The College Basketball Post

[craftsy21]

YO! Craftsy, baby bubba, we're still friends.

If you would have told me the human incarnation of Hoggish Greedly from Captain Planet was capable of putting up 20 and 10 in the Big East I would call you a liar.

I just love that he does it and he seems to have a fire which I dig.
I do, too. He's so unassuming... dude's a baller.

For another guy just like him - check out Butler's freshman, 13 points and 6 rebounds.. BUT - he's rated the 17th most efficient offensive player inthe entire country, meaning.. when he touches the ball, he scores. Doesn't look like a basketball player, just a big oafy kid... but he gets it done, iexpect him to be a problem come his senior year.

 

[craftsy21]

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February 13, 2008
[font=times new roman, times, serif]Conference Check[/font]
A Tribute to Absence

by John Gasaway
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OK, one note for the die-hards who've emailed with this question. Yes, apparent ties really are sequenced according to what's way out there to the right of the decimal. So if this will help settle any bar disputes, Indiana's efficiency margin is currently 0.11143. Ohio State's is 0.11137. In other words, while the Hoosiers are getting it done with offense and the Buckeyes are emphasizing defense, the net results have been identical.

ACC: The Proven Value of Ty Lawson

Through games of February 12, conference games only
Pace: possessions per 40 minutes
PPP: points per possession
Opp. PPP: opponent points per possession
EM: efficiency margin (PPP - Opp. PPP)

                                     Opp.                     Pace    PPP     PPP      EM   1.  Duke             74.6    1.17    0.97   +0.20    2.  North Carolina   75.6    1.10    1.00   +0.103.  Clemson          68.7    1.10    1.02   +0.084.  Maryland         72.4    1.09    1.05   +0.045.  Georgia Tech     73.6    1.07    1.04   +0.036.  Virginia Tech    71.9    0.97    0.99   -0.027.  Wake Forest      70.5    1.03    1.06   -0.038.  BC               69.8    1.06    1.12   -0.069.  Miami            68.8    1.03    1.09   -0.0610. Florida St.      67.7    0.97    1.05   -0.0811. NC State         67.2    1.01    1.12   -0.1112. Virginia         69.2    0.97    1.08   -0.11

Remember all the angst and hand-wringing over North Carolina's defense a few weeks ago? That was before Ty Lawson went down four minutes into the Florida State game on February 3. Now the object of concern should be the Tar Heel offense. Without Lawson, Carolina has eked out just 1.03 points per trip over the past four games, including last night's one-point win at Virginia. (The defense, conversely, has shown no change.) Roy Williams needs Lawson to return healthy and soon.

Big 12: Is Kansas State Really This Good?

                                     Opp.                     Pace    PPP     PPP      EM1.  Kansas           70.1    1.16    0.95   +0.212.  Kansas St.       68.0    1.15    0.95   +0.203.  Texas A&M        64.0    1.05    1.00   +0.054.  Texas            63.8    1.10    1.05   +0.055.  Baylor           73.8    1.03    1.02   +0.016.  Missouri         71.9    1.02    1.07   -0.057.  Oklahoma St.     65.4    0.98    1.03   -0.058.  Texas Tech       69.0    0.95    1.01   -0.069.  Colorado         60.2    1.00    1.10   -0.1010. Iowa St.         68.2    0.89    0.99   -0.1011. Nebraska         66.6    0.92    1.02   -0.1012. Oklahoma         64.1    0.99    1.09   -0.10

I've said this before but it bears repeating: Kansas State is freakishly unusual. Not only are they are atop the Big 12 in the W-L column, even theoh-so-refined stats peddled here suggest Final Four potential. Michael Beasley is a force of nature, yes, but the biggest difference between a so-soNovember/December and an unbelievable January/February has been the sudden onset of excellent three-point shooting. The season totals from outside the arc forthe Jacob Pullen, Bill Walker, Blake Young and Clent Stewart are uniformly underwhelming: none of the above sport a 3FG percentage north of 34. Nevertheless,K-State has been the best three-point shooting team in Big 12 play. That and outstanding offensive rebounding has made Frank Martin look like a coach whoshould have gotten a gig sooner.
Big East: When will Louisville get the love?

