gbuk

I'm here, haha. Good game by Marquette yesterday, they're a pretty solid team...Hayward was the x-factor. James still sucks, but he was so classy coming over to Crawford after the game to comfort him. Let's be honest, you're not going to win many games when just 3 of our guys score a FG. Great effort, and I wasn't too upset, we weren't even supposed to make the tournament.

QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Mar 16, 2008 -> 09:46 PM) Phh -- bring it. I look forward to playing the team that, IIRC, ranks 291st in the country in turnovers. Seriously, though, I'm not very confident. I'm happy with the Kentucky match-up, but I realize my boys are rather beatable. I think MU is a bit better, but it's one-and-done so anything can happen. Haha, yeah this is actually a perfect match-up really. Both teams are heavily reliant on perimeter games, and they're only as good as their backcourt. I'm just very confident in being able to frustrate James and Gillispie to outcoach Crean...but who knows. It'll be fun.

QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Mar 16, 2008 -> 07:41 PM) Marquette -- easy. Gillispie is gonna own Crean so hard.

After all the s*** I've talked about Marquette...Kentucky gets them. Unreal.

When you have to take cheap shots at Illinois in a year like this, you know your team blows. And dude what are you talking about? They're so CBI bound.

Wow this is intense. BTW, Devan Downey is the most underrated player in the country, and Vanderbilt is still hilariously overrated.

QUOTE(whitesoxfan101 @ Mar 12, 2008 -> 11:04 PM) I know the PAC-10 is the best league in America, but there is NO EXCUSE for Arizona to have finished 7th in that league with the talent they have. They have 2 no doubt lottery picks in their starting 5 with Budinger and Bayless, a solid/versatile veteran in Jawann McClellan, one of America'a most explosive guards under 6' in Nic Wise, and Jordan Hill, another future 1st round pick, maybe even another lottery pick. I know they've had injuries, but they are WAY better than 7th in the PAC-10, and I think they could be dangerous in the big dance if they make it that far. Although this is now O'Neill's team for the time being, Olson's teams have always underachieved. I've always believed he's an overrated coach and does less with more than anyone in the country.

QUOTE(Soxbadger @ Mar 9, 2008 -> 12:24 PM) Im not going to call him amazingly awesome. Ill say that he got the job done that SHOULD be done. I dont congratulate teams on achieving the bare minimum, if Wisconsin was fighting for a NCAA berth I wouldnt be in here saying Bo Ryan is coach of the year. Some experts did not even pick Wisconsin to make the tournament, yet I picked them to win the big 10 (along with pomeroy). I dont come in here saying Bo Ryan is an insanely awesome coach, I leave that type of praise for guys like Wooden, Dean Smith, people with multiple championships. I guess we differ on how we throw around compliments. Yup, okay. If you watch us in November, watch us now without our best player and only post presence without missing a beat in the run we were on before, you'd understand. The job he's done is absolutely incredible. The in-season turn around in this team was unbelievable. I don't think people realize that the talent we have now compared to the talent at the beginning of the year is totally different. People look at it and say "well with players like these he should have been doing this all along" but that's total bulls***, given the fact that our star players at this point were absolutely worthless at the start. Tubby could never, ever develop players...Crawford and Bradley for one improved 10 times more this year than in three years under Tubby. But whatever. For what it's worth, Bo Ryan is a horribly underrated coach, I've always believed this. He does more with less far better than anyone in the country.

QUOTE(Brian @ Mar 9, 2008 -> 11:28 AM) gbuk last week was all over Kentucky. They look very very good.

So does anyone want to argue with me about my claim that Gillispie is an "insanely awesome" coach? The job he's done this year is absolutely unbelievable. I can't say enough about it. We're in the tournament, 100% lock, no question.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Mar 9, 2008 -> 12:50 AM) I would have completely argued Beasley before he was shut down by Iowa State today. Couple of things happened today. Beasley was whining quite a bit. ISU was able to deny him the ball a lot. At the end of the game, he got lost on the way to the locker room. Bill Walker was a little b****. A couple of calls didn't go his way, and he just started jawing. Some KSU manager gave him a stool during a timeout and he just threw it out of the way. He's trash. The crowd got really quiet when I yelled "f*** you bill walker", but I wasn't the only one to do so. Part of me hopes he would stick around just to mess things up in Manhattan. Wait, so one sub-par game by Beasley and he's not the POY anymore? Both Beasley and Walker whine a lot, mainly Walker. Walker being a total headcase is exactly why he's the erratic player he is. One missed shot and his whole night can be ruined, it's pretty laughable.

Wait, wait, wait...Minnesota in the tournament? They are nowhere NEAR the bubble. That has to be a joke. Mississippi in? Yet both Arkansas and Kentucky out? BTW someone want to give me a legit reason why Florida is in over Kentucky? Really just comparing because they're both in the SEC, but honestly Florida shouldn't even be in the talks. Their resume is pathetic.

QUOTE(zenryan @ Mar 3, 2008 -> 03:43 AM) VT is not in right now. They have played a weak ACC schedule b/c of the unbalanced scheduling. They havent beat an ACC team this year that has a higher RPI ranking. Plus they play Wake and at Clemson. I see them losing both. 3 losses to teams outside the RPI 120 doesnt help. Maryland probably just killed there chances but I know you posted this before the game against Clemson. Wake is 6-8 in conference but they could win out with games at VT and home to NCST. Plus they have wins over Miami, BYU and Duke. And close losses to Clemson and Vandy. If they win their last 2 and win a game in the ACCT then they might get a spot. Clemson, Duke and UNC have locked up spots. Miami should get in as long as they win one more game. You do realize that I totally disagree with what I was saying right? Was basing this off Lunardi's bracket...I agree with you.

