Is this the best team that ND basketball has ever played? UCLA? Did ND play Indiana in 76? Georgetown team with Ewing, ND played them I believe? Any opinions out there?
Best team ever?
- Thread starter jacksondomer
- Start date
"Historically" and "statistically" yes. 37-0, best start/record ever in NCAA. Debating the squads is up for debate. People will name legendary stars of past, but none of those teams could match the height and depth of this year's Cats. This will likely be debated for decades ie best team ever debate
I can't think of a better team...maybe better players..but hell, you guys have a truckload of lottery picks....I honestly can't think of a better team ND has ever played.
I think UCLA has to get the nod . 88 game winning streak is a lot. BBall was different then. Players stayed 4 years. If ND can beat Kentucky this would be a Bigger upset . ND beat UCLA at home. This is a neutral site and elite 8 game. Much bigger stakes. ND has nothing to lose tomorrow night pressure is all on the Cats'.
JR97...I agree...and the game has changed a ton...3 pt shot, shot clock...but this UK team is really good.
Yes, the Irish played IU during the 75/76 season. IU won by three. (63-60)
http://www.lostlettermen.com/basketball/indiana/schedu
I'm an Irish fan, but those '76 Hoosiers deserve some love as being the best ever!
http://www.lostlettermen.com/basketball/indiana/schedu
I'm an Irish fan, but those '76 Hoosiers deserve some love as being the best ever!
Any of the UCLA teams back then are better than Kentucky. John Wooden is the best best coach ever in any sport at any level. Period! 10 championships in 12 years. Not mention with different players in the line up every year. That my friends is the true and only real Dynasty. This Kentucky squad is awesome, but they are also " rent a team". These players are only here because they can't go pro yet. See how many leave after this year. They are basically a pro team in waiting.
"Any of those ucla teams are better than UK". LMAO. You know what, I think I'm going to enjoy watching UK wax the floor with ND.
Interestingly, one of those #1 UCLA teams couldn't beat the UCLA FR team led by Alcindor.
How susceptible are your big guys to charging?
Our guys are going to have to sacrifice their bodies and get you into foul trouble imo...
Who are your worst foul shooters?
Also, I thought we might be able to put full court pressure on the ball.
You guys obliterated the press the other night...
How susceptible are your big guys to charging?
Our guys are going to have to sacrifice their bodies and get you into foul trouble imo...
Who are your worst foul shooters?
Also, I thought we might be able to put full court pressure on the ball.
You guys obliterated the press the other night...
Best team? Absolutely not. Best team relative to the opposition? Maybe, and certainly the W/L record indicates that. It's interesting how the exodus of underclassmen--the one and dones and two and throughs--has redefined the words "great team." If someone had told John Wooden, Al McGuire or Ray Meyer that a rotation of 3 freshmen, 4 sophomores, and 1 junior would constitute arguably the greatest team ever, they'd laugh as a chorus. Back when ND stunned the world and beat that 73-74 UCLA team, the Bruins didn't even play a frosh on their roster by the name of Marques Johnson, who went on to have a super collegiate and NBA career. In the present landscape, Marques would be a one and done player and contribute heavily to whatever team was vying for postseason honors.
This post was edited on 3/28 10:10 AM by LCBrasefield
This post was edited on 3/28 10:10 AM by LCBrasefield
apples and oranges . what is the criteria ? I heard a current NBA scout on the radio yesterday say Kentucky has 10 future NBA players on its roster. I think caliparis greastest accomplishment is getting these players to check their egos at the door and to function as a team. just about any player on his two deep would be the man at another program. a remarkable achievement given todays environment where they've been told how great they are for a long time and the culture of entitlement that comes with it.
No. As a Kentucky fan I don't think this team is as good as the 60s-70s UCLA teams and probably a few teams in the 80s and 90s.
I think they're better relative to their competition than any other team in the field other than the alcindor teams. Let's be honest. College basketball sucks these days. The little schools aren't jumping up because they are better. They are competing because the bigger schools are declining.
Kentucky has just demolished the teams they have focused on this year. Top 35 teams according to kenpom rankings have lost by an average of 22 points. 36-100 have lost by an average of 13 points.
I'm not saying this will continue in a 1 game scenario, but it is interesting that UK is beating the top ranked teams by an average margin that is nearly double that of the good teams.
I think they're better relative to their competition than any other team in the field other than the alcindor teams. Let's be honest. College basketball sucks these days. The little schools aren't jumping up because they are better. They are competing because the bigger schools are declining.
Kentucky has just demolished the teams they have focused on this year. Top 35 teams according to kenpom rankings have lost by an average of 22 points. 36-100 have lost by an average of 13 points.
I'm not saying this will continue in a 1 game scenario, but it is interesting that UK is beating the top ranked teams by an average margin that is nearly double that of the good teams.
you don't really have 'teams' anymore. That is a huge difference. ADD all the dunk and showoff garbage and everything else and there is no way you can compare the 60-70's to now.
cgvr ... saw you post about this in another thread. Unfortunately for opponents, foul trouble has not been much of an issue for UK all season long. For a couple of reasons. First of all, we're 2-3 deep at each position. Secondly, our guys are not prone to foul much in the first place. We're averaging less than 14 fouls called against us per game. As to free throw shooting, not much problem there either. The entire team shoots free throws well ... even our bigs. During the post season this year (SEC and NCAA tourneys), our front line players (usually the worst free throw shooters) are shooting over 75% combined and the team as a whole is shooting nearly 80%.
