Also Receiving Votes Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 Hansbrough leads No. 2 North Carolina against Saint Louis R.B. FALLSTROM Associated Press ST. LOUIS - One of the top Missouri recruits that got away is about to show fans in home state what they're missing. Tyler Hansbrough leads No. 2 North Carolina against Saint Louis on Friday. It's a game the Tar Heels' center, who is from Poplar Bluff, near the Missouri Bootheel, marked on his schedule before the season. "I've thought about it a great amount," Hansbrough said Thursday. "A lot of people from my hometown have been talking about it and are going to make the drive. "It's just a special game for me." It's big for Saint Louis (9-2), too. The Billikens are coming off a 51-50 victory over Missouri State on Monday, achieved on a tip-in at the buzzer by center Ian Vouyoukas, and are looking to take some momentum into the start of Atlantic-10 Conference play. Missouri State (9-2) was among the top teams also receiving votes in this week's Top 25. "These are heavyweights and I'm thankful we snuck out a win," coach Brad Soderberg said. "I'm hopeful we can play our best game on Friday, because needless to say that's going to be a prerequisite." North Carolina (9-1) topped the century mark for the fourth time this season with a 105-52 rout of Florida Atlantic on Monday, leading by a school-record 47 points at halftime. Hansbrough had 20 points in that game. There will be more pressure this time around, with a contingent from Poplar Bluff making the trip up state for what is likely to be a sellout for Saint Louis. He wants to put on a good show. "It will be a disappointment for me if I go there and play bad in front of everybody," Hansbrough said. "It's one of those games where I'm going to have to concentrate on the game instead of outside things, with all my friends being there and family and things." Hansbrough leads North Carolina in both scoring (19 points) and rebounding (7.6), and is shooting 56 percent. Coach Roy Williams has to laugh at those who suggest he's struggling, noting that he's improved his judgment when facing double- or triple-teaming, electing to pass to open teammates. "I'm dumbfounded by how people are saying we're worried about Tyler," Williams said. "The only number that's not up is field goal percentage. "It's almost comical when people wonder about Tyler's struggling." Williams thought Hansbrough was the "perfect player" for North Carolina when he was recruiting him, and that opinion has not changed. He doesn't think Hansbrough will have much trouble dealing with the distractions. "He does have tremendous ability to focus," Williams said. "It will be interesting to see, but I expect him to handle it better than anybody around." Saint Louis led by three at halftime last December in Chapel Hill, N.C., before Hansbrough scored 17 of his 21 points the rest of the way in a 75-63 victory. Hansbrough will again be challenged by 6-10 Ian Vouyoukas, leading a team that has NCAA tournament aspirations. "I see a better team," Williams said. "I hate to say that; we were down to them at halftime in our building last year." Against Missouri State, Saint Louis might have been helped by a discrepancy or delay in a TV feed used to determine whether Vouyoukas' winning basket, in which he hoisted a desperation air ball by Tommie Liddell, was indeed in time. In any case, the Billikens had a strong rally in that game after trailing by 11 with 9:28 to go. Saint Louis plays another strong team, Mississippi, on Saturday night. It's part of Soderberg's strategy to build his team's profile. "We're not in a BCS conference like Missouri for example, and they're going to play Texas and Oklahoma and Kansas and their RPI gets bumps every time they play those people," Soderberg said. "We told (the players) in the summer we're going to give you a schedule that's going to be a beast." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S T L B I L L I K E N S Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 Sorry Brad but the current schedule is hardly a beast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheltiedave Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 STL, maybe you haven't seen it, but the ACC is #1 RPI for conferences, and the SEC is #3. The MVC was #2, so that gives us four games against the top three RPI conferences with SIUC, MUState, North Carolina, and Mississippi. That is a very good OOC schedule, when you throw in Loyola, TAMU, and Houston as well. This schedule was very well thought out, and we are going to benefit from it being strong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiphan Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 >STL, maybe you haven't seen it, but the ACC is #1 RPI for >conferences, and the SEC is #3. The MVC was #2, so that >gives us four games against the top three RPI conferences >with SIUC, MUState, North Carolina, and Mississippi. That is >a very good OOC schedule, when you throw in Loyola, TAMU, >and Houston as well. > >This schedule was very well thought out, and we are going to >benefit from it being strong. Collie, I hate to disagree with you but come on. The MVC may be number two now but I hardly think they'll end up there. Only NC(and maybe A&M) on that list qualifies as a beast. The schedule may be "good" and helpful for the RPI but I'd hardly qualify it as a beast. At the end of the year how many of those teams will be top 25? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p diddy Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 you don't have to be in the top 25 to qualify as a quality opponent. we've played a number of teams that are considered top contenders for their conference titles. tamu is picked as high as second in the big 12, loyola was picked first or second in the horizon (feel free to study up on what the top horizon teams have done in recent years), houston was picked second in c-usa (and we play them twice), siu and mo. state are both mvc title contenders and UNC is a national championship contender. i don't know where ole miss will finish in the sec, but they are 9-2 right now. i hope you're night one of these fans who thinks unless you play kentucky, duke, ucla and north carolina, you don't have a good schedule. bad boyz for life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheltiedave Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 2007 Atlantic 10 Conference Basketball Standings RPI rank: 14 Non conference aggregate record: 79-54 vs. Division 1 Non conference SOS rank: 28 