2018-19 NCAA basketball season

[US 41]

Well Kentucky sure didn't look good. Glad to see them lose. Maybe Southern Illinois can give them a run for their money. However Duke might be the best team this year. The usual's (UNC, Nova, KS, MI ST, etc) will be good again I'm sure. It will be interesting to see if Loyola can climb into the top 25 after their big run last season.

[jp the roadgeek]

The return to respectability starts tonight with the dawning of the Dan Hurley era in Storrs, CT.  After a 4 year fall from the top of the mountain to below sea level, it won't happen overnight and I know the glory days are behind us.  Speaking of glory days, tomorrow night marks the return to the bench of the legendary Jim Calhoun as he coaches Division III St. Joseph's, a local school that just went co-ed a couple years ago and is building a basketball program from the ground up. 

[Alps]

My two programs are Seton Hall and Michigan. Both have lost several talented students but have others waiting in the wings. SH looked fine in their season opening tuneup while Michigan is in the top 25, so I'm optimistic.

[CNGL-Leudimin]

There's still five months until the March Madness, so it's too early for me. I wonder what will happen in the Big Dance, I used to say no No. 16 had beaten a No. 1 until Maryland Baltimore County appeared.

[SP Cook]

I get that a lot of people ignore college basketball until some point, be it after college football, after pro football, conference play, the conference tournaments, or the "big dance". 

That is too bad for them.  There are a lot of great games to be played, and not just among the usual suspects.  Lots of games to enjoy just for the sake of enjoyment, without worrying about what happens in March (actually April).

That said, this looks to me to be similar to Kentucky 4 years ago, only with Duke.  Duke has the best "one and done" players.  The question is what happens in a single elimination format when these teenagers who have played together for a few months run into not nearly as skilled players, but grown men who have played together for four years.  If you remember, that was Wisconsin.

[Henry]

As a UCLA alum, I have to pull for the Bruins!

[Rothman]

Anyone but Duke.

[jp the roadgeek]

Anyone but Duke.

In the NCAA Tournament, I root for:

1. UConn (when they make it)
2. Any other local school (if applicable)
3. Any other remaining team not named Duke.
4. Duke is forced to vacate a championship if they run the table.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

In "order of preference" 
Ohio State
Louisiana State
Any of the "Big 5" schools in Philly
Any (other) school in Ohio

[CNGL-Leudimin]

I see a lot of hate towards Duke. Here since College sports aren't that big we don't care.

Also, even though is still early, I'm anouncing now how I'll know the arenas hosting the 2019 March Madness per my naming policy. Name changes to remove sponsorship in bold.

First Four, Dayton OH: UD Arena

First and Second Rounds:
Hartford CT: Hartford Civic Center
Des Moines IA: Iowa Events Center Arena
Jacksonville FL: Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena
Salt Lake City UT: Salt Lake Ice Center
Columbia SC: Carolina Center
Columbus OH: Blue Jackets Arena
Tulsa OK: Tulsa Center (due to lack of both a naming right-less name and a Big Four team...)
San Jose CA: San Jose Arena

Regional Semifinals and Finals (the Finals a.k.a. Quarterfinals by me)
West (Anaheim CA): The Pond of Anaheim
South (Louisville KY): Louisville Arena (same as Tulsa)
East (Washington DC): Wizards Arena (Wizards take precedence over Capitals as they play the same sport)
North (officially Midwest, Kansas City MO): Kansas City Center (same as Tulsa and Louisville)

National Semifinals and Finals, Minneapolis MN: Vikings Stadium

[jp the roadgeek]

West (Anaheim CA): Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim

Arrowhead is a brand of drinking water.  Should be just The (Anaheim) Pond

[CNGL-Leudimin]

Thanks for pointing out. So now I'll know the venue as "The Pond of Anaheim".

[jp the roadgeek]

Thanks for pointing out. So now I'll know the venue as "The Pond of Anaheim".

Right.  But it's ok to refer to the Chiefs stadium as Arrowhead Stadium, as there has never been such an association.

[US 41]

Buffalo is ranked 25th this week which is definitely different. I'm not sure I've ever seen them ranked before.

[ET21]

My two programs are ND and NIU,

So far for both men's and women's:

NIU
Men's: 1-1
Women's: 1-1

ND
Men's: 2-0
Women's: Ranked #1, 2-0

[Eth]

My team now has the dubious distinction of being the only team in the ACC to have lost a game.

(Granted, it was against a top-5 opponent on the road, but still.)

