Jump to content

NCAA Basketball 2022-23

shadow_operative

By shadow_operative
in Basketball

 Share

Recommended Posts

RockyMountainHighHorn

RockyMountainHighHorn 895

Posted
Posted
14 minutes ago, MuellerHorn said:

Shitty three-point shooting by Tenn and a massive difference in FTs attempted sealed it for UK. Good win for Cal and team.

Two ranked teams already fell to unranked opponents, and multiple other favorites who are currently trailing. Looks like it might be a weird day.

I don’t like the sound of that for us 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 1.2k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Popular Posts

MoJames
MoJames
LTtxfan
LTtxfan
GreenspointTexas
GreenspointTexas

Has any basketball team ever gone from top 25 to bottom 25 in less than a week?   congrats aggy! Put it on the wall

Posted Images

ztejas

ztejas 43524

Posted
Posted (edited)

I don't know who this dickhead coaching SMU is but he might be the worst fucking coach in the country. How are you fucking 6-12 as what should be the premeir basketball program (at least one of two) in the best recruiting area in the nation? With a bunch of cupcakes on the schedule. 

Looks like he was an assistant under Barnes when the program was falling apart and his claim to fame is winning some shitty conference tournament to make the dance. 

Was this really the best that SMU could do? I mean fuck me this is embarassing. #176 in KenPom. Even the shittier Jankovich seasons we were at worst around 100. 

Okay - it does look like there are 9 worse teams among the P5, Big East and American. Teams like Cal, Georgetown, Louisville, and Tulsa who is so far SMU's only win in conference. 

So I suppose it could be slightly worse. 

Edited by ztejas
Link to comment
Share on other sites
LonghornSean

LonghornSean 4008

Posted
Posted

Seth Davis includes Texas in his group of 8 teams the national champion will come from.

Spoiler

One of Kansas, Purdue, UCLA and 5 others will win the college basketball title

By Seth Davis

Jan 16, 2023

When noted soccer journalist Grant Wahl died unexpectedly last month while covering the World Cup in Qatar, a few people, recalling Grant’s previous iteration as a college basketball writer at Sports Illustrated, suggested that I reprise his annual “Magic Eight” column. Grant and I worked the college hoops beat together at SI for several years, so I was familiar with the idea. Every January, Grant would produce of group of eight teams from which he guaranteed that year’s national champs would emerge. The idea was to be correct but daring. In the seven years he did it, only one team from outside Grant’s Magic Eight — Syracuse in 2003 — cut down the nets. Pretty good for a soccer guy.

And so, both in service to my readers and in honor of my friend, I herewith pass along to you my first-ever Magic Eight. I absolutely, positively guarantee that the 2023 national champ will come from this list. (Unless it doesn’t.)

Just like Grant, I tried to take some chances without being self-destructive. I stayed away from hard-and-fast rules, except for one: I refused to put a team on this list that is not currently ranked in the top 30 in adjusted defensive efficiency on KenPom.com. The data supports this tack. Over the last 11 years, no NCAA champ has been ranked lower than 22nd in defensive efficiency. Last year’s winner, Kansas, was 17th. That was actually on the low end as the average rank for those past 11 winners was 10.5. Turns out all those curmudgeonly coaches have been telling the truth all these years: Defense wins championships.

Here, then, in alphabetical order, is the 2023 Magic Eight, along with eight teams whom I considered but didn’t make the cut:

Alabama

I would never pick a team to win the national championship if it relies too heavily on a freshman. That is, is, unless that freshman is Brandon Miller. The 6-9 forward wasn’t exactly under the radar (he was ranked No. 11 in the Recruiting Services Consensus Index), but no one foresaw that he would be this dominant. Miller is averaging 19.5 points (on 46.3 percent 3-point shooting), 8.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. Though he is one of three freshmen in Alabama’s starting lineup, the Tide also have some upperclassmen who are contributing. They are also about two weeks away from adding Glue Guy sophomore guard Nimari Burnett, who hasn’t played since Dec. 10 because of a wrist injury that required surgery.

