Around the country- 1/3/09

[Wulaw Horn]

Pitt just dismantled Gg-town on the offensive boards. G-town forced many misses but they couldn't close out the defensive possession often enough with a board.

I said that I liked Pitt and G-town both a lot in the big east- Pitt moreso then anyone else. I saw nothing to change that assessment as they are men on defense and on the boards. They never seem to play well in the tourney, and they schedule like nancy boys but they are goingg to be a 1 or 2 seed imo.

G-town looked very good in spurts and watching their offense when they have it running at a high level is fun in a way that it isn't fun to watch UT in the half court set. I think we are better than G-town but in a sense that I'd like us 6 out of 10, not in a sense that I'd be surprised at anything.

As I'm writing this I'm watching KU dismantle Tennessee as they are up 16 waiting on the under 12 timeout. KU looks better than I've seen them look all year. Some nice backcuts, some nice shooting and getting out in transition and running the court well.

I'm still not sold on KU and think they are something like the 4th or 5th best team in the conference, but I wouldn't be surprised if they finish higher due to the fact that the North is much weaker then the south so they'll have more gimme games then a team like A&M, for example, that I think is a little better than KU.

Still and all, they seem to be progressing. I'd rather see them early in the year then go to Lawrence in the last game of the season, but the schedule makers didn't do us any favors. I'm quite certain they wanted us late b/c of the high quality of the games we've played with them recently and that's a showcase game for the conference.

 

[Wulaw Horn]

It's also hard to say how much of KU looking good is them playing at a high level and how much of it relates to tennessee having a very cavalier attitude toward the defensive end of the floor.

I really like watching Tenn but wouldn't like being a fan b/c you just know that they are going to lose games they shouldn't b/c they have no committment to play solid d.

But they are fun to watch in a phoenix seven seconds or less kinda way, and I'm glad they exist while I mock their chances of advancing particularly far in the tourney.

 

[Bob in Houston]

Good regular-season team, no question.

This will be an interesting 20 minutes, to see if Tennessee can play themselves into a close game.

I agree that KU doesn't look like the real thing. They are decent, and clearly well-coached... taking advantage of Tennessee's defensive lapses. But if Tennessee drops in a couple of threes, it's a game. I wouldn't have expected that about a half-hour ago.

 

[Wulaw Horn]

Tenn just flat can't be trusted. I had them in my final 4 two years ago and watched them cough up a 25 point hairball to an Ohio State team that while good was in no way, shape or form dynamic.

They beat Memphis last year but lost to us by a jillion. After running us off the court the previous year.

If they get hot they are the prototypical team that can beat anyone, anyplace, anywhere. But they ain't consistent and they can make other teams look good. I like pearl and don't understand his banishment over the recruiting thing years ago. It seems like the way the story is told that he was the injured party in the whole deal, while the cheagters got away with it.

 

[Wulaw Horn]

Notre Dame v St. Johns in a 1 point game in the garden under 5.

ND is very overrated at 7 or 10 depending upon which poll you believe or use.

They are like Tenn in that they can beat anyone if they are hot from behind the arc, but they aren't going to finish higher then 5th in the big east in my opinion. Not consistent enough.

we are really going to regret that loss come seeding time imo.

I've got the big east shaking out something like this:

Pitt/UConn/G-town all top 3 seeds

Louisville/Syracuse/ND 4 or 5 seed types

Marquette/Nova/west Va 5-10 types.

Cincy and the Hall as bubble type teams.

Nova isn't as good as we'd hoped and UND isn't consistent enough to crack the upper eschelon of College Hoops, which is where their ranking is right now.

I'd say that they could be had by a team like Wiscy or Arkansas for example that we've played. I'd definately take Michigan State to be favored over them (or us if we played again). I wouldn't be shocked if they have a couple of big wins in conference when they get it rolling, but they are going to lose to teams worse then them as well.

Maybe starting with today.

 

[Wulaw Horn]

Just as I was getting ready to post that St. Johns looks like they are going to close it out they miss the front end of a 1 and 1 up 5 with about 22 seconds. UND comes down and hits a 3 right away and it's a 2 point game with 17 seconds left. St. Johns lead and ball.

Watching the ticker a couple of interesting scores from around the country:

Arky is down 5 to North Texas right before half. Not a good build upon after beating OU.

Missou struggles with a really bad Georgia team all day long. They won by 6 or so. Saw the game was basically tied at halftime.

Special shout out to Baylor to losing to a very average South Carolina team.

The Big 12 just isn't very good this year folks, that's what is driving my prediction of a 1 or 2 seed for Texas and a 14-2 ish conference record.

St. Johns hits the front end of the 1 and 1 and calls time out. Up three with 1 FT pending, both teams now in double bonus and possession arrow with ND

 

[Wulaw Horn]

St. Johns looks like they are going to close it out.

UND gtook a horrible 3 point attempt with 5 seconds left with no separation and without his feet set. Now UND is hearing the overrated chant not just from Wulaw Horn on Hornfans but from the 10's of Redmen fans at the garden.

Really interested in wake at BYU tonight. Wish it was on tv, maybe 360 on the cpu for me?

I'm going out on a limb and predicting a win for the stormin mormons tonight. Anyone else watching college hoops today?

 

[Ramathorn]

Did Tenn run us off the court the year before last?

 

[Bob in Houston]

'05-06. The next year, they almost pulled it off in Knoxville. Last year, they shot 60 percent in New Jersey.

 

[Horn69]

Wulaw, the BYU game is on "mtn" network if you get that.

Enjoy your posts.

Hook'em!!!

 

[KosherHorn]

Good, solid win by KU and a win they needed. It's never too early to start building an NCAA resume, and KU finally did that, though I don't think the Vols are anything spectacular.

I missed the Pitt game but WOW what an impressive win. Were they as good as the score indicated?

 

[Horn69]

Wake's having trouble at BYU - up 1 with 17 min left. 54-53.

Hook'em!!!

 

[Wulaw Horn]

Pitt played very well, so did G-town until about 15 minutes left. Game went from tied to Pitt up double digits in the space of 4 or 5 minutes.

 

[Horn69]

Wake stays undefeated...94-87 ending a 50+ home winning streak of BYU. game was much closer than the final score. refs called the game very close, too close, and BYU's 3 biggest guys all fouled out. Teague for WF led with 30 points. They seemed way more athletic than BYU - but they are TALL and can shoot.

23,000 fans - a great crowd and one can see why BYU had such a long winning streak there. Tough win for Wake.

Hook'em!!!

 

[Bob in Houston]

KH, Pitt chewed up Georgetown like Georgetown chewed up UConn.

 

[Wulaw Horn]

Almost called the upset with the Mormons, it was a tie game with about 2 left.

Very impressive win for Wake. Haven't seen them yet on TV- will try to rectify that as soon as I can.

Not to belabor a point too much or anything but that Pitt v Gtown game was really very good for 25 or 30 minutes. Pitt is better though, and a tough matchup for pretty much anyone on the boards. Best team in the best conference I think, but we'll have to wait and see some to know for sure (on the team- I don't think anyone can really argue the big east isn't the best conference).

Pitt is my 2nd best one seed but I wouldn't like them against UNC. Still not seeing anyone I would like against them, but haven't seen Wake and don't know if they get them at home or not.

I don't like Duke all that much from what I've seen of them 2 or 3 times. Don't get me wrong, I'd anticipate them beating us by 30 if we met up b/c that's the voodoo they have on us, but still, not a huge fan this year. And I'm no duke hater, always kinda liked them and their program and coach K (but not Dukie V).