The official NCAA tournament thread

[tarcone]

Iowa ran into a buzz saw. Total domination by the Zags.
I hope they kick UCLAs arse.

[Abe Sargent]

...but I don;t mind my team pulling away like that either!

[Abe Sargent]

If we make it back to teh Sweet Sixteen for the first time in a while, I'll be happy, even if we lose to the Kentucky-Naught 100-10.

[JPhillips]

Just looked at the bracket and it looks really easy for UK to get to the final. The worst they can do is WVU/ND/Oklahoma.

[Abe Sargent]

yay Morgantown!!

[Atocep]

Incredible job by Huggins getting WVU turned around. WVU has 6 players playing more than 12 minutes a game that weren't on the roster last season. No Aaron Harris. No Terry Henderson. 25 wins and a trip to the sweet 16.

I think it would difficult to find a coach that did a better job this year.

[Butter]

Tough loss for Dayton. UD had a 9 point lead in the second half, and were up 7 with under 10 minutes to go when Oklahoma just put the Flyers on defensive lockdown. We didn't score again until OU had a 6 point lead with under 2 minutes to play.

Rough way to go out, but really with essentially 6 scholarship players, making the round of 32 was an amazing accomplishment. Hopeful that UD can be a top-25 mainstay in the years to come.

[Kodos]

Yep. I was disappointed that UD went into a shooting slump down the stretch and lost. Still a good showing. I know there are a lot of IU fans thinking we should try to scoop up Archie Miller if the Stevens and Donovan things don't materialize.

[Butter]

Thanks, Kodos for at least following along even if it was only to scout your potential future coach... for selfish reasons, I hope that is not the case!

[Kodos]

Nah, I just plain like UD from my days when I lived in Dayton. Yes, I am a bit jealous of the coach (and would swap in a heartbeat), but I genuinely enjoy watching the Flyers do well. I've always been a fan of the underdog.

[ColtCrazy]

4 more chances for Kentucky to lose. I really hope someone pulls it off.

[Kodos]

So say we all.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by ColtCrazy

4 more chances for Kentucky to lose. I really hope someone pulls it off.

If it's any consolation to you, most Kentucky fans have to suffer living in Kentucky. I mean what else do they have besides fried chicken and college basketball?

[Easy Mac]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

If it's any consolation to you, most Kentucky fans have to suffer living in Kentucky. I mean what else do they have besides fried chicken and college basketball?

booze and Ashley Judd

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

I mean what else do they have besides fried chicken and college basketball?

Teeth would not be the answer to this question

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Teeth would not be the answer to this question

[Logan]

And they don't even really have Louisville Slugger anymore.

[tarcone]

Need to find someone to root for.
Sparty on the list.

[Arles]

The last three years the Big 12 has been rated higher than the Pac 12 each year. Yet, in all 3 years combined, 8 of the 15 Pac 12 teams have made the sweet 16 while just 5 of the 19 Big 12 teams have. At what point does the "fade the big 12 and ride the Pac 12" bracket plan go from a trend to a legit strategy?

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by tarcone

Need to find someone to root for.
Sparty on the list.

Yep. MSU has become my second-favorite Big Ten team in both football and basketball.

[Vince, Pt. II]

Wichita State?

[Kodos]

Definitely.

[Ragone]

Obviously I'm rooting for Louisville.. But as much as I hate ND football.. I'm finding the ND basketball team to be a team I can root for as well..

[Marmel]

Kentucky - No.
W. Virginia - Huggins is so easy to root for. A drunk bully in the sweet 16? Yes pls!
Notre Dame - Despite being Notre Dame, this is a pretty likeable group of kids. Still, it is ND.
Wichita St - Should be everybody's rooting interest in this bracket, but the coach is a prick, so no.

W. Virginia is the way to go here.

Wisconsin - Not much to hate on here. OK to root for.
UNC - No, of course not.
Xavier - Plain vanilla. No thanks.
Arizona - Fun team to watch, you are OK to root for them.

Basically anybody but UNC here.

