College basketball 2009-10 running thread No. 1

Obvious homer bias here, but the Big 12 doesn't suck that bad.

 

No quibble with any of what you wrote. I was a little surprised that they were able to beat GT - that's a team that at least seems to be in the ACC's second tier, plus their size makes them a matchup nightmare for the Cavs, who are loaded with 2s and 3s but have to play the mishmash I mentioned earlier in the post. They start a walk-on at the 4, for Pete Gillen's sake.

Two days ago, if you'd asked me who the ass end of the ACC is this year, I would have said UVa and NCSU, with BC quickly sliding into the mix. UVa may just be in the next tier up from that. Don't think there are any great teams in the league this year - if that Duke team, which no one is claiming is one of their best, is the best we've got, it's a sorry state of affairs. I'll agree with Headbutt that the bottom of the ACC usually compares favorably with the bottom of other BCS leagues (although the Hoos looked BAD against South Florida).

Sam, you're familiar with the Wuffies. Is Lowe's seat starting to get a little warm?

 

Wichita is the real deal, at least as far as Valley contention is concerned. Very balanced and pretty deep. They finally have the guard play (Clevin Hannah, Toure Murry, Graham Hatch) to match the athleticism at the forward spots the Shockers have always had.

 

It should be, and I've been shaking my head since the day the idiot boosters cheered when Herb Sendek left. But I'm convinced there are two reasons Lee Fowler has shown a lot of patience, besides the fact that he seems to be a really good man.

1) Sidney is one of NCSU's own.
2) No one would take the job when Sendek left, and my guess is that Fowler is smart enough to know that its intrigue hasn't exactly grown since.

Monty Towe is an assistant on the bench, was part of NCSU's '74 national championship team and was doing pretty well as the head coach at the University of New Orleans before Katrina. But that could be really awkward. After that, who else would want it? The last time it was open, John Calipari and Rick Barnes used the opening to get fat extensions at their then-schools. And only Gregg Marshall really wanted it when he was at Winthrop at the time (he's now at Wichita State and I dunno if he would get a sniff this time, either).

So, in summary, until someone really, really wants this job, is pushing Sidney Lowe out of there really smart? The whole thing is a massive, massive mess ... and not the least bit surprising. Problem is that the school needs someone who is worried about his own house and not looking over the picket fences at the other blue schools in the Triangle.

Herb Sendek did that. Look at where it got him. Think the other top coaches didn't take notice?

 

Couple of big games out West tonight ... for those interested:

Pac-10: Cal at Wash. State, 7 p.m. PST (no national TV)

WCC: Gonzaga at St. Mary's, 8 p.m. PST (ESPN-2)

Regarding the first game, the 12-4 Cougars are an interesting team. Played Gonzaga tough in Spokane, lost a controversial 2-OT game vs. Oregon to open the conference season.

Then last weekend, they win in Tucson before getting stomped by Arizona State -- albeit with two WSU starters benched for much of that game because they were late for the team bus.

Somebody has to take charge in the Pac-10, right?

 

I'm firmly convinced Leitao just wrecked the heads of several of those players last year, especially Zeglinski and Jeff Jones. And Meyinsse. That was a gritty showing by him last night, keeping Lawal off the offensive glass the way he did. Bennett is getting a lot out of pieces Leitao considered trash.

 

Can someone explain how there no, as in ZERO, Pac-10 teams ranked and not even in the top 30 (if you go by receiving votes)? What the hell is going on out there?

 

I think you can throw Mustapha Farrakhan into that category. His transformation into a useful ACC player has been remarkable from where he was last year. He can hit the clutch 3 and is developing into a lockdown defender, and he's money from the free-throw line.

Although it wouldn't help the glut of swingmen on the roster, I really wish Mamadi Diane could have played under Bennett. His struggles last year were entirely from the neck up.

 

Cosmo, I also meant to respond to your mention of Meyinsse. He was an absolute warrior last night - that was some UFC-type post play between him and Lawal. I think of all the surprises from last night, the fact that Karl Hess, of all people, let those two play the way they did might be the biggest. He must have known the game wasn't on TV and he wouldn't get any face time by calling fouls.

 

The three teams with the best "national" profile -- UCLA, Arizona and UW -- are down this year, and the team that might have the most talent in the Pac-10 (USC) is ineligible for the postseason.

That's my best guess, anyway.

 

Gonzaga-Saint Mary's is the most interesting game on the West Coast tonight.