I don't watch college hoops anymore because it became oversaturated. I do watch the NCAA Tournament because it is exciting. It gets underway in a few moments. Anyone else watching? Final Four predictions? National Champion? Which team are you rooting for and why? Upsets?

I haven't watched any college bball this year, but I just caught #1 Purdue going down to #16 Fairleigh Dickinson. How awesome is that!.

That was incredible. FDU didn't have a player over 6'5". Love it!

From 3/15....

I'm kinda all in on hoping for upsets. Not sure why? But, it's fun to see the big boys like Arizona, Purdue, Virgina, and Xavier go down.

Crazy... FDU didn't win their conference championship... got in because the conference champion was illegible for the tournement because they are transitioning from D2... then FDU had to play in the first four... crazy...

I picked Purdue to go to the final four this year... boy was I wrong... third year in a row that they lost to a double digit seed...

It wasn't FDU it was simply that Purdue Stunk the place up ... JMHO

Agreed. Just like when the Jets beat the Colts in SB 3. Nine out of ten times the Colts would have won. They stunk it up that day.

I think it was poor coaching.

The guards for purdue were clearly struggling
The purdue center is almost a full foot taller than anyone on FDU

The ball should have gone to their center nearly every if not literally every possession.
He should have had 50+ points
Instead the guards just kept firing away from 3

Im not too much into this but Arkansas Kansas game was pretty good.

Agreed - they stopped going to him in the second... he should have gotten the ball down low every play..

That was a great game...

UH game was good too...

Depaul used to do it all the time when Ray Meyr was the coach. They would have really good regular seasons with very good talent but when they got in the tournament, they stunk it up and Meyer was a good coach.

I think coaching had a lot to do with it. It was the perfect example of how speed and quickness can be used against a larger, slower team if it's executed properly.

Lots of upsets. All four #1 seeds are out.

This is part of a larger article. I kept the info on the matchup and got rid of all the dumb predictions.


Elite Eight:

(3) Kansas State vs. (9) FAU
Saturday, 6:09 p.m. | TBS, March Madness Live: FAU's a better team than its seed reflects, but here's the kicker: Kansas State's a better team than its seed reflects, too. The Jerome Tang-coached Wildcats can go deep into their bench and have the two best players -- by miles -- in this game: Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson. If Nowell is able to play unencumbered after the second-half ankle injury he picked up vs. Michigan State -- likely given how well he played in the second half and overtime Thursday -- I'm comfortable taking the better team here and laying the low number. Pick: Kansas State -2




(3) Gonzaga vs. (4) UConn
Saturday, 8:49 p.m. | TBS, March Madness Live: With all four of this year's No. 1 seeds eliminated before the Elite Eight, UConn took the mantle as the betting favorite to win the national championship at Caesars. That may change with Texas trouncing Xavier, but the point remains: UConn is very much the team to beat in this game vs. Gonzaga (and arguably the team to beat in the field, too). It is playing like the team midseason that raced out to a 14-0 lead and has the inside-out depth and talent to contend with this balanced Zags bunch. Pick: UConn -2




(5) San Diego State vs. (6) Creighton
Sunday, 2:20 p.m. | CBS, March Madness Live: This line started at Creighton -1.5 and has already moved up to Creighton -2, so I'm going to lay the deuce anticipating that it may continue moving Creighton's way in the lead-up to Sunday. This team has the weapons to combat San Diego State's defensive-minded unit that took down No. 1 overall seed Alabama thanks to a unique combination of guards, wings and bigs that match up favorably against the Aztecs on paper. Pick: Creighton -2




(2) Texas vs. (5) Miami
Saturday, 5:05 p.m. | CBS, March Madness Live: NCAA Tournament hero Dylan Disu played only briefly Friday vs. Xavier in the Sweet 16, and it mattered not as the Longhorns trounced the Musketeers. Miami, which beat No. 1 seed Houston on Friday, is likely to provide a little more resistance, but I'd still lean Longhorns here with the short number given their depth and experience. Pick: Texas -4

You can read all the other stuff here: https://www.cbssports.com/college-b...ainst-the-spread-ncaa-bracket-game-odds/

OSU woman beat UConn today to advance to the elite 8 for the first time since 1993.

