florida State opened ACC play with a nice road win at Georgia Tech. Wake Forest defended their home turf beating NC State. The Maniac sees a lot of canibalization going on in the ACC this year, as teams three through nine are virtually impossible to distinguish between.
South Florida's 69-60 win at San Diego is a good one. The Bulls have little chance to compete in the upper tier of the BEast, but they have shown some solid improvement at 9-2 this season.
MONDAY:
Yes, Arizona's last second win was thrilling. But an 83-82 win over Lipscomb has to make Cat fans seriously wonder if their record NCAA Tourney appearance streak is about dead. The follow-up win (in equally thrilling fashion) over NC State last night was a HUGE one.
UTEP is looking more and more like a tourney team after my early season skepticism. Oklahoma is not very good yet, but a 15 point win over the Sooners is a solid W for UTEP. WIth Character rounding into form and Culpepper the Miners look like a real challenger to Tulsa, UAB and Memphis is C-USA.
The Big Red of Cornell got a BIG win, taking down ST. John's 71-66. The Johnnies have been good thus far, and are a legit possibility to finish in the top half of the BEast. Cornell looks like a 13 seed to be wary of in March.
TUESDAY:
Clemson followed up their hammering of Charleston with a nice 20 point win over Western Carolina. The win won't pop on paper, but this is the same Catamount team that throttled Louisville a few weeks ago.
The Gators slide continued with a heartbreaking buzzer-beater by South Alabama. The Jags will compete for the Sun Belt title, and Richmond likewise in the A-10, but back-to-back home losses are an unsettling sign for Gator fans heading into SEC East play.
More Big 12 dominance: Double digit wins for both Kansas and Texas over Cal and Michigan State. I think all us hoops junkies have the matchup between the Jayhawks and Longhorns circled. (Feb 8th)
WEDNESDAY:
Missouri moved to 8-3 with a nice 13 point win over Illinois. The Illini have not looked like a tourney team to this point, but is still a nice comparison win from the Big12-Big10 comparison.
Old Dominion beating Charlotte is not a stunner. Beating them 81-48 raised a few eyebrows. The 49'ers are 9-2 and were gaining steam in the polls. Their two losses are by a combined total of 75 points.
Oral Roberts got another big win, tackling previously unbeaten New Mexico 75-66. They have already beaten Stanford and Missouri. The Golden Eagles should contend for the Summit League title. New Mexico needs to regroup quickly with Texas Tech, Dayton, San Diego State, and UNLV next on the slate. We'll know exactly how good the Lobos are in two weeks.
Is USC for real? They followed up the decimation of Tennessee with a nearly-as-impressive win over a very good St. Mary's team. As much as the Pac-10 has been beaten up, Washington, USC and Washington State have been pretty respectable of late.
In the game of the night, West Virginia got their first show-me-somethin' win of the year beating Ole Miss 76-66. The Mountaineers have Final Four talent, and a game like this one helps gets them ready for Big East play.
TEAMS OF THE WEEKS:
USC, Texas, and Old Dominion
DROPS OF THE WEEK:
Florida, Gonzaga, Charlotte
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Quick picks
Oklahoma -3 v. UTEP
Kentucky -17.5 v. Drexel
St. Johns -4 v. Cornell
LaSalle +10 @ Oklahoma St.
UTEP is not a bad ballclub and will compete for the CUSA crown, but Willie Warren and the Sooners are beginning to gel. I like OU laying the three.
ESPN is really selling the "2000 wins" thing for the Kentucky game. Round numbers don't really excite me much, but it will be fun to watch the most talented team in the nation stretch their legs a bit tonight in front of the Rupp faithful. I like the Cats by a bunch.
The Maniac has been singing the praises of Cornell all year, and you can expect a glowing puff piece before the Cornell v Harvard game later this year. However, St Johns has been one of the most pleasant surprises in the country and is a potential tourney team a lot of people are still sleeping on. I like them to get another quality win to add to their growing collection tonight.
Lastly a sneaky LaSalle team tries to continue the A10's early season success tonight in Stillwater. I know the last time Ok State played a decent opponent they got their doors blown off. I don't know that LaSalle gets the upset but I do like them getting 10.
Weekend Record: 3-3
Overall: 26-15-1
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Kentucky -17.5 v. Drexel
St. Johns -4 v. Cornell
LaSalle +10 @ Oklahoma St.
UTEP is not a bad ballclub and will compete for the CUSA crown, but Willie Warren and the Sooners are beginning to gel. I like OU laying the three.
ESPN is really selling the "2000 wins" thing for the Kentucky game. Round numbers don't really excite me much, but it will be fun to watch the most talented team in the nation stretch their legs a bit tonight in front of the Rupp faithful. I like the Cats by a bunch.
The Maniac has been singing the praises of Cornell all year, and you can expect a glowing puff piece before the Cornell v Harvard game later this year. However, St Johns has been one of the most pleasant surprises in the country and is a potential tourney team a lot of people are still sleeping on. I like them to get another quality win to add to their growing collection tonight.
Lastly a sneaky LaSalle team tries to continue the A10's early season success tonight in Stillwater. I know the last time Ok State played a decent opponent they got their doors blown off. I don't know that LaSalle gets the upset but I do like them getting 10.
Weekend Record: 3-3
Overall: 26-15-1
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Good Day for the Pac-10
The PAC-10 showed itself well yesterday (UCLA excluded) after a dismal opening month.
USC recorded the conference's first victory over a Top 25 team this year. Read that last sentance again to grasp the rotteness of the conference's opening month. The Trojans hammered Tennessee in what can be considered the first real "surprise" or "upset" of the season, despite about 20 headlines for games that didn't merit it. (Examples: Wisconsin's home win over Duke, Portland beating a terrible UCLA team, Kansas State over UNLV (the most ridiculous of the list, K. State is better for crying out loud).
Then Washington absolutly eviscerated the Portland Pilots. The game was on long after most east coasters drifted to bed, but if you stayed up for the first eight minutes, you saw all you needed. The Huskies led by 20 in the first half, 30 early in the second half and cruised to a 36 point win that was never competitive.
It's a small step, but a much needed one as the Pac-10 tries to earn some validity before they begin playing one another for the remainder of the season.
A big day for the Trojans and the Pac-10
USC recorded the conference's first victory over a Top 25 team this year. Read that last sentance again to grasp the rotteness of the conference's opening month. The Trojans hammered Tennessee in what can be considered the first real "surprise" or "upset" of the season, despite about 20 headlines for games that didn't merit it. (Examples: Wisconsin's home win over Duke, Portland beating a terrible UCLA team, Kansas State over UNLV (the most ridiculous of the list, K. State is better for crying out loud).
Then Washington absolutly eviscerated the Portland Pilots. The game was on long after most east coasters drifted to bed, but if you stayed up for the first eight minutes, you saw all you needed. The Huskies led by 20 in the first half, 30 early in the second half and cruised to a 36 point win that was never competitive.
It's a small step, but a much needed one as the Pac-10 tries to earn some validity before they begin playing one another for the remainder of the season.
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Xavier v Butler Final Possession
In case you missed the end of the Xavier - Butler game and want to weigh in. And, no, I'm not letting this one go... It's a terribly ridiculous rule to subtract time off the clock ex post facto.
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X-tremely Unfair
I'm not sure Sportcenter will do it justice, but one of the worst officiating calls (within the rules...I know, kind of a conundrum of logic) I have ever witnessed in college hoops just took place in the Xavier - Butler game.
In no circumstance should time be taken OFF the clock, bringing a game that is NOT over to 0:00. Regardless of what the time should have been there is an undeniable principle that the game would have been played differently. To say a shot taken with 2 seconds ends the game because 2 less seconds should have been on the clock is patently absurd.
If there are thirty seconds on the clock and you are down one, you likely play for the final shot.
The same strategy holds true with twenty seconds on the clock. Or ten.
