College Hoops 2014-15

Beat Auburn by 25 less than 2 weeks ago. I'm more concerned with tomorrow's game with LSU. I suspect that game is a play-in for both teams. I hope that's all we have to do...b/c Kentucky awaits the winner on Saturday (barring a major upset).

Edit- After watching today's game, we don't deserve a spot. We're just not good enough without our best player, House, who is injured & wouldn't be back for the tourney anyway. Disappointing, but the future looks bright for the program.

 

Sadly, I am forced to agree with you Matt. It's a shame a team has to rely so much on one guy, but that's the reality for many. including the Racers. They wouldn't get far without Cameron Payne, so I hope he stays healthy if they get a bid. And how about them Fighting Irish? Kentucky aside, they may be this season's dark horse. Meanwhile, Rick P. is catching flak for his boorish treatment of a reporter from the student newspaper. He deserves it.

 

The conference tournaments (especially the smaller 1 bid conferences) provide great drama. None better than Albany guard Peter Hooley hitting a 3 pointer to send his school 'dancin'. He is from Australia and went home earlier this season to be with his dying mother. Sportscenter highlights included his sister's Twitter responses, simply amazing.

Out here on the leftcoast UC-Irvine qualified for their first ever appearance in the NCAA tourney. My buddy who went there and is never at a loss for words was practically speechless. He managed a 'I didn't think I'd ever live to see the day' after years of being so close.

Kentucky is the favorite, but they ain't the only Wildcats to have in your bracket. Villanova has their best team in the Jay Wright era. While Arizona finished off the double (regular and conference tourney champs) by destroying Oregon. Arizona will likely be a #2 seed, but won't be in Kentucky's region. My boys have got everything you'd want and all Arizona fans fully expect them to still be playing the first Saturday of April.

 

Almost bid time. Kentucky will be the #1 overall seed and probably end up in Louisville. I love Jay Wright. Classy, funny, does right by his kids. They'll be my dark horse. Or Wisconsin. Haven't watched as much hoops as previous years, so I don't know much about the west. From what I've seen from the rest of the country, I still don't think anybody has anything for UK, unless they catch them on a down night. Possible in any single elimination tourney, but I just don't see it happening. The Hogs tried to bully them today, and run with them, and it didn't work. Oh, and the RACERS DESERVE A BID! We'll know in a couple of hours.

 

The mighty Racers did not get in. And Indiana, UCLA, Texas, Ole Miss and Oklahoma State did. I'm sure there are others who got in that didn't really deserve to, but I don't care right now. It's somewhat anticlimactic anyway, because everyone else is playing for second. Kentucky will win. Again. They're the best NBA D-league team in the tournament.. Next week will be a sea of blue downtown. Kinda like Nashville this week. The Rebels and the Aggies had'em, but it's been full steam ahead ever since. Unless somebody goes off on them and they suffer a cold shooting night, I don't see anybody in this field beating the Wildcats...Kentucky, not 'Nova or 'Zona.

 

Remember when over 22 wins was almost automatic bid? Lots of teams with low RPI comp and over 20 wins left out.
- Speaking of... Dayton {just squeaked into 'Play-ins'} will be the first team to play an NCAA tourney game as Home team in many many years.
Like everyone else, I think UK will win...
... but in my Bracket will pick Wisconsin.

 

This is the 1st time in a while I'm just not that excited for March Madness. Most of the basketball I've watched down the stretch has been rough & if the game is remotely close the endgame borders on unwatchable. I don't know if that's me getting old or if they added another 1000 timeouts for each coach, but it has become the worst sport to watch imo. Following the scoreboard online & watching highlights might be the only way to stomach it.

I don't get the seeding this year either. Rankings apparently mean little and Maryland, among others, got screwed. Top 10, 27-6 in one of the 2 best leagues this year and they get a 4 seed....in Kentucky's region no less?!? No clue how 10 loss Oklahoma, Georgetown, or an Iowa St team that the Terps beat are seeded ahead of them. And Duke gets another cream puff path.

I'll go out on a limb and pick the Wildcats to win. Have a hard time seeing anyone stopping Kentucky, but I did get to see Joe's Zona team over the weekend & they're one of the rare fun teams to watch. Don't know if they can pull it off, but that's who I'm rooting for.

 

Don't know if it changes anything (probably not), but I thought the Big 10 final between Michigan State and Wisconsin was one of the best games I've seen all year. Would have been THE best game if the Spartans hadn't gone stone cold in the OT, but the last few minutes were scintillating, like two heavyweights trading haymakers back and forth with both refusing to go down. Wisconsin may have something for the Kitty Kats....if they get there.

 

Thanks for the support Matt, plenty of room on the bandwagon. Two of the likeliest teams to give Kentucky a scare are Wisconsin and Arizona. Unfortunately, they look to be on a collision course for the second straight year in the Elite 8.

The first week is for upsets and Cinderellas. As usual take a look at the #5-12 match ups. Good arguments for every 12, but Matt mentioned Stephen F. Austin. They pulled off an upset last season with virtually the same team. They not only will take out Utah (who have been stumbling at the end of the year), but I like them to put on the Cinderella slipper and reach the Sweet 16. Don't be shocked if in the second game they take on Eastern Washington. EWU plays 4th seeded Georgetown. The game is in Portland, the Hoyas have to travel across the country. EWU will be throwing up 3s from everywhere and if the shots go down so will Georgetown.

