Conference roundups

dlb · 02-23-2007, 03:43 PM

The regular season is drawing to a close, so I thought it would be fun to hear what's going on in all those conferences we don't follow, from the folks who do. I'll start with my league, the ACC, taken from top to bottom per the current standings.

1. North Carolina (10 - 3 in conference)
I hate to say it, 'cause I'm afraid it might jinx us, but Tar Heels fans should be disappointed, if this club doesn't make the Final Four. We're talented, well coached and deep - very deep. As Wake Forest coach Skip Prosser put it at the start of the season, when he was asked how he liked his team this year, "Well, I like my team, Mike (Krzyzewski) likes his and Roy (Williams) likes both of his." As VA Tech has proven, we're vulnerable to teams with high-quality, experienced guards and good players on the front line, but even then, we're tough to conquer.

2. VA Tech (9 - 4)
For Carolina fans, this team is real mystery meat. Against us, they look like world-beaters. Against everyone else, they look like just another good team. I don't see these guys getting any further than the Sweet 16, but then, I didn't see them beating us in the Dean Dome, either.

3. Virginia (9 - 4)
The 'Hoos have one great player - Sean Singletary, and one very good player - J. R. Richard (I think). Other than that, they're pretty weak. Expect them to get an NCAA bid and be gone after the first weekend.

4. Boston College (9 - 5)
Sean Williams cost this team any chance they had at an ACC title and shredded their already thin hopes of a deep run in the Tourney. Chris Dudley, however, is an NBA-ready guard who has done a hero's work in carrying this squad. Right now, they look every bit like one of those 7-seeds that gets bumped by a mid-major 10-seed.

5. Duke (8 - 6)
Don't be fooled by the Devils' mid-season swoon. They have righted the ship and although they're young, thin and kinda girly-lookin', they'll be a tough out in March. Anything higher than the Sweet 16, though, would be a real stretch.

6. Maryland (7 - 6)
This team is as good as their record indicates - not very. I don't think they deserve an NCAA bid, but if they finish above .500 in the conference, they'll probably get one. If you're a fan of a mid-major school that's having a hot year, pray for a date with the Terps on your Dance Card. They should give you something to brag about until you get eliminated by a good team from a power conference.

8. GA Tech (6 - 7)
This has already been a disappointing year for Paul Hewitt's boys, and it isn't going to get any better. They should get an NIT bid, and they may even make a run of it - but who cares?

9. Clemson (5 - 8)
Man, these guys looked good just 8 short weeks ago. Since then, they've been on the express train to Obscurityville. Another NIT contender.

10. FL State (5 - 9)
Leonard Hamilton would be pulling his hair out, if he had any. These guys have been the usual sub-par Seminoles of roundball.

11. NC State (4 - 9)
Though their record is worse, Sidney Lowe's club is better than FSU, and deserves an NIT bid. If they get it, they might bring the Old North State its only basketball championship in 2007.

12. Miami (4 - 9)
Oh, well, at least Miami has the Heat. If these guys don't get any better, they might get renamed the "Gentle Showers."

13. Wake Forest (4 - 10)
Talk about the wheels coming off - Skip Prosser hasn't had a competitive club since Chris Paul went to the NBA. I don't understand it; he's a good coach, but his team is just plain awful. I'd say they were going nowhere, but the fact is, they've been living there for two straight seasons.

bedir than average · 02-23-2007, 07:29 PM

1 - UCLA (24-3, 13-2) Without a doubt the best team in the conference. They have dominated much of their competition, they are athletic and well rounded. I have no doubt that they will win the conference tourney and at worst they will be number one seed. Elite Eight will be theirs easily.

2 - WSU (22-5, 11-4) The biggest ding against this team and the reason I expect a number 3 seed is the week non-conference schedule. Slow, deliberate and well coached the apple didn't fall from the tree as Bennet the Younger has coached a team much like his father's good ones from Wisconsin. The Cougs likely have a Sweet 16 run in them and could win some tourney games with a score in the high 40s

3 - USC (20-8, 10-5) USC will likely face the Bruins in the PAC-10 tourney. I have seen less of USC than the rest, but I expec that the Cougs, well Coug it.

