2005-06 College Basketball Thread

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Nice to see Illinois actually play well on both halves of the ball in a game...absolutely throttling Oregon in Portland right now.

Look out Dee is starting to find his shot, the further he gets from his surgery the better. Did anyone else notice the announcers talking about how great Luther Head is then not recognizing it was him sitting behind Dee and James during the game? If he is so great, why don't you recognize him. :alright:

 

i didnt notice luther either, but i wasnt watching really closely. oregon just looked really bad, unless thats just the defense. randle needs to get in on the scoring more often, and arnold looked good today.

 

If Randle gets going, I like the Illini's chances of winning the Big 10 again. Illinois is undefeated and hasn't come close to playing their best ball yet. The lost a lot when Deron and Head left, but they are better defensively and are a lot more physical now, IMO.

 

I am a lot more optimistic about the team than I was before the season started, mainly because MSU, Indiana and Iowa aren't living up to their billing.

 

They aren't living up to their billing? Each of them has a bad loss, but each of them has played a much tougher schedule. Gonzaga, Arizona, BC, Texas, Kentucky(twice), Duke, and probably NC State are all better than anyone Illinois has played thus far. Iowa may be showing that they aren't as good as advertised, but Horner went down late in that UNI game, and with him there's a decent chance they still only have one loss.

[XZero771679666304]

Nice to see Illinois actually play well on both halves of the ball in a game...absolutely throttling Oregon in Portland right now.

Look out Dee is starting to find his shot, the further he gets from his surgery the better. Did anyone else notice the announcers talking about how great Luther Head is then not recognizing it was him sitting behind Dee and James during the game? If he is so great, why don't you recognize him. :alright:

 

i didnt notice luther either, but i wasnt watching really closely. oregon just looked really bad, unless thats just the defense. randle needs to get in on the scoring more often, and arnold looked good today.

 

If Randle gets going, I like the Illini's chances of winning the Big 10 again. Illinois is undefeated and hasn't come close to playing their best ball yet. The lost a lot when Deron and Head left, but they are better defensively and are a lot more physical now, IMO.

 

I am a lot more optimistic about the team than I was before the season started, mainly because MSU, Indiana and Iowa aren't living up to their billing.

 

They aren't living up to their billing? Each of them has a bad loss, but each of them has played a much tougher schedule. Gonzaga, Arizona, BC, Texas, Kentucky(twice), Duke, and probably NC State are all better than anyone Illinois has played thus far. Iowa may be showing that they aren't as good as advertised, but Horner went down late in that UNI game, and with him there's a decent chance they still only have one loss.

 

MSU got whacked by Hawaii, and other than tonights game has played pretty close games. Arizona has been exposed as being overrated, so that win isn't particularly inpressive. Illinois barely beat Wichita State on a neutral court, but MSU barely beat Ark-LR at home while the Illini blew them out. I'm sorry, but MSU was highly ranked coming in, and they haven't looked like a top ten team.

 

The Hoosiers played Duke relatively well, but they were beaten by Indiana State. Indiana has played a cake schedule outside of Duke and a vastly overrated Kentucky squad who probably won't be in the top 25 much longer.

 

The Hawks are just not all that good. They have lost two in a row to unranked teams, their win against Kentucky was ugly and Kentucky is overrated. They played Texas well, but we all saw Texas exposed today.

 

The Illini have played a relatively easy schedule, but UNC is better than expected (Probably better than UK and Arizona), and the Illini beat them on their home court while playing a poor game. Xavier and Georgetown are good teams. Illinois lost two thirds of their starting five and are just learning to play together.

 

Now no one is going to run away with the Big 10, but from what I have seen MSU and Indiana aren't as good as I expected them to be, while Illinois is better than I expected, and havent come close to playing cohesively. I just think things are a lot less clear than they were before the season started. I don't see any big 10 team winning more than 10 or 11 conference games at most.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

MSU got whacked by Hawaii, and other than tonights game has played pretty close games. Arizona has been exposed as being overrated, so that win isn't particularly inpressive. Illinois barely beat Wichita State on a neutral court, but MSU barely beat Ark-LR at home while the Illini blew them out. I'm sorry, but MSU was highly ranked coming in, and they haven't looked like a top ten team.

 

MSU lost to Hawaii, but it was their first game of the year and their entire core went down with cramps in the second half. I don't really know how you can say they don't look like a top 10 team. They've beaten two top 10 teams, and lost to another in triple OT. Their defense and rebounding are improving since Trannon came back, and their offense is firing on all cylinders. If they aren't a top 10 team, then who is?