To retroactively subtract time and take away a team's final possession is a terrible terrible rule. If they had decided to take a full two seconds away and waive off Hayward's game winning basket, the travesty would have been even greater. At least Xavier was not guaranteed a win with the last possession.
Anyone else watch this game in real time? I think you had to to get a real feel for how badly the situation was mismanaged, or at least how absurd a rule that allows for seconds to be evaporated retroactively in an end-game situation.
In no circumstance should time be taken OFF the clock, bringing a game that is NOT over to 0:00. Regardless of what the time should have been there is an undeniable principle that the game would have been played differently. To say a shot taken with 2 seconds ends the game because 2 less seconds should have been on the clock is patently absurd.
If there are thirty seconds on the clock and you are down one, you likely play for the final shot.
The same strategy holds true with twenty seconds on the clock. Or ten.
To retroactively subtract time and take away a team's final possession is a terrible terrible rule. If they had decided to take a full two seconds away and waive off Hayward's game winning basket, the travesty would have been even greater. At least Xavier was not guaranteed a win with the last possession.
Anyone else watch this game in real time? I think you had to to get a real feel for how badly the situation was mismanaged, or at least how absurd a rule that allows for seconds to be evaporated retroactively in an end-game situation.
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Saturday's Picks
The Maniac looks to continue a blistering start on a loaded college hoops Saturday. Quick Picks below. As always, we of course don't condone gambling in any manner. However, if one were to gamble, I'd like to point out we are over 65% ATS on the season...
Michigan +20 @ Kansas - Kansas hasn't been tested in a month, Michigan has failed every test in 2009's early going. It seems to point in the Jayhawks favor, but I think Michigan hangs around enough to cover.
Mississippi St -3 @ Houston - Missisippi State has quietly begun to find their stride. Houston has been good at times this season, but the Bulldogs are too talented to fall tonight.
North Carolina +6.5 @ Texas - It is difficult to say how either team will react to cavernous Cowboys Stadium, but I do feel confident that the Tarheels will not be overwhelmed by the environment. They have already played Ohio State and Syracuse in MSG, and played Kentucky at Rupp. Plus, the Heels are no jumpshot dependant, preferring to penetrate and take advantage of their quickness and the size of their deep frontline. I think Texas is a Final Four team, but I think UNC might be a little more ready at this juncture of the season.
Virginia Commonwealth -4 @ Tulane - I like VCU with ease, perhaps Vegas sees something in the Green Wave that The Maniac hasn't... Gimme the Rams to cover by double digits.
Temple +4.5 @ Georgetown - It is dangerous to pick all road teams with your picks, but I don't care. Seton Hall is this year's Providence; good in the early going with a great record built against inferior competition. Temple however has played as good a slate as anyone in the country and is sitting at 8-2. I think they not only cover, but get the win over Jeremy Hazell and the Pirates.
South Carolina -2 @ Wofford - Another road game, and I originally thought this line was a typo. It isn't. Jump on the Cocks ("ladies" said in my creepiest voice). Wofford is not terrible, but SC is in a whole different category in terms of offensive ability and athleticism.
Michigan +20 @ Kansas - Kansas hasn't been tested in a month, Michigan has failed every test in 2009's early going. It seems to point in the Jayhawks favor, but I think Michigan hangs around enough to cover.
Mississippi St -3 @ Houston - Missisippi State has quietly begun to find their stride. Houston has been good at times this season, but the Bulldogs are too talented to fall tonight.
North Carolina +6.5 @ Texas - It is difficult to say how either team will react to cavernous Cowboys Stadium, but I do feel confident that the Tarheels will not be overwhelmed by the environment. They have already played Ohio State and Syracuse in MSG, and played Kentucky at Rupp. Plus, the Heels are no jumpshot dependant, preferring to penetrate and take advantage of their quickness and the size of their deep frontline. I think Texas is a Final Four team, but I think UNC might be a little more ready at this juncture of the season.
Virginia Commonwealth -4 @ Tulane - I like VCU with ease, perhaps Vegas sees something in the Green Wave that The Maniac hasn't... Gimme the Rams to cover by double digits.
Temple +4.5 @ Georgetown - It is dangerous to pick all road teams with your picks, but I don't care. Seton Hall is this year's Providence; good in the early going with a great record built against inferior competition. Temple however has played as good a slate as anyone in the country and is sitting at 8-2. I think they not only cover, but get the win over Jeremy Hazell and the Pirates.
South Carolina -2 @ Wofford - Another road game, and I originally thought this line was a typo. It isn't. Jump on the Cocks ("ladies" said in my creepiest voice). Wofford is not terrible, but SC is in a whole different category in terms of offensive ability and athleticism.
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What Could Have Been and Shouldn't Be...
Tonight Memphis visits UMass in a game that ranks no better than 15-20th on the "best games of the day" list. It is two unranked opponents; Memphis expecting to get better and contend for their conference crown, UMass one of the bottom half of the A-10. So why would this game even raise an eyebrow when glancing over the schedule?
Because of the eyebrows both programs raised from NCAA in years past. UMass made the Final Four with Marcus Camby in 1996. Memphis played in one of the all-time classic Finals two years ago with Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts. Of course, neither of those two events ever happened... that is if you consult the NCAA record book.
Both of those Final Four appearances have been "vacated" and money earned was order returned under penalty. Both of those teams were of course coached by John Calipari (who has never been directly implicated).
My question is, WHY schedule each other this year? There are over 300 Division I opponents to choose from. There is no natural geographic rivalry, no particular impetus to bolster strength of schedule with each other, so why open the inevitable comparison and remind fans and the country of just what was "lost"?
It just doesn't make sense to the Maniac...
Because of the eyebrows both programs raised from NCAA in years past. UMass made the Final Four with Marcus Camby in 1996. Memphis played in one of the all-time classic Finals two years ago with Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts. Of course, neither of those two events ever happened... that is if you consult the NCAA record book.
Both of those Final Four appearances have been "vacated" and money earned was order returned under penalty. Both of those teams were of course coached by John Calipari (who has never been directly implicated).
My question is, WHY schedule each other this year? There are over 300 Division I opponents to choose from. There is no natural geographic rivalry, no particular impetus to bolster strength of schedule with each other, so why open the inevitable comparison and remind fans and the country of just what was "lost"?
It just doesn't make sense to the Maniac...
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The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
I am an unabashed lover of the college hoops so-called "pre-season." It is one of the rare sports that grants us a true gauge of exactly where so many teams are in regards to their ability to compete on a national scale. Even better, this weekend also has tremendous impact on where teams will seed into the greatest three weeks in American sports.
If anyone questions the bountiful harvest and splendor of December hoops, I challenge you to sit down and watch a handful of tomorrow's dozen-plus standout games.
Here is a quick rundown of the highlights. The fearless Maniac picks (22-13-1 ATS) will follow in a separate column.
NOON:
Michigan @ Kansas - The Wolverines have to rank among the nation's most disappointing teams so far in 2009. A win in Kansas would completely erase that disappointment. But they aren't getting it. John Beilein's squad will at least give Kansas a athletically competitive game, something they haven't had since the opener against Memphis.
2:00 PM:
North Carolina @ Texas - A matchup of two of the nation's elite teams in an intimate gathering of 80,000 of your closest friends. Cowboys Stadium hosts its inaugural basketball game in a tune-up for Final Fours to come. Both teams today could be visiting a Final Four much sooner; as in this year. This game is a great litmus test for the Longhorns and a fourth BIGtime game for the becoming-battle-tested Heels. Regardless of the score, it is an interesting way to gear up for a hopeful appearance in Indy this April playing in such a cavernous shooters backdrop.
Xavier @ Butler - Two of the best Non-BCS teams square off for the second year in a row at 2pm. Butler won last year at the Cintas Center. This year Xavier tries to return the favor in historic Hinkle Fieldhouse. A win would be big for both schools; avoiding a fourth pre-conference loss might mean even more.
