College basketball 2009-10 running thread No. 1

louisville and kentucky; ugliest first half of a basketball game i have seen in 10 years.

 

You've been lucky. It's not even top 10 for me.

 

The flagrant foul against Wake Forest was a good call, and the ejection shouldn't have been questioned in any way, shape or form.

The Zags will be ready come March. Didn't duck anyone and, barring another repeat of the Duke game, won't be an easy out. Nothing new here ...

 

KU looked good today. Really good. Thought for sure going to No. 19 Temple (only two losses despite a SOS at 40) would be the Jayhawks' toughest game to date, but they controlled the game from start to finish. Didn't expect that, nor only a six-point by Texas against Texas A&M-CC.

 

0-11 Arkansas-Pine Bluff has a higher RPI (206) than the Arkansas Razorbacks (237).

If Frank Broyles were still around, his trigger finger would be getting mighty itchy.

 

I liked the Temple students chanting "Overrated" before the game started. Not sure I've seen that before.

While Kansas is deep and talented, it's obvious to me that it's still Sherron Collins' and Cole Aldrich's team.

 

OK, we're just getting rolling into conference play and it is clear to me that three most talented teams are Kansas, Texas and Kentucky.

But of the three, Kansas is the only one I'd consider to be a lock to get to the Final Four.

Yesterday showed me Jim Boeheim's bunch will underachieve again and the Big East will likely get shut out of the Final Four because I don't think any of those teams are really without flaws to be honest.

 

Zag ... I'd throw Purdue in that category, too. That's a strong, seasoned team that's been together three years now, and they have some great wins already -- the blowout of WVU, wins over Tennessee and Wake Forest. Their game at Bama really impressed me. I know Bama isn't great, but to come from behind the way they did was impressive. Call me a Boiler Believer.

 

I think Purdue is one of the best teams, too, I forgot about them. I don't know they are quite as talented as Texas or Kentucky or Kansas, but they are certainly very talented and very well coached and frankly, going to be a real bitch for anyone to knock out of the tourney.

I would say along with Kansas, Purdue is a second team I'd consider a virtual Final Four lock.

 

The thing that scares me about Purdue is the lack of a true point guard, which could be exposed during the tournament with the proper matchup. Otherwise, they're a really solid team with no glaring weaknesses.

 

Especially against the top three, all of which have very good (and very fast) point guards.

 

This may be a year where you tournament selection committee (and everyone else) might want to take the RPI with a grain of salt.

http://www.realtimerpi.com/rpi_Men.html

No. 1? West Virginia, which got its shit handed to them by Purdue. Thing is, they weren't No. 1 before the Purdue game. Boilermakers are fifth.

No. 2? Kansas? Duke? Texas? Of course not. Not when WILLIAM AND FUCKING MARY is out there. This is the program that has an NIT participation banner hanging in its hall and played Vassar this season.

Other oddities: New Mexico sixth, Rhode Island eighth and VCU 14th -- all ahead of Kentucky (16th)

And congratulations, Houston Baptist, you're ranked 347th out of 347. Strangely enough, so were most of your students in high school.