Kentucky Basketball

[FloridaAG]

Not a fan of KY and hate Calipari (your program will definitely be in tatters and subject to NCAA sanctions at whatever point he leaves) but I like this team because Brandon Knight went to prep school down the street from my office

[Brettolius]

Originally Posted by FloridaAG

Not a fan of KY and hate Calipari (your program will definitely be in tatters and subject to NCAA sanctions at whatever point he leaves) but I like this team because Brandon Knight went to prep school down the street from my office

Aw, don't hate. You don't have to cheat to get great recruits to come to UK. It's UK. Maybe at Memphis or UMass...

[FloridaAG]

Originally Posted by Brettolius

Aw, don't hate. You don't have to cheat to get great recruits to come to UK. It's UK. Maybe at Memphis or UMass...

True but I am not sure he can help himself

[hollywood9826]

Originally Posted by Dedans Penthouse

^^^^
excuse me, but what were you thinking when VCU was getting 'bumped' (attempting a penetration-dribble/shot) big-time in the 2nd half vs. Kansas with nary a call?

Big East accounted for 16% of the teams invited to March Madness.

Granted, Louisville, ND and Pitt spit the bit. That said, as of this posting: Duke & UNC lost to lower seeds as well, period.

Bottom Line: The Big East now represents:
25% of the tournament

not bad for an over-inflated, over-rated conference.

As with love, as with hoops--it's about 'depth'

Pitt lost to a final four team. Georgetown lost to a final four team. WVU lost to a final four team. Cincinatti lost to Final Four team. Marquette made a good run. ND lost to possibly the best defensive team in the country in FL St, just a bad matchup for them. Gonzaga is famous for the upsets and St Johns was ripe for the pickins.

Louisville was really the only squad that thouroughly disappointed.

[joeellis]

Originally Posted by Dedans Penthouse

^^^^
excuse me, but what were you thinking when VCU was getting 'bumped' (attempting a penetration-dribble/shot) big-time in the 2nd half vs. Kansas with nary a call?

Big East accounted for 16% of the teams invited to March Madness.

Granted, Louisville, ND and Pitt spit the bit. That said, as of this posting: Duke & UNC lost to lower seeds as well, period.

Bottom Line: The Big East now represents:
25% of the tournament

not bad for an over-inflated, over-rated conference.

As with love, as with hoops--it's about 'depth'

UNC & Duke did lose to lower seeds, but let's evaluate who they lost to.

Arizona beat Duke. They have only won one national title in modern history, but hey have been a staple in the tournament and in many instances, deep into the tournament, i.e. final 16 and beyond. They have more than likely been one of the winningest programs of the past 20 years. They have had several players, play and/or excell in the NBA.

UNC loses to Kentucky in a very well played contest in which Kentucky's 3's made the difference. Kentucky has won more national titles than anyone besides UCLA. Like UNC, even a down year for Kentucky is better than the majorities up years.

UNC, Duke, & Kentucky tend to do things the right way historically speaking. I've been a UNC fan since the mid 60's (yes I'm old), so I know more about their program than the other two. The last time UNC was in trouble, contrary to haters protests, was 1957 under Frank McGuire. Hence the hiring of then unknown coach, Dean Smith, to de-emphasize basketball and promote education.

I don't remember a time when either Duke or Kentucky was on probation. Not saying they haven't been, I just don't remember if they have.

Now on to this years Big East or as Charles Barkley called them on national tv, "The Big Least". They had 11 teams. Most were gone after 3 rounds and I might add, that includes the at large round, which I don't even consider a round.

While watching coverage of the tournament a few weeks ago, Kenny Smith (yes I know he is a Tar Heel) made the statement that while the Big East got a lot out of the talent available, the talent level wasn't deep nor overly high. Everyone on the panel, including Rick Petino (his team was already out) agreed with him. Smith went on to state that when he played in the ACC, he knew almost every night that he would lace it up against prospective NBA'ers. Granted, the ACC isn't as deep as it once was but Virginia Tach should have been in the tournament in place of several Big East schools.