Houston

The Cougars excel in Kelvin Sampson’s favorite two areas, defense and offensive rebounding, but they also have some dynamic offensive players. Senior guard Marcus Sasser, who missed most of last season with a toe injury, is a legitimate bucket-getter, and soon-to-be lottery pick/freshman forward Jarace Walker is a tough match-up who is averaging 10.4 points and 6.1 rebounds while making 40 percent from 3-point range. Beyond that, Houston has a corps of upperclassmen who understand their roles and play them well. Throw in the added incentive of having the Final Four played in their home city, and the Cougars have all the makings of a national champion.

Kansas

People aren’t paying enough attention to just how remarkable it is that the Jayhawks are in this position. The last two teams to repeat as NCAA champs were Duke in 1992 and Florida in 2007, and in both cases the teams had returned virtually intact. The Jayhawks lost six of their top eight scorers from last season and are playing a much different lineup (read: smaller) than we’re used to seeing from Bill Self. Yet, KU is right in the hunt. Junior forward Jalen Wilson has developed into a first-team All-American, Dajuan Harris is a championship-level point guard who can score when he has to, and freshman guard Gradey Dick has game-changing lethality from 3-point range. The Jayhawks are winning a lot of close games, so make of that what you will, but they don’t seem to be suffering from not having a classic rim protector as they are ranked No. 12 nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency.

Purdue

In mid-February last season, I wrote that the Boilermakers, who were No. 5 in the AP poll, had a fatal flaw: their defense. At the time, they were ranked 102nd in defensive efficiency on KenPom. Now they are 29th — not great, but certainly good enough to cut down the nets. The main reason, of course, is Zach Edey, but while the Big Maple is putting up monster numbers (21.3 points, 13.2 rebounds per game), his best asset may be his passing. You can’t defend Edey with single coverage, and yet no team has two defenders big enough to keep him from passing out of double teams. Throw in his savvy decision-making, and you understand why Purdue is ranked No. 1 in the country in offensive efficiency and has lost just one game (by a single point) all season.

TCU

This is my outside-the-box pick, but it’s not as much of a reach as you might think. The Horned Frogs dealt with a variety of injuries and personnel issues the first six weeks, but they’ve had the same starting lineup the last seven games, and they showed in routing Kansas State on Saturday that they have a very high ceiling. Jamie Dixon brought back all five starters from the squad that lost in overtime to top-seeded Arizona in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. He has TCU defending the way his old Pittsburgh teams used to (21st in efficiency), and he has a late-game, late-shot-clock bucket-getter in 6-2 junior Mike Miles Jr. who is averaging 19.0 points and 3.4 assists and is attempting 7.2 free throws per game. The Horned Frogs’ low 3-point shooting is a concern, but when you defend and attack the paint the way they do, that might not matter.

Texas

It’s remarkable that the Longhorns have only lost one game since Rodney Terry took over as acting head coach following Chris Beard’s arrest, and while Terry deserves credit for holding things together, it is primarily a reflection of the high level of talent in this program. Marcus Carr, a 6-2 super senior who transferred from Minnesota last year, has raised his 3-point percentage from 33.8 to 41.1, and he ranks fifth in the Big 12 in points (17.5) and assists (4.3). Tyrese Hunter, the sophomore transfer from Iowa State, is struggling with his shooting, but New Mexico State transfer Sir’Jabari Rice is giving the Horns a nice lift off the bench. Freshman forward Dillon Mitchell is an elite rim runner and versatile defender, and 6-9 senior forward Dylan Disu is finally giving Texas some valuable minutes down low. The Horns are ranked 17th in offensive efficiency and 28th in defensive efficiency, and they are the ninth-oldest team in the country. Can Terry pull a Steve Fisher and win both a national title and the permanent head coaching job?

