When i am study in college that time we make team and play football.Football is the best sports.When i am in 3rd year that time my college arrange sports and i participate in football team.When my team play against another college team.In that match my college win.

Texas A&M is apparently joining the SEC next season (2012-2013). Interesting. I'd have much preferred getting Texas Tech, so I'd be able to see Billy Gillispie coach more often (in spite of being a horrible fit for the job of Kentucky coach, he's a great coach in general and can do a lot for other programs) and all of that jive.

Also, four SEC teams in pre-season Top 25 - three in the top 10!

We've got:
Kentucky (2 in both polls)
Vanderbilt (7 in both polls)
Florida (8 in AP; 10 in coaches)
Alabama (19 in AP; 17 in coaches)

I'm also pretty thrilled with UK having seen their first preseason game...Anthony Davis seemed a little bit terrified, but he's a hell of a shot blocker and you can see that even throughout the course of one game, he got more aggressive. Wiltjer's a great shooter, and I'd have liked him to take more shots. The problem with that was it seemed that for the Transy exhibition, Calipari was switching Wiltjer and Davis up at center, when I don't really see Wiltjer as a center at all - he's a Peja Stojakovic-style forward, through and through. Probably that was just for the match-up; Transy's tallest player starting was 6'4", and they were a smaller, quicker, more shooting oriented team. Then again, maybe Cal's seen something in practices regarding Wiltjer's style that I've not seen. Who knows?

Anyway, as far as the other freshman: Teague exceeded expectations. Kidd-Gilchrist is already a superstar.

And the returning players: Darius Miller is looking as great as he did at the end of last season, when he finally stepped up to reach his potential. Jones is looking phenomenal. Lamb is playing hard and looking really good. Vargas is still a solid role player who doesn't screw everything up when he's in the game.

After one exhibition, I'm already more impressed with this UK team than I was with last year's team during the exhibition schedule. This should be a solid season.

I don't know if I'm going to say National Championship right now, but I could see another Final Four - definitely an Elite 8.

I think Calipari gets his first championship this year. Before they were stacked, but this year, so stacked.

I could possibly see that - especially considering that they've actually got players with tournament experience on the team. That's something they were, regrettably, lacking in Cal's previous teams - then again, that's generally how Cal works.

Kentucky's first game. I slept through it, but I'm watching the re-airing now - tipoff will be on that in the next five minutes.

I did check out the score and Box Score - they won by 50 - with Terrence Jones coming off of the bench and only scoring 8 points.

He apparently violated curfew, along with a benchwarmer, Stacey Poole, and they got caught because they were in an accident. Poole was hospitalized with very minor injuries, and Jones was fine, albeit moving "a little gingerly". Jones is in trouble now, and apparently fled the scene of the accident before going back and being questioned by police. Needless to say, Calipari isn't thrilled.

Five players in double digits (Davis, Kidd-Gilchrist, Teague, Lamb, Wiltjer) and two more with 8 points (Jones, Miller)

Davis started his season with his first double double - I'll have to guess the first of many.

To be fair, though, Marist is NOT a good team.

UNC, Ohio State, and UConn all picked up their first wins of the season, as did Duke (by only one point!), Louisville, Florida (by 40!), Pitt, Kansas (who Kentucky plays next), Xavier, Alabama, Michigan, Marquette, and Missouri.

Good deal.

I think UNC is clearly the best team right now. But with March Madness anyone can win. There is no playoff series in college.

I don't know about UNC being clearly the best - I'd argue a good case for UConn, actually.

By January, though, I'll say there's a University of Kentucky team that's going to be pretty much unstoppable. Super pumped to watch them play Kansas tonight - I think that's their first real test of the season. See if all of that talent can hang with actually solid teams.

Also super-pumped about the Florida / Ohio State game. I'm hoping the Gators pull this one out. I'm actually very excited about this year's Florida team. If Erving Walker can stop being a ball hog, they're definitely looking at another Elite 8.

