***2010-2011 College Hoops Thread***

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by Chico23231

My alma mater, very proud to be ranked. How many times we gonna hear this these coming weeks "whos this year George Mason?"...pretty cool to be remembered as David.

I really like Jim Larranaga. Great coach. It was my Gators who knocked the slippers off of your cinderella story that year. Too bad. I was really pulling for Mason that year... right up until they met my alma mater. But I have a lot of respect for that program, and I'm pulling for them to have a nice showing in the postseason.

That said, these Gators are really coming together at the right time. They're as hot as any team right now. 4 of the 5 starters are upperclassmen (Sophomore Kenny Boynton being the only exception). That's a big deal.

[Chico23231]

just got back from the beating in the CAA tourny...ouch that was ugly.

^yeah GM, Florida was just the dominant team those couple years. Billy does a helluva job coaching, plus that recruiting class of Joakim, Hortford and Brewer (i think) was amazing

[mlmpetert]

Im starting to wonder if VCU wins tonight, will ODU get a at large too? It could be really close, and im pretty sure the first time the CAA will put three teams in the tourney. Im thinking Mason might could get a 6 seed, prob a 7. If ODU gets in at large theyll probally be 7-9, if VCU wins the CAA theyll probably be 9-12.

Check out the game tonight if you can. 7pm on ESPN

GO RAMS!!!!!

[Chico23231]

Originally Posted by mlmpetert

Im starting to wonder if VCU wins tonight, will ODU get a at large too? It could be really close, and im pretty sure the first time the CAA will put three teams in the tourney. Im thinking Mason might could get a 6 seed, prob a 7. If ODU gets in at large theyll probally be 7-9, if VCU wins the CAA theyll probably be 9-12.

Check out the game tonight if you can. 7pm on ESPN

GO RAMS!!!!!

Im gonna be there, hopefully VCU can pull it out. ODU is a damn solid team, should be good.

[mlmpetert]

Yeah, it would be really great for the CAA if VCU wins and ODU gets a at large. I will be chearing for all CAA teams in the tournement, and could honestly see Mason or ODU making the sweet 16.....

PLUS i was just thinking how awesome would it be if one of the teams gets to play at the Verizon Center to kick the tourney off. VCU and Mason have the biggest fan bases and would get a LOT of fan support if they play in DC.

[mlmpetert]

Still a little bitter about last nights game. I thought the reffing in the first half was horrible, and was pretty embarrassed how CAA came across last night (at least 2 foul shot air balls, 3 3 point air balls, a bunch of loose balls, and the baby powder incident to start the game off), but even though the second half was a little sloppy it was one of the more competive halfs ive seen all year, regardless of conference.

The announcers did say that the VCU ODU rival was called by some as the best basketball rival in the state and I honestly think that’s true. The VCU UR Black and Blue is also a damn good game. It would be great if VT and UVA would play VCU, Mason, ODU or UR regularly. I want everyone to know that what you saw last night was not what VCU fans have become accustom to over the last 5+ years.

This season was pretty bad over all, however we still finished with 23 wins with a RIP under 50 in a conference that ranks 10th overall for RPI in the most competitive CAA ive ever seen. VCU basketball is the only school in VA to produce 2 back to back first round NBA picks and is honestly probably the best sporting event to go to in Richmond. I predict us to be the CAA champs next year and think we’ll be as good as we were back when we had Maynor running things.

In the mean time ill be rooting hard for Mason and ODU, hopefully thell make some noise

[mlmpetert]

VCU! VCU! VCU!

CAA baby!!!!!

Even though i route for VT i cant feel bad for a team that refuses to play VCU, ODU, Mason or Richmond because theyre too scared of a likely loss. It would have been nice if they made it into the tournement too, but the truth is Mason, VCU, ODU and Richmond are and have been the 4 best basketball teams in Virginia for a while now.

[mredskins]

Any one have a good app to track your office bracket? I did mine on ESPN but it seems ok.

[Chico23231]

Originally Posted by mlmpetert

VCU! VCU! VCU!

CAA baby!!!!!

Even though i route for VT i cant feel bad for a team that refuses to play VCU, ODU, Mason or Richmond because theyre too scared of a likely loss. It would have been nice if they made it into the tournement too, but the truth is Mason, VCU, ODU and Richmond are and have been the 4 best basketball teams in Virginia for a while now.

5 Virginia school in the Tourney...A first. Who woulda thunk Tech or UVA wouldnt be one of the 5? Honestly Tech got the shaft, but they shoulda won at least 1 of the games after beating Duke. You cant lose to both to BC and Clemson...I knew that was gonna be the killer. U of R winning the A-10 tourney was awesome...im telling people, UR is the most underrated team in the tourny.

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by mlmpetert

VCU! VCU! VCU!