                                     Opp.                     Pace    PPP     PPP      EM1.  Louisville       66.7    1.07    0.89   +0.182.  Georgetown       62.8    1.03    0.91   +0.123.  Pitt             63.9    1.06    0.98   +0.084.  Notre Dame       73.8    1.08    1.02   +0.065.  Connecticut      69.1    1.08    1.03   +0.056.  West Virginia    62.9    1.02    0.97   +0.057.  Syracuse         69.4    1.02    0.99   +0.038.  Marquette        68.8    1.05    1.02   +0.039.  Cincinnati       65.9    1.00    1.01   -0.0110. Providence       67.7    1.05    1.06   -0.0111. Seton Hall       70.6    1.04    1.06   -0.0212. Villanova        69.8    1.00    1.05   -0.0513. DePaul           68.1    1.01    1.07   -0.0614. St. John's       66.2    0.92    1.01   -0.0915. S. Florida       63.5    0.97    1.13   -0.1616. Rutgers          66.8    0.87    1.04   -0.17

The top-ranked team in the nation notwithstanding, it falls to every team every year to hold forth loudly on how underrated they are and to vow that they're going to prove those gol'dern polls wrong. Louisville this season may have the best such case I've ever seen. By a wide margin, they've been the best team in what may be the best conference in the nation, yet the Cardinals are actually unranked in this week's ESPN/USA Today poll. Meanwhile Georgetown's offense, a thing of beauty last year, is plunging perilously close to the Big East average. Maybe Jeff Green was more important than I thought.

Big Ten: Big Collision Tonight

                                     Opp.                     Pace    PPP     PPP      EM1.  Wisconsin        60.8    1.07    0.92   +0.152.  Indiana          63.9    1.06    0.95   +0.113.  Ohio St.         63.7    1.02    0.91   +0.114.  Purdue           64.7    1.05    0.94   +0.115.  Michigan St.     64.9    1.02    0.95   +0.076.  Illinois         63.2    1.02    1.01   +0.017.  Minnesota        67.4    1.01    1.02   -0.018.  Iowa             60.4    0.91    0.99   -0.089.  Michigan         64.1    0.97    1.09   -0.1210. Penn St.         62.7    1.00    1.12   -0.1211. Northwestern     62.9    0.94    1.19   -0.25

Purdue won again last night, beating Michigan State 60-54 in West Lafayette. The Boilermakers are a great story. Matt Painter has brought this team along much faster than anyone thought possible. That being said, there are a couple of other good teams in the conference, and they'll be playing each other tonight, when Wisconsin visits Indiana. At this point, we've established that the Badgers don't like small quick teams, as seen in their 0-4 record against Duke, Marquette and Purdue. Fortunately for Wisconsin, however, Indiana's best player is D.J. White. He's also the best player in the Big Ten, so the Hoosiers aren't about to "go small." It should be a good game.

Pac-10: Washington State is the New Arizona

                                     Opp.                     Pace    PPP     PPP      EM1.  UCLA             64.8    1.15    0.99   +0.162.  Stanford         62.6    1.05    0.91   +0.143.  Washington St.   58.5    1.11    1.05   +0.064.  USC              64.9    1.03    1.01   +0.025.  Arizona          62.7    1.09    1.08   +0.016.  Oregon           64.4    1.11    1.12   -0.017.  Cal              67.3    1.10    1.13   -0.038.  Arizona St.      61.8    0.98    1.02   -0.049.  Washington       67.6    0.96    1.02   -0.0610. Oregon St.       64.9    0.90    1.15   -0.25

For years, Arizona has been typecast as a high-scoring team that plays diffident defense. The accuracy of that shorthand has, of course, varied from season to season. (This year, as it happens, that description is on the money, despite the talk a while back that Kevin O'Neill was going to turn the 'Cats into the 2004 Pistons.) Funny thing is, that same description also fits Washington State like a glove this year. Yes, Washington State, those plucky fundamentally sound who-dats from the obscure hinterlands abutting Idaho are suddenly giving up points in abundance. Opponents are hitting shots from in close and, especially, outside the arc: the Cougars' 3FG defense in-conference has been easily the worst in the Pac-10.

