Top 25 Action: 1/19/2013

[Bob Green]

While Duke is idle this weekend, there is plenty of Top 25 versus Top 25 action available to entertain us today:

1. Missouri (17) @ Florida (10): 2 pm/ESPN; Florida favored by 13; over/under = 133.5
2. Syracuse (6) @ Louisville (1): 4 pm/ESPN; Louisville favored by 7.5; over/under = 134.5
3. Oregon (21) @ UCLA (24): 4 pm/CBS; UCLA favored by 5.5; over/under = 143.5
4. Ohio St (11) @ Michigan St (18): 6 pm/ESPN; Michigan St favored by 2; over/under = 130
5. Gonzaga (8) @ Butler (13): 9 pm/ESPN; Gonzaga favored by 1; over/under = 139

There is potential for a lot of movement in the polls next week.

[westwall]

It's not top 25, but don't overlook MD at UNC, 12 Noon EST on ESPN

[davekay1971]

It's not top 25, but don't overlook MD at UNC, 12 Noon EST on ESPN

Repeat that...Maryland vs. UNC, neither in the top 25. Ahh, the sky certainly is a nice Duke blue in Charlotte today.

Go Terps!

(I will now go shower off the filth of having typed that)

[Duvall]

It's not top 25, but don't overlook MD at UNC, 12 Noon EST on ESPN

Looks like we can go ahead and overlook that one.

[rsvman]

Not sure that Carolina is looking good as much as Maryland is looking really bad. Like a rec league team. His in the world did this team beat NC State?

[Furniture]

Not sure that Carolina is looking good as much as Maryland is looking really bad. Like a rec league team. His in the world did this team beat NC State?

I hate to say it but I thought they (UNC) looked decent!

[subzero02]

Florida's defense is looking dominant... Mizzou with only 15 points with under 4 minutes till halftime...

[Les Grossman]

should have been a good game, but Mizzou is in a bit of a funk and the FL D and screen game are right on.

[Acymetric]

Check out Kyle's younger brother, not a bad game here between Oregon and UCLA.

[JasonEvans]

The one to watch is, of course, Louisville vs Syracuse. If the Orangemen can win that one, Duke would likely return to the #1 ranking.

With 2 minutes left in the first half, it is Louisville 34, Syracuse 33.

It is also worth noting that the unranked but pretty good Wichita St Shockers lead #12 Creighton by 7 points with about a minute left in the first half. The great Doug McD has 8 points so far.

-Jason

[-jk]

I hate to say it but I thought they (UNC) looked decent!

They scored 20 in the second half and shot 35% for the game. It was a solid win, but a less than solid performance.

-jk

[NashvilleDevil]

Watching this Singler v. UCLA game and I really question Drew's competitiveness because he's always chewing on his mouthpiece during breaks in the action. :)

[subzero02]

Looks like we could move back to #1 very quickly... Syracuse leading #1 Louisville by 4 with 4 min 26 seconds to go

[porkpa]

The most exciting game of the year thus far is on ESPN right now. Louisville up by 2 over Syracuse with less than two minutes left.

[porkpa]

Louisville up by one with 39 seconds left.

[uh_no]

The most exciting game of the year thus far is on ESPN right now. Louisville up by 2 over Syracuse with less than two minutes left.

really? most exciting game *of the year*?

why is this better than any of the other close matchups between top teams this year? butler/indiana comes quickly to mind.

It's extremely exciting, no doubt, but not sure I think the superlative is appropriate here....it's not even going to make it into overtime.

[porkpa]

Louisville throws ball away. Syracuse wins.

[subzero02]

Well #1 and #2 lose at home in the same week...

[uh_no]

Well #1 and #2 lose at home in the same week...

sometimes the only way to win is to not play!

i'll take it!

but i'd rather be unranked and have a healthy ryan kelly :(

[timmy c]

really? most exciting game *of the year*?

why is this better than any of the other close matchups between top teams this year? butler/indiana comes quickly to mind.

It's extremely exciting, no doubt, but not sure I think the superlative is appropriate here....it's not even going to make it into overtime.

Not sure, but could the OP mean most exciting of 2013?

[bedeviled]

In case this isn't emphasized in the news outlets: Butler's home crowd was amazing in their win over Gonzaga.

