February General CBB Discussion Thread | Page 3 | The Boneyard

February General CBB Discussion Thread

Status
Not open for further replies.
RuffRuff said:
Much of it's due to the freshmen class. Think about all these tier 1 teams - Boozer, Peat/Burries, Wagler, Fleming/Cenac, Mullins. Any direct matchups in the top 13-14 are must watch. I'm starting to think Kansas should be in that 13-14.

Really impressive win for Illinois. They have a pretty easy schedule left in the B10. @MSU this week, but then an easy path until they play Michigan late. That game may be for the B10. Illinois is shaping up as a clear 2 seed.

No - I think people fail to realize how unreal Boozer has been.
Expand ...
Not me, I said from the beginning on here during exhibitions that Boozer will roll out of bed and walk into 20 &10 dbl dbls, I still think some of those guys knocking on 4th and beyond can make it a conversation depending on how they finish. Boozer has been the most dominant by far and is the consensus #3 in regards to the draft so there's obviously some questions.
 
uconngb said:
How/when did Maryland get so bad?? Their best win this year is Marquette. Buzz left A&M (who btw is now first in the SEC) for this??

Yuck
Expand ...
Quite simply it's because Kevin Willard pulled the rug out from under the program when he bailed on it (during) their S16 run last year. As you may or may not recall, he bailed on the team dinner before the S16 to head to Philly to meet with Villanova. Then he plucked a chunk of the roster to follow him, and the rest of the talent skedaddled to other opportunities. Buzz comes in after the season and has essentially no time to stem the loss of scholarship commitments in order to cobble together a roster. Granted, he brought a player or two with him, but I don't think it's fair to wave the pitchforks demanding accountability just yet. Villanova was a destination and Maryland got stripped for parts. Few (heh) if any coaches could repeat a 27-9 season given the circumstances.

As for MD in the Big Ten? It'll all started when a confluence of events occurred.

1)The ACC expanded so much that they took away guaranteed home games vs UNC and Duke.
2) Kevin Plank has entered the chat.
3) The Big Ten noticed Kevin Plank entering the chat.
4) The Big Ten included Maryland and Rutgers in an expansion into more TV markets. Both are research universities that meet that threshold.
5) The fans down here got screwed. The loyal Terp fans DGAF about Illinois or MSU or Nebraska. They did care about their home and home vs UVA, UNC and Duke though.
6) I forgot to mention - while the ACC started all of this by taking away marquee games from the Mens BB schedule, they made it all too easy for its football followers to clamor when the Big Ten came a-calling.
 
YearoftheHusky said:
Florida is looking like the real deal again all of a sudden. They are going to be a problem as currently projected as a four seed.
Expand ...
Don’t wanna see them as a 4 in our region but I also think they will play themselves up to a 3 seed. Maybe even a 2. Clear favorite to win the sec regular season and tourney.

Edit- UF just bumped Vandy off the 3 seed line. They could eventually bump MSU off the 2 seed.
 
EnochRoot said:
Quite simply it's because Kevin Willard pulled the rug out from under the program when he bailed on it (during) their S16 run last year. As you may or may not recall, he bailed on the team dinner before the S16 to head to Philly to meet with Villanova. Then he plucked a chunk of the roster to follow him, and the rest of the talent skedaddled to other opportunities. Buzz comes in after the season and has essentially no time to stem the loss of scholarship commitments in order to cobble together a roster. Granted, he brought a player or two with him, but I don't think it's fair to wave the pitchforks demanding accountability just yet. Villanova was a destination and Maryland got stripped for parts. Few (heh) if any coaches could repeat a 27-9 season given the circumstances.

As for MD in the Big Ten? It'll all started when a confluence of events occurred.

1)The ACC expanded so much that they took away guaranteed home games vs UNC and Duke.
2) Kevin Plank has entered the chat.
3) The Big Ten noticed Kevin Plank entering the chat.
4) The Big Ten included Maryland and Rutgers in an expansion into more TV markets. Both are research universities that meet that threshold.
5) The fans down here got screwed. The loyal Terp fans DGAF about Illinois or MSU or Nebraska. They did care about their home and home vs UVA, UNC and Duke though.
6) I forgot to mention - while the ACC started all of this by taking away marquee games from the Mens BB schedule, they made it all too easy for its football followers to clamor when the Big Ten came a-calling.
Expand ...
All that Willard took with him to Nova that's in his rotation is Malachi Palmer and he averages 3 ppg.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MJ1
.-.
superjohn said:
All that Willard took with him to Nova that's in his rotation is Malachi Palmer and he averages 3 ppg.
Expand ...

Thanks. I was too lazy to look it up, but was aware of someone following him (so I figured there were others).

