The Top 5 moments in the Louisville-Kentucky rivalry
Posted: December 27, 2014 Filed under: ACC, SEC | Tags: Anthony Davis, Edgar Sosa, Final Four, John Calipari, Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, Patrick Sparks, Rick Pitino, Samaki Walker Leave a commentWith all the hype that’s surrounded Saturday’s matchup between Kentucky and Louisville, it’s been almost impressive that one has called this year’s version of the annual meeting between the no. 4 Cardinals and the no. 1 Wildcats the biggest in the rivalry’s history. It can be argued either way, that it is or isn’t.
But no matter which way you look at it, one aspects of the game remain important over everything: This is the last foreseeable major obstacle for Kentucky which could keep them from at least a perfect regular season.
In the modern history of this rivalry (it was played consistently and 1913-22 and in 1948, 1951 and 1959. But was started again on a yearly basis when the two teams met in the Mideast Regional final of the 1983 NCAA Tournament), there have been an incredible amount of great moments and stunning games. Back And Forth did the digging and came up with the Top 5 moments from the UK/UofL rivalry.
5.) Samaki Walker Goes For a Triple-Double – Jan. 1, 1995
On New Year’s Day ’95, Samaki Walker, a future Top 10 pick in the NBA Draft, gave a performance those in the rivalry are still talking about.
With the Cardinals taking on the no. 5 Wildcats in Freedom Hall in Louisville, Walker recorded the first triple-double in school history with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 11 blocks as UofL won 88-86. The game was close throughout, as Tony Delk dropped in a game-high 23 points for the Wildcats.
Much like two years later (as you’ll see lower in the column), Kentucky fans would get a measure of satisfaction at the end of the season, as then-coach Rick Pitino (which is still hard for some UK fans to stomach) would lead Kentucky to their first national title in 18 years later that season.
4.) Patrick Sparks Draws The Line – Dec. 21, 2004
Patrick Sparks wasn’t even recruited by Kentucky out of high school (he transferred there after two seasons at Western Kentucky) but he made his mark on the Wildcats with his performance – mainly with 0.6 seconds left – against Louisville in 2004.
Sparks scored 12 second half points for the no. 11 Wildcats to keep them steady with the no. 14 Cardinals, and got his chance to etch his name into the rivalry’s lore when he inbounded the ball with Kentucky down 58-57 with 4.8 seconds left. The Central City, Ky. native got the ball to Kelenna Azubuike, who drew three defenders and passed it back to Sparks for a three-pointer from the baseline corner.
Sparks pump-faked, catching a charging Ellis Myles in the air as Sparks jumped into the air (though a large portion of the UofL fanbase will argue he walked in the process) and drew the foul on Myles. A visit to the monitor confirmed the officials’ call and Sparks hit all three free throws for a 60-58 UK victory.
3.) UofL Stuns No. 3 Kentucky – Dec. 26, 1997
It’s one of those games no one around the state (or rivalry in general) saw coming.
UK was ranked no. 4 in the nation and on their way to the program’s seventh national title – and second in three seasons – while UofL was struggling towards the end of the Denny Crum era (they wouldn’t when 20 games in a season in his last four years as coach) and would end the year 12-20. But first they had to go to Rupp Arena in Lexington and take on UK, who had already beaten three Top 25 teams that season, their lone loss coming to then-no.1 Arizona in the Maui Invitational.
The Cardinals didn’t have a single player on their roster over 6-foot-7, and were playing the Wildcats’ arsenal of future pros including Scott Padgett, Jamaal Magloire and Nazr Muhammed. It didn’t matter. Louisville hit 12-of-22 threes, held Padgett to 7 points and UK to 5-for-23 from three-point range, and got 20 points from Eric Johnson to pull the 79-76 shocker.
2.) Aaron Harrison Starts His Shooting Spree – March 28, 2014
In the previous three seasons, the Louisville-Kentucky rivalry has jumped up considerably with the high level of play from both programs – they’ve combined for two national championships and three Final Fours. The fact that the schools have met in two of the last three seasons in the NCAA Tournament hasn’t hurt, either.
Last year, the Cardinals came in as the favorite, a no. 4 seed playing against the 8-seed Wildcats, who were riding the momentum of their win over previously undefeated Wichita State in what is known by many as the college basketball game of the year for 2013-14.
The game was close throughout, but Aaron Harrison opened what became his legendary string of game-winning shots with his left-corner three with 39.1 seconds left to give the Wildcats a 70-68 lead. UK would go on to win 74-69 and end their season with a loss in the national title game to UConn.
1.) Lou-Orleans v. Blue-Orleans – March 31, 2012
For Louisville and Kentucky fans, it was the pinnacle of the rivalry’s stage. The two storied college basketball programs from the Bluegrass State playing for the right to play in the national championship game in the Mercedes Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
Kentucky rolled through the regular season (including a 69-62 victory over then no. 4-Louisville on Dec. 31) at 36-2 at the time, grabbing the no. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. Louisville made a run to the Final Four as a no. 4 seed and an upset of no. 1 seed Michigan State in the Sweet 16.
The Wildcats led 35-28 at halftime and the Cardinals tied the game at 49-49 on Peyton Siva’s three with 9:11 to play in the game. But future no. 1 overall pick Anthony Davis went for 18 points and 14 rebounds while Big Blue shot 57.1 percent overall and held the Cardinals to 34.8 percent from the field. Louisville actually out-rebounded the Wildcats 37-32, but Siva led UofL with 11 points as Kentucky’s talent proved to be superior.
So no matter if you agree with this list or not, it’s probably not up for debate that given recent history with this rivalry (this moment, this moment and this moment get honorable mentions nods), people can expect to see something during the game that they’ll remember for years down the road. It’s what makes this rivalry great, and arguably the best in college basketball.
David Harten runs The Backboard Chronicles. Find him on Twitter at @David_Harten.
Miami: Recent ruler of the ‘WTF?’ loss
Posted: December 20, 2014 Filed under: ACC | Tags: ACC, florida gators, Illinois Fightin' Illini, Jim Larranaga, Miami Hurricanes, upsets 1 CommentIn the 2012-13 season, Miami had arguably their best year in program history. With one of the oldest teams (the average age of the team hovered around 22 years old) in the nation under coach Jim Larranaga’s watch, the Hurricanes went 29-7, won both the ACC regular season and tournament championships and made it to the Sweet 16.
And to open that season, they lost to St. Leo in an exhibition game.
That’s a pretty important thing to remember when you examine what happened to the Hurricanes on Friday night. Behind awful shooting, The U suffered what is by all accounts the worst loss under Larranaga and one of the worst losses in program history, a 72-44 loss to Eastern Kentucky. Before Friday, EKU had beaten as many Top 25 teams as I have.
