Official College Basketball Thread

[IlliniKrush]

YOU CAN WATCH THE DUKIES TONIGHT BABY!!!!

 

/end vitale voice

[whitesoxfan101]

YOU CAN WATCH THE DUKIES TONIGHT BABY!!!!

 

/end vitale voice

 

Oh God, the Dick Vitale eternal Duke woody is horrendous. He will be talking about how great they are as they beat the mighty BU Terriers tonight I'm sure.

[Buehrle>Wood]

NIT Preview and Analysis:

 

1st Round Match-ups

Duke over Boston University

 

Tonight we'll be able to catch our first glimpse at the 05-06 season with this match-up on ESPN. It will be the first of 73 Duke games on national tevevision this year. And yes they are all the same, Duke players very low-major and wins by 50. No surprises here.

 

Manhatten over Seton Hall

 

Bobby Gonzalez should have his boys ready to play against big conference foe Seton Hall. This win should come at no surprise either for the Jaspers. They are the better team, simply put.

 

Princeton over Drexel

 

But then again, who cares?

 

Alabama over Miami Ohio

 

The Crimson Tide will tear apart the boys from Miami, who will be stricken to middle of the MAC East after taking the title last year. Still though, this remains one of the best first round games for the NIT. Just don't expect it to be close.

 

Memphis over Wisconsin-Milwaukee

 

Although UW-M took some heavy losses, they will still give Memphis a very good game. Calipari and the Tigers have a history of playing down to lesser opponents. A victory for the Panters is certainly not out of reach.

 

Temple over Army

 

Chaney gets another start this year with what should be a crushing of an awful Army team. Nothing much more to see here.

 

UCLA over New Mexico State

 

Reggie Theus faces a tough job replacing future Hall of Famer Lou Henson. One bright spot is Elijah Ingram, former MDAA who has transferred from St. John's. In the end though, it won't be very close, as the talented, young backcourt of UCLA will prove to be too much.

 

2nd Rounds

Duke over Manhatten

 

Not much hope for the Jaspers going up aganist national power Duke. Bobby G should have them hang in there for a bit though.

 

Missouri over Princeton

 

What a pitiful regional this was. No way should one of these teams advance to New York while Alabama, Memphis, Miami and UW-Milwaukee are all stuck in the same regional. Anyway this should still be a close game. Missouri doesn't always capitalize on their possessions, something Ivy League schools have learned to capitalize on. Expect Princeton to slow the game down considerably but in the end fail to win.

 

Alabama over Memphis

 

Oh man, what an awesome regional final this is. Both deserve to be headed on a plane to New York, but only one can win. I'm in love with Memphis' talent this year, but for whatever reason, I just don't see them beating SEC power Alabama. Ronnie Steele is part of that awesome class of Sophmore PGs, as is Darius Washington. They will be matched-up with one another. This should be one of the best early season games, with the Crimson Tide prevailing.

 

UCLA over Temple

 

This should be yet another great match-up of 2 of the best PG's in the nation. Marty Collins may be a future lottery pick as he leads Temple up against Jordan Farmer, part of that aforementionted Sophmore PG class. Temple won't have the depth to go up against UCLA but it should be another great game.

 

Semi Finals

Duke over Missouri

 

In what should be a snore of a semi-final game, Duke will destroy Queen Snyder and Missouri. The Blue Devils will put the Tigers into shame. I would be shocked if heartless Missouri even puts up a fight. NEXT.

 

UCLA over Alabama

 

I luuuuuuuuuuv UCLA's talent this year. Another great match-up of point-guards will be won by Farmer. Should be interesting to see how Bozeman is this year, after he missed all of last season with an injury. Micheal Fey will be the ket down-low for the Bruins. If he can make his stops, UCLA will win this game.

