DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum 2018 NCAA Men’s Tournament

Kentucky proved harder for a one and done school to win the national championship now than a mid-major school. That is why we are seeing all these upsets.

so, Loyola vs K State and Michigan vs FSU

Just as we predicted

Don't pay to much attention to the seeds. The selection committee doesn't always get it right. Like Loyola Chicago, should they really have been an 11th seed?

With the parity in college B-ball now, the tournament is harder to predict more than ever.

with the mid major teams having guys who play 4 years, gain experience, play together, etc ... and have them face big name schools with "one and done" guys ... anything can happen

In other words, I watch the tournament ... and if I'm Michigan, maybe I'd rather play Kentucky than Loyola, at least it's closer than it ever has been

Loyola Chicago is going to the Final Four! Will not surprise me if they win the whole darn thing now. Has an 11 seed ever won the National Championship before?

I hope for the Nun, they pull it off.

That was an impressive performance by Loyola. I enjoyed that game.

Lowest seed to ever get to the Final Four was an 11-seed ... 4 times. LSU, VCU, George Mason and now Loyola.

Lowest seed to win the tourney is Villanova as an 8 seed.

Was that the Rollie Masimino and Ed Pinkey team?

UK and UC oughta be ashamed of themselves. Easily the best 2 teams in the region.

What an atrocity.

I do not know if they are easily the best teams in that region. The #1 overall in the tournament Virginia was in this region with Arizona and Tennessee. Loyola played the best ball and came out of a region with the 5 teams listed. Cannot take anything away from them.

Good points, and I'm a bit salty still about UC's meltdown.

I just wasn't that impressed with Virginia and Tennessee, In my own opinion going in I thought it would be an elite 8 matchup of UK and UC without a doubt. And yes I'm still a bit salty about it lol.

Wasn't that supposed to be the region of death? People were talking about how Kentucky would have to go through a UVA, Arizona, Cincinnati death-march to make it into the Final Four. Instead, the 11 seed walks away from the carnage.

I thought the Kansas, Duke, Michigan State region was the toughest. Although, Arizona was considered under seeded as a 4 seed when most experts thought they would be a 2.

j/c..

Glad to see FSU inexplicably not foul Michigan, down four, with 11+ seconds left on the clock.

The spread was 4.5 points.

FSU covered.

FSU was REALLY dumb at the end of the game, but that's almost expected with them.

Loyola was really impressive too

Hate to say this , but I am pulling for Michigan to win it all .

Have a pretty good friend/mentor in Deandre Haynes who is in his first year as an assistant for Michigan. Have known Dre since his playing days and was with him when he started his coaching career at Kent St.

It was but the guy that got the rebound was a 90% free throw shooter that had just nailed two clutch free throws in a row. Even if he splits the next pair, it’s a 5-pt lead with 10 seconds left and no timeouts. To your point, there’s still a chance in that scenario, but the odds are heavily in Michigan’s favor (99%?).

I was shaking my head more at the sloppy three they took before that situation. They could have waited for a better three attempt. Instead, he threw up a running, off-balance & partially blocked heave that had no chance of dropping. I almost feel they shouldn’t have been allowed to extend the game after seeing that abysmal effort.

Oh well. Loyola and Michigan. Crazy.

Agreed. Terrible three at the end by FSU. And bad foul before that by FSU also. They went and fouled that same number 22, the one guy on the team who shoots the free throws. That's what frustrated me the most.

But they didn't have a timeout to get organized or anything. Had they only known that everyone else sucks at free throws except 22, and foul anyone else

Yeah, I realize the slim chances that were left with 10 seconds on the clock. I wasn't really calling that "dumb" (although I do think they should have tried to foul) ... the fact that they waited 18 seconds and THEN fouled with 1 minute left was mind boggling. Then the poor 3 point attempt, strange organization, etc.

By the way, Michigan ranks 321 in the country in FT% (yes, although Duncan is 90%). Extending that game may have worked out.

Yeah, I think Petey was saying, Michigan tried inbounding to a lesser shooter but he was defended, so he passed to the wife open 90% shooter. Jeez! Guard the 90% guy and let the other get the ball then foul him.

Oh well, I’m glad a Big10 team made it to the Final 4.

I think they roast Loyola.

Thank you Kansas for taking down the final team in the Axis of Evil.

Duke really are devils in blue, and Grayson Allen really is Damien, son of Lucifer, the anti-christ

All is right in this world

Yep, let them inbound it to the one good free throw shooter you have.. that was smart. Then don't foul him.

Foul him with 10 seconds, even if he makes them both it's a 6 point game... come down and put up a 3, if it goes in it is now a 1 possession game, foul again (hopefully trying to direct the ball to a lesser FT shooter).. if you miss that one, then fine let it run out.

I needed Duke to win to keep my wife alive in our basketball pool. I value cash over pride so I was rooting for Duke...