UCLA

The Bruins have quietly won 13 in a row since dropping a pair of games in Las Vegas to Illinois and Baylor. As expected, they have been led by the upperclassman perimeter trio of Tyger Campbell, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Jaylen Clark, who collectively might be the best trio of two-way players in the country. The Bruins are No. 4 in adjusted defensive efficiency and No. 15 in offensive efficiency. They’re also sixth nationally in turnover percentage, which is a credit to Campbell most of all. I also love the way 6-10 freshman forward Adem Bona is emerging as a force in the paint. Two years ago, UCLA famously lost in the Final Four in overtime to Gonzaga on Jalen Suggs’ halfcourt bank shot. Last year, they led North Carolina by three points with just under two minues to play in the Sweet 16 and lost. With a little more luck, the Bruins’ postseason could include a couple more wins this time around.

Virginia

Surprise, surprise, Tony Bennett’s team is playing superb defense. The Cavaliers are 16th in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency. Though that’s a bit lower than where they were during their recent heyday (from 2014-20 Virginia was ranked in the top seven in this category every year), this is also one of the better offensive teams Bennett has had. The Cavs are 29th in the country in offensive efficiency, and they have five players who are shooting 38 percent or better from 3. They’re also one of five teams in the country that are ranked in both offensive and defensive free-throw rate, which could prove decisive in March. I also expect Virginia’s two freshmen, 6-4 guard Isaac McKneely and 6-8 forward Ryan Dunn, to make strides as the postseason draws nigh.

 

Eight teams out

Arizona. The Wildcats are 88th in adjusted defensive deficiency, a fatal flaw that was exposed during recent losses to Washington State and Oregon.

Baylor. The Bears are fun to watch and have a big-time scorer in freshman guard Keyonte George, but they have limited ability to score down low, and they’re 77th in defensive efficiency.

Creighton. The Bluejays have a great inside-outside combo in Ryan Kalkbrenner and Baylor Scheierman, and they are much better defensively than they’ve been. However, they have very little depth, which could cost them during the rigors of March.

Gonzaga. Drew Timme is doing Drew Timme things, but the efficiency and athleticism in the Zags’ backcourt is noticeably down from past years. Perhaps Chattanooga transfer Malachi Smith will emerge during the second half of the season.

Kansas State. The Wildcats have been one of the season’s biggest surprises, but they fell just below my requirement to be a top-30 defense. (They’re 39th.) They’ve had a great run in the first half of the season, but three of their wins have been in overtime, and I’m concerned that K-State is overly reliant on its top two players, Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson, especially since its gets so little help from the bench.

Tennessee. The Volunteers lead the country in defensive efficiency, and they are fourth in offensive rebound percentage, but as they demonstrated in losing at home to Kentucky on Saturday, they go through too many really bad offensive droughts to win a championship.

UConn. I had decided to leave the Huskies out of my Magic Eight even before their 85-74 home loss to St. John’s on Sunday, their fourth loss in the last five games. UConn is No. 11 in defensive efficiency and No. 14 in offensive efficiency, but I am concerned about its lack of a playmaking point guard, as well as its propensity to foul (344th in defensive free-throw rate).

Xavier. The Musketeers have won 11 straight games and are undefeated in the Big East, and they have the nation’s fifth-most efficient offense. Their issue — you guessed it — is defense, where they are 91st in the country in efficiency. That’s not going to cut it in late March.

 

https://theathletic.com/4093860/2023/01/16/kansas-purdue-ucla-college-basketball-title/

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MuellerHorn

MuellerHorn 4256

Posted
Posted
50 minutes ago, Brothahorn said:

When was the last time Duke and Carolina were not ranked at the same time? Crazy times.
 

Let alone all three of Duke, UNC, and UK. It happened last season, but it's becoming a short trend now.

https://www.yahoo.com/video/ncaa-basketball-duke-unc-kentucky-out-of-mens-ap-top-25-for-first-time-since-1961-201005754.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAGVKrvpSD7142QmNtrY4xnEXbkvt1nMhhhhyLjqQvIKbhqN3k7STEIWXt0MqIrgV-CdV9kcdwLL9MWoleDv20k9apQPiy47u6MmNb4XJRtbk6rMzAoIFW2GZXypoOIXElrSnoJZhY7_f2IA75ZTCHK56ZsgvVBE37LKG8gkT3l8j

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
ztejas

ztejas 43524

Posted
Posted
On 1/16/2023 at 3:57 PM, LonghornSean said:

Seth Davis includes Texas in his group of 8 teams the national champion will come from.