 

Championship

 

Duke over UCLA

 

A throw back game in which maybe the 2 best programs of all-time go at it. If there is one team in the NIT who can best Duke, it is UCLA. This game will be close all the way through. In the end though, UCLA will have no answer for powerful big man Sheldon Williams.

Edited November 15, 2005 by Buehrle>Wood

[gettysburg32]

NIT Preview and Analysis:

 

1st Round Match-ups

Duke over Boston University

 

Tonight we'll be able to catch our first glimpse at the 05-06 season with this match-up on ESPN. It will be the first of 73 Duke games on national tevevision this year. And yes they are all the same, Duke players very low-major and wins by 50. No surprises here.

 

Manhatten over Seton Hall

 

Bobby Gonzalez should have his boys ready to play against big conference foe Seton Hall. This win should come at no surprise either for the Jaspers. They are the better team, simply put.

 

Princeton over Drexel

 

But then again, who cares?

 

Alabama over Miami Ohio

 

The Crimson Tide will tear apart the boys from Miami, who will be stricken to middle of the MAC East after taking the title last year. Still though, this remains one of the best first round games for the NIT. Just don't expect it to be close.

 

Memphis over Wisconsin-Milwaukee

 

Although UW-M took some heavy losses, they will still give Memphis a very good game. Calipari and the Tigers have a history of playing down to lesser opponents. A victory for the Panters is certainly not out of reach.

 

Temple over Army

 

Chaney gets another start this year with what should be a crushing of an awful Army team. Nothing much more to see here.

 

UCLA over New Mexico State

 

Reggie Theus faces a tough job replacing future Hall of Famer Lou Henson. One bright spot is Elijah Ingram, former MDAA who has transferred from St. John's. In the end though, it won't be very close, as the talented, young backcourt of UCLA will prove to be too much.

 

2nd Rounds

Duke over Manhettan

 

Not much hope for the Jaspers going up aganist national power Duke. Bobby G should have them hang in there for a bit though.

 

Missouri over Princeton

 

What a pitiful regional this was. No way should one of these teams advance to New York while Alabama, Memphis, Miami and UW-Milwaukee are all stuck in the same regional. Anyway this should still be a close game. Missouri doesn't always capitalize on their possessions, something Ivy League schools have learned to capitalize on. Expect Princeton to slow the game down considerably but in the end fail to win.

 

Alabama over Memphis

 

Oh man, what an awesome regional final this is. Both deserve to be headed on a plane to New York, but only one can win. I'm in love with Memphis' talent this year, but for whatever reason, I just don't see them beating SEC power Alabama. Ronnie Steele is part of that awesome class of Sophmore PGs, as is Darius Washington. They will be matched-up with one another. This should be one of the best early season games, with the Crimson Tide prevailing.

 

UCLA over Temple

 

This should be yet another great match-up of 2 of the best PG's in the nation. Marty Collins may be a future lottery pick as he leads Temple up against Jordan Farmer, part of that aforementionted Sophmore PG class. Temple won't have the depth to go up against UCLA but it should be another great game.

 

Semi Finals

Duke over Misouri

 

In what should be a snore of a semi-final game, Duke will destroy Queen Snyder and Missouri. The Blue Devils will put the Tigers into shame. I would be shocked if heartless Missouri even puts up a fight. NEXT.

 

UCLA over Alabama

 

I luuuuuuuuuuv UCLA's talent this year. Another great match-up of point-guards will be won by Farmer. Should be interesting to see how Bozeman is this year, after he missed all of last season with an injury. Micheal Fey will be the ket down-low for the Bruins. If he can make his stops, UCLA will win this game.

 

Championship

 

Duke over UCLA

 

A throw back game in which maybe the 2 best programs of all-time go at it. If there is one team in the NIT who can best Duke, it is UCLA. This game will be close all the way through. In the end though, UCLA will have no answer for powerful big man Sheldon Williams.

