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  1. #1
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    2018-19 Elsewhere in NCAA Basketball Thread

    I haven't seen a thread of this nature yet this year and I've thought it's been of great use in the past, so I figured I'd start it off this year (mods, if I missed a similar thread or this isn't appropriate yet at this junction please feel free to delete/move as needed). I also wanted to start it based on somewhat selfish motivations to talk about Michigan's thrashing of Villanova, in a true road game, last night.

    As amazing as our performance against Kentucky was, this dismantling was arguably on par with it... and it was on the road against the defending national champs. Right now Michigan looks like it'll have one of the best defenses in the country, and is making all those pollsters who picked MSU to win the B1G on Izzo's name alone look somewhat silly. Michigan held Nova to 17 points IN THE FIRST HALF and just 46 for the game, even though the game was never in doubt in the second half.

    Michigan lost arguably its three best offensive players from the National Runners Up last season in Mo Wagner, Duncan Robinson, and Muhammad Ali Abdur Rakhman (MAAR as we affectionately, and perhaps necessarily, abbreviated it), but arguably replaced each player with an upgrade defensively. Jon Teske is a legit 7-1 with mobility and shot-blocking ability... if you're a coach and need a textbook example of how a big should play the pick-and-roll, he's the guy to watch. Ignas Brazdeikis is the "other" big-time Canadian entering the college ranks this year, and he's the textbook John Beilein 4... not to mention he played shut down defense all game yesterday and already has an NBA body at 19. Jordan Poole was last year's hero with the buzzer beater against Houston in the tourney and is now starting and providing more athleticism than either Robinson or MAAR, and he has the capability to be a deadeye shooter. All that, plus junior Zavier Simpson is the best on-ball defense PG in the country (I'd bet money on that assertion any day of the week), not to mention a great leader... there were dozens of stories coming out of practice this year about how he was so intense and so mad when anyone scored on him, even in drills, that the coaches needed to get him to take it easy to let the freshmen learn.

    The offense is lagging a bit behind the D early on, especially given that this team doesn't shoot the 3 as well as typical Beilein teams. But every Beilein team has improved significantly over the course of the season (think inverse Roy Williams, lol). With this elite D Michigan will be in every game it plays this year, and probably should be the B1G favorites. If the O catches up to the D, which history indicates is a real possibility, Michigan is a legit Final Four contender.

    So, with that out of the way... what other non-Duke/non-ACC action has caught your attention so far this season?
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  2. #2
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    From watching bits of a couple of IU games, they look surprisingly talented - keep them in mind for after the return trip from Maui. (Of course they haven't played a road game yet.)

    I've always intensely disliked Georgetown and have been quite pleased at how they'd disappeared from national importance of late, but I watched a good deal of their game at Illinois the other night, and their freshmen put on an unexpectedly good performance. There are indeed other talented teams out there this year. But yeah, Meechigan was an eye-opener last night.

    Will be interested in watching Syracuse tonight. FSU was, as always, rangy and athletic in dismantling Florida recently. I didn't have the stomach to watch UNC the other night...

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Faustus View Post
    From watching bits of a couple of IU games, they look surprisingly talented - keep them in mind for after the return trip from Maui. (Of course they haven't played a road game yet.)

    I've always intensely disliked Georgetown and have been quite pleased at how they'd disappeared from national importance of late, but I watched a good deal of their game at Illinois the other night, and their freshmen put on an unexpectedly good performance. There are indeed other talented teams out there this year. But yeah, Meechigan was an eye-opener last night.

    Will be interested in watching Syracuse tonight. FSU was, as always, rangy and athletic in dismantling Florida recently. I didn't have the stomach to watch UNC the other night...
    Having my ear to the ground when it comes to the B1G I'll say that IU fans are getting very antsy. Even though it's only Archie Miller's second year the scuttlebutt is already saying he could be on the hot seat if they get off to a slow start (which is objectively insane in year two if you don't have any scandal-like events). I would bet they're going to come into Cameron very motivated... whether or not that makes a difference obviously remains to be seen.
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  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by scottdude8 View Post
    So, with that out of the way... what other non-Duke/non-ACC action has caught your attention so far this season?
    Auburn and Gonzaga. What a Maui field this year!

    Quote Originally Posted by scottdude8 View Post
    Having my ear to the ground when it comes to the B1G I'll say that IU fans are getting very antsy. Even though it's only Archie Miller's second year the scuttlebutt is already saying he could be on the hot seat if they get off to a slow start (which is objectively insane in year two if you don't have any scandal-like events).
    The fans can think what they want, but that seems unlikely to be the stance that the IU administration would take, which is what matters. Everyone knows Archie's a great young coach, so they're going to give him time. It's all moot anyway since he doesn't seem to really need the time. This IU team will contend for the Big 10 title, and Duke's non-conference slate this season is insane.

  5. #5
    Wake stayed within 20 of the mighty St. Joes Hawks....losing merely 89-69. Tim Duncan, call your office...

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by HereBeforeCoachK View Post
    Wake stayed within 20 of the mighty St. Joes Hawks...losing merely 89-69. Tim Duncan, call your office...
    Was Jameer Nelson playing for St. Joe’s?

