Coaching Career of Metran Delaney (NCAA March Madness 06)

[Deuce2223]

Wow I was thinking maybe at least a trip the the Finals might secure you a NIT bid. However 17 wins isn't a bad total for Year 2. Now shoot for 20 wins next season and hopefully a NEC chip. Sad to see Smith finish on such a crappy note, but I am excited to see what Douglas does for you.

[southernmetalhead]

17-11 is not a bad first season, but it had to be frustrating the way you struggled down the stretch. Looking forward to what you do next season.

[thesportsguru11]

Tournament Watch -- Selection Sunday


Automatic Qualifiers

In the Dance (At-Large) :

NC State (25-3, 14-2)
Louisville (24-6, 14-4)
Gonzaga (23-6, 12-2)
Illinois (22-6, 14-2)
Washington (21-8, 14-4)
Syracuse (21-8, 13-5)
Duke (18-10, 10-6)
Virginia Tech (21-7, 12-4)
Michigan St. (20-9, 11-5)
Texas (20-9, 10-6)
UAB (25-5, 13-3)
Indiana (21-7, 13-3)
WI-Milwaukee (22-7, 15-1)
Oklahoma (20-9, 10-6)
Alabama (19-9, 9-7)
Wake Forest (20-9, 9-7)
UConn (19-10, 14-4)
Air Force (24-5, 13-3)
Maryland (18-10, 9-7)
St. Joseph's (20-9, 11-5)
San Diego State (21-7, 13-3)
Iowa (20-10, 10-6)
Mississippi St. (19-9, 8-8)
Kansas (17-12, 12-4)
Iowa St. (21-9, 12-4)
Wisconsin (16-12, 9-7)
Western Carolina (21-8, 13-1)
Oklahoma St. (16-13, 9-7)
Ohio St. (16-13, 7-9)

In off the Bubble:


UNC Greensboro (18-11, 7-7)
IUPUI (21-8, 11-5)
Old Dominion (16-13, 10-6)
Pittsburgh (15-14, 10-8)

First Out

George Mason (23-7, 14-2)
Hawaii (20-8, 12-4)
Tennessee (15-13, 7-9)
Georgia (18-11, 12-4)
Miami-FL (18-12, 8-8)
Ole Miss (17-11, 7-9)
Appalachian St. (19-8, 9-5)
West Virginia (14-15, 8-10)
Charlotte (15-13, 8-8)
Georgetown (17-12, 10-8)
Kent St. (19-9, 12-4)


-----------------------------------------

NCAA Tournament Bracket

Play-In:
(16) Long Beach St. (20-10) vs. (16) Bradley (18-13)

MIDWEST: (Atlanta)
(1) Villanova (29-1) vs. (16) Purdue (12-19)
(8) Baylor (21-9) vs. (9) Wisconsin (16-12)
(5) Duke (18-10) vs. (12) IUPUI (21-8)
(4) UAB (25-5) vs. (13) Utah (14-16)
(6) Air Force (24-5) vs. (11) Western Carolina (21-8)
(3) Arkansas (24-6) vs. (14) Tennessee St. (24-6)
(7) Stanford (19-11) vs. (10) Mississippi St. (19-9)
(2) NC State (25-3) vs. (15) Holy Cross (23-7)

WEST: (Oakland)
(1) Nevada (25-5) vs. (16) Monmouth (18-12)
(8) Iowa (20-10) vs. (9) Winthrop (21-9)
(5) Virginia Tech (21-7) vs. (12) Gardner-Webb (22-8)
(4) Loyola Marymount (26-3) vs. (13) Arkansas Pine-Bluff (25-5)
(6) Indiana (21-7) vs. (11) Ohio St. (16-13)
(3) Washington (21-8) vs. (14) Sam Houston St. (21-9)
(7) Alabama (19-9) vs. (10) Oklahoma St. (16-13)
(2) Gonzaga (23-6) vs. (15) Furman (17-13)

