2008 College Basketball Season [Winner: lardass76]

[chopsiu]

indiana beat # 19 iowa
thanks

[cougfan82]

Washington State gets there first win of the Pac-10 Season...by knocking off #14 Stanford. This was the first time in about a month that the Cougs showed up with everyone on the same page...and pulled away with a game ending 15-0 roll...(4 bonus and a mixed set)

[Lincecum]

Kansas State's home court advantage is growing as the crowd gets behind the new coach...
W over Oklahoma in game 3777961

[laci_mae]

Arkansas wins Game 11 on the road against East Carolina.

Game 3761210

Best,
Laci

[SNARF17WD]

New coach at toleda gets a roasting as north illinois improves to 7-5

[flexmaster33]

Standings have been updated through Friday night, and I believe all open coaching spots have been filled.

[John Price]

Seaton Hall win away at Notre Dame. Then a home win over Colorado

[plash.ricrem]

Vermont knocks off Xavier in a battle of tough A-10 teams in 10 rounds (3778067). UVM coach Plash Ricrem declined to say much about the match due to his team's ongoing tilt with #3 ranked Eastern Michigan and instead stated "I'll address both games once the Eastern game is finished. In the meantime I'd like to congratulate Xavier and their coach Lostatlimbo for a hard fought contest. I look forward to playing them again on the road later in the season."

[geigerm]

It took 18 hard fought rounds, but UConn was able to squeak out a home win over a surprisingly feisty Santa Clara team in Game 3779630. Coach acores2005 had Santa Clara off and running from the opening tip, and they jumped out to an early lead thanks to their 1 army bonus in Luxembourg. However, geigerm's Huskies were able to inch their way back into the game and eventually proved too much for the visitors.

[plash.ricrem]

Following a stellar 2-0 week including an in conference win v. Xavier and a stunning upset on the road of #3 Eastern Michigan (3761162) Vermont coach Plash Ricrem finally got around to addressing the media this morning:

On his team's 5 game winning streak to even Vermont's record on the season to 6-6, "You know what's on the front of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? DON'T PANIC. And that's a philosophy I subscribe to. I certainly wasn't pleased with our 1-5 start, but I figured we'd turn it around. It was one of those things were there were nights were shots just weren't falling. Hopefully we won't have nay more 5 game losing streaks this season..."

In regards to upsetting #3 ranked EMU, "Let me first tell you that EMU coach Serbia is a classy individual. That game was the hardest fought game we've played this season (18 rounds of back and forth action) and it really could have gone either way. Anytime I thought we were on the verge of pulling away they'd seem to pick it up for a couple of minutes (turns) and we'd be back to square one. It didn't help we weren't getting much production off the bench (having to go to 5 cards twice for sets) early on, but things got a little better as the game went. Their full court press was relentless, but we were finally able to break it with like less than 5 minutes left (picking up an area bonus in round 15). That really spurred us on to victory when they had a couple of empty trips with time winding down. I can clearly see why they're ranked 3rd in the nation..."

In regards to their win against conference foe Xavier at home, "This was a game I had circled on our schedule. I knew that Xavier was previously undefeated in conference play, and were coming in hot like us. We were able to come out to a fast start (securing a bonus after round 1) and really were able to use our zone defense (knocking off territories that were otherwise locked behind neutrals) to our advantage. I look forward to playing them again on the road later in the season."

On evening his team's record against top 20 teams to 2-2, "A w is a w. I don't care who they come against. I mean it is nice that they come against some of the top teams in the nation (wins in the last two weeks against 14th ranked St. Bonnies and EMU) but it won't really matter if we finish like 3-3 on the year against top 20 teams and like 5-18 against everyone else. Hopefully it'll provide something for the selection committee to think about though, seeing as I think we've played all those games on neutral sites or on the road."

About his team's quick start and Flex's A10 Preview, "Yeah I saw that (had Rhode Island 1 and Duquense as a dark horse). Can't say I was too surprised. Hopefully our 3-0 start to conference play will turn some heads and gain us some respect. We expect to be near the top of the conference when the season ends. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to start planning for next week's game, or finish some work before finals start, or most likely doing the first while procrastinating on the 2nd."