UCLA @ Notre Dame - Um, this one ain't exactly Digger and Coach Wooden. UCLA is mired in one of the worst starts in school history, and certainly the worst start in the Ben Howland tenure. Notre Dame is 9-2, but their losses are to Northwestern (understandable) and Loyola Marymount (not understandable); both at home. Luke Harangody aimed to take the Irish back to the tourney in his senior campaign and can afford to give away few more games. UCLA however might struggle to win 10 games all year.
Stanford @ Northwestern - The Maniac's affinity for NW is long documented. This matchup means a ton to both teams, but the Wildcats have less room for error with a daunting Big Ten slate about to heat up. Regardless of the outcome, something tells me the kids on each team will turn out just fine...
Mississippi State @ Houston - This one is a really intriguing match-up. The Bulldogs have been playing well of late and are rounding into the team most polls had ranked Top 20 preseason. Houston gets a chance to earn some much needed respect for C-USA in their home gym. A really really good game most people will miss.
4:00 PM:
Gonzaga @ Duke - Another fantastic match-up, and a real treat for us true college hoops fans. Both of these programs represent everything that is right about college athletics, Duke the GIANT with even bigger academic requirements still remaining the model of consistency, and Gonzaga the out-of-nowhere school in the middle of nowhere emerging as a perennial power.
Say what you will about Coach K and The Dukies, but they duck no one on their schedule, even programs that have far more to gain from the experience than they do. Last year on this same weekend, Duke played host to another non-power conference power Xavier. This year, they welcome the Zags. Matt Boldin and Co. are hoping for a more favorable result than the drubbing the Muskies left with.
Portland State @ Washington St. - OK, not a classic great matchup, but an intersting game for Ken Bone's Cougars. Portland State has a history of upsetting bigger-name west coast foes. Last year they clipped Gonzaga, this year they nailed Portland fresh off their first Top 25 ranking in 40 years. Wazzou needs to bring their A-game.
6:30 PM:
Richmond @ Florida - Both teams grabbed some headlines with big wins early, both have settled back a bit with a loss. Richmond gets a huge opportunity to build a tourney at-large resume and increase the growing profile for the Atlantic-10. Florida isn't in a no-win situation; a win over the Spiders may not be sexy on Sportcenter, but could very well constitute an RPI Top 50 win in March.
7:00 PM:
Temple @ Seton Hall - Speaking of the A-10, how about the work the Owls have done so far. They get another shot tomorrow night at unbeaten Seton Hall. The Pirates have yet to lose, but haven't played anywhere near the competition that Temple has. Of course they'll get their chance when conference play starts, but something tells me they won't quite yet be ready for what Temple is bringing tomorrow night.
Old Dominion @ Georgetown - ODU has played a brutal schedule so far, and has suffered some losses. THey entered as a trendy pick to win the CAA, but it looks more like VCU is the team to beat (or William & Mary). Meanwhile the Hoyas have looked fantastic as Greg Monroe has continued to develop and their guards have played steady basketball. The Hoyas didn't look past Butler, and I doubt they'll overlook the Monarchs either.
8:45 PM:
Kansas State @ Alabama - Frank Martin's Wildcats have been one of the pleasant surprises of the young 2009 season. They were expected to be good, but they have exceeded even those expectations en route to a 9-1 start. Alabama is thought to be a second tier SEC team, but ask Purdue about the fight they'll give you on their home court. This shapes up to be one of the best games on a LOADED Saturday slate.
Creighton @ New Mexico - If KSU is one of the season's more pleasant surprises, than perhaps Steve Alford's Lobos are THE most pleasant. New Mexico hosts a struggling Creighton squad that is used to getting accolades that are beginning to go New Mexico's way this year. It will be interesting to see how the Jays hold up in The Pit.
10:00 PM:
Portland @ Washington - Will the PAC-10 please beat someone this preseason? Suffice it to say if the 3rd or 4th best team in the WCC takes down the Pac-10 favorite in their own gym things will have reached new conference lows. Not that a Huskie loss is out of the question. The Pilots decimated UCLA and took down a good Minnesota team before heightened expectations seemed to take a toll on them. Now that the Pilots are back playing the role of David it will interesting to see how they handle U-Dub's Golliath.
Today is a great day to have four tv's or at least some serious PiP or TiVo! Enjoy - and check back for some fearless pics against the number.
If anyone questions the bountiful harvest and splendor of December hoops, I challenge you to sit down and watch a handful of tomorrow's dozen-plus standout games.
Here is a quick rundown of the highlights. The fearless Maniac picks (22-13-1 ATS) will follow in a separate column.
NOON:
Michigan @ Kansas - The Wolverines have to rank among the nation's most disappointing teams so far in 2009. A win in Kansas would completely erase that disappointment. But they aren't getting it. John Beilein's squad will at least give Kansas a athletically competitive game, something they haven't had since the opener against Memphis.
2:00 PM:
North Carolina @ Texas - A matchup of two of the nation's elite teams in an intimate gathering of 80,000 of your closest friends. Cowboys Stadium hosts its inaugural basketball game in a tune-up for Final Fours to come. Both teams today could be visiting a Final Four much sooner; as in this year. This game is a great litmus test for the Longhorns and a fourth BIGtime game for the becoming-battle-tested Heels. Regardless of the score, it is an interesting way to gear up for a hopeful appearance in Indy this April playing in such a cavernous shooters backdrop.
Xavier @ Butler - Two of the best Non-BCS teams square off for the second year in a row at 2pm. Butler won last year at the Cintas Center. This year Xavier tries to return the favor in historic Hinkle Fieldhouse. A win would be big for both schools; avoiding a fourth pre-conference loss might mean even more.
UCLA @ Notre Dame - Um, this one ain't exactly Digger and Coach Wooden. UCLA is mired in one of the worst starts in school history, and certainly the worst start in the Ben Howland tenure. Notre Dame is 9-2, but their losses are to Northwestern (understandable) and Loyola Marymount (not understandable); both at home. Luke Harangody aimed to take the Irish back to the tourney in his senior campaign and can afford to give away few more games. UCLA however might struggle to win 10 games all year.
Stanford @ Northwestern - The Maniac's affinity for NW is long documented. This matchup means a ton to both teams, but the Wildcats have less room for error with a daunting Big Ten slate about to heat up. Regardless of the outcome, something tells me the kids on each team will turn out just fine...
Mississippi State @ Houston - This one is a really intriguing match-up. The Bulldogs have been playing well of late and are rounding into the team most polls had ranked Top 20 preseason. Houston gets a chance to earn some much needed respect for C-USA in their home gym. A really really good game most people will miss.
4:00 PM:
Gonzaga @ Duke - Another fantastic match-up, and a real treat for us true college hoops fans. Both of these programs represent everything that is right about college athletics, Duke the GIANT with even bigger academic requirements still remaining the model of consistency, and Gonzaga the out-of-nowhere school in the middle of nowhere emerging as a perennial power.
Say what you will about Coach K and The Dukies, but they duck no one on their schedule, even programs that have far more to gain from the experience than they do. Last year on this same weekend, Duke played host to another non-power conference power Xavier. This year, they welcome the Zags. Matt Boldin and Co. are hoping for a more favorable result than the drubbing the Muskies left with.
Portland State @ Washington St. - OK, not a classic great matchup, but an intersting game for Ken Bone's Cougars. Portland State has a history of upsetting bigger-name west coast foes. Last year they clipped Gonzaga, this year they nailed Portland fresh off their first Top 25 ranking in 40 years. Wazzou needs to bring their A-game.
6:30 PM:
Richmond @ Florida - Both teams grabbed some headlines with big wins early, both have settled back a bit with a loss. Richmond gets a huge opportunity to build a tourney at-large resume and increase the growing profile for the Atlantic-10. Florida isn't in a no-win situation; a win over the Spiders may not be sexy on Sportcenter, but could very well constitute an RPI Top 50 win in March.
