Purdue...

[lurch91]

Just lost to Western kentucky in battle 4 Atlantis. That's consecutive losses to Tennessee and Western Kentucky. So, yeah. They were obviously bad match ups for Purdue. 

Did Tennessee and Western Kentucky have rosters dominated by underclassmen?  Are they waiting for probably their best center to become eligible at the semester due to transfer rules?  Stupid, stupid arguement...

On any given day a lesser team can beat a better team, but GENERALLY speaking talent wins out.  Purdue has talent.  I don't know enough about Tennessee or Western Kentucky to know how much talent each team had compared to Purdue.

[GB Warrior]

Call it what you want, but people here were claiming how underrated Purdue was, and how MU lost to a potential Final Four team..at home. Yet, Tennessee and now Western freaking Kentucky just beat them on a neutral court. Western Kentucky better than MU, or?? 

Both things can be true[/b]

[SaveOD238]

And now Purdue is whooping Arizona, so we can stop freaking out

[MUDPT]

Sup Coach Phelps...

[Jay Bee]

Purdue beats Arizona by 25. Hi

[MU82]

Purdue beats Arizona by 25. Hi

Well yeah ... bad matchup!

[rocket surgeon]

 ncaam is going to be war men.  some of the top dogs already are getting nicked up.  it's gonna be one of those years where we are going to need a pregame pep talk from bluto blutarski

[MU82]

Agree with rocket. At this point, there certainly does not appear to be a "superteam."

Arizona came into the Battle 4 Atlantis ranked No. 2 in the nation ... and promptly lost to NC State, SMU and Purdue. Got KILLED by Purdue, the best of those three teams. Arizona is almost the diametric opposite of Wojo's boyz - good size and great athletes up and down the lineup, but they can't shoot a lick!

No. 1 Duke struggled with Portland State before finally putting them away late, and then was taken into OT by Texas.

Etc, etc, etc.

I do love Duke's young talent - who doesn't? - and they could be beasts by tournament time, but they ain't a superteam yet.

As for Purdue ... nothing that happened at Atlantis made me think they can't repeat as Big 10 champs. They lost to a seemingly very underrated Tennessee team that went on to give Nova a heckuva game and then beat the heck out of NC State.

Here's what Sean Miller said about Purdue: “We were outmatched. They were the better team. It felt that way early; felt that way throughout. They are an excellent team, well-coached. The way they move the ball when they're making shots, they can beat anybody in the country. Tonight they were ready to go.”

So we're supposed to commit suicide here because we couldn't match up with Purdue's 7-footers?

It's a long season. I know it's difficult for a guy wound tight like guru to have any perspective, but he'll put his health in jeopardy if he is so amped-up that he keeps feeling the need to start threads like this one.

[DCHoopster]

I saw 2 teams that were very impressive to me,  Florida and Gonzaga.  Great college game last night.  Both look like Final 4 teams.  The Duke-Florida game will be
very interesting with contrasting styles.  Dukes Bigs vs.  Florida guards.   I do not think Florida has anyone guard Bagley but not sure Duke has the quickness of  Florida,
good early game to watch tomorrow.  Texas is not bad, very young.  MSU in same tournament so we will see how good they are as well.

[GGGG]

I saw 2 teams that were very impressive to me,  Florida and Gonzaga.  Great college game last night.  Both look like Final 4 teams.  The Duke-Florida game will be
very interesting with contrasting styles.  Dukes Bigs vs.  Florida guards.   I do not think Florida has anyone guard Bagley but not sure Duke has the quickness of  Florida,
good early game to watch tomorrow.  Texas is not bad, very young.  MSU in same tournament so we will see how good they are as well.

UNC looks pretty good again. Teams will emerge. They always do.

[mayfairskatingrink]

So it seems like every good team is a "bad matchup" for MU.

Are there any good teams that MU is bad matchup for?

[Lennys Tap]

No. 1 Duke struggled with Portland State before finally putting them away late, and then was taken into OT by Texas.

#1 Duke also beat then #2 Michigan St on a neutral court. But since you mention Texas - zero seniors, 2 juniors, a sophomore and 3 three freshman in their top six and they take #1 Duke to OT. Any thoughts on them or their coach?

[GGGG]

So it seems like every good team is a "bad matchup" for MU.

Are there any good teams that MU is bad matchup for?

Yes. Villanova and Xavier are two off the top of my head.

[Loose Cannon]

#1 Duke also beat then #2 Michigan St on a neutral court. But since you mention Texas - zero seniors, 2 juniors, a sophomore and 3 three freshman in their top six and they take #1 Duke to OT. Any thoughts on them or their coach?

If I was a Texas Fan, I'm very happy.  As disappointing as last season was this team will offset that in spades.  Oh and that young coach might keep his Job.

[Big Papi]

It doesn't matter what Purdue did in this tournament.  They are a very good team that has the talent and ability to reach the Final Four.  Doesn't mean they will but anyone who watched their game against us could see how good they are. 

[Lennys Tap]

If I was a Texas Fan, I'm very happy.  As disappointing as last season was this team will offset that in spades.  Oh and that young coach might keep his Job.

