Oakland at Tennessee

[PattyMac1021]

Nice game on ESPNU. Tennessee is up 64-62 with around 11 minutes to play. Oakland's star center Keith Benson (who I had admittedly never heard of prior to this game) is something else. He had 20 points in the first half, currently has 22 with 7 rebounds and 2 blocks. This kid is pretty amazing. He was the Summit player of the year last year (averaging a double-double for the season), as well as the "mid-major player of the year." Oakland currently on an 11-0 run...

Edit: And right after I typed this Benson just left for the training room after rolling his ankle. Go figure.

Edit 2: Oakland down 74-66 since Benson left, but he just got back onto the court, so we'll see if that changes things.

Edit 3: Oakland has pulled within 2 since Benson got back in. Kid's got 9 boards now. Why no one else is watching this game is beyond me.

Edit 4: Talking to myself, but I'm enjoying it. Oakland up 79-76 with 3:00 to play. Oakland on another 11-0 run.

[smileyy]

Benson was pretty impressive in last year's tournament against Pitt. 28 points, 9 boards if I remember the box score I just looked at. Oakland will be a team as long as he's there.

[Titanxman04]

Two straight turnovers could cost Oakland. They were up 81-76 with two minutes to go.

But then UT just turned it back over.

81-78 with 1:23 left.

[Titanxman04]

With 37 seconds left, Oakland hits a three!

85-79 Oakland.

[PattyMac1021]

HUGE 3 for Oakland. 85-79. About 40 seconds to play. Tennessee could go down.

Benson's got 24 points and 10 boards.

Edit: 87-80 Oakland. 23 seconds to go.

Edit 2: Benson hits a pair of free throws. 89-82 Oakland.

[PattyMac1021]

And Oakland pulls it out, 89-82. Keith Benson finishes with 26 points and 10 boards. Only thirteen unbeaten teams remain.

[BBC 08]

And everyone at work will be depressed tomorrow. Woohoo!

[PattyMac1021]

In unrelated news, Drexel is currently winning at Louisville at the half 25-23.

Color me unimpressed with these "BCS" conference crowds. The Tennessee fans seemed bored the whole time (didn't matter if they were up double digits, losing, or tied), and now the Louisville fans seem equally unresponsive. Makes me proud to be a Xavier fan.

[PattyMac1021]

And Drexel beats Louisville. On back to back games on ESPNU undefeated teams go down at home. Awesome.

[GoMuskies]

Good to see our old friend Bruiser get a big win at Drexel. He's been there quite awhile now. UMass would have been better off just keeping him.

[danaandvictory]

Oakland's coach looks exactly like Flounder from Animal House.

[Masterofreality]

Too bad LaSuck and Dookcane both blew their games last weekend.

We could have really ragged on the Big Greased.

[xufan02]

I don't understand how Louisville was even ranked. Yes, they beat Butler and a ranked UNLV team, but the did it at home. Also of their 13 non-conference games only one is on the road at it is at WKU. That is some great scheduling.

[Titanxman04]

When you're a Big East team that WAS 8-0 and only 13 schools or so are undefeated, you're going to be ranked...weak scheduling or not.

[X-band '01]

Good to see our old friend Bruiser get a big win at Drexel. He's been there quite awhile now. UMass would have been better off just keeping him.

Bruiser's only crime at UMass was that he wasn't John Calipari. His teams were a pain in the ass for Xavier - for as much as we hear about Lamar Odom and URI knocking Xavier out of the 1999 NCAA Tournament, imagine this board if UMass had beaten Temple for the A-10 title in 2001 and knocked Xavier out of the NCAA Tournament then.

[bourbonman]

I don't understand how Louisville was even ranked. Yes, they beat Butler and a ranked UNLV team, but the did it at home. Also of their 13 non-conference games only one is on the road at it is at WKU. That is some great scheduling.


Agreed on Louisville being ranked - HOW?
Disagree about it being great scheduling - they will not be road tested AND playing the teams they played will not get them ready for the conference games. Doubt they go .500 in the BE.
AND if they then don't go deep in the BE tourney, they shouldn't get into the Dance with the OOC schedule.

[Titanxman04]

Agreed on Louisville being ranked - HOW?
Disagree about it being great scheduling - they will not be road tested AND playing the teams they played will not get them ready for the conference games. Doubt they go .500 in the BE.
AND if they then don't go deep in the BE tourney, they shouldn't get into the Dance with the OOC schedule.


I think he was being sarcastic on the "great scheduling" line.

[bourbonman]

I think he was being sarcastic on the "great scheduling" line.

He may be, but I irritated by the Louisville fans are enjoying it. The bragging about being ranked and returning to the polls just is bizarre. Of course with their new arena (aka The Bird's Nest) there is a lot to enjoy.

[drudy23]

For as much as we hear about Lamar Odom and URI knocking Xavier out of the 1999 NCAA Tournament, imagine this board if UMass had beaten Temple for the A-10 title in 2001 and knocked Xavier out of the NCAA Tournament then.

For the 1,087,456th time...Odom's shot did not knock us out of the NCAA tourney...we weren't going regardless. Jesus.

[Titanxman04]

He may be, but I irritated by the Louisville fans are enjoying it. The bragging about being ranked and returning to the polls just is bizarre. Of course with their new arena (aka The Bird's Nest) there is a lot to enjoy.

Every year...EVERY YEAR...Louisville becomes ranked or starts off ranked, but once conference play starts, all the bells and whistles lose their shine and start rusting, and they fall to pieces. I cannot stand that the media buys into Louisville every year, and every season they seem to just fall apart.

[XUglow]

Benson was going to go pro after last season, but he got injured and decided to forgo the draft. He can certainly play.