March Madness game thread

[Hawk-Lock]

Pac 3-1 so far, ESPN commentators saying no one expected that. No they didn't expect it, not because the Pac wasn't capable of it but because how they just generally like to bash the Pac. This wasn't one of the Pac's great years but they weren't nearly as bad as they were made out to be.

Oregon has a good bracket and has hit their stride. I have them in the Sweet 16 but they might be able to go farther too. UW had a good showing last night with Dickerson back in the fold but they are up against it with Carolina. But, it is the Big Dance and anything is possible, there isn't one single team out there that is unbeatable.

It's hard to measure the conference. The Pac-12 was really bad, there is no doubt about that. The numbers show it. It was one of the worst out of conference performances from a P5 conference in like 20 years. I know ASU technically won, but that was a game just to get in the field. The issue with the Pac-12 is the middle and bottom of the conference are awful. Wazzu and Cal are basically mid majors. LA teams had awful seasons. Mountain teams were okay but nothing special. Pac-12 will bounce back next season with some big recruits coming in and we could get as many as four new coaches.

 

[DomeHawk]

Pac 3-1 so far, ESPN commentators saying no one expected that. No they didn't expect it, not because the Pac wasn't capable of it but because how they just generally like to bash the Pac. This wasn't one of the Pac's great years but they weren't nearly as bad as they were made out to be.

Oregon has a good bracket and has hit their stride. I have them in the Sweet 16 but they might be able to go farther too. UW had a good showing last night with Dickerson back in the fold but they are up against it with Carolina. But, it is the Big Dance and anything is possible, there isn't one single team out there that is unbeatable.

It's hard to measure the conference. The Pac-12 was really bad, there is no doubt about that. The numbers show it. It was one of the worst out of conference performances from a P5 conference in like 20 years. I know ASU technically won, but that was a game just to get in the field. The issue with the Pac-12 is the middle and bottom of the conference are awful. Wazzu and Cal are basically mid majors. LA teams had awful seasons. Mountain teams were okay but nothing special. Pac-12 will bounce back next season with some big recruits coming in and we could get as many as four new coaches.

No offense but I disagree, the Pac-12 has had really dominant teams in the past, e.g., UCLA, Arizona, and to a lesser extent Oregon making it to the Final 4 a couple of years ago. But, this is what it has come down to, if you don't have teams at the top you are really bad when in fact you are just really mediocre.

If you aren't really good you must be really bad.

 

[Hawk-Lock]

Pac 3-1 so far, ESPN commentators saying no one expected that. No they didn't expect it, not because the Pac wasn't capable of it but because how they just generally like to bash the Pac. This wasn't one of the Pac's great years but they weren't nearly as bad as they were made out to be.

Oregon has a good bracket and has hit their stride. I have them in the Sweet 16 but they might be able to go farther too. UW had a good showing last night with Dickerson back in the fold but they are up against it with Carolina. But, it is the Big Dance and anything is possible, there isn't one single team out there that is unbeatable.

It's hard to measure the conference. The Pac-12 was really bad, there is no doubt about that. The numbers show it. It was one of the worst out of conference performances from a P5 conference in like 20 years. I know ASU technically won, but that was a game just to get in the field. The issue with the Pac-12 is the middle and bottom of the conference are awful. Wazzu and Cal are basically mid majors. LA teams had awful seasons. Mountain teams were okay but nothing special. Pac-12 will bounce back next season with some big recruits coming in and we could get as many as four new coaches.

No offense but I disagree, the Pac-12 has had really dominant teams in the past, e.g., UCLA, Arizona, and to a lesser extent Oregon making it to the Final 4 a couple of years ago. But, this is what it has come down to, if you don't have teams at the top you are really bad when in fact you are just really mediocre.

If you aren't really good you must be really bad.

I was just talking about this season. But the past ten years or so, have been really down. Other than Oregon's final four run two years ago, we hadn't had a team in the final four since UCLA's team in 2007. Just think about that. We are a power five conference, we've made two final fours since 2007, and we basically went 10 years without an appearance in the final four.

I think we see a shake up soon, and new coaches will help. Right now, we just don't have the right coaches in place, particularly the LA teams.

 

[DomeHawk]

Pac 3-1 so far, ESPN commentators saying no one expected that. No they didn't expect it, not because the Pac wasn't capable of it but because how they just generally like to bash the Pac. This wasn't one of the Pac's great years but they weren't nearly as bad as they were made out to be.

Oregon has a good bracket and has hit their stride. I have them in the Sweet 16 but they might be able to go farther too. UW had a good showing last night with Dickerson back in the fold but they are up against it with Carolina. But, it is the Big Dance and anything is possible, there isn't one single team out there that is unbeatable.

It's hard to measure the conference. The Pac-12 was really bad, there is no doubt about that. The numbers show it. It was one of the worst out of conference performances from a P5 conference in like 20 years. I know ASU technically won, but that was a game just to get in the field. The issue with the Pac-12 is the middle and bottom of the conference are awful. Wazzu and Cal are basically mid majors. LA teams had awful seasons. Mountain teams were okay but nothing special. Pac-12 will bounce back next season with some big recruits coming in and we could get as many as four new coaches.

