Open Thread: Pac-10 Tournament Championship (USC vs Arizona State)
Pac-10 championship is at 6 PM EST, 3 PM PST on CBS.
This game is interesting from the standpoint of USC since if they win, they're in the dance. ASU is pretty much locked in, so I doubt winning this will mean that much to them. (For those who care about such things, ASU is 1-2 point favorites at most sportsbooks)
You kind of (and I stress 'kind of') root for USC to win so the conference can get five teams in the tourney. They have such good athletes in Gibson and DeRozan that if they got hot, they could make a run in their bracket with some upsets and make the conference look pretty good. Of course they don't play so well as a team; UCLA shot the ball like they had broken glass jammed in their eyes and the Bruins were only down 6 with a minute remaining.
Arizona State, with Pendergraph and Hardin both relatively healthy, and their flop-happy guard Glasser, seem to be the best organized team in the Pac-10. They dominated the Pac-10 champion Huskies for much of yesterday's game, let them have a brief run to take a slight lead, then dominated them some more. Of all the Pac-10 teams they probably have the best chance to make some noise. Yet it wouldn't surprise me if they got bounced early either. Every team in the conference has a weakness.
For those not interested in the men's game, you can speculate in the comments: Who do you feel has the best chance in the conference to go deep in the tourney? Cal has the jump shooters, USC (if they win) has the talent, UCLA has the tradition, Arizona State has the complete team, Washington has the pieces, but who's got the potential in them to make a run?
Game again starts at 6 PM ET/3 PM PT. Women's game starts at 9 PM PT, 6 PM ET and there'll be an open thread for that too.
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Are you actually going to watch the game?
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 3:20 PM PDT up reply actions
While I eat, yeah. But then I might actually do some studying once I get bored of it.
www.californiagoldenblogs.com
Maybe there’s college football on ESPN Classic???
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 3:26 PM PDT up reply actions
Cal games. A few random other ones, like the Red River Shootout. Plus, I have coaching DVDs, and old Cal games on DVD to watch too. The problem is just finding the time.
www.californiagoldenblogs.com
Oh that’s easy. Instead of sleeping, you watch football. Simple as that.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 3:57 PM PDT up reply actions
Haha it’s Enberg. Can’t wait for him to call Pendergraph “Penn and Teller”
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 3:21 PM PDT reply actions
I don't know WHO'S voting for Oregon
but they’re ridiculous. :)
It's spelled "M-A-R-C-H-I-N-G-B-A-N-D."
I support inroywetrust in his support of The VD Special in his support of me supporting Roger Kieschnick in his quest to becoming the best Kieschnick ever to play professional baseball.
Move USC from 1 to 3 in basketball and push UCLA and Stanford up a spot
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Great start to the game. Both teams playing really well.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 3:30 PM PDT reply actions
Conquest Chronicles has ZERO comments in their game thread. They sure do love their basketball.
www.californiagoldenblogs.com
Strange, they had like 150 last night. Maybe they’re all at the game. I know they have barely any comments during football season either because everyone goes to the game.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 3:35 PM PDT up reply actions
Harden is playing floor general right now. Those are some sweet passes.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 3:35 PM PDT reply actions
He kind of emulates LeBron in the way he drives into the paint, dishes the ball out and in his jump shot stroke. He’s going to be pretty exciting to watch in the NBA.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 3:36 PM PDT up reply actions
I hate when the announcers use the term “giving/getting ____ a blow” to describe giving a player rest… That’s drugs or sex, NOT resting
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I hate those Microsoft commercials with the cutest little kids ever way more.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 3:44 PM PDT up reply actions
Well...
I have access to a TV but then my parents will know I’m watching TV instead of doing homework… not worth the argument. :P Thanks for the link.
Are we going to have a thread for the women’s USC-California game later on tonight? It’s on DirecTV channel 692.
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by Rated-R Superstar on Mar 14, 2009 3:45 PM PDT reply actions
Is that one going to be cast anywhere?
I feel like it could be a big confidence game for them to at least get to the championship game for a little redemption against Stanford
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He’s really kicked it up a notch in the past few weeks.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 3:49 PM PDT up reply actions
Anybody know about the likelihood of that happening?
I know USC is supposed to have another stud Frosh coming in – I wouldn’t want him to team up with DeRozan and make our lives miserable.
