2014-15 NCAA Basketball Thread: March Madness

[DG_ThenNowForever]

The Cards didn't blow away either team this weekend, and in fact, could have just as easily lost either game as they won it. They scraped by UC Irvine, and it feels like they beat UNI based on raw talent rather than any particularly better level of play.

I think Michigan State is suddenly the team to beat from that region. Nova was always a farce.

[FinsUp1214]

To be honest - and I may be totally crazy - but I feel like West Virginia is going to give Kentucky more fits than people think. They're a pretty tough team, and I could see them posing a challenge. Not saying it's a slam dunk, but I wouldn't be surprised if West Virginia comes away with an upset. If not them, then I see Arizona or Duke down the road doing so (but sorry, I think Kentucky rolls the Irish if that matchup happens).

I also agree that Michigan State looks like the team to beat in that region. They just know how to March.

[OnWis97]

The Cards didn't blow away either team this weekend, and in fact, could have just as easily lost either game as they won it. They scraped by UC Irvine, and it feels like they beat UNI based on raw talent rather than any particularly better level of play.

I think Michigan State is suddenly the team to beat from that region. Nova was always a farce.

I actually picked 'em to the Final Four (in one of my four; but it was the biggest-money one).

There was nobody in the region I really felt good about putting there.

And yeah, Louisville is not there because they've dominated...they need to play better to get by Michigan State. Meanwhile, the West looks to be headed for 1 vs. 2 again.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

I talked myself out of Michigan State in my money bracket. I would have kept them had they not put up an 0-fer in OT against Wisconsin in the Big Ten tournament.

That's what I get for watching basketball prior to filling out my bracket.

The other side though is that UVA shot 30% from the field. Some of that is good defense, while some is really bad shooting. The tournament shouldn't switch to a best-of series format, but it's just a reminder that being the luckier team on one day can often be better than being the "better" team.

[Unocal]

No Sweet 16 team basically had it easier then Xavier.

They played a tired Ole Miss team (BYU would've beat them), and got Georgia State.

A few years ago, they benefitted from Lehigh/Duke.

It's amazing how this team always dodges the higher seeds outside of 2004/2010 and low seeds their way into the Sweet 16.

They haven't had a real legit threat since 2008, yet here they are.

[dfwabel]

I talked myself out of Michigan State in my money bracket. I would have kept them had they not put up an 0-fer in OT against Wisconsin in the Big Ten tournament.

That's what I get for watching basketball prior to filling out my bracket.

The other side though is that UVA shot 30% from the field. Some of that is good defense, while some is really bad shooting. The tournament shouldn't switch to a best-of series format, but it's just a reminder that being the luckier team on one day can often be better than being the "better" team.

UVa is in the 340's (out of 351 D-i schools) in terms of least number of possessions per game and working deep into the shot clock.

They play with such little margin for error against the better teams that the Bennett style of play is not really good for the tournament. Yesterday, they were 3-17 from 3 and they had to take more shots from beyond the arch because they were running out of possessions by playing their style.

While Izzo has beaten him two years in a row, if Bennett is hellbent on putting a governor on his talent, they will continually be out in the Round of 32 or Sweet 16.

[dfwabel]

Arizona State wants Jeff Capel? Really?

Please tell me that his connection to USA Basketball through Coach K, which still wants to move to Tempe, is the only reason. He was awful after Blake Griffin left.

[ICTknight]

Apparently Alabama will make a run at Greg Marshall http://www.kansas.com/sports/college/wichita-state/article16123328.html

It is a shame that these things have to pop up in the middle of the tournament.

[sc49erfan15]

Gregg Marshall just needs to come on back to Winthrop where he belongs.

[dfwabel]

This is not the year for Marshall (or Shaka Smart) to leave for a Power 5 gig, unless one of two jobs opens up in the next two weeks: Indiana or Texas

I don't even think Boone Pickens wants to write a nearly $10M check for Travis Ford's dismissal from Okie State then come back with another 5 year/$25M contract.

[Burkell007]

This is not the year for Marshall (or Shaka Smart) to leave for a Power 5 gig, unless one of two jobs opens up in the next two weeks: Indiana or Texas

I don't even think Boone Pickens wants to write a nearly $10M check for Travis Ford's dismissal from Okie State then come back with another 5 year/$25M contract.

I agree there's not too many attractive openings in the power 5, and bama ain't one of them for basketball.