  Reveal hidden contents

One of Kansas, Purdue, UCLA and 5 others will win the college basketball title

By Seth Davis

Jan 16, 2023

When noted soccer journalist Grant Wahl died unexpectedly last month while covering the World Cup in Qatar, a few people, recalling Grant’s previous iteration as a college basketball writer at Sports Illustrated, suggested that I reprise his annual “Magic Eight” column. Grant and I worked the college hoops beat together at SI for several years, so I was familiar with the idea. Every January, Grant would produce of group of eight teams from which he guaranteed that year’s national champs would emerge. The idea was to be correct but daring. In the seven years he did it, only one team from outside Grant’s Magic Eight — Syracuse in 2003 — cut down the nets. Pretty good for a soccer guy.

And so, both in service to my readers and in honor of my friend, I herewith pass along to you my first-ever Magic Eight. I absolutely, positively guarantee that the 2023 national champ will come from this list. (Unless it doesn’t.)

Just like Grant, I tried to take some chances without being self-destructive. I stayed away from hard-and-fast rules, except for one: I refused to put a team on this list that is not currently ranked in the top 30 in adjusted defensive efficiency on KenPom.com. The data supports this tack. Over the last 11 years, no NCAA champ has been ranked lower than 22nd in defensive efficiency. Last year’s winner, Kansas, was 17th. That was actually on the low end as the average rank for those past 11 winners was 10.5. Turns out all those curmudgeonly coaches have been telling the truth all these years: Defense wins championships.

Here, then, in alphabetical order, is the 2023 Magic Eight, along with eight teams whom I considered but didn’t make the cut:

Alabama

I would never pick a team to win the national championship if it relies too heavily on a freshman. That is, is, unless that freshman is Brandon Miller. The 6-9 forward wasn’t exactly under the radar (he was ranked No. 11 in the Recruiting Services Consensus Index), but no one foresaw that he would be this dominant. Miller is averaging 19.5 points (on 46.3 percent 3-point shooting), 8.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. Though he is one of three freshmen in Alabama’s starting lineup, the Tide also have some upperclassmen who are contributing. They are also about two weeks away from adding Glue Guy sophomore guard Nimari Burnett, who hasn’t played since Dec. 10 because of a wrist injury that required surgery.

Houston

The Cougars excel in Kelvin Sampson’s favorite two areas, defense and offensive rebounding, but they also have some dynamic offensive players. Senior guard Marcus Sasser, who missed most of last season with a toe injury, is a legitimate bucket-getter, and soon-to-be lottery pick/freshman forward Jarace Walker is a tough match-up who is averaging 10.4 points and 6.1 rebounds while making 40 percent from 3-point range. Beyond that, Houston has a corps of upperclassmen who understand their roles and play them well. Throw in the added incentive of having the Final Four played in their home city, and the Cougars have all the makings of a national champion.

Kansas

People aren’t paying enough attention to just how remarkable it is that the Jayhawks are in this position. The last two teams to repeat as NCAA champs were Duke in 1992 and Florida in 2007, and in both cases the teams had returned virtually intact. The Jayhawks lost six of their top eight scorers from last season and are playing a much different lineup (read: smaller) than we’re used to seeing from Bill Self. Yet, KU is right in the hunt. Junior forward Jalen Wilson has developed into a first-team All-American, Dajuan Harris is a championship-level point guard who can score when he has to, and freshman guard Gradey Dick has game-changing lethality from 3-point range. The Jayhawks are winning a lot of close games, so make of that what you will, but they don’t seem to be suffering from not having a classic rim protector as they are ranked No. 12 nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency.