NC State - Scrappy bunch. Cat Barber fun to watch.
Louisville - You can't root for Pitino, sorry.
Oklahoma - See Xavier.
Michigan St - Izzo is very likeable.

Michigan St is your choice here, but anybody other than Louisville I would accept.

Duke - This is the most likeable bunch of Dukies ever. But it is Duke.
Utah - So much NCAA Tournament heartbreak over the years, so yeah I hope the basketball gods throw them a bone.
UCLA - No
Gonzaga - The little guy with a real chance.

You root for Gonzaga to break through and reach a Final 4. Utah is an acceptable answer as well. They were the mid major who joined the P5.

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by Marmel

Kentucky - No.
W. Virginia - Huggins is so easy to root for. A drunk bully in the sweet 16? Yes pls!
Notre Dame - Despite being Notre Dame, this is a pretty likeable group of kids. Still, it is ND.
Wichita St - Should be everybody's rooting interest in this bracket, but the coach is a prick, so no.

W. Virginia is the way to go here.

Wisconsin - Not much to hate on here. OK to root for.
UNC - No, of course not.
Xavier - Plain vanilla. No thanks.
Arizona - Fun team to watch, you are OK to root for them.

Basically anybody but UNC here.

NC State - Scrappy bunch. Cat Barber fun to watch.
Louisville - You can't root for Pitino, sorry.
Oklahoma - See Xavier.
Michigan St - Izzo is very likeable.

Michigan St is your choice here, but anybody other than Louisville I would accept.

Duke - This is the most likeable bunch of Dukies ever. But it is Duke.
Utah - So much NCAA Tournament heartbreak over the years, so yeah I hope the basketball gods throw them a bone.
UCLA - No
Gonzaga - The little guy with a real chance.

You root for Gonzaga to break through and reach a Final 4. Utah is an acceptable answer as well. They were the mid major who joined the P5.

You and I have very similar views on stuff

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Marmel

Kentucky - No.
W. Virginia - Huggins is so easy to root for. A drunk bully in the sweet 16? Yes pls!
Notre Dame - Despite being Notre Dame, this is a pretty likeable group of kids. Still, it is ND.
Wichita St - Should be everybody's rooting interest in this bracket, but the coach is a prick, so no.

W. Virginia is the way to go here.

Wisconsin - Not much to hate on here. OK to root for.
UNC - No, of course not.
Xavier - Plain vanilla. No thanks.
Arizona - Fun team to watch, you are OK to root for them.

Basically anybody but UNC here.

NC State - Scrappy bunch. Cat Barber fun to watch.
Louisville - You can't root for Pitino, sorry.
Oklahoma - See Xavier.
Michigan St - Izzo is very likeable.

Michigan St is your choice here, but anybody other than Louisville I would accept.

Duke - This is the most likeable bunch of Dukies ever. But it is Duke.
Utah - So much NCAA Tournament heartbreak over the years, so yeah I hope the basketball gods throw them a bone.
UCLA - No
Gonzaga - The little guy with a real chance.

You root for Gonzaga to break through and reach a Final 4. Utah is an acceptable answer as well. They were the mid major who joined the P5.

Mostly 'cause you have the teams in a convenient format for reference

Kentucky - remarkable roster doing things in an even more remarkable way. Aside from standard Kentucky hate (which I don't have a big problem with) there's really very little to nothing about this team not to like. Hard working, willing to make sacrifices for the common goal, defense. I can't really have a problem with them winning it all.

WVU is entertaining to watch at times, ND feels very vanilla, ditto Wichita State.

UNC -- cause ACC. This team, afaik, has at least gone through the motions for going to class. The downside is the unlikable coach.

Wisconsin is rather dull to me, Xavier & 'zona are both even less interesting.

NC State - cause ACC. Surprising to me really, they're a team that hasn't been very likable in recent years but this bunch hasn't offended me yet so I'll give them the conference benefit of the doubt.

Michigan State is tolerable, Louisville gets a similar nah from me as you gave, Oklahoma is more like "who"?

