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Baylor over Purdue the only upset I have on this day. Very temped with Cornell, Temple and Winthrop....
OFFICIAL March Madness Thread
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by allen3xis,
- Start date
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I see what you mean. Hopefully people won't be making crazy game day threads
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11 Kentucky v. 6 Marquette, 2:30
14 Cal State-Fullerton v. 3 Wisconsin, 9:40
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^ Gus
[table][tr][td]EAST REGIONAL[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 4 Washington State vs. No. 13 Winthrop[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHERE: Denver
WHEN: 7:20 p.m
THE BUZZ: Expect a grind-it-out affair, with both teams preferring to rely on their defense for wins. Washington State isn't particularly athletic, but the Cougars are well-coached and aren't going to beat themselves. They need to make sure center Aron Baynes and forward Robbie Cowgill get involved early on offense. Winthrop needs guards Chris Gaynor and Michael Jenkins to use their athleticism to their advantage against the Cougars.
Record vs. field: Washington State 10-7, Winthrop 1-4.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 5 Notre Dame vs. No. 12 George Mason[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHERE: Denver
WHEN: 9:50 p.m
THE BUZZ: George Mason is one of the all-time Cinderellas after its 2006 run to the Final Four, and two key players remain from that team: forward Will Thomas and G/F Folarin Campbell. Thomas has to come up big down low if the Patriots are to pull off another upset. Thing is, the Irish have some good big people of their own, most notably forward Luke Harangody. Guard Kyle McAlarney's 3-point marksmanship makes for a nice complement to Harangody's work in the low post.
Record vs. field: Notre Dame 6-6, George Mason 1-2.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]http://SOUTH REGIONAL[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 3 Stanford vs. No. 14 Cornell[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHERE: Anaheim, Calif.
WHEN: 5:00 p.m
THE BUZZ: Cornell shoots the 3-pointer extremely well. The Big Red hit 8.1 of them per game and shoot 41.4 percent from beyond the arc. Stanford will look to pound it inside to the Lopez twins, Brook and Robin. Cornell's big men are at least serviceable, so this will be interesting if Cornell is hitting its 3-pointers. Watch for Cornell swingman Ryan Wittman ; he is the son of former Indiana star Randy Wittman and Ryan is hitting - no lie - 47 percent of his 3-point attempts. Cornell also is excellent from the line.
Record vs. field: Stanford 8-6, Cornell 1-1.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 4 Pitt vs. No. 13 Oral Roberts[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHERE: Denver
WHEN: 3:00 p.m
THE BUZZ: This is another game where the underdog needs to be hot from beyond the arc. In Moses Ehambe and Robert Jarvis, Oral Roberts has two key players hitting better than 40 percent of their 3-pointers. But Pitt's size and overall strength are going to cause problems for Oral Roberts, which has no frontcourt offense. Oral Roberts senior center Shawn King is 6-10, but he's foul-prone. Pitt will feast in the low post when King isn't on the court.
Record vs. field: Pitt 8-6, Oral Roberts 0-3.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 5 Michigan State vs. No. 12 Temple[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHERE: Denver
WHEN: 12:30 p.m.
THE BUZZ: Temple is in its second season under coach Fran Dunphy, and he has made the Owls far more offensive-minded than they were under predecessor John Chaney. In swingman Dionte Christmas, the Owls have a bona-fide offensive star. Christmas has good size (6-5/205), a nice 3-point stroke and also can get into the lane and finish. Michigan State has underachieved a bit this season. But if guard Drew Neitzel and forward Raymar Morgan both play well in the same game, the Spartans are tough to beat.
Record vs. field: Michigan State 4-5, Temple 3-4.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 6 Marquette vs. No. 11 Kentucky[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHERE: Anaheim, Calif.
WHEN: 2:30 p.m.
THE BUZZ: Marquette's three-guard attack thrives on creating turnovers and easy baskets. Kentucky doesn't have much frontcourt offense, so the Golden Eagles will look to attack UK's backcourt. Don't expect an offensive masterpiece. This should be a disjointed, hard-fought defensive affair. Marquette forward Lazar Hayward could provide the wild-card factor.
Record vs. field: Marquette 6-8, Kentucky 5-8.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]http://MIDWEST REGIONAL[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 16 Portland State[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHERE: Omaha, Neb.
WHEN: 12:25 p.m.
