Gonzaga: Color me skeptical

[GIGAFAN99]

Stanford's bad, really bad. And they just had a nailbiter with Gonzaga at home.

Oh yeah, so did St. Mary's.

So for the #5 team in the nation who has currently beaten one ranked team (#12 and falling Michigan State in triple OT...on a neutral floor...during the first week of the season) color me skeptical.

If they're seeded ahead of any of the top 5 in the Big East, it's a crime.

[theEDGEfactor]

every is talking about gwu being overrated ive been saying all along that this zag team has been overrated since day1... theyve really beatin no1 and because they have one of the best players in the nation, they should be one of the best teams in the nation? i would love to have a shot at this team... if you shut down morrison this team is in trouble- look at the portland game (believe so) when morrison had to throw in a bank 3 or many other 1s where morrison had to be clutch at the end just to beat teams in the bottom of the D1--my thoughts- can you please join the pac10 so you can prove yourself to i guess some relatively good teams instead of santa clara, portland, or san fran???

[daytonahoya31]

Edge, the biggest problem with this team is the fact that they play NO DEFENSE. NONE! ZIP!
They try to outscore you, and when they can't that's when trouble arises. Good guards will roast them off the dribble.
Look at last year when Ronald Ross and Jay Jackson of Texas Tech destroyed them in the second round of the tournament. G-men lost.
Two years ago, it was Nevada, again in the second round.
That being said, Morrison is the type of player like Williams was for us in 87. He can carry that team to a final four on his back. Plus Batista is very underrated. I agree though. Stanford is garbage, and the fact that they're struggling with them says more about them than Stanford.
The NCAA, however, is all about seeding. I see Gonzaga, even if they don't get a one, getting a two seed and playing two bull- opponents close to home. The reason? The NCAA WANTS them to advance this season. They're a sexy team again.
And you heard it here first. I wouldn't be surprised to see them as a two seed in the same region that Duke is the one seed. EVERYONE amongst the powers that be wants Morrison and Redick to match up.

[HoyaSinceBirth]

so while we're here lets talk about all the overrated teams. So far we have Gonzaga and WG I'll throw Florida in there too. Who else we want to lump in here.

[daytonahoya31]

Memphis. The first time a team forces them to play a half-court game in the tournament? bye-bye Tigers.

[Deleted]

Florida is always first on my list. Billy D and The Wimpsquad never let me down with their first weekend exits.

[Fan Of The Game]

If these teams are over-rated, who is under-rated? That is, if you take GW, Zaga, and Florida out of the top 8, who do you put in there? Illinois? Pittsburgh? At the end of the day, it's a ranking system so somebody has to be in there.

I'm not disagreeing with your points; I'm just curious as to who you'd move up.

I have no problem with Georgetown being ranked where we are...I think we'll make the top 10 and I think we'll justify that ranking, but right now I understand that four losses hurts us.

Speaking of rankings, we've got a real opportunity to move up with a win against West Virginia...we should be able to jump UCLA, Michigan St., and WVU.

[Deleted]

I still think based on Flair's Law, we should be ranked #2. Period.

[Coast2CoastHoya]

Flair's law notwithstanding, there's no argument that WG and Gonzaga do not belong in the top 10. I love the Zags. Love 'em. But after the way they played tonight, and against St. Mary's, and in general over the last three seasons, they're done in the 2d round.

Florida is always my one- or two-and-done team come March. As for WG, I can't WAIT to watch them lose to the 14 or 13 seed they get paired with.


But the yell of all the yells, the yell that wins the day, is the HOYA HOYA SAXA for the Dear Old Blue and Gray.

HOYA SAXA

[idhoya]

Kentucky, Wake, MD, The Big 10 are all overrated to me.

[Coast2CoastHoya]

True about KY and MD. I don't think anybody's expecting much out of Wake (RPI:108; Coaches: NR, NV; AP: NR, NV). The Big 10 looks pretty good top-to-middle. I don't think they'r quite at the level of the Big East, but they're not a bunch of scrubs either.

[Highsmith]

Teams that are underrated- Kansas, LSU, George Mason, IUPUI, Creighton, Cal, Bucknell, Western Kentucky, Winthrop

In most cases these teams do have some bad losses (otherwise they would be rated higher), however, they also have some big wins and/or have played some very close, tough games against strong opponents. In other cases, the teams have not had such a tough schedule, but have been pretty dominant through most of it. All teams that could be very tough matchups come tournament time but are (in most cases) no where near being ranked. I'm sure I missed many teams that could fit here, but I think there is a pretty good case for most of these teams to be considered underrated.

[theEDGEfactor]

daytona you made a very good point- zags dont play D and that is why if a good team which may be a low D1 team plays pretty good D they can stay in the game with zag

[Eurostar]

Gonzaga will probably not lose the rest of the season and will be a #2 seed. I wouldnt mind being the 3 or 6 seed in that section.

[njcoach]

Well, Gonzaga did beat Maryland and Michigan State on neutral floors (the latter in maybe one of the best games I've ever watched). Then they lost to CT by about 2 in the Maui final. They can clearly play with national calibur teams.

I don't know if they deserve a top 5 - their schedule isn't that impressive - but I would not want to meet them in the tournament. Morrison can go off at any time and Raivo and Battista are damn good.

Say what you will, they are fun to watch.

[elrod64]

Take Morrisson out of the game and that team will lose everytime. Take Pittsnoggle out of the game and WVU will lose everytime. Those teams are one-dimensional.

[Deleted]

elrod64 said:

Take Morrisson out of the game and that team will lose everytime. Take Pittsnoggle out of the game and WVU will lose everytime. Those teams are one-dimensional.

Who cares? The fact is, those guys ARE in the game. And that's why they win.

And if you think the only reason WVU wins is The Snog, you clearly know nothing when it comes to basketball. Is he a vital cog in the wheel? Of course. But he hardly carries the team.

[NCHoya]

Total agreement with most of the board, Gonzaga is over-rated and I don't see them getting out of the 2nd round, even with a #2 seed. I think a solid 10 or 7 would take those fools out. There was a point last night where they said when the Zags are not hot from 3, they struggle like in the St Marys game. No one can convince me this team will be hot throughout the tournamnet and get far. They may pull out a few games, but it seems apparent if they have a poor shooting game against anyone, especially a tournament team, they are finished. I would welcome a match-up with them, I think we can take them to the woodshed like a disciplined T Tech did last year.

As for Under/Over-rated teams: UF, Gonzaga, GW, Okla, Indiana, Mich are all over-rated. In fact, you could make the case the entire Big 10 (besides Iowa and Ill) is over-rated. No doubt LSU, Kansas, Cal, Marquette, Bucknell are under-appreciated. Cal is 9-3 in the Pac 10, won 5 in a row, never hear about them anywhere, but last night Stanford is spoken about like a top 20 team. Bucknell is 20-3 with 2 acceptable losses plus wins against Cuse, depaul, St Joes. I have no interest in playing BU in the NCAAs.

[HoyaSinceBirth]

Wisconsin is overrated.

[Massholya]

If things are really as lunardi advertises and the hoyas are a 5 seed (not that i agree), I am pretty unhappy with the prospect of facing bucknell which could easily be a 12 seed in the tourney. They are not an easy out.