Running 2011-12 College Basketball thread

I'm related to people who know Pat really, really well, and he's anything but unalloyed evil, but he's got a lot to prove. He's undermanned, and it's up to him to do something about it.

 

I believe that about Pat Knight, especially coming from you, but this isn't the way to go about gaining the credibility for self and momentum for program. Let them quietly go on their way and keep bringing in the kind of kids you want. Anyone who has seen new coaches come into enough programs for enough years knows that some new coaches aren't perfect matches for former coach's recruits.

How many other first-year coaches used to this dance resort to publicly airing their dirty program laundry?

 

I really, really wonder how Isaiah Canaan got out of Mississippi without a major conference offer. Stansbury obviously has no problem getting big-name recruits, but how he didn't get a look from Ole Miss, LSU, or any of the other SEC schools is mind-boggling. He's a great player now, but he's been a solid player since the day he stepped on Murray's campus.

 

Missouri is in the process of blowing a huge second half lead at Kansas. Not surprisingly, the calls aren't going their way on the road against the more established team.

 

This border battle easily has to be game of the year, so far.

 

If by battle of the year you mean one of the biggest choke jobs of the year, then yes.

If you're the #3 ranked team in the country and you're up by 19 points in the second half, you have no business ever losing to anyone, home or away. EVER.

 

I grew up with Mizzou-Kansas. Every year. Twice a year (sometimes three times a year in the Big 8 at Kemper), it was an intense, nasty and fun-as-hell rivalry.

First reporting job, at AFH, covering MU-KU. Norm Stewart's second to last year. My press seat is on the baseline by the Mizzou bench. Stewart walks over and sticks his hand out right by my left shoulder.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, YOU OLD BASTARD?" Stewart yells.

I turn around.

The recently-retired Dean Smith smiles and extends his hand.

Incredible atmosphere.

 

And Mizzou is once again Mizzou.

Why is it that, no matter how many good players they have, they can never get it done when it counts?

 

Wow. What a finish. Incredible game and yet another regular season Big 12 championship for the Jayhawks. That was awesome.

 

I can't believe it, TCU looks like it will finish fourth in the MWC.

 

I know everyone was watching the Border War, so I want to make sure y'all know about John Henson's late Oscar push. He should walk away with at least two statues for the flops he sold against Mike Scott. What a soft bitch.

 

Florida's skidding. The Gators (22-7, 10-4 SEC) finish the regular season on the road against Vanderbilt and at home against Kentucky. They could easily enter the NCAA tournament 23-10 and wind up with a No. 7 or No. 8 seed. Joe Lunardi had them as a No. 4 seed entering today.

Meanwhile, Alabama has JaMychal Green back from suspension and finishes the season by hosting Auburn and visiting Mississippi. With a strong SEC tournament showing, the Crimson Tide could get the conference's second-best seed in the NCAA tournament.