THE BUZZ: Portland State is a scrappy bunch headed by a 5-foot-6 point guard, but the Jayhawks should roll to a win. Kansas' backcourt will get a workout, though. In the 5-6 Jeremiah Dominguez and the ultra-athletic Donte Huff, Portland State has guards who can play. Dominguez is a 3-point bomber and a one-man press. Huff, while not much of a shooter, can get to the rim and finish. Portland State's big men are going to be overwhelmed, though.
Record vs. field: Kansas 8-2, Portland State 0-3.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 3 Wisconsin vs. No. 14 Cal State Fullerton[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHERE: Omaha, Neb.
WHEN: 9:40 p.m.
THE BUZZ: Wisconsin is one of the nation's best defensive teams. The Badgers aren't going to wow anyone with their athleticism, but they work hard on both ends and can bully opponents on the boards. Fullerton wants a fast pace, but isn't going to get it. The Titans are small and proficient from 3-point range, led by Washington State transfer Josh Akognon. But their lack of size hurts them when they have to play a grind-it-out affair. Still, if Fullerton hits its 3-pointers, this could have some intrigue.
Record vs. field: Wisconsin 6-4, Fullerton 1-2.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 6 USC vs. No. 11 Kansas State[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHERE: Omaha, Neb.
WHEN: 7:10 p.m.
THE BUZZ: Two of the best players in the nation will be on view when uber-freshmen Michael Beasley of Kansas State and O.J. Mayo of USC meet up. Beasley is one of the leading contenders for national player of the year honors. He is a double-double machine and simply a beast in the low post. But he doesn't have near as much help as Mayo, who has become a more well-rounded player as the season has progressed. Mayo played his best basketball of the season down the stretch. USC has a ton of good athletes and those guys play excellent defense. Beasley will get his points, but will any other Wildcat be effective on offense?
Record vs. field: USC 7-8, Kansas State 3-8.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 8 UNLV vs. No. 9 Kent State[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHERE: Omaha, Neb.
WHEN: 2:55 p.m.
THE BUZZ: Two mid-majors square off in the dreaded 8-9 game. UNLV made a nice NCAA run last season, it has a legitimate star in guard Wink Adams. UNLV does a lot of the little things well, but the Runnin' Rebels lack size and have to rely heavily on their perimeter offense. Kent State is a solid team that plays good defense. Haminn Quaintance is one of the country's best defensive big men and leads a team that always gives great effort. Kent State can struggle offensively, especially when guard Al Fisher's shot isn't going down. Fisher has a lot of talent but frequently plays out of control. Watch Kent State guard Chris Singletary, whose offensive production should be important in this one.
Record vs. field: UNLV 3-3, Kent State 3-2.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]http://WEST REGIONAL[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 16 Mississippi Valley State[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHERE: Anaheim, Calif.
WHEN: 9:55 p.m.
THE BUZZ: A top seed playing in what essentially is a home game against an opponent that should've been in the play-in game? What that adds up to, of course, is a rout. Valley lost 71-26 to Washington State in late November, and this could get that ugly if Bruins coach Ben Howland lets it.
Record vs. field: UCLA 14-2, Valley 0-3.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 2 Duke vs. No. 15 Belmont[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHERE: Washington, D.C.
WHEN: 7:10 p.m.
THE BUZZ: Good news for Duke in that the teams that beat Belmont in the first round in each of the past two seasons ended up advancing to the Final Four. While this would be a monumental upset if it won, Belmont should be able to keep it close. The Bruins hit more than 10 3-pointers per game and no one is scared to put it up from long range. While Duke's inside game isn't a strength, it certainly won't be a weakness against a small Belmont squad. Belmont goes 10 deep and loves to run backdoor cuts.
Record vs. field: Duke 8-4, Belmont 0-3.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 3 Xavier vs. No. 14 Georgia[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHERE: Washington, D.C.
WHEN: 12:20 p.m.
THE BUZZ: Georgia is one of the biggest feel-good tournament stories in recent memory - winning twice in a league tourney in one day? - but the fact remains that the Bulldogs were bad during the regular season. Xavier is well-balanced offensively, with five guys averaging in double figures. The Musketeers really can get after opponents defensively, as well. If Georgia lets Xavier dictate the pace, this could get ugly. The Bulldogs won't be able to keep up with the Musketeers.
