Mick Ronson
Well-Known Member
from this morning's Monday Tip column (currently linked on Yahoo's front sports page):
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basket...F_evbYF?slug=yhoo-mondaytipteamsyoudontwantto
both writers were asked:
"With just four undefeated teams remaining (three from major leagues), and conference jockeying for NCAA seeding in full swing, we jump to this week’s question: Which unheralded team from a Big Six conference has been the most surprising and could be most dangerous down the stretch?"
Ahern picked Penn State, King went with the Buffs. This is King's Buffs writeup:
"When they hired him last spring, Colorado officials were confident that Tad Boyle would turn around the Buffaloes’ struggling program. But they probably didn’t count on it happening this fast. Boyle’s squad is 14-4 overall and 3-0 in Big 12 play following Saturday’s come-from-behind victory against Oklahoma State in Boulder. Colorado’s other two league wins were against No. 9 Missouri and No. 21 Kansas State, the latter of which came on the road. Peculiar as it may seem to see the Buffaloes at the top of the Big 12 standings, their success should only rank as a mild surprise. Colorado, after all, has a future pro in the backcourt in sophomore Alec Burks, who averages a team-high 19.7 points. Senior guard Cory Higgins is averaging 16.6 points after scoring 18.9 points per game last year. In other words, Colorado touts one of the top backcourt tandems in the league – if not the country. And we knew that would be the case entering the season, which is why expectations in Boulder were as high as they’ve been in years. The Buffaloes certainly didn’t live up to them early, losing to Trey Thompkins-less Georgia on Nov. 16 before falling at San Francisco four days later. After a Nov. 28 setback at Harvard, most Buffaloes fans figured they were in store for another disappointing season (the team hasn’t reached the NCAA tournament since 2003). Colorado, though, responded by winning 12 out of its next 13 games, with the only loss coming against New Mexico. Burks and Higgins have been the stars, but Marcus Relphorde (12 points) and Levi Knutson (11.6 points) have also been bright spots. Three of Colorado’s next five games are on the road – but only one of them is against a ranked team. Don’t be surprised if the Buffaloes win enough games to earn a berth in the NCAA tournament. Boyle inherited a good team – and he’s only making it better."
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basket...F_evbYF?slug=yhoo-mondaytipteamsyoudontwantto
both writers were asked:
"With just four undefeated teams remaining (three from major leagues), and conference jockeying for NCAA seeding in full swing, we jump to this week’s question: Which unheralded team from a Big Six conference has been the most surprising and could be most dangerous down the stretch?"
Ahern picked Penn State, King went with the Buffs. This is King's Buffs writeup:
"When they hired him last spring, Colorado officials were confident that Tad Boyle would turn around the Buffaloes’ struggling program. But they probably didn’t count on it happening this fast. Boyle’s squad is 14-4 overall and 3-0 in Big 12 play following Saturday’s come-from-behind victory against Oklahoma State in Boulder. Colorado’s other two league wins were against No. 9 Missouri and No. 21 Kansas State, the latter of which came on the road. Peculiar as it may seem to see the Buffaloes at the top of the Big 12 standings, their success should only rank as a mild surprise. Colorado, after all, has a future pro in the backcourt in sophomore Alec Burks, who averages a team-high 19.7 points. Senior guard Cory Higgins is averaging 16.6 points after scoring 18.9 points per game last year. In other words, Colorado touts one of the top backcourt tandems in the league – if not the country. And we knew that would be the case entering the season, which is why expectations in Boulder were as high as they’ve been in years. The Buffaloes certainly didn’t live up to them early, losing to Trey Thompkins-less Georgia on Nov. 16 before falling at San Francisco four days later. After a Nov. 28 setback at Harvard, most Buffaloes fans figured they were in store for another disappointing season (the team hasn’t reached the NCAA tournament since 2003). Colorado, though, responded by winning 12 out of its next 13 games, with the only loss coming against New Mexico. Burks and Higgins have been the stars, but Marcus Relphorde (12 points) and Levi Knutson (11.6 points) have also been bright spots. Three of Colorado’s next five games are on the road – but only one of them is against a ranked team. Don’t be surprised if the Buffaloes win enough games to earn a berth in the NCAA tournament. Boyle inherited a good team – and he’s only making it better."
opcorn: