p2

11/16/2005 12:22:19 AM

Is anyone else feeling REALLY good about our chances this year.

I mean lets get serious here. So far Va Tech has lost to Bowling Green, Miami has lost to Air Force, and WFU has been taken to overtime by George Mason. Not exactly a sterling effort to start the season by other ACC teams..

I can see this being a 4-team conference this year: BC, Duke, Maryland, NCSU

11/16/2005 8:46:16 AM

Quote :

"Also I think McCauley is gonna be insane in a year or two, will make b-rack look silly."

What makes you think he'll be around that long? IF he returns next year, he will certainly be gone after his sophomore year.

11/16/2005 9:20:35 AM

Quote :

"I can see this being a 4-team conference this year: BC, Duke, Maryland, NCSU"

Although I have a bad feeling I'm underestimating Gary Williams....I just think the Terps will struggle at the PG spot like Wake is this year.

11/16/2005 9:43:08 AM

Quote :

"What makes you think he'll be around that long? IF he returns next year, he will certainly be gone after his sophomore year."

I am not much of a gamblin man, but I would bet that you are being sarcastic there.

11/16/2005 10:16:25 AM

Quote :

"Is anyone else feeling REALLY good about our chances this year."

Yep. During the summer, I didn't expect much. But the more I see us play, the more I like. I didn't expect Brack to put on muscle during the offseason, but he goes and adds 20 pounds. I didn't expect Bennerman to show much, but I think that D he played against Charlotte was an indicator that he really accepted his role as a teammate.

I hate to be getting my hopes up (typical State fan, hyping the team very very early in the season) but I really like what I see from us, and I'm amazed that the rest of the ACC has apparently suffered even more of a lapse than I expected.

I think we're in a very good place right now.

11/16/2005 12:49:01 PM

After seeing Duke and NCSU both twice in the preseason I say that yes, we do look good. However, we aren't even in the same league as Duke. Although they were playing in Cameron, Duke looked as impressive as I've seen a college team in preseason. They could seriously only have 1 or 2 loses all year. Without a doubt, the more I watch Duke play it reminds me just how far away we are from national title contention.

11/16/2005 1:10:40 PM

BUT... they only beat a no-name by like 15 points or something.

So, it is clear that they aren't that great

11/16/2005 3:44:51 PM

Coach K will have em playin for the NC this year with that talent, thats for sure. But I think we will be able to give em a fit with our style of offense (Boston played similar to us, backdoors n such and kept it relatively close), as well as Bennerman coming into the defender that he is will be able to match up better with Redick. B-rack will be able to match up better with Shelden Williams with the muscle he's put on, but I don't think he will be able to stop Williams. However, with our depth at that position we could probably get him into foul trouble.

It is way too early to start thinking about this crap (esp the Duke game), but oh well I can't help it. We'll see what happens when we get tested early against Notre Dame, Iowa, Alabama, etc.

[Edited on November 16, 2005 at 4:35 PM. Reason : nor am i a sports analyst sooooo...yeah.]

11/16/2005 4:34:30 PM

^if last year's tourney taught us anyhting, it's that team defense will shut down any front court. If we get into a situation where it's brack vs shelden, we will lose. Our team has to defend the interior.

The bennerman-jj matchup is one that can be talked about more in 1 on 1 terms. However, duke will put their whole team against bennerman by setting endless screens.

Also, in the games where we have beaten duke, JJ has scored a lot. That might indicate that if we shut down everyone else, it's ok to let JJ get his points because he alone can't beat us.

Lastly, we have to figure out a way to execute against their pressure defense and keep the ball. I'm not sure the frosh, sophs, or bennerman are up to the task.

[Edited on November 16, 2005 at 4:41 PM. Reason : dsf]

11/16/2005 4:39:12 PM

Alabama barely beat Miami Ohio last night 64-58. That's Herb's old school.

11/16/2005 4:40:53 PM

^^ actually JJ had 35 on us in the ACC tourney this year and they beat us that game

[Edited on November 16, 2005 at 4:55 PM. Reason : a]

11/16/2005 4:54:40 PM

^ please learn to read and think

Quote :

" Also, in the games where we have beaten duke, JJ has scored a lot. That might indicate that if we shut down everyone else, it's ok to let JJ get his points because he alone can't beat us. "

a->b is not the same as b->a

11/16/2005 5:03:51 PM

good thread - keep it coming

I haven't really seen any of the ACC teams play yet, so I'm loving this thread

11/16/2005 6:16:35 PM

Duke plays Seton Hall tonight at 7:30; it'll be on ESPN.