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Floyd is outrecruiting the hell out of UCLA. At least from last night’s game it appeared that way.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 3:52 PM PDT up reply actions
He seems to go too much after the 'one and done' type players
so USC doesn’t seem to get any consistency or flow in their seasons. They always have to break in new players so by the time they figure things out they’ve lost a bunch of games and are stuck on the bubble. If DeRozan leaves, they’re right back to square one with no real expectations of post season success.
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They beat UCLA a lot now though. That’s probably all Trojan fans care about.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 3:55 PM PDT up reply actions
There are some concerns about the incoming Frosh
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by Thoroughbred on Mar 14, 2009 3:55 PM PDT up reply actions
He's like OJ Mayo all over again
lots of talent, might be a gigantic jerk
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Oh. That’s no big deal for hoops players. Much bigger issue in football.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 4:01 PM PDT up reply actions
Only because Mayo prospered in SC and is doing well in Memphis.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 4:02 PM PDT up reply actions
well, the one good thing about this game is that both teams’ have good looking cheerleaders.
www.californiagoldenblogs.com
They don’t bring the Song Girls here do they?
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 3:53 PM PDT up reply actions
Pete Carroll’s in the stands, twittering the awesome
There’s nothing better than being champions… Go get it Trojans!! Beat the sun devils!!!
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 4:00 PM PDT up reply actions
You could have posted this as your parody of him
and I would have believed it without questioning it.
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“Listening to Public Enemy, inspired by beating bruins to fight the power!”
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 4:05 PM PDT up reply actions
ASU’s defense is stifling USC; Trojans are just settling for jumpshots. And Harden’s controlled the offensive end while barely scoring.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 3:55 PM PDT reply actions
how to grab defensive boards:
make the other team settle for outside jumpers.
How to give up 23 offensive rebounds: let the other team penetrate so your bigs have to collapse on the ball, leaving a bunch of big, athletic guys all alone.
www.californiagoldenblogs.com
That’s Randle’s biggest issue; his physical limitations make it hard to keep the point guard in front of him, so he’s able to drive and penetrate. We might need to see a lot of Guiterrez on the ball handler.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 4:06 PM PDT up reply actions
our defensive rebounding is a huge problem
not only do we lack size and athleticism in the post, but we also allow a lot of dribble penetration. It’s hard enough to keep a guy like Gibson off the offensive glass when you’re boxing him out with guys like wilkes (can’t move, weak), boykin (undersized an unathletic), or kamp (undersized, can’t jump due to injuries). When you compound this with opposing guards and wings getting in the lane, forcing our bigs to leave their assignments and collapse on the ball, leaving no one to box out opposing bigs, you’ve got a recipe for disaster (23 offensive rebounds).
Gibson is going to get his share of offensive boards against any team. When you put him against athletically inferior players who have to stop the ball instead of boxing him out, he’ll eat you alive. A team like USC presents horrible matchup problems for us – if we can avoid a team like this, we should at the least win our first round game. And the fact that we came back from so far down, against such a difficult draw, makes me optimistic for our team’s chances in the tourney.
www.californiagoldenblogs.com
The big question is whether these problems will be corrected next year?
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 4:37 PM PDT up reply actions
I'm guessing that really depends on how ready Max and Bak-Bak will be
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not really
it depends on whether Randle can improve his defense, if harrison can return to the team, if kamp can get his legs healthy, and if Markhuri Sanders-Frison (our incoming big) can play at a moderately high level. Neither Bak-bak or Max are going to play much or have any significant impact on the team next year.
www.californiagoldenblogs.com
that's no solution
switching Gutierrez onto the ball handler just means Randle has to guard another player, who is likely even taller, and will likely post him up.
The solution is to get better, bigger, recruits.
ASU will probably have a cold stretch
the question is if USC has the offense to take advantage and make it a game again. They don’t play fast and they don’t shoot 3s. Hard to see them getting back into it easily.
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So back to the original question
Which Pac-10 team do you think can go the deepest? Arizona State looks pretty dominant after the Furd shredded them. UW is on and off. UCLA is mad inconsistent, as is Cal. USC actually has the most raw talent, but if this stands they’re probably not getting in.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 4:04 PM PDT reply actions
I think UW will be a really tough out.
