- The Big East is 1-3 in the tournament, with losses to the 7th place team in the MAC and Old Dominion and their only win being a #2 seed over a #15 seed in overtime. Surprised? Nope, not me. You heard it here first: most overrated conference in history.
- The SEC didn't have a great day either, but not bad. Florida lost to a higher seeded team and Vandy lost to a 30 win team that I think has a very good chance to go to the Sweet 16. Congrats Murray!
- Kentucky made 15 three's today (Bledsoe making 8 of them) and continue to show that they CAN shoot from outside. When they do, they're nearly unbeatable.
- The Cats showed the focus of a veteran team tonight, and they clearly look to be on a mission.
- Wake Forest will certainly be a challenge, but I'm very glad we've avoided Texas. Wake is good, but if we shoot and play like we're capable of we'll be just fine. Texas is talented enough to beat anyone even on a good night, and the Cats are lucky to avoid them.
- Is the NCAA serious about this 96 team expansion? That's the worse idea, ever. If it's not broke, don't fix it. Please, do not mess with the best 2 days in sports!
Showing posts with label Texas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Texas. Show all posts
Friday, March 19, 2010
The Best Two Days in Sports: Day 1
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Battle for First Place in the SEC: UK vs Vandy
I know what most UK fans are probably thinking about tomorrow's game- Vandy's pretty good, but, there's no way UK will lose 2 games in a row. Well, just ask the Texas Longhorns what happened to them in back to back games after being ranked #1. Vandy's more than pretty good. They are VERY good. The Commodores have won 11 in a row and are coming off a win over Tennessee. They're undefeated in the SEC, and the winner of this game tomorrow takes claim to 1st place in the conference with a head-to-head tiebreaker. They are probably the most underrated team in the country. Calipari has commented that he thinks Vandy will be the best team his team has faced so far this year and that they should be ranked in the top 10. It will be interesting to see how the Cats respond to Tuesday's loss in Columbia. Tomorrow's game is HUGE and a very big test for the Cats! Luckily it is at home in Rupp, where I don't think the Cats will lose this year.
Monday, December 14, 2009
News and Notes: 12-14-09
- Kentucky has now reached all-time win #1,998. They face Austin Peay on Saturday and then the December 21st matchup with Drexel will likely be win #2,000. Any ideas on finding tickets, anyone?
- John Calipari was contacted by Madison Square Garden officials about playing an annual home game there, after UK arguably had more fans than UConn and St. Johns combined, in their own backyard at the SEC/Big East Invitational last week against UConn. I would personally love to see a UK/Duke matchup at MSG, since Coach K won't come to Rupp.
- UK moved up to 3rd in both polls today and received one first place vote. #2 Texas faces UNC on Saturday, which could push the Cats into the #2 spot with a Tar Heel win.
- #1 ranked Kansas plays Michigan and California the next two games, then plays a solid Belmont team, then Temple (who just knocked off previous #3 Villanova), and then faces Tennessee on January 10th. Look for the Cats to be ranked #1 after these stretch of games for the Jayhawks.
- John Wall received SEC Freshman Player of the Week honors for the fourth consecutive week. This is a streak that might not last the entire season by John Wall, but I wouldn't be shocked if Cousins and Bledsoe contribute to this award being won by a UK freshman every single week of this season. Which is really, simply amazing.
Last but not least, I want to thank Kentucky Sports Radio for this Youtube video they posted. Really, really funny stuff!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Early Season Notes: On the court and on the recruiting trails.
#1 Kansas barely escaped Memphis in Josh Pastner's head coaching debut in an ugly shooting, offensive struggle for both teams.
#2 Michigan State almost lost as well, at home to Gonzaga.
#3 Texas won big, but only against Western Carolina.
And of course, #4 Kentucky squeaked past a smokin' hot-shooting Miami (Oh) team at the buzzer.
The only conclusion that I can come up with at this early stage of the season is that there aren't any dominant teams at this stage. There is no team that will dominate an entire season like North Carolina did a year ago as the pre-season #1 and eventual National Champion. Kansas and Kentucky obviously both have the talent to be very dominant towards the middle and end of the season, but they aren't there yet. I do not think the rankings should change that much, however, until these teams lose a game. They're all up there for a reason: their talent. No, Kentucky hasn't proven anything. But nobody has proven anything at this point of the season, so talent is all you can really go by.
Most impressive teams early on: Tennessee and Memphis
Why UT? Because anytime you win 124-49 in a regular season game, it raises eyebrows, even against UNC Asheville. The Vols could be a legit National Championship contender.