[HedleyLamarr]

This is not the year for Marshall (or Shaka Smart) to leave for a Power 5 gig, unless one of two jobs opens up in the next two weeks: Indiana or Texas

I don't even think Boone Pickens wants to write a nearly $10M check for Travis Ford's dismissal from Okie State then come back with another 5 year/$25M contract.

Along these lines, Georgia Tech is keeping their coach, Brian Gregory, because they can't afford to fire him and pay his buyout.....still pay off Paul Hewitt's buyout, and paying a third guy to actually coach the team.....all at once.

Apparently Georgia Tech's athletic department was making some calls to their big donors to raise funds for the buyout, and they told the Athletic Director "Sorry, you gave him the year extension, you handle it".

[Rockstar Matt]

Turns out this is actually one of my better brackets I've ever filled out. I have 15 of the 16 teams correct (only because I stupidly had Davidson beating Gonzaga). Had a couple of upsets correct (Georgia St and UCLA) too.

[pmoehrin]

Really liking the UNC/Wisconsin matchup.

The closest thing in basketball to an irresistible force/immovable object matchup.

[FiddySicks]

Arizona State wants Jeff Capel? Really?

Please tell me that his connection to USA Basketball through Coach K, which still wants to move to Tempe, is the only reason. He was awful after Blake Griffin left.

I have this feeling that ASU thinks that's the best they can get. Considering the state of their basketball program, that may not be too far from the truth.

In brighter news (for me, at least), Nevada just signed former NBA head coach Eric Musselman. That's a VERY solid pickup for a school like UNR.

http://m.espn.go.com/ncb/story?storyId=12556473&src=desktop

[dfwabel]

Arizona State wants Jeff Capel? Really?

Please tell me that his connection to USA Basketball through Coach K, which still wants to move to Tempe, is the only reason. He was awful after Blake Griffin left.

I have this feeling that ASU thinks that's the best they can get. Considering the state of their basketball program, that may not be too far from the truth.

In brighter news (for me, at least), Nevada just signed former NBA head coach Eric Musselman. That's a VERY solid pickup for a school like UNR.

http://m.espn.go.com/ncb/story?storyId=12556473&src=desktop

FWIW, after hearing the CBS writer's podcast, Gary Parrish noted that Adidas reps knew of a change before the NIT loss. Those guys didn't steer Ben Howland there, rather to Mississippi State.

There's only one school in the Pac-12 to be "afraid" of...Arizona. It ain't that hard to be a top 4 team there, just like the SEC only has Kentucky.

[TheRicSlick]

That may have been Greg Marshall's last game at WSU. I think if a school like Texas offered him a job he'd take it, don't see him going to Bama.

[pmoehrin]

Scary how bad Kentucky is making a Bob Huggins team kook.

Six minutes in and they're already up by 10.

[FiddySicks]

Arizona State wants Jeff Capel? Really?

Please tell me that his connection to USA Basketball through Coach K, which still wants to move to Tempe, is the only reason. He was awful after Blake Griffin left.

I have this feeling that ASU thinks that's the best they can get. Considering the state of their basketball program, that may not be too far from the truth.

In brighter news (for me, at least), Nevada just signed former NBA head coach Eric Musselman. That's a VERY solid pickup for a school like UNR.

http://m.espn.go.com/ncb/story?storyId=12556473&src=desktop

FWIW, after hearing the CBS writer's podcast, Gary Parrish noted that Adidas reps knew of a change before the NIT loss. Those guys didn't steer Ben Howland there, rather to Mississippi State.

There's only one school in the Pac-12 to be "afraid" of...Arizona. It ain't that hard to be a top 4 team there, just like the SEC only has Kentucky.

I don't even find Arizona to be THAT scary. They're a very solid program, and head and shoulders above the rest of the PAC 12, but they're also pretty beatable and I kind of have a feeling that the wheels could fall off once they face a team that's as good on defense and as good on the boards as Wisconsin.

It's kinda sad, too. Having just finished up at ASU, I can tell you that attendence vs any PAC 12 school except the Wildcats was downright poor. I went to a handful of pretty big games vs in conference teams that had some pretty strong implications for the Devils, and it usually felt like being in a library. I actually fell asleep once at a game vs Stanford!

Hell, I'd even go as far as to say that ASU baseball is better followed than basketball is.

[pmoehrin]

A third of the way into the Kentucky/West Virginia game and its already over.

In theory any team is beatable, but so far nobody has stepped up and actually done it against Kentucky and it doesn't look like its happening tonight either.