NCAA hoops 2014-2015

[Captain Hate]

T-Bird, I'm interested in your reaction to Schau's comment earlier in the thread about the decline in the quality of college hoops. I pretty much agree with it and it's kept me from enjoying the Terps season more than I would have previously.

[MRS]

T: Are you still in Durham?

[jon abbey]

#13 SEC seed Auburn has pulled two upsets and gets Kentucky in the semis, Kentucky is two games away from entering the NCAAs undefeated.

[jon abbey]

the ACC seems pretty loaded, both UNC and Notre Dame did a very nice job holding off Virginia and Duke today.

[walto]

I wasn't really surprised by the Virginia game--they aren't the same team without Anderson being able to score for them--but the Notre Dame result really surprised me. Not only because Duke toyed with them last time, winning by 30, but because, according to the box (I didn't see any of this one) Grant wasn't really a factor, and N.D. had twenty more foul shots than Duke. Weird.

Meanwhile, Iowa State chose the second half to play again--usually the better choice of the two, IMO. Arkansas went with the first half and blew a 20 point lead at half time only to squeak out a win against a mediocre Tenn. team.

Nova looked fairly shitty in their win over Providence. Worst I've seen them play this year.

[walto]

#13 SEC seed Auburn has pulled two upsets and gets Kentucky in the semis, Kentucky is two games away from entering the NCAAs undefeated.

I know I usually root for underdogs, but the Auburn wins have really screwed up the SEC tournament. Not that the teams they beat were that great, but Kentucky could beat Auburn with the guys who bring the water. It proves Jon's point that upsets can really fuck up a tournament sometimes.

[walto]

Rhode Island blows its chance of getting to the dance by turning over the ball at least 50 times. (That's an exaggeration, but literally 9 times in their first 16 possessions and countless times thereafter.) They should be good next year, though.

[Captain Hate]

I'm not sure if Maryland just played a turd game or it is typical Izzo develop-a-team-through-the-season-to-peak-in-March but it was pretty brutal listening to the second half on my car radio from a Michigan State broadcast team. To their credit, when they weren't being absolute hoarse-voiced homers and irritating the fuck out of me, they gave Maryland credit for the few good plays they made. Of course this was a game the Terps could afford to lose unlike from here on out...

[crawjo]

I feel that Kentucky is the strong favorite to win this tournament, but still think the SEC schedule might have been too soft. I will be very interested to see how they play once they face a poised and talented team.

[surfer]

Invitations sent for the Yahoo pick 'em pool.

Others are welcome, this is the link: https://tournament.fantasysports.yahoo. ... oup/131769

if you need a password: theotherwildcats

[surfer]

I will say Arizona is playing its best basketball of the season right now, and played its best game against UCLA and then an even better one against Oregon. The Pac-12 is very weak, and Oregon doesnt match up well with Arizona's height. I still think Arizona will have / has problems when teams play zone, pack the paint, and make a concerted effort to limit offensive rebounds, and make them shoot front outside. It helps that Gabe York's 3-point shooting is better recently, and Stanley Johnson is also hitting them from outside. Ashley and Zeus can also hit the 15 footer. If they continue to do that, move the ball quicly, and can keep the defensive intensity high, they can at least get as far as the Regional Final. This team is essentially the same team as last year, with Johnson replacing Gordon, and no one replacing Nick Johnson, but with Ashley not injured. Basically a wash. Can they get by Wisconsin this year? who knows. That game last year was a toss up so I guess I am cautiously optimistic.

[surfer]

Also Slate's got a whole article on why you should pick Arizona to win the tournament, so that's a jinx waiting to happen right there.

[walto]

That's helpful. I saw Arizona play half of one game this year. So thanks.

[surfer]

All Wildcat Final Four for me: Kentucky, Arizona, Villanova, and Davidson!

[walto]

Maybe someday Northwestern will be in the mix too!

[crawjo]

I've felt all year that I would take Kentucky over the field, and I still feel that way. But there's all sorts of teams that could beat them. One thing that I'm intrigued by is the possibility that Wichita State could get to the Elite 8 and face Kentucky, with the roles reversed from their showdown last year.

[jon abbey]

wow, what a massive choke by Baylor.

[walto]

Big 12 melts down on day 1!

[walto]

Looks like the zebras are going to knock out Texas too. Three questionable calls go Butler's way late.

[walto]

Great comeback by UCLA. Alford fils can really shoot.

Bye-bye Larry B.