Record vs. field: Xavier 6-4, Georgia 4-9.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 6 Purdue vs. No. 11 Baylor[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHERE: Washington, D.C.
WHEN: 2:50 p.m.
THE BUZZ: A young Purdue team was the biggest surprise in the Big Ten this season. Four freshmen play key minutes, led by guard E'Twaun Moore and forward Robbie Hummel. Purdue plays aggressive defense and forces a bunch of turnovers; the Boilermakers also are proficient from 3-point range. Baylor wants a fast pace but isn't likely to get it. The Bears struggled with consistency in the last half of the season and need a big game from their guards, both in terms of scoring and not turning it over.
Record vs. field: Purdue 4-3, Baylor 5-8.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 7 West Virginia vs. No. 10 Arizona[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHERE: Washington, D.C.
WHEN: 9:40 p.m.
THE BUZZ: WVU's Joe Alexander was one of the hottest players in the nation down the stretch, and he's going to be a handful for Arizona to defend. The Mountaineers shoot a lot of 3-pointers, and their frontcourt guys are especially dangerous. Arizona has not played particularly well of late, but guard Jerryd Bayless and forward Chase Budinger should make the Wildcats a tough out. While the Wildcats will have trouble with Alexander, the Mountaineers will have trouble with Bayless. This has the potential to be an entertaining shootout.
Record vs. field: WVU 5-9, Arizona 6-10.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 8 BYU vs. No. 9 Texas A&M[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHERE: Anaheim, Calif.
WHEN: 7:25 p.m.
THE BUZZ: BYU has a nice inside-outside duo in Trent Plaisted and Lee Cummard, who has great range and is highly efficient. The Aggies will look to get as physical as possible on defense. BYU prefers a fast pace, but A&M will try to slow it down and make it a grind-it-out affair. The Aggies have struggled with offensive consistency all season.
Record vs. field: BYU 2-5, Texas A&M 5-7.[/td] [/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]EAST REGIONAL[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 4 Washington State vs. No. 13 Winthrop[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHEN: 7:20 p.m
THE BUZZ: Expect a grind-it-out affair, with both teams preferring to rely on their defense for wins. Washington State isn't particularly athletic, but the Cougars are well-coached and aren't going to beat themselves. They need to make sure center Aron Baynes and forward Robbie Cowgill get involved early on offense. Winthrop needs guards Chris Gaynor and Michael Jenkins to use their athleticism to their advantage against the Cougars.
Record vs. field: Washington State 10-7, Winthrop 1-4.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 5 Notre Dame vs. No. 12 George Mason[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHEN: 9:50 p.m
THE BUZZ: George Mason is one of the all-time Cinderellas after its 2006 run to the Final Four, and two key players remain from that team: forward Will Thomas and G/F Folarin Campbell. Thomas has to come up big down low if the Patriots are to pull off another upset. Thing is, the Irish have some good big people of their own, most notably forward Luke Harangody. Guard Kyle McAlarney's 3-point marksmanship makes for a nice complement to Harangody's work in the low post.
Record vs. field: Notre Dame 6-6, George Mason 1-2.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]http://SOUTH REGIONAL[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 3 Stanford vs. No. 14 Cornell[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHEN: 5:00 p.m
THE BUZZ: Cornell shoots the 3-pointer extremely well. The Big Red hit 8.1 of them per game and shoot 41.4 percent from beyond the arc. Stanford will look to pound it inside to the Lopez twins, Brook and Robin. Cornell's big men are at least serviceable, so this will be interesting if Cornell is hitting its 3-pointers. Watch for Cornell swingman Ryan Wittman ; he is the son of former Indiana star Randy Wittman and Ryan is hitting - no lie - 47 percent of his 3-point attempts. Cornell also is excellent from the line.
Record vs. field: Stanford 8-6, Cornell 1-1.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 4 Pitt vs. No. 13 Oral Roberts[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHEN: 3:00 p.m
THE BUZZ: This is another game where the underdog needs to be hot from beyond the arc. In Moses Ehambe and Robert Jarvis, Oral Roberts has two key players hitting better than 40 percent of their 3-pointers. But Pitt's size and overall strength are going to cause problems for Oral Roberts, which has no frontcourt offense. Oral Roberts senior center Shawn King is 6-10, but he's foul-prone. Pitt will feast in the low post when King isn't on the court.