Still, he needs a full year before judgement begins, and College Park would be wise to give him a few seasons (unless things completely fall apart after next year).
 
superjohn said:
College basketball really is incredible this season. I don't remember this many great teams at the top, you would need to go back a long time.
Expand ...
agree ... I chalk most of this up to NIL & transfer portal; athletes staying in school - a better, more mature product on the floor -- Indiana showed this to the football world this last month
 
My buddy with Wagler after the game today...

Screenshot_20260201_175617_Messages.jpg
 
Interesting that this has been happening even in high school, he's gonna have an interesting pre-draft process

 
EnochRoot said:
Quite simply it's because Kevin Willard pulled the rug out from under the program when he bailed on it (during) their S16 run last year. As you may or may not recall, he bailed on the team dinner before the S16 to head to Philly to meet with Villanova. Then he plucked a chunk of the roster to follow him, and the rest of the talent skedaddled to other opportunities. Buzz comes in after the season and has essentially no time to stem the loss of scholarship commitments in order to cobble together a roster. Granted, he brought a player or two with him, but I don't think it's fair to wave the pitchforks demanding accountability just yet. Villanova was a destination and Maryland got stripped for parts. Few (heh) if any coaches could repeat a 27-9 season given the circumstances.

As for MD in the Big Ten? It'll all started when a confluence of events occurred.

1)The ACC expanded so much that they took away guaranteed home games vs UNC and Duke.
2) Kevin Plank has entered the chat.
3) The Big Ten noticed Kevin Plank entering the chat.
4) The Big Ten included Maryland and Rutgers in an expansion into more TV markets. Both are research universities that meet that threshold.
5) The fans down here got screwed. The loyal Terp fans DGAF about Illinois or MSU or Nebraska. They did care about their home and home vs UVA, UNC and Duke though.
6) I forgot to mention - while the ACC started all of this by taking away marquee games from the Mens BB schedule, they made it all too easy for its football followers to clamor when the Big Ten came a-calling.
Expand ...
That all makes sense thanks for the explanation. Buzz is a very good coach I assume he will get them back
 
superjohn said:
College basketball really is incredible this season. I don't remember this many great teams at the top, you would need to go back a long time. UConn's resume is incredible despite playing in a weak Big East. Awesome job of scheduling and taking care of business especially with our injuries.
Expand ...
I agree. There are several teams who you legitimately pick to get to the Final Four, and I can't remember a season where there were this many legit Final Four teams (Arizona, UConn, Duke, Michigan, Michigan State, Illinois, Purdue, Florida, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas (if Pederson is healthy), BYU, Gonzaga, Nebraska). It's insane how many good teams there are. Even throw in "fringe" teams like Texas Tech, St. Johns, Vanderbilt. I mean it's wild.
 
.-.
sdglast said:
I agree. There are several teams who you legitimately pick to get to the Final Four, and I can't remember a season where there were this many legit Final Four teams (Arizona, UConn, Duke, Michigan, Michigan State, Illinois, Purdue, Florida, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas (if Pederson is healthy), BYU, Gonzaga, Nebraska). It's insane how many good teams there are. Even throw in "fringe" teams like Texas Tech, St. Johns, Vanderbilt. I mean it's wild.
Expand ...
Seems to nail the list. Not sure Vandy or MSU have enough gas to do it, but worth keeping there.

I think there is a concrete tier one of 6 of those teams - UM, AZ, UConn, Houston, Illinois, Duke. At least 2 F4 teams come from this group, maybe 3. The other 1-2 from the other.
 
RuffRuff said:
Seems to nail the list. Not sure Vandy or MSU have enough gas to do it, but worth keeping there.

I think there is a concrete tier one of 6 of those teams - UM, AZ, UConn, Houston, Illinois, Duke. At least 2 F4 teams come from this group, maybe 3. The other 1-2 from the other.
Expand ...
I think that's the general list of Final Four Teams. Then you look at legit Championship teams and you take that list even lower--AZ, UConn, Michigan, Duke, and Houston. I think Illinois has a chance, but I want to see a bit more from them on D (guarding in man as opposed to zone), but I mean you got a pretty large Final Four list and like a 5-6 team legit NC list.
 
sdglast said:
I think that's the general list of Final Four Teams. Then you look at legit Championship teams and you take that list even lower--AZ, UConn, Michigan, Duke, and Houston. I think Illinois has a chance, but I want to see a bit more from them on D (guarding in man as opposed to zone), but I mean you got a pretty large Final Four list and like a 5-6 team legit NC list.
Expand ...
Sounds about right and I’m with you there. They are 5th in KP, 24 on D. I’d include them right now.