Purdue

In mid-February last season, I wrote that the Boilermakers, who were No. 5 in the AP poll, had a fatal flaw: their defense. At the time, they were ranked 102nd in defensive efficiency on KenPom. Now they are 29th — not great, but certainly good enough to cut down the nets. The main reason, of course, is Zach Edey, but while the Big Maple is putting up monster numbers (21.3 points, 13.2 rebounds per game), his best asset may be his passing. You can’t defend Edey with single coverage, and yet no team has two defenders big enough to keep him from passing out of double teams. Throw in his savvy decision-making, and you understand why Purdue is ranked No. 1 in the country in offensive efficiency and has lost just one game (by a single point) all season.

TCU

This is my outside-the-box pick, but it’s not as much of a reach as you might think. The Horned Frogs dealt with a variety of injuries and personnel issues the first six weeks, but they’ve had the same starting lineup the last seven games, and they showed in routing Kansas State on Saturday that they have a very high ceiling. Jamie Dixon brought back all five starters from the squad that lost in overtime to top-seeded Arizona in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. He has TCU defending the way his old Pittsburgh teams used to (21st in efficiency), and he has a late-game, late-shot-clock bucket-getter in 6-2 junior Mike Miles Jr. who is averaging 19.0 points and 3.4 assists and is attempting 7.2 free throws per game. The Horned Frogs’ low 3-point shooting is a concern, but when you defend and attack the paint the way they do, that might not matter.

Texas

It’s remarkable that the Longhorns have only lost one game since Rodney Terry took over as acting head coach following Chris Beard’s arrest, and while Terry deserves credit for holding things together, it is primarily a reflection of the high level of talent in this program. Marcus Carr, a 6-2 super senior who transferred from Minnesota last year, has raised his 3-point percentage from 33.8 to 41.1, and he ranks fifth in the Big 12 in points (17.5) and assists (4.3). Tyrese Hunter, the sophomore transfer from Iowa State, is struggling with his shooting, but New Mexico State transfer Sir’Jabari Rice is giving the Horns a nice lift off the bench. Freshman forward Dillon Mitchell is an elite rim runner and versatile defender, and 6-9 senior forward Dylan Disu is finally giving Texas some valuable minutes down low. The Horns are ranked 17th in offensive efficiency and 28th in defensive efficiency, and they are the ninth-oldest team in the country. Can Terry pull a Steve Fisher and win both a national title and the permanent head coaching job?

UCLA

The Bruins have quietly won 13 in a row since dropping a pair of games in Las Vegas to Illinois and Baylor. As expected, they have been led by the upperclassman perimeter trio of Tyger Campbell, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Jaylen Clark, who collectively might be the best trio of two-way players in the country. The Bruins are No. 4 in adjusted defensive efficiency and No. 15 in offensive efficiency. They’re also sixth nationally in turnover percentage, which is a credit to Campbell most of all. I also love the way 6-10 freshman forward Adem Bona is emerging as a force in the paint. Two years ago, UCLA famously lost in the Final Four in overtime to Gonzaga on Jalen Suggs’ halfcourt bank shot. Last year, they led North Carolina by three points with just under two minues to play in the Sweet 16 and lost. With a little more luck, the Bruins’ postseason could include a couple more wins this time around.

Virginia

Surprise, surprise, Tony Bennett’s team is playing superb defense. The Cavaliers are 16th in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency. Though that’s a bit lower than where they were during their recent heyday (from 2014-20 Virginia was ranked in the top seven in this category every year), this is also one of the better offensive teams Bennett has had. The Cavs are 29th in the country in offensive efficiency, and they have five players who are shooting 38 percent or better from 3. They’re also one of five teams in the country that are ranked in both offensive and defensive free-throw rate, which could prove decisive in March. I also expect Virginia’s two freshmen, 6-4 guard Isaac McKneely and 6-8 forward Ryan Dunn, to make strides as the postseason draws nigh.

 

Eight teams out

Arizona. The Wildcats are 88th in adjusted defensive deficiency, a fatal flaw that was exposed during recent losses to Washington State and Oregon.

Baylor. The Bears are fun to watch and have a big-time scorer in freshman guard Keyonte George, but they have limited ability to score down low, and they’re 77th in defensive efficiency.