Might as well go on. UAB as well, is a joke. Their best win is over Kentucky (51 RPI). They have a 53 RPI, with #115 SOS, 0-1 vs. the Top 50, 3-3 vs. the Top 100. If you're gonna talk about bad losses and say GARDNER-WEBB! you have to mention that UAB has 5 sub-100 losses...11-3 record in the #10 overall RPI conference and come on, there's nothing here to even look at. Houston as well is kind of funny. Best win also over Kentucky, 69 RPI, 151 SOS, 10-4 in #10 conference. 0-5 vs. the top 50, 1-6 vs. the top 100...one awful loss, almost GW bad to East Carolina #252.

QUOTE(Palehosefan @ Mar 2, 2008 -> 01:46 PM) Maryland and VT have winning records in a much better conference, and more wins than Kentucky. Houston and UAB are on similar standing with Kentucky. I agree with Maryland but my point is they're pretty similar to Kentucky. 58 RPI (Kentucky 51), #19 SOS (Kentucky #10), 2 Sub-100 losses (American and Boston College, and also a loss to #99 Missouri) compared to Kentucky's 2 Sub 100 losses as well (GW and San Diego). Note that those horrible losses occurred for both teams in the beginning of the year when neither were playing very well at all. Maryland's marquee win is over UNC while Kentucky's is Tennessee. Maryland is 6-9 vs. the RPI Top 100 (1-5 vs. Top 50) while Kentucky is 4-9 but 4-6 vs. the Top 50. Maryland's conference record 8-6 in a better conference then the SEC, Kentucky's is 10-4. Maryland's is a little more impressive, but comparing these resumes and acting like Maryland is BEYOND a lock and saying Kentucky isn't even close is kind of unfair. Virginia Tech is a joke. 8-6 ACC record is keeping them up there, but 0-5 vs. Top 50, 4-8 vs. Top 100, 3 sub-100 losses, best wins a sweep of Maryland. #62 RPI, #48 SOS.

QUOTE(Brian @ Mar 2, 2008 -> 01:40 PM) I watched the game. Kentucky lost, they are 16-11, right? They need a good showing in the SEC tourney to be considered. Well yeah this is based off of right now. If they lose to South Carolina and Florida they're not going to make it, but right now I don't see how you can leave them out, and this isn't my bias because I'm far from it. Just depends on what the committee rewards. They do love how you finish and winning 9 of our last 11, with wins over two top 10 RPI teams, and two other top 50 RPI teams (one more if we didn't get jobbed at Florida). They've improved about 20 times since the beginning of the year, Gardner-Webb loss was November 7th without Jasper, an awful Meeks who was playing on a fractured groin, and attempting to come into a style that didn't click until mid January. Bradley has missed basically 2 games, Ramon Harris 4, Jasper 11, Patterson 1+ the rest of the year, Meeks 16 (and when he's played he's been totally ineffective), and etc. Through all of this though they've found a way to improve dramatically and go 10-4 so far in one of the premier conferences in the country. With a team like this I have a hard time believing you can fault them enough to keep them out based on 1 HORRIBLE loss and 1 bad loss in non-conference.

Somehow though Maryland is a shoo-in, Virginia Tech is in, UAB and Houston are both in...and etc. Want to explain that?

Figured as much. Guess this goes back to the old more deserving or best teams argument. Oh and I guess you didn't bother to watch the game today without Patterson huh? Down 20-5 to the #1 team on the road, and somehow they find a way to score even though they only have two of them, one of which was out the majority of the second half. And Gardner-Webb? How about November 7th? I'd say 4-6 over the RPI Top 50 is pretty damn good, our strength of schedule is #14 (probably higher after today) and our RPI is moving on up. For what it's worth, a member of the committee last night told Bilas, Digger, and Hubert that as of right now Kentucky is in based on their conference record alone. They actually care about how you finish. But bring up some other bubble teams and I'll argue their cases and Kentucky's case.

Try telling me Kentucky is not a tournament team.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Mar 1, 2008 -> 09:31 PM) Beasley is the best player I've ever seen at the college level. The guy is ridiculous and there is a no way that Mayo will be a better pro. Being a great college player doesn't always transfer to greatness at the pro level. Mayo's game is more cut out for the NBA than college for the most part.

Thank you Minnesota...now we can stop talking about Ohio State as a tournament team. Good lord that was miserable.

Marquette runs into the lucky buzzsaw of Georgetown. I hate that team, they've done it all year.

Yeah, Kentucky pretty much got shafted this year. This season was so much more fun to watch than the last two years too...they were playing so damn well. I can't believe this.

I have a hard time believing that OSU is anywhere near a tournament team. 8-6 in a weak Big Ten, with wins over none of the 4 teams ahead of you in the standings and the best non-conference wins over Syracuse and Florida (neither of which may make the tournament)...it's not good. Losses to Iowa and Michigan look pretty horrible too.

QUOTE(dasox24 @ Feb 23, 2008 -> 11:45 PM) The NCAA allowed him to play this year b/c he only transfered to be closer to his father who was sick with cancer (and has now passed away). This will come off horrible, but I think that whole thing was pretty much bulls***. If he was transferring 100% for his father he should have sat out the year and spent it with him then played. And it just so happens that Bruce Peal decided to be nice to Tyler Smith when he realized that he's incredibly talented, and it just so happens that Alford just left Iowa. Interesting circumstances.