Okay, this portion of the board has been way too dead for us being so close to the tourney and all. yeah, I know it's not exactly right around the corner, but a month isn't exactly that far away, either. Personally, I find myself scoreboard watching much more now, reading every single article about college ball online, and simply analyzing seeding possibilities and RPI until my eyes bleed! Anyway, any thoughts or feedback on the season thus far? I'd love to get some discussion going. I'm a UT alum, so obviously I'm a huge Horns fan. I do think they can play with any team in the country, though I don't think they are the best team in the country. I could see them making a final 4, or even title run, but I couldn't call them a favorite. I think that still sticks with 'zona. I think a team like Marquette needs to be watched in the tourney. I just like their versatility and solid D. They'll benefit from those games vs. Louisville, Cincy and Memphis in Conference USA. I also think Cal could make some serious noise with the right matchups. Tamir and Shipp add much more offense to a team that could defend last year, but couldn't put pts on the board for crap. What do you all think about Creighton? Can they do any damage? Who is overrated? Underrated? I still see Florida flaming out again in the tourney, while a team like Georgia or Miss. St. could make a nice run. I feel like OSU will run into problems scoring when they need it most, while Kansas will rely on that 1-2 punch of Collison and Frodo...errr....Heinrich to do just enought to NOT win a national championship....again. I've said my piece. What do you all think? Ha....Louisville goes down just as I finish typing this! Let the madness ensue!
'Quette burned me to a crisp last year. I loved that squad and picked them as my dark horse to go to the Final Four. Then they lose in the first round, and I'm toast in all my pools after just five hours of the tourney! But I still love them. Great guards make deep tourney runs, and Dwayne Wade is a year better and wiser than last year. Possible dark horse. Cal can win the right matchup, but they've got a size problem. A team with a dominant big man will take them out in the tourney -- kind of like what happened to them when they lost in Tempe to ASU. (Makes you wonder how much better they'd be if Jamal Sampson hadn't come out early just to sit on the Bucks bench.) But with the right matchups and a high seed, they can make a run. Speaking of ASU, they can play. Watch them. Agree on Texas, Florida, and Kansas. Hate to say it, but Oklahoma is legit. I still like Indiana for some reason even though they've tailed off since the start of the season. Down year for the ACC. Creighton? Maybe a win or two, but that's it. Can't wait for March.
I'm a big Aggie fan, were 12-8 right now and will be heading to the NIT I think. I like Duke again this year or maybe Oklahoma or Kansas.
I think A&M could possibly make the NCAA tourney. If they could only get 1 more marquee win..... I think Florida is too inconsistent to make a serious run. KU isn't deep enough.....I do think UT, OU, and OSU will make some nice runs. UT because of some serious depth, and OU and OSU because defense wins championships. I don't see what the big deal is with Arizona.....like UF, they too are very inconsistent.
If it wasn't common knowledge before, know now that Duke can't win on the road. Too young, and it'll be hard to remedy that enough to go more than 2 deep in the ncaa tourney this season. Nick Horvath? I think that says it all about how much they miss Jay-Dub et al. About marquette- i had them taking a couple games last year, too. My dark horse was USC going to the final 4, and they almost screwed me losing in the first round! However, i successfully picked s. illinois to go to the sweet 16, kent st to go to the elite 8, and mizzou and ucla to advance pretty far, as well as maryland as the champ, so i ended up winning my league, and being in the top 100 or so nationally for a while. Guess all my incessant research paid off for once.... I like Cal, and ASU can play. Cal would be in better shape with Sampson, although I do like Tamir. He plays outside too much- more of a finesse big man. However, both teams are extremely athletic, and can hang with just about anyone. I don't like Indiana for whatever reason. I think they started hitting 3's out the ass in the tourney, and combined with solid D and free throw shooting, that is hard to stop. I mean, their 3 pt shooting was just sick at times. NO WAY i thought they'd get by OU, but they did. I think they might make the tourney, and the experience might help, but I don't see them doing too much this year. Frankly, the big 10 looks horrible. ACC does, too. I see a Big 12, SEC final 4, with only a team like zona or ND/ Pitt crashing that.