Could not believe that Grayson Allen was so selfish.. dude was shooting like crap the entire game, so with 12 seconds left in a tie game he gets the ball and it was clear he wasn't giving it up no matter how open somebody was who was actually shooting the ball well. He still almost made it but, because of him, I'm glad they lost.

Shooter's gotta shoot, lol

But in all seriousness DCDawg, your wife made a deal with the Devil (in Blue). She should have known better than to do that.


One thing I know is I never ever support the two figureheads of the North Carolina Athletic Association (UNC and Duke) nor their evil partner Kentucky (with Coach Calimari). Supporting them is like supporting Iraq in the Gulf War. You just don't do it.


EDIT: My wife had Virginia go all the way. So didn't work out for her.

I didn't make a bracket this year because as far as I'm concerned, Men's College Basketball ended in November with the joke of a team the UConn Huskies put on the Court.




But, my lady Huskies will be playing South Carolina Tonight. And ESPN keeps talking about this Aja Wilson from South Carolina. I mean, seriously? Do they really expect Aja Wilson and South Carolina to put up a fight against the freight train that is my UConn Huskies?

Rooster verses a Husky. Rooster might be a pain in the butt, but i'll take the Husky in the fight every day of the week

Interesting that you call out Duke, when you have a pic of UConn under your name. All Duke has ever done is win the right way, UConn can't really say that.

Oh, don't start this one.

How has UConn won the wrong way? I remember one thing, which had to do with making too many text messages a bunch of years ago. And they were to a player that never even played on the team. He was kicked out of the school for beating his girlfriend as a freshman


We were banned from the post-season for academics once. But that's total bs. When UNC makes up its own academic programs for players which are nonsense, but UConn actually held its players somewhat accountable.

The North Carolina Athletic Association would never punish one of their ACC Darlings

-------------------

EDIT: UConn Ladies are crushing South Carolina. Say what you want about how they are for Women's Basketball, these UConn girls can ball.

Crystal Dangerfield PG of UConn is 5 for 5 from beyond the arc. Same arc that Grayson Allen missed all those shots from.

And i'll say, the UConn women are probably better free throw shooters than most of the NCAA Men Players. They know how to ball

They are very good.. but they aren't good for interest in the sport. Maybe, like UCLA in the 60s, their success will have a positive long term impact.. but in the near term, it makes women's basketball less interesting to watch... and not just their games but other games.. let's watch a bunch of other teams battle it out in competitive games to see who wins the honor of being crushed by UConn.. YEAH!!!!

It's not just UConn though, women's basketball just hasn't grown to the point where it has the parity of men's basketball... maybe someday it will.

I think they should constrict the women's tournament back to 32 teams.. I know they never would, but they should... think about this:

In the men's tournament this year, of the 16 games between 1-4 seeds vs 13-16 seeds, the average margin of victory was under 13 points and there were 3 upsets.. the largest margin of victory was 26..

In the women's tournament between those same teams, the average margin of victory was 32, with only 1 game being decided in single digits... no upsets (obviously)... and 7 of them being over 40.. (including UConns 88 point margin of victory)

Yeah, I guess. But as a team, they're great ambassadors to the sport. And role models for young women to live up to. They work their butts off and handle themselves professionally.

But yes. South Carolina, besides Aja Wilson, probably didn't have any player that would start on UConn. Not one.

Most of their starters wouldnt even see much time from the bench. UConn has seven players who are better than any one of hte South Carolina players, not named Wilson.

It's not UConn's fault they are so good though. But I can understand that if you're not from CT, it doesn't generate excitement. They are amazing though.




I'd agree with lowering the size to 32. Or even 16. I've felt the same way about the Men's Tourney too though.

The Men's Tournament waters down regular season play for the schools. That, and the automatic bids shouldn't be decided by these small school's conference tournament either (because their regular season means essentially nothing. They lose their conference tournament, they're pretty much out).

And UConn has benefited big time by all this in their last two titles. Both were times that we got real hot at the end, and bam, we win. Especially our last one (where we were like a 7 or 8 seed), I think we were a 4 seed the year Kemba won.


I just don't like that a team that's lost 3 games all year in a difficult conference, can lose to some 10 seed from a major conference, who manages to get hot at the right time.

Would the same be said if Lebron, Westbrook, Giannis, Embiid, A.Davis and Harden all joined the Warriors this offseason?

Great ambassadors?
Role models?
Work hard?
Handle themselves?

Nope. They'd all get crucified for building such a stacked team to demolish their way to an NBA title every year. Heck, Durrant got crushed for joining GS. Every recruiting season, the same happens for UCONN, right?

Why should anyone care or tune in? IMO, UCONN women's basketball has hurt the growth of the sport more than its helped it.

This is college basketball............ Young women, 18-early 20's.

Not NBA guys branding, etc.


The UConn Women carry themselves very well. What's wrong with saying that? They work very hard to be where they are. They want to play under the best coach in the country, to make them the best basketball players they can be.


