Most of the nation had its eyes fixated on Madison Square Garden even though the people of New York City did not feel like actually going to the games, but there was also some action outside of the Manhattan area. Once again, send in your submissions to rushthecourt@gmail.com.
Top 25 Games
- #5 Pittsburgh 79, Maryland 70: “Maryland might not’ve won, but the Terrapins went toe-to-toe with the #4 team in the country with the score just two possessions apart in the final two minutes. In the end, Maryland missed more and more free throws and gave up more and more rebounds to let Pitt pull away, stretching the lead to the final margin of 79-70. In the end, it’s still the most encouraging loss I’ve seen in a very long time.” (Testudo Time: Part 1 and Part 2)
- Texas 90, #16 Illinois 84 (OT): “The Texas Longhorns (3-0) rode Tristan Thompson’s breakout party to hold on for a 90-84 win over the Illinois Fighting Illini (3-1). Behind Thompson’s 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 blocks, along with 25 points from rejuvenated sophomore Jordan Hamilton, Texas won the most entertaining and well-played basketball game of the young 2010 college basketball season.” (Burnt Orange Nation)
- #17 UNC 107, Hofstra 63: “I’ve tried very hard to tamp down my expectations for this team, and I really don’t want to draw conclusions from games against Lipscomb and Hofstra. (Especially since the Lipscomb game wasn’t very good.) But for the first time since the championship team, watching a Carolina game was fun. There was no pit in my stomach, no anticipation of disaster. Here’s to more games like this moving forward.” (Carolina March)
- #18 Georgetown 80, Coastal Carolina 61: “Georgetown went down to Charleston and absolutely destroyed the Coastal Carolina Chicklets or whatever they are called. 80-61 is the right final score for a game that was never in question. The Hoyas made 32 field goals on 25 assists and were led by the three guards who are making an early season case for the best backcourt in the country.” (Casual Hoya)
Other Games of Interest
- Minnesota 95, Western Kentucky 77: The Gophers knocked off the Hilltoppers, but their next opponent (UNC) and uber-freshman Harrison Barnes should provide a more formidable challenge. (Gopher Nation)
- Providence 77, Morgan State 55: “After three games of great intensity and great results on defense, is it too early to say they are showing amazing improvement? Sure, the offense has some issues, and the Friars will be lucky to win another game shooting SIX POINT THREE PERCENT from downtown. As the competition increases, PC will surely start letting up more points and higher shooting percentages. For now, I don’t want to worry about that just yet. The most important takeaway is that the effort is there and the team is improving. Incredibly refreshing if you ask me.” (Friar Blog)
Pre-Game Prep
- A Brief Look at Minnesota: “Should UNC fail to win in the transition game, all is not lost. Minnesota was particularly bad at defending the three last season. This, of course, would have been small consolation had they played last year’s Carolina team, but this one has a good shooting hand, apparently, and that should be enough to carry the day if the Heels don’t panic. Expect an early lead from Minnesota, but a Carolina victory at the end.” (Carolina March)
- Kentucky Basketball: A Look At The Portland Pilots: “Kentucky out-athletes and out-talents the Pilots at every position, which will be true for most foes Kentucky faces this year. But UK is a small team, and even though Portland isn’t huge by anyone’s standards, they are bigger than Kentucky taken all together. This game will be challenging for Kentucky’s young and inexperienced players, particularly on defense. The Pilots will not be likely to stop the UK offense, so unless one team or the other asserts itself defensively, this is likely to be a fairly high scoring ball game. Ken Pomeroy does give Portland a 20% chance of upsetting the Wildcats, and that’s pretty significant. This game is not likely to be a walkover, particularly early. If Portland’s less athletic players get tired, though, it could get out of hand late.” (A Sea of Blue)
News
- You Should Probably Buy Your Syracuse-Villanova Ticket Right About Now: “Last year’s Syracuse – Villanova game was kindof a big deal. If things hold, this year’s game in the Dome should be just as important (both teams ranked in top ten). Sure, that game is more than two months away, but that’s not stopping everyone from snapping up tickets like they’re printed on gold (maybe they are?).” (Troy Nunes is an Absolute Magician)