7:00 PM:
Temple @ Seton Hall - Speaking of the A-10, how about the work the Owls have done so far. They get another shot tomorrow night at unbeaten Seton Hall. The Pirates have yet to lose, but haven't played anywhere near the competition that Temple has. Of course they'll get their chance when conference play starts, but something tells me they won't quite yet be ready for what Temple is bringing tomorrow night.
Old Dominion @ Georgetown - ODU has played a brutal schedule so far, and has suffered some losses. THey entered as a trendy pick to win the CAA, but it looks more like VCU is the team to beat (or William & Mary). Meanwhile the Hoyas have looked fantastic as Greg Monroe has continued to develop and their guards have played steady basketball. The Hoyas didn't look past Butler, and I doubt they'll overlook the Monarchs either.
8:45 PM:
Kansas State @ Alabama - Frank Martin's Wildcats have been one of the pleasant surprises of the young 2009 season. They were expected to be good, but they have exceeded even those expectations en route to a 9-1 start. Alabama is thought to be a second tier SEC team, but ask Purdue about the fight they'll give you on their home court. This shapes up to be one of the best games on a LOADED Saturday slate.
Creighton @ New Mexico - If KSU is one of the season's more pleasant surprises, than perhaps Steve Alford's Lobos are THE most pleasant. New Mexico hosts a struggling Creighton squad that is used to getting accolades that are beginning to go New Mexico's way this year. It will be interesting to see how the Jays hold up in The Pit.
10:00 PM:
Portland @ Washington - Will the PAC-10 please beat someone this preseason? Suffice it to say if the 3rd or 4th best team in the WCC takes down the Pac-10 favorite in their own gym things will have reached new conference lows. Not that a Huskie loss is out of the question. The Pilots decimated UCLA and took down a good Minnesota team before heightened expectations seemed to take a toll on them. Now that the Pilots are back playing the role of David it will interesting to see how they handle U-Dub's Golliath.
Today is a great day to have four tv's or at least some serious PiP or TiVo! Enjoy - and check back for some fearless pics against the number.
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This One's for You Knight
Quick thinking now. Tomorrow Memphis plays at UMass at 6:30pm. What two things do these teams have in common?
"Yet he's still allowed to coach...it doesn't make sense to me."
Knight today on Coach Cal's previous school's NCAA penalties
If you said "vacated Final Four appearances" and "Coach Calipari" you'd be right. I'm probably way off base here, but I wonder if that is what precipitated the random Bobby Knight blast...
No word yet on if the winner of tomorrow's game gets to choke-slam Neil Reid.
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"Yet he's still allowed to coach...it doesn't make sense to me."Knight today on Coach Cal's previous school's NCAA penalties
No word yet on if the winner of tomorrow's game gets to choke-slam Neil Reid.
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Wednesday's Highlights
There were a couple interesting games last night, and a few resume building wins. Here's a quick sweep on a few you might have missed.
NIGHT IN REVIEW:
UAB validated it's 8-1 record with an exclamation point win over former C-USA rival Cincinnati. The Maniac took a pretty big swipe across C-USA's bow earlier this week, but readily tips his cap to the Blazers' Wednesday night effort. The 64-47 win places them solidly in at-large consideration with a second place conference finish. It is an especialy big win when considering their other "big" wins were Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Georgia. With only chances against Butler (quality), Virgina and Arkansas (not so much...) remaining before conference play this win will be enormous when the Blazers are thrown up on the big board.
For the Bearcats, it is a disappointing response following a tough double-OT loss to crosstown rival Xavier on Sunday night. For Bearcat fans, there has to be some trepidation following another tourney miss-season that began very similarly to this one. I think the Bearcats are still an NCAA Tourney team, especially as Stevenson blossoms, but things need to get on track quickly. There final two non-conference games are minor tuneups, but the BEast begins soon and appears to be nearly as tough as last year.
Louisville stopped their steep slide with a hammering win over Oral Roberts. Granted, they weren't exactly tacking UNLV 1990, but the 94-57 win is a good sign Pitino's Cards realize they can't look past anyone this season any longer...
Ole Miss continued their daring ways, erasing a ten point deficit in the final five minutes to force OT and earn a 91-81 win over UTEP. The Maniac was also critical of UTEP's early light schedule, but admits to being impressed with them in defeat. Derrick Caracter will add an inside presence that few in C-USA will be able to match.
Don't look now, but the Kevin Coble-less Northwestern Wildcats are putting themselves in fine position to earn the school's first ever NCAA Tourney invite. They are 9-1, with wins over Notre Dame, Iowa State, and NC State. Their lone loss is against a top 15 Butler team that will likely be a top-4 seed come March. If they win their final two non-conference games (Saturday's Stanford game is a tricky one) they can go 8-10 in the loaded Big Ten and get some consideration. 9-9 would make them a near lock.
How about the hammering South Carolina laid on Richmond last night? The Spiders had looked good early this season and felt like a potential sleeper in the A-10. South Carolina, led by Devin Downey in what feels like his twenty second year of eligibilty, are going to have a great opportunity to contend for an at-large bid in the loaded SEC East. The good thing about sharing the East with Kentucky, Tennessee, Florida, and Vandy is that all five will get eight opportunities for quality wins.
For Richmond, all is not lost. They still have quality wins over Mississippi State, Old Dominion and Missouri in their hip pocket and their three losses to William & Mary, VCU and the Gamecocks should all be Top 100, if not Top 50 RPI losses in March. It does however make this weekends trip to Gainesville an interesting litmus test of the Spiders' legitimacy.
Finally Oklahoma State rebounded from their humbling loss to Tulsa with a nice 71-70 win over Stanford. The Cardinal have now lost to Kentucky in OT, and Oklahoma State by 1. So someone explain to be the 83-81 loss to Oral Roberts? Regardless, on their good days the Cardinal appear to be strong enough to challenge for third in the Pac 10. And, yes, that is meant more as an insult to the beleaguered Pac-10.
Not too much going on in college hoops tonight. Enjoy the Colts going for 14-0, and a serious, somber RIP to Chris Henry.
NIGHT IN REVIEW:
UAB validated it's 8-1 record with an exclamation point win over former C-USA rival Cincinnati. The Maniac took a pretty big swipe across C-USA's bow earlier this week, but readily tips his cap to the Blazers' Wednesday night effort. The 64-47 win places them solidly in at-large consideration with a second place conference finish. It is an especialy big win when considering their other "big" wins were Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Georgia. With only chances against Butler (quality), Virgina and Arkansas (not so much...) remaining before conference play this win will be enormous when the Blazers are thrown up on the big board.
For the Bearcats, it is a disappointing response following a tough double-OT loss to crosstown rival Xavier on Sunday night. For Bearcat fans, there has to be some trepidation following another tourney miss-season that began very similarly to this one. I think the Bearcats are still an NCAA Tourney team, especially as Stevenson blossoms, but things need to get on track quickly. There final two non-conference games are minor tuneups, but the BEast begins soon and appears to be nearly as tough as last year.
Louisville stopped their steep slide with a hammering win over Oral Roberts. Granted, they weren't exactly tacking UNLV 1990, but the 94-57 win is a good sign Pitino's Cards realize they can't look past anyone this season any longer...
Ole Miss continued their daring ways, erasing a ten point deficit in the final five minutes to force OT and earn a 91-81 win over UTEP. The Maniac was also critical of UTEP's early light schedule, but admits to being impressed with them in defeat. Derrick Caracter will add an inside presence that few in C-USA will be able to match.