Record vs. field: Pitt 8-6, Oral Roberts 0-3.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 5 Michigan State vs. No. 12 Temple[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHEN: 12:30 p.m.
THE BUZZ: Temple is in its second season under coach Fran Dunphy, and he has made the Owls far more offensive-minded than they were under predecessor John Chaney. In swingman Dionte Christmas, the Owls have a bona-fide offensive star. Christmas has good size (6-5/205), a nice 3-point stroke and also can get into the lane and finish. Michigan State has underachieved a bit this season. But if guard Drew Neitzel and forward Raymar Morgan both play well in the same game, the Spartans are tough to beat.
Record vs. field: Michigan State 4-5, Temple 3-4.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 6 Marquette vs. No. 11 Kentucky[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHEN: 2:30 p.m.
THE BUZZ: Marquette's three-guard attack thrives on creating turnovers and easy baskets. Kentucky doesn't have much frontcourt offense, so the Golden Eagles will look to attack UK's backcourt. Don't expect an offensive masterpiece. This should be a disjointed, hard-fought defensive affair. Marquette forward Lazar Hayward could provide the wild-card factor.
Record vs. field: Marquette 6-8, Kentucky 5-8.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]http://MIDWEST REGIONAL[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 16 Portland State[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHEN: 12:25 p.m.
THE BUZZ: Portland State is a scrappy bunch headed by a 5-foot-6 point guard, but the Jayhawks should roll to a win. Kansas' backcourt will get a workout, though. In the 5-6 Jeremiah Dominguez and the ultra-athletic Donte Huff, Portland State has guards who can play. Dominguez is a 3-point bomber and a one-man press. Huff, while not much of a shooter, can get to the rim and finish. Portland State's big men are going to be overwhelmed, though.
Record vs. field: Kansas 8-2, Portland State 0-3.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 3 Wisconsin vs. No. 14 Cal State Fullerton[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHEN: 9:40 p.m.
THE BUZZ: Wisconsin is one of the nation's best defensive teams. The Badgers aren't going to wow anyone with their athleticism, but they work hard on both ends and can bully opponents on the boards. Fullerton wants a fast pace, but isn't going to get it. The Titans are small and proficient from 3-point range, led by Washington State transfer Josh Akognon. But their lack of size hurts them when they have to play a grind-it-out affair. Still, if Fullerton hits its 3-pointers, this could have some intrigue.
Record vs. field: Wisconsin 6-4, Fullerton 1-2.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 6 USC vs. No. 11 Kansas State[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHEN: 7:10 p.m.
THE BUZZ: Two of the best players in the nation will be on view when uber-freshmen Michael Beasley of Kansas State and O.J. Mayo of USC meet up. Beasley is one of the leading contenders for national player of the year honors. He is a double-double machine and simply a beast in the low post. But he doesn't have near as much help as Mayo, who has become a more well-rounded player as the season has progressed. Mayo played his best basketball of the season down the stretch. USC has a ton of good athletes and those guys play excellent defense. Beasley will get his points, but will any other Wildcat be effective on offense?
Record vs. field: USC 7-8, Kansas State 3-8.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 8 UNLV vs. No. 9 Kent State[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHEN: 2:55 p.m.
THE BUZZ: Two mid-majors square off in the dreaded 8-9 game. UNLV made a nice NCAA run last season, it has a legitimate star in guard Wink Adams. UNLV does a lot of the little things well, but the Runnin' Rebels lack size and have to rely heavily on their perimeter offense. Kent State is a solid team that plays good defense. Haminn Quaintance is one of the country's best defensive big men and leads a team that always gives great effort. Kent State can struggle offensively, especially when guard Al Fisher's shot isn't going down. Fisher has a lot of talent but frequently plays out of control. Watch Kent State guard Chris Singletary, whose offensive production should be important in this one.
Record vs. field: UNLV 3-3, Kent State 3-2.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]http://WEST REGIONAL[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 16 Mississippi Valley State[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHEN: 9:55 p.m.
THE BUZZ: A top seed playing in what essentially is a home game against an opponent that should've been in the play-in game? What that adds up to, of course, is a rout. Valley lost 71-26 to Washington State in late November, and this could get that ugly if Bruins coach Ben Howland lets it.
