2011 - 2012 College Basketball Season

[kcmetro]

Henriquez joining the party on Mass St over the weekend.

[beautyfromashes]

Typically classless KU fans. I could find my way to root for them in games like tonights, except they show such little class and are the worst winners.

[KCMax]

Predictions for tonight? I don't see how Kentucky can hang with KU!

[TheBigChuckbowski]

Well we'll see. If all Weber is good at is taking other people's recruits and coaching them well in the tourney, K-State should be in for a good ride next year because they should have a good team next season.

No doubt that's exactly what John Currie is thinking so he can put it on his resume when he starts sending it out in 12 months.

[AllThingsKC]

You mean there's still a game to be played and talked about? I thought all that was left to talk about this season was K-State's new basketball coach.

Henriquez joining the party on Mass St over the weekend.

There's a photo somewhere of Marcus Denmon celebrating with KU fans. I think it was taken in New Orleans rather than Lawrence.

Predictions for tonight? I don't see how Kentucky can hang with KU!

Kentucky will have no problem putting away KU......for the first 35 minutes. KU spends the next 5 minutes coming back to win by 4.

[chingon]

I don't have any predictions, but I will say I think the media consensus is wrong. This isn't Kentucky's game to lose, this is 100% Kansas' game to win and they are fully capable of doing it.

[chingon]

Typically classless KU fans. I could find my way to root for them in games like tonights, except they show such little class and are the worst winners.

Come off it.

[beautyfromashes]

Typically classless KU fans. I could find my way to root for them in games like tonights, except they show such little class and are the worst winners.

Come off it.

Maybe you didn't see the kid giving him the bird under his elbow. Henriquez came to support his cross state rivals in a sign of true class, even flashing a piece sign and gets insulted behind his back. Why insult someone who takes the time to be friendly and stop for a picture. Epitomy of classless, all there is to it.

Mark my words, KU will either 1. Be the most arrogant fans ever if the win or, more likely 2. Complain to high heaven about fouls and the referees if they lose.

[phxcat]

LOL so Frank went from being a foolish high school coach hire to the best ksu fans should ever expect hire. Okay.

Did he not? He illustrates my point perfectly. No one gave him much of a chance, and look what he did. Hey, it happened at KU too. Roy Williams was what, KU's 7th or 8th option after they'd been turned down by the likes of Eddie Fogler? He was some foolish hire with no coaching experience.

My only real point is we don't really know how Weber will do, so all the teeth-gnashing is beyond silly. Its not like Webber was some horrible coach - he's coached in a freaking national championship game. If he can do what he did at Illinois at K-State, I think Wildcat fans will and should be thrilled.

You seem to have two main points, one of which is that the best K-State should expect is a retread coach who was fired from his last job which was relatively parallel to K-State's, who in recent years has failed to even make the tournament as often as he has made it, and for whom K-State was competing with SMU and College of Charleston. That's actually quite an insult to K-State. While there does not seem to be a large number of head coaching candidates available, the fact is that K-State was the most attractive job available, and has the resources now to grab a Josh Pastner, or a Tad Boyle or a rising star from a mid major and a roster that is poised for success. Would they have come? Who knows- it appears as if Currie never even talked to them. Would a mid-major coach or an assistant pan out? Who knows- but Weber has a track record and it is a record of mediocrity. We will see what Haith's record is long term. Maybe he just needed a change of scenery, but chances are that he got lucky this year with Anderson's squad full of seniors. Chances are that Weber has a good year next year- and if he does, then do we get another eight years of mediocrity? We will see.

[pstokely]

Is it too late to sign the petition get class off?
http://media.zenfs.com/en/blogs/sptusnc ... kansas.jpg

Or get your money back for the shirts?
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the ... 00383.html

[KCMax]

Tough game. Kentucky looked far and away to be the better team, but KU once again stormed back from a big deficit and came to within a few possessions. They had SO many missed layups and dunks, and while some of that is on them, you have to give Kentucky a ton of credit for their interior defense. That Davis kid really is amazing. And Terrence Jones is a lot better than people give him credit for. Kentucky is just an amazing team that was a buzz-saw through the college basketball season this year. Still real proud of the Hawks for going much further than anyone thought they were capable of. Tyshawn Taylor proved his haters wrong (and I was a real big critic early on in his career). I never thought Travis Releford would be more than a scrub. I never thought Withey would get many minutes. Really an amazing coaching job by Bill Self this year, and this was a really special season.