Looking forward tomorrow to seeing two teams I'm a fan of going up against each other in what will be an excellent matchup, both being Top 10 teams ATM. Florida v. Syracuse. With the whole 'Cuse scandal and all of the media attacking Boeheim, I'm pleased to see that it's not seemed to affect the team's playing and dynamic. I'm also pleased with how this Florida team is looking this year; they played an awful first half against Ohio State, and still managed to lose that one (their only loss) somewhat respectably.

Their record against top 5 teams on the road under Donovan isn't horribly impressive, though...

Also - that UK / UNC game Saturday is going to be godly. It might, depending on how the bracket works out, be a preview of the NCAA Championship game in the spring. :)

Only, this one's at Rupp, so I have a feeling that UK has got this one.

After seeing them play a few times, I still think Kentucky is the best team. They have been shaky at times but Cal's teams always seem solidified going into the tourney.

I love watching Davis and Kidd-Gilchrist.

Kentucky has been fantastic. Their only problem right now is they're young, and it's still early in the season. Their sheer talent, though, should take them far - ideally to the championship.

Davis and Kidd-Gilchrist are definitely a joy to watch! Davis might not always put up the biggest numbers in the scoring column, but his blocks and rebounds never disappoint. Also a huge fan of Teague - he still turns the ball over a bit, but he's about as good a freshman point guard as they come!

Blasphemer!

You can't compare Teague to Rose or Wall.

:laughing:

True, true. But he's about as good as Knight, I'd say. A bit quicker even!

Although Knight's basketball IQ was insane.

I may be biased as a UK fan, but Louisville should not be ranked fourth. They're a good team this year, I'll give them that...and they are undefeated...but their only "tough" game came against Vanderbilt - in overtime - and Vandy aren't even ranked anymore. You have a superior Florida Gators who've lost only two games...both by less than ten points against the teams ranked #1 and #2 respectively ranked...#11, I believe? Weird.

Oh - as far as teams which have surprised the hell out me this year are concerned...Marshall is looking pretty good. I think if they keep it up, they can be on the bubble at least without even having to win their conference. They hung right with Syracuse, and have solid wins against a tough Belmont team and a decent Cincinnati team.

I may actually go check out one of their basketball games this year, as a matter of fact. Probably the home game vs. Memphis.

Indiana

12-0

Notable Wins: (1) Kentucky, Butler, NC State, Notre Dame

Ranked #18

My case is better, especially since I think Kentucky is the best team in the country.

Haha, yeah, Indiana should be ranked higher; I actually thought they were!

And my case for Florida is just that they should still be top 10 - they did have a 20 point win over Texas A&M this week, though, so that might increase the amount of votes they receive.

Kentucky #1 again; oh man.

Sad to see 'Cuse go down, because I do really like them as well. Jim Boeheim is one of my favorite coaches.

I also get tense when UK is #1 - they like to lose the moment that happens, it seems. Fortunately, Georgia didn't take them down (that would have been humiliating) and here's to hoping that LSU doesn't either.

Anthony Davis has gotta be a lock for #1 overall.

Oh, definitely. That kid is nuts.

You'd have to think so. I'd like to see the Raptors squeeze 7 years out of him before he bolts.

I'm finally confident in saying I believe that Kentucky is the strongest team in the NCAA right now. They're still growing, but they're at the point now where I don't feel like growing is even an issue.

Their past four games have been victories in which they've beat their opponents by at least 20 points, including 2 road games, and a complete defensive shutdown of Florida's impressive offense.

The only team that scares me right now, as far as keeping UK from winning the championship right now, is a very tough Syracuse squad. They've been doing great things, even amidst the scandal at said school, and Jim Boeheim is a master. They'd also match up so well with the 'Cats that it would be close and come down to the wire, I feel...in which Boeheim is genius at play-calling. Not to write off Calipari's abilities, as he is very, very good at what he does...but when he does what Boeheim has done, I'll not be so freaked about this match-up.

I'd love to play Duke this year. Watching the Plumlee brats trying to defend Anthony Davis (or score on him) would make my life.