James, I'm sure the focus in Louville media is UC-Irvine's unusual nickname (Anteaters) and 7'6" center, but be forewarned their guards can play and their coach came not from another college program, but spent years as an NBA assistant. Talent should win out, but it might get dicey.

 

I am going to disagree with you about Murray State Jump. Despite their win total they were always going to have to win their conference bid to get in. With a strength of schedule of 234 and zero quality wins they were not going to get and did not deserve an at large NCAA tourney bid. When you stack them up against a team like Indiana who has a strength of schedule of 25 and something like 6 or 7 top 25 wins the Racers resume just falls short.

The conference seeding's that I just don't understand went to the Big East. Outside of Villanova is there really a team that deserved their seeding?

 

Thank you Big 12 for being a disaster. I knew Baylor was way overrated, but Iowa State ruined my bracket. Highlights from a great Day 1:

Georga State coach Ron Hunter tore his Achilles Heel celebrating hiS team getting into the dance, so seeing him fall after his son hit the 3 pointer to win was classic.

Another coach's son Bryce Alford looked like his pops Steve Alford going 9 for 11 (not a typo) from behind the arc to "upset" SMU. UCLA has been disappointing but talent wise they matched up with the Ponies. The call at the end of game was goaltending by the letter of the law, but no way it was going in.

Harvard having North Carolina on the ropes, but unable to finish it off. It would of been the 3rd year in a row the Crimson would of won a game.

Big East and Pac 12 combine to go 7-0 while to Big 12 went 0-3.

Friday's games should be great as well. Game of the Day could be Lax's Iowa Hawkeyes v Davidson. Similar uptempo styles that should end up tight the whole way.

 

SMU completely shot themselves in the foot in the last 45 seconds of that game. Just gave the game to UCLA. First the terrible pass out of the press and then the goaltending. I mean, I know the call was borderline but why even put it in the referee's hands. Box out and get the board when it comes down...he was in great position. And, yes, I had SMU winning two games in my bracket.

 

I don't expect Louisville to get very far, maybe not even past Irvine. Their basketball IQ, something Pitino usually harps on, is low. And he hasn't mentioned it once that I can recall this season. I won't be surprised if they go out tonight. Kentucky can be beaten. Hampton gave a glimpse of how it can be done, they just didn't have the horses to pull it off. And we'll have to agree to disagree on Murray State Jim. They can't do much about their strength of schedule because nobody will play them home and away, and the OVC ain't a power conference. True they lost the early games against quasi-quality opponents, but the got better and better as the season went along. And despite it's rep, the OVC is a tough little league. Indiana stumbled down the stretch, and had some quality losses to go with the quality wins.

 

To our Princeton grad from Sac-town, Lady Tigers stay unbeaten!!! My Cats and the rest of the Pac 12 are 7-0.

 

I'll probably jinx the Cards tonight, but the ACC is undefeated, and the SEC.....

 

It wasn't Jim that posted about Murray Jump it was me. I know a fair bit about Murray and the OVC and you are overstating the toughness of the conference. My Aces beat Belmont on the road this season and lost to Murray at home in the closing seconds. The OVC only gets one team for a reason. Evansville had trouble staying within 20 of Wichita State twice and double digits of UNI.

Speaking of Wichita State, anyone who has watched the MVC is not surprised by Van Vleet or the Shockers performances.

 

The Terps treated the ball like a hand grenade (21 turnovers) and get bounced.

James, the Ville were very fortunate to get past Irvine, but played much better yesterday and now that side of the bracket is WIDE open.

Barry, you are right there is no shock about the Shockers of Wichita State. Their next game against Notre Dame should be a great one. A win over the Irish and then it's irony time as Kentucky stopped WSU's perfect season in the tourney last year.

Speaking of irony, I have to travel to Phoenix this week and Arizona is coming to LA...doh!!

 

Gotta say I'm pleasantly surprised that the Cards are still dancing. I agree Joe, that side of the bracket is now wide open. Nobody scares me there, and it's possible they could make another surprise appearance in the Final Four, a la 2012. But Sparty's looking mighty tough at the right time, and Duke is, well, Duke, who beat them at home quite convincingly just a few weeks ago. It'd be a miracle if they made it, but that would be the end of the line if they did. The Wolfpack is quite capable of beating them as well, so may as well just enjoy the ride while it lasts. The West looks to me to be the toughest regional right now. Zona should prevail, although it won't be easy. Was a bit surprised at how meekly the 'Hoos bowed out, but experience counts in this thing, and they didn't have it. At the end of the day, however, nobody beats Kentucky. They are battle tested, their key players have been here, and they're the only team left that doesn't have to play their best to win. Cincinnati tried to intimidate them, but no dice. Just hardened their resolve, I think. Shockers MIGHT have a shot if they get there, but I don't think so. Gonna be a NASCAR track up I-65 in a couple of weeks to Indy....a BLUE streak of car flags flyin' up the road to Lucas Oil, I'm afraid. At least I'll bet that's what the chamber of commerce is hoping.

 

Something of a change of pace, but for as much as I like Adidas for soccer, they've done nothing but stink up the joint in hoops. Their latest abomination, the grandpa pants waistband, is terrible. Not as bad as them putting all of their schools in highlighter colors several years back, but not far off the pace.