Will KU even be favored over the Badgers?

[Alsacs]

One game and they went from awesome to overrated.

Not overrated as it pertains to be the best team in the country this year but overrated in context of all time team.
I think 2009 UNC, 2008 Kansas, 2007 Florida, 2001 Duke, 1999 Duke, 1999 UConn are all better teams.
Dumb media hype was putting them as an all-time great team which is nuts. If they get 40-0 that is special but it doesn't mean they are one of the greatest teams ever.

 

[Cusefan0307]

One game and they went from awesome to overrated.

They were never as unbeatable as the pundits said. I had Wisconsin winning this game on my bracket at the beginning of the tournament and I'm sticking to it.

 

[BillJay]

KU? Kansas? How did they get into this discussion?

I was all set to play grammar police but then realized that although it's the University of Kansas their brand is KU. The University of Tulsa is another one like that. I will never again make fun of 17 year old kids who proclaim that they're happy to sign with "the University of Syracuse"

 

[longtimefan]

Not overrated as it pertains to be the best team in the country this year but overrated in context of all time team.
I think 2009 UNC, 2008 Kansas, 2007 Florida, 2001 Duke, 1999 Duke, 1999 UConn are all better teams.
Dumb media hype was putting them as an all-time great team which is nuts. If they get 40-0 that is special but it doesn't mean they are one of the greatest teams ever.

How about Kentucky 1996?

 

[CusefanATL]

Thats a very stupid comment. Because it is predicated on how UK plays. If Wiscy plays like they did today, but UK plays like they did vs WVU, UK wins.

Wiscy can play a perfect game - but UK is still in control of their own destiny.

 

[CusefanATL]

Not overrated as it pertains to be the best team in the country this year but overrated in context of all time team.
I think 2009 UNC, 2008 Kansas, 2007 Florida, 2001 Duke, 1999 Duke, 1999 UConn are all better teams.
Dumb media hype was putting them as an all-time great team which is nuts. If they get 40-0 that is special but it doesn't mean they are one of the greatest teams ever.

I don't think 2009 UNC or 08 Kansas are beating this team. Neither does 99 UConn. The duke teams would have been a good game. But UK is pretty good.

Hell, we beat the Uconn team by 17 at Uconn. They had 1 pro. They had a nice run and beat a loaded Duke team, but they certainly don't belong in this conversation in any way shape or form.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I dislike both coaches and programs. Shame that one of them will make it to the final.

 

[CusefanATL]

You have to take Wisconsin at -6.5. Notre Dame and now Wisconsin are the two best teams UK will have seen all year. Wisconsin has the same team last year when they lost to UK last year in a close game, UK has signed a few free agents, but we need to stop with this myth that they are unbeatable. They could go unbeaten, but these last three games starting with yesterday are going to be difficult, because it will be the best teams they've seen all year.

I am guessing you mean +6.5

 

[Alsacs]

How about Kentucky 1996?

I only went back to 1999 but 96 UK beats them and I forgot to list 2012 Kentucky would beat them as well.

 

[Alsacs]

I don't think 2009 UNC or 08 Kansas are beating this team. Neither does 99 UConn. The duke teams would have been a good game. But UK is pretty good.

Hell, we beat the Uconn team by 17 at Uconn. They had 1 pro. They had a nice run and beat a loaded Duke team, but they certainly don't belong in this conversation in any way shape or form.

2009 UNC is the better team because their guards eat Kentucky's guard up. UNC would have the front court depth with Tyler Hansbrough, Tyler Zeller and Ed Davis.
I would take 09 UNC over 15 UK on a neutral court and in a best of 7 series. UNC 09's offensive efficiency makes 15 Notre dame look mediocre and ND looked really solid against UK.

 

[Alsacs]

2008 Kansas had Chamlers, Arthur, Rush, and a lot of depth.
Kentucky is as good as their hype because their guards aren't consistent but give the Harrisons credit they are certainly clutch.

 

[rrlbees]

I only went back to 1999 but 96 UK beats them and I forgot to list 2012 Kentucky would beat them as well.

What about 2003 Syracuse?

 

[007]

I only went back to 1999 but 96 UK beats them and I forgot to list 2012 Kentucky would beat them as well.

You say it with such conviction...

As good as those teams you referenced were, and they were great teams, none of them were able to accomplish what this year's Kentucky team has done. Granted, the job is not done, and if they don't win the NC they will not measure up. Then, your proclamation will have a factual basis.

FWIW, last time I checked, this Kentucky team has 7 players projected for the 2015 NBA draft, and 3 those are projected as going in the top 10 (I also think Towns will go #1, but many projections list Okafor).

The other thing that needs to be taken into account - IMO anyway - when judging which team was/is the best is that this Kentucky team has 7' Towns, 6-10 Lyles, and 7' Cauly-Stein, who are all capable of providing pressure man-to-man defense out on the perimeter regardless of who they get matched up with. I don't think we have EVER seen a team with that kind of size that has been able to do that.

 

[Alsacs]

You say it with such conviction...

As good as those teams you referenced were, and they were great teams, none of them were able to accomplish what this year's Kentucky team has done. Granted, the job is not done, and if they don't win the NC they will not measure up. Then, your proclamation will have a factual basis.

FWIW, last time I checked, this Kentucky team has 7 players projected for the 2015 NBA draft, and 3 those are projected as going in the top 10 (I also think Towns will go #1, but many projections list Okafor).