Don't look now, but the Kevin Coble-less Northwestern Wildcats are putting themselves in fine position to earn the school's first ever NCAA Tourney invite. They are 9-1, with wins over Notre Dame, Iowa State, and NC State. Their lone loss is against a top 15 Butler team that will likely be a top-4 seed come March. If they win their final two non-conference games (Saturday's Stanford game is a tricky one) they can go 8-10 in the loaded Big Ten and get some consideration. 9-9 would make them a near lock.
How about the hammering South Carolina laid on Richmond last night? The Spiders had looked good early this season and felt like a potential sleeper in the A-10. South Carolina, led by Devin Downey in what feels like his twenty second year of eligibilty, are going to have a great opportunity to contend for an at-large bid in the loaded SEC East. The good thing about sharing the East with Kentucky, Tennessee, Florida, and Vandy is that all five will get eight opportunities for quality wins.
For Richmond, all is not lost. They still have quality wins over Mississippi State, Old Dominion and Missouri in their hip pocket and their three losses to William & Mary, VCU and the Gamecocks should all be Top 100, if not Top 50 RPI losses in March. It does however make this weekends trip to Gainesville an interesting litmus test of the Spiders' legitimacy.
Finally Oklahoma State rebounded from their humbling loss to Tulsa with a nice 71-70 win over Stanford. The Cardinal have now lost to Kentucky in OT, and Oklahoma State by 1. So someone explain to be the 83-81 loss to Oral Roberts? Regardless, on their good days the Cardinal appear to be strong enough to challenge for third in the Pac 10. And, yes, that is meant more as an insult to the beleaguered Pac-10.
Not too much going on in college hoops tonight. Enjoy the Colts going for 14-0, and a serious, somber RIP to Chris Henry.
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A-Plus
The Atlantic Ten has long resisted the mid-major label. However since the magical 2004 St.Joe's squad there has been little national relevance outside of Xavier.
It seems the A-10 is intent on changing that in 09-10. This weekend was a bit of a coming out party for the conference as the notched wins over Villanova, Boston College and Cincinnati respectivly. The wins; by Temple, Rhode Island and Xavier, are just the latest by a conference that is making a strong case for a solid sixth best league in the nation.
With the undeniable plummet of the Pac10 and some of the middling dissappontments early in the Big Ten and SEC, there could be as many as six to eight typical "big 6" bids up for grabs in March.
Here's a quick glance at some teams who could snatch them.
Temple: The 75-65 win over Villanova grabs the attention, but dig through the schedule and you'll find quality wins over Siena, Virginia Tech, and Penn State. Their losses are a 46-45 squeaker to Georgetown and a 55-48 loss to early season "big leap" candidate St. Johns. One thing is obvious, win or lose the Owls are gonna defend for 40 minutes.
Dayton: The preseason favorite to unseat Xavier began the season ranked but fell off the radar after early season losses to Villanova and Kansas St. However they have already picked up wins over GA Tech and Old Dominion and have to be regarded as a threat to win the A10, OR pick up an at-large bid.
Xavier: From this season's favorite to the perennial favorite. The Muskies struggled early adjusting to the early departures of Derrick Brown and Coach Sean Miller as well as the graduation of some of the winningest seniors in school history. Their three losses aren't killers; Marquette, Kansas St, and Baylor (the weakest of the three). The win this weekend over Cincinnati steadies tottering at large hopes. Upcoming games with Butler, Wake Forest and LSU will determine how much wiggle room the Muskies have for error in a deeper, stronger conference that the one they treaded lightly over the past three years.
Charlotte: If your only view of the 49ers is their season opening 101-59 trouncing from Duke, you are sleeping on a pretty solid ballclub. Just ask Rick Pitino after Charlotte came in and pasted his Cards by 22. The Niners are now 8-1 and gaining momentum and respect.
Rhode Island: The Maniac championed the Rams' at large merit last season, only to watch them lay an egg in their final week and limp into the NIT. This year they may not need my whinning on their behalf. With wins at Providence and Boston College they have two legit wins in their pile and a 82-80 loss at VCU won't hurt much. At 8-1 they are in good position to contend for a bid.
Richmond: The sleeper of the bunch, I wouldn't be surprised to see the spiders creep into NCAA discussions. They have wins over Old Dominion and Missouri as well as a 63-62 win over Ole Miss. Their loss against VCU, as with Rhode Island shouldn't prove too damaging.
The A-10 doesn't have the Top Ten team of years past, but they do have one of the most balanced and deep leagues in the country. Expect the six above and possibley even a few below to battle for three, possibly even four bids this March.
For a conference like the A10, it will be a Major accomplishment.
Others to watch:
Duquesne - The Dukes blew a golden opportunity losing to Pitt in double OT but can play with anyone in the conference. It's going to take 11-12 wins to get in tourney discussion but that isn't out of the realm of possibility
St Joes - Yeah, they are 3-6, but the losses are against Villanova, Purdue, Minnesota, DePaul, Cornell and Rider. OK, Rider and DePaul are bad - the other four will dance...
LaSalle, GW and UMass will give teams tough ball games on a nightly basis.
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Teams of the Weekend
What a great weekend past in college hoops. Kentucky continued their steady, and scary, improvement, passing their first road test with flying colors in Assembly Hall. Kansas and Texas continued to cruise and the Cuse held the rope after yet another marquee win (this time over Florida) earlier in the week. Purdue capped an impressive week for the Top 5 with an impressive hard-fought road win in Tuscaloosa.
So the Maniac's (and finally the national pollsters have caught up) top teams remain unchanged.
To me, the more interesting stories happened outside the storied big name programs.
Not to beat a deadhorse, but big ups to the A-10. Xavier notched a desperatly needed win over UC in the always tempestous Crosstown Shootout. Rhode Island took down BC by 11 in Chesnut Hill and finally Temple knocked off Villanova, moving to 8-1 (lone loss? 46-45 to Georgetown).
Perhaps Sean Miller was right saying Xavier is not a Mid-Major, and neither was the A-10. He believed it so much he left for Arizona and a conference that can only be constitued as a major disaster. The Maniac apologized for Zona early but is ready to toss them in with the rest of the dumpster fire that is the Pac 10. The latest ego crusher? Washington's less than competitive loss to Georgetown in national TV.
At this point it would be foolish to wager the Pac 10 has more dancing than the A10 in March...
How about Western Carolina and Loyola Marymount? Neither program has had much to cheer about since Kevin Martin and Hank Gathers respectivly (yes, admitting the "Kevin Martin Era" looks a tad better with ex post facto history). However both notched wins on the road at Big East tourney-"hopefuls".
Western hammered L'Ville while LMU won at Notre Dame. The attention will be focused more on the losers, but both programs deserve a tip of the cap for their weekend efforts.
Wisconsin has had a roller coaster of a week. They beat Duke and Marquette. Sandwhiched in beeween? A surprising OT loss to Wisconsin Milwaukee of the Horizon League.
Speaking of the Horizon, Butler got a needed, but falsly described "big" win. Ohio State in their first game minus Evan Turner will not fully erase the Committee's memory of their early season inadequacies. They have a big game this weekend with a Xavier squad in a similar situation.
The SEC took a beating last year, but very quietly is shaping up to be an upper-tier league again. Everyone knows Kentucky. Florida has been an early season surprise and Tennessee is a top ten team. However Ole Miss and Mississippi State are looking like tourney teams in the West and Alabama looked great for 36 minutes against a final four caliber Purdue squad.
Finally, the two best teams no one has been watching; Kansas State and New Mexico. Both picked up another quality win this weekend and are in great shape for March as the head into conference play.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
So the Maniac's (and finally the national pollsters have caught up) top teams remain unchanged.
To me, the more interesting stories happened outside the storied big name programs.
Not to beat a deadhorse, but big ups to the A-10. Xavier notched a desperatly needed win over UC in the always tempestous Crosstown Shootout. Rhode Island took down BC by 11 in Chesnut Hill and finally Temple knocked off Villanova, moving to 8-1 (lone loss? 46-45 to Georgetown).
