Who is ready for College Hoops?

[Buck]

It's here!

[KCWolfman]

Originally Posted by Pablo

You think y'all will be favored going into that game at Michigan?

And UNC has put it together as of late. They're not a team to be taken lightly. Not someone you'd want in your bracket as an eight seed.

Favored isn't important to me. In fact, I hope we are the underdog.

UNC will not beat Duke this weekend. I would be willing to put money on it.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Buehler445

I'm fully prepared to lose to Baylor. I know that is being pessimistic, and I'm not necessarily expecting it to happen, but as awful as Baylor has played, this will be the one game they pull their heads out.

I think they'll take care of business, just because they've stressed not being the team to break the conference streak and they'll know the KSU/OSU final well before they take the court. I could see them falling flat in the B12 tournament though.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by KCWolfman

I don't find either to be unlikely. While Michigan has home court they have more flaws than any other top ten team at this time. This is Crean's motivational moment. Indiana is the superior team.

Of course they're the superior team. But superior teams lose on the road all the time to teams that are nowhere near as good as Michigan. It's college basketball, home court advantage is immense. Considering Michigan hasn't lost at home all year, it's exactly what I'd call unlikely.

Even more likely will be that Duke creams a North Carolina team that has fallen hard this year.

It sounds like you haven't watched UNC over the last month. They've been playing great basketball since Roy decided to go small. They haven't lost since they nearly beat Duke at Cameron in early February. When you consider that (+ the fact that Duke hasn't played a good road game all year against any kind of decent opposition), UNC is the favorite.

[KC_Connection]

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebaske...s-grip-on-indy

I still don't think the committee will give Gonzaga and their weak schedule that kind of respect. They might be a #1 now, but not an overall #1. It's more likely going to be a power conference team.

[KCWolfman]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Of course they're the superior team. But superior teams lose on the road all the time to teams that are nowhere near as good as Michigan. It's college basketball, home court advantage is immense. Considering Michigan hasn't lost at home all year, it's exactly what I'd call unlikely.


It sounds like you haven't watched UNC over the last month. They've been playing great basketball since Roy decided to go small. They haven't lost since they nearly beat Duke at Cameron in early February. When you consider that (+ the fact that Duke hasn't played a good road game all year against any kind of decent opposition), UNC is the favorite.

The last line I saw was for Duke at 6.5. If they fell to the underdog line, they did so in the last 24 hours and I haven't received an update.

And keep in mind that Michigan has lost as many as they have won in the last month, including to a Penn State team (not as bad as TCU, but still embarrassing).

[Chiefs Pantalones]

@ESPNLunardi: Latest top line: Gonzaga/WEST, Kansas/MW, Indiana/EAST, Georgetown/SOUTH. If you don't like it, just wait a day...

[Pablo]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebaske...s-grip-on-indy

I still don't think the committee will give Gonzaga and their weak schedule that kind of respect. They might be a #1 now, but not an overall #1. It's more likely going to be a power conference team.

Nice. KU will have to beat three top 50 teams to win out and the Big 12 tourney, but if they do....

It's all gravy, baby.

And Gonzaga played a pretty damn impressive non-con. Unfortunately their conference tourney won't be getting them many nods like winning a Power Six would.

[KCWolfman]

As far as North Carolina goes, it isn't the lineup. It is the fact that they haven't played a top 25 team in the last month. In fact, they have only beaten 1 top 25 team all year and that was to a weak UNLV team that has since fallen off the face of the earth.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by KCWolfman

The last line I saw was for Duke at 6.5. If they fell to the underdog line, they did so in the last 24 hours and I haven't received an update.

It would surprise me greatly if Duke was a 6 point favorite on the road against a team playing as well as UNC. Any idea where you saw that?

And keep in mind that Michigan has lost as many as they have won in the last month, including to a Penn State team (not as bad as TCU, but still embarrassing).

And yet they lost none of those games at home. Michigan is a completely different team at home, like most teams in college basketball. It's not exactly easy to walk into a top 10 team's building and win. You can count the number of times that happens in one NCAA season on one hand.

[KCWolfman]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

It would surprise me greatly if Duke was a 6 point favorite on the road against a team playing as well as UNC. Any idea where you saw that?



And yet they lost none of those games at home. Michigan is a completely different team at home, like most teams in college basketball. It's not exactly easy to walk into a top 10 team's building and win. You can count the number of times that happens in one NCAA season on one hand.

Either Vegas Gaming or Odds Shark. I get updates from both.

BTW - Indiana has already done so at Michigan State and and Ohio State this season. both were top ten when it happened.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by KCWolfman

As far as North Carolina goes, it isn't the lineup. It is the fact that they haven't played a top 25 team in the last month. In fact, they have only beaten 1 top 25 team all year and that was to a weak UNLV team that has since fallen off the face of the earth.

No, it actually had a ton to do with the lineup. Check out this article on what they've done since Hairston was inserted and how it's completely changed the way they operate: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...r-heels-season

They're winning games (both at home and on the road) that they would have lost in December. UNC was on the way out of the tournament a few months back, now they're looking like a real threat in the tournament to go a round or two.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by KCWolfman

Either Vegas Gaming or Odds Shark. I get updates from both.

I'm not seeing anything, but maybe I'm looking in the wrong place. FWIW, KP has Duke winning by 2 (and Vegas lines usually correspond quite closely to his system's projections).

BTW - Indiana has already done so at Michigan State and and Ohio State this season. both were top ten when it happened.

There's a reason why Indiana is considered #1 in the country. That doesn't mean going to Michigan and winning is going to be easy or likely.

[KCWolfman]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

No, it actually had a ton to do with the lineup. Check out this article on what they've done since Hairston was inserted and how it's completely changed the way they operate: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...r-heels-season

They're winning games (both at home and on the road) that they would have lost in December. UNC was on the way out of the tournament a few months back, now they're looking like a real threat in the tournament to go a round or two.

Still not impressed with wins against Maryland, UVA, Clemson, and Florida State. Especially with the crushing loss to Miami and a beating at home by Virginia Tech. Maybe the lineup has helped, but switching from a wheelchair to a cane does not make you a marathon runner. I am comfortable saying I don't see Duke losing this weekend. Copy and paste it if I'm wrong, I have eaten crow before.

[KCWolfman]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

There's a reason why Indiana is considered #1 in the country. That doesn't mean going to Michigan and winning is going to be easy or likely.

I don't expect it to be easy. Zeller has let me down for 3 weeks straight, I don't expect that to change. However, Oladipo increases his NBA value with every game, including tonight's loss. I do think they will do it though.

[KCWolfman]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

I'm not seeing anything, but maybe I'm looking in the wrong place. FWIW, KP has Duke winning by 2 (and Vegas lines usually correspond quite closely to his system's projections).

.

They go down each night. We should have an update sometime tomorrow or Thursday. Either way, I will be surprised if Duke is not favored.