Record vs. field: UCLA 14-2, Valley 0-3.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 2 Duke vs. No. 15 Belmont[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHEN: 7:10 p.m.
THE BUZZ: Good news for Duke in that the teams that beat Belmont in the first round in each of the past two seasons ended up advancing to the Final Four. While this would be a monumental upset if it won, Belmont should be able to keep it close. The Bruins hit more than 10 3-pointers per game and no one is scared to put it up from long range. While Duke's inside game isn't a strength, it certainly won't be a weakness against a small Belmont squad. Belmont goes 10 deep and loves to run backdoor cuts.
Record vs. field: Duke 8-4, Belmont 0-3.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 3 Xavier vs. No. 14 Georgia[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHEN: 12:20 p.m.
THE BUZZ: Georgia is one of the biggest feel-good tournament stories in recent memory - winning twice in a league tourney in one day? - but the fact remains that the Bulldogs were bad during the regular season. Xavier is well-balanced offensively, with five guys averaging in double figures. The Musketeers really can get after opponents defensively, as well. If Georgia lets Xavier dictate the pace, this could get ugly. The Bulldogs won't be able to keep up with the Musketeers.
Record vs. field: Xavier 6-4, Georgia 4-9.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 6 Purdue vs. No. 11 Baylor[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHEN: 2:50 p.m.
THE BUZZ: A young Purdue team was the biggest surprise in the Big Ten this season. Four freshmen play key minutes, led by guard E'Twaun Moore and forward Robbie Hummel. Purdue plays aggressive defense and forces a bunch of turnovers; the Boilermakers also are proficient from 3-point range. Baylor wants a fast pace but isn't likely to get it. The Bears struggled with consistency in the last half of the season and need a big game from their guards, both in terms of scoring and not turning it over.
Record vs. field: Purdue 4-3, Baylor 5-8.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 7 West Virginia vs. No. 10 Arizona[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHEN: 9:40 p.m.
THE BUZZ: WVU's Joe Alexander was one of the hottest players in the nation down the stretch, and he's going to be a handful for Arizona to defend. The Mountaineers shoot a lot of 3-pointers, and their frontcourt guys are especially dangerous. Arizona has not played particularly well of late, but guard Jerryd Bayless and forward Chase Budinger should make the Wildcats a tough out. While the Wildcats will have trouble with Alexander, the Mountaineers will have trouble with Bayless. This has the potential to be an entertaining shootout.
Record vs. field: WVU 5-9, Arizona 6-10.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]No. 8 BYU vs. No. 9 Texas A&M[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
WHEN: 7:25 p.m.
THE BUZZ: BYU has a nice inside-outside duo in Trent Plaisted and Lee Cummard, who has great range and is highly efficient. The Aggies will look to get as physical as possible on defense. BYU prefers a fast pace, but A&M will try to slow it down and make it a grind-it-out affair. The Aggies have struggled with offensive consistency all season.
Record vs. field: BYU 2-5, Texas A&M 5-7.[/td] [/tr][/table]
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Originally Posted by Fanatic15
I see what you mean. Hopefully people won't be making crazy game day threads.
You're forgetting what board you're on, friend.
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Originally Posted by Craftsy21
Originally Posted by Fanatic15
I see what you mean. Hopefully people won't be making crazy game day threads.
You're forgetting what board you're on, friend.
Wishful thinking I know
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Hopefully people won't be making crazy game day threads
Like they have since the conception of the NT Sports forum? It is March Madness tradition.
But I guess if there are two barnburners going on at the same time, we can just consolidate it into one thread.
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I WANT TICKETS TO THE MEMPHIS TIGERS 1ST ROUND AND MOST LIKELY 2ND ROUND GAMES IN LITTLE ROCK SO BAD.
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Wuss.
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14 hours to go
DeadsetAce
Supporter
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Arizona and Mich St....please dont bust my bracket this early
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I got Arizona first round, and that in itself is scaring me, lol
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*cough* *cough*
don't think I'll make it in to work tomorrow & friday
don't think I'll make it in to work tomorrow & friday
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oh man, we'll be praying for you to make it through this terrible, untimely illness..
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11 Kentucky v. 6 Marquette, 2:30
That is going to be the game
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Anyone betting on the games tomorrow?
I like:
Temple +7.5
Kentucky +6
Baylor +3
USC -3
Arizona + 2
I like:
Temple +7.5
Kentucky +6
Baylor +3
USC -3
Arizona + 2
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I don'thave to really miss any good games while i am at school.
