Da Big Dance

It is hard to imagine the best conference record won't go to the Big East with three first round gimme's. Of course my lack of imagination is why I am a tax accountant and why they play the games.

 

Re: RE: Da Big Dance

Perhaps the former... I doubt it's why they play the game, though.

heh... j/k/y :twisted:

 

We got a rematch, same seeds even, so I'll be hating on BYU again this year. Was really hoping to get a 10 seed b/c 8/9's never win in rd 2. A&M gets UConn assuming we beat the Mormon Tabernacle Choir again.

As for conference results, I'll have to go with the Big East despite my temptations to be a homer with the B12 (who I think will do fairly well overall). I imagine all those number 1 seeds will net them too many wins for other conferences to surpass their win %.

 

I do believe Big East was the most competetive conference this year. It's hard for me to see them struggling. It's why I've UofL winning it all.

I'm not as high on Gonzaga as everyone else is. I think they should get past Ill though, but don't see them being able to handle UNC. Of course with Roy coaching you never know what will happen. How great of a final four would it be for mich st to make it to detroit?

 

Which teams are your favorite sleeper teams (Mid-Major) I like Western Kentucky and think they could get to the sweet 16. Look out for the the Bison (N. Dakota State) against Kansas that first game. Kansas looked aweful against Baylor in the Big 12 tourney. Unfortunately, I don't see this year as the year of the darlings.

 

Its going to be hard for me to get into the tournament since Notre Dame ended up sucking this season. I'd say the Big East will get the most wins. They got 7 in and are much stronger than the Big 10, who also got 7 in.

I have Pitt winning over Memphis in the finals.

On a side note, I got tickets to ND's NIT Opener versus UAB tonight. Plenty of good seats available I imagine.

 

Yes, as will the Big 10 & other conferences. The Big East only loses out if the majority of the teams get waxed early. I don't see that happening. I do see that happening with some of the other conferences though.

 

If you were going by win/loss percentage, then clearly a conference with less teams would have a better shot at that. However, you said best win/loss record. Not to mention, there is a very good shot the Big East get 2 or 3 in the Final 4.

 

I agree, but dont know if they will get past that first win. Seriously, from what I know {which aint much} W Kentucky/Illinois favors WK. Screw the seed in that one. Hell I aint sure Ohio State is gonna get past Siena

 

Cant argue with your brother!
Those are the top two.
If you ask him, though, he'll have to get down also the defensive rebound and turnover percentages against similar teams.

 

Sadly College Hoops is the only sport I can think of that the quality was better 20-25 years ago. The one year and straight into the NBA draft has hampered the game, but pound for pound this is still one of the truly great sports events we have in this country. Big East and ACC should dominate. I'm a Pac-10 loyalist, but this is a down year. SEC and Big 10 are down also, with the Big 12 being the one conference I don't know what to expect;
West Region: I'll take Memphis to make a return trip to the final 4.
Upset Alert: Utah State to give Marquette all they want.

Midwest Region: Louisville over Michigan State in a clash of styles.
Upset Alert;: My fellow Arizona alumni are pissed off at this team, we got lucky to make our 25th straight tourney, but we have the talent to knock off Utah. Dayton to beat West Virginia.
Super Upset Alert: Wake Forest will have their hands full with Cleveland State who won at Syracuse this year.

South Region: The health of the North Carolina point guard Ty Lawson is huge, if he can go they will be in Detroit for the Final 4.
Upset Alert: Western Kentucky reached the Sweet 16 last year and beating Illinois wouldn't be a shock.

East Region: Pitt has the best team, but they always come up short in March. However, against my better judgement I'll stick with the Panthers.
Upset Alert: VCU over UCLA. The Bruins lost 2 freshmen to the pros and VCU is the Mid-Major team that will reach the Sweet 16.
Super Upset Alert: Portland State to put a scare into Xavier. The game is in Boise and the crowd will be pulling hard for the underdogs from the Pacific Northwest.

 

SoCal.. I like your analysis, but here's a thought: Is the talent quality really down from two decades ago or is it 'more better' distributed?

 

Thanks Fog, to answer your question the talent isn't down, but the top kids aren't staying on campus more than 1 year. Guys like Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose would all still be playing college ball today if they hadn't come out after their freshmen year (Howard was in the last group that went straight from HS). UCLA lost 2 guys (Love & Westbrook) who would only be sophomores, but if you can go in the first ten picks of the draft you would be silly not to do so. 25 years ago the best players stayed untl at least after their 3rd year.

I would agree that the talent is more evenly distributed. The recruiting tactic where you tell a kid "we'll get you on tv" doesn't apply since everyone is on cable now. The traditional powers still remain, but there are a lot of good teams.

One good thing has happened from the defections is that the Mid-Major (teams like George Mason, Butler, Davidson) have become a factor in March. Every year 1 or 2 teams will make a run with junior/senior oriented teams that aren't intimitated to play high seeds w/hotshot freshmen.

 

I would add to that Joe that in addition to early departures helping the playing field be more level, that the increase in AAU and club basktball teams playing year round has increased the # of players with a better talent level.

 

Random thought today and tomorrow. If we had Fulham playing either day AND Champions League (instead of runner-up cup), I might be pretty close to sports viewing nirvana.

 

Mos def, Butler.