lsu basketball

[tjtlja]

Have not followed any of their games until the second half against Kentucky tonight. Tigers win by 2 at the buzzer. Record is 20-4. A couple of things. How did they get this good this quickly? Are they a threat to get to the final 4? And why are they only ranked 19th? I presume this miraculous turnaround gives us a sliver of hope (of course, I am presuming the slush fund was not tampered with in BR).

[gerryb323]

Have not followed any of their games until the second half against Kentucky tonight. Tigers win by 2 at the buzzer. Record is 20-4. A couple of things. How did they get this good this quickly? Are they a threat to get to the final 4? And why are they only ranked 19th? I presume this miraculous turnaround gives us a sliver of hope (of course, I am presuming the slush fund was not tampered with in BR).

See: Will Wade FBI

[tjtlja]

Just read it. How will this case play into this year or any other year? Like Rick Barnes said, we already know all of this, which also bleeds all over AAU. Cheating is viral. I guess it all depends on how much stroke/lsu has in the college basketball world.

[tulaneoutlaw]

Would be extremely surprised to see LSU sniff the final four. They are a solid team but Kentucky beats them 7/10 and Tennessee is kinda ok this year. Meanwhile Duke, Gonzaga, and a host of others are more likely to make the final four.

[gerryb323]

Just read it. How will this case play into this year or any other year? Like Rick Barnes said, we already know all of this, which also bleeds all over AAU. Cheating is viral. I guess it all depends on how much stroke/lsu has in the college basketball world.

I was just answering how they're doing it, not saying they'll get punished

[Poseidon]

At the beginning of last year we competed straight up on the court in an exhibition. Since then the programs could not have headed in two more opposite directions. Now a year later they are 20-4 and we are trying to avoid 4-20. Just saying they are cheating is a intellectually lazy.

[Baywave1]

Would be extremely surprised to see LSU sniff the final four. They are a solid team but Kentucky beats them 7/10 and Tennessee is kinda ok this year. Meanwhile Duke, Gonzaga, and a host of others are more likely to make the final four.

…

No doubt KY beats most teams in NCAA 7/10 and Duke, et al beat LSU 9/10. That what makes a knockout tourney fun. You just play once. Wade has done a great job at LSU. He actually might have been able to make Simmons productive.

[Ray]

At the beginning of last year we competed straight up on the court in an exhibition. Since then the programs could not have headed in two more opposite directions. Now a year later they are 20-4 and we are trying to avoid 4-20. Just saying they are cheating is a intellectually lazy.

They are well-coached, tenacious & talented. Tonite's win will bump up several places in the Top 25.

[tulaneoutlaw]

Would be extremely surprised to see LSU sniff the final four. They are a solid team but Kentucky beats them 7/10 and Tennessee is kinda ok this year. Meanwhile Duke, Gonzaga, and a host of others are more likely to make the final four.

…

No doubt KY beats most teams in NCAA 7/10 and Duke, et al beat LSU 9/10. That what makes a knockout tourney fun. You just play once. Wade has done a great job at LSU. He actually might have been able to make Simmons productive.

I was answering tj's original question about whether they would make the final four (and also why they aren't ranked higher atm). I agree with everything you are saying. My point was just that I dont see them going the Final 4 this year, though they have improved mightily.

[Baywave1]

Agree. If we are going to see a longer shot/upset team make Final Four, I'll obviously be partisan and root for an AAC team to do the unlikely out of conference solidarity.

[gerryb323]

At the beginning of last year we competed straight up on the court in an exhibition. Since then the programs could not have headed in two more opposite directions. Now a year later they are 20-4 and we are trying to avoid 4-20. Just saying they are cheating is a intellectually lazy.

I can be lazy and correct. A team can also be talented and bad.

[windywave]

At the beginning of last year we competed straight up on the court in an exhibition. Since then the programs could not have headed in two more opposite directions. Now a year later they are 20-4 and we are trying to avoid 4-20. Just saying they are cheating is a intellectually lazy.

Occam's razor

[gerryb323]

At the beginning of last year we competed straight up on the court in an exhibition. Since then the programs could not have headed in two more opposite directions. Now a year later they are 20-4 and we are trying to avoid 4-20. Just saying they are cheating is a intellectually lazy.

Occam's razor

I almost said exactly this

[Poseidon]

At the beginning of last year we competed straight up on the court in an exhibition. Since then the programs could not have headed in two more opposite directions. Now a year later they are 20-4 and we are trying to avoid 4-20. Just saying they are cheating is a intellectually lazy.

Occam's razor

I almost said exactly this

Wouldn't coaching be the most simple explanation? I am not sure if you two were agreeing or disagreeing.

[ml wave]

At the beginning of last year we competed straight up on the court in an exhibition. Since then the programs could not have headed in two more opposite directions. Now a year later they are 20-4 and we are trying to avoid 4-20. Just saying they are cheating is a intellectually lazy.

Occam's razor

I almost said exactly this

Wouldn't coaching be the most simple explanation? I am not sure if you two were agreeing or disagreeing.

Talent, to me, would be the simplest.

[waverider]

Compare their roster to ours. They don’t have many Cornishes on their roster that is loaded with top tier talent. Bottom line, they can buy the players that we can’t afford.

[BC Wave]

Plus they found a very good up and coming coach.

[OGSB]

Knocked off Tennessee today, in the driver’s seat for SEC title.

Tulane meanwhile...

[windywave]

Knocked off Tennessee today, in the driver’s seat for SEC title.

Tulane meanwhile...

They still can't read and are a bunch of cheaters

[PeteRasche]

Knocked off Tennessee today, in the driver’s seat for SEC title.

Tulane meanwhile...

They still can't read and are a bunch of cheaters

And likely won't make the second weekend of the tourney.

[Baywave1]

A year and a half ago, Tulane beat LSU in an exhibition where both teams played really hard. It was not a walk through/scrimmage/practice. It was a game whose result mattered for those involved and those watching.

Wade is a great coach. He will do well at LSU however one wishes to define it.

[ml wave]

Knocked off Tennessee today, in the driver’s seat for SEC title.

Tulane meanwhile...

They still can't read and are a bunch of cheaters

And likely won't make the second weekend of the tourney.

I don't know about that one.

[tulaneoutlaw]

They are hot right now and could make a relatively deep run into the tournament. However, they were also extremely lucky to beat both Kentucky and Tennessee and wouldn't be favored against either on a neutral floor. Those are just the immediate in-conference threats. And let's not forget they dropped a game to a so-so Florida team last week, as well. Come tourney time it wouldn't surprise me to see them go out in the opening round or to make it to the elite eight. Matchups will be key.

[Baywave1]

Point is that in two years, he has LSU competing for regular season MBB conference championship. He was hired with a good but not spectacular resume. He has clearly overperformed. I wouldn't bet against him continuing to do so this year nor going forward.

In contrast, ESPN announcers Saturday devoted game time to the great tee shirts Tulane was giving out. (They were in fact outstanding as these things go.) The ESPN announcers at an earlier Tulane game made at least ten references to scalping cost of Duke-UNC tickets. When the folks calling a game don't spend time calling a game, you don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to understand what that dog which doesn't bark means.

[gerryb323]

Can we please stop acting like Wade is a miracle worker?!