Actually, I take that back. I'm more worried about Butler than Loyola. Loyola hasn't played anyone and a lot of their fans are already talking about their "greatness to come" or something like that.

Houston cracked into the Top 25 AP Poll today. :)

And now they're right back out.

Tennessee MEN undefeated?????
 

Texas Pounded by Vols, Loses Another Lopsided Game

Tennessee Rides Long-Distance Shooting to Blowout of No. 6 Longhorns

By JIM VERTUNO, AP Sports

AUSTIN, Texas (Dec. 17) - A smattering of boos in the first half. Another key injury. Another big loss.

The Texas Longhorns, ranked No. 2 just a week ago with early season dreams of a potential Final Four, now find themselves befuddled after a second straight blowout loss.

While the first came on the road against top-ranked Duke, Saturday's 95-78 loss to undefeated but unranked Tennessee snapped a 33-game, nonconference home winning streak.

It was the kind of dominating victory Volunteers fans are more used to seeing from Pat Summitt's women's teams.



GO VOLS and LADY VOLS!!!

OH YEA!!!!!!

Rick Pitino can kiss it :D

8-1 in the Horizon. 15-4 overall. Horizon League Champs = booked.

Wizard.

forget J.J. Reddick and Adam Morrison, the best player in college basketball is Reynaldo Balkman from USC...I know you are saying "who??" but blame it on Dave Odom who has had him on the bench for way to much time this season...he may not be the most naturally talented player in the country but when he steps on the court he gives it about 1000% and is one of the most exciting players in the country. at 6'8 he isnt afraid to bang with the big boys of the SEC, but he can run the court with any guard in the country. Great hands on defense, explosive leaping ability, a beast on the boards and pretty good inside scorer. Why Dave Odom doesnt play him more confuses the hell out of me. Tonight so far against Bama he has 18pts and 14 rebounds in 20 minutes. make that 20 pts

LOL who? Does it count for much to be a good player on team that isn't very good?

I'm glad to see the Big 10 kicking some serious butt this year, and holy crap, that Iowa game last night was SWEET. Big 10 champions, baby.

So UConn's loss to Nova has taken a little of the air out of my tires so to speak...

Apparently some dude on the radio claims the Big 10 is the best basketball conference this year.

I am glad Marquette is holding their own in the Big East!

They just can't win this year, can they? ;)

Haha, well besides Nova and your boys at Marquette, they haven't done too badly for themselves. I'd just love to see them win a third title this year.

Honestly though, when I started being a UConn fan (1989), I never thought I would say those words. It used to be enough just to make the NCAA's; this year, I'll be disappointed if they don't win it all.

I want to see us beat Georgetown. I'm really disappointed that we aren't getting more respect this year - we are in a tough conference and were expected to be at the bottom of it.

It is. :)

ESPN seems to be giving you all a decent amount of respect; you've been mentioned as a solid team for the tournament.

While the Big East has been strong this year, the slipping of Louisville and Syracuse's inconsistency has slightly hurt the conference's reputation, at least this season.

I know this much, I'd rather not have UConn playing you all in the tournament, Big East or NCAA's.

Apparently so does some computer that handles RPI calculations.

Iowa thumped MSU last night, too - that's 8 wins over top 25 teams this season, and a 4-4 record against the top 25 RPI teams (including 2 losses while Horner was hurt). The Hawkeyes are truly sick at home, winning 16 in a row (including beating OSU, IU, Illinois and MSU) . . .

This really is their season, with 4 strong senior starters - it's been a hellish run, and it's fun as hell to watch.

I wish I had been able to watch more of the MSU/Iowa game last night...Congrats to Iowa for beating MSU.

The Big 10 is always a great conference when the season starts, but as conference play goes on, it seems to slow down a bit. I think I read somewhere the Big 10 has a possibility of sending 7 teams to the NCAA tourney. Did I read that right?

Elena

No offense, that was GREAT news for me. I won't be surprised if Duke doesn't move back into first in the polls. Then both the women's and men's teams will be first!

GO DUKE!

Panthers had a two game struggle but still managed to hold on the top spot. Also, I got to see them this past saturday at the Wolstein Center against CSU. They're looking mighty good.

Right now, Lunardi has 7 in - he's something like 97% over the last 4 years with his final predictions. Minnesota's been making a good run, too, so the potential for 8 from both the Big 10 and Big East actually exists, especially with the Big8 way down this year (although teams like Indiana or possibly Michigan have a good chance to fall off the map).