Go back in time to that mid 60's period I started with. I believe many will be surprised at the percentage of titles the ACC has won, not to mention the number of times they have been represented in the final four. Kentucky has done quite well also. Obviously UCLA is still king, but Kentucky can inch one victory closer to their total this year.

The Big East should not have received 11 invitations imo.

[hollywood9826]

I dont think UCONN gets in had they not won a couple games in the Big East tournament.

But when you go back at look at the non-conference records the big east won a ton of games, and they all ended up losing to each other. I cant belive how poeple are so irrate over the big east putting 11 teams in. Based on the non conference they all belonged.

But Back to Kentucky basketball. How is Calipari so great at getting recruits. 3 of the 10 players starting last night in the McD's game have already committed to KU.

[joeellis]

Originally Posted by hollywood9826

I dont think UCONN gets in had they not won a couple games in the Big East tournament.

But when you go back at look at the non-conference records the big east won a ton of games, and they all ended up losing to each other. I cant belive how poeple are so irrate over the big east putting 11 teams in. Based on the non conference they all belonged.

But Back to Kentucky basketball. How is Calipari so great at getting recruits. 3 of the 10 players starting last night in the McD's game have already committed to KU.

Kentucky, UNC, Duke, Kansas, just to name a few will normally get the interest of many of the top recruits. Couple that with the fact that Calapari, Williams, K, Self are among the top coaches in the game and it is a no brainer.

All 4 schools I just named are in the top 5 all time winning programs, so not only can Calapari attract top recruits to Kentucky, most everyone before him did as well.

[PeterPanda]

Originally Posted by hollywood9826

I dont think UCONN gets in had they not won a couple games in the Big East tournament.

But when you go back at look at the non-conference records the big east won a ton of games, and they all ended up losing to each other. I cant belive how poeple are so irrate over the big east putting 11 teams in. Based on the non conference they all belonged.

But Back to Kentucky basketball. How is Calipari so great at getting recruits. 3 of the 10 players starting last night in the McD's game have already committed to KU.

That makes no sense. UCONN was ranked 18 in ap polls. granted they have nothing to do with what the NCAA does but if they went out first round of big east give UCONN an 8 seed.

[PeterPanda]

I don't like how UK and UCONN got the late game though.

[jamesblakefan#1]

Originally Posted by PeterPanda

That makes no sense. UCONN was ranked 18 in ap polls. granted they have nothing to do with what the NCAA does but if they went out first round of big east give UCONN an 8 seed.

Yeah UConn wasn't anywhere close to the bubble. On the other hand Villanova finished 5-10 in their last 15, lost to some of the worst of the Big East (as well as barely beating BE giants Seton Hall and DePaul), was on a 5 game losing streak and still got in, and were promptly dispatched by Mason.

[NickC]

Originally Posted by hollywood9826

I dont think UCONN gets in had they not won a couple games in the Big East tournament.

So, after winning over 25 games in the regular season, beating every ranked out-of-conference opponent they had (including crushing then-ranked-#2 Michigan State and #9 Kentucky on consecutive days by a combined 20 points, no less) and beating #12 Texas and UT, and finishing the regular season ranked #18 in the country, having only 9 losses (3 of which were to top 10 teams, and 6 of those losses were to teams in the top 20, and every team they lost to made it to the NCAA tournament) and playing in the strongest conference in the nation, UCONN doesn't even make it to the tournament? How many other teams can say that every team they lost to this season is in the NCAA tournament?

What kind of stuff are you smoking? (And if it's good, can you throw me some? )

[PeterPanda]

Originally Posted by jamesblakefan#1

Yeah UConn wasn't anywhere close to the bubble. On the other hand Villanova finished 5-10 in their last 15, lost to some of the worst of the Big East (as well as barely beating BE giants Seton Hall and DePaul), was on a 5 game losing streak and still got in, and were promptly dispatched by Mason.