Duke -- ACC, and then some. Just as UNC was probably my most frequent #2 team in my first 20 years or so (circa Dean Smith era), I've probably rooted for Duke more often than any team aside from GT/UT in the last 20 or so. The exploding heads they provoke are just an added bonus at this point.

Utah & Gonzaga, meh. UCLA my second choice simply because they make heads explode so nicely.

[Izulde]

I hope Utah falls flat on their faces, TBH.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by Marmel

Wichita St - Should be everybody's rooting interest in this bracket, but the coach is a prick, so no.

What has Marshall done? I'm only vaguely familiar with him.

[MrBug708]

I don't think he's well liked among his peers

[Marmel]

Originally Posted by Kodos

What has Marshall done? I'm only vaguely familiar with him.

It is nothing really specific, just the things he says and the way he carries himself really rubs me the wrong way. I know I am not alone in that. As Bug indicated, he is not very popular in the coaching fraternity.

I mean, most coaches are pricks, it is part of what makes them a basketball coach, and when they don't like somebody, that guy must be way out there.

[Kodos]

So IU could be looking to replace Crean with another coach that is universally disliked? Awesome.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Since it's that time of year, coaching changes & whatnot (plus the UCLA factor) I'll just throw this in here

Ben Howland finalizing contract to become Mississippi State Bulldogs coach - ESPN

[britrock88]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Kansas gone.

Iowa not playing much defense now

I think you meant "Kansas gone!!!"

[britrock88]

Originally Posted by Butter_of_69

Tough loss for Dayton. UD had a 9 point lead in the second half, and were up 7 with under 10 minutes to go when Oklahoma just put the Flyers on defensive lockdown. We didn't score again until OU had a 6 point lead with under 2 minutes to play.

Rough way to go out, but really with essentially 6 scholarship players, making the round of 32 was an amazing accomplishment. Hopeful that UD can be a top-25 mainstay in the years to come.

Yeah, hard to watch them basically run out of gas.

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Since it's that time of year, coaching changes & whatnot (plus the UCLA factor) I'll just throw this in here

Ben Howland finalizing contract to become Mississippi State Bulldogs coach - ESPN

Happy for him

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Happy for him

Howland's a good coach, and really great at some things. He made some poor decisions in his post Final Four years and got away from what made him successful in the first place. Here's to hoping he learned some lessons from that experience and gets back into the thick of things quickly in the SEC.

[Butter]

Why now? Seemed like he was the hot name last year at some better places than Mississippi State. Only sticking point seemed to be money.

[MrBug708]

I don't think he was offered a job last year but was looking for one

[ColtCrazy]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

booze and Ashley Judd

One would definitely help with the other.

Being an Indiana fan, the hate for Louisville and Kentucky is taught from birth. Add in Calipari, who seems to be an insufferable blowhard, the hate for Kentucky is strong. After that, Duke & Carolina are out. Never a big fan of UCLA. Any of the rest are fine.

I'll root for Wisconsin and Michigan St. since it keeps the Big 10 banner going. I'm a big fan of what Izzo does at MSU.

[Lathum]

I'm rooting for the Zags. Washington team and it would be great to see a guy like Few rewarded for staying.

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by ColtCrazy

One would definitely help with the other.

Being an Indiana fan, the hate for Louisville and Kentucky is taught from birth. Add in Calipari, who seems to be an insufferable blowhard, the hate for Kentucky is strong. After that, Duke & Carolina are out. Never a big fan of UCLA. Any of the rest are fine.

I'll root for Wisconsin and Michigan St. since it keeps the Big 10 banner going. I'm a big fan of what Izzo does at MSU.

We'll lose big for you, and you can have Alford

[Kodos]

We don't want him.

[MrBug708]

He's a legend! We'll waive the buyout! I'm almost tempted to offer to trade him straight up for Crean!

[ColtCrazy]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

He's a legend! We'll waive the buyout! I'm almost tempted to offer to trade him straight up for Crean!

Alford must have some great pics of the UCLA president and some transvestite hooker to have been hired for the job in the first place. And as much as I loved Alford as a player, I'd rather keep Crean.

