College basketball

[Vrede too]

Seeding matters a lot.

[O Really]

Seeding matters a lot.

Well, there is that.

[Vrede too]

It began 2/11 with the loss at home vs. #4 Virginia 61 - 69. Probably will drop from #8.
Polls

Then, there's:
2/20 at #2 Duke
2/23 vs. #17 Florida State
2/26 vs. 17-8 Syracuse
3/2 at 15-9 Clemson
3/9 vs. #2 Duke again, regular season closer
19-5 UNC

Ut-oh.

Doesn't matter. If they win half of those, they'll still be alive on March 17 when the real season starts.

(Former?) #8 North Carolina 95, Wake Forest 57. That's just mean.

Clemson 55, #16 Louisville 56.

[Vrede too]

NCSU 78, #2 Duke 94.

#1 Tennessee 69, #5 Kentucky 86.

[Vrede too]

AP Rankings

1 Duke Blue Devils 23-2,
2 Gonzaga Bulldogs 25-2
3 Virginia Cavaliers 22-2
4 Kentucky Wildcats 21-4
5 Tennessee Volunteers 23-2, ouch
6 Nevada Wolf Pack 24-1
7 Michigan Wolverines 23-3
8 North Carolina Tar Heels 20-5, no change, dodged a bullet

24 Maryland Terrapins 19-7

(28) Auburn Tigers 17-8, only 6-6 SEC
(29) Washington Huskies 20-5, same record as #8 UNC, is leading the weak Pac-12

[O Really]

(29) Washington Huskies 20-5, same record as #8 UNC, is leading the weak Pac-12

Carolina basketball always gets ranking breaks. Just like Carolina football never gets no respect.

[Vrede too]

Carolina basketball always gets ranking breaks. Just like Carolina football never gets no respect.

That could be and I haven't seen the Huskies play this year, but I am pretty sure the Pac-12 sucks. UCLA and Arizona hoops glory seems long ago. Not one team is ranked.

[Vrede too]

Wait - I thought everything before March is "pre-season." Are there real games?

Tonight was one, @Duke, congrats.

There may be for Duke if Zion listens to the pros telling me to go pro before he gets hurt.

Jinxed him, he went out with a knee early.
https://collegebasketball.nbcsports.com ... th-injury/
Weird one.

“It’s already all over the world while we’re still watching the game he got hurt in,” said veteran (Nike) shoe executive Sonny Vaccaro, whose observation came during halftime. “They’re going to show it until we die.”

... Puma’s official account quickly deleted a classless tweet that said: “Wouldn’t have happened in Pumas.”

That'll complicate the polls. #1 didn't last very long, Gonzaga #1 now?

[O Really]

I'm sorry Zion was injured, but you gotta admit it's a fine day to wear the Carolina Blue when the 'Heels beat a #1 Duke at Cameron. I wouldn't be surprised to find there was a bit of rowdiness down on Franklin St.

Meanwhile, if you look up the definition of "marketing nightmare" you find a picture of Zion sitting there with his foot hanging out of his Nike.

[Vrede too]

I'm sorry Zion was injured, but you gotta admit it's a fine day to wear the Carolina Blue when the 'Heels beat a #1 Duke at Cameron. I wouldn't be surprised to find there was a bit of rowdiness down on Franklin St.

Meanwhile, if you look up the definition of "marketing nightmare" you find a picture of Zion sitting there with his foot hanging out of his Nike.

He's not playing tonight and @18-8 Syracuse is no pushover.

#16 Florida St 59
#8 @North Carolina 77
Congrats. Nice, could have only been better if played at FSU, but not this year. UNC will move up from #8, how far? An NCAA #1 seed is possible, at least #2 seems likely.

#5 Tennessee 80
#13 @LSU 82 OT
Wow, former #1 Vols choking in February.

billy.pilgrim, ouch.

Ohio St 62
#24 @Maryland 72
Ohio St isn't ranked, but it's no slouch at 17-10 and it's always good to beat it. Maryland is a solid 4th in the Big 10 and has probably locked up an NCAA slot.

