Running NCAA Basketball Thread 2014-15

I'll be really curious how many times Kentucky loses this season. I don't think it will be too many.

 

From about 1968-74, Wooden usually had the equivalent of about 8 McD's on the roster.

Swen Nater the most obvious example: never started a game in college (Walton) but then went on to a 10-12-year career in the NBA.

 

What was it Walton used to say, that the toughest games UCLA had all year were practices?

 

SVP/Russilo (aka "the only show worth listening to on ESPN Radio) had a good discussion the other day about who is most likely to go undefeated, Kentucky or Witchita State.

Seems Witchita was the consensus.

 

It took Kentucky over 30 minutes to put away BU last night, which is the fourth-best college team in Boston.

 

Wasn't UK supposed to go 40-0 last year too?

 

Gardner-Webb claims another: Clemson, after Clemson called a timeout it didn't have.

 

Fire Tom Crean.

 

Some of their fans thought so--printed up 40-0 shirts and everything--then they ended up with 10 losses.

And, IMO, the hype over this UK team is also being overblown a bit. Yes, they are insanely deep, big, and with a preposterous number of McD All Americans, BUT there are some weaknesses there presently going unmentioned.

Because he has such an excess of big men, Calipari is playing guys out of position. He's got guys playing the 3 who are really meant to play the 4, and 4s really meant to play the 5, and who thus have dubious ballhandling skills for where they're playing and who aren't used to defending way out on the perimeter. And their starting point guard (Andrew Harrison) often plays more like a wing than a true point and has shown a clear propensity to get rattled when pressed in the past.

In short, I think ballhandling/turnovers will eventually be a big ole achillies heel of these gigantic lineups Calipari has been trotting out. Kansas failed to exploit that, but someone will. I'd like to see someone who incessantly traps and full court presses (similar to how VCU played in that FF run a few years ago) play against UK, I'd bet they could get rattled and forced into a parade of turnovers.

And outside shooting and perimeter D are also looming question marks with this team. Their best three point shooter only shot 35 percent on 3s last year. If you pack a real tight zone to force them to take open 3s, do they have shooters you can rely on to make them?

Inside they're ridiculous--nobody's beating UK by going to the rim or on the boards this year--but outside the paint they're plenty vulnerable.

 

“When you know how to shop, you can get what you want.” -- Pierce re: Calipari after Kentucky beats Kansas by 32

Stumbled upon this new mini-podcast, kind of a news-muse thing: http://onlyagame.wbur.org/2014/11/22/charlie-pierce-182

 

Louisville 63 Savanah State 12. 12 minutes left 2nd half

87-26 final

 

I bet Savannah State v. SCAD is a real hoot.