2014-2015 College Basketball Thread

[Butter]

Dayton loses to Davidson, 77-60. Davidson was playing without their best player as well, so it could've been much worse. It's hard to beat a team on the road, especially when that team hits 12 three-pointers, and shoots over 50%. Then it turns nearly impossible.

[tarcone]

Originally Posted by lungs

Pretty good game!

Jeez. Wiscy was on fire. Iowa didn't have a chance. That was a brutal beat down.

Wiscy is the cream of the B1G this year.

[lungs]

Originally Posted by tarcone

Wiscy is the cream of the B1G this year.

With the caveat that Frank Kaminsky must stay healthy.

[lungs]

Oh, and that Woodbury guy on Iowa needs to be taken out back and given a beatdown. What a douche bag.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Butter_of_69

Dayton loses to Davidson, 77-60. Davidson was playing without their best player as well, so it could've been much worse. It's hard to beat a team on the road, especially when that team hits 12 three-pointers, and shoots over 50%. Then it turns nearly impossible.

Not sure the "best player" mattered... they all can shoot, and when they're all hot like that they could beat anybody. Unfortunately probably knocks Dayton out of the top 25 before they come to Amherst next Thursday night.

UMass is the same inconsistent team they've always been (and always will be) under Kellogg. The guy's a very good recruiter, gets bonus points for being from and loving the area and being a solid guy, but is a weak in game coach and takes way too long to trust Freshmen or settle on any rotation. (This year's case is Zach Coleman, who I've been begging for since the exhibition, and is finally starting to get some minutes and putting up numbers.) That said we only have two bad losses this year, a weird semi-blowout at home by St. Bonnie when the combo of students being gone and terrible weather meant there was no noise or homecourt advantage and an FGCU game where Dunk City shot perfectly. But we've got a bad St. Joe's team on tap tonight, and anything could happen.

EDIT - And on cue, UMass loses. Coleman led the team in scoring 1st half and saw 4 minutes of action with 0 shots 2nd half. Btw, too bad he plays for the worst St. Joe's team in years, because DeAndre Bembry is a monster. 25/8/7 with 5 steals, 3 blocks in a 62-56 game. Averaging 17/7/3 with 2 steals, 1 block per game and only a sophomore.

[JonInMiddleGA]

GT loses to UVA 57-28.

Fewest points ever scored by GT in an ACC game.
Fewest points (12) ever scored in a half by GT in an ACC game.

Saddest part about that last bit? It was the second half, populated in fair part by the UVA reserves & walk-ons.

0-6 in conference play. Assuming the obvious, the 03-04 season was the last time GT finished above .500 in ACC play.

My son was 5.
He graduates from HS next year.

[dzilla77]

VT is in trouble on Sunday, but they know the threshold - 28 pts.

[Lathum]

UW gets a nice conference road win on a buzzer beater from Andrew Andrews. We didn't play our best ball, but gutted out the second half. 14-4 overall and back up to .500 in conference play.

We go to Utah on Sunday and I have no faith we can win that game but it would be huge, we just don't have the offensive firepower. After that will be a nice test getting Stanford and Cal both at home. Those are games we need to win to stay on track for a tournament berth.

[Julio Riddols]

The Hoosiers are surprising me this year.. Before the season I expected a sub .500 year with a train wreck finish where Crean was dumped and the team left for other schools, leaving the team to start from scratch again.

Instead they are 15-4, 5-1 in the big ten, coming off a big win over Maryland. I don't expect a final 4 from this team, but it has been nice to see them take all the preseason negativity and apparently use it as motivation. If their key players stay instead of jumping to the NBA, they could be real good in a year or two.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

UGH!!!!!

Not easy watching a young team grow through lots of playing time. Yet another excruciating close loss.

[MrBug708]

Another terrible road performance from UCLA

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Not sure how this didn't make the thread yet, but congrats to Coach K. Helluva achievement at any school. Was really nice of him to thank Coach Knight in his post-game interview.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Not sure the "best player" mattered... they all can shoot, and when they're all hot like that they could beat anybody. Unfortunately probably knocks Dayton out of the top 25 before they come to Amherst next Thursday night.

UMass is the same inconsistent team they've always been (and always will be) under Kellogg. The guy's a very good recruiter, gets bonus points for being from and loving the area and being a solid guy, but is a weak in game coach and takes way too long to trust Freshmen or settle on any rotation. (This year's case is Zach Coleman, who I've been begging for since the exhibition, and is finally starting to get some minutes and putting up numbers.) That said we only have two bad losses this year, a weird semi-blowout at home by St. Bonnie when the combo of students being gone and terrible weather meant there was no noise or homecourt advantage and an FGCU game where Dunk City shot perfectly. But we've got a bad St. Joe's team on tap tonight, and anything could happen.

