2015-2016 NCAA Basketball Thread - non-team-specific - NOW OFFICIAL 2016 MARCH MADNESS THREAD

[Major Harris]

I am glad I didn't watch a single minute of basketball since Thursday. Absolutely ****ing hate the outcomes so far.

Props to the ACC though for showing the depth that I didn't think it had this year.

7, 9, 9 11, 11, 12 13, 14, 14, 15, 16 & 16.

ACC is good but they had good matchups and benefited from upsets

[Going Commando]

And how were those low seeds getting to the second round?

[Major Harris]

And how were those low seeds getting to the second round?

 

by beating higher seeds.  yes that's a part of it.  matchups are a huge part.

 

but it's MUCH tougher for a lower seed to pull off an upset on the 2nd day of a tourney.  they don't have as much time to prepare.

 

acc is a great league.  them and the big 12 are easily the best, as to who is the best, it's mostly a matter of opinion.  but the results in march give the edge to the acc.

 

that in no way means there aren't plenty of factors that helped them. 

[AsburySkinsFan]

That's how Duke is this season. If we'd hit half of the shots we've missed, we woulda been blowing everyone out. Our "jump shot" strategy hasn't really worked for more than just a few seasons now. I can't believe K is still coaching that nonsense. It's going to take physical contact and showing a dominant presence inside *that we haven't really had since Cherokee Parks, LOL* to be able to compete nowadays.

Yeah, Gene Hackman's Hoosier-ball doesn't work anymore, too many big players playing at guard that are too quick for the pull up jumper to be effective without an inside threat. Teams have to have the physical presence with the finesse ability and the perimeter play. That's why I love Cal's "dribble-drive" offense, it takes a strong player at point guard and it requires a lot of selfless playing and uses the entire set of weapons to win, that stretches defenses out which creates gaps. It really is pretty to watch, but when the shots don't fall they just don't fall.

[TradeTheBeal!]

They really did. Nothing to be ashamed of for the Rams. I think preseason polls had them finishing 5th in the A-10 so there's lots of peeps eating some crow pie this morning. 

 

We're already looking forward to next year. Yeah, they're losing Mel, Hamdy, & Billbury but they have a pretty good group coming in next year (I think there's 1 or 2 guys who red-shirted this year).

Hamdy is a junior. JQ and Mo should wreak "havoc" in the A-10 as seniors. Quite a bit of talent in the pipeline. Plan on being dancing this time next year!

[The Evil Genius]

7, 9, 9 11, 11, 12 13, 14, 14, 15, 16 & 16.

ACC is good but they had good matchups and benefited from upsets

 

Maybe, But they still sent 6 teams to the Sweet 16. That's impressive no matter who you play. 

[Major Harris]

Maybe, But they still sent 6 teams to the Sweet 16. That's impressive no matter who you play. 

very true.

[Going Commando]

Problem with the Big 12 is that pretty much every single Texas team is soft. Feels like every year I get easy points picking Texas and Baylor to get upset in the first round. The Oklahoma teams and Kansas are the only ones you can count on.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

Stephen F Austin blew that game by going to the slowdown too soon. They stopped running offense and just let Walkup run clock. Their shot selection was awful from that point on. Walkup got that shot fake foul with 2 minutes to go. Those two foul shots were the last points for SFA. I understand trying to shorten the game when you have the lead, but I'll never understand why coaches stop running their offense late in the game.

 

That's what I thought too. They stopped doing anything at about 3:15 except running isolations. Hipster Jimmy Chitwood is a good player, but he's not that good.

[pjfootballer]

That's how Duke is this season. If we'd hit half of the shots we've missed, we woulda been blowing everyone out. Our "jump shot" strategy hasn't really worked for more than just a few seasons now. I can't believe K is still coaching that nonsense. It's going to take physical contact and showing a dominant presence inside *that we haven't really had since Cherokee Parks, LOL* to be able to compete nowadays.

MD is the same way. We have such good inside players and we have size, but Turgeon loves to chuck the three ball.

[Bang]

 

Well, my left side looks great! Nice and clean, nice and green.

The right ... well.. i think it's had too much to drink. Sloppy, messy, bleeding everywhere.

 

6 of my Great 8 are left and my Final 4 look good. 

Villanova is looking MONSTROUS.

 

Go Cats!

 

 

~Bang

[Going Commando]

That's what I thought too. They stopped doing anything at about 3:15 except running isolations. Hipster Jimmy Chitwood is a good player, but he's not that good.

That kid's performance was eye-opening. Like Larry Bird meets James Harden. He was the most impressive guy in the tournament in the opening weekend and I think he has the best feel for the game in college basketball. 6'4 and boxing out 6'11 guys and beating them for rebounds. Pushing them out of deep position. Bringing the ball up court when his team was like, "Oh ****, what do we do." Just made mincemeat of WVU's press time after time, to the point where I wondered when the Hell Huggins was going to realize all he was accomplishing with it were fouls and giving the other guys open threes and easy lanes to the rim. Walkup is a playmaker that keeps his head up when he dribbles and views double teams as an opportunity rather than a barrier. Creates for himself too by getting to the rim and was good at drawing contact. Lights out shooter.

He's obviously undersized and doesn't look particularly jumpy or fast, but he knows how to play better than anyone else and he's going to get drafted now I think. Wish the Wizards had a friggin draft pick to spend on him.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

Maybe you underestimated Indiana. They won the Big 10 regular season with a 15-3 conference record. They shoot lights out from three. They've been a tough team to beat all year. They don't really defend too well, they just try and out score you. No shame losing to them IMO.

 

Indiana is a good team led by a senior PG. I wouldn't make them out to be some regional rival who had nothing else to play for. IU has recently underperformed in the NCAAs but they have had a lot of recent success (winning the B10 a couple times). If the team/players shared our dismissive outlook, it's no wonder they got beat on Saturday. 