[whitestazn88]

lost another one.... great

[lostatlimbo]

Xavier snapped its 5-game win streak with a conference road loss to plash.ricrem's impressive Vermont team. Coach Limbo addressed the media days later:

"Well of course its always disappointing to lose a game, but I can't be disappointed in our guys. They played hard and it just wasn't our night. Ricrem's team came out fast and furious and we never got our momentum going. We lost a fair game to a talented team. Hopefully we'll have an answer to them next time we meet."

[flexmaster33]

Standings have been updated through Sunday night and the Game 13 set has been sent out.

Among the big matchups:
#5 Florida and #12 Auburn meet in an early-season SEC showdown
Portland State (me!!!) @ #17 Weber State to decide No. 1 in the Big Sky
#14 Rhode Island @ Vermont to decide who ends up on top in the Atlantic-10

[geigerm]

The UConn Huskies grabbed their first win over a top 20 foe this season, defeating conference opponent #13 St. John's on the road in Game 3803052. The Huskies' were hot from the get-go, with several players able to hit 3 pointers with a hand in their face (or just roll great dice against relatively even numbers of armies). A 12-0 run in Round 4 (otherwise known as a mixed set with a 2-army bonus on Kupang) helped Coach geigerm's team snag a convincing lead they wouldn't relinquish. The Huskies move to 4-1 in Big East play and 9-4 overall.

[AmphibiousRodent]

TRANSCRIPT OF FRESNO STATE COACH STEVE CLEVELAND'S POST-GAME PRESS CONFERENCE
Following a 5-round loss to Air Force

Cleveland: They had us from start to finish. We didn't have a chance. We were going great in the preseason, but now we're 1-3 in league. And this is not the strongest conference.

Press: Actually, it's the weakest. What's been the key to these losses? Lazy defense? Poor outside shooting? Dominated in the post?

Cleveland: Nope. Flexmaster33.

Press: What about him?

Cleveland: He's the key.

Press: Whaddaya mean?

Cleveland: We're a young team. We were doing good, on our way to a decent season, above .500 at least. Then Flexmaster picks us to win the WAC. It was too much for the boys to handle. They got scared. Started going for the big shot every play. We've sucked ever since. Lost our hustle.

Press: How is that Flexmaster's fault?

Cleveland: Dunno. It just is. I mean really, who picks Fresno State to win anything?

Press: What about the baseball team?

Cleveland: Coach Batesole sold his soul to the devil.

[flexmaster33]

[pimphawks70]

TRANSCRIPT OF FRESNO STATE COACH STEVE CLEVELAND'S POST-GAME PRESS CONFERENCE
Following a 5-round loss to Air Force

Cleveland: They had us from start to finish. We didn't have a chance. We were going great in the preseason, but now we're 1-3 in league. And this is not the strongest conference.

Press: Actually, it's the weakest. What's been the key to these losses? Lazy defense? Poor outside shooting? Dominated in the post?

Cleveland: Nope. Flexmaster33.

Press: What about him?

Cleveland: He's the key.

Press: Whaddaya mean?

Cleveland: We're a young team. We were doing good, on our way to a decent season, above .500 at least. Then Flexmaster picks us to win the WAC. It was too much for the boys to handle. They got scared. Started going for the big shot every play. We've sucked ever since. Lost our hustle.

Press: How is that Flexmaster's fault?

Cleveland: Dunno. It just is. I mean really, who picks Fresno State to win anything?

Press: What about the baseball team?

Cleveland: Coach Batesole sold his soul to the devil.

I owned him!

[muy_thaiguy]

Wyoming vs Fresno State. The Cowboys after a rough beginning, take home the victory.

Game 3803144

[blacky44]

Vandebilt wins against Georgia getting its first SEC win. Vanderbilt got a early bonus of Indiana and the Lakes on the Great Lakes map and never stopped beating the Dogs 47-14. After the game Coach Blacky44 said maybe they should be called the pups.