EDIT - And on cue, UMass loses. Coleman led the team in scoring 1st half and saw 4 minutes of action with 0 shots 2nd half. Btw, too bad he plays for the worst St. Joe's team in years, because DeAndre Bembry is a monster. 25/8/7 with 5 steals, 3 blocks in a 62-56 game. Averaging 17/7/3 with 2 steals, 1 block per game and only a sophomore.

The stats make it appear that nothing has really changed with Jabarie Hinds. Is that the case? Same player different school?

[tarcone]

Originally Posted by lungs

Oh, and that Woodbury guy on Iowa needs to be taken out back and given a beatdown. What a douche bag.

That guy doesnt have a mean bone in his body. Fran told them to get a hand up to defend the 3 and he accidently poked a couple guys in the eye.
Even Kaminsky joked about it after the game. It wasnt intentional.

On another note, Iowa lost Aaron White in an ugly loss to Purdue. Team says a stinger. No one knows how long he is out.

[tarcone]

Here is a picture of Whites shoulder. He is listed as "day to day" with a stinger.

Im thinking its got to be much worse then a stinger.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Atocep

The stats make it appear that nothing has really changed with Jabarie Hinds. Is that the case? Same player different school?

Pretty much. Bounced back a little from his poor sophomore year (at least in non-con), still not as good as his freshman year. I knew all about the poor shooting, but I figured he'd at least be much more aggressive attacking and getting to the rim, and create some more steals with on-ball pressure than he has. WVU definitely won that "trade" with the A10 in getting Staten.

[Lathum]

http://blogs.seattletimes.com/huskym...of-team-rules/


Huge loss for the program but credit to Romar for doing the right thing.

[MrBug708]

He had a lot of "fit" issues in high school so it's not VA huge surprise unfortunately

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

He had a lot of "fit" issues in high school so it's not VA huge surprise unfortunately

It just sucks to see a kid piss away a second chance. He was given a second chance at a top rate university with a nurturing coach who puts guys into the NBA and was playing at a level that would have gotten him on a roster.

[cartman]

The Longhorns fell just short of completing an epic comeback last night. They couldn't hit the broad side of a barn for the first 30 minutes, while Iowa State was hitting at a nearly 60% rate and was up by 21. But over the last 11 minutes the Longhorns scored 47 points, with 23 coming in the last three minutes. But it wasn't enough, and the Cyclones won 89-86.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Pretty much. Bounced back a little from his poor sophomore year (at least in non-con), still not as good as his freshman year. I knew all about the poor shooting, but I figured he'd at least be much more aggressive attacking and getting to the rim, and create some more steals with on-ball pressure than he has. WVU definitely won that "trade" with the A10 in getting Staten.

His reluctance to drive and when he does drive the fact that he does everything in his power to avoid contact always drove me crazy. He has the tools to be a very good player, but instead chooses to make the weak parts of his game the focal point.

[Atocep]

VPI beats Pitt in OT in a game in which their starters combined to score 15 points.

[britrock88]

Originally Posted by Atocep

VPI beats Pitt in OT in a game in which their starters combined to score 15 points.

In fairness, 3 of those starters combined for 0/4 shooting in 23 minutes. So the bigger question, I guess, is why Buzz swapped out the regulars for the beginning of the game.

[Lathum]

Rubber meets the road for UW tonight. First game without Upshaw @ home vs. Stanford, then we get Cal @ home. Those games are pretty much must wins since we already lost on the road to both those teams. Our wins vs Oklahoma and SD State look further away and I'm sure the commitee will take into account we had Upshaw when we won those games, have to prove we can win without him.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Rubber meets the road for UW tonight. First game without Upshaw @ home vs. Stanford, then we get Cal @ home. Those games are pretty much must wins since we already lost on the road to both those teams. Our wins vs Oklahoma and SD State look further away and I'm sure the commitee will take into account we had Upshaw when we won those games, have to prove we can win without him.

It's going to take a damn-near miracle for the Huskies to be a tournament team at this point. It's not just losing Upshaw - which is a major, major blow - but also Jarreau being out for 3-5 more weeks and Johnson still not totally healthy.

NWG and AA have been playing 40 minutes each of late, and with Upshaw and JJ out it basically means Kemp has to play 35+ minutes (i.e. no foul trouble) with Dierickx the only other big available. Dorsey now becomes the 4, and Anderson will probably have to revert back to his role last year of filling in at the 4 as well.

[cartman]

The Big 12/SEC challenge is moving to a single day event next season, and it will be held in late January, after the start of conference play.

Big 12/SEC Challenge changing to single-day event in 2016 - ESPN

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Mission for Mizzou: Don't get beat by 30+ at home tonight like they did when they played at Kentucky.

[SackAttack]

we gonna diiiiiiiiie

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

we gonna diiiiiiiiie

Looks like the Mike Alden news may overshadow any blowout. That's not a bad thing.