Perhaps Sean Miller was right saying Xavier is not a Mid-Major, and neither was the A-10. He believed it so much he left for Arizona and a conference that can only be constitued as a major disaster. The Maniac apologized for Zona early but is ready to toss them in with the rest of the dumpster fire that is the Pac 10. The latest ego crusher? Washington's less than competitive loss to Georgetown in national TV.
At this point it would be foolish to wager the Pac 10 has more dancing than the A10 in March...
How about Western Carolina and Loyola Marymount? Neither program has had much to cheer about since Kevin Martin and Hank Gathers respectivly (yes, admitting the "Kevin Martin Era" looks a tad better with ex post facto history). However both notched wins on the road at Big East tourney-"hopefuls".
Western hammered L'Ville while LMU won at Notre Dame. The attention will be focused more on the losers, but both programs deserve a tip of the cap for their weekend efforts.
Wisconsin has had a roller coaster of a week. They beat Duke and Marquette. Sandwhiched in beeween? A surprising OT loss to Wisconsin Milwaukee of the Horizon League.
Speaking of the Horizon, Butler got a needed, but falsly described "big" win. Ohio State in their first game minus Evan Turner will not fully erase the Committee's memory of their early season inadequacies. They have a big game this weekend with a Xavier squad in a similar situation.
The SEC took a beating last year, but very quietly is shaping up to be an upper-tier league again. Everyone knows Kentucky. Florida has been an early season surprise and Tennessee is a top ten team. However Ole Miss and Mississippi State are looking like tourney teams in the West and Alabama looked great for 36 minutes against a final four caliber Purdue squad.
Finally, the two best teams no one has been watching; Kansas State and New Mexico. Both picked up another quality win this weekend and are in great shape for March as the head into conference play.
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Cuse Don't Fail Me Now
I usually don't venture into cyberspace to make only one pick, but the game tonight is just begging me to weigh in. Syracuse, arguably the most impressive team thus far in 2009, lays only 2 points against the Florida Gators.
Granted, Florida has some big brand name wins. They have beaten Florida State (in my opinion a bubble team come March) and Michigan State (who always loses a few in November and subsequently rewards their vanquishers via RPI boosts in March when Izzo's Spartans finish with a flurry).
I suppose from the parenthetical asides it is pretty clear who I am picking in this one. The 'Cuse biggest concern will be shaking off a little rust from a quiet three weeks which featured four games, none close, and none against tourney-bound foes.
The biggest tip I can offer you recreational, non-real money wagering readers is that Vegas is treating this like a road game. Syracuse is an easy 6-7 point favorite on a neutral floor; which is precisely what the St. Pete Forum is. Will it be a decided pro-Gator crowd? Probably. Is the O'Connell Center? Not by a long shot.
MANIAC'S PICK:
Give me Syracuse -2 in yet another big early season profile building win.
Granted, Florida has some big brand name wins. They have beaten Florida State (in my opinion a bubble team come March) and Michigan State (who always loses a few in November and subsequently rewards their vanquishers via RPI boosts in March when Izzo's Spartans finish with a flurry).
I suppose from the parenthetical asides it is pretty clear who I am picking in this one. The 'Cuse biggest concern will be shaking off a little rust from a quiet three weeks which featured four games, none close, and none against tourney-bound foes.
The biggest tip I can offer you recreational, non-real money wagering readers is that Vegas is treating this like a road game. Syracuse is an easy 6-7 point favorite on a neutral floor; which is precisely what the St. Pete Forum is. Will it be a decided pro-Gator crowd? Probably. Is the O'Connell Center? Not by a long shot.
MANIAC'S PICK:
Give me Syracuse -2 in yet another big early season profile building win.
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Conference Who-S-A?
,Not long ago, Conference USA was every bit as relevant on a national scale as the Big East, SEC and Big 12. Those days are long, long gone. It's easy to blame the exodus of Louisville, Cincinnati, Marquette, and DePaul to the BEast (as well at St. Louis and Charlotte fleeing to the A-10).However, there is another big factor at work.
Where have you gone Kenyon Martin? Our conference turns it's lonely eyes to you...
Today, of the circa-2002 formidable powers only Memphis remains; and accordingly it has played out precisely that way for the past four years. Before the season there was some tepid optimism with the changes at Memphis that this could be the year parity began to creep in and C-USA could claim on multiple bids in the tourney. Tulsa has been hailed as the primary threat to unseat the Tigers, with UAB, UTEP and Houston thought to be solid clubs.
The problem for Conference USA? Who are they going to prove they've improved against?
Memphis dispelled some of the notions of being decimated after Coach Cal heading to the Bluegrass (with the Nation's #1 recruiting class with him) when they gave Kansas all they could handle on the season's opening weekend. So... are the Tigers for real? We'll call ya on New Year's Eve when they tangle with the Tennessee Vols. In the six weeks between those quality games? Some real mettle-testers including: Central Arkansas, Arkansas State and Arkansas Little Rock. Perhaps Memphis's AD is set on proving his Ark-based dominance. Screw you Bill Clinton!
In the Tigers' defense, by the time it is all said and done they will have faced Kansas, Tennessee, Syracuse and Gonzaga. The Tigers consistently play a good non-conference slate, and if there was ever a year to unusually backload the schedule it is this transtition year.
However, there is little excuse for the rest. UTEP has played only five games this year. Their opponents are Texas Southern, Arkansas Pine Bluff, Arkansas State (again with the Arkansas theme...), NC A&T, and New Mexico State. They will heat it up in December with games against Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas tech and BYU. Win three of four, and we'll talk. For now, any early acclaim given to the Miners should be...well... minor.
UAB is Blazing through powers like Florida A&M and Samford, and suffered a loss to Wright State. Their win over Wisc-Milwaukee looks better after the Phoenix OT win last night over Wisconsin, but it looks to me like UAB will have to beat both Cincinnati and Butler in their only two non-conference games of quality remaining to get at-large consideration.
Tulsa was the sheik pick to unseat the Tigers. Their early loss to Missouri State is looking better everyday, and the solid win over in-state rival Oklahoma State helps. The subsequent 81-80 squeker over MAC doormat Ohio is a little concerning. Even a little more concerning? Their only chance for another "decent" win is a trip to Big-12 lower-tier Nebraska. That is just not the profile of an at-large team come March.
Southern Miss is 5-1, coming off last night's respectable 2-point loss to a good Mississippi team. They better win at Vandy, or they run the real risk of their best non-conference wins to be over Montana St (by 4) and this weekend's shot at South Alabama.
UCF looked like a nice sleeper early, beating UMass and Auburn before losing to Niagara. Last weekend's 20+ pasting at Notre Dame dampens some of that optimism for my beloved alma matter. The Knights still have trips to Connecticut and Mississippi giving them an opportunit to steal a few headlines for C-USA. However, the fact they are able to schedule those games is a bit telling; UCF is still viewed as low-major fodder, a carryover reputation from their Atlantic Sun days they've done little to erode.
Houston might end up being the only team to notch a "banner" win for the conference before the calendar flips to 2010. The Cougars got theirs over Oklahoma (that will look a little better by season's end as the Sooners improve), but tempered some of the enthusiasm with losses to Nevada (by 3) and San Diego (by 6). They get another chance to make some small waves over thus-far disappointing Mississippi State next Saturday.
There in lies the problem. If your biggest "pre-conference" win is Houston over Oklahoma, you are in trouble. Is C-USA better top to bottom than leagues like the Colonial and WCC? Yes, I believe they are without a doubt. However, with little opportunity to showcase their strength in the early going it looks like another one-team party in this year's Big Dance, and a further dip into mid-major permanence.