4 - Stanford (17-9, 9-6) The Lopez twins will determine the success or failure of Stanford, unfortanately the tourney is known as guard time.

5 - Oregon (21-7, 9-7) Who cares, they're the Ducks? Seriously Oregon has some problems, but if it wasn't for a single incident last year the Ducks would be a strong #4 team in the conference.

6 - Arizona (17-9, 8-7) Lute will make the tourney again, and won't make it past the opening weekend. One win at most.

7 - U of WA (16-11, 6-9) The two big men down low play well together, but unfortunately they have no guard play of substance. I'd love to say Bow Down, but I expect this team to struggle even in the NIT.

8 - California (14-13, 6-9) A team that once had a shot like Washington to make the case for a seventh team from the PAC-10, the season was flushed with their six game losing streak in conference.

9 - Oregon State (11-18, 3-13) No more Brent Barry, no more Gary Payton. The Beavers aren't very good.

10 - Arizona State (7-19, 1-14) How can a team in one of the greatest towns for any college student not get good recruits? Answer: By never having been very good.

dlb · 02-23-2007, 09:10 PM

Isn't AZSt where Herb Sendek ended up? He's a good coach, does the Pac-10 press think he could make it happen for the Sun Devils?

dlb · 02-25-2007, 10:27 PM

Well, after I dismissed MD as not very good, and suggested that NC State was looking better than FSU, the Seminoles whip the 'Pack and the Terps stage a great comeback to take down the 'Heels. Ain't nothin' like a competitive conference, is there?

I think the MD victory was yet more proof of something everyone who follows Carolina already knows - they're tough, but they're not bulletproof. It is quite possible that we won't make it out of the Sweet 16 - not likely, but possible. That said, we are a legit Final Four club. If someone does take us down early, they will have played one hell of a game.

02-23-2007, 03:43 PM	#1 (permalink)
dlb Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 4,583	Conference roundups The regular season is drawing to a close, so I thought it would be fun to hear what's going on in all those conferences we don't follow, from the folks who do. I'll start with my league, the ACC, taken from top to bottom per the current standings. 1. North Carolina (10 - 3 in conference) I hate to say it, 'cause I'm afraid it might jinx us, but Tar Heels fans should be disappointed, if this club doesn't make the Final Four. We're talented, well coached and deep - very deep. As Wake Forest coach Skip Prosser put it at the start of the season, when he was asked how he liked his team this year, "Well, I like my team, Mike (Krzyzewski) likes his and Roy (Williams) likes both of his." As VA Tech has proven, we're vulnerable to teams with high-quality, experienced guards and good players on the front line, but even then, we're tough to conquer. 2. VA Tech (9 - 4) For Carolina fans, this team is real mystery meat. Against us, they look like world-beaters. Against everyone else, they look like just another good team. I don't see these guys getting any further than the Sweet 16, but then, I didn't see them beating us in the Dean Dome, either. 3. Virginia (9 - 4) The 'Hoos have one great player - Sean Singletary, and one very good player - J. R. Richard (I think). Other than that, they're pretty weak. Expect them to get an NCAA bid and be gone after the first weekend. 4. Boston College (9 - 5) Sean Williams cost this team any chance they had at an ACC title and shredded their already thin hopes of a deep run in the Tourney. Chris Dudley, however, is an NBA-ready guard who has done a hero's work in carrying this squad. Right now, they look every bit like one of those 7-seeds that gets bumped by a mid-major 10-seed. 5. Duke (8 - 6) Don't be fooled by the Devils' mid-season swoon. They have righted the ship and although they're young, thin and kinda girly-lookin', they'll be a tough out in March. Anything higher than the Sweet 16, though, would be a real stretch. 6. Maryland (7 - 6) This team is as good as their record indicates - not very. I don't think they deserve an NCAA bid, but if they finish above .500 in the conference, they'll probably get one. If you're a fan of a mid-major school that's having a hot year, pray for a date with the Terps on your Dance Card. They should give you something to brag about until you get eliminated by a good team from a power conference. 8. GA Tech (6 - 7) This has already been a disappointing year for Paul Hewitt's boys, and it isn't going to get any better. They should get an NIT bid, and they may even make a run of it - but who cares? 9. Clemson (5 - 8) Man, these guys looked good just 8 short weeks ago. Since then, they've been on the express train to Obscurityville. Another NIT contender. 10. FL State (5 - 9) Leonard Hamilton would be pulling his hair out, if he had any. These guys have been the usual sub-par Seminoles of roundball. 11. NC State (4 - 9) Though their record is worse, Sidney Lowe's club is better than FSU, and deserves an NIT bid. If they get it, they might bring the Old North State its only basketball championship in 2007. 12. Miami (4 - 9) Oh, well, at least Miami has the Heat. If these guys don't get any better, they might get renamed the "Gentle Showers." 13. Wake Forest (4 - 10) Talk about the wheels coming off - Skip Prosser hasn't had a competitive club since Chris Paul went to the NBA. I don't understand it; he's a good coach, but his team is just plain awful. I'd say they were going nowhere, but the fact is, they've been living there for two straight seasons.