Arizona will probably put it together and at least get to the final 4. Say what you want about their inconsistency--they have only lost 2 games, they have beat Texas, beat Kansas (on the road, dismantling them inthe 2nd half), beat Cal, and beat ASU. They are a pressing teams (Kentucky, Duke) worse nightmare because Gardner, Stoudamire and Walton can all really handle the ball. Arizona will need Walton to stay healthy and get his conditioning to last year's turney form, if they do they are the clear favorites IMO. Kentucky has been very impressive. But I'll need to see how they play if they are not forcing TOs (can they beat you in the 1/2 court?). Texas, OU and KU are serious forces from the Big 12--OSU I am less convinced. IMO Arizona, Texas & Florida all the have best overall collections of talent--inside players, outside players, depth--but they need to put it all together. Kentucky maybe belongs here too. Duke is a complete doughnut team, they will not make the final 4. I don't think any ACC team will make the final 4 actually, though Maryland I think will hang the longest. IMO it will be a real advantage to be the #1 or #2 overall seed--I think the overall #3-#6 seeds are all going to be indistinguishable and none with have much an advantage of the other. Arizona (assuming the lose only 1-2 more games going into bracket sunday), the SEC turney winner (if Kentucky or Florida) and the Big 12 turney winner (if OU or Texas) are the likely candidates for 1-2. Pittsburgh or Louiseville or ND would have to run the table from here on out to get the the overall #1 or #2--not likely. Pure guess, but right now I think it will end.... #1 Arizona (#1 seed W) #2 Kentucky (#1 seed SE, could be FU here) #3 OU (#1 seed MW, could be Tx here) #4 Florida (#1 seed E, could be UK here) #5 Texas (#2 seed E, could be OU here) #6 Louiseville (#2 seed MW) #7 Pittsburgh (#2 seed SE) #8 ????(#2 seed W) It is going to suck for the #1 seeds with a runner up from the two elite conferences like Texas or OU or Florida or Kentucky as the #2 in their bracket. As far as darkhorses. ASU and Cal are scary and have talent to pull some upsets--but the Bears will get worn down (little depth) and neither has great guard play that I think teams need to keep a long turney run going. Not a believer in Creighton. KU, even if they don't impress the rest of the regular season and Big 12 turney (end up as a #4 seed) could get really scary in the turney for a #1 seed team. They will get Simeon back. That is a vert talented team inside and out could turn it on at the end. I am holding out my opinion of Big East and CUSA teams until after I see their conference turneys.
A&M...are you crazy? Who they beat other than Mizzou? This year is REALLY wide open. I think Kentucky and Marquette are overrated. OU is solid, OSU is good but they are very shaky, Kansas has no depth and don't seem very tough IMO, Texas is good but they have trouble with zones and have no offensive character, like no go-to guy if you know what I mean. I would not be surprised, almost expecting us to lose at OSU, maybe Tech also, but I doubt that since we actually have home court advantage now. Arizona is clearly the best team IMO when everyone is healthy. They have experience with Walton, Gardner, and Anderson. Shooters like Stoudemire, decent post play with Frye and the other guy. Two good freshman in Iguodala and Adams. Watch out for ND, Louisville, Florida, PItt, and I STILL like UConn to make some noise. What the hell happened to Oregon, Indiana, Cincinatti? Maryland is better than Duke. Wake isn't bad. ASU is way inconsistent. I like Millage and Braxton, but they aren't very consistent. I don't know much about Cal. Don't forget Georgia and MIss St. in SEC. Don't think Xavier is all that. Really to me, it's Arizona and everyone else. It should be very interesting because this year is one of the most wide open in awhile.
horns all the way. with mouton, ford, ivey, thomas, and buckman...there's five who can put on a show. then add harris for bombs, and boddicker is a consistant shooter...wow, ut's legit. i think i hear the familiar ring of "final four."
I'd love it if the Aggies could make it, but I don't see it. So, I'll be going for Duke like always. However, I think their youth and lack of inside presence will keep them out of the final four. J.J. Reddick is already one of my favorite college basketball players ever.