The Wake-Florida game in NY will be on ESPN tomorrow night at 7; then at 10 ESPN2 will be showing Memphis-Alabama.

It's a good couple of days for checking out future opponents.

[Edited on November 16, 2005 at 6:52 PM. Reason : wrong time]

11/16/2005 6:50:24 PM

Quote :

"Also, in the games where we have beaten duke, JJ has scored a lot. That might indicate that if we shut down everyone else, it's ok to let JJ get his points because he alone can't beat us."

well gee if it's that easy just to "shut down everyone else" then yeah of course our entire team could outscore jj redick. i think that's a ridiculous "idea". it's in quotations because i think it's funny to even call it that. package2 mentioned that jj dropped 35 on us in that game. i guess if herb had been aware of your genius plan we could have just shut down the entire blue devils roster sans redick and we would have annihilated them.

skokiaan FOR HEAD COACH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111111

11/16/2005 7:46:51 PM

Actually the idea of "shut down everyone but reddick" is a decent plan and one that may work.

This was actually used by the pistons two years ago when they won the big one.

11/16/2005 10:26:26 PM

That probably would've worked last year, if we hadn't been held back by so many injured/sick players.

This year, though, they're going to have quite a few options on offense. It won't be as simple as the Pistons-Lakers series, where all they had to do was be sure that Kobe was shut down. I'm not really sure what you can do aside from just play tight man-to-man and hope to force turnovers.

11/16/2005 10:49:11 PM

^^^

- sarcasm - check
- rebuttal of my points - nowhere to be found

I don't know if a nitwit like you can understand this, but let's give it a shot:

- Shut down all duke players - really hard
- Pick our poison and strategically shut down most duke players - less hard

Do you understand this concept? Do you also understand that in many of the games we have dropped to duke, we have tried to defend everything, failing in most of the outings?

11/16/2005 10:56:10 PM

Doesnt look like Seton Hall will be a theat. Bad for the RPI if they suck it up real bad. Later game too.

11/17/2005 12:05:43 AM

was at the duke-seton hall game tonight. Duke played really well, much better than last game. Seton Hall shot poorly. Final: 93-40

11/17/2005 12:26:25 AM

its always good to get some in-depth analysis from someone who was there

11/17/2005 12:57:55 AM

Well, yeah, not quite what I had in mind with the thread, but then again this game was televised so we could all check it out.

I figured we'd have more posters who are in grad school around the ACC now with a chance to see teams that the rest of us can't, but I was probably wrong on that point.

11/17/2005 1:04:09 AM

Quote :

"- Shut down all duke players - really hard - Pick our poison and strategically shut down most duke players - less hard"

you didn't say "strategically shut down most duke players" before. you said "everyone else"

my gripe with that is that it's duke. maybe you and i have different opinions of what it means to "shut down" a player, but in my definition it means keep them at around 5 points or so. so yeah, i think it's ridiculous to think that you can "shut down" everyone on duke's roster but one player.

if you disagree with that fine, but i still think that is a horrible strategy. and you didn't even say how, it was more of a madden-like comment, saying "basically what the team is wanting to do here is to outscore their opponent".

11/17/2005 3:47:37 AM

Quote :

"The bennerman-jj matchup is one that can be talked about more in 1 on 1 terms. However, duke will put their whole team against bennerman by setting endless screens. "

When we beat duke our victory hinges on the refs calling moving screens carefully that night. Many of the screens set for reddick are moving screens and unfortunately the refs don't always see fit to call games carefully around that rule.

11/17/2005 8:46:36 AM

The game is in Cameron this year. That pretty much rules out any chance for an evenly officiated game. We just have to overcome it somehow..

11/17/2005 8:47:37 AM

Well at least we know WFU being ranked is a joke. Get taken to OT by George Mason and lost to a VERY DOWN UF team is not a very good start...

11/17/2005 9:25:46 PM

Has anyone been to one of UNC's exhibition games?

I've seen the box scores, and I expect that they'll be better than a lot of people think, but I'd like to hear some impressions from people who have actually seen them play.

11/17/2005 10:28:57 PM

my dad went w/ a friend to one of their exhibitions (and he is a Duke fan) and he said they will be nowhere near as bad as everyone is saying (hoping)

my dad has been around the game forever and he said they will make the ncaa tournament unless something happens....their defense he said didn't look that bad, noel was better, and all of their freshmen are very good (hansbrough, green, frasor)

he said they will be very thin (understandably) but they will be a decent team...he thought that they would finish in the top half of the acc, prob. either 4,5,or 6 and would make the tourney

11/17/2005 10:37:16 PM

That's right around where I'd predict them to go...