[thisboy]

In a difficult game, Portland defeated Northern Arizona in long 9 turns game.

[Hacx5nine]

Big road win for #7 Texas Tech at Georgetown (3803006) to go to 9-3. About to be 9-4 after sloppy play in first big 12 game at Baylor.

[plash.ricrem]

Coach Plash Ricrem sits at the podium following his team's tough 14 round loss at home to #14th ranked Rhode Island, snapping their 5 game winning streak (3803152)
"Well that sucked. I mean the game has been over for like an hour, and I still don't know what the hell happened. I mean the boxscore indicates a thrashing, but if you go back and look at the game tape we had them dead to rights.

The game started out fine, I realized early on we'd have to play man instead of zone like we prefer, and it went fabulously. I look up and it's halftime and we're up like 12 points (10+ armies from like rounds 4-8 or 9?). I'm thinking alright, we've got this pretty well sewed up. A couple more possessions, then Flex will finally give us some cred on the front page. And then it was like being hit by a bus.

As best as my team defends the 3 point line, we always seem to get burned by it (cards). Some days we can overcome it, but today it cost us the match. Every time I thought we had them on the mat, they'd come back the next possession and drill a big 3 (examples being rounds 5 and 8 where of course he cashed mixed sets to break what would be a crippling territory bonus). But still, they couldn't stop Blakely inside and in the paint (non bonus attacks) and I thought we'd pull it out.

So back and forth we went for a couple of trips, I figured we'd be alright (we were still up ~8-10 armies). And then the two possessions came that cost us the match. I can't blame my team for it, it's just how it is. Blakely made a layup but didn't get the call for the and 1 (I get a 4th card and realize I have to go to a 5th card for a set) and of course his guy comes back down and calmly drills a 30 footer with a hand in his face and no time on the shotclock (3 card mixed set).

It was then I knew we were screwed. Of course the next trip down we get the and 1 (mixed set) but by then it was too late (he had already secured an unbreakable monster bonus to do me in).

My guys played well, Rhode Island just hit the tough shots when they had to (and may have gotten some help from the refs.. ) . I'm certain we can play with them, and hopefully we'll take them on their homecourt next time. Yeah having our winning streak come to an end sucks, but I can't really blame my boys for it, and it's not like we were going to go undefeated in conference. Just gotta get ready for Thursday's game I guess..."

[Aesop Jones]

THE ATOMIC TIGERS DO IT AGAIN!

Game 3803066

After recent losses became cause for Aesop Jones' Clemson squad to hold a team meeting, he has led the Tigers to monstrous results, following up a home victory vs. then-#12 Virginia Tech by exploiting the fast-break defense of Duke and going on breaks of his own. "This serves notice to the entire conference," Jones said in a post-game interview. "We can't sneak up on anybody now. We are coming for the top; we can't be bargained with, reasoned with, and absolutely WILL NOT STOP!" Taking a breath, he continued: "UNTIL YOU ARE DEAD!"

When a reporter quietly pointed out that he's confusing basketball with "The Terminator," Jones pulled a shotgun out of his locker. Police say charges will be forthcoming.

[dcc1220]

Game 13 Big12 — Nebraska @ Iowa State

Iowa State defeats Nebraska

[lostatlimbo]

Xavier moves to 3-1 in conference play with its defeat of Dayton at home, in 8 rounds.

Coach Limbo after the game:

"It was great to see the players not miss a beat after the loss to Vermont. We pulled out an early lead (+2) in the first half and played some great zone defense to keep Dayton from gaining any momentum. We had several great blocks (keeping Dayton from a possible +6) and hit a key 3-point shot right before the half, which led to an 11 point lead (14 troops to 3) down the stretch. Dayton put up a fight, but never really got their offense going (only one set cashed), despite a beneficial tip-off (starting with most of Russia and Japan). It was the kind of smart, steady play I expect to see out of my guys every game."