Haha! Duke got slaughtered by North Carolina. Looks like they're not going to be getting that bid for a number 1 seed! Although I imagine it will be North Carolina, I'm kind of holding out hope for Michigan State. Tom Izzo is one of my top 3 coaches. Also, if that happened, I'd be a pretty big fan of three of the number one seeds: Kentucky, Syracuse, and Michigan State. I detest Kansas.

Hoping Duke, as a 2 seed, get stuck in Kentucky's bracket. Such a mismatch! Kentucky's perimeter defense and inside presence would destroy them.

Also hoping that Syracuse and Michigan State are on the OPPOSITE side of the bracket from UK. Those are the two teams I feel have the best chance of beating my 'Cats. They need not even be allowed to try until the title game.

I'm also feeling that Louisville could very well get upset in the first round again, depending on who they have to play. I'd love to see it.

As a Cuse fan, I would love to have Duke in my bracket too. :laughing:

I'm glad you can't have 2 teams from the same conference in the top 2 slots of a bracket. Marquette scares the crap out of me as a #2 seed. The other team Cuse would not want to see would be Missouri. They shoot the ball too well, would negate Melo on the inside because of their lack of size and are one of the few teams that run transition as well, or better than Syracuse does.

From what I remember about the rules, Kentucky and Syracuse are locks for the top 2 #1 seeds. Thus, they would be on opposite sides of the bracket. Leaving their only possible matchup in the title game... which would be a damn good game.

As for top 5 seeds that I could see being upset (barring the matchups):

Wisconsin- Same old Wisconsin. Scoring 50ish points a game. But, they're had a harder time controlling the pace to something that is comfortable for them. If a team can score 65 points, I think they have a legitimate shot at beating Bucky.

Duke- Just not a good team. Barely team Virginia and Virginia Tech at home, got very lucky against North Carolina the first time, and then spent yesterday doing an impression of Jodie Foster of a pinball machine in the rematch, at home no less.

Louisville- Think Wisconsin, except they have the ability to score and just cannot.

Florida- Even in their wins, I've never thought to myself "Wow! They're good". I would point out a specific weakness, but I can't even point out their identity as a basketball team. And that may be their weakness.

Georgetown- They have played to their competition all year. And that's a problem if they'll be a top 4 seed.

Murray State- From the 4 games I've watched them play; they seem very reckless and out of control. Sure, they have a knack of hitting their shots. But if a team slows them down (not named Louisville or Wisconsin), I think they'll struggle big time.

I win!

1st Rd: 26/32

http://i.imgur.com/rW0jz.png

Well, both of our Final Fours are still intact, which is more than anyone else in my Bracket Pool can say! :laughing:

I have Kansas over UNC, though, in the Elite 8 - and Kansas in the title game. The champ is the same, though! Took the same hits you did for the Duke and Mizzou upsets - had both in the Sweet 16 - and the same with Michigan...but, unfortunately, I had Temple in that game.

I did pick the Colorado upset, though.

If I'm not mistaken, I'm beating Obama right now. You definitely are.

The best bracket I think got 29/32.

I made two brackets. I should have made more, it's fun. The matchups that were iffy to me I picked the opposite in my other bracket, which is 40% right now.

I really should have picked the OU over Michigan, I went there and we knocked off Georgetown two years ago.

You went to OU? Sweet! My friend graduated from their media department thing last year, and she loved it.

My school didn't make the tourney this year, but they did manage to knock of Louisville in the first round last year...which just about made my entire year!

I actually regret not picking the Duke upset. They've not impressed me this year, and I left that spot blank for a good twenty minutes before finally deciding that as much as I wanted it to, it wasn't going to happen.

But, heck yeah, it totally did!

I'm currently most wary about Syracuse being in my elite 8; I turned my final bracket in before Melo was declared ineligible.

Damn, that IU v VCU game was epic. The Hoosiers were down for 90% of the game and couldn't score in the 2nd half. VCU was up 8 or so with a few minutes left and they went into another gear. I was convinced they were losing before. VCU is so amazingly disruptive on D.