[stitchface]

holy crap, all he said was the big ten would be competitive. You can make excuses for bad losses but no matter what you come up with, they indicate these teams are less than dominant.

[XZero771679666304]

MSU got whacked by Hawaii, and other than tonights game has played pretty close games. Arizona has been exposed as being overrated, so that win isn't particularly inpressive. Illinois barely beat Wichita State on a neutral court, but MSU barely beat Ark-LR at home while the Illini blew them out. I'm sorry, but MSU was highly ranked coming in, and they haven't looked like a top ten team.

 

MSU lost to Hawaii, but it was their first game of the year and their entire core went down with cramps in the second half. I don't really know how you can say they don't look like a top 10 team. They've beaten two top 10 teams, and lost to another in triple OT. Their defense and rebounding are improving since Trannon came back, and their offense is firing on all cylinders. If they aren't a top 10 team, then who is?

 

Wow. After carefully looking at the top 10, I agree with you. I'll amend my statement to say they aren't the top 5 team they came into the season ranked as.

 

Arizona isn't a top 10 team. The fact that they were when MSU beat them is immaterial. Their ranking now tells us more about them than there #8 ranking did. And they didn't just get beat by Hawaii, they got whacked. The cramps hurt, but top 10 teams don't get beaten by mediocre teams by 22 regardless. And there wasn't that big a discrepancy between minutes played among starters between MSU and Hawaii either. And don't foret it was Hawaii's first game of the year as well.

 

The rebounding and defense has gotten better, but it's not by much and a very small sample size. MSU hasn't been dominating the boards or shutting teams down. The have a long way to go to be an elite defensive team.

 

And the offense is playing well, but not well enough to scare anybody good. The defense is the issue for me though. MSU hasn't shown anything resembling a shut down defense, and their offense isn't good enough yet to beat top 5 teams without one. All the talent is there, though.

 

Illinois has a shut down defense already, and they are just beginning to grow together offensively. The are a bit disjointed offensively, but have a very high potential ceiling.

 

Indiana is too inconsistant, both offensively and defensively. A ton of talent, but SO inconsistant. Could totally dominate or flat-out stink any given night.

 

Iowa is just not all that good, I think.

 

I haven't seen Michicagan enough to make any kind of judgement. Same with Minnesota and OSU.

 

I haven't seen much of Wisconsin, but I can't bet against Bo Ryan.

 

My top 10:

 

1. Duke

2. UConn

3. Villanova

4. Memphis

5. Louisville

6. Illinois

7. Texas

8. Michigan State

9. Gonzaga

10. Washington

 

 

IMO, the field is relatively weak and top heavy. By the end of the year, there could be 3 or 4 Big 10 teams in the top 10.

 

 

Of course, this is all opinion based conjecture.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Arizona isn't a top 10 team.

 

Sorry to cut out the other stuff in your post, but I just have to say the Wildcats aren't even playing like a top 25 team right now.

[illiniguy]

Arizona isn't a top 10 team.

 

Sorry to cut out the other stuff in your post, but I just have to say the Wildcats aren't even playing like a top 25 team right now.

I just wonder how long it takes to shake off what happened to them last year. That loss could affect the guys that were there for quite a while.

 

Duke looked great. God I hate saying that, Redick probably won player of the year with his 41. Although Morrison might have something to say about it. Indiana will only get better adding White, MSU is gonna be solid as they always get better as the year goes on, Iowa is just not as good as advertised. The Big Ten is winnable but, I think if we have granduers of winning it we have to beat MSU at home.

[illiniguy]

Billy Cole top 100 in 07 joins Eric Gordon. If Weber can land Rose with these two I would say we wouldn't have to worry about being a mid major anymore. GMAFB. The man is getting the recruiting ball rolling and is a heck of a game coach. One article claims that even Roy Williams was in after Cole. great get Bruce.

[snoodmonger]

I doubt Roy was pushing too hard for that guy. (A four star, 185 lbs PF that's not rated at his position in the Scout network.) Still, he looks like he's got some very refined skills, and from the little I've read, he's got a touch that will stretch the D. If he can get stronger, he'll provide some nice matchup problems.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I doubt Roy was pushing too hard for that guy. (A four star, 185 lbs PF that's not rated at his position in the Scout network.) Still, he looks like he's got some very refined skills, and from the little I've read, he's got a touch that will stretch the D. If he can get stronger, he'll provide some nice matchup problems.

