College Basketball 2009

[brwrsfan]

Marq shot 4-24 from 3 point land and 10-23 from the line.....and then to top it off, missed 2 from within 3 feet in the last 2 seconds. Hayward's was just point blank and had a chance to save a terrible game from them...and didn't. I wonder how far this hurts, all the talk about how they're overrated is going to look great right now (though I think that's wrong).

[homer]

The loss stings even more because MU is heading into the really tough part of their schedule. They can't afford to give away games.

[Glennron]

It's a game like this that is going to knock Marquette out of the tourney early.

I'm not sure I get this comment. Are you saying if they play like that in the tournament they'll get knocked out early, or you think they're going to shoot that pathetically from 3 and the free throw line in the same game again?

[jjfanec]

The Badgers with another win today so with a 5-6 conference record they still have a decent shot at the tourney. They play Indiana twice, Iowa at home, Ohio State at home, Michigan at home, and Minnesota and Michigan State on the road. 4-3 makes them 9-9 in conference and probably puts them in the tourney. If they win all the home games and then the Indiana game on the road they will be 5-2 with a 10-8 conference record so they would be in for sure.

[Glennron]

I wouldn't say 10-8 makes them for sure in. The only team they've beaten all year that will likely make the tournament is Illinois. PSU and Michigan have outside shots as of now, and every other tournament team Wisconsin has played they've lost to. They have to win at least 2 of the 3 against MSU, OSU, and Minnesota plus play well in the Big Ten tourney if they want a good chance.

[razzzorsharp]

It's a game like this that is going to knock Marquette out of the tourney early.

I'm not sure I get this comment. Are you saying if they play like that in the tournament they'll get knocked out early, or you think they're going to shoot that pathetically from 3 and the free throw line in the same game again?

 

 

I think a little of both. Of course if they play like this in the tournament, any team in the field could knock them out. I also don't think this team is really built to be a consistent winnre against proven teams for 6 games in a row but then again, not many teams are.

[jjfanec]

I wouldn't say 10-8 makes them for sure in. The only team they've beaten all year that will likely make the tournament is Illinois. PSU and Michigan have outside shots as of now, and every other tournament team Wisconsin has played they've lost to. They have to win at least 2 of the 3 against MSU, OSU, and Minnesota plus play well in the Big Ten tourney if they want a good chance.

10-8 puts them around 5th in the conference and it is a conference that is actually viewed as being pretty good this year. They do not have to win 2 of 3 against MSU, OSU, and Minnesota. Outside of Virginia Tech last year I cannot remember many teams with above a 10-8 conference record, who have a really strong RPI and SOS who miss the tourney.

 

With very few really solid mid-majors this year and a weak Pac 10, Big 12 and SEC an above 500 record will get the Badgers in (as long as they do not drop a game to a really bad team in the Big 10 tourney). Villanova, Oregon, and Arizona all made the tourney last year with similar and for the most cases worse resumes than the Badgers.

[Glennron]

I suppose the good thing is a lot of stock is put into the last 10 games, so if Wisconsin can finish strong it'll obviously help a lot. However I think that's pretty dumb considering it's a third of the season. I can see Marquette getting screwed out of a top 3 or 4 seed cause of their brutal end of the schedule where they can easily finish 4-6 or 5-5.

[hawing]

Trevon Hughes was sporting a mohawk at tonight's UW game with Iowa. It does not suit him.

[jjfanec]

Trevon Hughes was sporting a mohawk at tonight's UW game with Iowa. It does not suit him.

He has been sporting it for a while. Oddly enough the female announcer for espn, i am blanking on her name, said he was one of the few that could pull it off.

[Glennron]

He's had it for a while, but it was more definite last night, the sides must've been shorter.

 

Also, it's nice to see Wisconsin will be on prime time Saturday night on ESPN. Another good chance to knock off a team ahead of them in the standings.

