Following in the footsteps of a Legend (CH2k8)

[Deuce2223]

Quote: Originally Posted by WaitTilNextYear

Deuce is back! What's up with doing Wyoming like that?

Just getting some revenge for them beating Boise State in real life and making BSU one of the last 4 in. At least Wyoming won the championship and get to go dancing as well.

However I am sad, that Boise wasn't able to land in either the Seattle or Portland regional. I would've been down for a road trip to either one to watch them play. Still tempted to try and get tickets to watch Gonzaga in Seattle but because of that pairing, tickets will be at a premium.

[Deuce2223]

Just wanted to give those following a heads up. I got asked to work extra hours this week at work so my only day off is Tuesday. I decided to go to the end of Big Sky play and hit sim and let me tell you I couldn't have asked for a better story to write/share about. So be on the lookout for a pretty amazing recap...

[pfeifere1]

Can't wait to read your story! Great stuff as always Deuce!

[Deuce2223]

BEARS GO 30-0!!!!

That's right folks with a (97-83) victory over the NAU Lumberjacks in the Big Sky Championship, the Northern Colorado Bears have finished the season 30-0 since losing their first game of the season to the UNC Tar Heels to finish the season at 31-1.

Despite losing Senior Cam Atkinson for 2 weeks with a strained achilles, the Bears continued their winning way's in time for Atkinson to return for the final 2 games of the regular season and the Big Sky tournament. With 4 games under his belt since his return, Atkinson averaging 16.5 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.2 SPG and 1.6 BPG this season is looking forward to lead his team into the NCAA tournament with one goal on his mind. A Elite 8 showing or better..

With Atkinson out of the lineup SO Nate Forte joined the starting lineup and stepped up as he is now #2 on the team in scoring (14.4 PPG) well adding 4.8 RPG, 1.1 SPG, and 1.4 BPG, well fellow SR Bigman Aron Thompson also added double digits finishing the season with a 12.9 PPG and 5.6 RPG average.

UNC's bigmen were not the only ones doing the scoring though, the backcout duo of JR's T. Sylia (8.6 PPG, 4.4 APG) and W.M. Brady (10.1 PPG) both hit over 40% from 3pt, well JR SF K. Conway finished the season with a 7.7 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.0 SPG average.

Another player who really stepped up this season with both Forte and Atkinson missing time was 7'0 JR Jose Esterkamp. The backup center finished with 8.1 PPG game off the bench.

[Deuce2223]

TOP-25 NEWS, BEARS FINISH #9!!!!

With Selection Sunday just hours away here is a look at the Final polls of the season.

The UNLV Running Rebels finished the season #1 in both the Media and Coaches Poll with a 30-2 record. UNLV has won 26 straight games since losing to Northern Colorado back on Nov 30th, winning both the MW regular season and conference titles, but like UNC playing in the MW conference has left them with just the #12 RPI.

The Duke Blue Devils finish the year #2 in the Media and #3 in the Coaches Poll with a 26-2 record. Duke won the ACC regular season title going 15-1, but lost in the ACC tournament to Virginia in the Quarter finals, however that didn’t stop them from having the #1 RPI.

Tennessee finished #3 in the Media and #5 in the Coaches Poll after going 28-5. Like UNLV, the Vol’s finished strong having won their past 10 games taking home both the SEC’s regular season and conference titles, leaving them with the #2 RPI.

Louisville finished #4 in the Media and #2 in the Coaches Poll with a 26-6 record. The Cards finished #2 in the Big East regular season (14-4) behind UConn and then lost to Georgetown in the Big East semi-finals ending the year with the #11 RPI.

Michigan State finished #5 in the Media and Coaches Poll with a 26-6 record as well and like Louisville finished #2 in the Big Ten and also lost in the semi-finals of the Big Ten tournament, but their #3 RPI has them still thinking about a possible #1 seed today.

Alabama finished #6 in the Media and #7 in the Coaches Poll with a 23-6 record finishing #2 in the SEC regular season before losing in the Quarter finals of the SEC tournament ending the season with the #7 RPI.

Oregon finished #7 in the Media Poll and #6 in the Coaches Poll with a 27-5 record. The Ducks finished #2 in the Pac-10 behind USC, but did manage to win the Pac-10 tournament title beating UCLA to finish with the #17 RPI.

Texas finished #8 in the Media Poll and #10 in the Coaches Poll with a 27-5 record. The Longhorns won the Big 12 regular season title but lost to Texas Tech in the Big 12 tournament finishing the season with the #5 RPI.

Northern Colorado with their 30 straight wins climbs to #9 in the Media Poll but finished just #15 in the Coaches Poll. With the #9 RPI in the nation, the Bears have a very good chance at landing a #2 or #3 seed come selection time.

UNC started the year #1 but finished the year #10 in the Media Poll and #8 in the Coaches Poll with a 24-10 record. They finished 5th in the ACC standings and lost to Virginia in the ACC semi-finals, finishing with the #10 RPI.