Just got to get home to watch Purdue put it on Baylor.
Just got to get home to watch Purdue put it on Baylor.
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IM READY FOR THE GAME TONIGHT!!!!
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*cough* *cough*
don't think I'll make it in to work tomorrow & friday
I am actually feeling sick today so I think I am going to leave at noon, and stay home friday so I can fully recover.
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Hmm...i'm starting to like Cornell over Stanford first round....
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im at work and i just tried logging on to march madness on demand (i've been using it for the past 3 years) and the website is blocked... what the $$%$*%+*! $$%$
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Originally Posted by dreClark
IM READY FOR THE GAME TONIGHT!!!!
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So I thought I'd put one last thing on here before I take off for the day... just some news and notes, personal and otherwise.
Been a fun year chattin with all you basketball guys (you know who you are) - today's like christmas morning for most of us, i'm sure i wasn't theonly one who took a little bit longer to fall asleep last night
Anyways - some food for thought.. It seems the upsets always come from games you don't expect (outside of 1's and 2's losing)... In that respect,the games you should probably have the biggest fears about in your bracket would be these ones..
Everybody seems pretty confident Pitt makes some kind of noise in this tournament - I couldn't help feeling like maybe they come out with a little rust onthem after having so much success in new york, and playing against a squad that's been to the tourney quite a bit recently themselves. No way Pitt SHOULDlose, but that's why they play the games - i can see a lot of tears being shed by many a bracket-holder if the Panthers were to screw up today, asthey've become very trendy in the last week.
Then there's another 3 seed which i've heard NOBODY pick against and I can't figure out why - The Louisville Cardinals seems to be as sure a lockas you can find. Another team I've heard talked about as a sleeper, and probably for good reason as they are very dangerous. Boise State ain'texactly big east caliber, but they play l-ville's same uptempo pace, and a lot of times teams that press and run hate to be pressed and run on.. I have ahard time putting a ton of faith in "system" teams like the Cardinals and Volunteers and Tarheels - they're dangerous when their game is on, butthey seem more inconsistent than the slow-it-down squads. L-Ville losing would disrupt a lot of brackets, although i'm sure most of you have UNC beatingthem later anyways.
Looking ahead to the second round - i'm not sure the numbers (they're in the other thread amongst 30 other articles), but it's much less likely allthe 1 and 2 seeds advance to the sweet sixteen than it is they do all survive. With that being said, I think the biggest trip mines for any of the 1's and2's will be for Georgetown, Duke, and Memphis - doesn't matter which team they get in their second round games, they are going to be tested, andI'd be surprised if all 3 of those squads survived to the sweet 16.
But again - if it were that easy to spot these trap games, I'd be counting my money out in vegas somewhere right now. So who could be in trouble thatdoesn't look like it on paper? UCLA gets a tough draw either way with the BYU/A&M winner... each team poses a slightly different challenge for them,and both have a lot of recent tourney experience. I think UCLA would be rooting for BYU in this game though, A&M v UCLA a few months ago would've beena matchup of top 10 teams.
And if Indiana can decide to show up to play in their first round game, does UNC really want to see Eric Gordon and DJ White in a 2nd round game? That'sanother situation where if a few turn of a events don't happen just a couple weeks ago, this might be another matchups of top 10 teams.
Moving on - I never did share my list of teams that fit my system to make my final four (note: i don't use this system as a rule to pick my games, but ithas proved spot on the past 3 years in providing all the final four teams (and most of the elite
for each year).
It's not so much a tool for PICKING the final four, but rather, ruling teams out who aren't on the list and maybe finding a sleeper in the mix (a lageorge mason a few years ago).
Kansas, UNC, UCLA, Duke, Michigan State, Memphis, Georgetown, Washington State, Xaiver, Kansas State, Indiana, Clemson, Wisconsin, Stanford.
Biggest surprises I guess would be: Tenn., Uconn, and Pitt aren't on it. While MSU, K-State, Indiana and Clemson ARE on it.
I do think my set of numbers used needs adjusted for next year - but this list hasn't changed much over the past month or so - so maybe it's moreaccurate than I think.
Overall - I don't see a ton of upsets happening again this year, but i do believe some giants fall early.. Think quality upsets over quantity.. maybe evena 2 seed has a close call again this year?