Where have you gone Kenyon Martin? Our conference turns it's lonely eyes to you...Today, of the circa-2002 formidable powers only Memphis remains; and accordingly it has played out precisely that way for the past four years. Before the season there was some tepid optimism with the changes at Memphis that this could be the year parity began to creep in and C-USA could claim on multiple bids in the tourney. Tulsa has been hailed as the primary threat to unseat the Tigers, with UAB, UTEP and Houston thought to be solid clubs.
The problem for Conference USA? Who are they going to prove they've improved against?
Memphis dispelled some of the notions of being decimated after Coach Cal heading to the Bluegrass (with the Nation's #1 recruiting class with him) when they gave Kansas all they could handle on the season's opening weekend. So... are the Tigers for real? We'll call ya on New Year's Eve when they tangle with the Tennessee Vols. In the six weeks between those quality games? Some real mettle-testers including: Central Arkansas, Arkansas State and Arkansas Little Rock. Perhaps Memphis's AD is set on proving his Ark-based dominance. Screw you Bill Clinton!
In the Tigers' defense, by the time it is all said and done they will have faced Kansas, Tennessee, Syracuse and Gonzaga. The Tigers consistently play a good non-conference slate, and if there was ever a year to unusually backload the schedule it is this transtition year.
However, there is little excuse for the rest. UTEP has played only five games this year. Their opponents are Texas Southern, Arkansas Pine Bluff, Arkansas State (again with the Arkansas theme...), NC A&T, and New Mexico State. They will heat it up in December with games against Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas tech and BYU. Win three of four, and we'll talk. For now, any early acclaim given to the Miners should be...well... minor.
UAB is Blazing through powers like Florida A&M and Samford, and suffered a loss to Wright State. Their win over Wisc-Milwaukee looks better after the Phoenix OT win last night over Wisconsin, but it looks to me like UAB will have to beat both Cincinnati and Butler in their only two non-conference games of quality remaining to get at-large consideration.
Tulsa was the sheik pick to unseat the Tigers. Their early loss to Missouri State is looking better everyday, and the solid win over in-state rival Oklahoma State helps. The subsequent 81-80 squeker over MAC doormat Ohio is a little concerning. Even a little more concerning? Their only chance for another "decent" win is a trip to Big-12 lower-tier Nebraska. That is just not the profile of an at-large team come March.
Southern Miss is 5-1, coming off last night's respectable 2-point loss to a good Mississippi team. They better win at Vandy, or they run the real risk of their best non-conference wins to be over Montana St (by 4) and this weekend's shot at South Alabama.
UCF looked like a nice sleeper early, beating UMass and Auburn before losing to Niagara. Last weekend's 20+ pasting at Notre Dame dampens some of that optimism for my beloved alma matter. The Knights still have trips to Connecticut and Mississippi giving them an opportunit to steal a few headlines for C-USA. However, the fact they are able to schedule those games is a bit telling; UCF is still viewed as low-major fodder, a carryover reputation from their Atlantic Sun days they've done little to erode.
Houston might end up being the only team to notch a "banner" win for the conference before the calendar flips to 2010. The Cougars got theirs over Oklahoma (that will look a little better by season's end as the Sooners improve), but tempered some of the enthusiasm with losses to Nevada (by 3) and San Diego (by 6). They get another chance to make some small waves over thus-far disappointing Mississippi State next Saturday.
There in lies the problem. If your biggest "pre-conference" win is Houston over Oklahoma, you are in trouble. Is C-USA better top to bottom than leagues like the Colonial and WCC? Yes, I believe they are without a doubt. However, with little opportunity to showcase their strength in the early going it looks like another one-team party in this year's Big Dance, and a further dip into mid-major permanence.
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How Bout Them Apples?!? Harvard Tops BC... AGAIN
It's becoming an annual tradition at March Maniacs. The pre-Christmas Go-Harvard article after stunning and stomping the Boston College Eagles.
But, yet again this year, Tommy Amaker's Crimson have earned it. Tonight theyagain tackled the Big East giant, 74-67. BC came in on a three game win streak which boasted wins over Providence (who hammered GW tonight scoring 110 points), Michigan and previously undefeated Miami.
The win moves the Crimson to 7-2. Their losses are a disappointing 3-point loss to Army and a stunningly impressive 6-point loss to UConn. They have also beaten a very good William & Mary team that will challenge for the automatic bid in the Colonial. It might be a little over-zealous to say they are building a NCAA Tourney resume, they still need to win the Ivy. But should they fall to a very good Cornell team it doesn't seem out of the question for them to float on the NIT radar.
"Wanna go to a Harvard bar and f*&k-up some smart kids?"
Not tonight....
But, yet again this year, Tommy Amaker's Crimson have earned it. Tonight theyagain tackled the Big East giant, 74-67. BC came in on a three game win streak which boasted wins over Providence (who hammered GW tonight scoring 110 points), Michigan and previously undefeated Miami.
The win moves the Crimson to 7-2. Their losses are a disappointing 3-point loss to Army and a stunningly impressive 6-point loss to UConn. They have also beaten a very good William & Mary team that will challenge for the automatic bid in the Colonial. It might be a little over-zealous to say they are building a NCAA Tourney resume, they still need to win the Ivy. But should they fall to a very good Cornell team it doesn't seem out of the question for them to float on the NIT radar.
"Wanna go to a Harvard bar and f*&k-up some smart kids?"Not tonight....
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Half a Second From Infamy
I know this is a college hoops site, but surely many of our readers caught the end of the Nebraska - Texas Big 12 Championship Game last night. The final possession for Texas was inexplicable by nearly all standards; first, why on Earth was Texas so content to rely on a 45+ yard FG to save their perfect dream season? They had nearly a minute on the clock and a timeout in their pocket, yet never attempted to move the ball any closer. Earlier in the game they let senior QB Colt McCoy (the winningest QB in the HISTORY of college football) throw on third and long on his own one inch line against the best D in the country.
Yet with a minute to go? Scared to even attempt to pick up yards through the air. Puzzling.
As Colt McCoy bizarrely floated a completely useless pass downfield, ten yards out of bounds as the clock appeared to tick to zero, my brain immediately raced to rank that brain cramp on the all time sports scale. My immediate thought had to be Top Five, probably Top Three.
Then came the reprieve. Upon further review officials placed one second back on the clock. Texas's kicker drilled a 46 yarder with about six inches to spare inside the left upright. The clock, again, struck zero, permanently this time, and Texas will play for the National Championship, undefeated.
Saved by the bell. Or at least the replay official.
It got me thinking... what if some of college basketball's most famed gaffes had a similar "replay"??
Hmmm.
Say the officials went to the monitors in 1993, and correctly determined Chris Webber traveled long before the ill-fated "Timeout! Timeout!" Carolina inbounds the ball, likely hits at least one free throw and probably wins the game. The outcome is no different. For anyone except Webber that is.
Instead of being remembered for the TO that wasn't, he is instead remembered as a very good NBA player who never quite reached his full potential as a player or winner...and (allegedly) shagging a pre-hefty Tyra Banks in her Victoria Secret/SI Cover prime. Not a bad career my friends, not bad at all.
What if they go to the monitors and determine Memphis wrapped up before "The Shot" in 2008? Kansas steps to the line, hits the first, then misses the second intentionally. Joey Dorsey corrals the rebound, the horn sounds, he flings the ball several hundred joyous feet into the sky and Calipari hugs his tearful players as they dance in celebration.
The what-ifs here are limitless. For one, there is no joy in Lexington today. Travis Ford's Cats (or John Pelphrey - I say Ford) have just gotten blown off the court by the UNC Tarheels. Rebuilding? Heck, the Heels are BETTER this year with freshman phenom John Wall leading the Heels to the #1 ranking. Their dynamite frontcourt of Davis, Thompson and Wear are dunking in record numbers in transition and the Heels look to be in position to repeat as champs.
Memphis, of course is again loaded, with Xavier Henry and DeMarcus Cousins leading the charge, as the Tigers look to capture the first national title in Calipari's and the school's history.
