The 2019/2020 NCAA Hoops Thread

[katester44]

College hoops kicks off tomorrow with an AMAZING double header!!!

Kansas v. Duke
Michigan State v. Kentucky

The top 4 teams leading the way into the season - should be fun!

 

[katester44]

Michigan State loses to Kentucky (fell asleep during this one, so not a lot of commentary)

Duke beats Kansas - both teams looked like they couldn't hit water if they fell out of a boat. Kansas had about 30 turnovers and still only lost by 2. I think there is more upside to the Kansas season - Duke looks like it is going to struggle to score points....

UNC kicks off tonight v. Notre Dame - this is the game I have been waiting for!!! Can't wait to see Cole Anthony play.

 

[katester44]

Wow did Cole Anthony make a huge splash in his college debut. Highest point total for an ACC freshmen in history -- Zion who?? And not against some small school - this was against a decent Notre Dame squad with a ton of upper classmen.

 

[katester44]

Your new #1 this week is Kentucky, followed by Duke. Carolina bumps up 3 spots to #6.

Obviously, still far too early to make any March predictions based on November rankings...but hey, its the internet, so nothing is out of the realm of possibilities.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

Yeah Evansville! Takes down #1 Kentucky, IN LEXINGTON.

Say hello to #1, Duke. Try to make it past a week. Or not. I do hate Duke. But not as much as Kentucky!

I wonder if Calipari will refuse to play Evansville again, just like IU?

 

[katester44]

Yeah Evansville! Takes down #1 Kentucky, IN LEXINGTON.

Say hello to #1, Duke. Try to make it past a week. Or not. I do hate Duke. But not as much as Kentucky!

I wonder if Calipari will refuse to play Evansville again, just like IU?

First time the #1 team has been beaten twice in November.... I saw the breaking news on the ticker - and just smiled. Kentucky is my #2 most despised team, behind only Duke. I am fine with Duke staying undefeated and #1 until February when they match up with Carolina.

 

[katester44]

Curious things afoot in Memphis. Their top recruit (James Wiseman) ruled ineligible by the NCAA for taking $$$ from Penny Hardaway before he became Memphis head coach. A court ruling allows Wiseman to play, so Penny is playing him, but potentially setting the stage for wins to be vacated and sanctions to come down on the entire team. Why not just sit him for the meaningless games in November and have him back in January after all the potential violations are cleared up????

Anyone else see the irony that the guy who starred in a movie (Blue Chips) about illegal recruiting and violations actually becomes a college head coach and not even two years into his tenure, gets the #1 overall recruiting class and now has the NCAA knocking on his door.....

 

[katester44]

And now Memphis has declared Wiseman ineligible and he will sit pending an NCAA investigation/clearance. If they had just done that from the start, life would be so much easier for them, and he would probably already be back to playing for them. Now they have angered the NCAA by thumbing their nose at them...always a good choice.

 

[katester44]

James Wiseman of Memphis is now sitting the next 11 games. Will be eligible to come back and play in January. Kid is a beast, if that team gels before March, could be a tough out.

 

[katester44]

Michigan State loses again - this time to Virginia Tech over in Hawaii at the Maui Classic. Can't figure out what their issue is - unless it is simply needing to shoot better.

 

[katester44]

What in tarnation is going on in college hoops this year????

Last night saw the biggest upset in the last 15 years (and it was beautiful, by the way!!) -- Stephen F. Austin took down Duke at Cameron Indoor. 27.5 point underdogs and they win outright. Hope the upset bug doesn't hit Carolina early in the season - they got theirs a couple years ago when Wofford shot lights out and took them down.

Guess that means Louisville will be your new #1 when the polls come out this week.

 

[katester44]

Spoke way too soon on Carolina - as they got smoked by Michigan at the Battle For Atlantis... At least Michigan beat Gonzaga to win the title - they looked real deal, at least for this week.

 

[katester44]

Michigan jumps all the way up to #4 in the rankings - considering they were unranked prior to the Battle For Atlantis, that is a nice jump.

Their reward is a matchup with #1 Louisville tonight in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Some great games on tap, including Duke/Michigan State & Carolina/Ohio State.

 

[katester44]

Not a surprise that Michigan lost @ #1 Louisville last night - huge tourney win over the holiday, than to come back and head on the road to play the #1 team in the land...I give them a bit of a pass.

On the flip side, Michigan State got steamrolled by Duke last night..in East Lansing. I know their schedule has been tough to start the year, but they need to figure things out.

Another ranked matchup tonight for the Big Ten/ACC Challenge as Ohio State heads down to Tobacco Road to take on the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill!