Creighton. The Bluejays have a great inside-outside combo in Ryan Kalkbrenner and Baylor Scheierman, and they are much better defensively than they’ve been. However, they have very little depth, which could cost them during the rigors of March.

Gonzaga. Drew Timme is doing Drew Timme things, but the efficiency and athleticism in the Zags’ backcourt is noticeably down from past years. Perhaps Chattanooga transfer Malachi Smith will emerge during the second half of the season.

Kansas State. The Wildcats have been one of the season’s biggest surprises, but they fell just below my requirement to be a top-30 defense. (They’re 39th.) They’ve had a great run in the first half of the season, but three of their wins have been in overtime, and I’m concerned that K-State is overly reliant on its top two players, Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson, especially since its gets so little help from the bench.

Tennessee. The Volunteers lead the country in defensive efficiency, and they are fourth in offensive rebound percentage, but as they demonstrated in losing at home to Kentucky on Saturday, they go through too many really bad offensive droughts to win a championship.

UConn. I had decided to leave the Huskies out of my Magic Eight even before their 85-74 home loss to St. John’s on Sunday, their fourth loss in the last five games. UConn is No. 11 in defensive efficiency and No. 14 in offensive efficiency, but I am concerned about its lack of a playmaking point guard, as well as its propensity to foul (344th in defensive free-throw rate).

Xavier. The Musketeers have won 11 straight games and are undefeated in the Big East, and they have the nation’s fifth-most efficient offense. Their issue — you guessed it — is defense, where they are 91st in the country in efficiency. That’s not going to cut it in late March.

 

https://theathletic.com/4093860/2023/01/16/kansas-purdue-ucla-college-basketball-title/

Brady Bunch K GIF

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
PittsburghTiger

PittsburghTiger 6192

Posted
Posted
42 minutes ago, Sbbruin said:

Fun one in an hour and a half.  Bruins at AZ.  One of the great underrated rivalries in CBB.  Gets super chippy.  F them cats.

That one guy for you guys looks a bit like a Conquistador with his beard and mustache. He should really complete the look and go all  way with it.

 

Just turned on Miami at Duke. And fuck, they rolled out Dukie V to do the game. He’s horrible.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Sbbruin

Sbbruin 21865

Posted
Posted
54 minutes ago, PittsburghTiger said:

That one guy for you guys looks a bit like a Conquistador with his beard and mustache. He should really complete the look and go all  way with it.

 

Just turned on Miami at Duke. And fuck, they rolled out Dukie V to do the game. He’s horrible.

 

Jaime Jaquez is one of the top P12 players, and an AA candidate.  He’s hard nosed as they come

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Sbbruin

Sbbruin 21865

Posted
Posted
7 minutes ago, LTtxfan said:

Tough game to watch today.  Are most of ucla's games that low scoring??

Yes.  First loss holding a team under 60.  Mick is a grind em out coach.  We were ice cold most of the game, and were still in it the whole time.  Tough D is Cronin's hallmark.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
PittsburghTiger

PittsburghTiger 6192

Posted
Posted

We let one slip away with FSU in the building. I think the final was, 71-64, Seminoles. Lost the game pretty much cuz FSU shot 50% from 3, 10/20 and Pitt shot just 7/28 from three. Tough loss. I think FSU is better than their record has shown so far. They are not as tall as they were a few seasons ago but, if they can shoot like this they can be trouble for a lot of teams.

1 hour ago, Sbbruin said:

Yes.  First loss holding a team under 60.  Mick is a grind em out coach.  We were ice cold most of the game, and were still in it the whole time.  Tough D is Cronin's hallmark.

I like Cronin. I thought he was an excellent hire and just what UCLA needed.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing


Football ... Basketball ... Baseball ... Other Sports ... Futbol ... 🤫995🤫 ... Gambling ... Movies & TV ... Music ... Hobbies ... Lulz ... Food & Travel ... Daily Texan ... Business and Markets ... Cloak Room ... Help ... For Sale ... Board Discussion ... Subscribe!... Donate!... Advertise... COOKIE MONSTER!

×
×
  • Create New...