Oh, the one in 2008? It's been vacated. But Cal didn't do anything, so it's OK.
Of course, none of that happened. It only could have, should have...but didn't. Freddie Brown will have always passed to James Worthy in 1982. Chris Webber will always have the ill-fated TO, and Colt McCoy will always be remembered as the winningest QB in college football history who led Texas to the 2009 BCS Title Game (and perhaps the title.)
You see in sports, just like life, it is the slimmest of slivers of time that affect our legacy.
But sometimes don't you wish you had Instant Replay too?
Yet with a minute to go? Scared to even attempt to pick up yards through the air. Puzzling.
As Colt McCoy bizarrely floated a completely useless pass downfield, ten yards out of bounds as the clock appeared to tick to zero, my brain immediately raced to rank that brain cramp on the all time sports scale. My immediate thought had to be Top Five, probably Top Three.
Then came the reprieve. Upon further review officials placed one second back on the clock. Texas's kicker drilled a 46 yarder with about six inches to spare inside the left upright. The clock, again, struck zero, permanently this time, and Texas will play for the National Championship, undefeated.
Saved by the bell. Or at least the replay official.
It got me thinking... what if some of college basketball's most famed gaffes had a similar "replay"??
Hmmm.
Say the officials went to the monitors in 1993, and correctly determined Chris Webber traveled long before the ill-fated "Timeout! Timeout!" Carolina inbounds the ball, likely hits at least one free throw and probably wins the game. The outcome is no different. For anyone except Webber that is.
Instead of being remembered for the TO that wasn't, he is instead remembered as a very good NBA player who never quite reached his full potential as a player or winner...and (allegedly) shagging a pre-hefty Tyra Banks in her Victoria Secret/SI Cover prime. Not a bad career my friends, not bad at all.What if they go to the monitors and determine Memphis wrapped up before "The Shot" in 2008? Kansas steps to the line, hits the first, then misses the second intentionally. Joey Dorsey corrals the rebound, the horn sounds, he flings the ball several hundred joyous feet into the sky and Calipari hugs his tearful players as they dance in celebration.
The what-ifs here are limitless. For one, there is no joy in Lexington today. Travis Ford's Cats (or John Pelphrey - I say Ford) have just gotten blown off the court by the UNC Tarheels. Rebuilding? Heck, the Heels are BETTER this year with freshman phenom John Wall leading the Heels to the #1 ranking. Their dynamite frontcourt of Davis, Thompson and Wear are dunking in record numbers in transition and the Heels look to be in position to repeat as champs.
Memphis, of course is again loaded, with Xavier Henry and DeMarcus Cousins leading the charge, as the Tigers look to capture the first national title in Calipari's and the school's history.
Oh, the one in 2008? It's been vacated. But Cal didn't do anything, so it's OK.
Of course, none of that happened. It only could have, should have...but didn't. Freddie Brown will have always passed to James Worthy in 1982. Chris Webber will always have the ill-fated TO, and Colt McCoy will always be remembered as the winningest QB in college football history who led Texas to the 2009 BCS Title Game (and perhaps the title.)
You see in sports, just like life, it is the slimmest of slivers of time that affect our legacy.
But sometimes don't you wish you had Instant Replay too?
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Feeding the Fire
Yup. For those of you counting the Maniac has now hit on 8 of 9 picks, nearly every one of them not just right, but almost exactly mapped in terms of tempo and margin. SO - what do we have in store for today?
Here's some quick Sunday picks:
No official pick here, but I have a feeling UCF is going to give Notre Dame a handful and even pull off an upset today in the Joyce Center.
1PM - South Carolina is banged up, Clemson is coming off a stunning second half twenty-plus point collapse against Illinois. The Tigers will be jacked up and focused to host in state rival USC and cover the 7 point spread.
7PM - Arizona is 3-3, but has lost multiple OT and two point heartbreakers. Tonight they are getting 8 points at less-than stellar Oklahoma. This line fluttered too far after Oklahoma laid the lumber to Arkansas. It looks good in the boxscore, but again, Arkansas has been combing the campus to find bodies to dress. It is akin to beating a low-major this year. Give me Nic Wise and Sean Miller's Cats to cover.
7:30PM - Touch this game at your own peril. Villanova takes their #3 ranking to take on the Terps in DC...and is laying only 2? Seems low, but would anyone be surprised to see Grevies Vasquez go off for like 27-8-8 today in an upset? I wouldn't. I think 'Nova should be laying more but am staying away from an official pick on this one.
SEASON RECORD: 21-12-1 ATS
Here's some quick Sunday picks:
No official pick here, but I have a feeling UCF is going to give Notre Dame a handful and even pull off an upset today in the Joyce Center.
1PM - South Carolina is banged up, Clemson is coming off a stunning second half twenty-plus point collapse against Illinois. The Tigers will be jacked up and focused to host in state rival USC and cover the 7 point spread.
7PM - Arizona is 3-3, but has lost multiple OT and two point heartbreakers. Tonight they are getting 8 points at less-than stellar Oklahoma. This line fluttered too far after Oklahoma laid the lumber to Arkansas. It looks good in the boxscore, but again, Arkansas has been combing the campus to find bodies to dress. It is akin to beating a low-major this year. Give me Nic Wise and Sean Miller's Cats to cover.
7:30PM - Touch this game at your own peril. Villanova takes their #3 ranking to take on the Terps in DC...and is laying only 2? Seems low, but would anyone be surprised to see Grevies Vasquez go off for like 27-8-8 today in an upset? I wouldn't. I think 'Nova should be laying more but am staying away from an official pick on this one.
SEASON RECORD: 21-12-1 ATS
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Quick Saturday Picks
Marquette has looked great this year... But I'm not sure they are double digit favorites over a reasonable NC St squad. Give me the Pack and the ten points.
Ditto for Penn St. Not sure how they are 8 point dogs to a similarly talented Temple team. Love the Lions and 8.
Louisville is a ling way from a polished product. They might get there, but not quite yet. Aside from the fifty point pasting by Duke, Charlotte has actually played pretty well. The Maniac likes the 49ers and the +18.
Record to date: 18-12-1 ATS
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Ditto for Penn St. Not sure how they are 8 point dogs to a similarly talented Temple team. Love the Lions and 8.
Louisville is a ling way from a polished product. They might get there, but not quite yet. Aside from the fifty point pasting by Duke, Charlotte has actually played pretty well. The Maniac likes the 49ers and the +18.
Record to date: 18-12-1 ATS
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
CAA Battle
While nearly all hoops fans are watching Kentucky and Carolina square off, one of the better matchups of the early season will be taking place with much less fanfare.
Most hoops fans are familiar with VCU, courtesy of Eric Maynor and company's 2006 tourney bouncing of Duke. Well, Maynor is off the the NBA and graduated, but VCU is looking as tough as ever.
Their opponent is not nearly as accustomed to the spotlight, but has the early makings of a true March darling. William & Mary is looking to build on their win over Wake Forest and take early command of a solid Colonial Conference.
The question is which W&M team shows up? The Mary that lost to Harvard? Or the Big Bill that bounced Wake?
Either way it a game worth watching and one that honestly impacts the tourney landscape in terms of at-large bids far more than the marquee matchup in Lexington.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Most hoops fans are familiar with VCU, courtesy of Eric Maynor and company's 2006 tourney bouncing of Duke. Well, Maynor is off the the NBA and graduated, but VCU is looking as tough as ever.
Their opponent is not nearly as accustomed to the spotlight, but has the early makings of a true March darling. William & Mary is looking to build on their win over Wake Forest and take early command of a solid Colonial Conference.
The question is which W&M team shows up? The Mary that lost to Harvard? Or the Big Bill that bounced Wake?
Either way it a game worth watching and one that honestly impacts the tourney landscape in terms of at-large bids far more than the marquee matchup in Lexington.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
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