Against the Colonels, Miami allowed 14 threes (EKU hit 53.8 percent of them, 14-26, from three-point range) and shot 29.3 percent from the field themselves. They were out-rebounded 37-26 and made only 12 shots all night. As far as implosions go, the Hurricanes couldn’t do much worse than allowing a now-6-4 team to go on a 22-2 run in the second half while on the road.
Under Larranaga, Miami has become what Gonzaga seemed to be around the mid-2000s. They play to the level of their competition when you don’t see it coming. For every great win (at Florida, against Illinois) there are baffling losses (the aforementioned EKU stinker, and the home loss to Green Bay two games earlier).
Looking back at the 2012-13 season again, Miami didn’t stop with the ‘huh?’ losses when they went to the Diamondhead Classic and lost to Indiana State. Though that loss would later not be seen as all that bad, as the Sycamores were a solid team. But compared to how they finished the season, that defeat left some scratching their heads at the time.
They would also add losses at Wake Forest (who finished 13-18) and at home against 16-15 Georgia Tech in ACC play.
But that’s just how Miami is recently. And it’s really not that bad, considering that this is essentially the golden era of Hurricane basketball. They have depth, with 10 players averaging at least 10 minutes per game. Five players are averaging at least seven points per game and as a team, Miami is shooting 47.2 percent. The offensive funk that came Friday night probably won’t last.
The U will pull as many weird losses out of its hat as it will great wins. And while they’ll no doubt drop from their no. 18 national ranking out of the Top 25, Miami should still have a solid season as ACC play approaches. The wins over the Gators and Fightin’ Illini weren’t a fluke.
We only need to look back at a little history to see that.
Follow David Harten on Twitter at @David_Harten.
TBBC Fantasy Series: Sleepers, Locks, Over-valued players
Posted: November 13, 2014 Filed under: 2014 Preseason, ACC, B1G, Big 12, Centers, Forwards, Guards, SEC, Shooting | Tags: Arizona Wildcats VCU Rams, Cal, Duke Blue Devils, Illinois Fighting Illini, Kentucky, Louisville, North Carolina Tar Heels, Wisconsin Badgers Leave a commentRanking the top coaching hires of the 2014 offseason
Posted: November 10, 2014 Filed under: 2014 Preseason, ACC, Big 12, Big East, Coaches, Junior College, Pac-12, SEC | Tags: Auburn, Boston College, Bruce Pearl, Buzz Williams, California, College of Charleston, cuonzo martin, Danny Manning, Doc Sadler, Donnie Tyndall, Earl Grant, Ernie Kent, Frank Haith, Houston, Jim Christian, Kelvin Sampson, Kim Anderson, Marquette, Missouri, Oregon State, Orlando Antigua, south florida, Southern Miss, Steve Wojciechowski, tennessee, Tulsa, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest Leave a comment1.) Bruce Pearl, Auburn – Duh, right? From the moment he stepped on campus, Pearl has started to stock the program with talent now (Cimmeon Bowers, K.C. Ross-Miller) and later (Kareem Canty, three four-star recruits in his 2015 recruiting class). He’s got the fire to coach again after the show-cause. This team could sneak into the NIT.
2.) Kim Anderson, Missouri – If not for Pearl, this would be my top hire. I know a few Mizzou alums, and I got the same response from all of them, “we’ve tried the big names like Haith and Mike Anderson. We’ve tried the hot assistants in Snyder. Why not try this?” Anderson is a Mizzou alum, a Missouri native and a long-time DII coach in the state with a national title to his name. Why not?
3.) Buzz Williams, Virginia Tech – Kudos to the Hokies for showing their commitment to their basketball program. Williams is already getting commitments himself (three four stars for 2015), it’s just going to take time for the program to develop. And this just won’t be the year, more than likely.
4.) Danny Manning, Wake Forest – I was skeptical about this hire. Then I thought about it. Manning isn’t too far removed from his playing days, and his name also endures with the older folks who know him from his “Danny and The Miracles” days at Kansas. If he can recruit, he’ll do fine.
5.) Wayne Tinkle, Oregon State – Tinkle is a Montana guy. Somehow, the Beavers’ brass got him to Corvallis. It doesn’t hurt that Tinkle locked up his prep star son, as well as his assistants’ kin, who is a great prep player himself. Time will tell of his enthusiasm translates to wins in the Pac-12.
6.) Steve Wojciechowski, Marquette – This is a solid match. Woj (I’m not spelling his name more than once unless required) loves basketball tradition coming from Duke. Marquette has a lot of that tradition stuff. If he can recruit, look out.
7.) Kelvin Sampson, Houston – We all forget, Sampson went to 13 NCAA Tournaments in his final 14 college coaching seasons before burying himself in a show-cause penalty at Indiana. He’s off to a good start with the Cougars getting Chicken Knowles to stick around and recruiting Devonta Pollard out of junior college.
8.) Donnie Tyndall, Tennessee – (DISCLAIMER: This is without including the NCAA investigation, it’s too early to factor it in) Tyndall has just won on the low major level of Morehead State — while finding and developing Kenneth Faried — and on the mid-major level at Southern Miss, where he maintained what Larry Eustachy left him. Now? He just has to do it on the high level stage.
9.) Orlando Antigua, South Florida – Antigua was able to recruit to Kentucky. Now, he has the Sun Dome to use, not Rupp Arena (which isn’t exactly a downgrade) and a major city like Tampa. If he can keep that recruiting going for USF, he’ll be fine in the AAC.
10.) Cuonzo Martin, California – Martin wasn’t appreciated in Knoxville. Still, in his one season with his players (two seasons cleaning up the mess left after Pearl was fired) he made the Sweet 16 after underachieving in the regular season. With Jabari Bird to build around, Martin could thrive in Berkeley.
HONORABLE MENTION: Ernie Kent, Washington State – Once upon a time, Kent rebuilt Oregon into a team that made seven postseason appearances in his 13 years in Eugene, including two Elite Eights. He’ll have to rebuild in Pullman the way he did with the Ducks.
Best Value For Their Contract – Sampson: It maxes out at a total of $4.5 million over five years. For a coach with his resume at a place like Houston, that’s a steal.
Best No One Is Talking About – Kent: As the afforementioned blurb stated, Kent has rebuilt before. He can do it again. And in the same region. Which means he’s familiar with everything around him.