EAST: (Washington D.C.)
(1) George Washington (25-5) vs. (16) Iona (20-10)
(8) Iowa St. (21-9) vs. (9) Maryland (18-10)
(5) Florida (22-6) vs. (12) Northeastern (22-8)
(4) Michigan St. (20-9) vs. (13) South Carolina St. (24-6)
(6) Wisconsin-Milwaukee (22-7) vs. (11) Old Dominion (16-13)
(3) Syracuse (21-8) vs. (14) Bowling Green (17-14)
(7) UConn (19-10) vs. (10) UNC-Greensboro (18-11)
(2) Memphis (23-7) vs. (15) Cornell (16-12)

SOUTH: (Minneapolis)
(1) Louisville (24-6) vs. (16) Play-In Winner
(8) Kansas (20-9) vs. (9) San Diego St. (21-7)
(5) Oklahoma (20-9) vs. (12) Montana St. (21-8)
(4) Texas (20-9) vs. (13) Boston University (23-7)
(6) Wake Forest (20-9) vs. (11) Pitt (15-14)
(3) Georgia Tech (21-10) vs. (14) Troy (22-8)
(7) St. Joseph's (20-9) vs. (10) Oral Roberts (25-5)
(2) Illinois (22-6) vs. (15) Loyola UC (21-8)

Coach Delaney's thoughts:

- Love seeing my alma mater in Northeastern and Boston U back in the tourney. Not sure if they can knock off those bigger teams though. I don't think there are many double digit seeds that can make a run.

- Villanova has a tough draw as the top overall seed. Some very good teams in NC St., UAB, Arkansas, Air Force and Duke is always scary come tourney time.

- Mid-Majors galore in the West Bracket. Nevada and Gonzaga are the top 2, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a high major like Washington, Indiana or Virginia Tech come out of that region.

- I think that South bracket is wide open. I think anyone can come out of that one, as there is no clear-cut team to beat.

[thesportsguru11]

Quote: Originally Posted by Deuce2223

Wow I was thinking maybe at least a trip the the Finals might secure you a NIT bid. However 17 wins isn't a bad total for Year 2. Now shoot for 20 wins next season and hopefully a NEC chip. Sad to see Smith finish on such a crappy note, but I am excited to see what Douglas does for you.

Thing is, there is no NIT in this game. I never knew why, but regardless it is NCAA or bust for us low-majors. I find that we are likely the top team next year, we go from no height to lots of 6-8 and above, so someone like Womack transitioning in at point might not be asked to do much, just dump it inside.

20 wins is a great place to start, but will be challenging given the schedule we have out of conference next year.

Quote: Originally Posted by southernmetalhead

17-11 is not a bad first season, but it had to be frustrating the way you struggled down the stretch. Looking forward to what you do next season.

It was infuriating playing these games, seeing the offense (especially Smith) struggling mightily. If not for Sheppard and St. Robert emerging late, it could have been a lot worse.

Luckily, we start with a clean slate next year, and with an ever changing NEC we could be in good shape.

Thanks to the both of you for the comments.

[thesportsguru11]

NCAA Tournament Bracket -- Round 1

Play-In:
(16) Bradley def. (16) Long Beach St. 80-60

MIDWEST: (Atlanta)
(1) Villanova def. (16) Purdue 80-50
(8) Baylor def. (9) Wisconsin 68-57
(5) Duke def. (12) IUPUI 77-64
(4) UAB def. (13) Utah 72-58
(6) Air Force def. (11) Western Carolina 59-53
(3) Arkansas def. (14) Tennessee St. 65-51
(10) Mississippi St. def. (7) Stanford 84-56
(2) NC State def. (15) Holy Cross 92-57

WEST: (Oakland)
(16) Monmouth def. (1) Nevada 66-56
(8) Iowa def. (9) Winthrop 62-55
(5) Virginia Tech def. (12) Gardner-Webb 78-64
(4) Loyola Marymount def. (13) Arkansas Pine-Bluff 68-61
(6) Indiana def. (11) Ohio St. 89-66
(3) Washington def. (14) Sam Houston St. 66-64
(10) Oklahoma St. def. (7) Alabama 85-57
(15) Furman def. (2) Gonzaga 70-68

EAST: (Washington D.C.)
(1) George Washington def. (16) Iona 75-61
(9) Maryland def. (8) Iowa St. 61-60
(5) Florida def. (12) Northeastern 62-59
(4) Michigan St. def. (13) South Carolina St. 95-61
(6) Wisconsin-Milwaukee def. (11) Old Dominion 82-67
(3) Syracuse def. (14) Bowling Green 86-47
(7) UConn def. (10) UNC-Greensboro 52-46
(2) Memphis def. (15) Cornell 65-52

