All Purpose Big Ten Basketball/NCAA Hoop 2009-10 Thread

[Slaky]

I rooted for Purdue against the Volunteers, not only for Big Ten pride but because that scumbag Bruce Pearl deserves to lose every single game he coaches in for the rest of his life.

I assume he's a scumbag for using perfectly legal means to point out to the NCAA the shady shit that was going on at Illinois?  Granted, his motivation was born out of sour grapes, but shouldn't you be more angry with Illinois for playing fast and loose with the rules and committing a bunch of recruiting violations?  Were you mad at the Vikings yesterday for daring to expose how shitty the Bears are?  My final and most important question is, "Why the fuck do I read your posts?"

Was recording Deion Thomas over the phone without telling him he was being recorded legal?

And maybe BC should be more pissed that Lou Henson was a moron for having a shitty, cheating assistant coach like Jimmy Collins on his staff.

Right. Let's just leave it at everyone involved is probably scum. It's easier to paint with a broad brush. And it's way more fun to hate Bruce Pearl than to like him. Look at the guy...he oozes sleaze.

[CT III]

I rooted for Purdue against the Volunteers, not only for Big Ten pride but because that scumbag Bruce Pearl deserves to lose every single game he coaches in for the rest of his life.

I assume he's a scumbag for using perfectly legal means to point out to the NCAA the shady shit that was going on at Illinois?  Granted, his motivation was born out of sour grapes, but shouldn't you be more angry with Illinois for playing fast and loose with the rules and committing a bunch of recruiting violations?  Were you mad at the Vikings yesterday for daring to expose how shitty the Bears are?  My final and most important question is, "Why the fuck do I read your posts?"

Was recording Deion Thomas over the phone without telling him he was being recorded legal?

And maybe BC should be more pissed that Lou Henson was a moron for having a shitty, cheating assistant coach like Jimmy Collins on his staff.

According to Wikipedia, it was in Iowa.

[Internet Apex]

Purdue trails Wake Forest by a deuce at the half. They are 0-8 from 3-pt range. My nuts are in my esphogus. None of this is particularly comfortable for me right now. More wine, please.

[Internet Apex]

Purdue trails Wake Forest by a deuce at the half. They are 0-8 from 3-pt range. My nuts are in my esphogus. None of this is particularly comfortable for me right now. More wine, please.

The Boilers get it together and drop Wake by 11. I think they hit one three all night. Blue Collar, thou art lantern-jawed and wield a wicked sledge hammer.

[MAD]

I usually cringe when they do this "Big Ten gets mushroomstamped by the ACC--aka the SEC of hoops" thing every year but was pleasantly surprised to hear that Northwestern beat NC State.  I'm thinking NC State may be awful, no?  And is it also possible the Big Ten might not blow as badly in basketball as they currently do in foosball?

[Saul Goodman]

I usually cringe when they do this "Big Ten gets mushroomstamped by the ACC--aka the SEC of hoops" thing every year but was pleasantly surprised to hear that Northwestern beat NC State.  I'm thinking NC State may be awful, no?  And is it also possible the Big Ten might not blow as badly in basketball as they currently do in foosball?

NC State was 5-0 (the third straight undefeated team the Wildcats have toppled), but their schedule hadn't been very tough.  Their closest game was against Auburn (4-3) and they escaped 60-58. 

Meanwhile, NU (6-1) has won 5 straight after losing to then-#10 Butler on Nov 18.  PG "Juice" Thompson (17.4 ppg, 2.7 apg), John Shurna (15.3 ppg, 3.1 apg), Jeremy Nash (9.0 ppg, 4.0 apg) and freshman sharpshooter Alex Marcotullio (7.0 ppg, 50% 3P) have been leading the way for a team averaging 67.6 ppg.  Opponents are averaging 59 against the Wildcats defense.

[Internet Apex]

The Big Ten has never won the annual challenge with the ACC, losing the series in all 10 seasons. This year, the series is tied 3-3 with these games on tap for this evening:

Illinois  at 18 Clemson  
7:15pm ET

Minnesota at Miami (FL)
7:30pm ET

Boston Coll. at Michigan    
7:30pm ET

6 Duke  at  Wisconsin  
9:15pm ET

21 Florida St at 15 Ohio St  
9:30pm ET

The Big Ten is clearly more competitive on the hardcourt than on the gridiron. How much so remains to be seen. Tonight we can see how it all plays out.

[Internet Apex]

For the hell of it:

Illinois  at 18 Clemson  
7:15pm ET (5)

Minnesota at Miami (FL)
7:30pm ET (4)

Boston Coll. at Michigan      
7:30pm ET (3)

6 Duke  at  Wisconsin  
9:15pm ET (1)

21 Florida St at 15 Ohio St  
9:30pm ET (2)

Winners in bold, my confidence ranking in parentheses.

