College Basketball Thread II

Had a friend call me bitching that Duke was getting jobbed at Wake. I told him to sit down and watch any good defensive team play basketball.

Go back and watch tapes of the mid-90s Kentucky teams, or any Pitino team for that matter. Go back and watch tapes of some of the good Duke teams or Izzo's really good Michigan State teams.

Any of those teams could've had 5 guys foul out every single night. It's a risk-reward deal. These teams play physical defense and get away with it most nights. Every now and then, a couple refs will show up with happy whistles and shit happens.

 

Wake ended up winning by 14 or 15, Moddy.

 

Yeah. I don't hate Duke except for the unabashed love the Devils get from the media ALL THE TIME. It gets annoying, but I respect the program. I won't listen for a second if someone starts bitching about Duke getting jobbed though.

And I'm happy for the Deacs. They're definitely a sentimental favorite this year.

 

Oz, the term "Carolina refs" is throughout the ACC, not just in Durham.

While I don't cheer Duke losses (with one exception), I have a hard time getting upset that Wake Forest pulled that game off. They're fast, they're still getting over Skip Prosser and there's still a rule that no one detests Wake Forest.

 

I hope the Duke beatdown puts an end to the Duke-doesn't-need-rebounding BS announcers have been spouting all season. Outrebounded by 8 against a so-so Wake team that lost to NC State. Combine that with 29% shooting from three and you get beat by double digits. I see a repeat of what's happened to them in recent years ... a Sweet 16 or earlier loss to a quick, athletic team with a decent inside presence.

A homer-ish aside... I think Devan Downey at South Carolina might be developing into one of the best point guards around. Really fun to watch. Almost 20ppg, 5.2 apg (with few offensive options to pass to), second in nation in steals per game. He just needs to improve his FG%. If they can get him a decent coach and some help next season, he'll be something to see.

 

Didn't Kansas lose to Texas last week? Tennessee was No. 4, Kansas was No. 3, and Duke was No. 2 ... correct?

 

To clarify, I don't think anyone has been saying getting outrebounded won't hurt Duke. But when the 3s are going down, being outrebounded and outrun by the opposition, one can have the Devils' problems in Winston-Salem.

This isn't a great Duke team. It's simply been executing the game plan it has had to given the shortcomings of the roster.

And let's not berate Wake for getting dropped by N.C. State earlier this year. Not only is Wake Forest easily the youngest team in the Atlantic Coast Conference, but back when the Wolfpack won, they looked like they gave a flip. Unlike now ...

 

You are correct, sir. So as it stands now, Memphis-Tenn would be 1 vs. 2. Who'da thunk that back in October?

 

See, and here I had nearly put that loss out of my mind ... you are right. I'm biased, but with Tennessee and KU both losing at Texas, I would put KU above Tennessee given that its second loss came at No. 18 Kansas State while the Vols lost to Kentucky.

But yes, if all holds to form, it would be a 1-2 Tennessee matchup. Who woulda thunk it?

 

I think there's a great argument for Kansas to be No. 2, but I can't see voters letting a 1-2 opportunity go to waste. And Tennessee been No. 1 in the RPI for weeks thanks to a tough non conference schedule and some big road wins.