Why UM? Because not only did they almost knock off the #1 team in the nation in Pastner's first game, but on the very next day....Pastner signed the #1 recruiting class in the country so far in the early signing period for 2010. Memphis will remain a national power. A disciple of Coach Cal at Memphis, Pastner could be the game's best young coach and also a phenomenal recruiter. To put things into perspective of how young Pastner is, he was a walk-on player for the 1997 Arizona team for Lute Olson that defeated Kentucky to win the National Championship. Just think, Pastner being a head coach for a major D-1 program would be like Ron Mercer already being a big time head coach.
Speaking of recruiting, the Cats did not sign any additional players this week and are not expected to anytime soon. Rivals.com 4-Star Forward, Stacey Poole, remains the Cats' lone commitment at this point. However, the top 4 unsigned players in the nation are all strongly considering the Cats (Brandon Knight, Josh Selby, C.J. Leslie, and Terrence Jones). C.J. Leslie comes from the same high school as John Wall. Likely, all of these guys will wait to see which Wildcats end up staying or going to the NBA next season, before making their ultimate choice.
#2 Michigan State almost lost as well, at home to Gonzaga.
#3 Texas won big, but only against Western Carolina.
And of course, #4 Kentucky squeaked past a smokin' hot-shooting Miami (Oh) team at the buzzer.
The only conclusion that I can come up with at this early stage of the season is that there aren't any dominant teams at this stage. There is no team that will dominate an entire season like North Carolina did a year ago as the pre-season #1 and eventual National Champion. Kansas and Kentucky obviously both have the talent to be very dominant towards the middle and end of the season, but they aren't there yet. I do not think the rankings should change that much, however, until these teams lose a game. They're all up there for a reason: their talent. No, Kentucky hasn't proven anything. But nobody has proven anything at this point of the season, so talent is all you can really go by.
Most impressive teams early on: Tennessee and Memphis
Why UT? Because anytime you win 124-49 in a regular season game, it raises eyebrows, even against UNC Asheville. The Vols could be a legit National Championship contender.
Why UM? Because not only did they almost knock off the #1 team in the nation in Pastner's first game, but on the very next day....Pastner signed the #1 recruiting class in the country so far in the early signing period for 2010. Memphis will remain a national power. A disciple of Coach Cal at Memphis, Pastner could be the game's best young coach and also a phenomenal recruiter. To put things into perspective of how young Pastner is, he was a walk-on player for the 1997 Arizona team for Lute Olson that defeated Kentucky to win the National Championship. Just think, Pastner being a head coach for a major D-1 program would be like Ron Mercer already being a big time head coach.
Speaking of recruiting, the Cats did not sign any additional players this week and are not expected to anytime soon. Rivals.com 4-Star Forward, Stacey Poole, remains the Cats' lone commitment at this point. However, the top 4 unsigned players in the nation are all strongly considering the Cats (Brandon Knight, Josh Selby, C.J. Leslie, and Terrence Jones). C.J. Leslie comes from the same high school as John Wall. Likely, all of these guys will wait to see which Wildcats end up staying or going to the NBA next season, before making their ultimate choice.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Breaking down the Preseason Basketball AP Top 25
My overrated teams are highlighted in Red and I've made some comments on some teams that I expect to have good seasons that are ranked right where they should be. I don't really have an opinion either way with any of the teams with no comments made about them. The underrated teams are highlighted in green.
1. Kansas: with the most experienced and accomplished talent in the country and top recruit Xavier Henry aboard, the Jayhawks deserve to be #1, for now.
2. Michigan State: The Spartans overachieved last season and it showed against UNC. I don't think they're as talented as Kentucky. Two is a bit high, but I can't consider them "overrated" because they return everyone from a team that finished #2 a year ago. They're where they deserve to be, but I'm not sure if they'll stay quite this high all season, however, Tom Izzo will have them in the Top 10 in March, when it matters.
3. Texas: The Longhorns have a lot of freshman talent coming in as well as transfer Jai Lucas from Florida, but it seems like they are overrated every year in basketball. What does Rick Barnes ever do with his talent in March? Even with Kevin Durant, they did nothing. Texas was 23-12 last year. Kentucky was 22-14. The two teams' had similar teams a year ago....do you mean to tell me that Texas has improved more than Kentucky has in the off season? Really? Can anybody tell me with a straight face that Texas improved themselves more than Kentucky did and should be ranked higher? Please, give me a break.
