NCAA Tournament Thread

[patriot2000]

Expansion is partly the cause of this
Prior to the play-in games, LIU Brooklyn, Redford, NC Central and Texas Southern are your four 16 seeds. UMBC would be on the 15 line.
Regardless, it’s amazing

Interesting thought, and you're right. Maybe now the blue bloods are going to join the low majors in the fight against the 16 seed play in game

It has always annoyed me that 16s have to play in the opening round. I was glad when they expanded to 68 that they had the last four at large teams compete. The entire opening round should be at large teams. I do understand that the one positive is that a couple of 16 seeds get to claim a bogus "tournament win" every year, but that positive does not outweigh the fact that these are automatic qualifiers who are not REALLY going to the dance.

The same way Mason made every mid-major say "maybe we can make the final 4" UMBC just made eveey 16 seed say "maybe we can beat a 1 seed." But 2 out of 6 of them won't be given that chance. It's bull.

I'm actually all for expansion, but if it's going to ve play in games rather than a full round of 128, the play in teams need to be at larges

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[Washingtonian]

http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-ba...virginia-las-vegas/135p0r8tniv461eoxnox3q928e

UMBC, with a 74-54 win over Virginia, became the first No. 16 seed to beat a No. 1 seed in 136 such tournament matchups.


The Retrievers were 20.5-point underdogs to the Cavaliers, but a gambler at the Venetian sports book, which is operated by CG Technology, had the gumption to make an $800 money-line bet on the dog, Jason Simbal, vice president of risk at CG, said in a text message to Omnisport. For a money-line bet to cash, the team has to win the game outright, regardless of point spread.

At odds of +2000 (20/1), the over-the-counter bet resulted in a cool $16,000 payoff.

 

[Jack Strop]

So many comparisons to Bennetts style here since Paulsen arrived. Maybe Bennett tweaks that style now?

UVA and Bennett's problem all season long was a lack of offensive fire power. True, their defense bailed them out of many games this season. However, there was little offensive/defensive balance to the Cavaliers. UVA scored 80+ three times this season, playing most of their games in the mid-60's.

To be a champion you have to defend the bucket and be able to score. Coach Dave has players that can score as the team displayed relatively balanced scoring among their top 6 in the rotation. DP has Mason going in the right direction—stout defensive scheme and bucket-getters. We're gonna be alllllll-right!

 

[Jack Strop]

It has always annoyed me that 16s have to play in the opening round... It's bull.

I'm actually all for expansion, but if it's going to ve play in games rather than a full round of 128, the play in teams need to be at larges

When the NCAA expanded to the First-Four concept, I was happy that they sold it as the last eight in (read, at-large participants) were the first eight to play. I was against expansion of the tourney, but that compromise got me to go along with it. Then the NCAA did the ol' bait-n-switch and put four 16 seeds in there. Teams that win their conferences should have the absolute right to be in the field of 60 rather than be diminished and dismissed in a PIG. NCAA = Treachery!

And, an absolute NO to any additional tournament expansion. Case in point, the NFL is cannibalizing itself with too much football playing games on Sunday, Monday, Thursday, and the occasional Saturday—it's too much football to swallow. 128 teams in the NCAA Tourney is too much basketball and will eat away at its own and fans' interests.

 

[patriot2000]

I agree, I do not believe a 128 team tournament is what we need. But I was totally fine with the initial expansion to 65 and then 68. I just want those last 8 to truly be the last 8. Not low major teams who earned their way to the real tournament, like you said.

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[Haxormax]

man these duke refs are shitty. Call any look at duke, but when duke hacks RI, nothing.

 

[GSII]

that lyles kid from umbc, I know him from somewhere but to lazy to look up. Was he recruited by DP???

 

[GMUgemini]

that lyles kid from umbc, I know him from somewhere but to lazy to look up. Was he recruited by DP???

Ge left vcu. He’s from DeMatha.


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[Five Two]

We beat Binghamton.
Binghamton beat Albany
Albany beat UMBC
UMBC beat UVA

we are better than UVA

 

[Jack Strop]

Not bad. Not bad at all. The first two rounds have produced a lot of exciting games with fierce competition. My only complaint is that there was only one overtime game, URI vs. OK. Props to URI, Buffalo, Marshall, Loyola, and especially UMBC.

Honorable mentions include the A10's own Davidson, UNC Greensboro, Stephen F. Austin, Bucknell, and Coll. of Charleston for their gritty performances and near upsets.

Of course, my bracket in mangled and FUBARed, but that's what we really want, right? Especially when it comes to the mega-upsets.

Additionally, four of my seven most loathed perennial NCAA Tournament teams have been bounced out in 2 games or less. Those boogeymen include UNC and Michigan State (both handed essentially home losses—HA!), Ohio State and of course UVA (quadruple HA!). Just three more to go on my sh!t-list—Duke, Kansas, and KY—and I'll be super pleased! The sooner the quicker!!

 

[Five Two]

Interesting article from SI.com on how UMBC will use its 15 minutes and supporting stats from Harvard Business School. Basically, will it be the "front door" or the "side door":
https://www.si.com/college-basketball/2018/03/17/umbc-virginia-upset-doug-flutie-jairus-lyles

 

[phoenix-arizona]

Chicago is still in it. Just need to get Duke and Kansas knocked out.

 

[CHRISTOPHER JAMES JOLLAY]

We don't want Loyola to win because then people will compare them to us, 2006. They got out Larranaga, that's all that matters.

Some random thoughts as I watch this fine evening:

West Virginia's Konate is much better at basketball than our beloved Makan.

"Press" Virginia is a stupid nickname.

Some idiot had a "Guster is for lovers" bumper sticker on his stupid apple laptop in the pregame tonight. I hate him so much. It's one thing when zone admin and zone photo guy prop up Guster for a Mason Day that turns out to be shitty, but its another when you put a stupid sticker on your laptop in a transparent attempt to get chicks. Ugh. I literally hate guys like that. Chick band man.

Do we even still have Mason Days anymore? I never missed one right up until Guster, for like 15 years.

Duke is going to roll Syracuse tonight I think.

 

[Five Two]

We don't want Loyola to win because then people will compare them to us, 2006. They got out Larranaga, that's all that matters.

Sister Jean > Larranaga

 

[Pikapppatri8]

Sister Jean > Larranaga

She does have God on her side.

 

[Jack Strop]

She does have God on her side.

Don't we all?

 

[Washingtonian]

We don't want Loyola to win because then people will compare them to us, 2006. They got out Larranaga, that's all that matters.

Some random thoughts as I watch this fine evening:

West Virginia's Konate is much better at basketball than our beloved Makan.

"Press" Virginia is a stupid nickname.

Some idiot had a "Guster is for lovers" bumper sticker on his stupid apple laptop in the pregame tonight. I hate him so much. It's one thing when zone admin and zone photo guy prop up Guster for a Mason Day that turns out to be shitty, but its another when you put a stupid sticker on your laptop in a transparent attempt to get chicks. Ugh. I literally hate guys like that. Chick band man.

Do we even still have Mason Days anymore? I never missed one right up until Guster, for like 15 years.

Duke is going to roll Syracuse tonight I think.

I was talking to one of my friends about this....and our run was better simply because we took out 3 blue bloods, one of which was the defending national champs.

 

[Pikapppatri8]

Don't we all?

Technically we do because God loves us all - but not all of us listen to him or love him back.

 

[Pikapppatri8]

Loyola a** raped k-state. The entire game. Deep hard and bloody

 

[JimP]

Yeah - the Ramblers are definitely capable of beating Florida State or Michigan. Amazing.