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Some good college basketball games the last couple days. Watched Maryland last night, disappointed that they lost, but encouraged because the reasons they lost are all very fixable. Trimble was way too loose with the ball and had too many turnovers, Layman never got on track shooting, and they didn't do a good job with switching on perimeter defense...

Carolina came out with a level of intensity that Maryland didn't match, Maryland fell behind and fought hard, kept it close, even took the lead for about 4 seconds in the second half but in the end, couldn't sustain it...

OSU is really young. Marc Loving is our most experienced player and he's only a junior. I knew there was going to be severe growing pains, but I really like the kids we've got. David Giddens is going to be a shot blocker and give us toughness and size inside which we've badly needed. I feel like we'll be contenders next year (assuming everyone returns), but this year is going to be very rough.

I love the schedule we've faced though, it gets the young guys prepared.

We got destroyed last Saturday by 20 and we're now up 16 against frickin Kentucky.

Wow. I can't believe we beat Kentucky.

Ironically, we're not that bad historically against Kentucky. Only 9-11.

I know, but they are really good and we have been really bad this year.

They have talent and toughness. They're just very, very, very young. We average more turnovers than assists to give you some perspective. The good news is like I said, they're a LOT more tougher and physical than the last few years. Especially our big men. They're just gonna have to go through some growing pains.

If the team that played today shows up for the rest of the season, I think we beat Sparty and Maryland at least once at the end of the year.

I hear you, but you can't tell me that it wasn't a huge surprise they won that game, can you?

I saw a lot of growth from these young Bucks yesterday ...

I am as big a Kentucky Wildcat fan as I am a Cleveland Browns fan. Saying that. Congrats to all buckeye fans for their big win yesterday. It was obvious watching that game OSU wanted that game more than UK. They brought more energy, were tougher in the paint, and beat UK to every loose ball. OSU shoot the ball well but if Jamal Murrey did not go off in the 2nd half OSU would have won by 20.

There were 5 plays in that game that stand out to me.

1) The end of the first half when Isaih Brisco took a bad shot with 7 seconds still on the clock. I think he forced that shot because Thompson had blocked 3 of his drives earlier in the half. Then Ohio State came down and hit a huge three.

2)When OSU was up 16 and had a break away 4 on 1 fast break and Tyler Ulis forced a tougher than should have been layup then on the rebound Murrey came in and tapped the rebound out to another UK player and UK got a lay up on the other end it really turned momentum and started the UK comeback.

3. When UK had cut the lead to 3 and had a one and one that Alex P. missed the front end it really halted the run UK was on.

4. Still with the lead at 3 points Skal Labisier missed a 5 foot shot and an OSU player tapped the ball out and an OSU player and Alex P both dove for the ball and it squirted loose to half course Jamal Murrey bent down to pick the ball up and an OSU player dove in and took the ball away and passed it forward for a break away and Tyler Ulis grabbed the OSU player on the breakaway for an intentional foul. lead to 4 free throws for OSU and a 7 point lead.

5. UK's last ditch effort was stealing the ball down 4 and an OSU player hustled behind Jamal Murrey and tapped the ball away from behind that lead to a steal and eventually a 3 point shot hit.

Some people are saying yea this is not a great Kentucky team. And we are not as good as last year but rarely will there ever be a team that good again. But this team still beat Duke by double digits on a neutral court. This was a great win by OSU. Have to take my hat off to them. Great effort and they deserved the win.

Even if you don't play at that level, it's possible. A lot of ups and downs in a college basketball season. Probably 8-10 teams right now that look like possible championship teams..

I was very happy with the way Maryland played against Princeton.. yea, I know, it's Princeton. But this is the kind of team MD has struggled with in the past because they get frustrated when teams slow down and play methodical.... and Maryland overcame that and took it to them. And they are doing it without a major contribution from their big freshman, Diamond Stone... pretty happy so far.

Read something on a website that describes how I feel about Matta too.

College basketball is a great sport. It provides smaller budget schools the chance to field nationally competitive teams.

GO XAVIER!!!!

Can't remember the last time, if ever, we were ranked this high.