SEC: Vanderbilt Has Ceased to be Bi-Polar

                                     Opp.                     Pace    PPP     PPP      EM1.  Tennessee        71.6    1.11    0.97   +0.142.  Mississippi St.  67.9    1.03    0.92   +0.113.  Arkansas         68.5    1.05    0.95   +0.104.  Florida          70.1    1.11    1.07   +0.045.  Vanderbilt       68.5    1.04    1.02   +0.026.  Ole Miss         70.4    1.08    1.11   -0.037.  Kentucky         63.6    1.02    1.05   -0.038.  Alabama          69.5    1.01    1.05   -0.049.  South Carolina   65.2    1.05    1.10   -0.0510. Georgia          67.6    0.93    0.99   -0.0611. Auburn           67.1    1.05    1.15   -0.1012. LSU              66.0    0.95    1.09   -0.14

With their 41-point annihilation of Kentucky in Nashville last night, Vanderbilt went a long way toward redressing their statistical split personality. Before last night, the Commodores were far and away the strangest team in the nation on paper. It's no mistake that they're ranked number 19 in one poll and slotted at 24 in the other--it's been hard to know what to make of the Commodores. On the one hand, they're 21-4 and their RPI is 12. Twelve. An RPI so high you can spell it. On the other hand, the pitiless tempo-free X-ray shown here ranks the 'Dores as merely the fifth-best team in the SEC. What gives? Vandy's conference schedule was front-loaded to an absurd extent: Kevin Stallings' team has already played road games at Tennessee, Kentucky, Florida and Ole Miss. Now the Commodores are in the midst of a four-game homestand. Watch their tempo-free numbers improve. (At least they should.)

John Gasaway is an author of Basketball Prospectus. You can contact John by clicking here or click here to see John's other articles.

 

[ricardo malta]

Fine...ill take it further than recent..because they've had more than two "marquee" big men since then. My point is that outside of a couple...big men seem to regress once they come out of Duke in terms of their stock going in. Boozer was a 5 star going into to Duke...he came out a 2nd rnd pick. Shavlik Randolph was top 5 going into Duke...came out undrafted. McRoberts was a lottery pick going into Duke...came out a 2nd round pick. Lance Thomas was a 5 star coming out of HS...he'll likely go undrafted when he's done at Duke too. Casey Sanders was also a 5 star going into Duke...came out undrafted. Sheldon Williams and Elton Brand are the only big men to go in the first round out of Duke in the past 10 years. There is a reason for that.
You do realize all of these guys were ranked higher than their actual skill level because they were going to Duke right? The only person I'llvouch for is Shav cause I knew him personally and was there with him during his 3 years at Duke. Dude is talented, point blank. He was the most talented dudeon the squad pound for pound, but he was soft and always hurt. Before he got hurt at the beginning of his freshman year he was leading the squad in points pergame but never recovered after that injury.

Josh was nowhere near the best high school player in the country going into college and Casey Sanders was just tall. You can't possibly think Lance was anelite big man. He's a 6'8" stick. He's a big man in a small forwards body so he was never destined to be a great big man. What about allthese other 5 star big men who go to other schools? Why does nobody ever criticize those programs for never developing these big men into NBA 1st rounders?

Nobody gives K credit for developing guards/swingmen but wanna put dude down for a lack of elite big men in the league.

 

[blazinjkid]

let's go Terps

 

[ThaxbyChamblis]

Originally Posted by Ricardo Malta

Fine...ill take it further than recent..because they've had more than two "marquee" big men since then. My point is that outside of a couple...big men seem to regress once they come out of Duke in terms of their stock going in. Boozer was a 5 star going into to Duke...he came out a 2nd rnd pick. Shavlik Randolph was top 5 going into Duke...came out undrafted. McRoberts was a lottery pick going into Duke...came out a 2nd round pick. Lance Thomas was a 5 star coming out of HS...he'll likely go undrafted when he's done at Duke too. Casey Sanders was also a 5 star going into Duke...came out undrafted. Sheldon Williams and Elton Brand are the only big men to go in the first round out of Duke in the past 10 years. There is a reason for that.