02-23-2007, 07:29 PM	#2 (permalink)
bedir than average Administrator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Starbucks Posts: 8,256	The PAC-10 1 - UCLA (24-3, 13-2) Without a doubt the best team in the conference. They have dominated much of their competition, they are athletic and well rounded. I have no doubt that they will win the conference tourney and at worst they will be number one seed. Elite Eight will be theirs easily. 2 - WSU (22-5, 11-4) The biggest ding against this team and the reason I expect a number 3 seed is the week non-conference schedule. Slow, deliberate and well coached the apple didn't fall from the tree as Bennet the Younger has coached a team much like his father's good ones from Wisconsin. The Cougs likely have a Sweet 16 run in them and could win some tourney games with a score in the high 40s 3 - USC (20-8, 10-5) USC will likely face the Bruins in the PAC-10 tourney. I have seen less of USC than the rest, but I expec that the Cougs, well Coug it. 4 - Stanford (17-9, 9-6) The Lopez twins will determine the success or failure of Stanford, unfortanately the tourney is known as guard time. 5 - Oregon (21-7, 9-7) Who cares, they're the Ducks? Seriously Oregon has some problems, but if it wasn't for a single incident last year the Ducks would be a strong #4 team in the conference. 6 - Arizona (17-9, 8-7) Lute will make the tourney again, and won't make it past the opening weekend. One win at most. 7 - U of WA (16-11, 6-9) The two big men down low play well together, but unfortunately they have no guard play of substance. I'd love to say Bow Down, but I expect this team to struggle even in the NIT. 8 - California (14-13, 6-9) A team that once had a shot like Washington to make the case for a seventh team from the PAC-10, the season was flushed with their six game losing streak in conference. 9 - Oregon State (11-18, 3-13) No more Brent Barry, no more Gary Payton. The Beavers aren't very good. 10 - Arizona State (7-19, 1-14) How can a team in one of the greatest towns for any college student not get good recruits? Answer: By never having been very good. __________________ US Men's National Team World Cup Qualifying \| Democracy in Sports Meets My First Campaign "You're only so sure you're right because they're so sure you're wrong." Orson Scott Card in Xenocide

02-23-2007, 09:10 PM	#3 (permalink)
dlb Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 4,583	Isn't AZSt where Herb Sendek ended up? He's a good coach, does the Pac-10 press think he could make it happen for the Sun Devils?

02-25-2007, 10:27 PM	#4 (permalink)
dlb Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 4,583	Well, after I dismissed MD as not very good, and suggested that NC State was looking better than FSU, the Seminoles whip the 'Pack and the Terps stage a great comeback to take down the 'Heels. Ain't nothin' like a competitive conference, is there? I think the MD victory was yet more proof of something everyone who follows Carolina already knows - they're tough, but they're not bulletproof. It is quite possible that we won't make it out of the Sweet 16 - not likely, but possible. That said, we are a legit Final Four club. If someone does take us down early, they will have played one hell of a game.