You can say that the UConn Women's Team doesn't help Women's College Basketball, but that's not their fault.

The players may be young, but their decision to join UCONN when they could join any other program, is directly their fault. They know what they're doing. They're choosing to build/join the strongest team possible, KNOWING they'll destroy most teams by 30+ points and win 97% of their games. It's not an innocent accident. As if they wake up midway through the season and are surprised they're this good.

Sorry, I'm not buying the "purity" of UCONN women's basketball.

If this happened in cycles, it was UCONN for 2-3 years, then Ohio State, then S.Carolina and so on. Maybe that's okay and good for the sport to have different "super power" teams every few years, but we see this from UCONN almost every year.

I hear their record from 2008 is something like 420-something and 15. And one of the years in there, they lost 5 games. That means in the other years COMBINED, they lost 10 games total, including the tourney. Nobody would give a rats butt about a league if a team won 97% of their games for 10+ years and was an almost shoe-in for the title.

Recruiting advantage
Stacked teams
Blowout wins
Almost a guaranteed title

That's a recipe for apathy and bad ratings. I know they're kids and they work hard, but they could work hard in any other program and make the sport watchable. However, they don't make that decision because it's their decision to all go to UCONN to dominate. They know what they're building every year. Pro or college, doesn't matter, they know the competitive advantage they have and are fine exploiting it. It's not very sportsmen in my opinion. That's why I don't bother watching. It's a boat race.

As I said, I have absolutely no problem with UConn's program, its players, or its coach... and my daughter doesn't play basketball but if she did and UConn recruited her, I would tell her to go...

If you aren't aware, I'm a Maryland fan. For a decade now Marylands women's team has been hovering in and around that "next group" of teams with South Carolina, Stanford, Notre Dame, Baylor, Duke, etc... so I watch some of their games, I keep track of them on-line... but it's just disappointing to realize they really have very little chance.. it just takes some of the entertainment out of for me, especially come tournament time..

It's not an indictment of anything other than my own interest as a fan is diminished... so folks can tell me how what UConn is doing isn't bad for the sport, for me personally it takes a little something out of it. What can I tell you, it just does.

You guys say this is bad for the sport of women's basketball, but how familiar are you guys with professional WNBA players? Many players are broke and can't afford to have an off season, as many continue to play basketball in Russia's league during that time. Two years ago you could see Britney Griner and Diana Tarasi play winter basketball in a small Russian village. The sport is just in a very bad spot. I think they need to do something drastic if they want to build a fan base.

I think your comments are ridiculous. These girls owe the NCAA or viewership nothing.

They go to the best program, to practice with the best, to play with the best, to become the best basketball players they can. They want to become WNBA Players and Olympians (and many of them do, as they continue to bring Gold home for Team USA). If it makes the sport unwatchable for everyone else, so be it. In Connecticut, we take pride in our Women's Basketball Team.

They carry themselves with class. They show good sportsmanship. They play the game the right way. And it's not like they just show up and win. They work very hard to be as good as they are.

A top recruit knows, that when she goes to another school, she will not get to experience what UConn Practices are like. Nor do they get to experience what being coached by Geno Aueremia is like.

It's not like all these women got together one day in just decided to go to UConn. There's a reason they pick UConn. The UConn Huskies help make you the best basketball player you can possibly be. This isn't a Chicken and Egg thing. This is a program that Geno built.



And here's what Obama, who knows them very well said about them in 2016


So there. Endorsed by the President, who knows them very well, as he has met them a bunch of times. And I'm sorry, I'm sure you're a swell guy. But I hold Obama's Endorsement over yours.



And if other teams have a problem with it, they can get better. Simple as that.

In the meantime, my ladies will go ahead and play Notre Dame (who's only lost 3 games this year), and handle them too.

I'm not sure what that has to do with UConn.. other than they get everybody drafted every year...

They are up against a number of different obstacles..

They play in the summer so they don't have to compete with the NBA but that isn't working, people just aren't that focused in the summer.. they casually watch baseball and wait for football season to start..

They are travelling, doing more stuff in the evenings and on weekends, taking vacations.. they just don't have time to invest in the WNBA..

Plus, it isn't even close in level of excitement to the men's game due to the difference in physical athletic ability and I'm not sure there is much you can do about that.

See, I find baseball very boring. I kind of like it on the Radio, otherwise, it's only enjoyable at the Ballpark for me (which I do legitimately enjoy. A quality evening at the ballpark is great).


In the summer, I'll watch the WNBA sometimes. It's really not that bad. I guess I like seeing a lot of the ex-UConn players, but it's fundamentally good basketball.

But I appreciate women's sports. I also think they're very important. It's good for young females in this country to have athletes and stuff to look up to. I've always been a fan of Title 9.


I watch the Team USA Women's Most Everything, a bit of WNBA, a decent amount of UConn Women, and I like the NCAA Softball Tournament lol