I just really want to sweep them this year.

11/17/2005 10:40:56 PM

i know......we need to do it now b/c w/ their recruiting class this year and the one they have next year (6 recruits, all top 150 players i believe) it won't happen again for a while

http://northcarolina.rivals.com/commitlist.asp?sport=2&year=2006&school=52

[Edited on November 17, 2005 at 10:44 PM. Reason : link]

11/17/2005 10:42:10 PM

I wouldn't write us off that quickly.

We have great players right now and the next class is solid. The only thing that concerns me about next year is the relative lack of guards, which is being addressed by the following class.

I really think we're on the upswing again.

11/17/2005 10:44:16 PM

not ACC, but a big upcomming opponent.
#14 Bama is hosting #12 Memphis... in the NIT quarterfinals. ESPN 2

end of the 1st half it's 48-32 Memphis.

Bama has been unimpressive thus far. It seems like a really pathetic crowd considering who they're playing... Everyone's probably home for an early start to thanksgiving break or too busy blowing Brodie Croyle. Memphis scored at will during the 1st half. Bama hasn't been shooting well, and don't seem to be playing defense.

I think Alabama has some real problems with their guards this season. Steele is incredible, but they don't have anything else in their back court.


[Edited on November 17, 2005 at 11:06 PM. Reason : s]

11/17/2005 11:04:33 PM

^^oh, i wasn't writing us off; i have always been a supporter of Herb and you are right they we are doing better in recruiting and in everything else; we are def. on the upswing

i was just referring to how good carolina's next class is; and the one this year

11/17/2005 11:39:26 PM

This particular game is good for Memphis...they're not going to get much respect from beating up on C-USA teams, so a win over a ranked opponent from a major conference is a pretty good deal for them.

11/17/2005 11:58:03 PM

Gonzaga vs. Maryland tomorrow night at 5 on ESPN2.

11/20/2005 4:34:00 PM

UNC beats Gardner Webb yesterday... by 3.

11/20/2005 4:39:06 PM

Zags v. Terps will be a good one tonight, we'll see if Maryland can live up to the hype. Lots of good basketball on tonight.

11/21/2005 10:33:36 AM

Iowa, our ACC/Big Ten Challenge opponent, plays kentucky tonight. Dunno if it's on tv, but I'll be pulling for Iowa, just to boost our SOS.

WVA and Texas play tonight too. We don't play either of them but they're both in the top 15, should be a good one... Dunno if it's on tv either.

11/21/2005 11:25:34 AM

its on the deuce

11/21/2005 12:23:51 PM

wall to wall basketball on espn and espn 2 from 4-130. im ready

11/21/2005 12:49:32 PM

I hate UMD as much as most on here, but I hope they stomp the Zags. I'm tired of all the hype they get just to flame out early in the tourney.

11/21/2005 2:05:31 PM

I'm rooting for the Zags cus I KNOW they'll go out early in the tourney. So might as well beat the teams I hate during the season.

11/21/2005 3:41:49 PM

Pretty much the only time I'll pull for Maryland is if they're playing UNC. Other than that, they can lose every game. Go Zags!

More on topic, I'm pretty excited about this upcoming season. Granted, it's been against nobody opponents, but I've liked what I've seen from McCauley and Costner so far. Fells hasn't seen much playing time, though; odd because I've heard that he is the most polished of our three freshman, and likely to get the most PT of the three in the season. Is he not that far along, or just doesn't need the early PT like the other two do?

11/21/2005 4:51:46 PM

Everything that I have seen from him looks great so far. Maybee Herb is just sticking with size for right now

11/21/2005 4:55:12 PM

fuck maryland but part of me wants them and unc to do ok so the acc wont be so damn weak. the acc is looking like the 4th best conference right now. if maryland falls out possibly 5th

11/21/2005 5:58:53 PM

^^He's a little lost on defense, once he gets that down, he'll get PT. Same with scooter years ago...

11/21/2005 6:04:46 PM

iowa looking pretty good tonight

11/21/2005 11:13:36 PM

Iowa did look good, but they were also assisted by the fact that Kentucky couldn't land a shot anywhere close to the basket.

11/21/2005 11:46:12 PM

Wake finally made the roster adjustment I've been saying they should make all along:

Quote :

"Freshman Harvey Hale took over at point guard instead of Gray, a change designed not only to give Gray more scoring opportunities but also to cut down on his turnovers."

11/22/2005 8:24:42 AM