Jimmy Johnson (famed football coach) once said that one of the great impediments to being great, is being good. It's easy to get comfortable being good, winning 24-25 games a year in college basketball, regularly making the tourney, making a sweet 16 or elite 8 run once in a while. It really makes it difficult to make the tough decisions that it would take to get the next level because there is always the fear that... it could be a lot worse.

JC: Just watched UConn get swept by Temple this year. Made me wanna puke.

This might be the first time i've experienced no Huskies in the tournament two years in a row.

God I hate being in the AAC

Got to be frustrating. I just watched Indiana beat Iowa, thus moving Maryland to the top of the Big10 standings.

College basketball is flaming garbage this year. How many top 25 teams have lost to unranked teams? I can't even call them upsets anymore. If you're an average team, you've got a realistic chance at a final 4 run.

I dunno, I will say, I saw us play Maryland this year. Whoever that guy was with the golden dreadlocks. He was dirty. That guy is going to be an NBA Player. Best guy we've played this year IMO. No doubt about it.

That's the only team I've watched UConn play where I can legitimately say, we were straight up outclassed. We got a little 2nd half run together, but they got going again and put us away.

Like Louisville 2 years ago, I think UConn needs Maryland to lose in the tourney for us to take home the gold. We just won't matchup with a team like that.

Which makes me think of 4 years ago, when UConn Beat Butler, and you sir, the Candyman, had to sport that Rebecca Black (The HS Girl who sang the terribly popular "Friday" Song) lol. Unfortunately, this year, I don't have the same confidence in my team like I did the past two title winners

Haven't been around the board much.

But Kansas is winning that National Title this year.

Or they'll go out the first weekend.

You know -- Typical Kansas.

#3, #4, #5 lost today. I can't even call it upsets. That's how bad college basketball is this year.

Not sure what you mean by "bad".. I think it's awesome. The parity in college basketball is outstanding with about 15 teams that will have a legit chance to make a run at the championship.

Villanova is #1 by a wide margin (the only team with 3 losses) and will almost certainly be the #1 seed because.. well because they don't really play anybody. I think they have played 6 ranked teams, losing 3... the only ranked teams they have beaten are Xavier, Butler, and Providence.. who also don't have the most grueling schedules...

Everybody else with 4 or 5 losses and still a lot of basketball to play... that's awesome.

March Madness brackets last year, I bet 90% of the people in our challenge had Kentucky against either Duke or (I think it was Michigan State) in the finals... this year is going to be wide open...

Ben Simmons isn't a Wooden finalist because he didn't meet the GPA requirement, which is just a 2.0.

quote above by candy:

"Ben Simmons isn't a Wooden finalist because he didn't meet the GPA requirement, which is just a 2.0."

Hmmm...

That means below a "C" average.

That means "I don't belong in college".

Ben Simmons has bust written all over him.

There's literally nothing special about his game.

Ben Simmons has bust written all over him.

There's literally nothing special about his game.

I agree... I mean the kid might actually manufacture a 15 year career but it's going to be largely as a 7th man rotating through about 10 teams. I will be seriously surprised if he lives up to what you would expect from somebody drafted where he is going to be drafted.

Other than Simmons there isn't a single guy that intrigues me.

Tyler Ulis is everything you want in a point guard. Not sure he's coming out, but I love his game.

Wichita State is on the “At-Large” bubble.

I’ve always been a Wichita State Shockers fan. I think because the Shocker’s mens basketball is the best ticket in town.

Well, and Big Show is an alum.

Hey, I just looked up other Wichita Falls famous alumni. Check this out:

Joe Carter, Xavier McDaniel, Bill Parcells, Gal Mekel



What? You don’t remember Gal Mekel?

He’s the point guard for the BC Nizhny Novograd Kiosks (I think that’s Russia or Ukraine or Hababaikistan)

I only ever pay any attention to them because I know a really cute woman that lives in Wichita and she's a huge fan... I'm shallow, that's enough for me

If you wanna win a title, get a super stud point guard.

It is a necessity, trust me I've watched Maryland all year... when Melo Trimble is playing well, they can play with anybody... when he goes into a slump, they have trouble beating mediocre teams.. it doesn't really matter how everybody else is playing.

Surprised there is no conversation on this game. It has been a very well played back and forth game..

Are you kidding me?

What an epic finish....

Soooooo

A buzzer beater to win the national championship

Yeah...