College Basketball Random Chatter 2012-2013 Season

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Azubuike24's avatar

Azubuike24

Senior Member

15,933 posts
Dec 8, 2012 11:57 PM
I'm sure I'm jinxing it but Illinois is up 6 on Gonzaga at the Kennel. I put $12 on Illinois +600 to win straight up. They were 12-point underdogs...
Dec 8, 2012 11:57pm
Azubuike24's avatar

Azubuike24

Senior Member

15,933 posts
Dec 9, 2012 12:11 AM
Brandon Paul taking the game over. Very surprising as the first 10 minutes of the game, it looked like it would be a Gonzaga blowout. Instead, the Illini are going to win by double-digits...
Dec 9, 2012 12:11am
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Classyposter58

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6,321 posts
Dec 9, 2012 1:33 AM
Azubuike24;1338589 wrote:Disagree about the short bench. Kentucky played 6 players (27 MPG or more) and only went 7 deep last year. Connecticut played 6 players (25 MPG or more) and only went 8 deep in 2011. In 2010, Duke played Kyle Singler, Nolan Smith and Jon Scheyer 36 MPG...which is the most I can ever recall for a national champion. Those guys rarely came out of the game and scored like 70% of their total points (again, the most I can remember for a team who won it all).

You don't need great depth to win a title. What you DO need with a short rotation is versatility. UK may have only went 6 deep, but they had a SG and SF (Lamb and Miller) who could also play PG. They had 2 SF's who could also defend PG, SG (Miller and Kidd-Gilchrist) and a PF (Jones) who could easily play center at both ends. Those 6 players could fill 8 or 9 different "spots" on any given scenario.
That Kentucky team is one of the most talented I've ever seen and UConn had Kemba. I don't know if there's a team in college basketball this year that could beat any of those teams. I don't know if I'd put last years Kentucky team ahead of 2008-09 North Carolina
Dec 9, 2012 1:33am
reclegend22's avatar

reclegend22

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Dec 9, 2012 11:32 AM
Classyposter58;1338876 wrote:That Kentucky team is one of the most talented I've ever seen and UConn had Kemba. I don't know if there's a team in college basketball this year that could beat any of those teams. I don't know if I'd put last years Kentucky team ahead of 2008-09 North Carolina
Well, we definitively know that this year's Indiana with 100% certainty could beat last year's Kentucky team, especially with everybody back for the Hoosiers as well as newcomers and an entire year of improvement under their belt. Now, that doesn't mean that IU this year is better than UK last year.

And there are most definitely teams this year that could beat that UConn team, even with Kemba. Plenty of them. The Huskies finished 9th in the Big East regular season that year, ratcheting up nine total losses, including losing seven of 11 at one point during the season. They got hot at just the right time in the NCAAs, but they were far from an unbeatable team. They were the worst national champion this century.
Dec 9, 2012 11:32am
reclegend22's avatar

reclegend22

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Dec 9, 2012 12:11 PM
And, while I am at it, Duke's 2010 team could be beaten as well. This year's IU team would present a major problem for that Duke team if the Devils weren't able to dictate tempo and play in the half court. If it became a running game, the Hoosiers would win convincingly. IU is the best transition team since '05 Carolina, by a long shot.

While the title may be up for grabs, and I think it is, there are a number of really, really good teams this year. More than I think most thought there would be entering the season. It's going to be a really exciting year and tournament.
Dec 9, 2012 12:11pm
Azubuike24's avatar

Azubuike24

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15,933 posts
Dec 9, 2012 12:50 PM
My point is...depth is overrated. If you have 6 guys, with limited roles, you struggle. If you have 6 guys, who can fill 8-9 roles, you're fine. Obviously foul trouble and injuries are a detriment and less depth means less room for error here. With that said, the ability to play "multiple roles" often correlates directly with talent.

From what I've seen with Ohio State, I'm skeptical of their ability to really defend a very strong 3 or 4. Neither Ross or Thomas seem to be at all capable defenders. With that said, they have size at other spots, size that can translate even if their bigs get into foul trouble. They also have versatility at the guard spots with 3 guys who could fill the lead spot if needed.

Basically, in today's game where premium talent is turned over so quickly, you show me a team who goes a legit 10-deep and I'll show you a team that likely doesn't have the top end talent and who might struggle to really find an identity. This is one thing those previous 3 national champions had in common. Sure, IU might get Jurkin and Perea back, but I'm VERY skeptical at how much that will really help them. Will it help them in a few games here or there if someone gets hurt, yes, but does it really take the team from very good to great? Not so sure. More often than not, as teams have guys emerge or return, other contributions drop of. That doesn't mean those guys replaced aren't capable, but depth is overrated.
Dec 9, 2012 12:50pm
reclegend22's avatar

reclegend22

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Dec 9, 2012 1:19 PM
I agree with you, Az. That 2010 Duke team won the national championship despite zero bench points in the title game and just 4 against West Virginia in the national semi-finals (minus a three hit by a walk-on type player in Jordan Davidson in the final seconds of a blowout victory). The entire Duke bench played a combined 12 minutes in championship game, and it was a similar story throughout much of the year, with Scheyer, Singler and Smith all playing more than 35 minutes per night. Depth isn't always a necessity. But as you also say, with a shorter bench a team's margin for error obviously reduces substantially. You just have to live with that and hope that injuries and foul trouble don't ultimately do you in.