Last year the NC list was 4, but so was the F4 list. I think if you threw in those 4 teams back into a blender you’d get a different winner.
 
sdglast said:
I think that's the general list of Final Four Teams. Then you look at legit Championship teams and you take that list even lower--AZ, UConn, Michigan, Duke, and Houston. I think Illinois has a chance, but I want to see a bit more from them on D (guarding in man as opposed to zone), but I mean you got a pretty large Final Four list and like a 5-6 team legit NC list.
Expand ...
Teams I think are legit contenders to win it all- UConn, Illinois, Arizona, Michigan, Houston, Florida, Duke, Kansas.

I'm not as high as others are on Duke but they'll probably be a one seed and they tend to get favorable draws. If Peterson is going to continue this sitting nonsense until the season is over that takes them out of it.

Other top teams like Iowa State, Purdue, Michigan State, Texas Tech, BYU, Nebraska, Gonzaga I don't see having the firepower to win all six games. I put St. John's in that group as well despite their terrible out of conference.
 
.-.
superjohn said:
Teams I think are legit contenders to win it all- UConn, Illinois, Arizona, Michigan, Houston, Florida, Duke, Kansas.

I'm not as high as others are on Duke but they'll probably be a one seed and they tend to get favorable draws. If Peterson is going to continue this sitting nonsense until the season is over that takes them out of it.

Other top teams like Iowa State, Purdue, Michigan State, Texas Tech, BYU, Nebraska, Gonzaga I don't see having the firepower to win all six games. I put St. John's in that group as well despite their terrible out of conference.
Expand ...
I agree. I love the way Florida is playing and their front line is awesome. If their guards are gonna play well, then they are absolutely in the discussion. I wonder if they can play well for 4 straight much less 6 straight, but boy that front line is ridiculous.
 
superjohn said:
Teams I think are legit contenders to win it all- UConn, Illinois, Arizona, Michigan, Houston, Florida, Duke, Kansas.

I'm not as high as others are on Duke but they'll probably be a one seed and they tend to get favorable draws. If Peterson is going to continue this sitting nonsense until the season is over that takes them out of it.

Other top teams like Iowa State, Purdue, Michigan State, Texas Tech, BYU, Nebraska, Gonzaga I don't see having the firepower to win all six games. I put St. John's in that group as well despite their terrible out of conference.
Expand ...
I could make a play for Florida, but the backcourt feels like they'd fall apart at some point. See them as more of a F4 team. I'm with you on Kansas, they have high upside. I tend to think DP would not be sitting during March. I really like Bidunga, Council and White - suprisingly nice roster to go with Bidunga & DP. That roster has size and scoring. KU defends well too.

I don't see Purdue, MSU standing much of a chance of the second group. I could see ISU & Texas Tech making a run. BYU and TT are a lot alike in that they both have three players and then it stops.

Florida did just lose a WTF game to Auburn at home let's not forget. Auburn is not that good.
 
sdglast said:
I agree. I love the way Florida is playing and their front line is awesome. If their guards are gonna play well, then they are absolutely in the discussion. I wonder if they can play well for 4 straight much less 6 straight, but boy that front line is ridiculous.
Expand ...
Team that I'm still trying to figure out is Iowa St. They're a little weak at the 5 with Buchanan. Jefferson, Lipsey, Momcilovic are a darned good trio. The French freshmen 2G is lock down. Probably a little closer to the Texas Tech/BYU bucket.
 
Mr. French said:
Stirtz at Iowa is so excellent. He's a throwback PG and just absolutely money from 3.
Expand ...
It’s too bad he didn’t transfer to a contender. Would have been a dead hit to turn Florida or StJ into a NC favorite.
 
.-.
Mr. French said:
Stirtz at Iowa is so excellent. He's a throwback PG and just absolutely money from 3.
Expand ...

If you're not watching him tonight, or you haven't yet, do yourself a favor. He's one of my favorite watches.

4 3s and 26 points on 10/11 shooting, hasn't touched the rim yet on his step back 3s.
 
What happened to Oregon hoops? 8-14, 1-10.
 
Dove said:
What happened to Oregon hoops? 8-14, 1-10.
Expand ...
Good question - worst court on the planet. Would seem they need a new coach. No reason they can't build a good program there.
 
RuffRuff said:
Good question - worst court on the planet. Would seem they need a new coach. No reason they can't build a good program there.
Expand ...

Altman is pretty darn good and has had some good success there.

This year they weren't expected to be great but they also have had multiple injuries to key players.
 
RuffRuff said:
It’s too bad he didn’t transfer to a contender. Would have been a dead hit to turn Florida or StJ into a NC favorite.
Expand ...

He was always going where his coach went, but man I agree I'm glad he's not on a contender. He's the best pure PG in the country and a team with high level talent would feast with him running the show.

McCollum is a great coach though. I think he'll have Iowa looking good nationally over the next couple years.
 
.-.
Status
Not open for further replies.

Forum statistics

Threads
168,391
Messages
4,570,420
Members
10,475
Latest member
dd356


Top Bottom