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Through games of Wednesday, December 20 Overall Conf Overall Non-Conf W-L W-L RPI SOS RPI SOS St. Louis 8-2 0-0 40 135 39 148 Dayton 10-1 0-0 54 233 53 242 Xavier 8-4 0-0 74 79 75 93 Temple 5-3 0-0 86 103 88 120 George Washington 7-2 0-0 87 227 89 232 Massachusetts 9-2 0-0 89 257 92 264 Fordham 5-4 0-0 134 158 135 172 Saint Joseph's 5-4 0-0 148 142 156 156 Charlotte 3-5 0-0 166 59 173 68 La Salle 6-2 0-0 228 330 235 332 Rhode Island 4-5 0-0 244 210 247 218 Richmond 4-5 0-0 245 205 249 215 Duquesne 2-7 0-0 326 312 328 313 St. Bonaventure 3-8 0-0 333 336 333 336 © 2006 Ken Pomeroy. Maybe some people aren't doing any research on how the RPI works. We have played three games where the other team's RPI will only improve as the season progresses(TAMU, SIUC, and MUState.) We play three teams where, if they follow projections, will either win or be second in conference(Houston, Loyola, NC.)Again, they will boost our RPI as they improve. When you schedule "growth" teams, it is the same as having investments at 20% interest, 30%, or 10%. You blend the schedule to maximize return and minimize risk. Look at the dogs(lowest 3) in some conferences. In the A10... St. Bonnie(3-8) 336(SOS) 333(RPI) Duquesne(2-7) 313 328 LaSalle(6-2) 332 235 In the MVC... N. Iowa(8-2) 259 80 Drake(6-2) 218 117 Evansville(8-3) 195 98 In the ACC... NC State(7-3) 209 155 Miami(7-5) 214 303 Virginia(6-3) 134 126 Our big growth stocks... Houston(4-3) 177 122 Loyola(6-4) 11 33 TAMU(9-2) 182 69 Saint Louis 135 40 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 phan, what would you consider the needed number of games vs out of conference foes in the top 25 is required to be considered a "beast schedule"? what schools play that schedule? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box and Won Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 Good lord, look at St. Bonnie's and The Gas Grills (Duquesne). St. Bonnie's SOS is 336 - wouldn't that put them dead last? We could play Bonnie Bernstein and take less of a hit to our RPI. I think it's time for the A-10 to cut those two loose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 I just wish Brad would stop giving reinforcement publically to MO. He can just as easily say we do not play in a BCS conf. like UNC or UCLA or FL. Drop the constant references to MO or IL those are our recruiting competitors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 do the gas grills get a pass this year due to the shooting? but st bonnie is ridiculous. bruno needs to put some minimum restrictions on all the conference and if they cant produce in the next couple of years ask those short to leave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box and Won Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 I'd be willing to cut the Gas Grills a little slack, but not much. They've been down a long time and still play in a high school gym - that game against them was one of the weirdest I've ever seen. I could not believe I was watching a Division I basketball game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiphan Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 >phan, what would you consider the needed number of games vs >out of conference foes in the top 25 is required to be >considered a "beast schedule"? what schools play that >schedule? Well the team that's always mentioned as the school were aspiring to be, Gonzaga, plays that schedule. They play NC, BUTLER, TEXAS, WASHINGTN, GEORGIA, DUKE, NEVADA, VIRGINIA AND MEMPHIS. That is what I would say is a "beast." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basketballcountry Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 ILLINOIS?????? RECRUITING COMPETITORS ROTFLMAO btw Has anyone from the great SLU called the NCAA yet And told them the great SLU wanted to do the only right thing and tell them Missouri State won that ballgame. It wasnt a league game so NCAA will have no problem doing it The whole country knows Missouri State won. But the great "cough cough" SLU DENIES DENIES DENIES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 totally agree. so we got one team, and that team is considered one of the probably 15 best programs in the country. one that everyone wants to play. do you have an example of a team that is a 50-100 level program that has a schedule like that? my point phan is that i dont think this is all on slu. woolard used to talk all the time about how hard it was to even get that one marquee game on the schedule each year. no one wanted to play and even those that "claimed" they would play, would always throw out impossible dates to play (they knew when the circus, neil diamond and globetrotters were already booked and convienently would say those were the "available dates"". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 country, has hinson called and admitted that mitchell travelled three times on three different baskets he made in the first half and wants to reduce the missouri state score by 6 yet? as soon as hinson takes those 6 points off the board, brad will take ian's two off the board. your broadcast team f'd it up. dont talk to us about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 Well if that is true once the new arena opens they won't be able to play that silly game again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 exactly. both brad and shimmy have noted that many times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basketballcountry Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 <<<< YOUR BROADCAST TEAM>>>>> LMAO WHAT A HOOSIER NITWIT THE WHOLE COUNTRY KNOWS DENIES DENIES DENIES and they know the little hoosiers didnt win Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basketballcountry Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 ROTFLMAO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basketballcountry Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 DUH That isnt your arena nitwit you do not have a arena at the Lou SLU LMAO What a nitwit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basketballcountry Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 LMAO Bruno or the Atlantic Ten doesnt even know your school exists.You fairweather so called slu basketball fans are a joke. You just dont get it do you nitwit?? but keep crying waa waa waa waa The Atlantic Ten and everyone else in the country know you as you are. A FLYOVER ROTF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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