4. Kentucky: It seems crazy to think that the 4th ranked team in the country could be underrated, but the voters of this poll have a sub-500 team from last year ranked because of one great freshman (Derrick Favors of Georgia Tech). With this logic, FOUR great freshman, returning All-American Patrick Patterson, and new head coach John Calipari should make enough impact on a 22-14 team from a year ago to be ranked in the top 2 or 3, at least above a 23-12 Texas team from last season. I feel like most experts think Kentucky is probably the #1 team in terms of talent, but stubbornly pick them lower because they want to believe that this young team is going to be a bust under Calipari. If you want this team to prove something first, I can respect that opinion, but don't also vote for a 12-19 Georgia Tech team in the polls because of one recruit (some are even picking GT as a Final Four team). Be consistent.
5. Villanova: Should win the Big East, and therefore, should be ranked in the Top 5.
6. North Carolina: The defending champs lose 4 out of 5 starters. A team has not won back to back titles after losing 4 starters since UCLA in the 1970's and that shouldn't happen this year either. UNC will always be a factor under Roy Williams and will be a top 10 team when it's all said and done. This team is no where close to the level of talent that there has been in the last several years in Chapel Hill, however, they're still ranked about where they should be.
7. Purdue
8. West Virginia
9. Duke: Duke could trade their entire roster with Central Connecticuit State and would somehow still be ranked in the Top 10. When was their last Final Four appearance anyway? Overrated. Waaay overrated.
10. Tennessee: The Vols have all the talent in the world, but they couldn't even beat last year's NIT version of Kentucky. It will be a major disappointment if Tennessee doesn't earn at least a 2 or 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
11. Butler
12. Connecticut
13. California: Don't know much about Cal, but they only beat Murray State by 5 in thier opener. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now.
14. Washington
15. Michigan: The Wolverines were 9-9 in Big 10 play last season. Their recruiting class is good, but not good enough to all of a sudden make them a Top 15 team. They're overrated.
16. Ohio State
17. Oklahoma: hard to really say how the Sooners will be without Blake Griffin. Who do they have to replace him to justify being ranked at all? I'm going to say overrated.
18. Mississippi State: Their ranking all depends on the eligibility of Renaldo Sydney. Either way the Bulldogs are a Top 25 team. With him, they could be closer to a Top 10 team. I expect him to eventually be eligible, so I believe that in the end the Bulldogs will be better than this ranking. They're underrated.
19. Louisville: The Cardinals lose their top 2 scorers and rebounders in Terrance Williams and Earl Clark. They also lose veteran point guard, Andre McGee. Freshman Peyton Siva is talented, but won't be able to make up the difference of all the talent that the Cardinals have lost from a year ago. Could this season on the court be any uglier than the off season was for Rick Pitino and the Cards? Maybe not, but the Cardinals have lost a lot more than what they've gained in Siva and it looks like they're a little overrated.
20. Georgetown: The talent is there to be a Top 5 team, however, the talent was there last year too. The Hoyas need to put it together, but they're so loaded that I'm going to have to label them as underrated.
21. Dayton
22. Georgia Tech: I've already rambled enough on the Yellow Jackets. They were 12-19 last year. Not even John Wall all by himself would turn them into a serious contender, and Derrick Favors won't either. They're waaay overrated.
23. Illinois
24. Clemson
25. Minnesota: Tubby Smith has had his share of off-court problems this off season, but he always seems to get things under control as the season goes on and finds ways for his teams to make the NCAA Tournament. This year should be no different.
Not ranked and should be: Cincinnati and South Carolina
The Bearcats return top scorer Yancey Gates and add one of the best recruits in the nation, Lance Stephenson. Not a single vote? This team is definitely better than Georgia Tech and a handful of other ranked teams. The Bearcats are the most underrated team in the country. If the football team doesn't make it to the BCS Title game, their fans can jump off that bandwagon and jump right back onto the basketball bandwagon that they rode on during the Bob Huggins era. Mick Cronin appears to have the Bearcats back. As for the Gamecocks, they return two studs that turned down the NBA last season. One of them, Devan Downey, could be the best Point Guard in the nation behind John Wall.
1. Kansas: with the most experienced and accomplished talent in the country and top recruit Xavier Henry aboard, the Jayhawks deserve to be #1, for now.
2. Michigan State: The Spartans overachieved last season and it showed against UNC. I don't think they're as talented as Kentucky. Two is a bit high, but I can't consider them "overrated" because they return everyone from a team that finished #2 a year ago. They're where they deserve to be, but I'm not sure if they'll stay quite this high all season, however, Tom Izzo will have them in the Top 10 in March, when it matters.