Best, Considering the Talent on the Roster – Antigua: He has nine freshmen, redshirt freshman or sophomores on the roster. Add in two junior college transfers, and that’s 11 inexperienced players on the roster. Tyndall feels his pain, and is narrowly edged out here. He’ll have a tough road to travel as well.
Other notable coaching hires: Doc Sadler, Southern Miss; Jim Christian, Ohio; Bob Walsh, Maine; Frank Haith, Tulsa; Jason Gardner, IUPUI; Mike Dunlap, Loyola Marymount; Mike Rhoades, Rice; Heath Schroyer, Tennessee-Martin;Earl Grant, College of Charleston; Kevin Keatts, UNC-Wilmington; Scott Padgett, Samford; Mike Maker, Marist; Saul Phillips, Ohio; Tic Price, Lamar; Dan D’Antoni, Marshall.
Season Preview: The ACC
Posted: October 22, 2014 Filed under: 2014 Preseason, ACC | Tags: Boston College, Clemson, college basketball, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Jahlil Okafor, Louisville, Miami (Fl), Montrezl Harrell, North Carolina State, UNC, Virginia Cavaliers, Virginia Tech Leave a commentWe’re taking a look at some of the nations most popular college basketball conferences this season. In this installment, we take a look at the ACC, for seasons change and all that.
All-Conference Team
-Montrezl Harrell, F, Jr., Louisville
-Jahlil Okafor, F, Fr., Duke
-London Perrantes, Soph., G, Virginia
-Olivier Hanlan, Jr., G, Boston College
Breakdown – Harrell, Okafor and Paige and mortal locks for most first-teams. It’s not even close, really. The last two spots? I really looked at Perrantes and how quickly he grew up as a freshman under Tony Bennett. I think he’ll be key in how well the Cavaliers do after losing Joe Harris and Akil Mitchell. Hanlan will be asked to do pretty much everything in Jim Christian’s first season.
Predicting The Finish
Duke – Jahlil Okafor, Justise Winslow and Tyus Jones headline an amazing recruiting class. Rasheed Suliamon should be doing Rasheed Suliamon things. It’s Duke. It’s Mike Krzyzewski. It’s another season.
North Carolina – Outside of the afforementioned Meeks and Paige, look for J.P. Tokoto to emerge this year. The real winner here though, is Meeks’ waistline.
Louisville – New team on the block with an All-American candidate in Harrell. But the real focus is on Terry Rozier, who has been viewed as a possible first-rounder in the 2015 NBA Draft if he lives up to his potential.
Virginia – The scary thing is, this Virginia team might be as good as last year’s and the lost Joe Harris and Akil Mitchell. Perrantes plays beyond his year and Malcolm Brogdon has the skills to be the ACC’s top scorer.
Syracuse – With Dejuan Coleman coming back, this team will have their best chance at having a solid low-block presence. Rakeem Christmas should have a great senior season, but watch for yet another Joseph on Jim Boeheim’s roster: Kaleb.
Pittsburgh – Durand Johnson could be a darkhorse for ACC Player of the Year and will pace a pretty solid team for Jamie Dixon. Look for Vanderbilt transfer Sheldon Jeter to string together a lot of good performances.
North Carolina State – What do you do when you lose your entire offensive gameplan? No, Mark Gottfried didn’t shred it on accident or anything. T.J. Warren just left for the NBA. Cat Barber and even Desmond Lee could pace this squad.
Sleeper Team – Virginia Tech – Forgive me, but there’s just something about Buzz Williams. The man finds way to make something out of nothing. He’ll get a lot out of Seth Allen and somehow, he’ll find a way to make this a middle-of-the-pack team.
The Rest….because there’s only so much you can saw about sub-par teams
Notre Dame
Florida State
Clemson
Wake Forest
Boston College
Miami
Georgia Tech
Sleeper Player
Kennedy Meeks, Soph., F, North Carolina – Not only will Meeks, who averaged 7.6 points and 6.1 rebounds, benefit from Paige being his point guard for another season, but he also lost around 50 pounds, which could greatly help his conditioning on the court. He’s not exactly a ‘sleeper’ with all stats like that and the McDonald’s All-American label, but I think you could see a double-double of 17-12 per out of him if all the hype is true.
Most Likely To….upset Duke in Cameron Indoor Stadium this season
Calling it an upset, that eliminates the top teams. That said, I’m going with Wake Forest on March 4. Danny Manning has like magic or something in his coaching acumen. He pulled a few good wins in his time in Tulsa. He may have to rip all the tread off Codi Miller-McIntyre’s figurative tires to get it, but for some reason, I see Wake pulling the shocker at the end of the season. Maybe it’s because it’s 2 a.m. and I decided to finish this up now.
It’s here: The 2014 Backboard Chronicles All-American Teams
Posted: October 13, 2014 Filed under: 2014 Preseason, ACC, All-Americans, B1G, Big 12, Centers, Forwards, Guards, Preseason Previews Leave a commentFirst Team
–Marcus Paige, G, Jr., North Carolina – Arguably one of the Top 2 point guards in the nation (more on that below). He’ll be one of the front runners for the Cousy Award and might have to shoulder more of the scoring load with James Michael McAdoo gone. That’ll be interesting considering he clocked 17.5 points per game last season, along with 4.2 assists per.
–Fred VanVleet, G, Jr., Wichita State – Here’s that other member of the Top 2 point guard club I was talking about. I really didn’t want to choose between the two so I went this way. While Paige is more dynamic, VanVleet might be the coolest guy on the floor. Even-keel the whole way. He dished out 5.4 assists per game last season and gets a lot of the Shockers’ production back (sans Cleanthony Early, obviously).
–Georges Niang, F, Jr., Iowa State – I had Niang pegged as a guy that would come out for the 2014 NBA Draft. The college game is better for him not doing it. Niang has the ultimate “old man” game with a variety of moves, both midrange and under the basket. His spot-up game is on point too, hitting 48 threes last season. He’ll be relied on a little more with Melvin Ejim gone.
–Karl-Anthony Towns, C/F, Fr., Kentucky – I normally don’t put freshman in these spots, but Towns has been too hyped since he was an 8th grader to ignore it. I watched him in the UK Scouting Combine/Practice/Brilliant Calipari PR move and was impressed. There aren’t many times when you say that about a player in practice, but you can say that when that practice includes around 8-9 future NBA Draft picks. He’s hitting threes at a decent pace for a non-Durant guy his size, too (127 in three years as a prep).
–Cliff Alexander, C/F, Fr., Kansas – OK SO MAYBE I LIKE THE FRESHMAN THIS YEAR (My 2006, sophomore-in-college self nods in approval) I saw Alexander play a few times in AAU, and every time I did, he was a monster. He tried to rip the rim down every single time he was under the basket. Kansas won’t miss Joel Embiid (that much) with Alexander in, because Alexander isn’t the project Embiid was. His post game is incredibly polished.