[KCMax]

Way too early of course, but Andy Katz has KU #3 for next year, with K-State #20, and Mizzou #25.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketb ... ng-2012-13

[kcmetro]

Kentucky was just too big inside and too athletic. Glad KU made it respectable though toward the end. Not much to be upset about as a KU fan after losing to a team like that. It's still surreal to think we played for a championship this year, especially considering the expectations for these guys before the season started.

I really hope this year's Kentucky team was a fluke and it won't be a sign of things to come as long as Cal is there. I don't like the way he runs players through his minor league NBA program, and reloads every season with the top prospects. It kinda cheapens the game when I see a program use a starting lineup of 1-and-dones every year to dominate college basketball.

[KCMax]

Everyone keeps complaining about the "one-and-done" Kentucky team, but its only three guys, right? Davis, Teague and Kidd-Gilchrist? And I wouldn't say he's "dominating" college basketball, it was his first title. The guy's a helluva recruiter. You and I sure wouldn't be complaining if Bill Self was landing guys like that.

[kcjak]

Everyone keeps complaining about the "one-and-done" Kentucky team, but its only three guys, right? Davis, Teague and Kidd-Gilchrist? And I wouldn't say he's "dominating" college basketball, it was his first title. The guy's a helluva recruiter. You and I sure wouldn't be complaining if Bill Self was landing guys like that.

People complain because many see Calipari as someone who has a 'winning at all costs' mentality that doesn't focus on graduating players. It may only be 3 kids this year but as Calipari gets established UK will become a program that all the top players migrate to because they know the coaches don't care if they graduate. It's not about the kids this year or any year, it's about focusing on the win, not the players. Calipari is just the first person to truthfully admit that.

[Highlander]

Way too early of course, but Andy Katz has KU #3 for next year, with K-State #20, and Mizzou #25.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketb ... ng-2012-13

Is that assuming Robinson will be back? I wonder if Withey will even be back. I do not know who made all tournament team but I think it was Withey that took KU where it went. He didn't score a lot (neither did anthony davis last night) but against OSU, Purdue, NCState, and NC, his presence really changed their game plans and forced them into an outside game. I think Withey really improved his stock in the tourney and I don't think KU makes it to the final four or even elite 8 without him. There's always a spot for a defensive minded and athletic 7 footer in the NBA. Other than that, only Johnson is back next year and the rest of the squad will be unproven....I think 3 is a bit high.

Missouri may or may not be good next year as they lost a lot but they will have two of the best point guards in college basketball back....and I think Phil Pressey is the best distributor in college basketball. Additionally, they will have a couple of proven players in Keion Bell (leading scorer in the West Coast Athletic Conf a year ago and Earnest Ross who was Auburn's leading scorer a year ago in addition to Jamari Brown ( 5 star recruit), Laurence Bowers, a top junior college transfer and a slew of mid ranked freshmen. Some of these guys have had the opportunity to play together (Brown, Bell and Ross) in practice but reality could again exceed expectations. Again, it's a little like this year's team and it all comes down to the front line.

[kcmetro]

Way too early of course, but Andy Katz has KU #3 for next year, with K-State #20, and Mizzou #25.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketb ... ng-2012-13

Is that assuming Robinson will be back? I wonder if Withey will even be back. I do not know who made all tournament team but I think it was Withey that took KU where it went. He didn't score a lot (neither did anthony davis last night) but against OSU, Purdue, NCState, and NC, his presence really changed their game plans and forced them into an outside game. I think Withey really improved his stock in the tourney and I don't think KU makes it to the final four or even elite 8 without him. There's always a spot for a defensive minded and athletic 7 footer in the NBA. Other than that, only Johnson is back next year and the rest of the squad will be unproven....I think 3 is a bit high.