You do realize all of these guys were ranked higher than their actual skill level because they were going to Duke right? The only person I'll vouch for is Shav cause I knew him personally and was there with him during his 3 years at Duke. Dude is talented, point blank. He was the most talented dude on the squad pound for pound, but he was soft and always hurt. Before he got hurt at the beginning of his freshman year he was leading the squad in points per game but never recovered after that injury.

Josh was nowhere near the best high school player in the country going into college and Casey Sanders was just tall. You can't possibly think Lance was an elite big man. He's a 6'8" stick. He's a big man in a small forwards body so he was never destined to be a great big man. What about all these other 5 star big men who go to other schools? Why does nobody ever criticize those programs for never developing these big men into NBA 1st rounders?

Nobody gives K credit for developing guards/swingmen but wanna put dude down for a lack of elite big men in the league.

Basically.....

 

[allen3xis]

Osby and Gist...one time,

 

[allen3xis]

Anyone know where to watch the Uconn game

 

[lnmymind]

Originally Posted by Ricardo Malta

Fine...ill take it further than recent..because they've had more than two "marquee" big men since then. My point is that outside of a couple...big men seem to regress once they come out of Duke in terms of their stock going in. Boozer was a 5 star going into to Duke...he came out a 2nd rnd pick. Shavlik Randolph was top 5 going into Duke...came out undrafted. McRoberts was a lottery pick going into Duke...came out a 2nd round pick. Lance Thomas was a 5 star coming out of HS...he'll likely go undrafted when he's done at Duke too. Casey Sanders was also a 5 star going into Duke...came out undrafted. Sheldon Williams and Elton Brand are the only big men to go in the first round out of Duke in the past 10 years. There is a reason for that.

You do realize all of these guys were ranked higher than their actual skill level because they were going to Duke right? The only person I'll vouch for is Shav cause I knew him personally and was there with him during his 3 years at Duke. Dude is talented, point blank. He was the most talented dude on the squad pound for pound, but he was soft and always hurt. Before he got hurt at the beginning of his freshman year he was leading the squad in points per game but never recovered after that injury.

Josh was nowhere near the best high school player in the country going into college and Casey Sanders was just tall. You can't possibly think Lance was an elite big man. He's a 6'8" stick. He's a big man in a small forwards body so he was never destined to be a great big man. What about all these other 5 star big men who go to other schools? Why does nobody ever criticize those programs for never developing these big men into NBA 1st rounders?

Nobody gives K credit for developing guards/swingmen but wanna put dude down for a lack of elite big men in the league.

Huh? McRoberts was ranked in the top 10 since his junior year. Ask Oden and Conley...McRoberts was big **%$ in Indiana. Him committing to Duke had nothingto do with his ranking. He made the all star game at camp in his junior year. Boozer and Sanders were 5 stars before they committed too. Lance isnt a bigman...I only grouped him with them because for some reason that's where COACH K has chosen to put him. He was more of a 3/4 all throughout HS/AAU. Hismistake was choosing to go to Duke. And nobody said anything about any other schools...the topic of discussion was Duke.

 

[rocdamike11]

Originally Posted by allen3xis

Anyone know where to watch the Uconn game

It's on ESPNU... not sure if you have it...

I'm flipping between this UConn-ND and Maryland- Duke

ND up 29-23 10:15 left in the 1st half...they're shooting the ball really well early

 

[allen3xis]

Nah I don't

I got 3 games on and don't wana watch none of em

USF givin Cuse problems early on tho

 

[ricardo malta]

the topic of discussion was Duke.
And I wrote an essay on Duke and their big men then threw a new twist into and questioned you why nobody ever says the same thing about otherprograms. Your response leads me to believe that you couldn't answer my question or at least further the discussion.

Huh? McRoberts was ranked in the top 10 since his junior year. Ask Oden and Conley...McRoberts was big **%$ in Indiana. Him committing to Duke had nothing to do with his ranking.
He won numerous player of the year awards. If you don't think his hype was elevated because he was going to Duke then you know nothing aboutthe mythical theory that once you commit to Duke you're chances of being a McD's All American and ranking goes up. And this is something I'vefought against and was started by people who hate Duke, but it's honestly held true the last couple of years. And do you honestly believe McRoberts wasone of the best big men of his class? I mean the dude was talented but he was a guard trapped in a big man's body with no outside shot. He was softerthan a water bra, and for some reason couldn't finish around the rim. If anything he fit into Dukes offensive scheme and would have done well this yeartoo.

