College basketball 2009-10 running thread No. 1

In the grand scheme, with all the teams lined up in a row, Syracuse is not one of the 4 best teams in America.
Sorry.

Villanova and WVa are better than Syracuse

 

Rumors are flying around on the Iowa message boards as KCJJ radio in Iowa City is reporting that Iowa coach Todd Lickliter will resign due to health reasons at the end of the season.

There is no confirmation on this story. But it's disturbing that this is coming out as Iowa and Michigan are playing right now in the B-10 tourney in Indy.

 

I didn't know anybody was getting byes this season. Did they secretly expand the field?

 

You're right, D-III. And it's similar to what's been happening with Ernie Kent at Oregon, with rumors swirling as the Ducks play in the Pac-10 tourney. Although, Kent's departure would not be his choice.

Also, what in the heck happened to Gatens? He looks like a shadow of his former self today.

EDIT: I see that Gatens has had a solid season. Don't get to see much Hawkeyes b-ball out here in the PST zone!

 

There's a rumor (circulating mainly around my household) that Wake's out with a loss today and the NCAA is going to invite one or two more SEC teams.

 

The Atlantic-10, especially if Dayton and Rhode Island make it to the tournament semis, have reason to like it with Memphis losing, Wake on the ropes, etc.

 

I think I saw something on KVAL-TV's site that Ernie was told that he was being whacked before the Pac-10 tourney started and wouldn't be officially announced until Oregon loses in L.A.

The Register's SE, Bryce Miller, sent an email to SID Phil Haddy, who's in Indy. Haddy said "it is unequivocally untrue."

I talked to an acquaintance (an ISU fan of course) about McDermott and Lickliter. Both of us agreed that both guys are class acts, but their system and philosophies don't work in big boy conferences like the Big 10 and Big 12.

In the case of Iowa, fans soured on Alford so quickly at the end, when Lick was hired, they just decided to stay at home. It also didn't help that Lick's heart scare is being contributed to the stress as well. Reports are leaking out that Lick feels so bad and embarrassed for the teams, the fans, and administration, that by resigning, it could be best for all parties involved.

He tried to make it work, but sometimes it doesn't work.

 

Villanova is most certainly not. They've gone into a tailspin at the end of the season. Lest we forget, they got shitcanned by 'Cuse like two weeks ago. Now, if Onuaku is out for the tournament, that could change things.

 

Buzz Williams should deserve Big East COY. The guy can coach.

 

Some interesting doings in the Conference USA tournament. Houston hits a shot in the final seconds to beat Memphis and Southern Miss leads UAB by 15 at halftime. Got to think there are a LOT of bubble teams liking that right now.

 

I didn't catch it live, but I believe during last Saturday's news, during the UO-WAZZU basketball game, KVAL reported Kent had already been fired the week before.
I lived in Iowa City when Alford left and Lick was brought in. I was covering an Iowa baseball game for the Register (freelancing) the day of Lick's hiring, seemed like the feeling from the skeleton Iowa SID staff at the game was relief that it was time to move on. As I recall, the cupboard was pretty bare when Lick came in. The anti-Alford sentiment around town was pretty thick.