Second Team
–Juwan Staten, G, Sr., West Virginia – Here’s a guy who doesn’t get the love he should. Staten was the best player on a bad team last season, averaging 18.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg and 5.8 apg as the Mountaineers finished 17-16. In 2014-15, he’ll be looked to for everything as the top 3 scorers behind him are gone. But Bob Huggins brings in host of junior college talent in Jaysean Paige, Jonathan Holton, BillyDee Williams and Tarik Phillip. It’ll be interesting to see if the three freshman (including redshirt Elijah Macon) will contribute early.
–Delon Wright, G, Sr., Utah – Another guy who didn’t get the national respect he should’ve. That’ll change this season. Wright averaged 15.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg and 5.3 apg for the Runnin’ Utes last season and helped them shock a number of people under coach Larry Krystkowiak (yea, I had to Google the spelling, at least I tried first), going 21-12. Utah could make the NCAA Tournament this season, and Wright will be a big reason why — if they do, or if they don’t.
–Stanley Johnson, G/F, Fr., Arizona – Sean Miller has a type, and that type is “slender with a ton of bounce.” Johnson slides right into the spot vacated by Aaron Gordon. He’s got a better penetration game from the perimeter and a slightly better jumper. He should enjoy his one season in Tuscon. At which point he’ll break up with Miller and the Wildcats head coach will have to find a new crush.
–Montrezl Harrell, F, Jr., Louisville – Everyone said he was gone to the NBA Draft, including this guy. But he went back to Louisville and has landed on everyone’s All-American list. I’m one of the few that put him on their second team. The reason why has nothing to do with his talent. If he lands on all first-team rosters, it won’t shock anyone. But if he does, it’ll be because he improved his midrange game, which was already vastly improved last season, when he finished with 14 ppg and 8.4 rpg.
–Jahlil Okafor, F, Fr., Duke – I swear, I’m not fishing for clicks. I like Okafor. I think he’s a Top 10 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. But it’s the preseason, and in the preseason, I look at what’s coming in. Duke has a lot of talent, per usual. For that, I think that Okafor won’t need to do a lot to start out. I really think he’ll average somewhere around 11 ppg up until ACC play, where coach Mike Krzyzewski will unleash him on the North Carolinas, Virginias and Louisvilles. But there will be an adaptation to the college game, and that lands him on my second team. Although I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m totally wrong and he goes for 20-12 per and is a bonafide first team All-American by mid-season.
Third Team
–Joseph Young, G, Sr., Oregon – If there’s a player in Division I college basketball who will be asked to do more for his team this season, please show me and I’ll swap him with Young in this spot. After the dismissal of Daymean Dotson, Dominic Artis and Brandon Austin for their alleged involvement in a sexual assault case, combined with the fact that highly-touted recruit JaQuan Lyle didn’t enroll at the school, that doesn’t leave a lot in the metaphorical cupboard for Young. I was against Young’s transfer waiver being granted when he left Houston, but after seeing all that Dana Altman lost, I’m ok with it. Even if it’s just because he has a least one totally competent scorer (18.9 ppg) on his roster.
–Marcus Foster, G, Soph., Kansas State – He was possibly the best freshm— no, he WAS the best freshman no one was talking about last season. The Wichita Falls, Texas native set the Big 12 on fire (in a two-game stretch, he went for 34 against then no.15 Texas and backed it up with 20 against then no.7-ranked Kansas) and came back for more in Manhattan. No one will miss him this season, as he’s got help in the form of senior Thomas Gipson (11.7 ppg), Georgetown transfer Brandon Bolden and junior college transfer Stephen Hurt.
–Andrew Harrison, G, Soph., Kentucky – Once he figured out how to distribute last season, Kentucky was a better team for it. He averaged 10.9 ppg and 4 apg, en route to helping a late-season resurgence in Lexington. Now with a plethora of weapons to hit for threes, midrange jumpers and lobs, he could very well lead the nation in assists. Harrison makes this team go, as he proved it late last season. This year, that shouldn’t change.
–Kelly Oubre, F, Fr., Kansas – Every list has a WTF? pick, Oubre is mine. He’s got the credentials to be an All-American, but can he do it with the likes of Perry Ellis and Cliff Alexander in front of him? I think so. He’s got more athleticism than either Ellis or Alexander in the face-up game and if he can stay consistent on defense, this could be his lone season in Lawrence. I see the potential, so I’m giving him a spot. Being left-handed doesn’t hurt.
–Willie Cauley-Stein, F/C, Jr., Kentucky – He didn’t come to Kentucky with a ton of hype, but has really become the most well-developed player in his two seasons under Calipari. Cauley-Stein has a good shot at being a Top 5 pick if he can raise his midrange and baseline jumper game, but he’ll also have to prove to scouts that he’s over the ankle injury. Yea, I’m reaching for reasons that WCS will have to improve, because there aren’t many.
Player of the Year – Marcus Paige
Freshman of the Year – Cliff Alexander
Defensive Player of the Year – Willie Cauley-Stein
Who are the most underrated national champs of all-time?
Posted: July 23, 2014 Filed under: ACC, Big East, NCAA Tournament | Tags: ACC, Al McGuire, Big East Great Midwest, Big Ten, college basketball, David Thompson, Jim Harrick, Kentucky Wildcats, Missouri Valley Conference, Norm Sloan, Rick Pitino 1 CommentEveryone remembers the champs. From the first NCAA champions in Oregon in 1939 to last year’s UConn team, hoopheads can tell you who won.
Problem is, some are more remembered than others in history. The 1951 Kentucky squad coined the Fabulous Five. The UCLA teams of the early 1970s were arguably the most dominant of their era. Right after, the 1976 Indiana team still remains the last undefeated champion in Division I college basketball.
In between the ones that are always brought up, there are the champs that don’t come to mind. At least not at first, anyway.
So who are they? TBBC looks into who are the most underrated champions all-time and why.
1989-90 UNLV
Record – 35-5
Coach – Jerry Tarkanian
What everyone remembers – That four of their starting five would eventually be drafted into the NBA. The team that was hounded by the NCAA arguably more than any program in college basketball history — with reason — had horses with the centerpiece of forward Larry Johnson (in his first season of Division I ball out of Odessa College), veteran point guard Greg Anthony, reliable forward Stacey Augmon, do-it-all utility man George Ackles and sharpshooter Anderson Hunt, who was the Big West Player of the Year as a sophomore, prior to Johnson’s arrival on campus.