3. Texas: The Longhorns have a lot of freshman talent coming in as well as transfer Jai Lucas from Florida, but it seems like they are overrated every year in basketball. What does Rick Barnes ever do with his talent in March? Even with Kevin Durant, they did nothing. Texas was 23-12 last year. Kentucky was 22-14. The two teams' had similar teams a year ago....do you mean to tell me that Texas has improved more than Kentucky has in the off season? Really? Can anybody tell me with a straight face that Texas improved themselves more than Kentucky did and should be ranked higher? Please, give me a break.
4. Kentucky: It seems crazy to think that the 4th ranked team in the country could be underrated, but the voters of this poll have a sub-500 team from last year ranked because of one great freshman (Derrick Favors of Georgia Tech). With this logic, FOUR great freshman, returning All-American Patrick Patterson, and new head coach John Calipari should make enough impact on a 22-14 team from a year ago to be ranked in the top 2 or 3, at least above a 23-12 Texas team from last season. I feel like most experts think Kentucky is probably the #1 team in terms of talent, but stubbornly pick them lower because they want to believe that this young team is going to be a bust under Calipari. If you want this team to prove something first, I can respect that opinion, but don't also vote for a 12-19 Georgia Tech team in the polls because of one recruit (some are even picking GT as a Final Four team). Be consistent.
5. Villanova: Should win the Big East, and therefore, should be ranked in the Top 5.
6. North Carolina: The defending champs lose 4 out of 5 starters. A team has not won back to back titles after losing 4 starters since UCLA in the 1970's and that shouldn't happen this year either. UNC will always be a factor under Roy Williams and will be a top 10 team when it's all said and done. This team is no where close to the level of talent that there has been in the last several years in Chapel Hill, however, they're still ranked about where they should be.
7. Purdue
8. West Virginia
9. Duke: Duke could trade their entire roster with Central Connecticuit State and would somehow still be ranked in the Top 10. When was their last Final Four appearance anyway? Overrated. Waaay overrated.
10. Tennessee: The Vols have all the talent in the world, but they couldn't even beat last year's NIT version of Kentucky. It will be a major disappointment if Tennessee doesn't earn at least a 2 or 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
11. Butler
12. Connecticut
13. California: Don't know much about Cal, but they only beat Murray State by 5 in thier opener. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now.
14. Washington
15. Michigan: The Wolverines were 9-9 in Big 10 play last season. Their recruiting class is good, but not good enough to all of a sudden make them a Top 15 team. They're overrated.
16. Ohio State
17. Oklahoma: hard to really say how the Sooners will be without Blake Griffin. Who do they have to replace him to justify being ranked at all? I'm going to say overrated.
18. Mississippi State: Their ranking all depends on the eligibility of Renaldo Sydney. Either way the Bulldogs are a Top 25 team. With him, they could be closer to a Top 10 team. I expect him to eventually be eligible, so I believe that in the end the Bulldogs will be better than this ranking. They're underrated.
19. Louisville: The Cardinals lose their top 2 scorers and rebounders in Terrance Williams and Earl Clark. They also lose veteran point guard, Andre McGee. Freshman Peyton Siva is talented, but won't be able to make up the difference of all the talent that the Cardinals have lost from a year ago. Could this season on the court be any uglier than the off season was for Rick Pitino and the Cards? Maybe not, but the Cardinals have lost a lot more than what they've gained in Siva and it looks like they're a little overrated.
20. Georgetown: The talent is there to be a Top 5 team, however, the talent was there last year too. The Hoyas need to put it together, but they're so loaded that I'm going to have to label them as underrated.
21. Dayton
22. Georgia Tech: I've already rambled enough on the Yellow Jackets. They were 12-19 last year. Not even John Wall all by himself would turn them into a serious contender, and Derrick Favors won't either. They're waaay overrated.
23. Illinois
24. Clemson
25. Minnesota: Tubby Smith has had his share of off-court problems this off season, but he always seems to get things under control as the season goes on and finds ways for his teams to make the NCAA Tournament. This year should be no different.
Not ranked and should be: Cincinnati and South Carolina
The Bearcats return top scorer Yancey Gates and add one of the best recruits in the nation, Lance Stephenson. Not a single vote? This team is definitely better than Georgia Tech and a handful of other ranked teams. The Bearcats are the most underrated team in the country. If the football team doesn't make it to the BCS Title game, their fans can jump off that bandwagon and jump right back onto the basketball bandwagon that they rode on during the Bob Huggins era. Mick Cronin appears to have the Bearcats back. As for the Gamecocks, they return two studs that turned down the NBA last season. One of them, Devan Downey, could be the best Point Guard in the nation behind John Wall.
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