Missouri may or may not be good next year as they lost a lot but they will have two of the best point guards in college basketball back....and I think Phil Pressey is the best distributor in college basketball. Additionally, they will have a couple of proven players in Keion Bell (leading scorer in the West Coast Athletic Conf a year ago and Earnest Ross who was Auburn's leading scorer a year ago in addition to Jamari Brown ( 5 star recruit), Laurence Bowers, a top junior college transfer and a slew of mid ranked freshmen. Some of these guys have had the opportunity to play together (Brown, Bell and Ross) in practice but reality could again exceed expectations. Again, it's a little like this year's team and it all comes down to the front line.

Withey already said he's coming back. The projected starting lineup is Withey, Releford, Johnson, Ben McLemore, and Perry Ellis.

[phxcat]

Way too early of course, but Andy Katz has KU #3 for next year, with K-State #20, and Mizzou #25.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketb ... ng-2012-13

Is that assuming Robinson will be back? I wonder if Withey will even be back. I do not know who made all tournament team but I think it was Withey that took KU where it went. He didn't score a lot (neither did anthony davis last night) but against OSU, Purdue, NCState, and NC, his presence really changed their game plans and forced them into an outside game. I think Withey really improved his stock in the tourney and I don't think KU makes it to the final four or even elite 8 without him. There's always a spot for a defensive minded and athletic 7 footer in the NBA. Other than that, only Johnson is back next year and the rest of the squad will be unproven....I think 3 is a bit high.

Missouri may or may not be good next year as they lost a lot but they will have two of the best point guards in college basketball back....and I think Phil Pressey is the best distributor in college basketball. Additionally, they will have a couple of proven players in Keion Bell (leading scorer in the West Coast Athletic Conf a year ago and Earnest Ross who was Auburn's leading scorer a year ago in addition to Jamari Brown ( 5 star recruit), Laurence Bowers, a top junior college transfer and a slew of mid ranked freshmen. Some of these guys have had the opportunity to play together (Brown, Bell and Ross) in practice but reality could again exceed expectations. Again, it's a little like this year's team and it all comes down to the front line.

Those were my thoughts as well. It was always in the back of my mind that Withey had been a four star recruit, and that he could easily explode on the scene, and that he was stuck behind the twins and Robinson last year. Watching the tournament, I was really surprised at hos he just took that part of the floor away from every team up to Kentucky, and 7 footers that can play don't grow on trees. I would guess he stays, as next year he will be the man inside, though he will be relying on freshmen to help him out, and, though I would expect his game to improve, how effective will he be without Robinson? I also wonder who will step up to play point, and how effective they will be. Assuming Robinson goes (I can't imagine him not) next year will be a group of role players. Talented role players, and when people talk about Self developing players, we forget that most of these players were highly touted recruits who fail to bloom until late in their careers, but role players nonetheless.

Missouri, like you say, loses a lot of talent but has a lot coming in. It will be interesting to see how it comes together. K-State should bethe best positioned out of the three, but how many players will leave? How will Webber coach them? Highlander, do you have any thoughts on Webber?

[Highlander]

Way too early of course, but Andy Katz has KU #3 for next year, with K-State #20, and Mizzou #25.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketb ... ng-2012-13

Missouri, like you say, loses a lot of talent but has a lot coming in. It will be interesting to see how it comes together. K-State should bethe best positioned out of the three, but how many players will leave? How will Webber coach them? Highlander, do you have any thoughts on Webber?

I thought Weber was a pretty safe pick without huge upside (of course Haith did not even look like a safe pick and the results so far have been pretty good). He didn't really shine in a state that puts out tons of good players but he does put together solid well balanced teams that should do at least as well as most of Martin's teams. How well he can recruit to Manhattan will obviously be an issue. I really do not know how well situated KSU is for next year. I suspect McGruder will be a preseason all big XII player but losing Samuels will hurt and Spradling needs to shoot better than in the low 30's percentile from behind the arc to play the role he does. Plus, didn't Martin's top recruit bolt? Is Weber having anyone follow him to KSU?

I would not trust anything a player says a few minutes after losing in the championship game of the NCAA tourney. Consequently, I put little stock in Withey saying he'll be back. I don't think he's ever going to be an offensive juggernaut, his value is defense and his stock as a defensive player is high right now. KU may not make it far into the tourney next year and he may not get this kind of exposure again. He'll rethink the statements he made if there is a clear first round projection.

[AllThingsKC]

[double post]