 

 

I like your analysis, especially concerning your take on Mizzou. They will have trouble with either second round opponent. Princeton has taken down teams a lot better than Mizzou and their style thrives more than usual against inconsistant teams. About Drexel, (and this is simply regional info), the CAA is an up and coming conference (i.e. getting almost to the level of the Missouri Valley conference) and if Drexel gets Mizzou they will at least hang in there the whole way, they have the talent and physical players so they would not be intimidated at all.

 

Only other very slight disagreement would be I'd take Memphis over Alabama, but that's a 50-50 game to me anyway. That one should come in the semifinals in the Garden, it's that good of a matchup.

[Heads22]

Haaa...Mizzou losing to Sam Houston State at home with under 5 left.

[Heads22]

So Mizzou loses.

[IlliniKrush]

LMAO...awesome

[Brian]

Wish I had ESPNU, looking at the SIU schedule they have quite a few games on there this year.

[greasywheels121]

You guys in Champaign aren't going to start running the Bracey Wright stare and stand offense, are you?

Weber is by no means giving up on whipping precision back into his motion offense. But with three new starters and only one returning starter at guard, the intricacies of his offense won't be mastered for a while - thus the coaching staff's decision to devote more practice time to defense.

[whitesoxfan99]

You guys in Champaign aren't going to start running the Bracey Wright stare and stand offense, are you?

 

Nope they will be running the motion just it will probably look a lot worse than last year early on. The ball movement and precision required to run the motion isn't quite where it needs to be yet.

[Buehrle>Wood]

Northwestern beats Charlotte. Huge win for them.

[Jimbo's Drinker]

Good luck with Dee trying to run the point.

[whitesoxfan99]

Good luck with Dee trying to run the point.

[Buehrle>Wood]

Good luck with Dee trying to run the point.

They won't need it. They were successful enough with him running the point when he first got to Illinois.

[IlliniKrush]

Good luck with Dee trying to run the point.

Good one?

 

And Greasy no it won't turn into that Bracey style offense...it's just going to take a while before we can run motion on every single play. What you will see early on is more of a pounding inside to Augie, Pruitt, etc....let them work for some points.

[Jimbo's Drinker]

wow 2/10 sportscenter plays come from the Jayhawks.

 

I cannot believe how young and dangerous they may be....

[Jimbo's Drinker]

My hoosiers will just rock.....

[Heads22]

wow 2/10 sportscenter plays come from the Jayhawks.

 

I cannot believe how young and dangerous they may be....

 

It was Pittsburg State. I wouldn't get too worked up.

[thedoctor]

It was Pittsburg State. I wouldn't get too worked up.

hey, when bill self is your coach, no win is guaranteed.

[fathom]

hey, when bill self is your coach, no win is guaranteed.

 

Unless it's a recruiting battle against Bruce Weber.

[thedoctor]

Nope they will be running the motion just it will probably look a lot worse than last year early on.  The ball movement and precision required to run the motion isn't quite where it needs to be yet.

 

exactly. people will probably rag on dee early if the offense isn't clicking, but really there's no way to just pick up from last year. since there aren't really set plays in motion, much of it is based on the nuance of understanding what the other guys are going to do. dee, deron and luther played together for so long that their knowledge of each others' ability was almost second nature. that isn't going to happen overnight for this group.

 

i expect illinois to struggle offensively early on, but improve and be a formidable team by the time we get into late january and february. that's fine with me. after last season i am willing to be patient and let this team develop.

[thedoctor]

Unless it's a recruiting battle against Bruce Weber. 

 

lol. well played.

[fathom]

lol. well played.

 

For the record, I'm not a Kansas fan at all. I'm more in the Weber can't recruit to save his life bandwagon.

[thedoctor]

For the record, I'm not a Kansas fan at all.  I'm more in the Weber can't recruit to save his life bandwagon.

it's a big bandwagon. i'm surprised you have room.

[Jimbo's Drinker]

I am on record as a kansas fan.

 

Graduated from Indiana, originally from KC.