This Thanksgiving be Thankful it wasn't on TV...

"At least it wasn't on TV"

That would have to be the sentiments of more than a few coaches so far this young season. I understand that early season "upsets" are usually more based on name value than actual surprise on the court, but there have been a few scores that defy logic. For example, the Long Beach State win over Pitt.  A surprise, but not a shock.  Ditto for Cleveland State over a Vandy team missing glue-guy Festus Azili.

The losses  below, however, are ones the respective coaches and fan bases are going to have a harder time overlooking; the kind of losses that can be profile-crippling when a team's resume is thrown up on the big board in March...

North Florida 69 - Wright State 52

Not that Wright State is Butler's heir apparent in the Horizon League, but they certainly fashioned themselves as contenders.  There was no shame in the opening night blowout loss at Ohio State, and even some valor in a hard-fought 11 point loss to Florida several nights ago.  There is no excuse or rationale for a 17-point thumping at the hands of the new-to-D1 Osprey.  That one is just ugly.

St. Joseph's 66 - Georgia Tech 53

St. Joe's is a long way removed from the Jameer Nelson era.  Picked as low as 11th in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll the Hawk was flapping 40-strong against Georgia Tech, delivering a resounding answer to the "are the Yellow Jackets back?" question that seemed relevant after their dispatching of a depleted but respectable VCU squad... That's be "no" for my less clever readers...

Missouri 87 - Notre Dame 58

Ok, so this one was on TV.  And Missouri is really good.  But after Tim Abromitis and crew stumbled to a subsequent loss to a really poor Georgia team, the expectations for this Notre Dame team dropped from "back to the NCAA's hoping to get through the first weekend" to "finish high enough in the Big East to not have to play in the opening round of the Big East tourney."  I'm not sure that is even likely...  This team is so unathletic (sic.) it is frightening...

For the last time, no one "blew hoes"

Presbyterian 56 - Cincinnati 54

This one was so ugly, the Bearcats were booed off their floor in their home opener.  Presbyterian's next contest was a seven-point loss to Western Carolina.  Ouch.  It probably didn't help that half the Cincinnati bench was giggling every time the PA announcer said "Blue Hose"...


Loyola Marymount 69 - UCLA 58

It certainly didn't help any when LMU went out and lost their next twogames to Middle Tennessee State and Harvard (both actually are solid squads - expect both to be pesky 13/14 seeds in March), making UCLA their only win on the season... A single win also remains true for UCLA who are left hanging their hats on a single win over Chaminade in Maui...

Elon 58 - South Carolina 53

Go away Elon loss, go away!

My uncle, the proudest and perhaps only professional fisherman alumnus of mighty Elon College was smiling wide as can be following the surprising upset.  The same can not be said for Gamecock head coach Darrin Horn.  I imagine there were a few expletives thrown around the locker room after the follow up loss to Tennessee State.  It's going to be a long, long season for the Gamecocks in the talented SEC East .