The Rest of the Top-25 Media Poll looks like this.

#11 USC (25-6) Pac-10 regular season champs #13 RPI

#12 Oklahoma State (26-5) #4 RPI

#13 Wisconsin (25-7) Big Ten regular season champs #8 RPI

#14 Saint Joseph’s (26-4) A-10 regular season champs, finished #8 in the Coaches Poll, #22 RPI

#15 Clemson (25-7) #14 RPI

#16 UConn (25-7) Big East regular season champs, #20 RPI

#17 Kentucky (25-7) #6 RPI

#18 Hofstra (28-3), Colonial regular and conference champs, have won 15 straight, #30 RPI

#19 Kansas (22-10) #15 RPI

#20 Stanford (23-9) #17 RPI

#21 Indiana (23-10), won the Big 10 tournament #21 RPI

#22 Texas Tech (24-10) won the Big 12 tournament #23 RPI

#23 BYU (20-9) #29 RPI

#24 Utah State (23-6) won both the WAC regular season and conference titles, 7 game win streak, #40 RPI

#25 Bradley (24-7) won both the regular season MVC title and tournament, #31 RPI

[Deuce2223]

NORTHERN COLORADO GETS #1 SEED!!!!

This year college basketball fans were rewarded with some amazing basketball and some even bigger story lines. The Northern Colorado Bears finished the season on a 30 game win streak, well the UNLV Running Rebels won 26 straight after a loss to UNC to finish #1 in the nation and (30-2) Overall. The Hofstra Pride also shocked all winning the Colonial and finishing in the Top-25 with a 15 game win streak that led to 28-3 Overall record.

Well none of that was lost on the selection committee as they made one of the most shocking selections in college basketball history by naming N. Colorado as the #1 seed in the West!!!

Joining UNC as #1 will be UNLV (Midwest), Duke (South) and Tennessee (East).

The Vol's will open the tournament playing the winner of the Play-in-Game (Texas A&M-CC vs Quinnipac).

Well most consider UNC's #1 seed the biggest gift the committee has ever given out, the Bears road to the Final 4 will not be without challenges, as North Carolina is named the #4 seed in the West leading to a possible rematch of the UNC's in the Sweet 15

Coach Deuce

Quote:

"As excited as I am about the #1 seed, it's almost a cruel joke that we will have to face UNC to get to the Elite 8. As a college basketball fan, I understand it's a matchup everyone wants to see but I was hoping for it latter in the tournament (like a National Title game )"

The Selection committee didn't stop there with featured matchup's here is a look at the entire bracket

EAST REGIONAL

#1 Tennessee vs #16 Play-in-Winner
#8 San Diego State vs #9 Notre Dame
#5 Hofstra vs #12 Fordham
#4 Clemson vs #13 Wake Forest
#6 Utah State vs #11 LSU
#3 Alabamba vs #14 Coastal Carolina
#7 Bradley vs #10 Santa Clara
#2 Oklahoma State vs #15 Southern Utah.

Must watch #5 Hofstra as well as possible Round 32 matchup of #3 Alabama vs #11 LSU

West Regional

#1 N. Colorado vs #16 Howard
#8 Miami FL vs #9 Georgetown
#5 Indiana vs #12 Missouri
#4 North Carolina vs #13 Vermont
#6 Texas Tech vs #11 Maryland
#3 Wisconsin vs #10 West Virginia
#2 Texas vs #15 Cornell

Must watch a rematch of the UNC's, as well Texas vs Oklahoma in Round 32 and possible Texas vs Texas Tech in Sweet 16.

South Regional

#1 Duke vs #16 Jacksonville State
#8 Washington State vs #9 Illinois-Chicago
#5 Uconn vs #12 Western Michigan
#4 Saint Joseph's vs #13 Villanova
#6 Butler vs #11 Sienna
#3 USC vs #14 Chattanooga
#7 BYU vs #10 Georgia Tech
#2 Michigan State vs #15 Gardner-Webb

Saint Joe's run as well as Butler. MSU vs Duke in the Elite 8?

Midwest Regional

#1 UNLV vs #16 Navy
#8 Ole Miss vs #9 Virginia
#6 Kansas vs #12 Rhode Island
#4 Kentucky vs #13 CS Fullerton
#6 Stanford vs #11 Akron
#3 Louisville vs #14 Alabama A&M
#7 Florida State vs #11 George Washington
#2 Oregon vs #15 Denver

Can #9 Virginia winner of the ACC tournament end UNLV's run? Kentucky vs Kansas in Round of 32. Oregon or Louisville?

[southernmetalhead]

Awesome season and congrats on the #1 seed. Looking forward to what kind of run you can put together in the tournament.

[Knickerbocker91]

Good luck in the tournament, congrats on getting a 1 seed. Tough region though, hope you make it out.