They’ve been the most consistent in the Pac-10 by a wide margin. If you take away the crazy triple OT loss, here are their Pac-10 losses:
Road to Cal
Road to UCLA
Road to Arizona
Neutral to ASU
Three good teams that play well at home, and a solid ASU team. They haven’t lost to a single team they “shouldn’t” lose to. They have good guard play, they rebound well, and they get to the free throw line.
Unless they get a real bad matchup against a team that can exploit their questionable defense with good shooting I think they’ll probably be the last Pac-10 team standing.
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Lucky for UW… they won’t play Cal in the tourney
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by Thoroughbred on Mar 14, 2009 4:11 PM PDT up reply actions
Interestingly, bracketology has them as a four against North Dakota St.
who, if my memory serves me right , is 2nd in the NCAA in 3 point percentage behind Cal…Brockman could probably destroy them inside, but you never know…
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Yeah, that IS a bad matchup for Washington. Very good shooting white men =D
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by Thoroughbred on Mar 14, 2009 4:16 PM PDT up reply actions
Biggest problem with the Huskies is that they have one of the best homecourts in the league. They play several steps down on the road and I wonder if that’ll negatively impact them.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 4:13 PM PDT up reply actions
Looks like Floyd had one of his crazy speeches again
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 4:16 PM PDT reply actions
He seems like a football coach
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by Thoroughbred on Mar 14, 2009 4:17 PM PDT up reply actions
“I’m a PC and I’m 7 years old”
My PC’s 7 years old too. It is damned slow.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 4:18 PM PDT reply actions
Those commercials make me hot.
MEOW
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by Thoroughbred on Mar 14, 2009 4:19 PM PDT up reply actions
It’s like all Hollywood producers went to Yale.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 4:22 PM PDT up reply actions
Double team Harden? Do we ever see double teams in college? How often was Melo doubleteamed at Syracuse?
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 4:23 PM PDT reply actions
Obviously not enough
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by Thoroughbred on Mar 14, 2009 4:24 PM PDT up reply actions
Are the song girls the only ones chanting anything? All I hear when $C is on offense is a bunch of prepubescent girls saying “Let’s go Trojans!”
That’s the USC bench you’re hearing
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by Thoroughbred on Mar 14, 2009 4:25 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I have never seen a guy cooler under pressure than Harden on that shot.
by Tedfordisgod on Mar 14, 2009 4:31 PM PDT up reply actions
Jerome Randle in a lot of our wins
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by Thoroughbred on Mar 14, 2009 4:32 PM PDT up reply actions
I dunno if that’s cool more than OMG how the hell did he stroke that
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 4:33 PM PDT up reply actions
ASU 3 pointer + and 1 to ice the game.
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by Thoroughbred on Mar 14, 2009 4:34 PM PDT up reply actions
Yeah, “OMG how the he hell did he stroke that???”
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 4:35 PM PDT up reply actions
Relevant departing Pac-10 players by school
Washington: Brockman, Dentmon
UCLA: Aboya, Shipp, Collison
ASU: Pendergraph, Harden to declare?
Cal: Wilkes
WSU: Banes, Rochestie
Arizona: None, Hill and Budinger to declare?
USC: None, DeRozan to declare?
OSU: Ricky Claitt
Stanford: Johnson, Goods, Hill
Oregon: None
Discuss
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UCLA’s biggest star next year will be JH, JA, ML, or MR?
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 4:32 PM PDT up reply actions
I know nothing about UCLA's incoming Freshman class
but wouldn’t it be great, with all of that talent leaving, if they sank to 5th or so in the conference?
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Don’t forget DG! They don’t lose lose MR?
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by Thoroughbred on Mar 14, 2009 4:33 PM PDT up reply actions
Fighting Bozemans up 7 with 7 minutes left in the 1st half
I still can’t believe he got rehired anywhere. Isn’t ‘paying a recruit’ a career ending offense for a coach?
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Morgan St. vs Norfolk St. in the MEAC championship
winner probably gets a 16 seed
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Morgan State probably gets a 15 with some of the other low Div-1 programs that got at-larges
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by Thoroughbred on Mar 14, 2009 4:42 PM PDT up reply actions
so if we got a magical 7 seed… MAYBE?
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by Thoroughbred on Mar 14, 2009 4:42 PM PDT up reply actions
Who’s playing in the draw-in game (64 vs. 65?)
