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Post by Mista Don't Play on Dec 2, 2010 17:07:44 GMT -5
I know most people are still in the football mood, as am I, but I'm also a huge college basketball fan. The season is well underway and in honor of my Blue Devils win over a very talented Michigan State squad, I though I would get this thread going.
Its too early to make any definite predictions, because matchups ultimately determine the Final Four and champion, however, at this point I would have to say the 4 best teams are:
1. Duke 2. Michigan St. 3. Ohio St. 4. Kansas
There are many teams on the cusp, but I feel these teams are in a league of their own at this time.
Post by Mista Don't Play on Dec 2, 2010 21:02:50 GMT -5
Tarheels should get better as the season goes, but you would've thought last year would have been a learning experience for them. It seems they do not want to be coached, which when compounded with shaky play is a recipe for disaster.
Post by nitetimeritetime on Dec 2, 2010 21:58:40 GMT -5
I like Bama basketball too -- we've talked about this before, wolf. Some people have lived in more places than Missouri and Starkville (and aren't even Vols fans, strangely enough). I hear some people even have degrees from more than one school. For the record, I lived here and got my last degree while UF won 2 basketball and 2 football championships, and I still hate the Gators.
Post by LoveLuckLaughter on Dec 2, 2010 22:44:36 GMT -5
1. Duke 2. Michigan St. 3. Ohio St. 4. Kansas
WTF!
1. Duke 2. Ohio St. (god I hate the f*ckeyes) 3. Kansas 4. Kansas State (If we can start hitting some shuckin' free throws we WILL be a Final Four contender)
We're all a mess of paradoxes. Believing in things we know can't be true. We walk around carrying feelings too complicated and contradictory to express. But when it all becomes too big, and words aren't enough to help get it all out, there's always music.
Sang's right. The Heels are still better than Clemson.
this was not true last year. this year, maybe. not looking good, 2 guys have decided to transfer since the season started. going to take a while for the new coach to get his guys in there.
I didn't know you were a Heels fan, NTRT. I've been a diehard Heels fan for about 10 years. We just need time this year. I'm confident Barnes will start picking stuff up towards the middle of the year. I don't think we're headed for the Final Four or anything, but I think we can make the tournament this year and win a couple games and make solid progress towards being an elite team next year.
this was not true last year. this year, maybe. not looking good, 2 guys have decided to transfer since the season started. going to take a while for the new coach to get his guys in there.
Yeah, I don't know if it's true this year either. Bama's right where Clemson is, maybe a year behind, but I think Grant will get em on track in the next couple of years.
Post by Mista Don't Play on Dec 2, 2010 23:27:09 GMT -5
I don't see the heels being elite again until they get a different core group of guys in there. The current group has no passion. Your best hope is that Barnes remains mediocre this year and decides to stick around for another year. They should make the tourney this year with all the talent they have, but its not going to be easy if they can't get a signature win in the non-conference. The ACC is way down, so a good showing there may not be enough, just ask Va Tech how last year turned out.
Clemson still has a couple solid players, but a with a new coach and new system it is always a tough transition.
After watching the Kansas-UCLA game I may have to rescend my praise of them as being in the same class as Duke, MSU, OSU. Obviously every team will have a less than stellar game, but they looked very beatable.
I didn't know you were a Heels fan, NTRT. I've been a diehard Heels fan for about 10 years. We just need time this year. I'm confident Barnes will start picking stuff up towards the middle of the year. I don't think we're headed for the Final Four or anything, but I think we can make the tournament this year and win a couple games and make solid progress towards being an elite team next year.
Yeah, I've been a fan since I lived right off Franklin Street back in the 90s. I hope we make the tourney, but unless we really improve, we might be looking at another deep NIT run. I still have faith, though. Barnes can't keep shooting this poorly, and Henson is finally starting to figure out his role as a big. If we win 20 games, we'll get in on the name alone as a 12 seed.
I don't think it's fair to say the current UNC team has no passion. They're just struggling at the moment. They're an inexperienced group. I think we'll see them get better as the season progresses. And, as you mentioned, the ACC is cake this year compared to years past, so I could definitely see them doing well in conference play (and mark my words: they will split with Duke this year).