 

So, he's a lot like Semrau?

[illiniguy]

I doubt Roy was pushing too hard for that guy. (A four star, 185 lbs PF that's not rated at his position in the Scout network.) Still, he looks like he's got some very refined skills, and from the little I've read, he's got a touch that will stretch the D. If he can get stronger, he'll provide some nice matchup problems.

No I doubt he was either, just thought it was interesting that he was even in contact with him. Alhtough ROy has said that he likes to stack his classes every other year. One great class like his 06, then role players the next year. I think it is a pretty good way to balance out your team. Now we just need to add Rose and I would say our team is pretty set for the next five years.

[illiniguy]

I doubt Roy was pushing too hard for that guy. (A four star, 185 lbs PF that's not rated at his position in the Scout network.) Still, he looks like he's got some very refined skills, and from the little I've read, he's got a touch that will stretch the D. If he can get stronger, he'll provide some nice matchup problems.

 

So, he's a lot like Semrau?

Well that is argueable. At first glance that is what I thought too, but it seems like they are going in different directions. Cole is moving up according to most services after he finally played in AAU this summer. Semrau was moving down. That siad I am confident that both will provide us with some nice things.

[gflore34]

I doubt Roy was pushing too hard for that guy. (A four star, 185 lbs PF that's not rated at his position in the Scout network.) Still, he looks like he's got some very refined skills, and from the little I've read, he's got a touch that will stretch the D. If he can get stronger, he'll provide some nice matchup problems.

 

So, he's a lot like Semrau?

Well that is argueable. At first glance that is what I thought too, but it seems like they are going in different directions. Cole is moving up according to most services after he finally played in AAU this summer. Semrau was moving down. That siad I am confident that both will provide us with some nice things.

 

Semrau had a nice game against the area's 7th ranked team:

 

http://www.cleveland.com/hssports/basketball/

 

Summary for those who do not wish to register: 25 and 16

[circlechange]

Now we just need to add Rose and I would say our team is pretty set for the next five years.

I want Rose so badly, even moreso now that Gordon and Cole have verballed. I want him more than I thought I wanted Collins, more than Scheyer, basically more than any recruit Weber has gone after yet. Unfortunately I don't see him making any declarations for a while.

[Magnetic Curses]

Billy Cole top 100 in 07 joins Eric Gordon. If Weber can land Rose with these two I would say we wouldn't have to worry about being a mid major anymore. GMAFB. The man is getting the recruiting ball rolling and is a heck of a game coach. One article claims that even Roy Williams was in after Cole. great get Bruce.

 

give it a rest.

[Jon]

I absolutely cannot believe the officiating at tonight's NU/UIC game. There's a reason the officials were rushed away by a police escort and it wasn't b/c of the 20 students in attendance. The refs knew they slept through the entire game. They absolutely REFUSED to call a foul underneath the basket. I would've thought they left their whistles at home. They allowed more hacking and bumping than I've ever seen and it was that way for both sides. And when they did blow the whistle, they often blew the call. And how many travelling violations were called? I don't recall any. I have absolutely no idea how they called a charge on Hachad during a 2 on 1 fast break when the defender was running the court with him. But that wasn't the biggest joke of the night.

 

Carmody got in the ref's face at the end of the game and rightfully so. The one who blew most of the calls all night decided to go on a power trip and give Carmody three technical fouls and six free throws...in addition to the ball out of bounds. Right at the buzzer, they started running towards the exit. Was there a threat? Of course not. There were about two other students who actually stood during the game and nobody cared. They ran out of there because they knew what a sham they pulled off.

 

I sure as heck hope the two non-regulars don't come back to Evanston. And if by some chance there were any UIC fans at the game, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the officiating. As I said, it was deplorable for both sides.

[Knightlife_in_Lubbock]

I absolutely cannot believe the officiating at tonight's NU/UIC game. There's a reason the officials were rushed away by a police escort and it wasn't b/c of the 20 students in attendance. The refs knew they slept through the entire game. They absolutely REFUSED to call a foul underneath the basket. I would've thought they left their whistles at home. They allowed more hacking and bumping than I've ever seen and it was that way for both sides. And when they did blow the whistle, they often blew the call. And how many travelling violations were called? I don't recall any. I have absolutely no idea how they called a charge on Hachad during a 2 on 1 fast break when the defender was running the court with him. But that wasn't the biggest joke of the night.