The Runnin’ Rebels (you can’t leave off the ‘runnin”) demolished Duke in the largest margin of victory in NCAA Championship Game history, 103-73. Prompting the memorable “chair lean” from Tark.
What everyone doesn’t remember – This team played rough, but they also scored in bunches . The Runnin’ Rebels eclipsed 100 points in 15 games and scored 90-plus in another eight. And after dropping a 107-105 decision to LSU on Jan. 27, UNLV finished the season winning 22 of their final 23 games, with a 78-70 loss to UC-Santa Barbara on Feb. 25 the only blemish. They dominated opponents, winning by an average of 15 points per game.
Why are they underrated? – They’re a victim of their own doing. Despite the run UNLV had, everyone remembers the 1990-91 UNLV team that ran over everyone on their way to an undefeated regular season and a loss to the same Duke team in the national semifinals a year later. That dominant run — followed by an epic collapse — made that squad more memorable than the team that won it all.
1994-95 UCLA
Record – 31-1
Coach – Jim Herrick
What everyone remembers – The return to prominence for one of the more storied college basketball programs in history and brought the program its first NCAA title since the legendary coach John Wooden got his last in 1975.
Oh, and those two words that weren’t in Mizzou’s vocabulary: STOP BALL.
What everyone doesn’t remember – Despite the record, the Bruins had a rough start to conference play….they lost their Pac-10 opener to Oregon 82-72. They were arguably one of the dullest (I mean that with love) champions of the 90s, but one of the best single-game performances came at the hands of Ed O’Bannon with 30 points and 17 rebounds in the national title game, an 89-78 win over Arkansas.
And their schedule wasn’t easy, with seven regular season games against Top 25 teams and five of their six games in the NCAA Tournament as well — which is impressive in the 64-team field.
Why are they underrated? – Most teams that won it all in the 90s had some sort of future-pro star power. This one simply didn’t. Herrick took a cast of talented players, none of which would have much of a career in the NBA, to the title. Tyus Edney’s staggered four seasons in the league were the most of any Bruin from this team.
1973-74 North Carolina State
Record – 30-1
Coach – Norm Sloan
What everyone remembers – The Wolfpack will always be known as the team that interrupted The Dynasty of the John Wooden-coached UCLA teams of the late ’60s and early ’70s. They upset the Bruins 80-77 in their national semifinal contest and took out Marquette in the national title game. David Thompson was the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player along with earning his first of two national player of the year awards.
What everyone doesn’t remember– Before their Final Four win over UCLA, for the most part, N.C. State stayed at no. 2 in the nation behind UCLA. The Bruins made sure that they stayed there with an 84-66 beat down of the Wolfpack early in the season.
In fact, N.C. State was thisclose to not even making the NCAA Tournament, needing overtime to beat no.3 Maryland 103-100 in the finals of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament. The NCAA tournament only took 25 teams that season, and only began to include at-large teams in 1975.
Why are they underrated? – They get lost, like most teams of the 1960s and early 1970s, in the shuffle of the UCLA juggernaut. Thompson was far-and-away the star, but N.C. State also had 7-4 center Tom Burleson’s 18 points and 11.7 boards per game and 5-7 point guard Monte Towe was one of the best floor generals in the game at a time when assists weren’t seen in the same light as they are now.
1997-98 Kentucky
Record – 35-4
Coach – Tubby Smith
What everyone remembers – Ask anybody who knows that team, they first thing you’ll normally hear out of their mouths is “it was Rick Pitino’s team.” Pitino left after reaching his second straight NCAA Final in 1997, taking the Boston Celtics head job, and as a result, Smith inherited a gold mine. Aside from that, the team was the third straight Wildcat squad to make it to the Final Four, cementing itself as the team of the 1990s (Getting thrashed by UNLV gives UK the edge here, Duke fans….)
….And so does this:
What everyone doesn’t remember – Despite the “Tubby just had to roll the balls out in practice” schtick, this was a team full of players that just knew their role. The Wildcats took an early-season loss to the team that beat them in the 1997 NCAA Final, Arizona. The roster also featured four first round picks in Jamaal Magloire, Nazr Muhammed, Scott Padgett and Michael Bradley (though Bradley would transfer to Villanova after the 1998-99 season.
The team was as balanced as any in its era, with Jeff Sheppard the team’s leading scorer at 13.7 points per game. In fact, only 4.9 points separated Sheppard and the team’s sixth-leading scorer, Heshimu Evans (8.8 ppg). Four players also averaged at least four rebound per game — the most was Mohammed’s 7.2.
Why are they underrated? – They were at the tail end of a dynasty that the original architect didn’t finish. Everyone remembers the 1996 team as one of the most dominant teams of the era, and that hurts when remembering the best teams of the 90s. But when looking at the numbers, the ’97-’98 team holds their own. The Wildcats won all three of their Southeastern Conference tournament games by double-digits, including a 99-74 drubbing of no. 16 Arkansas in the semifinals and an 86-56 pasting of no. 15 South Carolina in the finals. Impressive considering their strength of schedule was 9th in the nation.
1976-77 Marquette
Record – 25-7
What everyone remembers – Al McGuire in his awesome suits were retiring at the end of the Warriors’ (as they were known until 1994) season. Butch Lee hitting spinning lay-up after spinning lay-up. Lee, the Most Outstanding Player of that tournament, headlined that team, which played in one of the more amazing endings to a Final Four game in history against UNC-Charlotte (more on that below).
What everyone doesn’t remember – ….And it’s incredible really. Jerome Whitehead pulls in the three quarter-court pass from Lee with three seconds to go just inside the free throw line, turns, one dribble, and stuffs it home for a 51-49 win over the 49ers and a trip to the title game against North Carolina.
It also wasn’t an easy road for the Warriors, who were in their second Final Four in four years. They played no. 11 Cincinnati in the first round, Kansas State in the second, then no. 9 Wake Forest in the Elite Eight, UNC-Charlotte — no. 17 at the time — in the semifinals, then finished with no. 5 North Carolina in the title game.
Also, a soon-to-be prominent coach named Rick Majerus (R.I.P.) was an assistant on that team.
Why are they underrated? – It’s a team that, like N.C. State, gets lost in the shuffle of the 1970s. They weren’t necessarily spectacular, but they averaged 70 points per game without a three-point line and had two Top 20 NBA Draft picks in Lee and Bo Ellis on the roster. They also didn’t finish all that high in the polls, ranking between no. 6 and no. 15 for most of the year.