Tell me, if Josh is so good why is he rotting in the D-League on an NBA squad whose big men are around the same age and development level he's at?

I only grouped him with them because for some reason that's where COACH K has chosen to put him
Now you sound dumb. So because K puts him there he's automatically a big man? Is Singler a big man? Would Luol be put into that "bigman" category if he was on this current squad? What about Paul Harris? He plays PF for Syracuse so I guess he's a big man too. You smackin'yourself in your own mouth ock.

 

[allen3xis]

Syracuse

OH

MY

GOD

they just look flat out exhausted

 

[petey yup]

Relax...

 

[lnmymind]

Originally Posted by Ricardo Malta

the topic of discussion was Duke.

And I wrote an essay on Duke and their big men then threw a new twist into and questioned you why nobody ever says the same thing about other programs. Your response leads me to believe that you couldn't answer my question or at least further the discussion.

Huh? McRoberts was ranked in the top 10 since his junior year. Ask Oden and Conley...McRoberts was big **%$ in Indiana. Him committing to Duke had nothing to do with his ranking.
He won numerous player of the year awards. If you don't think his hype was elevated because he was going to Duke then you know nothing about the mythical theory that once you commit to Duke you're chances of being a McD's All American and ranking goes up. And this is something I've fought against and was started by people who hate Duke, but it's honestly held true the last couple of years. And do you honestly believe McRoberts was one of the best big men of his class? I mean the dude was talented but he was a guard trapped in a big man's body with no outside shot. He was softer than a water bra, and for some reason couldn't finish around the rim. If anything he fit into Dukes offensive scheme and would have done well this year too.

Tell me, if Josh is so good why is he rotting in the D-League on an NBA squad whose big men are around the same age and development level he's at?

I only grouped him with them because for some reason that's where COACH K has chosen to put him
Now you sound dumb. So because K puts him there he's automatically a big man? Is Singler a big man? Would Luol be put into that "big man" category if he was on this current squad? What about Paul Harris? He plays PF for Syracuse so I guess he's a big man too. You smackin' yourself in your own mouth ock.

The f*ck you talkin bout? You yourself just said Lance is a 4 in a3's body...so now I'm crazy for mentioning him. Who the %$@% was talkin about Luol and now those other dudes? And I continue your cop out about otherprograms cause I'm not big on debates changing course. If we talkin about Duke then we talkin about Duke...bringing up other programs is just a cop out. Inever said Josh was that good...I just simply said his ranking had nothing to do with him going to Duke. Once again you're talking about #!%# I didnt say.Quote me where I said I felt Josh was a beast. I'm just bringing up facts about his HS career. If he didnt go to Duke and went straight...at least he'dhave a few millions in his bank account right now.


Face it...your school is %%% in developing big men. Don't be mad at me.

 

[scuse7]

Originally Posted by allen3xis

Syracuse

OH

MY
GOD

they just look flat out exhausted

Yeah we do, and we haven't played in a week. Btw Allen, your boy for ND is playing good.

 

[allen3xis]

Yeah, he's gettin his shots off

 

[i wear sneakers]

cuse -

 

[allen3xis]

30 and countin, oh man

 

[allen3xis]

Verdejo havin the game of his life

 

[scuse7]

Harangody wanting a piece of Thabeet

 

[allen3xis]

Good win for Uconn...they have a favorable schedule, glad we have the tiebreaker.

 

[scuse7]

We don't deserve to go to the tourney.

 

[allen3xis]

Not after tonight.....woulda preferred you guys to win this one tho

 

[allen3xis]

Wisconsin pulls it out

 

[wildkycat]

damn, there's some good games going on right now:

Xavier up 1 over Charlotte with 50 tics left.

Tennessee up 10 over Arkansas with about 12 mins left.

Drake down 5 to Southern Illinois with 7 to go.

Houston and Memphis close late in the first half.

Texas Tech up 3 late in the first half over K-State.

Florida down 9 to LSU with 4 to go.