CAA baby!!!!!

Even though i route for VT i cant feel bad for a team that refuses to play VCU, ODU, Mason or Richmond because theyre too scared of a likely loss. It would have been nice if they made it into the tournement too, but the truth is Mason, VCU, ODU and Richmond are and have been the 4 best basketball teams in Virginia for a while now.

Not to be a downer, but VCU and UAB for that matter making the dance over St. Mary's, Colorado, Alabama, and Va Tech is a total joke. The boys on ESPN have been absolutely trashing the selection committee, and I agree with them.

[mredskins]

Originally Posted by GMScud

Not to be a downer, but VCU and UAB for that matter making the dance over St. Mary's, Colorado, Alabama, and Va Tech is a total joke. The boys on ESPN have been absolutely trashing the selection committee, and I agree with them.

GM I have FLA as my office pool chap, they better pull through!

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by mredskins

GM I have FLA as my office pool chap, they better pull through!

They had a bad, bad showing yesterday, but overall they are one of the hottest teams in the country. They're 8th in the RPI, their SOS was 4th toughest in the country, they won 15 games in the SEC, and went 11-3 this year against the RPI top 50 which was the best in the nation in that category. On top of that, they have a lot of experience together. With the exception of Soph PG Kenny Boynton, the other starters are all upperclassmen. They play well inside and outside. Plus, they only have to drive two hours to Tampa to play their first game(s).

I know I'm biased, but I think they are built for a deep push. Billy D knows how to coach in this tourney.

[mlmpetert]

Originally Posted by GMScud

Not to be a downer, but VCU and UAB for that matter making the dance over St. Mary's, Colorado, Alabama, and Va Tech is a total joke. The boys on ESPN have been absolutely trashing the selection committee, and I agree with them.

Good (slightly biased) artical:

Woody: NCAA right to reject Tech, select VCU | Richmond Times-Dispatch

I honestly think VCU is a better team then VT or Alabama. Shouldnt the better team go? VCU has had probably the most inconsistent year since they became a force in the CAA around 2004/2005; however, they were far less inconsistent then Tech. If VT thinks theyre better then VCU why wont they play us or any other CAA team?

VT's Greenberg on playing ODU: Uh, no. | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com

[mlmpetert]

Heres a unbaised artical:

NCAA Bracket 2011: B/R Writer Has Most Accurate Bracket Projections in America | Bleacher Report


VCU deserved to be in the field. The Rams' win over George Mason in the Colonial semifinals was one of the biggest wins of Championship Week. Snapping the Patriots' nation-long 16-game winning streak not only gave VCU its second RPI top-25 win (the Rams also won at Old Dominion), but it also gave the team its third top-50 victory to go along with a critical neutral-court win over UCLA.

The Committee wants you to prove that you can beat good teams out of your league away from home because the NCAA tournament is played against good teams out of your league away from home.

USC did that. VCU did that. Virginia Tech and Alabama did not.

The Tide, who played the 284th toughest non-conference schedule, can claim Lipscomb as their best win outside the SEC. Lipscomb. Do we need to go on? Fine.

Alabama also had bad computer numbers (RPI 80, SOS 114), four losses against sub-100 competition, a 5-11 record away from home and while it did win four top-50 games, Alabama was just 5-7 against the top 100.

The Hokies, who played the 157th toughest non-conference schedule, won just two games over the top 50 and while they did beat Penn State, that win came at home. Virginia Tech's best out-of-league win away from Blacksburg was over Oklahoma State—not very impressive. VT also stumbled in two games that could have locked up a spot, falling to Boston College and Clemson in the final week of the regular season.

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by mlmpetert

Good (slightly biased) artical:

Woody: NCAA right to reject Tech, select VCU | Richmond Times-Dispatch

I honestly think VCU is a better team then VT or Alabama. Shouldnt the better team go? VCU has had probably the most inconsistent year since they became a force in the CAA around 2004/2005; however, they were far less inconsistent then Tech. If VT thinks theyre better then VCU why wont they play us or any other CAA team?

VT's Greenberg on playing ODU: Uh, no. | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com

VCU lost to South Florida, Georgia State, Northeastern...

Jay Bilas, who I respect a ton as college hoops analyst, said it's the biggest head-scratcher he's ever seen since seeding began. VCU has 11 total losses which is more than any other mid-major to make the dance this year (non-automatic qualifier). VCU was also 6-6 in it's last 12 games, and lost 7 CAA games.

I don't think they are better than Bama, Va Tech, or St. Mary's. Bama was 1st place in the SEC west. St. Mary's had a much tougher non-conference SOS and a better ranking in the RPI. Va Tech also had a tougher overall SOS and more quality wins IMO.

I don't think VCU is a bad team, but I don't think they are more deserving than any of those three.