Anyhow - it's been a great year with you guys, this tournament should be a lot of fun from start to finish. I'll be around NT more in the 2nd roundand beyond, as I'll be out and about watching the games certain places today. Good luck in all your polls and enjoy the festivities.
ps - don't forget to root for our Baylor Bears - they are NT's official adopted team (even though i picked against them in all my brackets)
Been a fun year chattin with all you basketball guys (you know who you are) - today's like christmas morning for most of us, i'm sure i wasn't theonly one who took a little bit longer to fall asleep last night
Anyways - some food for thought.. It seems the upsets always come from games you don't expect (outside of 1's and 2's losing)... In that respect,the games you should probably have the biggest fears about in your bracket would be these ones..
Everybody seems pretty confident Pitt makes some kind of noise in this tournament - I couldn't help feeling like maybe they come out with a little rust onthem after having so much success in new york, and playing against a squad that's been to the tourney quite a bit recently themselves. No way Pitt SHOULDlose, but that's why they play the games - i can see a lot of tears being shed by many a bracket-holder if the Panthers were to screw up today, asthey've become very trendy in the last week.
Then there's another 3 seed which i've heard NOBODY pick against and I can't figure out why - The Louisville Cardinals seems to be as sure a lockas you can find. Another team I've heard talked about as a sleeper, and probably for good reason as they are very dangerous. Boise State ain'texactly big east caliber, but they play l-ville's same uptempo pace, and a lot of times teams that press and run hate to be pressed and run on.. I have ahard time putting a ton of faith in "system" teams like the Cardinals and Volunteers and Tarheels - they're dangerous when their game is on, butthey seem more inconsistent than the slow-it-down squads. L-Ville losing would disrupt a lot of brackets, although i'm sure most of you have UNC beatingthem later anyways.
Looking ahead to the second round - i'm not sure the numbers (they're in the other thread amongst 30 other articles), but it's much less likely allthe 1 and 2 seeds advance to the sweet sixteen than it is they do all survive. With that being said, I think the biggest trip mines for any of the 1's and2's will be for Georgetown, Duke, and Memphis - doesn't matter which team they get in their second round games, they are going to be tested, andI'd be surprised if all 3 of those squads survived to the sweet 16.
But again - if it were that easy to spot these trap games, I'd be counting my money out in vegas somewhere right now. So who could be in trouble thatdoesn't look like it on paper? UCLA gets a tough draw either way with the BYU/A&M winner... each team poses a slightly different challenge for them,and both have a lot of recent tourney experience. I think UCLA would be rooting for BYU in this game though, A&M v UCLA a few months ago would've beena matchup of top 10 teams.
And if Indiana can decide to show up to play in their first round game, does UNC really want to see Eric Gordon and DJ White in a 2nd round game? That'sanother situation where if a few turn of a events don't happen just a couple weeks ago, this might be another matchups of top 10 teams.
Moving on - I never did share my list of teams that fit my system to make my final four (note: i don't use this system as a rule to pick my games, but ithas proved spot on the past 3 years in providing all the final four teams (and most of the elite
It's not so much a tool for PICKING the final four, but rather, ruling teams out who aren't on the list and maybe finding a sleeper in the mix (a lageorge mason a few years ago).
Kansas, UNC, UCLA, Duke, Michigan State, Memphis, Georgetown, Washington State, Xaiver, Kansas State, Indiana, Clemson, Wisconsin, Stanford.
Biggest surprises I guess would be: Tenn., Uconn, and Pitt aren't on it. While MSU, K-State, Indiana and Clemson ARE on it.
I do think my set of numbers used needs adjusted for next year - but this list hasn't changed much over the past month or so - so maybe it's moreaccurate than I think.
Overall - I don't see a ton of upsets happening again this year, but i do believe some giants fall early.. Think quality upsets over quantity.. maybe evena 2 seed has a close call again this year?
Anyhow - it's been a great year with you guys, this tournament should be a lot of fun from start to finish. I'll be around NT more in the 2nd roundand beyond, as I'll be out and about watching the games certain places today. Good luck in all your polls and enjoy the festivities.
ps - don't forget to root for our Baylor Bears - they are NT's official adopted team (even though i picked against them in all my brackets)
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Im geeked that the KSU/USC game is gonna be shown where im at