[UT Dukie]

On my super slow-mo, the ball was still in the Butler player's hand when the light goes on/clock goes to zero. That's the second wrong call (despite referee review) on a last second shot in the last few weeks. Yikes! And I thought we had the occasional clock issue...

[Olympic Fan]

Not sure, but could the OP mean most exciting of 2013?

As it turns out, Louisville-Suracuse wasn't even the most exciting game of the DAY, much less year (or season).

Unbelievable game in Hinkle Field House ... Gonzaga Butler is close all night. SIX lead changes in the last 42.5 seconds.

With 3.5 seconds left and Gonzaga up one, a Butler guard is called for traveling near midcourt. The game seems won -- but Butler steals the inbounds pass and Roosevelt Jones drives the lane and launches the game-winning shot with 0.1 on the clock -- Butler wins 64-63.

[rsvman]

Completely unbelievable finish to the Butler-Gonzaga game. If you didn't see it, watch Sports Center. It has to be seen to be believed.

[Native]

On my super slow-mo, the ball was still in the Butler player's hand when the light goes on/clock goes to zero. That's the second wrong call (despite referee review) on a last second shot in the last few weeks. Yikes! And I thought we had the occasional clock issue...

ESPN showed an angle with the opposite basket in the background, and the shot looked good in my eyes from that angle.

[Native]

Completely unbelievable finish to the Butler-Gonzaga game. If you didn't see it, watch Sports Center. It has to be seen to be believed.

How did the Zags just throw it away like that? Crazy ending to a crazy game.

Bilas said it best: "You better KILL Butler. Because if they're in it at the end, they'll find a way to win."

[uh_no]

Bilas said it best: "You better KILL Butler. Because if they're in it at the end, they'll find a way to win."

Mr. Zoubek begs to differ.

[loran16]

Mr. Zoubek begs to differ.

To be fair, Zoubek did kill Butler - made the monster rebound on their real last chance shot and of course his arms caused the shot to be fired from a much tougher angle, buzzer beating attempt notwithstanding.

[Bluedog]

To be fair, Zoubek did kill Butler - made the monster rebound on their real last chance shot and of course his arms caused the shot to be fired from a much tougher angle, buzzer beating attempt notwithstanding.

Bilas was using "kill" in that you don't want to be in a close game against Butler because they find a way to make clutch plays and win. So, you better just destroy them so clutch play at the end doesn't matter. But Zoubs made those key plays in a tight game and we all know the result. :)

[Bob Green]

On my super slow-mo, the ball was still in the Butler player's hand when the light goes on/clock goes to zero. That's the second wrong call (despite referee review) on a last second shot in the last few weeks. Yikes! And I thought we had the occasional clock issue...


ESPN showed an angle with the opposite basket in the background, and the shot looked good in my eyes from that angle.

I agree with Native. ESPN showed the replay a hundred times and the angle with the opposite basket in the background showed the ball was out of his hand...barely out, but out. David Stockton has to be heartbroken this morning. It appeared he and the big guy had a missed communication resulting in the errant pass.

Yesterday was a very entertaining day of college hoops. I watched four games and really enjoyed the action. The games are enjoyable because I don't care who wins so I can appreciate good plays by both teams.

There will be a lot of movement in the Top 25 on Monday due to all the teams, which lost this past week. Off the top of my head, eight Top 25 teams lost with six losing to lower or unranked teams: Louisville, Indiana, Gonzaga, Ohio State, Creighton and N.C. State.

[ChrisP]

I agree with Native. ESPN showed the replay a hundred times and the angle with the opposite basket in the background showed the ball was out of his hand...barely out, but out. David Stockton has to be heartbroken this morning. It appeared he and the big guy had a missed communication resulting in the errant pass.

Yesterday was a very entertaining day of college hoops. I watched four games and really enjoyed the action. The games are enjoyable because I don't care who wins so I can appreciate good plays by both teams.

There will be a lot of movement in the Top 25 on Monday due to all the teams, which lost this past week. Off the top of my head, eight Top 25 teams lost with six losing to lower or unranked teams: Louisville, Indiana, Gonzaga, Ohio State, Creighton and N.C. State.

Don't forget about SDSU (#15) and Marquette (#25) who also lost to un-ranked teams. Should be a lot of movement in the polls next week. I'm not at all sure we'll get voted #1, but I also don't really care. If we beat a very good Miami team - on the road & without RK - then maybe we deserve that top spot in the polls. I sure hope we beat em'!