# College Basketball 2009 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 20, 2009, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-basketball-2009/518256 "2009-11-20T03:48:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2010, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-basketball-2009/518256/61 "2010-01-17T04:18:37Z")
Well, Kentucky pretty well blows a 19-point lead against Auburn, but still hangs on to win an ugly game. Did anyone see the end of the Texas-Texas A&M game? (Of course you didn’t, it was on ESPNU.) Texas never led until the very end, couldn’t finish the game off in regulation and only got on a run in OT after a questionable technical foul got A&M’s only inside threat on the bench and the zebras started swallowing the whistle when A&M had the ball. I’m honestly not sure if Kentucky could beat Texas right now. Kentucky’s got the talent, sure, but they don’t quite have the killer instinct to keep a foot on the gas for all 40 minutes yet. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-basketball-2009/518256/62 "2010-01-23T18:23:56Z")
CBB is well into conference play and it is always interesting to see the experts predict the NCAA brackets at this point in the season. Here is [ESPN’s Bracketology](http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/bracketology) as of Jan. 18, 2010. They do have two PAC-10 (Cal and A-State) teams in the tournament. That could be generous. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-basketball-2009/518256/63 "2010-01-23T19:11:24Z")
> [@brianjedi](#): > > Well, Kentucky pretty well blows a 19-point lead against Auburn, but still hangs on to win an ugly game. > > Did anyone see the end of the Texas-Texas A&M game? (Of course you didn’t, it was on ESPNU.) Texas never led until the very end, couldn’t finish the game off in regulation and only got on a run in OT after a questionable technical foul got A&M’s only inside threat on the bench and the zebras started swallowing the whistle when A&M had the ball. > > **I’m honestly not sure if Kentucky could beat Texas right now. Kentucky’s got the talent, sure, but they don’t quite have the killer instinct to keep a foot on the gas for all 40 minutes yet.** Its because they are Wildcats, and our opponents are like mice. We’re just toying with them for awhile before we finally eat them. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-basketball-2009/518256/64 "2010-01-23T20:50:42Z")
Looks like perhaps some clarity in the Pac 10 race. Oregon State stayed with Cal for the first half of the game, but now it looks like Cal will win. Arizona State has a game with Arizona tonight at home. If both Cal and ASU win, then they could both get NCAA bids, especially if one team has the most wins in the Pac 10 and the other wins the Pac 10 tournament. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-basketball-2009/518256/65 "2010-01-23T22:43:17Z")
Texas is not looking good right now in their game against UCONN. That crowd is distracting them. That’s not the way to win the NCAA tournament. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-basketball-2009/518256/66 "2010-01-23T23:33:21Z")
SIDORAKIS! OSU pulls it out at K-State! ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2010, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-basketball-2009/518256/67 "2010-01-24T00:32:16Z")
Ladies and Gentlemen, your new number one ranked team in the nation, the undefeated Kentucky Wildcats! Absolutely put the screws to a bad Arkansas team. The Wildcats’ largest lead was 46 after John Wall hit a jumper with 14 minutes left. The Razorbacks got it no closer than 92-62 with under 4 minutes to go. Won the game by 31 points. ---
**Author:** ![RetroVertigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@RetroVertigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RetroVertigo)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2010, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-basketball-2009/518256/68 "2010-01-24T01:43:04Z")
Kentucky Fans: Would winning the tourney be worth it if later it had to be vacated? Going by Calipari’s history there is a more then probable chance. ---
**Author:** ![Jules\_Andre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jules_andre/32/9334_2.png) [@Jules\_Andre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jules_Andre)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2010, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-basketball-2009/518256/69 "2010-01-24T04:58:43Z")
It hasn’t been often this season that it was fun rooting for the University of Arizona, but beating the snot out of the hated She Devils is always fun. Aside from winning the Pac-10 tournament, I’m not sure I can see the Wildcats getting into the Big Dance, which is a shame. The streak is likely over, but anyone with halfway decent sense could see it coming. And unless Sean Miller manages to steal away Josh Selby, it could be a long time until the UofA returns to its rightful position at the top of the Pac-10. There’s already some very good young players in Tucson, but they need a strong incoming class to build on. ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2010, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-basketball-2009/518256/70 "2010-01-24T05:32:14Z")