[Vrede too]

I'm sorry Zion was injured ...

He's not playing tonight and @18-8 Syracuse is no pushover....

(former) #1 Duke 75
Syracuse 65

[billy.pilgrim]

I'm sorry Zion was injured, but you gotta admit it's a fine day to wear the Carolina Blue when the 'Heels beat a #1 Duke at Cameron. I wouldn't be surprised to find there was a bit of rowdiness down on Franklin St.

Meanwhile, if you look up the definition of "marketing nightmare" you find a picture of Zion sitting there with his foot hanging out of his Nike.

my bet is a marketing boom. their stock only dropped 1.7%, now if they can get Zion to wear their new and improved Super Shoe - money, money, money

I'm liking him more every time I watch him play

[Vrede too]

my bet is a marketing boom. their stock only dropped 1.7%, now if they can get Zion to wear their new and improved Super Shoe - money, money, money

I'm liking him more every time I watch him play

Too bad he got injured. Nike could have found a way to make fun of themselves, but it would be in poor taste now.

Duke’s Zion Williamson to miss Tuesday’s game vs. Virginia Tech

Looking a bit worse than what was initially called a "mild sprain". Whatever, they're correct to want him back to 100% in 3 weeks.

#20 Virginia Tech is 21-6, not a pushover. The game is at Virginia Tech.

AP Rankings

1 Gonzaga 27-2, no surprise
2 Virginia 24-2
3 Duke 24-3 , could have been worse
4 Kentucky 23-4
5 North Carolina 22-5 , congrats O Really
6 Michigan State 23-5, ugh
7 Tennessee 24-3, could have been worse for them
8 Houston 26-1
9 Michigan 24-4
10 Marquette 23-4

17 Maryland 21-7 , 2/27 at weak 4-12/11-16 Penn State, 3/3 vs. #9 Michigan at Maryland

25 Washington 22-5 , congrats O Really, leading the hapless Pac-12 (maybe just 3 teams in MM, if that) by 3.5 games

(30) Auburn 18-9, bubble?

[billy.pilgrim]

my bet is a marketing boom. their stock only dropped 1.7%, now if they can get Zion to wear their new and improved Super Shoe - money, money, money

I'm liking him more every time I watch him play

Too bad he got injured. Nike could have found a way to make fun of themselves, but it would be in poor taste now.

Duke’s Zion Williamson to miss Tuesday’s game vs. Virginia Tech

Looking a bit worse than what was initially called a "mild sprain". Whatever, they're correct to want him back to 100% in 3 weeks.

#20 Virginia Tech is 21-6, not a pushover. The game is at Virginia Tech.

AP Rankings

1 Gonzaga 27-2, no surprise
2 Virginia 24-2
3 Duke 24-3 , could have been worse
4 Kentucky 23-4
5 North Carolina 22-5 , congrats O Really
6 Michigan State 23-5, ugh
7 Tennessee 24-3, could have been worse for them
8 Houston 26-1
9 Michigan 24-4
10 Marquette 23-4

17 Maryland 21-7 , 2/27 at weak 4-12/11-16 Penn State, 3/3 vs. #9 Michigan at Maryland

25 Washington 22-5 , congrats O Really, leading the hapless Pac-12 (maybe just 3 teams in MM, if that) by 3.5 games

(30) Auburn 18-9, bubble?

They're being cautious about Zion, as well they should - he's a monster.

He'll be back for Duke and so will Nike.

[Vrede too]

Duke’s Zion Williamson to miss Tuesday’s game vs. Virginia Tech

Looking a bit worse than what was initially called a "mild sprain". Whatever, they're correct to want him back to 100% in 3 weeks.

#20 Virginia Tech is 21-6, not a pushover. The game is at Virginia Tech.

AP Rankings

Former 3 Duke 24-3 , could have been worse

5 North Carolina 22-5 , congrats O Really

They're being cautious about Zion, as well they should - he's a monster.

He'll be back for Duke and so will Nike.