And analysts even predicted an opset of mason over ohio.

[borg number one]

I'll be there at the NCAA title game Monday night here in Houston. I really hope UK will go all the way! I was a UK fan at 5 years of age when my parents and I lived in Kentucky (father in grad school). I've rooted for Kentucky ever since then. College basketball is unique for me, as I have two teams to root for: (1) my alma mater of course, the University of Texas-Austin and (2) the Kentucky Wildcats. What a basketball state Kentucky is! Those are great memories for me. I hope they return to the promised land.

[hollywood9826]

Originally Posted by NickC

So, after winning over 25 games in the regular season, beating every ranked out-of-conference opponent they had (including crushing then-ranked-#2 Michigan State and #9 Kentucky on consecutive days by a combined 20 points, no less) and beating #12 Texas and UT, and finishing the regular season ranked #18 in the country, having only 9 losses (3 of which were to top 10 teams, and 6 of those losses were to teams in the top 20, and every team they lost to made it to the NCAA tournament) and playing in the strongest conference in the nation, UCONN doesn't even make it to the tournament? How many other teams can say that every team they lost to this season is in the NCAA tournament?

What kind of stuff are you smoking? (And if it's good, can you throw me some? )

So a team that finishes tied for 9th in the big east makes it in easy but the other two 9-9 big east should have been left out. I think that proves how strong the big East was and that they actually were deserving of those 11 bids.

Villanova had 2 bad losses, and the only game marqutte lost that they probably should not have was to seton hall. but seton hall wasnt terrible.

And as far losing all your game to tourney teams. Pitt, ND, Cincy, and Georgetown also only lost to tourney teams. Add Kansas, Ohio State, and San Diego State in thier also.

[albino smurf]

This tournament is a good show of how irrelevant rankings are in a one and done format. Teams that can play sustained team ball and good defense generally do better than flashier, more athletically oriented games, this is always a problem for the mid-tier Big East teams in the NCAA imo and why the better big physical teams from the Big 10 always do pretty well. I do think Bama or Colorado should have made it in over Nova though, but in reality it is on the teams to earn it during the season. Here's to some good games here on out.

[jamesblakefan#1]

Originally Posted by hollywood9826

So a team that finishes tied for 9th in the big east makes it in easy but the other two 9-9 big east should have been left out. I think that proves how strong the big East was and that they actually were deserving of those 11 bids.

Villanova had 2 bad losses, and the only game marqutte lost that they probably should not have was to seton hall. but seton hall wasnt terrible.

And as far losing all your game to tourney teams. Pitt, ND, Cincy, and Georgetown also only lost to tourney teams. Add Kansas, Ohio State, and San Diego State in thier also.

I counted 3 bad losses for Nova (Rutgers, Providence, USF) and a couple of others that were close and they could have lost (SH, DePaul).

People talk about Nova's OOC wins, but they pale in comparison to UConn's (winning the Maui tourney by beating MSU and UK, winning @ Texas, beating Tennessee and beating Harvard who was an eyelash away from being a tourney team). There's no way UConn even before the NCAA's was a bubble team, and to me it's not even a debate. Nova on the other hand sputtered to the end and looked horrible in doing so.

[hollywood9826]

I forgot Nova South Florida in the Tourney. But any team that has to play Cuse, ST Johns, ND, and Pitt in a row to end the season is probably goingto lose 4 in a row. And the the skid just kept going. Nova didnt play anybody out of conference really. UCLA, Temple, and MD were probably thier three biggest OOC Wins.

But they some good wins in Conf and did enough to warrany the bid mainly because the Big East crushed everybody OOC they played.

[NickC]

..............

[PeterPanda]

Everything is now good!

[DCaicedo]

Haters will always hate- that's for sure.