This Weekend In College Basketball

Ocean State Showdown
Coming off a two point loss to Virginia Commonwealth, the Rams faced in-state rival Providence College at the Ryan Center on Saturday afternoon. The annual matchup usually provides an emotional game and has even gotten chippy a few times over the years, most notably in 1990 when a brawl broke out and then-URI coach Al Skinner was right in there mixing it up with his players. (Love Al Skinner!)
Today’s game saw Providence take a big lead into the locker-room 49-35, only to have the Rams come out and absolutely kick ass in the 2nd half, winning 86-82 with five Rams in double-figures. Biggest factor in this game is likely the turnover battle which the Rams won 19-9. We all know the Rams can fill it, but if they can force TO’s the way they did in the 2nd half they could be in for a big season…or The ‘Stache (Jim Baron) could just fuck it all up again late in the conference schedule and lead the team to about 10 straight losses. Either way.
Bragging rights belong to the Rams for 2009-10. Thank God. The Friars are right up there with Lakers/Yankees for me. I hate those mother fuckers.
GO RAMS!

Kentucky beats Tar Heels
When asked what he thought of the Tar Heels earlier this week, super-frosh DeMarcus Cousins responded with, “Yea I’ve seen ‘em. I’m not that impressed.” Cousins might want to produce a bit more before flapping his gums at a perennial power like UNC, but nonetheless the Wildcats pulled out a two point victory. Cousins had only 5 points and 5 boards in a poor shooting effort. With their other prize recruit, John Wall, on the floor, the Wildcats seemed unstoppable. There were reportedly numerous NBA scouts in attendance and Wall did not disappoint, finishing with 15 pts, 5 boards and 7 dimes. Apparently UNC was hot to trot for Wall during his high school years and then cooled off during his senior year. It was then that he opted for Kentucky, and was surely eager to show ol’ Roy what he was missing. (Wall is from Raleigh and dreamed of being a Tar Heel.)
Kentucky started off very hot, and allowed the Tar Heels back into the game late. But again it was too little too late for the Heels who have gotten off to a slow start numerous times this season, including their recent loss to Syracuse.
Patrick Patterson also had a monster game with 19 and 7 boards. Looks like Kentucky basketball is finally relevant again.
One thing that still irks me though is how coaches like Calipari are able to take a program to the top with some shady dealings and then jump ship when they smell blood in the water but face no punishment. He has taken two programs from virtual basketball purgatory to the Final Four, and both programs have faced NCAA sanctions after his “timely” departure. We saw this at UMass with Camby and the eventual taking down of the Final Four banner, and now Memphis faces some of the same issues surrounding Derek Rose. I just wish some of the onus would fall on the coach so that guys like Coach Cal can’t keep running from their troubles. Doesn’t seem fair to the programs he is leaving.
Duke also plays today and I hope that St. John’s kills ‘em. That is what I would like for Christmas.