NCAA College Hoops 2012-2013

[drbrosco]

It is hard to believe I just watched Kentucky play their 1st game of the season already tonite. Seems like a very short time ago we were celebrating the title win but here we are starting another great season of college hoops.
I hope all the guys who used to post alot about college hoops are back & hopefully some more new fellas.
As soon as I seen San Diego State ranked 20 I thought about Pistol Pete. Looks like another possible big season for your team.

Being a fan of Kentucky it is always hard to have a good feel of how good we are gonna be each season with all the one & done players but we definitely seemed to be stacked for another title run again.

Was a little suprised as Indiana being the #1 ranked team until I read about the returning players. Plus I think Tom Crean is a very good coach. I remember when he was at Marquette I thought I would love to have him at UK one day.

Well good luck to everybody's teams as we are no doubt in store for a great season & another wild tournament.

[Pistol Pete]

Originally Posted by drbrosco

It is hard to believe I just watched Kentucky play their 1st game of the season already tonite. Seems like a very short time ago we were celebrating the title win but here we are starting another great season of college hoops.
I hope all the guys who used to post alot about college hoops are back & hopefully some more new fellas.
As soon as I seen San Diego State ranked 20 I thought about Pistol Pete. Looks like another possible big season for your team.

Being a fan of Kentucky it is always hard to have a good feel of how good we are gonna be each season with all the one & done players but we definitely seemed to be stacked for another title run again.

Was a little suprised as Indiana being the #1 ranked team until I read about the returning players. Plus I think Tom Crean is a very good coach. I remember when he was at Marquette I thought I would love to have him at UK one day.

Well good luck to everybody's teams as we are no doubt in store for a great season & another wild tournament.

Nice post DR!

I have been tied up the past few months with work. I have started on-line educational classes and it has been all consuming and I have not had a chance to frequent these boards at all.

However, with hoops starting, I thought I would come over and check out the threads.

Yes, my Aztecs are ranked high. Unfortunately, they took it on the chin against a big and tough Syracuse team last week on the deck of the Midway.

We are very optimistic though. This team has loads of returning talent from last year's bunch and some exciting new additions that should make for a very interesting year.

Your cats had one heck of a year last year and were certainly taken by surprize early.

It's a long season and I am looking forward to it.

Should be fun!

[drbrosco]

Well Pistol Pete I really think you can toss that Syracuse game out the door for you guys as that wind was awful & was a factor.....& I mean a factor both ways & Syracuse may have won anyways but I seriously doubt they do any more games on that ship.

Kentucky showed me against Duke that we may have the most talented "players" but we are far from having the most talented "team" & that will get us no where in March, but I am hoping after a dozen games or so they learn to play well together. Duke seems to have another nice team also. And maybe Chris will start chiming in as the season goes along more about Duke.

Also seen what looked to be a decent Tennessee team the other day & will try to watch them today against Oklahoma St.. If your out there oblioman what are you thinking about the Vols' this year?

And glad you had time to stop by & post Pistol Pete!

[ShowMeCables]

Mizzou has a great transfer class including Alex Oriakhi, who won a National Championship with UCONN in 2011.
If this team gels they could be dangerous, even in the SEC.
Excited around here to see how we hang, of course they will have to better than going 9 for 39 in the first half against Alcorn.

[Rick-F]

Originally Posted by drbrosco

Kentucky showed me against Duke that we may have the most talented "players" but we are far from having the most talented "team" & that will get us no where in March, but I am hoping after a dozen games or so they learn to play well together. Duke seems to have another nice team also. And maybe Chris will start chiming in as the season goes along more about Duke.

I think you're right; the Cats are loaded with talent for sure-- by January they will have it all worked out.

I think the Cardinals will get some revenge for last year's TWO loses to the Cats. It is probably a good thing they are playing at the Yum Center and not Rupp this year.

[Chris Gerhard]

I will chime, Duke has already beaten a #2, #3, and #4 ranked team. Minnesota is 7-1, ranked 21st, the only loss a drubbing by Duke. Still, Indiana deserves to be #1 and Duke #2, somehow Indiana has gone from not very good last year to a team wihout any weakness. I don't know if Zeller will stick around like his brother did at UNC and play 4 years but if he does, Indiana should win a championsip before he leaves.

North Carolina probably can't provide any competition for Duke in the ACC this year, too young, UNC lost too much with the early departures for the NBA last year. Too bad, that trio would have made UNC a contender, Harrison Barnes as a junior would have been a favorite for Player of the Year. I don't see a front runner for that award yet, although Plumlee has been the best player so far, he isnt spectacular but he sure has improved from junior to senior year.

I can't guess as to this year's Cinderella team yet but hopefully there will be one in the final 8, might be a stretch to get one to the final 4, those teams are already listed in the top 10 in the polls unless I miss my guess and will come from the usual suspects.