I like Bama basketball too -- we've talked about this before, wolf. Some people have lived in more places than Missouri and Starkville (and aren't even Vols fans, strangely enough). I hear some people even have degrees from more than one school. For the record, I lived here and got my last degree while UF won 2 basketball and 2 football championships, and I still hate the Gators.
I know you don't expect me to remember anything we talked about at 2 am in the morning.
My family roots for UT, and if you don't root for the team your family roots for somethings kinda weird. Also you know Starkville's awesome, so hush yourself.
I don't think it's fair to say the current UNC team has no passion. They're just struggling at the moment. They're an inexperienced group. I think we'll see them get better as the season progresses. And, as you mentioned, the ACC is cake this year compared to years past, so I could definitely see them doing well in conference play (and mark my words: they will split with Duke this year).
I expect them to get better as the season progresses, but most teams get better as the season progresses. Something is lacking and its either coaching, which I doubt, or the players don't want to listen. To have consistently brought in top recruiting classes there should be enough talent where they shouldn't have really looked this mediocre. The same core group of players all had significant minutes last year.
You probably thought at this point last year you would split with Duke. I just don't see it happening. Guarding Irving will be hopeless for anyone they decide to throw at him. At this point Barnes is not prepared to go up against Singler, offensively or defensively. And UNC doesn't have a reliable low post player. Sure Zeller is tall and Henson has long arms but they are both finesse players and can't handle a physical game. Unless they start shooting a lot better from the perimeter, making more than half their free-throws, and cut down turnovers, I don't see them having a chance against Duke.
Post by Mista Don't Play on Dec 3, 2010 0:31:46 GMT -5
I'll give you that one. This Duke team seems pretty focused, but it is a little early. I think its a similar situation to 2008/2009 though, just the other way around. It may be competitive for a while, given the nature of the rivalry, but in the end, I think, it'll just be too much to handle. I also think as the season goes on, Drew 2.0 will be moved to the bench if Marshall proves he can handle the starting spot, and that may change things for you guys.
Post by nitetimeritetime on Dec 3, 2010 0:37:13 GMT -5
Drew is just not good. I was all for letting him grown into his role, but this is his third year, and he still plays like a freshman. At this point I don't think we can do worse with Kendall in there -- if we're going to suck, let's at least get him some game experience.
Post by nitetimeritetime on Dec 3, 2010 0:45:34 GMT -5
I don't know if he's the worst -- he'd be an immediate improvement to Bama's team, for example -- but he's a NIT-caliber guard, which is just not good enough for UNC. I thought he'd get better once he figured out his role as a leader, because he's never been that athletically talented. Unfortunately, it looks like he's not a leader either, which means he's a B-teamer.
Post by Mista Don't Play on Dec 3, 2010 0:59:09 GMT -5
They just need a leader in general, but its nice if you can get your point guard to do it. But regardless, his play is way too inconsistent, and even when he is on, he still isn't much of a threat. I still think unc will be a top 4, maybe better, team in the league when its all said and done, but if they don't beat a credible opponent along the way they could be looking at shitty seed in the NCAAs, but its worth noting Va Tech went 10-6 in conference last year and had 25 wins overall and still didn't get in because they had no real quality wins.
I also think its going to be hard for Barnes to unseat Irving as the ACC (and maybe national) freshman of the year (Sullinger, Jones, and eventually Selby, will all be in contention), regardless if he gets his game on track. At this point Irving has his name in the hat for Conference Player of the Year, probably only competing with his teammates (Delaney will be good, but I don't know if he can carry the load of that team consistently enough).
but its worth noting Va Tech went 10-6 in conference last year and had 25 wins overall and still didn't get in because they had no real quality wins.
No, that really doesn't matter at all. UNC will get in with 20 wins because they're UNC. UK gets in the same way. Maybe they shouldn't, but that's the way it works.
Post by Mista Don't Play on Dec 3, 2010 1:29:11 GMT -5
You are probably right. It doesn't hurt that they added 4 spots this year, so Va Tech would've got in. Plus I think unc can do better than 10-6 in conference this year, probably, depending if they get their issues worked out. But you could probably play with your eyes closed and only lose 6 conference games this year.
Post by nitetimeritetime on Dec 4, 2010 14:58:45 GMT -5
Good win for the Heels. They played with heart for the entire game for the first time this year. They played like that against Illinois in the first half, but seemed to lose it in the second half. Maybe this will give them something to build on.