 

[katester44]

Carolina and Virginia both get whupped in the Challenge - either scored over 50 points - that is scary. More so for Carolina - they just don't have enough guys who can put the ball in the hole this year. Against overmatched teams, they will be fine, but against comparable or better competition, going to be long, long nights. Which is awesome, since they get Gonzaga and Virginia on the road in two of their next three.

 

[mm1sub]

Is the Big ten that much better than the other conferences? I know it is early in the season but the top of the Big Ten looks scary good.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

I do an annual countdown of undefeated teams ('cause my Hoosiers are still the last Undefeated National Champion).

We're down to 16 teams:

SMU Mustangs (American Athletic)

Duquesne Dukes (A-10)

Louisville Cardinals (ACC)

Liberty Flames (Atlantic Sun)

West Virginia Mountaineers (Big 12)

Butler Bulldogs (Big East)

DePaul Blue Demons (Big East)

Indiana Hoosiers (Big 10)

Maryland Terrapins (Big 10)

Ohio State Buckeyes (Big 10)

Delaware Blue Hens (Colonial Athletic)

San Diego State Aztecs (Mountain West)

Colorado Buffalos (Pac 12)

Arizona Wildcats (Pac 12)

Arkansas Razorbacks (SEC)

Auburn Tigers (SEC)

 

[HoosierBuddy]

Is the Big ten that much better than the other conferences? I know it is early in the season but the top of the Big Ten looks scary good.

The Big 14 does this every year. One or two (or 4 this year) really, really good teams, and 3-4 teams that really, really suck, and a whole bunch of middle-tier teams.

It's so hard to say right now. Maryland has played nobody of consequence. Ohio State's lone marquee win was the (blowout) win over Carolina. Michigan got hot and lucky at the same time, to beat Gonzaga and Carolina back-to-back. Michigan State was supposed to be the badass of the conference, and they've lost 3 times already. Granted 2 of those were Duke and Kentucky, but those are the games you need to win to finally break the 19-year championship drought.

 

[mm1sub]

I do an annual countdown of undefeated teams ('cause my Hoosiers are still the last Undefeated National Champion).

We're down to 16 teams:

SMU Mustangs (American Athletic)

Duquesne Dukes (A-10)

Louisville Cardinals (ACC)

Liberty Flames (Atlantic Sun)

West Virginia Mountaineers (Big 12)

Butler Bulldogs (Big East)

DePaul Blue Demons (Big East)

Indiana Hoosiers (Big 10)

Maryland Terrapins (Big 10)

Ohio State Buckeyes (Big 10)

Delaware Blue Hens (Colonial Athletic)

San Diego State Aztecs (Mountain West)

Colorado Buffalos (Pac 12)

Arizona Wildcats (Pac 12)

Arkansas Razorbacks (SEC)

Auburn Tigers (SEC)

Great idea!! Please keep this updated. It is nice to see DePaul on this list. I am not sure who they have played so far but they were always a good team in my youth but seem to have faded and become inconsequential for a really long time.

 

[katester44]

Is the Big ten that much better than the other conferences? I know it is early in the season but the top of the Big Ten looks scary good.

I don't know if they are that much better than everyone else - would have to look at who they beat. I know that ACC/Big Ten challenge looked ugly, but UNC and Virginia aren't what they were last year, at least not this early in the season. Once teams get into the conference portion of their schedule, I will say with confidence who is and who isn't good. Carolina is going to be 4-4 through 8 games with losses to Michigan (4), Ohio State (6), Gonzaga (8) and Virginia (10) - tough way to start the season after losing 4 of 5 starters and your top 5 scorers from the previous season.

I do an annual countdown of undefeated teams ('cause my Hoosiers are still the last Undefeated National Champion).

We're down to 16 teams:

SMU Mustangs (American Athletic)

Duquesne Dukes (A-10)

Louisville Cardinals (ACC)

Liberty Flames (Atlantic Sun)

West Virginia Mountaineers (Big 12)

Butler Bulldogs (Big East)

DePaul Blue Demons (Big East)

Indiana Hoosiers (Big 10)

Maryland Terrapins (Big 10)

Ohio State Buckeyes (Big 10)

Delaware Blue Hens (Colonial Athletic)

San Diego State Aztecs (Mountain West)

Colorado Buffalos (Pac 12)

Arizona Wildcats (Pac 12)

Arkansas Razorbacks (SEC)

Auburn Tigers (SEC)

Should be interesting to see who lasts the longest, my $$$ would be on one of the mid-majors to stick it out. I will go with Delaware.