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 4:44 PM PDT up reply actions
He was away for 10 years, and plus it’s all the way across the country in the low Div-1 level. Kelvin Sampson got a number of shots…
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by Thoroughbred on Mar 14, 2009 4:40 PM PDT up reply actions
how many times you think that happens in similar or other forms at big schools?
bozeman was just stupid how he went about it, I’m sorry to say. I just don’t trust that there aren’t lots of situations like that.
Harden’s playing Go while USC’s playing checkers. Sweet dribbling and dish.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 4:39 PM PDT reply actions
Pendergraph’s a great finisher. He’s got a little bit of Tyson Chandler in him, with a jump shot.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 4:48 PM PDT reply actions
USC’s got the right strategy here. Drive, draw contact, get to the line or get baskets in the paint. Keep those legs ready for the finish.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 4:52 PM PDT reply actions
Is the consensus that ASU goes back to being a bottomdweller after this season?
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 4:55 PM PDT reply actions
I've certainly seen that opinion expressed at House of Sparky
course, that was after they lost to Stanford and were pissed.
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Looks like DeRozan’s going to try and take over.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 5:00 PM PDT reply actions
Hackett playing really well too
Glasser with a ridiculous shot.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 5:01 PM PDT up reply actions
You'd expect them to call that in favor of the conference player of the year
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I don't like either of the last 2 foul calls
you let them play at this point unless it’s obvious
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Harden wouldn’t have got called for the charge if he had kept his head up; it looked like he was just barrelling into Hackett.
I’m pretty sure Hackett got checked.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 5:05 PM PDT up reply actions
Looks like the home crowd might’ve gotten to the refs a little bit.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 5:11 PM PDT up reply actions
Let’s just say I’m pretty sure there was the same amont of contact on Hacket’s drive and Harden’s drive that led to the block. I almost always prefer no-calls at the end
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What a game by the Trojans
Even if they lose…what a tournament for them.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 5:05 PM PDT reply actions
USC is in!
I’m not envious of the team they have to face.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 5:14 PM PDT reply actions
USC and Arizona will likely end up as 11/12 seeds. How would you like to be the 5/6 seed that has to take them on in the first round.
by Tedfordisgod on Mar 14, 2009 5:21 PM PDT up reply actions
Zona’s not going to make it… They got their bubble bursted by Temple
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by Thoroughbred on Mar 14, 2009 5:23 PM PDT up reply actions
I still think it is hard to keep AZ out. There are a number of conferences that just aren’t getting that many teams in (like the SEC) and there really aren’t any mid-major at-larges like the past few years (Butler I guess lost their conference tourney). I think AZ will get in over some of the lower Big 10 teams
by Tedfordisgod on Mar 14, 2009 5:24 PM PDT up reply actions
They really need Utah and Tennessee to win their conference tourneys
If SD st. and Miss. St. steal at large bids I think Arizona is sunk
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I mean, Lunardi already has SDSU in over Zona… I don’t know how he did last year, but in years past he’s gotten 64 or 65 out of 65
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by Thoroughbred on Mar 14, 2009 5:30 PM PDT up reply actions
Kinda a weird call though as Arizona did beat SDSU pretty soundly.
Is getting 64/65 impressive? Seems to me it generally comes down to something like 3 fairly obvious teams for the final two spots.
by Tedfordisgod on Mar 14, 2009 5:33 PM PDT up reply actions
IDK about this year… Lots of meh teams were meh down the stretch
Who thought Zona should’ve gotten in over ASU last year?
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by Thoroughbred on Mar 14, 2009 5:38 PM PDT up reply actions
It’s tough for Zona too because they also got smoked by UNLV, and SDSU beat THAT team soundly at least twice…
There are just a lot of weird teams with funky resumes
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by Thoroughbred on Mar 14, 2009 5:41 PM PDT up reply actions
Yes, and just a lot of mediocre teams. It just seems to me that there are zero teams who should be one seeds, 10 two seeds, 20 seven seeds, and another 20 eleven seeds.
The Big 10 apparently is getting 7 or even 8 teams in, which seems crazy to me. And some major conference champions are going to fall pretty low in the seedings.