This post was edited on 3/28 3:51 PM by wildcatknh
As one of the Kentucky posters put it, this Kentucky team is far better than its competition this year, but it is not one of the top five teams of all time. Let's face it, their conference was really poor this year, or they wouldn't be undefeated. In fact, as another Kentucky poster put it, college basketball is in a decline, and that explains why all these mid-majors have advanced to the Elite Eight and beyond in the last 6 or 7 years.
As for best all time, I would put at least three of the UCLA teams from 68 to 75 ahead of this Kentucky team. I would also put '76 Indiana and the early '80s Jordan, Perkins, Worthy team that won the NC ahead of this year's Wildcats. Those teams were all older and better at the game's fundamentals than this Kentucky team.
As for best all time, I would put at least three of the UCLA teams from 68 to 75 ahead of this Kentucky team. I would also put '76 Indiana and the early '80s Jordan, Perkins, Worthy team that won the NC ahead of this year's Wildcats. Those teams were all older and better at the game's fundamentals than this Kentucky team.
Thanks. I saw you guys play Louisville earlier this year and it was a first half brawl.
I couldn't believe how the refs let it go. Calipari's half time interview was funny. He basically mimicked guys coming off the floor and saying, "he did this to me." Calipari then said that he told them to go sit on the bench. You guys can brawl and Calipari has tons of weaponry. There aren't many weaknesses unless you go cold... We need to play our best game and you guys need to be off. Grant can penetrate as can Jackson so we may be able to get stuff off quickness... this is a tall task...pun intended... if Auguste gets in foul trouble early it could be a long night. PS I thought we might be able to bother you guys with press pressure, but your coach knows how to bust that open... We have to figure out how to put you to sleep out there...
I couldn't believe how the refs let it go. Calipari's half time interview was funny. He basically mimicked guys coming off the floor and saying, "he did this to me." Calipari then said that he told them to go sit on the bench. You guys can brawl and Calipari has tons of weaponry. There aren't many weaknesses unless you go cold... We need to play our best game and you guys need to be off. Grant can penetrate as can Jackson so we may be able to get stuff off quickness... this is a tall task...pun intended... if Auguste gets in foul trouble early it could be a long night. PS I thought we might be able to bother you guys with press pressure, but your coach knows how to bust that open... We have to figure out how to put you to sleep out there...
please stop the nonsense. No where near the best team ever. The one and done rule allows them to be the best vs the competition this year, but there are tons of teams better or more competitive then this team. duke with partner, Gurley, Thomas and grant hill in 92, UNC with montross Wallace Stackhouse, Phelps etc, fan five year two, unlv with tark. Not a single person can take this team of 18 year olds and expect to go 5 outta 10 with those squads. Shit duke with Elton brand and jayson Williams. Great talent and height playing backyard ball. They are good by not great and not unbeatable.
This UK is not as good as these past National champs from the ACC: UNC 57, MooU 74, UNC 82, Dook 92.
If ND had 1 more top reserve, preferably 6-9 with ability to step out to 15 feet and face the basket, ND beats UK by 2 possessions.
No offense Jackson, since you know we agree on most things basketball, but this is a fairly stupid question. UCLA hands down was better. They won 88 in a row during a time when all players played 4 years. The level of all around competition was much better then, then now. Now the talent level is diluted, since so many leave early, even one and done.
"Competition was much better then". LMAO. Even the greats will tell you they don't compare to the athletes of today. You had a few stars, and then stiff role players in those days. Today's NBA player is far more athletic and "big", than those aged teams.
Would Kareem be the best player in the floor? Hell yea he would. UK would however have the better team, depth, and height advantage.
Would Kareem be the best player in the floor? Hell yea he would. UK would however have the better team, depth, and height advantage.
DieHard....I agree with you after last nites game...in fact, not only aren't they the best team ND ever faced...ND has had better teams than this one...The UCLA teams were better, The GTown teams that ND faced were better, I am sure ND played some Dean Smith teams that were better and IU with Coach Knight had teams that were better. I would take Diggers team with 5 NBA players on it over this UK team in a minute...Calipari couldn't carry Knights jockstrap....I way overrated this team..you are correct and I was wrong...
The UNLV teams of the early 90s were much better than this Kentucky team. Don't get me wrong, I think Kentucky is one of the great teams in the last 20 years. They did what they needed to do and in the end made plays to win. That is a sign of a champion. With all that said they are not the best team ever. I have seen a ton of Basketball. For my money the UNLV team that won the national championship is the best team I ever saw. I will go on record and say Kentucky will not win the championship this year. If I'm wrong I will be on here saying so. Michigan st will win it all. They are a " money" team and Tom Izzo is the best big game coach in the country.
Remember not so long ago when Duke beat ya by 30? Well, That's been what a month or so ago. I'd say the Irish just had a bad night that night, huh? Because it's my opinion that the Irish are a better team this year than Duke. Well, last night was one of those nights for the Cats. We still won though, thankfully. I do think this is one of the best Cats teams ever if not the best. More size, depth, and talent overall than any UK team. If they go 40-0 I say best college team in the last 40 years. If the Irish had been in a different bracket you'd be going to Indy. Great team!! In my opinion the 2nd best team in the country. Congrats on a great year!!