Yeah, he just might

[MU82]

#1 Duke also beat then #2 Michigan St on a neutral court. But since you mention Texas - zero seniors, 2 juniors, a sophomore and 3 three freshman in their top six and they take #1 Duke to OT. Any thoughts on them or their coach?

Moi? Thoughts on Shaka?

Well, he's obviously a better coach than last year's 11-22 record would indicate - a record that would have resulted in Scoopaggeddon. Can't be much worse without being at DePaul.

It looks like he has a nice, young, athletic team that might contend for an NCAA tourney berth. The center is a defensive difference-maker, and they missed him after he fouled out. He also is a 1-and-done who, like Henry at MU, will not be around for the long-term rebuild.

Oh, and Shaka almost beating the No. 1 team was almost as impressive as Wojo ACTUALLY beating the No. 1-ranked defending national champions last season!

I know you are intelligent enough, and I hope most other Scoopers are as well, to realize I like to poke fun sometimes. It's fun to make little Shaka one-liners, and most are the definition of innocuos. Some folks get all bent out of shape about 'em and I'm not sure why. They're just little zingers, the kind many Scoopers (including you) make about a variety of topics.

That more than a few Scoopers thought our program was doomed after Mrs. Shaka rejected us because "settling" for Wojo was for losers ... and then to have Shaka go 11-22 at Texas while Wojo took our lads to the Dance ... that's delicious stuff!

If we get all boring and just stick to facts ... Shaka had an amazing, amazing, amazing run to the 2011 Final Four with VCU. In each subsequent season, however, his VCU squads accomplished a little less. And then he has hardly been a miracle worker at Texas - whose previous coach, meanwhile, seems to have righted the ship at Tennessee.

Shaka is a good coach. So is Rick Barnes. So is Buzz. And so, I think, is Wojo. None is perfect. Each still has much to prove. With the talent in the state of Texas, and his reputation as "the cool coach," one would think Shaka should be able to build a dynasty there. We'll see!

Finally ... I have barely mentioned Shaka the last several months. Maybe one or two 1-liners in all that time? A guy does get a reputation, though, and I've probably earned it.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

So it seems like every good team is a "bad matchup" for MU.

Are there any good teams that MU is bad matchup for?

Someone else asked this earlier.  I think X qualifies as a good matchup for us.  Their PG can't score,  give up threes like crazy,  no dominant bigs (though T Jones may become one)  and over rely on a volume scorer. All things our team should be able to exploit.

[Goose]

Shaka and Texas look awfully good to me. They were fun to watch last night. Pretty confident that he will have much success at Texas before all is said and done.

[We R Final Four]

#1 Duke also beat then #2 Michigan St on a neutral court. But since you mention Texas - zero seniors, 2 juniors, a sophomore and 3 three freshman in their top six and they take #1 Duke to OT. Any thoughts on them or their coach?

Hahaha—there is only ONE scooper who will provide their opinion on this topic regardless if asked or not, but since you asked........

[Lennys Tap]

I know you are intelligent enough, and I hope most other Scoopers are as well, to realize I like to poke fun sometimes. It's fun to make little Shaka one-liners, and most are the definition of innocuos. Some folks get all bent out of shape about 'em and I'm not sure why. They're just little zingers, the kind many Scoopers (including you) make about a variety of topics.

Conversely, Mike, I know you're intelligent enough to realize that those of us who considered Shaka our #1 choice might poke a little fun of our own when and if the worm turned. All in good fun.

[rocket surgeon]

Shaka and Texas look awfully good to me. They were fun to watch last night. Pretty confident that he will have much success at Texas before all is said and done.

shaka's got a nice team there.  was really rooting for them to pull it out. that osetkowski is an animal.  i think he found a place to call home...for this year anyway   you have to hand it to mike and his 5 * yutes for hanging in there and playing the full 40.  if texas could shoot from the outside, they'd be really really good.  4/23 from 3 point arc?  yikes! 

 

[wadesworld]

It’s very early. Let’s let at least 1/4 of the season play out before we make conclusions on teams.

Last year IU looked like they might get a 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament early on. Right now their coach is on his way to an identical coaching record as I am for this season. Lots of game left.

[MU82]

Shaka and Texas look awfully good to me. They were fun to watch last night. Pretty confident that he will have much success at Texas before all is said and done.

Wouldn't doubt it, Goose. He should. Lots and lots and lots of talent down there, and he's obviously a good coach.

For the record, I was hoping for Shaka, too. But Mrs. Shaka didn't want us, so eff the whole lotta dem Shakas! We are ... Marquette!

Also for the record, I didn't mention Shaka in this thread until directly asked about him by Lenny.

[mayfairskatingrink]

It’s very early. Let’s let at least 1/4 of the season play out before we make conclusions on teams.

Last year IU looked like they might get a 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament early on. Right now their coach is on his way to an identical coaching record as I am for this season. Lots of game left.

True, but just on a sheer talent basis, Texas has a ton more than MU does.