> [@RetroVertigo](#): > > Kentucky Fans: > > Would winning the tourney be worth it if later it had to be vacated? Going by Calipari’s history there is a more then probable chance. The NCAA is going to end up losing on the Memphis appeal, and if they still try to screw with them even in spite of the evidence not supporting their charges, I have a feeling it’ll end up before a federal judge and/or Congress. The bottom line is, the NCAA cleared him after Memphis asked, and the NCAA can’t have it both ways: either players who pass the clearinghouse are eligible, or no one can rely on the NCAA to actually mean what they say. Cal was completely cleared in the Camby incident and no one has suggested he has any involvement in the Derrick Rose situation, so unless someone’s got evidence we don’t have, there’s nothing supporting the thought that he’s going to end up getting something vacated at UK. Today was the most complete game we’ve seen from the Wildcats all year, and I feel sorry for Pel. Coming home has to be hard in the first place (heck, in a radio pre-game interview, he was still referring to Big Blue as “we”) but to get your ass handed to you like that? Texas losing surprises me a bit, although it does help our RPI because UConn will move up. Did just prove that UConn can beat anyone at home, but can’t do anything once they leave that craphole of a state. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-basketball-2009/518256/71 "2010-01-27T04:18:32Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Ladies and Gentlemen, your new number one ranked team in the nation, the undefeated Kentucky Wildcats! Boy that lasted a long time. South Carolina 68 Kentucky 62 ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-basketball-2009/518256/72 "2010-01-27T06:27:28Z")
[Remember](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60Z2hmW9dhk&feature=player_embedded) the [Ten](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/magazine/life_of_reilly/news/2001/02/13/life_of_reilly/) January 27, 2001 ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-basketball-2009/518256/73 "2010-01-27T13:16:23Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > Boy that lasted a long time. > > South Carolina 68 > Kentucky 62 Hey-oh! Ah well…bound to happen, long season and all that. 19-1 at this point is a far, far cry from where we were just last season under Billy Douchebagespie. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-basketball-2009/518256/74 "2010-01-27T15:10:40Z")
The South Carolina loss doesn’t surprise me. Kentucky is a very good team, but not the world-beaters they’ve been made out to be. They looked very vulnerable against Georgia, and that was a home game. I think Syracuse and Kansas are both playing better ball at the moment. (Besides which, we all know my Duke boys will smack Kentucky come tournament time. 😃 ) ---
**Author:** ![RetroVertigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@RetroVertigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RetroVertigo)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-basketball-2009/518256/75 "2010-01-27T15:23:18Z")
> [@brianjedi](#): > > The NCAA is going to end up losing on the Memphis appeal, and if they still try to screw with them even in spite of the evidence not supporting their charges, I have a feeling it’ll end up before a federal judge and/or Congress. The bottom line is, the NCAA cleared him after Memphis asked, and the NCAA can’t have it both ways: either players who pass the clearinghouse are eligible, or no one can rely on the NCAA to actually mean what they say. > > Cal was completely cleared in the Camby incident and no one has suggested he has any involvement in the Derrick Rose situation, so unless someone’s got evidence we don’t have, there’s nothing supporting the thought that he’s going to end up getting something vacated at UK. > > Today was the most complete game we’ve seen from the Wildcats all year, and I feel sorry for Pel. Coming home has to be hard in the first place (heck, in a radio pre-game interview, he was still referring to Big Blue as “we”) but to get your ass handed to you like that? I wasn’t implying that he had a direct hand in any cheating. As any smart coach wouldn’t be involved. He has however shown to lack internal control of any his programs (which to the NCAA is just as bad). ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-basketball-2009/518256/76 "2010-01-27T16:24:32Z")
Michigan State is now 8-0 in Big Ten play for the first time ever, after escaping with a 1 point win in Ann Arbor. Gotta give the Wolverines credit, they played a great game for 40 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-basketball-2009/518256/77 "2010-01-27T16:25:07Z")
Not quite worthy of it’s own thread, but definitely worthy of comment: [Digger Phelps dancing during the Clemson pre-game](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc9073pxyzk) ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-basketball-2009/518256/78 "2010-01-27T16:27:14Z")
Checking the AP Top 25 poll, the UNC Tar Heels don’t even have a honorable mention in the poll. Not one vote. Is it possible that they don’t get invited to the big dance? ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-basketball-2009/518256/79 "2010-01-27T16:37:12Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Not quite worthy of it’s own thread, but definitely worthy of comment: > > [Digger Phelps dancing during the Clemson pre-game](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc9073pxyzk) But what comment? I got to say he probably has better moves than Bob Knight would have. The college game days are enjoyable, the atmosphere around CFB and CBB is one of the best things about college athletics. That said, they are too noisy!! especially the CBB game-days in the arenas. The background noise was so much during last week Clemson show that I had to change the channel when Digger, Bilas etc were talking. There has to way to muffle the crowd noise. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-basketball-2009/518256/80 "2010-01-28T02:41:01Z")
> [@spoke-](#): > > (Besides which, we all know my Duke boys will smack Kentucky come tournament time. 😃 ) Geez, you think Duke’s going to end up a 16 seed, huh? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-basketball-2009/518256.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-basketball-2009/518256.md?page=5)