College Hoops '13-'14

THE game around here is underway. Although Louisville is favored by 3 over Kentucky, this one is virtually a toss up for a number of reasons. Don't know if either one will make the Final Four again this year, but they always put on a good show. Besides, who wants to talk about the Hull fiasco...

 

Well, that was interesting. The Wildcats grew up a little bit against U of L at Rupp. The question is, will it stick? Those road SEC games can be a bit tricky for them, as history proves. The Cards will be O.K. Their rebounding weaknesses were on full display, but that's the sort of thing that can be rectified. They have a chance to be better than last year's team, which spells trouble for the one time through AAC schedule this season. Gonna be an interesting new year, for sure. Wouldn't surprise me to see either team make a deep March run if everyone stays healthy and continues to improve which, with these two coaches, is pretty much a given.

 

Heading to the Mecca tonight aka Pauley Pavilion aka The House the Wizard Built for my #1 ranked Arizona Wildcats and UCLA. Haven't been to a game there since it was refurbished, but if there was a thread for arenas/stadiums fo American sports fans to visit ( :think:..) Pauley would be on my list. Can't tell you how cool it was to be at a game there, with a good view of John Wooden when he was alive and still attending games. As for the game, I expect the Bruins to play their A+ game and ride the raucous crowd to a possible win. The Wildcats are incredibly balanced, and there isn't a Cat fan out there that is thinking anything less than a trip to the Final 4.

 

Since A&M has returned to hoops purgatory (if you want to see the definition of bad luck, just google Billy Kennedy) I'll probably refrain from this thread until March.

 

Yeah, but that was March Madness. To be expected.

 

I know he's a football season ticket holder for the Buffs, but not sure how much dtown pays attention to the hoops team at Colorado. They had a team quite capable of making a deep run in March until they lost their best player Spencer Dinwiddle on Sat. Fingers crossed his MRI turns out that he's out for a few weeks and not for the season as it's feared.

 

Got last minute tix to see the Cards last night at the bucket. Only the second time I've seen them there as a "civilian" since the building opened in 2010. They're not good enough to win the national championship this season, but they ARE gonna scare the **** out of somebody along the way. Just too many losses on the front line to be serious contenders this year. But, MAN, they can shoot the three! And that's the great equalizer in the college game. Plus, they're feasting on the bottom feeders of a very weak conference on the way to the ACC next year. Still, I wouldn't want to play them in the big dance, especially shooting the way they did last night. If they somehow manage to get improved inside play, they've got an outside shot at another Final Four. And once you get there, who knows? Pitino is fond of saying that shooting is fool's gold. And someone once said live by the three, die by the three. It's fun to watch, that's for sure.

 

Freshmen Terry Rozier is from our local high school so I'll be watching and cheering for the Cardinals this year!

 

Yes, ma'am, he had a career high last night!

 

Yes, ma'am, he had a career high last night![/quote]

also four assists and three steals. I guess the team is not shaving as long as they keep winning and he has no mustache, no beard, no hair - nothing. They call him Baby face.

 

Jump, wondering if you saw the game. Cardinals with a shot in the last seconds to knock off #7 ranked Cincinnati! This was a really good result. They blew a good lead by doing some stupid things they will hopefully learn from for the future, but still got the win. :banana-dance:

 

Indeed, I did! Also watch Kentucky's last second win over LSU. A lot of raised blood pressures around these parts today. I'm sure everyone's well lubricated and calmed down by now. I still can't figure out how these teams are gonna do in the tournament. I'm just hoping to get in on some of the post season road fun, but the chances are slimmer with Indiana out of the mix. I'm not optimistic about making it to Dallas for my 3rd consecutive Final Four but, as someone once said, stranger things have happened. I'd really like to get in on the AAC tourney in Memphis. Haven't been there since '05, Louisville's last season in Conference USA. Might even get to cover some women's action this year. Kentucky and Louisville are both highly ranked, with Louisville having a really good chance of getting back to their Final Four in Nashville. Shoni Schimmel is having an outstanding season for them, and most of the team is back from last year's national runners up.

 

Arizona with it's best performance at Colorado since the devastating injury to Brandon Ashley. This was the best UofA team since the team w/Gilbert Arenas and Luke Walton lost in the Championship game to Puke 'er Duke in 01' (and that includes multiple Sweet 16 and Elite 8 teams). With Ashley I thought that a Final 4 trip was highly likely, without him we still have a chance, but will need Aaron Gordon to step up his scoring like he did in Boulder last night.

 

I watched a good chunk of it Joe, and was mightily impressed. They dismantled that team on their home court like a bad lawn mower engine. If they can keep it together through next month (and ain't that always the trick), I like their chances of getting to Dallas. A lot.

 

No you had it right, it's Puke. Just ask Boeheim.

Duck Fuke!!!

 

Tradition is in the eye of the beholder. I grew up watching the Terps and I don't have memories from my youth of games with Florida St, Miami, Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Boston College & sometimes Notre Dame. When adding those teams costs Maryland games with Carolina, Duke, Virginia & Clemson, then tradition was going to be lost whether they stayed in the ACC or not.

I don't fault the ACC for looking out for it's financial interests to try and keep up, but at the same time, I can't fault Maryland for doing the same. They are going to make a boatload more money in the Big Ten (or B1G or whatever it winds up being called) and get much better exposure.

 

Rutgers is also joining the Big Ten, making it 14 teams starting next season.

 

Also, after some years of horrible, horrible basketball, it is nice to have my Hawkeyes half decent again. Haven't been to the tournament since 2006 and haven't won a tournament game since 2001.