[heresrobin]

Penn St. 38

Illinois 33

 

And that's not a halftime score. The game was @ Illinois. Yuck.

[bucks2281]

Big Ten Basketball FTL. You sure that wasn't a football score?

 

So the murderous stretch for Marquette begins Saturday afternoon: @GU, CONN, @UL, @PITT, SYR

 

I'll say 2-3 -- @UL and @PITT are sure losses, IMO. They'll win 2/3 from the other, leaving them at 13-5, 24-7 going into the conference tournament. And just an FYI -- Dick Vitale is signing his new book on Wednesday at the Marquette union at 12 pm, before the Connecticut game.

[homer]

Big Ten Basketball - #2 RPI

[blatzlight]

Big Ten Basketball - #2 RPI

And that proves the point why the RPI isn't as valued as it used to be.

 

scott van pelt on the mike tirico show:

 

"big ten basketball is like watching fat people have sex, big bodies floppin all over the place"

 

"horrific"

[Fatter than Joey]

And that's not a halftime score. The game was @ Illinois. Yuck.

 

Yikes -- My 4th graders can get 40 in a game.

[bucks2281]

I love Big Ten hoops -- I think it's funny that we see these types of scores pop up in the B10 every once in a while. It's puzzling that the #18 team in the country would only be able to muster 33 points...at home...against Penn State.

 

If you want a bad conference, look at the SEC. I can't see any team receiving higher than a #6 seed in the tourney -- either Tennessee, LSU, or South Carolina.

[razzzorsharp]

Good basketball in my mind doesn't need a lot of running or scoring. I loved watching Dick Bennet's teams though I realize I am in the minority.

[hawing]

I'm there with you, razzzorsharp. I don't need running and gunning to enjoy a basketball game.

I'm also among those sports dorks who appreciates a pitchers' duel more than a slugfest.

[Glennron]

I'm there with you, razzzorsharp. I don't need running and gunning to enjoy a basketball game.

I'm also among those sports dorks who appreciates a pitchers' duel more than a slugfest.

I agree with both of those actually. I love watching Washington State, though they're not really on TV anymore since they're not that great this year.

 

I'll be happy if Marquette finishes 2-3. I know Georgetown can't start a winning streak and are still at 5-8, but any team that can win at UConn when they're at full strength can do some damage. Although I haven't seen the last two games, it sounds like MU came out flat in the first half of both. That's fine against teams in the bottom part of the conference when you're at home, but they really can't afford to do that in any of the remaining games.

[Mike Felder]

I don't mind low-scoring basketball if it's well played - teams sharply executing a Princeton-style offense or playing great, lock-you-down defense. But no matter how people try to spin this one, this was just horrible offense, not great defense. Games like that are not fun to watch. Sadly, I think more and more of the Big Ten games like this are trending towards the "horrible offense" variety rather than the "excellent defense" variety.

[razzzorsharp]

I think if Wisconsin goes 2-2 to finish out the regular season and win 1 in the tournament, they will get in.

[Glennron]

That sounds about right. It would be great if they could steal one at MSU but I don't really see that happening. Minnesota has been struggling so I like their chances against them better now than a week or two ago.

[homer]

That sounds about right. It would be great if they could steal one at MSU but I don't really see that happening. Minnesota has been struggling so I like their chances against them better now than a week or two ago.

 

So does Ken Pomeroy. He had UW losing that game against Minny until yesterday. Now UW is a better than 50/50 shot to win.

[RyDogg66]

I dont get the hate for Big Ten basketball. It is a certain style, a different style, for sure, than the ACC or PAC 10 but it is effective and plays well outside of the conference. Critics often times say the Big Ten lacks the more athletic players that play in some of the other conferences, maybe they do, but they surely do not lack good basketball players. If basketball were all about atheletics and running and gunning there would be a lot more guys that could hack it at a D-I level. But it isnt, it is about fundamentals, half court offense and gasp sometimes even defense.