🏀 KuBuckets Archive

**Also see today's News Digest (Jan 23) and News Digest for yesterday (Jan 22) as well as Daily Threads for Yesterday (Jan 22) **
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OUR DAILY THREADS FOR JAN 23:

Picking the Elite 8 - @lulufulu85

I want to add a thread for today. Would anyone care to venture a very premature guess at this years elite 8 teams? I say that because IMO the field is still too wide open to pick just 4 teams out of the 20 or so teams that could possibly make it to the Final 4. But, there are some really good teams out there that have started to separate themselves from the pack. Back in November during the time KU played in the Champions classic with Dookie, Michigan St and Kenstinky, I made a guess that that line up could be the '14 Final Four. shakes head Nope, not gonna happen. And without further ado, but a lot of rambling because I work the night shift and I have been up since 6pm yesterday, I will start with my 8 teams whom I think at this point in the season will make it to Elite status.

McDermott VS Embiid VS Wiggins - @drgnslayr

John Gasaway, over at ESPN, wrote an op ed called "Top 25 Players in College Hoops", where he ranked current players based on his own value system for how they impacted the college game instead of how NBA scouts rank players for draft status, based on their potential at the next level.

Gasaway concluded that the top player in college basketball is Doug McDermott. Joel Embiid finished 9th and Andrew Wiggins finished 21st.

I was unable to finish reading his story because I don't find enough value in the ESPN media to warrant paying to read their opinions. But... I'll go ahead and post my own ideas around this story and the rankings that came from it

Previous days:

Jan 22: Why Self Said FTs Probably Won the BU Game and Some Implications - @jaybate

Self said FTs probably decided the game. Why?

First, KU achieved its apparent defensive objectives. It took away the rim game by guarding hard inside the arc and fouling shots taken there, especially off offensive rebounds, while at the same time giving short jumpers to a team that did not shoot those short jumpers very well. Essentially, KU took away one of BU's two strengths--inside scoring.

BU's other strength, trey shooting first went red hot the first half, then cold the second half to shoot back to its usual still decent trey average by end of the game.

Jan 21: Andrew's New Mentor; Kobe Bryant - @drgnslayr

I caught the following post today and want to offer up some new ideas:

@Blown - "Wiggins is just a Gorillas Grip on the ball away from finishing those drives. Here to hoping Hudy has a hand strengthener in her fantastic arsenal"

I think Andrew needs to reexamine his game. I'd like to sit in a video room with him and go over file footage of Kobe Bryant's NBA career. This is the player that Andrew needs to model his game after.

Jan 21: FLOOR BURN AWARD: KU vs BU - Jan 20 - @drgnslayr

I think we can make this FLOOR BURN AWARD short and sweet...

Jan 21: Self Supports Shockers Potential #1 Seeding... - @drgnslayr

**Also see today's News Digest (Jan 23) and News Digest for yesterday (Jan 22) as well as Daily Threads for Yesterday (Jan 22) **

@approxinfinity I want to add a thread for today. Would anyone care to venture a very premature guess at this years elite 8 teams? I say that because IMO the field is still too wide open to pick just 4 teams out of the 20 or so teams that could possibly make it to the Final 4. But, there are some really good teams out there that have started to separate themselves from the pack. Back in November during the time KU played in the Champions classic with Dookie, Michigan St and Kenstinky, I made a guess that that line up could be the '14 Final Four. shakes head Nope, not gonna happen. And without further ado, but a lot of rambling because I work the night shift and I have been up since 6pm yesterday, I will start with my 8 teams whom I think at this point in the season will make it to Elite status.
I have to pick Arizona though I don't want to. I'm definitely not a Sean Miller fan and I think that Arizona is a bit overrated. Strength of Schedule #'s don't look too bad as per KenPom But, they are in the Pac 12 and its annually one of the weakest of the BSC conferences. That's the right acronym right, BSC? Zona has just a hand full of good wins. Their 3rd game they beat Sandiego State (boy do I want a rematch of those dirty rats), and they beat Duke & Michigan in the non conference. I personally think/hope that Zona will overlook a very good and experienced mid major team who will spank them good and hard before Elite 8. BUT, for now they are my first pick.
Second is Michigan State, They are undefeated in their conference so far and if they win or share the league title then surely they can make it to Elite 8. There is an elephant in their locker room though...getting beat by the bipolar UNC? wtf to that.
Third pick is Syracuse. Their S.o.S. is a bit weaker than Zona's but the ACC is a tougher conference I feel. and also they haven't lost yet either. Im not a fan of the bigger conferences though because Cuse wont play a home and home with Duke or UNC and whoever else. So, IMO it doesn't give a real feel for how they would do on the road against those teams. Sure, Duke and UNC are down this year but you know what I mean.
4th pick is our beloved KU. #1 S.o.S and #1 RPI have to be good for something right? There's just got to be some dividends from such a hard schedule for our team this year. They just have to figure out how to NOT turn the ball over against zone and against traps. Shouldn't be too hard to tighten that up right!? Im hoping for some positive reinforcement here people.
5th pick is Wichita State. The Shockers definitely wont surprise anyone this year but they have a seemingly tough and definitely experienced team. Everyone playing them in the tourney will not want to play them... except us right? ;) Only thing is, no losses for a team that has a middle of the road S.o.S means a loss is coming at some point. With no early losses to expose weaknesses the chances that they will get exposed by a bad match up in the dance becomes more likely. It would be pretty funny to see Creighton smoke them like they did 'Nova. Btw, Jay Wright is a sucker. Seriously haven't let go of that grudge against him for dissing Chalmers and RussRob.
6th pick is Florida, As much as I dislike Scotty Wilbeken (sp?) the guy is a baller and UF looks like a tough team this year too. But since 08, UF has had a bad habit of getting bounced early in the tourney. Although I don't sense that will happen this year. They are experienced, talented. Good combos for a deep run if they can make it.
7th is Michigan. If they can share or win their conference, then they should make it at least this far.
8th is Iowa State. We all know they are good, and personally I just want to see another Big 12 team make it this far.
Im going to add a sleeper team also. Im going to put SMU in here. Their Kenpom Offense and Defense #'s look good and plus it would be nice to see Ol' Larry Brown back in the big dance again. I hope they make it.
Yep, that's it. Im sure this will change in a week or two. Im off work for the next 10 days so I plan on watching a lot of college ball, and hopefully learn a thing or two.

@lulufulu85 - moved your thread to its own post