Around the Country

[jacobkdoyle]

Is VCU going to be on the bubble? They're down 19 at half against Davidson and it'll be their 9th loss.

 

[Bearcat_NTS]

Things are getting pretty chippy with the UConn Memphis game right now.

There was a scuffle in the game in Memphis a few weeks ago too.

 

[UCalum08]

There was a scuffle in the game in Memphis a few weeks ago too.

About to be another one. Pastner was out past mid court talking with the ref a second ago.

 

[UCalum08]

Can't believe they called that a foul on Memphis/ Burrell. Wow..

 

[cincrulz11]

I'm not really sure how are record compares to smu's last year but I gotta say I am worried about getting in as an at large being in the American I don't know how much the committee respects our conference.

SMU had a pathetic non-conference schedule last year and paid the price. We didn't make that same mistake.

 

[Bearcat_NTS]

UConn is in desperation mode and has been unable to pull away from a Memphis team without it's best player. I figured they'd blow them out.

 

[Bearcat_NTS]

Kevin Ollie always looks like he is about to cry.

 

[UCalum08]

UConn is in desperation mode and has been unable to pull away from a Memphis team without it's best player. I figured they'd blow them out.

This game is being played at a very quick pace. Burrell for Memphis is playing well. UConn has shot a ton of Ft's. Memphis def won't be a push over Sunday.

 

[UCalum08]

Kevin Ollie always looks like he is about to cry.

Its awful! Permanent whiny face.

 

[Bearcat_NTS]

This game is being played at a very quick pace. Burrell for Memphis is playing well. UConn has shot a ton of Ft's. Memphis def won't be a push over Sunday.

Memphis is playing really hard but I think this is more of an indictment on how flawed Connecticut is. They are shooting just 29% from the floor. After the SMU win I thought UConn was turning the corner (and maybe they still will when the conference tournament starts).

 

[UCalum08]

Memphis is playing really hard but I think this is more of an indictment on how flawed Connecticut is. They are shooting just 29% from the floor. After the SMU win I thought UConn was turning the corner (and maybe they still will when the conference tournament starts).

Good point. Its surprising to me that UConn hasn't had a little better success. Its safe to say no one wants to play UConn in the tourney.

Memphis takes the lead....let's see what boatwright will do.

 

[UCalum08]

Wow what a win for Memphis.

Maybe that will keep UC aware of what could happen to them if they don't bring it.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

As much as I don't like Memphis, I actually do like Shaq Goodwin.

 

[Bearcat_NTS]

Wow what a win for Memphis.

Terrific win for Memphis. They now hold the tie-breaker over UConn meaning the Huskies are looking at the 6 seed unless they win @Temple and UC beats Memphis.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

Wow what a win for Memphis.

I think I'd rather play UConn in the conference tourney than Memphis back to back.

 

[Bearcat_NTS]

As much as I don't like Memphis, I actually do like Shaq Goodwin.

Their team is similar to Cincinnati (in terms of the caliber of players), the difference is coaching.

 

[Patrick Bateman]

Their team is similar to Cincinnati (in terms of the caliber of players), the difference is coaching.

Really? Shaq Goodwin is a top 50 player, Nichols top 20, Markel Crawford top 60, Dom Woodson top 80, Powell and Magee top 100, Dedric Lawson coming in is top 30.

Doesn't seem similar to me

 

[UCalum08]

Really? Shaq Goodwin is a top 50 player, Nichols top 20, Markel Crawford top 60, Dom Woodson top 80, Powell and Magee top 100, Dedric Lawson coming in is top 30.

Doesn't seem similar to me

But they too, put their pants on, one leg at a time.

 

[JasonS]

Their team is similar to Cincinnati (in terms of the caliber of players), the difference is coaching.

The local Memphis area is much better for recruiting than Cincinnati typically is. As a result, Memphis always seems to get the top players out of that area but the coaching, as you said, leaves a lot to be desired.

Also, to someone's point about recruiting rankings, you can't just look at the recruit to see the talent level on a team. You have to also look at how players have progressed. The UC coaching staff does a great job in finding players that are either below the radar or just undervalued and coaching them up to be really good to great college players. I think NTS was saying, if you look at both rosters, the talent level is very similar. That doesn't mean one set of players wasn't ranked higher coming out of high school. I think he is accurate in his assessment.

 

[Bearcat_NTS]

The local Memphis area is much better for recruiting than Cincinnati typically is. As a result, Memphis always seems to get the top players out of that area but the coaching, as you said, leaves a lot to be desired.

Also, to someone's point about recruiting rankings, you can't just look at the recruit to see the talent level on a team. You have to also look at how players have progressed. The UC coaching staff does a great job in finding players that are either below the radar or just undervalued and coaching them up to be really good to great college players. I think NTS was saying, if you look at both rosters, the talent level is very similar. That doesn't mean one set of players wasn't ranked higher coming out of high school. I think he is accurate in his assessment.

Exactly. Both teams recruit the same type of player, meaning very good athletes that aren't as skilled players. They even recruit a lot of the same players, especially in the late recruiting period. Like Jason said, they will always have 2-3 guys that are highly ranked from the Memphis area but this year in particular, their roster is comprised of a lot of guys similar to Cincinnati. Kids that are very athletic and play extremely hard, not so much skill. The difference is Cincinnati is much more structured offensively and defensively. If you give Mick the current roster of Memphis, we'd have a very similar record to the one we have now.