What I disagree with is the notion that there are not any potentially great teams this year. I think there are several very good teams that could be great by the end of the year. Teams that I think very well could give the previous three national champions a legitimate run for their money.
Dec 9, 2012 1:19pm
Azubuike24's avatar

Azubuike24

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15,933 posts
Dec 9, 2012 2:28 PM
From what I've seen from Duke, Indiana, Florida, Syracuse and Michigan thus far, I have a hard time thinking nobody can be great. Hard to argue against Kansas, Ohio State and Louisville either, although they haven't been tested as much. There are many others as well. You then have teams like Kentucky, North Carolina, N.C. State, UNLV, New Mexico, Gonzaga and probably another half-dozen teams who could easily make serious noise.

We're going to have a hell of a year...
Dec 9, 2012 2:28pm
V

vball10set

paying it forward

24,795 posts
Dec 9, 2012 3:34 PM
Azubuike24;1339098 wrote:From what I've seen from Duke, Indiana, Florida, Syracuse and Michigan thus far, I have a hard time thinking nobody can be great. Hard to argue against Kansas, Ohio State and Louisville either, although they haven't been tested as much. There are many others as well. You then have teams like Kentucky, North Carolina, N.C. State, UNLV, New Mexico, Gonzaga and probably another half-dozen teams who could easily make serious noise.

We're going to have a hell of a year...
Well done, Azu, this was very well thought out, and posted without prejudice to your team...reps.
Dec 9, 2012 3:34pm
reclegend22's avatar

reclegend22

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Dec 9, 2012 3:37 PM
^^You are trying extremely hard. Lol.
Dec 9, 2012 3:37pm
reclegend22's avatar

reclegend22

Cool Hand Luke

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Dec 9, 2012 3:38 PM
vball10set;1339174 wrote:Well done, Azu, this was very well thought out, and posted without prejudice to your team...reps.
You are trying extremely hard. Lol.
Dec 9, 2012 3:38pm
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WebFire

Go Bucks!

14,779 posts
Dec 9, 2012 3:49 PM
reclegend22;1339181 wrote:You are trying extremely hard. Lol.
Not hard to have no prejudice when your team is out of the top 25.
Dec 9, 2012 3:49pm
reclegend22's avatar

reclegend22

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Dec 9, 2012 3:53 PM
And Syracuse is a great call. The Orange are an excellent team with some really outstanding talent. I unintentionally neglected them in my previous listing of the four best teams. They keep flying under the radar, I think, due to not having as many early high profile games. They did go to Fayetteville and win at Arkansas, which is never an easy feat at Bud Walton Arena, but other than that, the Orange have pretty much just stayed off the map in update New York. This isn't a bad thing, though, because Jim Boeheim would probably prefer his team continue to become great quietly.
Dec 9, 2012 3:53pm
reclegend22's avatar

reclegend22

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Dec 9, 2012 3:56 PM
WebFire;1339192 wrote:Not hard to have no prejudice when your team is out of the top 25.
Lol. This is what I was thinking. Vball paid no attention to that, however, because he is on a combat mission. Ha.

However, I do fully expect UK to be a tough team by March. A lot of talent there. They just haven't figured it out yet.
Dec 9, 2012 3:56pm
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vball10set

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Dec 9, 2012 4:38 PM
reclegend22;1339181 wrote:You are trying extremely hard. Lol.
To do what exactly? You are one paranoid dude, rec, you do know there are meds for that.
reclegend22;1339202 wrote:Lol. This is what I was thinking. Vball paid no attention to that, however, because he is on a combat mission. Ha.
Lol. Combat mission? I complimented someone for making a respectful post, with no overt or inflammatory overtones, and you stalk me for it? You're pathetic, you really are. Ha.
Dec 9, 2012 4:38pm
Azubuike24's avatar

Azubuike24

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15,933 posts
Dec 9, 2012 4:39 PM
I mean yeah, UK isn't in the top 25 (although they probably will be around 22-24 tomorrow), the point was that outside of the top few teams who have really taken care of business, against quality competition, and looked good doing so...the rest of the country from say 7 to 35 are really close. For instance, I'm not sure you can clearly say teams like Murray State, Memphis, Baylor, Kentucky, Pittsburgh aren't as good as Minnesota, Oklahoma State, Wichita State, etc.

Can't wait for things to really get rolling once CFB ends.
Dec 9, 2012 4:39pm
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vball10set

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Dec 9, 2012 4:42 PM
WebFire;1339192 wrote:Not hard to have no prejudice when your team is out of the top 25.
Coming from someone who survived the RichRod years, I guess I'll take your word for it.

btw, still waiting for my reps...
Dec 9, 2012 4:42pm
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WebFire

Go Bucks!

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Dec 9, 2012 4:54 PM
Azubuike24;1339253 wrote:I mean yeah, UK isn't in the top 25 (although they probably will be around 22-24 tomorrow), the point was
Your post was fine. I was not bashing you or Kentucky at all.
Dec 9, 2012 4:54pm
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WebFire

Go Bucks!

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Dec 9, 2012 4:55 PM
vball10set;1339257 wrote:Coming from someone who survived the RichRod years, I guess I'll take your word for it.

btw, still waiting for my reps...
Reps for what?
Dec 9, 2012 4:55pm
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vball10set

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Dec 9, 2012 5:00 PM
WebFire;1339192 wrote:Not hard to have no prejudice when your team is out of the top 25.
WebFire;1339262 wrote:Your post was fine. I was not bashing you or Kentucky at all.
:confused:
Dec 9, 2012 5:00pm
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WebFire

Go Bucks!

14,779 posts
Dec 9, 2012 5:08 PM
vball10set;1339267 wrote::confused:
Dec 9, 2012 5:08pm
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vball10set

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Dec 9, 2012 5:14 PM
WebFire;1339276 wrote:You are. I wasn't telling you I was giving you reps for not making fun of Michigan. I was making fun of you for giving reps because he didn't mention Michigan.
Oh, I see. Typical.
Dec 9, 2012 5:14pm