 

Carmody got in the ref's face at the end of the game and rightfully so. The one who blew most of the calls all night decided to go on a power trip and give Carmody three technical fouls and six free throws...in addition to the ball out of bounds. Right at the buzzer, they started running towards the exit. Was there a threat? Of course not. There were about two other students who actually stood during the game and nobody cared. They ran out of there because they knew what a sham they pulled off.

 

I sure as heck hope the two non-regulars don't come back to Evanston. And if by some chance there were any UIC fans at the game, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the officiating. As I said, it was deplorable for both sides.

 

Who won?

[Mark_R]

 

Who won?

 

UIC.

[Jon]

A pretty predictable game. If UIC was going to win, they needed to continue to collect a large number of offensive rebounds and second/third chance points. Since Northwestern doesn't box out or rebound, that wasn't too hard. And when we can't hit the outside shot, there's very little chance of a win. When Vedran has a bad game, there's no chance of a win.

 

At least they didn't start 0-15 from 3-point range like they did against DePaul, although I'm sure they have at least one more of those in store for the Big Ten season. And starting 0-10 and finishing 4-23 isn't much better than 0-15 and 2-19 or whatever it was.

[Flames24Rulz]

A pretty predictable game. If UIC was going to win, they needed to continue to collect a large number of offensive rebounds and second/third chance points. Since Northwestern doesn't box out or rebound, that wasn't too hard. And when we can't hit the outside shot, there's very little chance of a win. When Vedran has a bad game, there's no chance of a win.

 

At least they didn't start 0-15 from 3-point range like they did against DePaul, although I'm sure they have at least one more of those in store for the Big Ten season. And starting 0-10 and finishing 4-23 isn't much better than 0-15 and 2-19 or whatever it was.

 

NIU plays UIC on Saturday at the Pavilion...Jon, how good is UIC? They've had some impressive wins against Georgia Tech on the road and against Ole Miss at home but they also lost to an NAIA school. They can't be that good, can they?

[Jon]

A pretty predictable game. If UIC was going to win, they needed to continue to collect a large number of offensive rebounds and second/third chance points. Since Northwestern doesn't box out or rebound, that wasn't too hard. And when we can't hit the outside shot, there's very little chance of a win. When Vedran has a bad game, there's no chance of a win.

 

At least they didn't start 0-15 from 3-point range like they did against DePaul, although I'm sure they have at least one more of those in store for the Big Ten season. And starting 0-10 and finishing 4-23 isn't much better than 0-15 and 2-19 or whatever it was.

 

NIU plays UIC on Saturday at the Pavilion...Jon, how good is UIC? They've had some impressive wins against Georgia Tech on the road and against Ole Miss at home but they also lost to an NAIA school. They can't be that good, can they?

Like DePaul, it's hard to tell with their wins and losses. They're not a great shooting team or a very large team (they have about four guys who look 12 years old), but I believe they consistently get a lot of second chance points. If NIU is a good fundamental team under the basket and can box out, the Huskies should be able to control them.

 

Can't tell you anything about their defense, really. Everyone knows that all you need to do against Northwestern is play an adequate zone and you'll stop us, which is exactly what they did.

[Andy]

Heard on ESPN today that Randolph Morris's suspension has been reduced and he will be available starting Jan. 10. Good news for Kentucky...

[Productive Outs]

Heard on ESPN today that Randolph Morris's suspension has been reduced and he will be available starting Jan. 10. Good news for Kentucky...

 

Very good news. I'm glad that he's been practicing this whole time. We (UK, but I'll be a student there next fall, so :P) desparately needs someone who can at least defend inside and catch the ball.

[Andy]

Heard on ESPN today that Randolph Morris's suspension has been reduced and he will be available starting Jan. 10. Good news for Kentucky...

 

Very good news. I'm glad that he's been practicing this whole time. We (UK, but I'll be a student there next fall, so :P) desparately needs someone who can at least defend inside and catch the ball.

Just make sure he doesn't catch the ball too well or Hendry will sign him to play RF.

[wastra]

Heard on ESPN today that Randolph Morris's suspension has been reduced and he will be available starting Jan. 10. Good news for Kentucky...

 

Very good news. I'm glad that he's been practicing this whole time. We (UK, but I'll be a student there next fall, so :P) desparately needs someone who can at least defend inside and catch the ball.

 

 

It's great news for all of us Cat fans and Alumni!

 

Ironically, the thing that convinced the panel to shorten the suspension was the now-infamous fax he sent to Tubby Smith t start this whole fiasco.