The other thing that needs to be taken into account - IMO anyway - when judging which team was/is the best is that this Kentucky team has 7' Towns, 6-10 Lyles, and 7' Cauly-Stein, who are all capable of providing pressure man-to-man defense out on the perimeter regardless of who they get matched up with. I don't think we have EVER seen a team with that kind of size that has been able to do that.

If Willy Cauley-Stein is a top 10 NBA pick then offense doesn't matter anymore. That kid is an elite defender but his offense is nothing but putbacks and dunks. Towns is a legit NBA all-star prospect and Lyles looks like a rotation guy, but the fact these kids are seriously looking at the NBA draft just shows how messed up the NBA draft is.

Are you a Syracuse fan? We had a huge front line in the Coleman-Seikaly ERA and that was less than 20 years ago. Our guys were way better offensively the only difference is we didn't have a WCS type defender.
Derrick Coleman 6'10", Rony Seikaly 6'11", Billy Owens 6'8" these guys could matchup with UK's frontcourt easily the problem is the hype UK gets.

 

[texascpa]

Kaminski is a solid shooter, but now way does he do that slow motion drive to the hoop against Kentucky's bigs and makes those easy layups. Kentucky played like crap, ND played amazing for most of the game and UK still won, I think that says a lot.

Kam has the best feet and best post moves of any big guy, period. It may look slow, but it's effective. You don't need to be superfast with your low post moves.

In any case, I think Dekker is the biggest issue for UK. First, his play is the best in his three years, second, he's 6'10" with handle and third, he's not afraid to bang inside. Not sure who UK can match him up with, maybe Cauley-Stein.

 

[Cusefannotindc]

This Kentucky team is the best rated since KenPom has been tracking:

1 Kentucky 2015
2 Kansas 2008
3 Louisville 2013
4 Kentucky 2012
5 Duke 2002
6 Illinois 2005
7 Duke 2010
8 Ohio St. 2011
9 Memphis 2008
10 Arizona 2015

 

[Alsacs]

This Kentucky team is the best rated since KenPom has been tracking:

1 Kentucky 2015
2 Kansas 2008
3 Louisville 2013
4 Kentucky 2012
5 Duke 2002
6 Illinois 2005
7 Duke 2010
8 Ohio St. 2011
9 Memphis 2008
10 Arizona 2015

The fact Illinois lost to North Carolina in a 1 vs. 2 matchup in the NC game and Arizona was a 2 seed and lost to Wisconsin yesterday shows KenPom isn't always right.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

All Notre Dame showed last night was Kentucky is clutch as hell but if they played in the B1G or ACC they wouldn't be undefeated.
Kentucky is definitely number 1 but they have flaws. WCS is the best on ball defender to play college basketball since Stacy Augmon in the amboia defense from UNLV but the kid has little offensive game. If Brey played zone on Towns he likely wins this game.
Auguste gave Kominski the blue print how to score and he can shot the 3 ball. The ML Wisconsin +220 is my bet. I got it in last night.

Clutch is the most overstated entity in sports. Remember last year how "clutch" we were in the early part of the year?" Then suddenly we were not clutch? Did we forget how to be clutch or is it more likely that the clutch factor was nothing more than small sample aberration?

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Clutch is the most overstated entity in sports. Remember last year how "clutch" we were in the early part of the year?" Then suddenly we were not clutch? Did we forget how to be clutch or is it more likely that the clutch factor was nothing more than small sample aberration?

Eh. Without believing in that stuff it makes things less fun.

 

[Cusefan0307]

The lines in vegas with Kentucy are eerily similar to what they were for the 2007 Patriots going down the stretch. They are incredibly overvalued, and people are jumping because UK is undefeated. The gap between them, Notre Dame and Wisconsin is small. Notre Dame had won 8 games against sweet 16 teams going into last night. UK had won 2. Wisconsin is a better version of Notre Dame. UK May very well go undefeated, but it isn't going to be easy.

 

[HOFCeluck]

I don't think 2009 UNC or 08 Kansas are beating this team. Neither does 99 UConn. The duke teams would have been a good game. But UK is pretty good.

Hell, we beat the Uconn team by 17 at Uconn. They had 1 pro. They had a nice run and beat a loaded Duke team, but they certainly don't belong in this conversation in any way shape or form.

when we beat them they were without Hamilton and at least one other guy (voskhul?). We met them two more times that year and lost both by double digits.

 

[raf4488]

The fact Illinois lost to North Carolina in a 1 vs. 2 matchup in the NC game and Arizona was a 2 seed and lost to Wisconsin yesterday shows KenPom isn't always right.

I think this means the committee didn't get it right. UK, Wisconsin, and Arizona are the 3 best teams IMO and each should've been a #1. Wisconsin needed one of the best halves the tournament has ever seen to win by 7. That was a final four game last night. Zona would've beaten Villanova comfortably, and that's where the seeding was wrong. Villanova should've been a 2 seed, not #2 overall.

 

[PoppyHart]

If they run the table they deserve "best ever" consideration. There's no way to know what would have or would not have occurred if they were in a different conference.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I think this means the committee didn't get it right. UK, Wisconsin, and Arizona are the 3 best teams IMO and each should've been a #1. Wisconsin needed one of the best halves the tournament has ever seen to win by 7. That was a final four game last night. Zona would've beaten Villanova comfortably, and that's where the seeding was wrong. Villanova should've been a 2 seed, not #2 overall.

Both games were final four/national championship caliber.

 

[donniesyracuse]

We had a huge front line in the Coleman-Seikaly ERA and that was less than 20 years ago.

Ha, I think your math is a little off.