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Illinois wins again...albeit against Penn State who hasn't shown much this year.
I think Illinois will be able to finish the season undefeated. However, I would imagine they won't be going "all out" for the Big 10 tourney, and might mar their record there, and stock up on rest before the big dance. We'll see.
Any Utah fans out there? I have been following them simply because Andrew Bogut is such a prime time player. He is quietly making a case for himself as player of the year.
Ooooohhhhhh! Utah goes down at The Pit/New Mexico!! The Lobos shut down Bogut(if you call allowing 15 pts shutting down--he does avg. 20+ ppg) and the rest of the Utah team to end their 18 game winning streak and hand them their first conference loss. The Pit--hard to beat UNM at that venue.
And Kansas has their first 3 game losing streak since 1994! Wow! I think the chinks in their armor have been pretty apparent all season long. I have never understood the sports writers/commentators love for Kansas this season. First of all, they are in the Big 12--which, IMO, is always over-rated. Yeah, I know it's Kansas and they are one of the top 4 college hoops darlings and a historied, great team. But come on...we have to see the forest for the trees here. Secondly, this team may be comprised of many experienced seniors, but they don't play as a tight unit. They have their goto guys(Langford and Simien), but this team really seems like a bunch of individuals playing a team game. Their passing is shoddy, their perimeter game is suspect, and their stamina and speed is lacking. Which leads to my third point....they always seem to be struggling to win games, and they have not had any impressive wins over closely matched teams. Yeah, they have beaten ranked teams....but they always struggle to do so, and usually have to come from behind at the last minute to do it.
I don't know...I just don't understand the love. I watch the same games and see the same highlights. I know I am an anti-Kansas, but I am also not paid to be an analyst, and even my un-trained eye can see the writing on the wall here.
Yeah, Washington IS good, and they do have some great victories. But don't jump through that tv screen at Majerus just yet. Unfortunately, other than the selection committee, day to day college hoops is more of a "what have you done for me lately" type of sport. All three of those teams that you mention have been playing much better in this latter part of the season, as is Arizona. Washington has had some glaring losses lately(Oregon State?) that instantly puts that question mark next to their name and asks "how will they fare come tourney time?"
Hmmm....seems like just you and me in here, huh?
Hey, I'm fine with just the two of us in here Mr. D. I'm sure we'll have company once the league tournaments start. You are right about the Oregon State loss. I think the Huskies needed that though. They beat the crap out of Washington State although you can't tell that from the final score. The real test will be Arizona this weekend. We'll see how it goes. The truth is I'm looking for any excuse to beat on Rick Majerus. I dislike him greatly. We'll see what happens after the season, but I find him backing out of the USC job to be highly suspicious. I think he believes he'll get a much better job after the season.
Not complaining about the company in here at all!! I'm glad that I'm not the only one that follows the college hoops "regular season"!!
Yeah, Majerus' abrupt back out of USC was suspicious. I can't fault the guy though....he obviously does have some health issues--and probably an already pretty good contract at ESPN. He is a great coach and great mind in College Hoops. I would hope he would get his stuff together, lose some weight, deal with his other health issues, and get back behind the helm of a team that is lower tier right now, but could be upper tier if they had the right motivation. Colorado maybe?? But they aren't into spending on a coach for hoops.
Down go the Cowboys!! I'll say it again.....THE BIG 12 IS OVERRATED!!!
Actually, I was reading an article yesterday that was talking about the fact that, as conferences go, the ACC is the top conference, and the PAC10 is the #2 toughest conference! This is all based on a cumulative(I assume) RPI for all of the teams in the conference. I don't know where the Big 12 or the Big 10 sit, but IMO, the Big 12 is just not that hot of a conference. Yeah, there are always several good Big 12 teams, but in general, they don't show up for the tournament. Even when they get 2 teams in the final four, those teams hardly ever win the championship....unless it's Kansas(and when was the last time they won one?) It's kinda sad, since I live in Big 12 country(colorado)
I think Majerus is just anti-Pac 10, likely from being at Utah all those years and feeling unappreciated. I am not sure if I can buy into the idea that the Pac10 is number 2 on the RPI overall, but the system has been the same for years, and generally is quite good. I do know the Pac10 routinely plays a very tough out of conference schedule.
I think Washington will be fine in the tourny as they have good guard play and that is a key to success in March Madness. I suspect if Arizona could ever get their talent on the same page at the same time that they could breeze to the final four. People talk about North Carolina's talent, but honestly Arizona has more talent than the Tar Heels in my opinion.
Yeah, I was suspect of that RPI/Pac10 as 2nd best conference too. Mostly because it just doesn't seem like there are many players in the PAC 10 this year. Yeah, Washington has been consistent, and Arizona is making waves as the season gets older. But the rest of the conference is mostly meh. But something must be contributing to that opinion. Non-conf. games? Perhaps. I thought Illinois had a pretty tough non-conf. season...but I don't think they are even in the top 10 RPI-wise.
I think it matters most what you do on the court, and not what a computer equation says.
The "strength of schedule" component of the RPI might need a bit of tweaking. Illinois is #4 in the RPI because of their 45th ranking in the "strength of schedule" component. Kansas, Wake Forest, and Oklahoma State are ahead of them in the RPI although each has 4 losses and Illinois throttled Wake earlier this year. They beat Longwood, who is last in the RPI and Wake plays them tonight so that should drop them somewhat. Illinois seems to be hurt by playing Longwood, Delaware State, Oakland, etc. more than they are rewarded for beating top-25 RPI teams Gonzaga, Wake, Cincinnati, Michigan State, or Wisconsin. Oh well, what really matters is what happens on the court, although bubble teams need to look closely at their RPI.
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