After the first weekend:

Bracket 1 - 92.4%

Bracket 2 - 98%

I'm thrilled to see that Florida and Kentucky have been two of the most dominant teams in this tournament! Florida, in their two games, have won by an average of 30 pts, and Kentucky are peaking at the exact right time.

The Florida/Marquette game tonight is the one I'm most looking forward to - after last year's Elite 8 run in which most complained about Florida's excessively high seeding, I'd like to see the underrated 7 seed this year take a nice run to the same level...I think the way the Gators are playing, they can beat Marquette, but they won't blow them out. A possible Michigan State matchup in the Elite 8 if they manage to defeat Marquette would probably be asking too much.

As far as the Wildcats go, Marquis Teague is finally playing to his potential. With Jones finally awake from whatever stupor he was in for most of the season, Darius Miller logging quality minutes, and MKG and Davis playing with such defensive intensity, I don't see Indiana pulling off another stunner on the 'Cats.

RO16 Picks:

1 Syracuse v 4 Wisconsin - I have 0 confidence in this pick.

1 MSU v 4 Louisville - Louisville's O will stagnate while Green picks them apart multiple ways. I never see many MSU regular season games, and I'm always astounded at some random new kid they have playing (Green isn't quite new, I'm talking about whomever their new lead guard is).

2 OSU v 6 Cincinnati - Cincy has better guards and Gates will negate Sullinger, but Deshaun Thomas should push OSU over the top.

3 Marquette v 7 Florida - I expect Marquette to own the paint and play better defense.

======

3 Baylor v 10 Xavier - Baylor has the talent to be a dominant team but it never happens. I will stick with Tu.

1 UNC v 13 Ohio - UNC could have five lottery picks this year.

1 Kentucky v 4 Indiana - I'm hoping this one's close, and I suppose anything could happen. Having said that, all of UK's young guys have had so many reps since the first meeting.

2 Kansas v 11 NCST - I believe in Thomas Robinson. The rest? Not so much. They were gifted a win v Purdue.

I'm very proud of the way Florida is playing right now. Almost 8 minutes into the half, and they have a double digit lead. I didn't even expect them to get this far.

I didn't know about Beal. This years draft is ridiculously good.

Beal is an excellent player. He wasn't able to do as much against Kentucky, as they stuck their best defender (Michael Kidd-Gilchrist) on him, but he still finds other ways to contribute to his team.

I also think that this year on Florida's team, Erik Murphy is a guy who really stepped up big later in the season, as has Scottie Wilbekin who is definitely one of the Gators' better defenders.

What surprises me the most, though, is Florida's defense in the past few games: They've had piss poor defense for the vast majority of the season, excepting Will Yeguete who's out with an injury, and some solid if unremarkable defensive work by Young, Beal, and Wilbekin. They've really stepped it up, though.

They also be helped right now by the fact that Crowder is not having a very good game, and they've managed to hold Marquette's shooting to an abysmal 29%.

Win or lose, I never even thought they had a ghost of a chance against this Marquette team, and I'm a huge Florida fan. They have exceeded expectations, and I couldn't be more thrilled with this Gators team.

I did pretty awful last time, but I will persist.

Florida barely over Louisville (no idea on this one)

OSU easily over Syracuse

Kentucky easily over Baylor

UNC barely over Kansas

buckeyes are behind 23-21, but, i hope you're right.

Had Louisville, have Syracuse, UNC and Indiana (blah). It will be like 2009 Pitt all over again if Syracuse loses. I remember when they lost I was at the campus library, I was like "****!" and everyone stared. Bracket busted.

Crap.

More like 08 Memphis. The the title game was in hand and they choked it away.

Kansas was a powerhouse, Pitt was a powerhouse that had no business losing. I thought they were the most complete team, but they lost. Memphis was never challenged, and they got caught taking Kansas for granted, which was a more complete team overall.

The best team doesn't always win in a single elimination tournament. I think that was the case there.