SOUTH: (Minneapolis)
(1) Louisville def. (16) Bradley 77-52
(9) San Diego St. def. (8) Kansas 64-50
(5) Oklahoma def. (12) Montana St. 71-61
(4) Texas def. (13) Boston University 66-52
(6) Wake Forest def. (11) Pitt 75-64
(3) Georgia Tech def. (14) Troy 79-62
(7) St. Joseph's def. (10) Oral Roberts 84-78
(2) Illinois def. (15) Loyola UC 69-58

Historic Upsets headline otherwise quiet first round

I'm sorry. I had to do this. But let it be known I (was) a big fan of Adam Morrison and am a fan of Gonzaga as a program.

But behind a quiet first round, the only two true upsets took out two of the three top mid majors in the NCAA.

The biggest being, finally, a 16 seed defeating a 1 seed.

16 seed Monmouth, the 5th seed in the NEC Tourney who remained unscathed in a field full of upsets, went out against Nevada having won 9 of their last 10 games, and with a great level of confidence.

The Hawks took advantage of Nevada's All-American Nick Fazekas playing in foul trouble, and got a 25 point game from Tyler Azzarelli and got 20 points from Marques Alston to cruise to a 66-56 victory over the Wolfpack. The Hawks will play 8 seed Iowa in round 2 to look to become the first 16 seed not only to win, but to get to the Sweet 16 also.

On top of that, in the same region mind you, 15 seed Furman got a 30 foot jumper from Robby Bostain at the buzzer to topple the 2nd seeded Bulldogs from Gonzaga, 70-68. The loss sent Adam Morrison into a rousing round of hysterical crying, and also to reveal the loss had changed his mind about turning pro, and that the 2nd team All-American would stay for his senior year. Morrison scored 35, but missed a 15 footer that set up Bostain's winner.

Other than that and a couple 10-7 upsets, no team seeded between 11-15 won a game, setting up an interesting Second round, where some #1 seeds could be in trouble.

[thesportsguru11]

NCAA Tournament Bracket -- Round 2

MIDWEST:

(1) Villanova def. (8) Baylor 63-59
(5) Duke def. (4) UAB 64-58
(6) Air Force def. (3) Arkansas 73-54
(10) Mississippi St. def (2) NC St. 70-51

WEST:

(8) Iowa def. (16) Monmouth 89-76
(5) Virginia Tech def. (4) Loyola Marymount 72-68
(6) Indiana def. (3) Washington 85-69
(10) Oklahoma St. def. (15) Furman 68-61

EAST:

(1) George Washington def. (9) Maryland 69-67
(4) Michigan St. def. (5) Florida 71-61
(3) Syracuse def. (6) WI-Milwaukee 70-63
(2) Memphis def. (7) UConn 99-78

SOUTH:

(1) Louisville def. (9) San Diego St. 90-70
(4) Texas def. (5) Oklahoma 70-60
(3) Georgia Tech def. (6) Wake Forest 89-68
(2) Illinois def. (7) St. Joseph's 71-54

[thesportsguru11]

NCAA Tournament Bracket -- Sweet 16

MIDWEST:

(5) Duke def. (1) Villanova 68-51
(6) Air Force def. (10) Mississippi St. 72-70

WEST:

(5) Virginia Tech def. (8) Iowa 63-62
(10) Oklahoma St. def. (6) Indiana 54-51

EAST:

(4) Michigan St. def. (1) George Washington 80-67
(2) Memphis def. (3) Syracuse 73-61

SOUTH:

(4) Texas def. (1) Louisville 60-59
(2) Illinois def. (3) Georgia Tech 81-74

Coach Delaney's thoughts:

- We have no more 1 seeds remaining. I think that's a first. We're going to have an odd Final Four, more than likely. Definitely was not expecting Oklahoma St. and Virginia Tech in an elite 8 matchup, or Air Force to even get there for that matter....

[Deuce2223]

Big fan of your Automatic bid winners, tourney selection, first out work.. Looks nice and is great to read about the rest of the teams. Weird that the game doesn't a NIT that really does make it NCAA or bust.