Tuck D-moted

The Phoenix Suns sent rookie Alando Tucker to the NBA's Development League to work on his j. To date he has played in 2 of the Suns' first 14 games an averaged 6 points in eight minutes. Coach Mike D'Antoni said, "It's the best thing for him. He needs to improve his shooting to have a chance. He wants to show he can play."

I concur. Minus a consistent outside shot, Tucker's back-to-the-basket game with the ability to take it to the hole from the perimeter makes him a "tweener" without a position in the bigger NBA. This was always the glaring hole in his game, wonderful as he was in 5 years under Bo Ryan. Let's hope Tuck finds his stroke and returns to the most exciting team in the NBA.

Challenge This...

With our conference now 0-9 in the ACC/Big 10 Beat Down, I think Jim Delaney needs to look to pick on someone his own size.
Last night I suggested the Big 10/SWAC Challenge, but that could be too difficult and we need a win. So with that in mind, a 2008 Big 10/East Suburban Catholic Conference (ESCC) Challenge:

Michigan State at Notre Dame
-MSU has to go to one of the toughest stadiums in the conference, still too physical for the Dons to handle
BIG 10 WINS

Carmel at Wisconsin
-No one is winning at the Kohl, not even a well-coached Corsairs squad
BIG 10 WINS

Joilet Catholic at Northwestern
-Will the Cats have Kevin Coble? They better hope so
ESCC WINS

Iowa at Nazareth
Iowa better hope they can hit their outside shots otherwise they could succumb to the speed of the Roadrunners
ESCC WINS

St. Viator at Illinois
Illinois will be able to pound the ball inside, this will be a close game
BIG 10 WINS

Benet at Purdue
Purdue's young stars might have trouble with Benet's size. Coach Gaughan will have his team up for a big game on the road. BLOODY GAUGHAN!
ESCC WINS!

OSU at Marian Catholic
OSU will rely on their inside outside game and pressure defense to destroy Marian
BIG 10 WINS

Marist at Minnesota
Minnesota will still be learning to play Tubby Ball, but Marist can't win in the barn, right?
BIG 10 WINS

Michigan at St. Pats
It will be about 90 degrees in the gym with the toughest atmosphere of any gym in the conference. It will not be a great day to be a Michigan Wolverine
ESCC WINS

Indiana at St. Joe's
The marquee matchup goes the way of Isaiah Thomas' former school, um, the Indiana one.
BIG 10 WINS

After all that, the Big 10 wins 6-4!

There we go, a real challenge

Tampa Bay Bound

The Badger football team accepted an invitation to the Outback Bowl to play a still undetermined SEC opponent on January 1st. The decision was precipitated by Capitol One Bowl officials releasing Bucky from a third straight trip to Orlando. Congrats to Coach B for leading the team to a fourth straight January bowl despite the adversity the team faced on account of injuries throughout the mostly disappointing 2007 campaign.

The Challenge

On the eve of the 9th Annual Big 10/ACC Challenge we here at BTOTBT would like to invite everyone to participate in the Big 10/ACC Challenge, Challenge.

Participating is easy:
Just pick the winners of all 11 games and give the total points scored in the Wisconsin/Duke game.

Post your picks in the comments section and on Thursday morning we will crown a winner.

Picks must be in the comments by the time I get home from work on Monday when I will post all picks that were e-mailed to me.

Here are your matchups:

MONDAY:
Wake Forest at Iowa

TUESDAY:
Georgia Tech at Indiana
Minnesota at Florida State
Northwestern at Virginia
Wisconsin at Duke
Purdue at Clemson

WEDNESDAY:
NC State at Michigan State
Illinois at Maryland
Boston College at Michigan
UNC at Ohio State
Virginia Tech at Penn State

Good luck to everyone!

Maybe I'm crazy

Rando thoughts from the Wisconsin/Duke game

-I hate ESPN

-JESUS GEORGIA TECH, GIVE UP ALREADY!

-Why is IU Fouling?????

-Oh crap, Vitale, can I get the feed from Cameron but the audio from Assembly Hall?

-I hate Greg Paulus

-DEFEND THE FREAKING 3!

-Flowers is a train wreck with the ball

-SOMEONE, DEFEND THE 3!

-CHRIST!!!! Why even bother showing up if we're going to play defense like this

-I Like Bo's tie

-Um, whoever kidnapped Marcus Landry, what do you want?

-Seriously, we'll pay it

-Punching Paulus in the face should earn the puncher 2 shots and the ball on the side

-33-18, what a disaster

-36-18, I quit

-Wow, a blocking foul, Duke cannot believe a blatant bad call didnt go their way

-Ha, and then we take a charge, my night has been made

-SIT DOWN YOU SNIVELING RAT

-Has anyone ever seen a team bitch as much about officiating? Well, outside of Euro Soccer

-Of course, it does not matter if Hughes cant make a free throw

-Hey, Ronde Barber has been to Dick Vitale's house! How lucky is he?

-Tell us more Dick...

-SHUT UP DICK

-MAKE A FUCKING FREE THROW

-I wonder how the Bulls are doing?

-OMG, the BULLS ARE WINNING!

-Hey, Steimsma is in the game

-And he just turned it over

-Hey, the laundry list of "leave of absences" for Wisconsin. Dont forget Boo Wade

-Wasn't Krabby supposed to be a shooter out of high school

-Ok, I went to the kitchen at the 4 min mark to get a glass of milk, and Marcus Landry's picture was on the carton

-Apparently Marcus Landry has money on Duke

-Ok, next year I propose a Big 10/SWAC challenge

-OR...lets stack the deck in our favor: NU/Duke, PSU/UNC, that way maybe we can get wins over the middle of the ACC

-Butch is so soft

-Hey Dick, I think there are about 30 Freshmen not involved in this game that you have not mentioned yet

-Does this idiot ever shut up

-48-25, I think this experiment is over

First Impressions

It was fantastic to watch the Badgers dispatch of a quality SEC opponent last evening after the first half scare. I remain rather bullish about this team, for its size and quality depth should make it a player atop the BT in what is looking like a lackluster league two weeks into nonconference play.

Stiemsma has made tremendous strides defensively as he remains a tremendous shotblocker, but appears to have shed his tendency to play with his hands and commit stupid fouls. Butch has been a beast on the boards, and Krabby is every bit as rugged on both ends of the floor. The South Dakota native is also an excellent outlet passer and is money on the FT line. Flowers and Hughes are quick on the perimeter, and in total make Bucky a formidable defensive unit.

The two guards are also excellent penetrators on offense, though both need to become better finishers. Butch falls in the same category for a team without a go-to, back-to-the-basket scorer. Landry makes his presence known in waves, but remains absent for significant stretches of games. The team will need consistent scoring from him as the season grows old. The BTN announcers have repeated the notion that the Badgers need a player to emerge who takes the game in his own hands when the team desperately needs a basket, a la Alando Tucker. For better or worse, I think that player is Travon Hughes. He's not afraid to shoot, and is a threat to score from anywhere on the court.

My narrative thus far has only mentioned six players. Bo got solid minutes last night from Gullickson, and I'm hopeful he'll remain part of the rotation if only for his energy and fearlessness on the boards. JBo was quiet last evening as Georgia stretched the floor defensively and provided few wide open looks for a catch and shoot player. His deep threat capacity will be needed, especially when teams employ the zone to stifle the swing offense. I am a fan of nine-man rotations, as is Coach Ryan, and Leuer or Nankivil are the most likely candidates for this cameo. Both may not yet be prepared for primetime, but expect one or both to be ready for significant minutes comes January and the arrival of BT play.