It was one of the more impressive stories in college basketball history, with the small, Jesuit school in Milwaukee sending their retiring coach out as the ultimate winner. It’s stuff that sports movies are made out of.
Got a better idea? Did we forget anyone? Hit us on Twitter at @David_Harten or @TBBChronicles or with an email at TBBChronicles@gmail.com.
The TBBC Fantasy Series: The nation’s most valuable players
Posted: October 25, 2013 Filed under: 2013 Preseason, ACC, Big 12 Leave a commentSo, you’ve done what only a few hoopheads do and entered a college basketball fantasy league….Nah, let’s go in another direction.
Every year, there are certain players that do more than most for their teams. Whether it’s scoring, giving quality minutes, assists, reducing turnovers, etc., these guys do it. So you can count on them doing it for whoever you cheer for.
Below at the most valuable players in the nation. Not necessarily the best overall, but the best in terms of delivering on a consistent basis.
Top 5 most valuable players in the nation
1.) Doug McDermott, F, Creighton – This one was incredibly easy. The guy can not only score, but score in different ways. He averaged 23.3 ppg last season and that came shooting 54.5 percent overall and 49 percent from the three point range. Tack on his 87.5 percent from the free throw line and he’s probably the nation’s easiest pick to pour in 20+ a night.
2.) Russ Smith, G, Louisville – This selection is more about how much Smith is going to have the ball this season than his production. Smith was 11th in KenPom in possession percentage (meaning he got the ball a lot per possession) getting the rock on 32 percent of the Cardinals’ possessions. Now as the total scoring threat — and Gorgui Dieng and Peyton Siva gone — this is his team and it’s his ball.
3.) Travis Bader, F, Oakland – This is a guy that no one talks about if you don’t know a ton about hoops. One of the nation’s top gunners from deep (139-360 from three this season), Bader averaged 22.1 ppg last season, quietly. Je also shot 88.5 percent from the free throw line and got there 202 times last season. Need points fast? It’s all Bader.
4.) Augustine Rubit, F, South Alabama – Rubit played in 30 games last season. He recorded a double-double in 16 of them. In his three seasons in Mobile, he’s clocked a double-double in two of them and missed out on three straight after averaging 9.2 boards as a sophomore. He stuffs the stat sheet.
5.) Marcus Smart, G, Oklahoma State – When a player passes up a sure-fire ticket to a Top 5 selection in the NBA Draft, there’s no way you can avoid getting him on this list. Smart does everything — 15.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists — and does it in the biggest games, averaging 21.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4 assists in seven regular season games against Top 25 opponents last season. He’s only no. 5 because unlike McDermott, Rubit and Bader, he has other NBA talent around him as well (Smith does as well).
Top sleepers
1.) Kyle Vinales, G, Central Connecticut State – Vinales flirted with the idea of transferring to a place with a higher profile. After briefly committing to Toledo, Vinales came back and he’ll be better for it. Vinales was among the top players last season playing 38.2 minutes (almost a WHOLE game, people) while averaging 21.6 points. He carries the Blue Devils, who rely heavily on Vinales, and that shouldn’t change this season.
2.) Jerelle Benimon, F, Towson – Like Rubit, he’s another double-double machine. But he gets the sleeper tag because he’s only done it in one season. And did it big. The former Georgetown bench warmer averaged 17.1 points and 11.2 rebounds for the Tigers last season and with the program poised to be a CAA contender, he’s gonna get the pub he deserves.
3.) Sim Bhullar, C, New Mexico State – YOU CAN’T ARGUE WITH 7-FOOT, 5-INCHES. He shot 62.1 percent from the field and that was as a freshman where he averaged 24.4 minutes and 10.1 points per game. After a whirlwind summer where he enrolled late with Aggies, imagine what he will do with an entire college offseason under his belt?
Freshman to watch (That aren’t the obvious ones)
1.) Jarell Martin, F, LSU – Martin was a top prospect coming out. Then Johnny Jones got the Baton Rouge native to stay home and the national pundits seem to ease up on the hype. But keep an eye on him. He’s got a efficient half-court point guard in Anthony Hickey and a veteran presence in the post in Johnny O’Bryant III to take the heat off him. Because he won’t be the focal point, he could produce a lot.
2.) Sterling Brown, G, SMU – This will be the point guard in a Larry Brown-led offensive scheme. Brown got out on the break with the ball in high school and that’s what Brown will want to do this season. Don’t be surprised of Brown is one of the top assist men in the AAC.
3.) Bobby Portis, F, Arkansas – I got to watch this guy a lot in high school. He’s a 6-10 power forward with a serious work ethic. He has range from 16-18 feet and as long as he gains some weight, can be an all-freshman team player in the SEC.
Locks for production
1.) Javon McCrea, F, Buffalo – He’s been the best player in the MAC for the past two years (yes, he has) on one of the worst teams. The Bulls went 14-20 last season and now under new coach Bobby Hurley, McCrea has an astute basketball mind to learn from. McCrea’s 18 points, 7.9 rebounds were earned as the focal point of every opponent’s defensive plan. And he averaged a career worst….55.7 percent field goal percentage last season.
2.) Jason Brickman, G, LIU-Brooklyn – Make way for the definition of a point guard. Brickman’s assist average has increased by at least one full dime each season, leading the nation last season with 8.5 assists. Most of that was without Julian Boyd, the Blackbirds best player. Boyd recently re-tore his ACL heading into his 6th year, and now Brickman have to do even less to work with.
3.) Briante Weber, G, VCU – You can’t argue with the nation’s best on-ball defender, going by the stats. The junior has averaged at least two steals per game in both his previous seasons and he’s the best defender on the best defensive team in the nation. You have to acknowledge the defense.
Over-valued Players
1.) Marshall Henderson, G, Ole Miss – This pains me to say, because I love the way Henderson plays. But his 20.1 points per game that led the SEC came on 38.1 percent shooting overall and 35 percent from three. He did this averaging 10.9 threes TAKEN per game. He serves a role. He has serious game. But his numbers are deceiving.
2.) Jahii Carson, G, Arizona State – Carson is a pro, there’s no debating that. But his 18.5 points and 5.1 assists — both solid — came at the other end of averages of 2.5 fouls and 3.5 turnovers per game. He’ll have to clean those up with Evan Gordon no longer in the backcourt this season.
3.) James Michael McAdoo, F, North Carolina – Have to give a hat tip to Kevin Doyle for this one. JMM has time to make up for what has amounted to a sub-par career so far. The junior has averaged 10.1 points and 5.5 rebounds in 30 minutes per in two seasons, which isn’t bad. But McAdoo was a five-star recruit who was supposed to team with P.J. Hairston to be the heir apparent for Harrison Barnes. What he does while Hairston is out (however long that is) will be critical to his legacy in Chapel Hill.