Just saying that makes me feel dirty.

Come on. UCLA and Indiana are two of the top 6 or 7 programs ever. Can't we get a coach that can, uh, coach?

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Lathum

You must not watch much college hoops. Games in the 60s are pretty much the norm. Not sure why you are surprised.

Maybe I was being too oblique. I'm not surprised a game was 32-32 at half. I'm disappointed the NCAA has Stockholm Syndrome'd me into being happy about that. 6 of 16 day 1 games neither team topped 60, and a 7th needed OT!

Scoring is down, shooting is down, and pace is the lowest measured. College basketball's issues with scoring and pace need solutions now - College Basketball - SI.com

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Maybe I was being too oblique. I'm not surprised a game was 32-32 at half. I'm disappointed the NCAA has Stockholm Syndrome'd me into being happy about that. 6 of 16 day 1 games neither team topped 60, and a 7th needed OT!

Scoring is down, shooting is down, and pace is the lowest measured. College basketball's issues with scoring and pace need solutions now - College Basketball - SI.com

Some good points, but many of the changes (like removing the charge call) just reinforce "charge at the basket and throw up a prayer, expecting to get bailed out by the foul call and if you are lucky the ball will drop" play that isn't really basketball. The article even says "learn from the NBA", and I HATE watching the NBA because of what it's become.

I'm okay with a slower pace, I don't mind fewer possessions, but the decline in efficiency is more worrying. Yes, you need to get rid of the physical play (I always hated that Shaq built a career of fouling guys backing them up to the basket), but that's about officiating and coaching, not rules changes. Bringing in the shot clock may force more possessions, but it will also force more prayer shots, not good shots.

And yes, cut the timeouts, it's absurd. If you are fouled beyond the 3-point arc while in the bonus, you get 3 free throws, not 2 - intentional fouling to put the other team at the line slows games down, and worse is when you are down 3 and don't even get a crack at a 3 pointer, so improve both in one shot. Play around with arcs and lanes and 3-point lines, don't really care one way or another there. But don't let offensive players charge willy-nilly into the lane expecting a foul call, and teach these guys to shoot.

[Kodos]

That rule about fouling beyond the arc makes a lot of sense.

[panerd]

Originally Posted by Butter_of_69

Why now? Seemed like he was the hot name last year at some better places than Mississippi State. Only sticking point seemed to be money.

Well he was the hot name but was never hired by any of them which makes you wonder. Plus I think he is an Adidas coach and Miss State is an Adidas school. Maybe that helped with some of the baggage I believe I read that he has.

[Marmel]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

Some good points, but many of the changes (like removing the charge call) just reinforce "charge at the basket and throw up a prayer, expecting to get bailed out by the foul call and if you are lucky the ball will drop" play that isn't really basketball. The article even says "learn from the NBA", and I HATE watching the NBA because of what it's become.

I'm okay with a slower pace, I don't mind fewer possessions, but the decline in efficiency is more worrying. Yes, you need to get rid of the physical play (I always hated that Shaq built a career of fouling guys backing them up to the basket), but that's about officiating and coaching, not rules changes. Bringing in the shot clock may force more possessions, but it will also force more prayer shots, not good shots.

And yes, cut the timeouts, it's absurd. If you are fouled beyond the 3-point arc while in the bonus, you get 3 free throws, not 2 - intentional fouling to put the other team at the line slows games down, and worse is when you are down 3 and don't even get a crack at a 3 pointer, so improve both in one shot. Play around with arcs and lanes and 3-point lines, don't really care one way or another there. But don't let offensive players charge willy-nilly into the lane expecting a foul call, and teach these guys to shoot.

I do like the idea of 3 free shots for fouls outside of the arc, but I think that you have to limit it to last 2 minutes instead of the bonus. You can't have guys shooting 3 free throws with 9 minutes left in the game because of a foul on a rebound. It would also all but eliminate the full court press as a philosophy (like Louisville, Arkansas, etc)

[Logan]

Good point.