[Slaky]

For the hell of it:

Illinois  at 18 Clemson  
7:15pm ET (5)

Minnesota at Miami (FL)
7:30pm ET (4)

Boston Coll. at Michigan      
7:30pm ET (3)

6 Duke  at  Wisconsin  
9:15pm ET (1)

21 Florida St at 15 Ohio St  
9:30pm ET (2)

Winners in bold, my confidence ranking in parentheses.

Sounds about right. Let's hope the Big Ten can win one for once.

[BC]

Backtracking for a moment... Recording phone calls without the other person's consent was legal in Iowa but not in Illinois at the time. The legality of Pearl's actions was at best questionable, although it can't be said to have been definitely illegal because the U.S. Supreme Court has never ruled on competing state laws concerning phone call recordings. There have also been questions about whether or not Pearl edited the tapes before giving them to the NCAA, Thomas has contended that a couple of his comments were made in different phone calls, yet on the tapes are all together as if the comments were made during the same call. Where Illinois REALLY screwed up was hiring Mike Slive to assist the school in the situation. Instead of doing his job, Slive decided Thomas, Henson and Collins had to be lying. Illinois fired Slive, who then went to the NCAA and along with Pearl pushed for the penalties that Illinois eventually received. The NCAA then went along and essentially took what Pearl and Slive presented as gospel while ignoring Thomas/Henson/Collins and overlooking the shoddy work done by their own investigators.

In the end, Illinois should have sued the NCAA to at least make the point that the NCAA's investigation was one-sided and that the penalties were too severe for the alleged actions. It is doubtful that Illinois would have won such a case, but the value of the litigation would have been better PR and a possible straightening out of the record. However, the administration and Mackovic were tired of the situation and didn't want to push the thing to court.

Moving back to tonight's games... I think Illinois falls to Clemson by 10 or 12... Duke blows Wisconsin out... Minnesota and Ohio State will win, leaving Michigan/Boston College as the swing game... I think Michigan wins in a tight one to give the Big Ten their first Challenge win.

[Saul Goodman]

Backtracking for a moment... Recording phone calls without the other person's consent was legal in Iowa but not in Illinois at the time. The legality of Pearl's actions was at best questionable, although it can't be said to have been definitely illegal because the U.S. Supreme Court has never ruled on competing state laws concerning phone call recordings. There have also been questions about whether or not Pearl edited the tapes before giving them to the NCAA, Thomas has contended that a couple of his comments were made in different phone calls, yet on the tapes are all together as if the comments were made during the same call. Where Illinois REALLY screwed up was hiring Mike Slive to assist the school in the situation. Instead of doing his job, Slive decided Thomas, Henson and Collins had to be lying. Illinois fired Slive, who then went to the NCAA and along with Pearl pushed for the penalties that Illinois eventually received. The NCAA then went along and essentially took what Pearl and Slive presented as gospel while ignoring Thomas/Henson/Collins and overlooking the shoddy work done by their own investigators.

In the end, Illinois should have sued the NCAA to at least make the point that the NCAA's investigation was one-sided and that the penalties were too severe for the alleged actions. It is doubtful that Illinois would have won such a case, but the value of the litigation would have been better PR and a possible straightening out of the record. However, the administration and Mackovic were tired of the situation and didn't want to push the thing to court.

Moving back to tonight's games... I think Illinois falls to Clemson by 10 or 12... Duke blows Wisconsin out... Minnesota and Ohio State will win, leaving Michigan/Boston College as the swing game... I think Michigan wins in a tight one to give the Big Ten their first Challenge win.

Honest... Illinois ran out of gas. They, they had a flat tire. They didn't have enough money for cab fare. Their uniforms didn't come back from the cleaners. An old friend came in from out of town. Someone stole their bus. There was an earthquake. A terrible flood. Locusts. IT WASN'T THEIR FAULT, I SWEAR TO GOD.

Summary'd

[Richard Chuggar]

For the hell of it:

Illinois  at 18 Clemson  
7:15pm ET (5)

Minnesota at Miami (FL)
7:30pm ET (4)

Boston Coll. at Michigan      
7:30pm ET (3)

6 Duke  at  Wisconsin  
9:15pm ET (1)

21 Florida St at 15 Ohio St  
9:30pm ET (2)

Winners in bold, my confidence ranking in parentheses.

Sounds about right. Let's hope the Big Ten can win one for once.

Ohio State will get worked.

[Internet Apex]

For the hell of it:

Illinois  at 18 Clemson  
7:15pm ET (5)

Minnesota at Miami (FL)
7:30pm ET (4)

Boston Coll. at Michigan      
7:30pm ET (3)

6 Duke  at  Wisconsin  
9:15pm ET (1)

21 Florida St at 15 Ohio St  
9:30pm ET (2)

Winners in bold, my confidence ranking in parentheses.

Sounds about right. Let's hope the Big Ten can win one for once.

Ohio State will get worked.

Care to put some money up?

[BC]

Illinois down by 20 at halftime. The Illini looked to be wonderfully prepared for tonight's game.

[Slaky]

Illinois down by 20 at halftime. The Illini looked to be wonderfully prepared for tonight's game.

Go get hit by lightning.