No offense but I disagree, the Pac-12 has had really dominant teams in the past, e.g., UCLA, Arizona, and to a lesser extent Oregon making it to the Final 4 a couple of years ago. But, this is what it has come down to, if you don't have teams at the top you are really bad when in fact you are just really mediocre.

If you aren't really good you must be really bad.

I was just talking about this season. But the past ten years or so, have been really down. Other than Oregon's final four run two years ago, we hadn't had a team in the final four since UCLA's team in 2007. Just think about that. We are a power five conference, we've made two final fours since 2007, and we basically went 10 years without an appearance in the final four.

I think we see a shake up soon, and new coaches will help. Right now, we just don't have the right coaches in place, particularly the LA teams.

Point taken, and the aforementioned Arizona's and UCLA's fall from from prominence is curious.

 

[Natethegreat]

Disappointed in Fletcher Magee. He was awful, and had he made a few of those threes he took they would have won that game.

 

[Hawk-Lock]

Yeah Magee just didn’t have it. He makes a few of those and Wofford probably wins. Unless Kentucky gets back PJ Washington, I don’t see them going too far.

FSU running Murray State right now. That team is so overlooked. They are probably a top 10 team, issue is they will likely be playing one of the best teams in the next round. I still think Zags beat them, but won’t be easy.

 

[Natethegreat]

FSU a tough match up for anyone. You have to have tough D to beat them.
They can have scoring droughts that cost them. If they don't you are in trouble.

 

[Hawk-Lock]

This year has been kind of weak in terms of upsets and close games. Have we even had a buzzer beater yet? A lot of the games have been blowouts. Still a lot of time left for the games to get better.

 

[Natethegreat]

This year has been kind of weak in terms of upsets and close games. Have we even had a buzzer beater yet? A lot of the games have been blowouts. Still a lot of time left for the games to get better.

Auburn and NMSU?

 

[Uncle Si]

This year has been kind of weak in terms of upsets and close games. Have we even had a buzzer beater yet? A lot of the games have been blowouts. Still a lot of time left for the games to get better.

Auburn and NMSU?

Wasnt a buzzer beater... just a whole lot of action at the buzzer.

LSU won today at the buzzer

 

[Hawk-Lock]

Forgot about the LSU game today, yeah that is basically a buzzer beater. Just seems less climactic this year. There are years where there are a ton of upsets, and years with not as much. That may show just how good some of these 1-3 seeds are. All the afternoon and evening games today were blowouts.

UC Irvine and Liberty are really the only big upsets so far. No big upsets today, maybe UW crashes the tourney with a win tomorrow. I sure would like that a lot.

 

[mistaowen]

Bill Self is about to break every wall in their locker room. I don't think I've ever seen a worse defensive group from Kansas. These freshmen are getting run out of the gym. Credit Auburn, absolutely lights out, but these are some insanely uncontested shots in fast break due to lack of effort.

 

[Hawk-Lock]

Another blowout.

 

[Hawk-Lock]

Vols can’t close out games, was an issue two days ago against Colgate.

 

[Ruminator]

Call me crazy, but I haven't been able to shake the feeling that Duke will miss the final four. We'll see!

 

[DomeHawk]

Call me crazy, but I haven't been able to shake the feeling that Duke will miss the final four. We'll see!

You're crazy.

 

[Uncle Si]

Call me crazy, but I haven't been able to shake the feeling that Duke will miss the final four. We'll see!

They're a better all around team than they get credit for, given the attention on Zion

 

[Hawk-Lock]

Call me crazy, but I haven't been able to shake the feeling that Duke will miss the final four. We'll see!

It could happen, it’s called March Madness for a reason. People talk about Duke as unstoppable which they aren’t. They are still young and struggle from the perimeter. All it takes is one game for them to get bounced.

 

[kidhawk]

Call me crazy, but I haven't been able to shake the feeling that Duke will miss the final four. We'll see!

It could happen, it’s called March Madness for a reason. People talk about Duke as unstoppable which they aren’t. They are still young and struggle from the perimeter. All it takes is one game for them to get bounced.

Can it happen? Of course it can. The question is WILL it happen? I just don’t see Duke losing prior to the final four. Besides having the best player in college basketball they also have a lot of talent around him. Combine that with an all time great coach and it’s an extremely tough combination to beat.

 

[Uncle Si]

Call me crazy, but I haven't been able to shake the feeling that Duke will miss the final four. We'll see!

It could happen, it’s called March Madness for a reason. People talk about Duke as unstoppable which they aren’t. They are still young and struggle from the perimeter. All it takes is one game for them to get bounced.

Can it happen? Of course it can. The question is WILL it happen? I just don’t see Duke losing prior to the final four. Besides having the best player in college basketball they also have a lot of talent around him. Combine that with an all time great coach and it’s an extremely tough combination to beat.

They should face Michigan State in the Elite 8. That will be as tough a game as the semifinals or final.