[Chris Gerhard]

The Big Ten vs. ACC challenge ended in a tie:

Minnesota 77, Florida State 68 B1G
Virginia Tech 95, Iowa 79 ACC
Michigan 79, NC State 72 B1G
Maryland 77, Northwestern 57 ACC
Nebraska 79, Wake Forest 63 B1G
Indiana 83, North Carolina 59 B1G
Virginia 60, Wisconsin 54 ACC
Purdue 73, Clemson 61 B1G
Miami 67, Michigan State 59 ACC
Illinois 75, Georgia Tech 62 B1G
Boston College 73, Penn St. 61 ACC
Duke 73, Ohio State 68 ACC

[drbrosco]

Chris I am very suprised that you waited til now to chime lol ....i thought for sure you'd check in with a chime after they beat Louisville.
I think Duke looks very strong for it to be early in the season & will be tough to beat come March as they haven't beat teamsa that were ranked high by accident, they beat 3 teams that will still be ranked high when it's all over & that is very impressive imo.

I get that ESPN Mag & best I can remember the reason for them ranking Indiana #1 was they had a decent finish & made it til UK beat them in sweet 16 & also cause of Zeller, Zeller, Zeller! They done a lot about him in that magazine. He definitely gave Anthony Davis fits last year in the tournament.

I've been looking for a cinderella also in watching all these tournament games but it is just so hard to tell. I guess you just never know til the tourney is why it makes it so fun watch.

[Chris Gerhard]

If Mason Plumlee really has improved his free throw shooting to over 75% from the 50% he had been shooting his first three years, Duke is going to continue to win. He has always been a good inside player but just foul him before he dunks was a good strategy the last three years. He still has no outside game but the other four starters do which makes the offense really good. I can't quite conclude he will continue to hit free throws well, this is only a seven game run but if he does, teams will be forced to quit that strategy. Kelly hadn't done much this year until last night when he hit two 3 pointers in two trips late in a very close game. Duke scored 50 in the second half against OSU, I don't think anybody else, even Indiana will get 50 in a half against OSU, pretty good game changing by coach K during halftime.

Duke is really good but if Irving and Rivers hadn't left early, Duke would be looking at a likely perfect season. Of course that is assuming UNC and UK and all of the other teams hit hard by early departures did lose everybody they lost. If I had picked the correct numbers for last night's lottery, I would be very wealthy in a related story.

Beating three top 4 teams in a two week period counts as the best two week run I can recall.

[Chris Gerhard]

UK was flat tonight, ice cold, no chance against a not ready for prime time Notre Dame that also lost a lot and is trying to get things together.

[jkkyler]

As a Duke fan (and in the Cleveland market being 45 mi away - so I get to see Kyrie play a lot as a pro) I was wondering what to expect this year but with coach K I wasn't too worried. Looks like the Blue Devils have managed to get it all sorted out. The OSU/Duke game was a biggie in these parts.

[Bigloww]

Originally Posted by Chris Gerhard

The Big Ten vs. ACC challenge ended in a tie:

Minnesota 77, Florida State 68 B1G
Virginia Tech 95, Iowa 79 ACC
Michigan 79, NC State 72 B1G
Maryland 77, Northwestern 57 ACC
Nebraska 79, Wake Forest 63 B1G
Indiana 83, North Carolina 59 B1G
Virginia 60, Wisconsin 54 ACC
Purdue 73, Clemson 61 B1G
Miami 67, Michigan State 59 ACC
Illinois 75, Georgia Tech 62 B1G
Boston College 73, Penn St. 61 ACC
Duke 73, Ohio State 68 ACC

Yea, and since the Big10 won it last year the title stays with them.

Almost went to the Illini game down in Champain (where daughter goes) but had to work. Definately going to hit at least 1 game down there this season.

Hard to believe after the ACC won the 1st 10 Challenges, the Big10 has won the last 4. The Big 10 looks very tough this year even though they kinda choked in the challenge.

Go Fighting Illini!!!!!!

[Chris Gerhard]

Originally Posted by jkkyler

As a Duke fan (and in the Cleveland market being 45 mi away - so I get to see Kyrie play a lot as a pro) I was wondering what to expect this year but with coach K I wasn't too worried. Looks like the Blue Devils have managed to get it all sorted out. The OSU/Duke game was a biggie in these parts.

Duke is better than expected and has already beaten 3 of last year's final 4. Kyrie was great for a few games in college and has been great for brief periods in the NBA but he misses more games with injuries than he plays, not a promising future unless he somehow finds a way to play without getting hurt.

[Pistol Pete]

Originally Posted by Chris Gerhard

Duke is better than expected and has already beaten 3 of last year's final 4. Kyrie was great for a few games in college and has been great for brief periods in the NBA but he misses more games with injuries than he plays, not a promising future unless he somehow finds a way to play without getting hurt.

Absolutely right. Both Duke and Indiana clearly look like the teams to beat at this moment.

You mentioned Cinderella this year? That team may be out west again as the SDSU Aztecs have a fine team. After laying an egg with Syracuse's 2-3 zone on the deck of the Midway, this team is starting to rebound. This past week, they had 2 very nice wins in Los Angeles against both USC and UCLA. Ranked #23 at the moment, there is no better team out west. They have beaten all the California teams they have faced and the last 12 Pac 12 opponents.

They had a very nice freshman class and some nice transfers. This team will only get better.

Should be a fine year for college basketball.

[mytime]

Kentucky should be ok come Feb. No title this year but they should become a solid team.