I honestly don't think the aggies will get in this year. However, as a UT alum and a huge fan of the big 12, I'm proud to say that I honestly feel that the big 12 has improved as a conference from the top all the way to the bottom. That, to me, is the sign of a premiere conference. IN years past, there were anywhere from 2 to 4 teams that were pure garbage, or gimme wins. Now, Nebraska is sorry due to their best player being hurt to start the conference play. But Baylor wins IN stillwater, Colorado takes down Texas and KU, The aggies beat Mizzou...it goes on. I think that if Colorado can manage to finish at .500, they'll get that 6th big 12 berth. But for the love of god, they need to beat someone, ANYONE, on the road. If they can do that, and maybe take a game in the big 12 tourney, they'll be on their way. Tech is in trouble. They are 4-6, with games up next vs. the horns and OSU, i believe. I'll be at that Texas-Texas Tech game tomorrow night, pulling for the Horns. I do believe they are a national championship contender, but I believe it'll be next year, if TJ stays, that they'll be a championship FAVORITE. Can you imagine this same team returning intact again next year? Only Ross, Erskin and Ogden will be gone, all 8th, 9th, and 10th men off the bench, at this point. WOW. Anyway, I hope Syd is ok. Didn't look good though. I think Texas is no worse than a 2 seed right now for the tourney, but there is still plenty of ball left to be played....
SIX teams from the Big 12? That's pushing it. Obviously Texas, OU, and Kansas. OSU probably, and Mizzou was a bubble team, but not too sure. Is Baylor higher than A&M because they ARE better, and they're only NIT bound.
Baylor's like 2-8. There are 5 Big 12 teams in the RPI top 20....OU, OSU, Texas, Kansas and Missouri. Those are basically locks to get in....Tech, A&M and Colorado are basically fighting for one spot, possibly 2.
I think Colorado gets it. They need to beat Baylor and ISU on the road this week...not a terrible task, then beat Nebraska and/or OSU at home, I believe. Then, just don't lose in the first round of the BigXII tourney.
....sucks balls, very overated. Jones is the best overall player on that team and he is only a very good player, not a great one. I really hope Duke wins the ACC turney and gets the #2 seed in the west opposite Arizona. Than Arizona can tear them a new one in the round of eight. The big 12 will almost definetely get 6 teams in. The top 5 are a complete, total lock (Tx, KU, OU, OSU, MU). CU, A&M and/or Tech will make it if they can finish 500 in conference. The only way it will be sticky for the NCAA committee is if CU, Tech and A&M all finish below 500 in conference. And then they still might take one of them if they win at least one game in the Big 12 turney. BTW the SEC is a LOCK for 6, possibly they could get 7 in. They don't have the top heavy power of the Big 12--but better middle range teams. I think many of you are way underestimating Kansas. The Big 12 IMO has clearly 3 of the top 7 in terms of legit chances at the final 4. Right now I would handicap odds for the final 4 like..Arizona 1-1, UK 3-5, OU 1-2, TX 1-2, Lou 1-3, Kan 1-3, Flor 2-7--those IMO are your 7 best shots to win it all. The gap between these 7 and anyone else (Duke? Pitt?)--is BIG--looks like whoever gets the overall #1 seed has a big advantage (much weaker #2 in their bracket).
Totally agree that those are the 7 teams that can win it all. Which is the amazing thing about this year. I can't remember the last time I thought there were more than 4 teams with a legit shot to win the whole thing. Should be a great tourney.
Obviously coming from a bitter, jealous Duke-hater. He's a freshman. He's not rated that high to begin with.
I am just speaking the truth, that Reddick and the Dorkies suck balls. I admit it they can't help it, I have no reason to be bitter, my favorite teams are quite a bit better than the Dorkies. At least this year you won't have to swallow another el foldo like you did last year versus Indiana--I am sure they will get well spanked out of the turney at no fault of their own. Maybe as you say Reddick isn't that highley rated and will be another flop like MD2, I don't know why quite a few people post like he is the best thing since sliced bread however.