TBBC Conference previews: The ACC
Posted: September 27, 2013 Filed under: 2013 Preseason, ACC Leave a commentThe Backboard Chronicles is kicking off the 2013-14 season by taking a look at all Division I conferences and giving you the skinny on the best, worst, and most interesting things in each one. Today, we look at the ACC and what they’ll bring this season.
Preseason All-conference team
G- Ryan Anderson, Jr., Boston College – The best player in that conference that absolutely no one is talking about, unless you’re a hoophead. Anderson quietly put together one of the better seasons in the ACC. The Lakewood, Calif. native averaged 14.9 points and eight rebounds and shot 47.6 percent last season for a 16-17 Golden Eagles squad. He’s the dark-horse for ACC Player of the Year
G- C.J. Fair, Sr., Syracuse – Is there another player in college basketball that did more, but got less publicity than Fair? He led the Orange in scoring (14.5 points) and rebounds (seven per game) and was overshadowed completely by point guard Michael Carter-Williams and senior Brandon Triche. Fair didn’t mind. He was the model of consistency for Jim Boeheim’s crew last season. And admit it, you forgot that ‘Cuse goes to the ACC this season.
F- P.J. Hairston, Jr., North Carolina – Yes, Hairston is probably going to miss a few games with the NCAA looking into his dealings with an agent/agent runner and whatnot. He’s still a Top 5 player in the conference. He averaged 14.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals last season, and the 6-6 Hairston should headline this Tar Heels team when he comes back — whenever that is.
F- Jabari Parker, Fr., Duke – After all the guessing on whether Parker would take his two-year Mormon mission, Parker decided against it (early) and that’s great news for Mike Krzyzewski. Parker was a Top 3 consensus player in the 2013 class and should join a solid cast of newcomers in Rodney Hood and Matt Jones. It might just be one year (or not, being that Parker doesn’t fit the atypical personality of most of today’s top players) but it’ll be a good one.
F/C- Akil Mitchell, Sr., Virginia – Another pick that comes with a disclaimer with Mitchell coming off a broken hand in July. As long as Mitchell is healthy, the Charlotte native averaged 13.1 points and 8.9 rebounds and could get close to the 15 and 10 mark this season. The 6-8 banger shot 54.5 percent from the field last season and maintains as one of the top low-post marksmen in the league.
Preseason Player of the Year – C.J. Fair – New conference, same game. Fair comes from one of the top conferences last season in the (old) Big East and even though the ACC improves this season, it improves mainly because Notre Dame, Pittsburgh and Syracuse are coming over. It’ll translate. Expect 17-18 ppg and 7-8 rpg consistently from Fair this year.
Sleeper player
Rodney Hood, R-Soph., Duke – During the 2010-11 season, Hood averaged 10.3 points and 4.8 rebounds for a Mississippi State team that was on its way down at the end of the Rick Stansbury era. Now with Parker, Jones and Semi Ojeleye coming to campus, coupled with the emergence of Rasheed Suliamon and the return of Andre Dawkins, Hood’s first year with the Blue Devils is getting much love. But he should do enough to earn All-ACC honors if he plays like he did in his year in Starkville.
Team Rankings
Duke – Coach K, Rasheed Suliamon, a stellar freshman class headlined by Jabari Parker. What’s not to love? Oh, and the whole “consistently staying at the top of the conference no matter what” thing. Really watch out for Rodney Hood, and Andre Dawkins makes his return to the Blue Devils after taking a year away from the game. Tyler Thornton is a low-key glue guy for this team. Quinn Cook should be much improved as well.
Syracuse – Again, new conference, same attitude. Jim Boeheim doesn’t have to worry about much when it comes to his players adjusting to the ACC. They played in a conference that routinely got 7-11 teams to the NCAA Tournament beforehand. Now? He’s got C.J. Fair, Rakeem Christmas and could be better if center DeJuan Coleman develops — which is something the Orange expect him to do.
North Carolina – This was a risk to put the Tar Heels this high, and it has nothing to do with P.J. Hairston. Reggie Bullock is gone and other than James Michael McAdoo, there isn’t another proven talent for Roy Williams. That said, Marcus Paige should take over full-time with the graduation of Dexter Strickland at point guard — both averaged four-plus assists last year. Nate Britt could come in and contribute as a solid sixth man behind Paige. Eyes will also be on senior Leslie McDonald, who averaged 7.2 points per game last season and could take a larger role as a scorer.
Virginia – The Cavaliers took everyone by surprise last season, being picked to finish near the lower-middle in the ACC and finishing in the Top 5. With Akil Mitchell healthy, Joe Scott (16.3 ppg) maintaining his perimeter presence (42.5 percent from 3) and sophomore Mike Tobey developing (6.8 points, 2.9 rebounds in 30 games last year) this could be a better team under Tony Bennett than some outside of Charlottesville believe.
Boston College – Ryan Anderson made many people believers last year, and he’ll continue to do so. But don’t sleep on Olivier Hanlan, who actually led the Golden Eagles in scoring (15.4 ppg). In fact, Steve Donohue’s Top 6 scorers return. This is the year that the Eagles get back to the NCAAs, because this is a team that, even last year, everyone knew could be great come 2013-14.
Maryland – Mark Turgeon was one of the luckiest coaches in the land when Dez Wells landed in his lap after being unfairly cast off from Xavier. Now, even with Alex Len leaving early for the NBA, the Terrapins have a shot at getting back to the NCAA Tournament this season. Nick Faust’s 9.3 ppg has to go up — which could happen since he averaged 12+ down the stretch last season — along with Wells’ steady presence at guard, this team should maintain. Jake Layman could be the guy that takes the Terps to the next level, if he starts consistently.
Notre Dame – Jerian Grant, this is your time. Combined with Eric Atkins, these two could form the most experienced backcourt in the ACC. Grant (13.3 ppg, 5.5 apg) and Atkins (11.2 ppg, 5.5 apg) will be able to dish the rock, but to who? Jack Cooley graduated, so it’ll be up to someone to step into the post, maybe Eric Katenda?
Pittsburgh – Jamie Dixon and the Panthers were a little taken aback when freshman Steven Adams left for the NBA (it was the right decision). That thinned them a bit in the frontcourt, but redshirt senior Talib Zanna can shoulder the load, averaging 9.6 points last season. However, that was with Adams to spell him. Look for Joseph Uchebo, a junior college transfer, to possibly come in and fill the role left by Adams. Lamar Patterson should be able to maintain what he did last season with 10 ppg.