Duke is pretty mediocre without Zion.
@UNC > Syracuse

NBA Mock Draft 3.0: Zion Williamson to go No. 1, R.J. Barrett No. 4

1. ZION WILLIAMSON, Duke...
2. CAM REDDISH, Duke...

4. R.J. BARRETT, Duke...
5. DE’ANDRE HUNTER, Virginia...

8. NASSIR LITTLE, North Carolina...

11. NICKEIL ALEXANDER-WALKER, Virginia Tech...

17. TRE JONES, Duke...
18. COBY WHITE, North Carolina...
19. BRUNO FERNANDO, Maryland...

23. TY JEROME, Virginia...

ACC is killing it this year.

[billy.pilgrim]

Duke’s Zion Williamson to miss Tuesday’s game vs. Virginia Tech

Looking a bit worse than what was initially called a "mild sprain". Whatever, they're correct to want him back to 100% in 3 weeks.

#20 Virginia Tech is 21-6, not a pushover. The game is at Virginia Tech.

AP Rankings

Former 3 Duke 24-3 , could have been worse

5 North Carolina 22-5 , congrats O Really

They're being cautious about Zion, as well they should - he's a monster.

He'll be back for Duke and so will Nike.

Duke is pretty mediocre without Zion.
@UNC > Syracuse

NBA Mock Draft 3.0: Zion Williamson to go No. 1, R.J. Barrett No. 4

1. ZION WILLIAMSON, Duke...
2. CAM REDDISH, Duke...

4. R.J. BARRETT, Duke...
5. DE’ANDRE HUNTER, Virginia...

8. NASSIR LITTLE, North Carolina...

11. NICKEIL ALEXANDER-WALKER, Virginia Tech...

17. TRE JONES, Duke...
18. COBY WHITE, North Carolina...
19. BRUNO FERNANDO, Maryland...

23. TY JEROME, Virginia...

ACC is killing it this year.

so, are you saying they are mediocre or are they killing it


I sure don't see Duke as mediocre

[Vrede too]

so, are you saying they are mediocre or are they killing it

I sure don't see Duke as mediocre

Without Zion Duke has lost to UNC and VT (both also ACC teams) and only beaten so-so Syracuse. Certainly not great. Despite that, the ACC is still doing very well overall.

AP Rankings

2 Virginia Cavaliers 24-2
(former) 3 Duke Blue Devils 24-4

5 North Carolina Tar Heels 23-5

18 (ugh) Florida State Seminoles 22-6

20 (and climbing) Virginia Tech Hokies 22-6

(26) Louisville Cardinals 18-10

Which conference would you say is doing better than the ACC?

[Vrede too]

25 Washington 22-5 , congrats O Really, leading the hapless Pac-12 (maybe just 3 teams in MM, if that) by 3.5 games

#25 Washington 73
@California 76

Darn, ranking lasted just a week. The Huskies are worse than:

#24 25-4 Wofford (Spartanburg, South Carolina, Undergraduates 1,692) 80
@Chattanooga 54

Go Terriers.

[Vrede too]

#13 LSU 74
@Alabama 69
Cool.

NCSU 73
@#18 Florida St. 78
Ugh, mostly because I hate Florida St.

#6 Michigan St. 62
@Indiana 63
Excellent, both for the NC teams and for the gymnast girls.

Penn St. 57
@#19 Wisconsin 61
Nice.

#24 Wofford 85
@Samford 64
Homeboys.

#4 Kentucky 52
@#7 Tennessee 71
Wow.

Miami (FL) 57
@#3 Duke 87
Sweet, but without Zion again. The conf. championship and MM are coming up quick, ut-oh.

UCF 69
@#8 Houston 64
Good for the NC teams and O Really . . . bad for billy.pilgrim .

13:15 2nd Half
#5 North Carolina 47
@Clemson 48
Ut-oh.

The only other game that matters today is if 20-10 @Saint Mary's somehow upsets #1 Gonzaga, 2200 ET.

[O Really]

No ut-oh.
Except for Williams going down. Hopefully he's OK.