Let's start in the Big 12 where Kansas needed overtime to dispose of an upstart Colorado bunch.
Buff fans will lament the foul call with 36 seconds to play that sent Sherron Collins to the line to tie or take the lead. The call, quite frankly, was an amazingly bad bail out that had been a no call for the whole game. Well, if you were Colorado anyway. But get this, on their home floor, CU shot 17 foul shots to Kansas' 38. Shocking huh? I get that the Buffaloes don't have a back to the basket game, but they do drive the basketball and their student body comprises all manner of tireless conservationists.
Give them a break.
Plus the KU guards shot 15 foul shots by themselves, and Brady Morningstar and Tyrell Reed aren't usually confused with slashing, get to the basket players. Anyway, Collins hits one out of two and KU gets the game into overtime where they're able to just blast a worn down CU club. Upset averted. Or as our friends at Oread Kings put it, "Nothing is fucked."
Some interesting things about the game:
1) Alec Burks, CU's star freshman and best player was held out for health reasons. CU could have used his offensive punch last night.
2) Kansas hit a Texas-like 18 of 38 from the foul line which helped keep CU in the game.
3) CU runs a 5 out Princeton style attack and runs 20-30 seconds off of every shot clock, which meant Cole Aldrich had to play defense and run around the perimeter for most of the game. He was absolutely gassed in the last five minutes as was most of the KU frontcourt. Considering the overtime this a development to keep your eye on if you're a Texas fan. Remember, KU has another game at Nebraska on Saturday, and then they turn around and play in Austin two days later. It'll be interesting to see if the Hawks have tired legs come Monday. Root for overtime this Saturday.
In the other semi-important Big 12 tilt, the Aggies went into Columbia and knocked off a pretty good Mizzou team for the first time in 30 years. Forwards David Loubeau and Kris Middleton had coming out parties of sorts for the Ags going a combined 11-21 for 33 points and taking advantage of a pretty small Mizzou frontcourt.
The Aggies also were able to overcome a sloppy 20 turnover performance by crushing the Tigers on the glass and shooting 6-10 from deep. Bryan Davis hair clubbed for men-ed his way to 11 boards and dominated the glass. The game could have been a blowout win for A&M but they struggled on the line going 19-36. What the hell is going on with the foul line in college this year?
Another game I perused...West Virginia continued to expose the fraud that is Pitt by handing them their 4th loss in 5 games. Don't expect to see the Panthers in the top 25 for the rest of the year barring the return of Charles Smith and Jerome Lane.
Meanwhile, West Virginia continues to kill people from behind the arc with their 4 headed monster of Smith, Bryant, Butler, and Jones. Who's their 5th man? None other than talented glass eater Devin Eubanks. Watch for the 'Neers to make some noise down the stretch and position themselves to garner a two seed and an outside shot at a 1.
Don't miss their epic battle at home vs. Villanova next Monday. I'm guessing they'll make everyone a believer.
In the last game I bounced around on, Georgetown was unable to validate it's win over Duke blowing a 9 point halftime lead against South Florida and one man wrecking crew Dominique Jones. If you haven't seen Jones play, you need to. If the kid played at a powerhouse school he'd be a household name because he has game for days. Jones is a chiseled 6-4 guard that is a candidate to mess around and get a triple double on any given night. Just explosive. Yes, he's that good and he vanquished the Hoyas almost single handedly last night. Check out his stats.
As for tonight, I'm cooking 36 hour marinated Omaha Steak ribeyes and drinking Aberlour scotch, with one eye on Duke and Georgia Tech at 6. If I'm not passed out at 8, I may watch UNC vs. Va. Tech or Maryland vs. Florida State. Or maybe reruns of Magnum P.I.
Depends.