KSU/Nowell seem to be worthy of all the hype they're getting, but boy they can't seem to put a team away. Both MSU and FAU are much less talented but KSU just lets them stay in the game. Nowell is Isaiah Thomas (the real one) on steroids.

FAU got real lucky there. That long 3 was stupid. They should have went hard in the paint.

That's why you don't let the other team hang around. KSU had a few chances to put this one away. What I don't understand it why FAU didn't foul on that last inbound pass when they were up 3. Why give the other team a chance for a 3pt play?

j/c...

This has been one of the most entertaining tournaments I can recall. Brackets destroyed. Could have an FAU vs Miami championship game. The whole tournament has been utter chaos. I love it.

And in two weeks, The Masters. "A tradition unlike any other."

Way to go OSU women!!!!!!! hoping they can continue winning against Vig tech!

Everyone says they love the upsets, and they do. But no one wants to see mid majors in the Final Four. A few upsets in the early rounds are fine it is magical but the Final Four is when we want to see the big boys play. This is why College Football has it right and hand picks there Final Four. I predict that this will be a very low rated Final Four and it is because Florida Atlantic is playing San Diego State and the winner will be in the National Championship. Miami vs UConn is better but not exactly blue blood programs. While people say they want new teams playing for the NC they vote with their ratings and my guess is this will be very low rated. I would not tune in to watch Florida Atlantic vs San Diego State in December. Why would I care now? UConn is going to win the tournament and they are a mid-major team that is not even part of the Power 5. I just don't care who wins this weekend. College Basketball better figure out how to get their élite teams to the Final four or this tournament will stop being so special in my opinion.

I like the fact that if you can't earn it you don't play. If the teams people claim to be elite were actually elite, they would be in the final four

Seriously - UConn a mid major team - yeah OK. They've won 4 National Championships - LOL - mid-Major. Get real...

In Day's defense, there has been a lot of chatter in the media and online about people want to see the blue-bloods and that ratings might go down. I agree w/you that UConn is kinda on that border of being a blueblood program. I will also say that I am more interested in watching the Final Four this year than most years. I like that programs that are not as recognizable are playing in the Big Dance. But, I like underdogs and I just love the game.

I'm still excited to watch... four teams that earned their way there...

also excited for the women's final four... Iowa/USC should be the final.... that's gonna be an amazing game!

UConn is a great program no doubt. What conference are they in? Is it a Power 5 Conference? If not, they are just a great mid major program. The clear favorite in my opinion to win this tournament and get a 5th NC. It will be interesting what ratings are Saturday night and Monday night. I can only predict right now but my gut says it will not get very good ratings.

I read somewhere that it's cheaper to buy a ticket to the men's final four than the women's.... think that speaks to the fanbases of the women's teams being much larger and willing to travel...

Talk about a random final 4. I can see UConn and Miami, but the other two .. no way.

My guess: UConn defeats FAU

Great comeback by LSU.... now... Katlin vs USC... should be a great game...

Hometown girl Zia Cook from Toledo is having quite a game for SC.

Cook did her best to carry USC but Caitlin was the star last night... unreal game...

Yep. Caitlin Clark is the real deal and willed her team to a win. SC looked absolutely stunned that they were behind and choked. Clark made a play every single time they needed one. Her conditioning is off the charts....she went 100% intensity buzzer to buzzer against a much bigger and more physical opponent. That was a great game to watch.

Congrats to LSU... heck of a game... I was routing for Iowa, and I wish their players didn't get into foul trouble, but it was the Tigers' night...

Hats off to Hurley for rebuilding that program back to what it use to be.

This season--including the tournament, UConn played 17 games against teams that were not in their conference. They won each of them by double digits. Truly, a deserving National Champion!

I had $1000 on them to win it all....well, I should have.

Agreed... and dominate through the tourney... won by an average of 20... closet game in the tourney was 13...

well deserved

classy response... I sort of get where Dr. Jill was coming from, but appreciate Clark's response... winner should be invited... period...

Least watched National Championship game of all time. Early rounds the ratings were up but the rating dropped late. College Basketball has a problem when two mid major programs are competing for the National Championship. Everyone bashes College Football for hand picking their final four, but they get it. Power 5 Conference Teams bring large fanbases and drive TV ratings.