The rest
North Carolina State – This time last season, Mark Gottfried’s squad was looking like a team that could throw a wrench into the ACC title picture for a few years to come. Now? Rodney Purvis is gone, as is C.J. Leslie and Richard Howell (to the pros) and Scott Wood graduated. All five starters are no longer in Raleigh. T.J. Warren will be asked to lead the Wolfpack along with six incoming freshman and just one senior. This team is a year away.
Georgia Tech – This was a young team last year. Their Top 2 scorers, Marcus Georges-Hunt (10.8 ppg) and Robert Carter, Jr. (9.9), are now sophomores. The biggest wild card will be the play of graduate transfer Trae Golden from Tennessee. Brian Gregory has to make some sort of impact with this team.
Miami – Jim Larranaga took a group of incredibly experienced players (the average age of the Hurricanes last year was around 23 years old) and made a Sweet 16 appearance. Now? Back to square one. The Top 6 scorers are gone. Angel Rodriguez getting a waiver might be the biggest piece yet to fall.
Florida State – With Xavier Rathan-Mayes being declared ineligible for the season, even more of the load is now on Okaro White and a cast of role players. Watch out for guard Devin Bookert, who shot 52.5 percent (32-of-61) from three last season.
Virginia Tech – Erick Green, the nation’s leading scorer, is gone off a 13-19 team. Now what for coach James Johnson? Second-leading scorer Jarell Eddie (12.3 ppg) is back, but a lot of guys will have to step up.
Wake Forest – C.J. Harris is gone, but Travis McKie and Devin Thomas return, along with the addition of graduate transfer Coron Williams, who averaged 9.2 points and shot 41.6 percent from three with Robert Morris last season. The team features 10 sophomores.
Clemson – Brad Brownell doesn’t have much to work with this season. Devin Booker and Milton Jennings are gone. K.J. McDaniels (10.5 points, 5 rebounds, 58 blocks last year) will take on the burden. Jordan Roper shot 41.4 percent last season from three. It’s going to be an uphill battle for the Tigers.
Most Likely Too…
…Record a triple-double – Ryan Anderson, Boston College – Could Anderson be another Michael Carter-Williams? Anderson exhibits the do-it-all game that lends itself to that. Given the right opponent (a bad one) it could happen.
…Be an All-American – Jabari Parker, Duke – He’s shown not only the physical game, but the mental aspect that is so critical to withstand the pressure of playing as a high-profile player at Duke. That usually equals consistent big-time play.
…Hit more than one game-winner – Dez Wells, Maryland – We should call this the Michael Snaer Award. Wells seemed to always be there for the Terps last season. With Pe’Shon Howard gone, he’ll shoulder the scoring load for a team that has a few players that could step into consistent roles. It may just be because he’s the lone scorer on that team.
…Lead the nation in one statistical category – Devin Bookert, Florida State – in three-point percentage – As previously stated, Bookert shot over 50-percent from the three and it wasn’t something small like 11-for-20. He can stroke it. With expectations lowered this season in Tallahassee, Bookert could surprise some people by hitting consistently from deep.
Preseason, postseason predictions
Regular season conference champions – Duke – A bevy of new talent (Jones, Parker, Hood) mix well with a nucleus of veterans (Suliamon, Quinn Cook, Alex Murphy, Dawkins, Thornton) and do what a Mike Krzyzewski-coached team does, win consistently.
Conference tournament champions – Syracuse – Tyler Ennis jumps right into the role left by Carter-Williams, C.J. Fair earns Lottery Pick status and veteran role players like Christmas, Coleman and Baye Moussa Keita do what they do and the Orange win their first ACC Tournament title in their first season in the league.
Agree or disagree with something? Let us know at tbbchronicles@gmail.com or on Twitter at @David_Harten or @TBBChronicles.
With Virginia, it’s a choice of good wins or bad losses
Posted: March 1, 2013 Filed under: ACC | Tags: Duke Blue Devils, Miami Hurricanes, North Carolina State Wolfpack, North Carolina Tar Heels, Tony Bennett, Virginia Cavaliers 1 CommentIt’s a simple question: With their resume, does Virginia have the resume to bypass the seemingly endless amount of other teams on the proverbial Bubble and make it into the field?
Consider me as one of those who thinks yes, without question. And it all has to do with their quality wins.
According to RealTimeRPI.com (the site I swear by when it comes time to look at such things) the Cavaliers have seven wins over Top 100 RPI teams. Four of them are against the Top 50 in North Carolina State, North Carolina, Wisconsin and now, Duke. The three Top 100 wins are Florida State*, Tennessee and Maryland.
(*Yes, somehow Florida State is still a Top 100 team.)
So we have the wins out of the way. Now, we have to look at the other side of things, the part that might actually weigh on the Wahoo’s NCAA Tournament chances more than anything. The bad losses.
And man, they’re awful. In fact, you could make a case that everything I’m writing is total crap, and these should keep them out.
On the season, Tony Bennett’s team is 20-8. Of those eight losses, six are against teams outside the RPI Top 150, including what could turn out to be the shot to the jugular to their Big Dance chances, the 63-61 loss to a dreadful Old Dominion team that ranks 323rd in the RPI*.
(*I understand there are other ways of determining what Virginia’s chances are. But the RPI is the main factor by which the NCAA Tournament Committee decides, so by that rationale, one has to think like the committee thinks.)
In fact, before back-to-back losses to North Carolina (20th) and Miami (3rd) on Feb. 16 and 19, all of the Cavaliers’ losses were to teams outside the Top 150.
So yea, one might see exactly why the case can be made that Virginia has some work to do, possibly even needing a decent run in the ACC Tournament.
But here’s my main argument, with the numbers all laid out: Those disgusting losses early in the season to bad teams, all of which were in the CAA (George Mason, Old Dominion, Delaware), don’t mean as much as getting four wins over sure-fire tournament teams in Wisconsin, North Carolina, North Carolina State and Duke.
Had the conference wins come in a lesser power conference such as the SEC or Big 12, which range from “bad” to “a bit down” this season, I’d say otherwise. But this a season in which even Miami, who isn’t traditionally a power in the conference, is dominant, and the ACC has shown to be up there with the B1G this season as a best-of-the-best conference (though I believe the B1G to be the best overall, the ACC a slight second).
So the Selection Committee has to ask itself: What do we value more? Good wins or bad losses? When it comes to Virginia, the answer to that question will decide whether they’re celebrating or sulking on national television during the Selection Show in a few weeks.
Follow David Harten on Twitter at @David_Harten
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