College Hoops 03-04

[The 'Xir]

Well, It's a bit early, but I figured someone would start a thread sooner or later! Who's your team and what do you guys think of the upcomming year!
Well, I think most of you know I'm an Orangemen fan, and it will be interesting to see their jorney back to the tourney to defend their National Title! They lost their first game of the new season to NC-Charolette!!! Then barely won over Rhode Island! This might worry the average fan, but for 1) They lost their first game last season, and 2) I can honestly say that I think Syracuse has a chance to make a run for another championship, however, with Carmelo gone, right now I think they're trying to find their Identity as a team! So they haven't quite gelled yet. The gotta get better play out of their centers, and we need one of the new guys to come in and take a shooting forward role, so we are not so dependent on Gerry McNamara! Rhode Island did play some box-and-1 on G-Mac, and if someone doesn't step up that could become a trend for defenses this season! We can't use Warrick in that role, because we need his presence down low as a power forward, lining up across from the center, because )1 That's where he's at his best, and 2) it will draw defenders down into the box allowing the perimeter shots to open up!
Big Monday is back Baby! Although Syracuse doesn't play, one interesting matchup tonight is a future Big East matchup in Marquette vs Notre Dame!
So who is your team, and what do you guys think of their and the overall outlook for this season!

[Bel-Cam Jos]

I have my same three teams as in college football: Pitt (gonna give the 'Cuse a run for the Big East title? maybe... ), Ohio State (it's gonna be another tough year in the Big Ten), and Youngstown State (they might sneak into the NCAA tourney with their Gateway or Horizon Conference [I forget which is football or basketball] automatic bid).

Yay.

[EricRG]

Let's go OR-ANGE!

But alas, I do believe it to be another NIT year for the 'cuse. They are the champs, people will be gunning for them. Yes, they lost their 1st game last year as well, but that was to Memphis, a very good team. I don't think Charlotte or whoever it was they lost to (AT THE DOME) will be nearly as good. But they surprised the hell out of me last year, and Xir knew the deal on 'Melo before the season even began, so Xir is wise.

Haha, that's 2/3 for SU so far. Anyone else?

[Trip J]

My college hoops team is the same as my coolege football team - the Iowa Hawkeyes, and I'm expecting a pretty solid season.

You know, it's weird. UI ran Tom Davis (the all-time wins leader in IA basketball history and the classiest act you'll meet anywhere) and Hayden Fry (the all-time wins leader in IA football and just as classy as Dr. Tom) and replaced them with Steve Alford and Kirk Ferentz respectively.

At the time, everyone was thrilled with Alford and po'd about not getting Bobby Stoops (who played football at Iowa in the 80's).

When Ferentz started off poorly, people were ready to run him out of town.

Fast-forward to 2003. Ferentz's football team just completed another terrific season, and Alford's hoops team has made one lousy NCAA tournament. This year they have some real talent, and depth too. They started off strong last week with two wins over some lower-tier teams, and then a nice 1-point win over Louisville on Saturday in the Wooden classic. I hope that's an indicator of things to come, but as usual, the Big Ten should be pretty good top to bottom. A successfull year n my eyes will be 20+ wins, a top five finish in the conference, and a strong showing in both the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments.

[Bel-Cam Jos]

Pitt beat YSU yesterday, with the combined score of the game hovering around 100 points. Defense? Perhaps. Bring on the Big East season!

[kool-aid killer]

I dont really follow college hoops, i think its the worst college game around. Too many blowouts for my liking. But if i had to choose a favorite team it would be the Cornhuskers. An average team for as long as i could remember. I liked Creighton, but (i know it sounds odd) didnt like last years team. Its an okay level to help pass the time but i will take the pros anyday.

[jjreason]

I watched the "basketbowl" in Detroit yesterday between Kentucky and MSU. The game was played outside at Ford Field, in front of 75000 people. Crazy. MSU was keeping it close, unfortunately I had to leave with about a minute to play and missed the ending. Good game, with Kentucky dominating in the paint but MSU shooting very well to stay in it.

I root for Michigan here as well, but they aren't the power in the Big10 (any more). Big10 b-ball should be fairly good this year, with most teams better than fair. In university I was treated to Big East basketball coverage every year (Kingston, Ontario was actually only about 2 hrs from Syracuse, Xir) so I would root for the Orangemen a little myself. I was happy to see coach Boeheim finally take the big one last year. Always a trick to repeat mind you, but I think they'll be way, way, way better than average this year. As long as they can beat G-Town everything else will be okay!

Hopefully this thread will get me following it a little more closely than I have for the last couple of years.

[The 'Xir]

Ahh jjreason you said the magic words, "Beat Georgetown", You are officially welcomed to join the 'Orange Pack'. All you have to do is spin around a couple of time 'til your dizzy, slam a couple (orange)screwdrivers, stomp on a Hoya head and a duke blue devil while cursing Dick Viatles' name, and yelling, "Da Cuse is in Da House...Oh my God Oh my God" and your in baby!

by the way, Kingston is more like 3-4hrs away, but hey it's still not that bad of a drive! Toronto I think is like 5hrs!
Also, I don't know what it is but I have totally lost all interest in the NBA, you were talking about blowouts in the NCAA's but there's 300 divisonI schools as oppossed to what 30-40 NBA teams! Man I just think that there is no competition any more in the NBA. When I watch an NBA game nowadays, it's like they are just going through the motions, it's almost a joke to them. I personally think the NCAA's are much more pure of games and because of it the competition and excitement of the games are that much better than the NBA! But that's just one mans opinion!

[The 'Xir]

Well, with bowl week almost done and NFL playoffs comming up, not much has been said on the NCAA basketball front, so I thought I'd squeek in a few remarks!
Being biased towards the Big East, How about them Pitt Panthers, notching the win over Georgia the other night puts them at 13-0 on the season, Georgetown also remains undefeated although they really haven't played anyone. It was good to see Uconn take it's eighth straight over Rice tonight, and poor Villanova just came up short of upsetting #13 Kansas. My boys here in Da Cuse have a big Matchup tommorrow Sat Jan 3rd as the Spartans of MSU roll into the Dome to face the #20th ranked Orangemen! The Spartans at 5-5 don't look to impressive but I don't think their record tells the whole story, and this should be SU's first real big test of their young season as they look for their 9th straight! Tip off is at Noon on CBS to a semi-national audience(you California people should be able to see it, if you feel like getting up at 9am, but then again you'd probably still be watching cbs's morning show)

all times are EST
Other big games tommorrow:#9North Carolina at #6 Kentucky noon on CBS
#25 Florida St at #12 Florida 1pm(regional)
10-1 Murray St visits #14 Louisville 2pm(regional)
Illinois St at #19 Illinois 2pm(espn Radio)
Iowa vs #22 Missouri 3pm(espn Radio)
#3Georgi Tech Vs Georgia 3pm(reg)
Pac10 matchup with #4 Arizona going into Arizona St 3:30pm(reg)
#21Purdue at Baylor 3:30pm(reg)
and
Princeton goes into #8 Oklahoma 5pm ESPN
enjoy!
let's hear some other remarks about everyones favorite team and what they think might happen this season!

[kool-aid killer]

I think Nebraska, off to a better start than usual, will sputter in Big 12 play. But i think they can make it to the NIT this year (yeah i know, not impressive to you guys) and make some noise. They won it sometime in the 90's to become the 65th best team in the nation.