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

That kid's performance was eye-opening. Like Larry Bird meets James Harden. He was the most impressive guy in the tournament in the opening weekend and I think he has the best feel for the game in college basketball. 6'4 and boxing out 6'11 guys and beating them for rebounds. Pushing them out of deep position. Bringing the ball up court when his team was like, "Oh ****, what do we do." Just made mincemeat of WVU's press time after time, to the point where I wondered when the Hell Huggins was going to realize all he was accomplishing with it were fouls and giving the other guys open threes and easy lanes to the rim. Walkup is a playmaker that keeps his head up when he dribbles and views double teams as an opportunity rather than a barrier. Creates for himself too by getting to the rim and was good at drawing contact. Lights out shooter.

He's obviously undersized and doesn't look particularly jumpy or fast, but he knows how to play better than anyone else and he's going to get drafted now I think. Wish the Wizards had a friggin draft pick to spend on him.

 

I have to tell you: I am stunned that you are the guy who would base his entire draft based on two games in the NCAA tournament. I mean, you never decide that the Wizards are back to being a contender based on one good quarter against the Sixers.

 

I wish I had been here when the Wizards drafted Juan Dixon. I assume you bought dozens of rookie cards, counting on cashing in when he made the Hall of Fame.

[Major Harris]

yeah, walkup is a great college player.  not sure how that'll translate to the nba.  where is he going to play?  6'4" is too small for a 3 i believe.  i'm not sure he's athletic enough to play the 2. 

 

i'll root for him to succeed, but i wouldn't bank on it.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

yeah, walkup is a great college player.  not sure how that'll translate to the nba.  where is he going to play?  6'4" is too small for a 3 i believe.  i'm not sure he's athletic enough to play the 2. 

 

i'll root for him to succeed, but i wouldn't bank on it.

 

The guy is already 23 years old and was a 25 percent three point shooter in The Southland Conference. He's not succeeding anywhere.

 

Maybe he and Kevin Pittsnogle can barnstorm together.

[abdcskins]

If you're talking about the white dude with a beard from SF Austin then yeah he's good.

Oregon has a few ballers that are NBA ready. That one guard hit some clutch threes last night.

[AlvinWaltonIsMyBoy]

Holy crap I have 510 points on my bracket so far and am in the 100 percentile on ESPN. I filled this thing out in five minutes and probably watched less than 15 CBB games total this year. Guess I tuned in for the right ones.

That's awesome.  One of mine is in the 95th percentile.  Filled out a few thinking that some of the prizes would be cool.  

 

Looked at the prizes, and if you are in the top 1 percent, you get entered into a drawing for a week long trip to maui and a 10k amazon gift card.  Seems a little bogus to me.  So if you kick ass, you're still gonna be in a drawing with 130,000 others.  

 

That's the grand prize.  There are no other prizes.  But, I still hope you get the Maui trip.

[Major Harris]

The guy is already 23 years old and was a 25 percent three point shooter in The Southland Conference. He's not succeeding anywhere.

Maybe he and Kevin Pittsnogle can barnstorm together.

at the bowling alley in Martinsburg yesterday I heard them say pittsnogle your pizza is ready

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

at the bowling alley in Martinsburg yesterday I heard them say pittsnogle your pizza is ready

 

He's a car salesman there, right?

 

I can't imagine there's a ton of 6'11 dudes waking around Jefferson County.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

yeah, walkup is a great college player.  not sure how that'll translate to the nba.  where is he going to play?  6'4" is too small for a 3 i believe.  i'm not sure he's athletic enough to play the 2. 

 

i'll root for him to succeed, but i wouldn't bank on it.

 

I won't even root for that guy...Verne Lundquist rooted for him enough during that game. Good Lord, VL doesn't need to use Viagra now that he has some clips of Walkup to watch. 

[steve09ru]

Yeah, it's a great accomplishment, but the ACC got great matchups, almost across the board. Then the NCAA sticks Maryland AND Villanova in the same bracket as the overall #1 Kansas.

There are gripes every year, but I think this is the most head scratching year of seeding by the NCAA that I can remember for quite some time.

They only got great matchups because the teams they ended up playing in the round of 32 upset other teams.

 

Yale over Baylor (Duke),  SFA over WVU (ND), Middle Tenn. over MSU (Cuse), Wichita St over AZ (Miami).

[SkinsGuy]

<edit pic>

 

Well, my left side looks great! Nice and clean, nice and green.

The right ... well.. i think it's had too much to drink. Sloppy, messy, bleeding everywhere.

 

6 of my Great 8 are left and my Final 4 look good. 

Villanova is looking MONSTROUS.

 

Go Cats!

 

 

~Bang

 

LOL!

 

That is how mine looks.

 

Great on the left side. No so good on the right.

[Long n Left]

They only got great matchups because the teams they ended up playing in the round of 32 upset other teams.

Yale over Baylor (Duke), SFA over WVU (ND), Middle Tenn. over MSU (Cuse), Wichita St over AZ (Miami).

That, and the fact that they were the beneficiary of some helpful seeding.

[Going Commando]

I have to tell you: I am stunned that you are the guy who would base his entire draft based on two games in the NCAA tournament. I mean, you never decide that the Wizards are back to being a contender based on one good quarter against the Sixers.

 

I wish I had been here when the Wizards drafted Juan Dixon. I assume you bought dozens of rookie cards, counting on cashing in when he made the Hall of Fame.

He's a second round pick. Would you rather draft him or someone named Rade Zagorac or Guerschon Yabusele who put up numbers half as good for an obscure club in some second or third tier European league? Bet money he's a Rocket or a Celtic this summer.