[hbelkins]

Kentucky's playing one of those non-conference guarantee games tonight. They're playing North Dakota. (Why, I don't know, unless the coach there went to one of Calipari's camps many years ago or something). In a move that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, the game doesn't start until 9 p.m. Surely to goodness television isn't dictating the time of this dog of a non-conference game.

[WillWeaverRVA]

Kentucky's playing one of those non-conference guarantee games tonight. They're playing North Dakota. (Why, I don't know, unless the coach there went to one of Calipari's camps many years ago or something). In a move that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, the game doesn't start until 9 p.m. Surely to goodness television isn't dictating the time of this dog of a non-conference game.

I guess because Florida got dibs on SEC Network's 7pm timeslot, and I'm sure nobody's interested in watching Florida crush La Salle. (It's been a really bad early season for the Atlantic 10 so far.)

Sadly right now it looks like everyone's chasing Duke, although I personally don't feel Duke is all that great, and they're overrated like they usually are. Zion Williamson will be gone after the season ends since he's guaranteed to be an early pick in next year's NBA draft. He has enough hype that I could actually see him leaving before the season ends.

[US 41]

My two programs are ND and NIU,

ND
Men's: 2-0
Women's: Ranked #1, 2-0

Well Notre Dame lost to Radford last night. Radford is 3-0, so maybe they can make a run for the Big South championship. If they make the tournament they could be a tough draw.

[jp the roadgeek]

My team now has the dubious distinction of being the only team in the ACC to have lost a game.

(Granted, it was against a top-5 opponent on the road, but still.)

Don't worry.  My Huskies took care of that for you.  Knocked off the old rivals Syracuse 83-76 tonight at MSG. The Make UConn Great Again tour is underway.

[ET21]

My two programs are ND and NIU,

ND
Men's: 2-0
Women's: Ranked #1, 2-0

Well Notre Dame lost to Radford last night. Radford is 3-0, so maybe they can make a run for the Big South championship. If they make the tournament they could be a tough draw.

Quite a mehhhh game from ND honestly. Came out a bit slow and couldn't hit when you needed them too

[jon daly]

My team now has the dubious distinction of being the only team in the ACC to have lost a game.

(Granted, it was against a top-5 opponent on the road, but still.)

Don't worry.  My Huskies took care of that for you.  Knocked off the old rivals Syracuse 83-76 tonight at MSG. The Make UConn Great Again tour is underway.

What channel was that on? I forgot about the game until it was over.

I'm not really into college hoops anymore, but I remember when me and my friends would get together at a bar for every game.

[jp the roadgeek]

My team now has the dubious distinction of being the only team in the ACC to have lost a game.

(Granted, it was against a top-5 opponent on the road, but still.)

Don't worry.  My Huskies took care of that for you.  Knocked off the old rivals Syracuse 83-76 tonight at MSG. The Make UConn Great Again tour is underway.

What channel was that on? I forgot about the game until it was over.

I'm not really into college hoops anymore, but I remember when me and my friends would get together at a bar for every game.

It was on ESPN2.  Tonight's game vs. Iowa at 6:30 is also on ESPN2.

[ce929wax]

Michigan State and Michigan here, although I dabble in the SEC and Big 12 because I used to live in those territories.   I haven't caught any men's basketball, but I did catch the end of the drubbing that the U of M women's team gave Western Michigan the other night.  My viewing options are limited to what they carry on ESPN+, because I cancelled my cable several months ago when my bill went over $200 a month.

[jon daly]

My team now has the dubious distinction of being the only team in the ACC to have lost a game.

(Granted, it was against a top-5 opponent on the road, but still.)

Don't worry.  My Huskies took care of that for you.  Knocked off the old rivals Syracuse 83-76 tonight at MSG. The Make UConn Great Again tour is underway.

What channel was that on? I forgot about the game until it was over.

I'm not really into college hoops anymore, but I remember when me and my friends would get together at a bar for every game.

It was on ESPN2.  Tonight's game vs. Iowa at 6:30 is also on ESPN2.

I admire your persistence in still following the team. Conference realignment soured my on college sports. Before that, I thought college hoops pared well with baseball when it comes to sports fandom. One season starts just around when the other one is ending; so there's no overlap.

But as the years have gone by and I've become older, I've become more of a Red Sox fan than a general baseball fan. Also, I don't socialize with the old gang as we've moved apart geographically. My wife is more of a hockey fan. She liked hoops during the Jordan era, but not at all lately.