When it comes to the Pac-10, Washington is going to get a 5-ish seed and USC a 12-ish…but I would sure as hell prefer to play U-Dub in the second round if I was a four seed.
by Tedfordisgod on Mar 14, 2009 5:47 PM PDT up reply actions
Even better for my argument I guess.
Watching the Pac-10 games in comparison to other conferences I have gotten the feeling that the Pac-10 teams are playing at a much higher level than people think. I know that it is near impossible to judge conferences relative to each other, but I get a sense that the Pac-10 is going to surprise people in the tournament.
by Tedfordisgod on Mar 14, 2009 5:52 PM PDT up reply actions
The offenses definitely have been… just look at KenPom’s efficiency ratings
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by Thoroughbred on Mar 14, 2009 5:57 PM PDT up reply actions
Oh, wow, that is impressive. As are the Pac-10 teams positions in the overall Pomeroy rankings.
On top of the efficiency, there just seem to be a lot of plays in the average Pac-10 game that make you ooh and aah. Harden’s passing in the first half was ridiculous. DeRozan was ridiculous. The defense from Hackett and Gibson’s defense was too.
by Tedfordisgod on Mar 14, 2009 6:03 PM PDT up reply actions
My predictions are now:
UDub 5
ASU 5
UCLA 6
Cal 8
USC 11
They were a little different yesterday
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by Thoroughbred on Mar 14, 2009 5:49 PM PDT up reply actions
Nothing about that seems wrong to me. I have a feeling UCLA might get a slightly higher seeding based on their three straight Final Fours.
by Tedfordisgod on Mar 14, 2009 5:55 PM PDT up reply actions
Yeah, UCLA could go as high as 4. Their stinky nonconference resume holds them back though
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by Thoroughbred on Mar 14, 2009 5:58 PM PDT up reply actions
Maybe they'd fall out if they lost to Utah?
but yeah, with all of the action this weekend it’s hard to see Arizona in.
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Lunardi just says that if SDSU loses to Utah, that St. Mary’s would get in. St. Mary’s is definitely screwing up bracketology considering they were really good right up until the point Patty Mills got hurt.
He also has Creighton in, which is just one of those cases where the movement for giving mid-major teams more respect has just gone overboard. They have exactly one quality non-conference win (over Dayton) and lost in their conference tourney by 24 to a mediocre Illinois State team.
by Tedfordisgod on Mar 14, 2009 5:42 PM PDT up reply actions
I agree. I don’t like Creighton over the majority of the 8 teams he has in the final cuts.
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by Thoroughbred on Mar 14, 2009 5:52 PM PDT up reply actions
Great win for SC
I hate their football team, but I really admire the effort and heart their basketball team puts into each game. They’re the type of team I’d dread to have to play. If they can maintain some consistency, they could be a surprise team in the tourney.
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Especially if Bozeman decides to pull a ’Melo in ’03 performance.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 5:19 PM PDT up reply actions
Their team has also been chronically unhealthy all season. Hackett and Bozeman are very intimidating, along with Gibson and Simmons on the defensive end. Quality talent.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 14, 2009 5:25 PM PDT up reply actions
Be careful, Berkelium97
Thoroughbred will rip your head off for paying USC a compliment.
That said, I agree with you 100% and said this long ago. Look, we ALL hate USC, right? But this collection of about 8 basketball players? You have to not only like their talent and chances in the tourney, but admire the fight that they displayed in yesterday’s comeback. It would have been sad for them to not be in the tourney. We know Taj and Hatchet are fighters, but DeRozan was a freshman who is finally growing up. This time of year, the game is just starting to click for him. That gives them 3 “special” players, which is my magic number for a good team. And they have them in the right positions: guard, wing, center. If Dwight Lewis, who was their leading scorer for the first part of the season, can regain his early shooting form then that gives them 4 “players” and makes them definitely a tough out.
Careful now. CBKWit is convinced you should add three more players (the refs who allowed a 21 to 4 advantage).
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 15, 2009 11:02 AM PDT up reply actions
Does anyone actually think that free throw disparity was justified?
Even 21-10 would have given the game to ASU. SC had an impressive run, but if this tourney is held anywhere else (excluding the “neutral” Galen Center), they’re going to the NIT
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I dunno, given that they snuck Arizona in there, USC probably gets in too or at least takes their spot.
by Avinash Kunnath on Mar 16, 2009 11:17 AM PDT up reply actions

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