I seem to think this team is flying under the radar a smidge even though the nation does recognize their talent. ESPN.com has put up a poll for the top Big 12 team between them and Kansas.
Out of any team projected for the tourney, these guys scare me the most. MAN, ARE THEY AGRESSIVE AND GET UP AND DOWN THE FLOOR!!!!
Sure, Beasley got his points the other night but almost every basket was contested and he had to work harder than I've seen him to get open looks. They have unreal guard play and have some real strength down low.
I think Barnes has these guys prepared to handle any style they could face in the NCAA's.
What are your thoughts because I wouldn't want to face them after the sweet 16 when they have the finish line in sight?
As someone who has been to several Texas games this year, I am very impressed with them. That being said...
We match up well with them if we are shooting adequately and defending the three as we normally do. Their small guards cannot guard the 3 ball, they are pretty thin, and if you think WE have no inside presence, Texas has less of one than we do.
They could certainly beat Duke, but it would likely take a career game from a role player like Conor Atchley had against KU for UT to beat Duke I think. Their small guards -- both of whom play about 38 minutes a game -- simply cannot guard taller guys on the perimeter.
Texas reminds me a bit of Villanova from a few years ago. A team who has certainly overachieved in the regular season and picked up a lot of unexpected wins. Also, like 'Nova, they're extremely guard oriented and rely on role players in the post. However, if they're really like Villanova, they'll meet a good team in the tournament that is a horrible match up and not be able to stay with them.
You could see their potential back early in the season with the big win over UCLA.
Texas Tech is giving them a lot of trouble right now.
And Memphis, Stanford and Vandy are in danger ...
It's going to be a great NCAA tourney this year.
Singler is IRON
I STILL GOT IT! -- Ryan Kelly, March 2, 2013
I'm watching the Hogs vs Vandy right now. For a few minutes it looked like the Hogs were going to pull a BC and blow the game, but now the Hogs are pulling ahead again thanks to some 3s by Patrick Beverly. 4 pt lead, 1.5 min. Dang; Vandy just hit a 3. make that 1.
Even though Texas is about to lose to Texas Tech as I write this, they're still a dangerous team. They've beaten UCLA, Kansas and Tennesse; not only did they beat Tennessee, they throttled them by 19 and the game was never close. Nobody else has beaten that many elite teams.
They were on track for a 1 seed coming into today but we'll see what happens after this loss.
This is a very good team and a team that I think would give Duke some problems given their deep frontline and great guards. DJ Augustin is arguably the best PG in America.
Which, I guess, means that Texas will continue to fly under the radar...
Time flies like an arrow
Fruit flies like a banana
Duke won, Arkansas won, Texas lost. The day could only have been better if the holes had lost.
Big win for Arkansas. Does this get them in?
On another note, Texas went down on the road against an unranked team. But I guarantee you people will chalk it up to having a misstep on the road and still view them as a #1 seed possibility. Whereas if Duke had lost today, all the critics would have poured on how Duke is overrated and they don't have the pieces to go far in the tourney.
It is very hard to win on the road. Period. Especially in your conference.
Singler is IRON
I STILL GOT IT! -- Ryan Kelly, March 2, 2013
One would hope. I think the talking heads currently have the Hogs listed as a bubble team. That loss to Appalachian State (in Little Rock) still hurts them. By the same token, Kentucky should be hurt by losses to Gardner-Webb and San Diego. However, they are Kentucky.
Singler is IRON
I STILL GOT IT! -- Ryan Kelly, March 2, 2013
We did lose two in a row to unranked teams. I think that we can play ourselves into a #1 ranking still. What I don't get is how people are saying that UNC is "surging ahead" without Ty Lawson. Sure, they've won games, but we're tied with them in the conference and we beat them ON THEIR HOME COURT.
As I see it shaping up, I cannot think that ANY team, including Duke, that has wrapped up a #1 seed. The teams that "win" the #1 seeds will be conference tournament champs. However, I think that we can play ourselves out of a #1 seed and still win the acc tournament by losing to UVA. If we win against UVA and the ACC tournament, regarless of the outcome of the UNC game @ home, then I think we are a #1 seed. Here's my prediction:
Memphis wins the CUSA tournament, #1 seed, #1 overall
Tennessee wins the SEC, #1 seed, #2 overall
UCLA wins the Pac-10 tournament, #1 seed, #3 overall
Duke wins the ACC, #1 seed, #4 overall
That would put Kansas or Texas as the #2 seed with Duke, possibly in the East region.
UNC will get a #2 seed, probably paired with Tennessee or UCLA.
I don't know about the other #2 seeds. These are my 3/1/08 predictions. They will probably be wrong. Oh well, it was still fun!
Time flies like an arrow
Fruit flies like a banana
If we beat UNC on March 6th we are really good. I think that will be kind of difficult since the game isn't until the 8th.
If we beat UNC and win the ACC tournament I think that we are a #1 seed, regardless of the outcome in the regular season finale.
I also think that if win our last two regular season games, UVA and UNC and make a decent showing in the ACC tournament without winning it we are still in contention for a #1 seed.
Winning all of the above just makes it easier for the selection committee.