All the Red Raiders players were allowed to phone their family and friends tonight after being sequestered by Bobby Knight since a January 27 loss to Missouri and 4 subsequent losses. Reports also state that regular bathroom privileges were restored to the team as well as they defeated Texas A&M. So, what else happened tonight?
4. North Carolina: play host to #25 Virginia Tech. The Hokies are good and they are deep and they can run with the Heels. The key will be if Carolina will come to play. While they crushed Weak Forest on Saturday, remember that they also had all the hoopla in Chapel Hill surrounding the celebrations for the '57 and '82 championship teams. We're guessing that all of that weekend extra-curricular activity (like hanging with Michael Jordan, for instance) has altered UNC's focus a bit. Most likely they did not have a good practice until today, and that will hurt them early against VT. The question is whether or not they can rally from that let-down. We think Carolina will be down at the half, but will manage to scrape out a win. Well, the Heels did not win, and lost their second game this season to the Hokies. Both of these teams are good good good. Both played sound games with few turnovers and smart execution. Someone had to win, though, and a last second shot by UNC did not beat the buzzer. We have to think that our thoughts about a long weekend with little opportunity to prepare for this game hurt the Heels.
6. Texas A&M: hosts Texas Tech. The Red Raiders are on a 5-game skid. We are certain they were flogged and beaten and kept from their loved ones this weekend by Bob Knight. We're not going to even think about stats here as we predict that each player and assistant coach and manager and water boy and bus driver for Texas Tech will do whatever it takes NOT to hand Knight 6 losses in a row. Fear can be a wonderful thing sometimes. The Red Raiders win. And the Red Raiders did win, and the entire Texas Tech basketball organization is now free, for the time-being, to breathe a small sigh of relief. Word is that even the assistant coaches were able to go home to sleep tonight, although several of their children did not recognize them.
12. Butler: host Florida Gulf Coast U. Uh, hey Butler--this FGCU team is not even D-1. Butler wins, but who the heck cares??? So, if Butler is all that good, what are they doing getting out-rebounded on the offensive glass 14-5 by a team that is not even D-1? Yes, they won, but there are middle school teams out there that could beat FGCU. Butler will struggle when they try and dance in March.
18. Southern Illinois: at Missouri State. Do you remember Missouri State? We do. They beat Win-consin back in November. The Bears are an impressive 19-7, BUT, other than Wisconsin and OK State, they have been stuck playing mid-majors. Southern Illinois has 2 more wins than MSU, but nothing that stands out as "WOW". We are calling the upset here. The Bears win. This one was close all the way, but the Bears lost this game by bricking FTs. They call them "free" throws for a reason.
18. Kentucky: at Tennessee. Forget the analysis here as we are tired. UT wins. And UT did win, and not easily. UK came back from a 10-point halftime deficit to come within shouting range of winning, but UT, now a force with Lofton back in the line-up, showed us all that UK is just Pooh-Bear fluff and Ashley Judd hype.
So, what's on tap for Wednesday? Well. we thought you'd never ask:
1. Florida: play host to Alabama. You remember Alabama, don't you? The team that unseeingly hung around the top-25 until this week despite the fact that they only beat one top-25 team, and that was LSU--who, by-the-way, also overstayed their welcome in the Coaches' poll. And then we all know Florida. The Golden Gators, who can do no wrong. Oh, they are good, but they cannot prove a #1 ranking by playing teams in the SEC, which pales in comparison to the ACC, Big East, Pac-10, Big 10, and Big 12 this season. Great to be a big fish in a little pond, but once they get thrown into the ocean we will all see if all of this UF hype is valid or not. Anyway, ho-hum, the Gators will beat Alabama.
2. Ohio State: at Penn State. No contest here as the Buckeyes dominate.
3. Wisconsin: at Minnesota. Minnesota is really a pretty state. Lots of lakes. They even had a decent basketball team long ago until the NCAA noticed some "questionable" recruiting and tutoring practices. Since then, it has been all downhill for the Golden Gophers. The only positive thing you can say about this 9-16 team is that they are deep. Wisconsin wins.
8. Kansas: at Colorado. Despite one of their 6 wins being against OK State last week, Colorado is pitiful. They are out of their league in the Big-12, and Kansas will prove that as they beat the Buffaloes.
9. Memphis: at Tulsa. Tulsa sits right in the middle of Conference-USA. They are neither good nor bad. They struggle to score, rebound, and share the ball. They even have a pretty high turnover average. Bottom line: they are average. BUT, they are 14-2 at home this season. Memphis is on a 13 game winning streak with their only 3 losses coming on the road. Should Memphis be worried??? Uh, no. They will win. Sorry to Tulsa coach Doug Wojcik (former UNC assistant under Matt Doherty).
10. Nevada: hosts San Jose State. No comment. SJS is all bad. Nevada wins.
11. Washington State: at Washington. The last time these two teams met, WSU just stomped on the Huskies. This will be deja vu. WSU wins.
13. Marquette: at Depaul. Marquette looked very vulnerable in their 18-point loss to now-#16 Georgetown this weekend. We have not ever been completely sold on this Marquette team, but we do know that Depaul stands no chance in hell of beating them tomorrow night.
14. Air Force: host Utah. Both teams are struggling, and remember that Utah beat AF back in January. However, we think the Falcons win this game at home.
21. Boston College: play host to Duke. We don't want to be all about hype, but this is the biggest game of the season for Duke. They are falling fast (not ranked this week for the first time in 11 years) and they are not good. It's not bad luck or bad officiating or any other flukes that have gotten the Blue Satans to this point. The harsh reality is that they suck. Paulus? McRoberts? Do you think these guys will have their jerseys retired? Look down the Duke bench (beyond all of those "classy" assistant coaches with their heads in their hands) and you see nothing more than pure mediocrity. Duke has no "go-to" guy like a Battier or a Reddick. They have nothing. So, put your Duke shirts and banners and hats and car flags away in a box down in your basement. You won't be needing them anytime soon. Put away your Duke American Express cards, and your "You Will Be Working For Us One Day" placards. It's over for now. Pack up your tents and your X-Boxes, as K-Ville will be closing down soon. Forget about all of those "classy" cheers and don't count on bouncing up and down in Cameron anymore. Yes, Dook Vitale and his faithful sold-out sidekick Mike Patrick will try and raise your hopes, but don't be fooled, dear Dookies. Your time has come and passed. Beat BC at home? We don't see it. In fact, we see Duke winning maybe 3 more games this season, which would put them at 7-9 in the ACC. Wave at Coach Cry and all of his assistants (NOTE: not one of them--Wojo, Dawkins, Collins--have ever won a national championship while playing for Duke) as they ride off into the sunset.
See you tomorrow.
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