[larrymcg421]

Rasheed Sulaimon Dismissed by Duke: Latest Updates and Reaction | Bleacher Report

[SackAttack]

we still gonna diiiiiiiiie

[tarcone]

Iowa gets Wiscy, UM, then Maryland in there next 3. Going 2-1 would be huge for a seed in the Dance.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

It didn't effect the end result, but the officiating in the second half of the Mizzou/UK game was just atrocious. There's absolutely no way that both teams should be in the bonus before the first TV timeout. That was a painful half of basketball to watch no matter who you were rooting for.

[SackAttack]

we're only mostly dead!

[digamma]

The Ivy League season truly begins tonight with the first back to back weekend of the year. Harvard and Dartmouth are at Princeton and Penn. Columbia and Cornell host Yale and Brown.

I picked Yale to win the league at the beginning of the season and they look to be in the driver's seat. They swept Brown while Harvard had an inexplicable split versus Dartmouth. The league is very balanced this year but it's hard to see anyone else contending over 14 games.

So that leaves Harvard very little room for error. It's tough to say tonight versus Princeton is a must win, but when you consider next weekend is at Yale and Brown it starts to feel that way. Not a great set of facts for a team without a real offensive identity and that has probably gotten worse since the start of the season.

The picks:
Princeton +4.5 vs Harvard
Dartmouth -2 at Penn
Yale -2.5 at Columbia
Brown +2 at Cornell

[Butter]

Fucking UMass.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by digamma

The Ivy League season truly begins tonight with the first back to back weekend of the year. Harvard and Dartmouth are at Princeton and Penn. Columbia and Cornell host Yale and Brown.

I picked Yale to win the league at the beginning of the season and they look to be in the driver's seat. They swept Brown while Harvard had an inexplicable split versus Dartmouth. The league is very balanced this year but it's hard to see anyone else contending over 14 games.

So that leaves Harvard very little room for error. It's tough to say tonight versus Princeton is a must win, but when you consider next weekend is at Yale and Brown it starts to feel that way. Not a great set of facts for a team without a real offensive identity and that has probably gotten worse since the start of the season.

The picks:
Princeton +4.5 vs Harvard
Dartmouth -2 at Penn
Yale -2.5 at Columbia
Brown +2 at Cornell

Go Yale!

[digamma]

2-2 tonight. Harvard won, but Princeton covered. Yale barely covered. Penn and Cornell won "big" by 7 and 8 points.

[lungs]

Originally Posted by tarcone

Iowa gets Wiscy, UM, then Maryland in there next 3. Going 2-1 would be huge for a seed in the Dance.

0-1

[digamma]

Harvard and Yale both swept, so if they both win next Friday, it sets up a huge game in new haven next Saturday.

[britrock88]

UNC blowing an 18-point lead in Louisville... ugh. Big foul imbalance, but an utter inability to handle the press and the usual leakage of O-boards to the Cardinals did us in eventually.

Virginia's 13-point lead evaporating when Duke pulled a Duke... ugh.

At least M-MSU has been fun today.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by digamma

Harvard and Yale both swept, so if they both win next Friday, it sets up a huge game in new haven next Saturday.

Great to see the Crimson getting themselves in position.

I haven't posted here in awhile, but W&M now officially sits atop the CAA by themselves just over halfway through conference play. Marcus Thornton, our Senior PG, is on pace to break the career scoring record at W&M.

Strongly hoping that we are finally able to get ourselves out of the "which 5 schools?" trivia question.

[britrock88]

Originally Posted by wade moore

Great to see the Crimson getting themselves in position.

I haven't posted here in awhile, but W&M now officially sits atop the CAA by themselves just over halfway through conference play. Marcus Thornton, our Senior PG, is on pace to break the career scoring record at W&M.

Strongly hoping that we are finally able to get ourselves out of the "which 5 schools?" trivia question.

What are the other 4?

[henry296]

Northwestern is one of them.

[Butter]

St. Francis (NY), The Citadel, and Army are the other 3 schools who have been eligible for the NCAA Tournament since its inception but have never made it in the field.

[henry296]

Originally Posted by Butter_of_69

St. Francis (NY), The Citadel, and Army are the other 3 schools who have been eligible for the NCAA Tournament since its inception but have never made it in the field.

St. Francis has a good chance to break their streak this year as well. They are in first place of their conference.

[wade moore]

Yup! Not sure if it adds to or takes away from the story if it's two teams or one team that "breakthrough" this year.

[britrock88]

What happens if 1 of these 5 runs into APR issues and becomes postseason ineligible for a season? Do they fall out of the running? :P

[Izulde]

UNLV has won 3 straight but too little too late IMO (obvious conf tourney win aside). On the bright side, Goodluck has 58 blocked shots, setting a Mountain West freshman record.

[Lathum]

Syracuse basketball team self-imposes postseason ban this year in response to NCAA investigation - ESPN

How noble of them in a seaon where they weren't going to make the tournament anyway.