College basketball 2009-10 running thread No. 1

God bless preseason polls:

ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll
1. Kansas (27)
2. Michigan State (3)
3. Texas
4. North Carolina (1)

 

Kansas was the correct call, and I really don't think Michigan State is through. After that, um ... um ...

 

Ben Braun has a son?

 

I would rather be the shortest guy in D-I than the tallest guy in D-II.

 

I apologize dreunc.
It was a joke ... ha, ha.
In the world of "poor platitudes" it's never fun to run into someone who knows it all.

Listen, I'd love to see some of the Cornells and UABs and La. Techs make the Sweet 16 but I just don't see it happening.
One thing that has to be taken into consideration is if some of my 11 locks wind up playing each other in the Round of 32.
I'd love to see Gonzaga earn a well-deserved trip to the Final Four.

FWIW, I think Kansas is going to win the whole thing. And I'm not real happy about that, but that's who I'll have on the 2 or 3 pools I fill out.

 

When my Baylor buddies bitch and moan about how officials always screw them when they play Texas I just roll my eyes. But after watching the first half tonight I'm starting to see why they feel that way.

John Higgins doing everything he can to keep Texas in the game against Baylor.

Five minutes in there is bumping between Tweety Carter of Baylor and one of UT's big men. Higgins calls a double tech on the altercation but the techs go to Baylor's best player, Lacedarius Dunn - who was trying to break up the bumping - and a UT bench player who won't even see the court tonight. The tech is Dunn's third foul and he has to sit for the rest of the half.

Then Higgins misses an obvious intentional foul on UT on a Baylor breakaway then overrules another official on an intentional foul call on UT later in the half.

Now wonder BU fans have a persecution complex.

 

They just interviewed Bill Clinton in the stands at MSG during the Cincinnati-West Virginia game. That dude knows his college hoops. FWIW, he says Syracuse is still a No. 1 seed. When asked why, he laid out a pretty good case between record and schedule.

 

I resemble this remark.

And as an aside ... Kansas State just did unspeakable things to Oklahoma State tonight.

 

Baylor grads have to be one of the most annoying groups of people in the world. I had an aunt by marriage that was married to a BU grad. I remember him saying something like "yeah, UT might be better in sports, but all of their grads will be working for us!" I wanted to remind him that UT academics are pretty much ranked higher across the board, but he was drunk at the time...

 

So Kansas and Kentucky are lock No. 1 seeds, right? Then ... if Duke and Purdue win their respective conference titles, they're the other two? Or does Syracuse still get one because of the body of their work, even though they lost two late games? Or does West Virginia nudge ahead if they win the toughest league's tournament, despite an early loss to Purdue and not having to beat the big heavies in the BET? Does Ohio State get consideration despite seven losses? Does Kansas State get it by winning the Big 12? Or does the committee say fuck it and put Butler on the top line?

 

If Texas goes on to lose tonight -- down 10 with 12 minutes to go against Baylor -- they will finish the season 7-9 in the final 16 games.
I have a feeling they still get into the tourney, but are they worthy of anything better than an 11 or 12 seed?

 

I still say Kansas, Kentucky and Syracuse are locks. Duke would be the 4th if they win or make it to the finals. KSU's loss to Iowa State dropped them out and, as you said, West Virginia's not playing anyone good enough to merit being moved up. Purdue, I guess could move up but I still think they'll be kept out because Hummel is out for the season.