I watched the first half... but once UConn poured it on there was no reason to watch... similar with final four... the SDS and FAU game was great... watched all of that... turned off the UConn game in the first...

LSU’s Angel Reese says her team won’t go to the White House but school’s athletic department says it will accept invite

Louisiana State University star Angel Reese says that neither she, nor her team, would be visiting the White House after the Tigers defeated the University of Iowa Hawkeyes 102-85 to win their first NCAA women’s basketball national championship.

Traditionally, the national champions would be invited to the White House. But after comments from first lady Jill Biden suggesting that Iowa be invited as well before appearing to walk that back, Reese told “I AM ATHLETE” podcast hosts Brandon Marshall and Ashley Nicole Moss: “I don’t accept the apology because you said what you said … You can’t go back on certain things that you say … They can have that spotlight. We’ll go to the Obamas.’ We’ll go see Michelle. We’ll see Barack.”

Reese, who was named the women’s tournament Most Outstanding Player as a result of her standout performances, also said separately: “I just know if the roles were reversed, they wouldn’t be the same. If we were to lose, we would not be getting invited to the White House.”

But Wednesday, the school’s athletics department said they would “certainly accept an invitation.”

Speaking on Monday, Biden congratulated both teams on their performance in Sunday’s national championship game, as well as specifically highlighting Iowa’s sportsmanship.

“Last night, I attended the NCAA women’s basketball championship,” said Biden, while speaking at an event at the Colorado State Capitol in Denver.

“So I know we’ll have the champions come to the White House, we always do. So, we hope LSU will come but, you know, I’m going to tell Joe [Biden] I think Iowa should come, too, because they played such a good game.”

Reese, a 20-year-old forward, responded to Biden’s comments, calling them “A JOKE” on Monday, and on an Instagram post from “The Shade Room,” the recently crowned NCAA champion commented: “WE NOT COMING. period.”

By Tuesday, Biden appeared to walk back the comments, with first lady press secretary Vanessa Valdivia saying in a tweet that they “were intended to applaud the historic game and all women athletes. She looks forward to celebrating the LSU Tigers on their championship win at the White House.”

President Biden had previously said that LSU would be invited to the White House, along with NCAA men’s champions, the University of Connecticut.

Reese’s teammate Alex Morris took to Twitter to ask Michelle Obama whether her team could celebrate their win at their house, after Barack tweeted his congratulations to the team.
After LSU’s victory on Sunday, head coach Kim Mulkey said she would go to the White House if the team was invited.

A spokesperson for the Obamas declined to comment.

Meanwhile, Iowa’s Caitlin Clark said Tuesday that Iowa shouldn’t be invited to White House.

“I don’t think runner-ups usually go to the White House. I think LSU should enjoy that moment for them and congratulations, obviously, they deserve to go there. Maybe I could go to the White House on different terms though,” Clark said. “That’s for LSU. That’s a pretty cool moment and they should enjoy every single second of being a champion.”

https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/05/sport/angel-reese-white-house-jill-biden-intl-spt/index.html

Dayum, what a cocky little twit. Making decisions for her team without their consent. I had no problem with her hand gestures, but she's going off the rails. I don't like the Bidens at all, but I don't think Jill had any ill intent warraning that kind of disrespect. She's just an elderly first lady that tried to be nice.

Yep. Could have typed that myself. People go out of their way to get angry over some of the dumbest crap.

Well said.

Well said... completely agree... while I disagree with Dr. Jill inviting Iowa, I think Angel is making way too big of a deal out of this... but honestly, I think they were looking for things to be angry about through the tourney which carried them to the championship...

I guess I understand wanting to stand up for what you believe in... but damn... you've worked your whole life to win the championship and part of that means you get to go to the White House... personally, if I was that mad I'd still go to the White House just to be able to tell Dr. Jill how dumb it was to invite Iowa


Cam out yesterday that she'll go with her teammates... which is the right move... again, she can use that opportunity to talk to the Bidens and Jill about her thoughts... what an opportunity...

I honestly don't have any big issue with Angel other than I think she took the taunting a little too far.. Have no problem with the hand gestures.... but stalking Clark on the court and circling back to taunt her again was probably over the line...

but hats off to them... they won a heck of a game...