The (potential) 8, in rough order:
Illinois
MSU
Iowa
Ohio State
Wisconsin
Indiana
Michigan
Minnesota

Thanks :)

I would be surprised.

I am also surprised by seton hall this year.

-Rudey

I think you mean you would be surprised...either way, that's a nice accomplishment. However, nothing would give me more pleasure than seeing UConn beat Duke for the national title. Ever since Laettner hit that last-second shot against the Huskies in '90 in the Elite 8, I haven't exactly been Duke's biggest fan.

By saying that, of course, I probably jinxed UConn's title hopes...

Man....That Laetner shot was a beauty, wasn't it? :p I loved every minute of that game. UConn vs. Duke? That would be one heck of a game that I wouldn't mind watching!

Does anyone else have a wait and see attitude on J.J. Reddick?

I see that he has been tearing it up this year but there hasn't been too many guards from Duke that have done well in the pros.

I know. We had Trajan Langdon(sp) The Cavs Drafted and he was a big bust. :(

I definitely do; he can't play defense, isn't all that fast, and can't rebound all that well. The guy can shoot, no doubt, and he's improved other parts of his game, but I just don't see him doing much in the NBA.

Of course you have a guy like Rudy Gay who everyone in the NBA wants, but who has been inconsistent as anything this year. It really is a guessing game sometimes.

Mike Davis has resigned as basketball coach at Indiana, though he will stay on through the end of this season.

A news conference is expected this afternoon.

(pleasepleaseplease don't let Alford be our next coach!)

Oh holy hell, I agree with that one. Homey needs to stay at Iowa, which is WAY cooler anyway. ;)

Why don't you want Alford?

chris duhon is playing decent... and Elton brand isnt a guard but he's holdin it down for duke! lol

That's true; of course there's Grant Hill, if he hadn't been injured, and Cory Maggette is turning into a very good player.

The thing with Redick isn't so much a "Duke thing" as it is a "can shoot but can't do anything else" thing. As much as everyone talks about his leadership, commitment to win, etc., there's only so far that can take you without being able to play D, rebound, or do much of anything except shoot. "Knowing how to win" isn't going to make up for that.

Add Grant Hill (when he is healthy), and you pretty much have the list of great Duke players who have done well in the NBA. I know that I am surprised by the lack of success Duke players have in the NBA.

Duke players arent that great. You have to take into account that when they come to duke they have 8 or 9 other players that are good COLLEGE players... seldom do they have real talent come outta duke that is just flat out a great player. Christian latner had what one good year...

I'm not so sure that Reddick's defense is as bad as you're saying - he's not a great athlete, though, and the NBA is now officially the League of the Athlete (TM). However, guys like Wally Szerbiak (who Reddick is probably better than right now) still make a good living and can contribute to winning teams . . . without a ton of work he's probably an 18-min guy, but a contributor.

Also, the Duke list should include pre-accident Bobby Hurley and Jay Williams, both of which were all-rookie teamers and had pretty promising careers destroyed by ridiculous car wrecks. Really, has Duke fared any worse than, say, UCONN or any other school in terms of success? It's not like The Khalid or Big Jake Voskul's Haircut did a whole lot . . . it's just hard to make the leap, you know?

I can't imagine why you think Alford would do so poorly - I mean, he just beat your ass in your own house like, what, 5 days ago? He's by no means perfect (a surprisingly bad teacher for shooters, 'iffy' recruiting decisions HI PIERRE PIERCE) - but the guys play hard for him, and he'd be a recruiting juggernaut at IU . . .

very good point.

I wasn't criticizing Duke at all - as I said, it's not a Duke problem. I actually pointed out a couple of Dukies who have done well (I actually forgot Johnny Dawkins, who was decent in the NBA, and even Laettner has been a productive NBA player). I'm not going to argue that UConn's record is any better; once you get past Ray Allen, Emeka and Rip Hamilton, there isn't much there (except Kevin Ollie inexplicably hanging on as the "veteran point guard" guy).

Like I mentioned, it's a guessing game, and you can't know for sure everyone who will make the leap. There are guys like Shawn Marion who came out of nowhere, and guys like Terry Dehere who couldn't live up to the promise.

If Redick ends up doing it, good for him; he's worked at improving all facets of his game since he was a freshman. Somone is going to take him as at least a mid-first round pick, so he's going to get the opportunity.

It is a white thing.

He said it not me! LOL