  7. #7
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    So perhaps the biggest upset of the year so far, and maybe one of the biggest we'll see all year, happened over the weekend when Furman took down Villanova. I can't remember a defending champ, at least one that wasn't one-and-done driven, getting out to a worse start than Nova has this year. A bit disappointing as a Wolverine fan since it devalues our victory over them a bit, haha... knowing Jay Wright this team will still end up competing for a Big East title, but I think the upside for us, and the college basketball world at large, is that the Big East is definitely in a down year this year and won't be as large a threat for a No. 1 seed (let alone two!) as they have been the past few years.
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  8. #8
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    Turn on the Michigan-UNC game if anyone needs a dose of schadenfreude. Ole Roy is fuming. Took the whole starting lineup out down 10 and Michigan doubled the lead while Roy just sat dejected on the bench. Glorious.

  9. #9
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    Furman, having bested two of last year's final four teams yet pushed to two OTs by the Catamounts, is now ranked in the top 25. Their next challenging game is LSU on Dec. 21st so they could be ranked a few weeks.

  10. #10
    Wofford led Kansas into the 17 min mark...then Kansas went on like a 32-5 run....

  11. #11
    Oh aaarrgh, Collins and Northwestern alllllmost takes the mi wolvies down. So darned close!
    Nothing incites bodily violence quicker than a Duke fan turning in your direction and saying 'scoreboard.'

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by weezie View Post
    Oh aaarrgh, Collins and Northwestern alllllmost takes the mi wolvies down. So darned close!
    I was very nervous about last night's game and the Wildcats justified those nerves... they always seem to play the Wolverines close since Collins got there. We had multiple double digit leads and Northwestern always came back. I'm happy that Michigan got a taste of some adversity and fought through it before B1G play got going in earnest (I wouldn't want them steamrolling everybody the way they have and not learning to play with game pressure). But the Wildcats are definitely going to challenge for an upset or two this year and could be in the running for a tourney spot if they do so.
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  13. #13
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    Also re: Michigan vs. Northwestern, the guys over at mgoblog.com taking a bit of a (reasonable? debatable) shot at Collins for his over-enthusiasm:Screen Shot 2018-12-05 at 12.44.14 PM.jpg
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  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by scottdude8 View Post
    Also re: Michigan vs. Northwestern, the guys over at mgoblog.com taking a bit of a (reasonable? debatable) shot at Collins for his over-enthusiasm:Screen Shot 2018-12-05 at 12.44.14 PM.jpg
    Well, as I recall, that guy they're mocking enjoyed a 3-1 record against Michigan as a player. And the unranked team he now coaches gave their 5th-ranked team a down-to-the-buzzer scare last night. So maybe he knows a little something about besting the Wolverines.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stray Gator View Post
    Well, as I recall, that guy they're mocking enjoyed a 3-1 record against Michigan as a player. And the unranked team he now coaches gave their 5th-ranked team a down-to-the-buzzer scare last night. So maybe he knows a little something about besting the Wolverines.
    Haha point very well taken. Still humorous, nonetheless.
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  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by scottdude8 View Post
    Haha point very well taken. Still humorous, nonetheless.
    I mean, there are other ways a coach can act to help his team fight for a victory, though they are not proven to be very successful.

    Why are you wasting time here when you could be wasting it by listening to the latest episode of the DBR Podcast?

  17. #17
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    Gonzaga 81, Washington 79. Hachimura hits elbow jumper with 0.6 on the clock to give Gonzaga the win.

    I don't want to say it... I really don't want to say it... I'm going to say it. There is something intangible about Hachimura this year that is somehow reminding me of '98-'99 Richard Hamilton. (I know their games are different. It's something intangible.) Yes, still scarred.
    "I don't like them when they are eating my azaleas or rhododendrons or pansies." - Coach K

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by gam7 View Post
    Gonzaga 81, Washington 79. Hachimura hits elbow jumper with 0.6 on the clock to give Gonzaga the win.

    I don't want to say it... I really don't want to say it... I'm going to say it. There is something intangible about Hachimura this year that is somehow reminding me of '98-'99 Richard Hamilton. (I know their games are different. It's something intangible.) Yes, still scarred.
    It will be interesting to see how they are able to re-integrate Killian Tillie in about a month. He'll return during their traditionally weak conference season which is good for the Zags from a W-L perspective but I am sure, pre NCAAs, they would have liked to have had their full line-up for some of the monster non-con games they are playing now. Tillie will command touches and shots, how will that impact the chemistry they are developing and Hachimura's emerging alpha dog role? I think I am reaching for potential negatives around the availability of a returning-leading-scorer, but that's all I got.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by gam7 View Post
    Gonzaga 81, Washington 79. Hachimura hits elbow jumper with 0.6 on the clock to give Gonzaga the win.

    I don't want to say it... I really don't want to say it... I'm going to say it. There is something intangible about Hachimura this year that is somehow reminding me of '98-'99 Richard Hamilton. (I know their games are different. It's something intangible.) Yes, still scarred.


    Gonzaga Bulldogs Dec 15, 7:00 PM at the dean's myth center

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  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by Billy Dat View Post
    It will be interesting to see how they are able to re-integrate Killian Tillie in about a month. He'll return during their traditionally weak conference season which is good for the Zags from a W-L perspective but I am sure, pre NCAAs, they would have liked to have had their full line-up for some of the monster non-con games they are playing now. Tillie will command touches and shots, how will that impact the chemistry they are developing and Hachimura's emerging alpha dog role? I think I am reaching for potential negatives around the availability of a returning-leading-scorer, but that's all I got.
    I tried to spork....but who knows, after spreading this comment around, it may let me spork you now...

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