Contenders morphing into Pretenders.

[Kibitzer]

Call it attrition.

Several teams have been in the hunt for a #1 seed in the NCAA's big dance. As noted earlier, Baylor seems to be a lock, while Notre Dame and UConn seem likely. Penn State was upset, Tennessee lost to a team they had beaten badly, Kentucky went down. We are reminded that the season is very long. And contenders are becoming pretenders, one by one.

And by the way, if you are (as I am) watching the power delay interrupting the Super Bowl game, you may be tempted to describe the halftime show or that 109 yard-kickoff return as having been "electrifying," I suggest that you go to your thesaurus to identify a more appropriate adjective.

 

[UcMiami]

Yup - I think barring collapse the pool is down to 5 teams Baylor, ND, Uconn, Stanford, Duke. With the way the pretender pool has been dropping games, all of the five could afford one slip-up without being dismissed. And given the strength of schedule issue, I think of the five Duke is the one on the outside looking in.

 

[speedoo]

Yup - I think barring collapse the pool is down to 5 teams Baylor, ND, Uconn, Stanford, Duke. With the way the pretender pool has been dropping games, all of the five could afford one slip-up without being dismissed. And given the strength of schedule issue, I think of the five Duke is the one on the outside looking in.

So we are probably looking at a Stanford - Duke western regional 1-2 or 2-1 matchup.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Don't rule out Cal.

To me, ND is the surprise. I had UConn, Baylor, Duke, and Stanford in my pre-season Fonal Four.

When teams lose, it exposes weaknesses. But the keys are to be lucky and healthy and play your best ball in the postseason. The Super Bowl winner seems to be a wild card team almost every year now, not the team(s) that dominated the regular season. There may be far less parity in WCBB, but who gets hot in March is the key.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

So we are probably looking at a Stanford - Duke western regional 1-2 or 2-1 matchup.

Unless the NCAA has changed their rules for setting up regions (based on geography) Duke wouldn't be out west based on where they are today if they are a 2 seed. Now, if Stanford falls and Duke steps up to a #1, you probably nailed it.

That said, too much to play before a solid prediction can be made.

 

[Kibitzer]

Don't rule out Cal.

Now, if Stanford falls and Duke steps up to a #1, you probably nailed it.

That said, too much to play before a solid prediction can be made.

By no means a solid prediction, just idle speculation. But what if (IF) Duke snags a #1 and goes to Spokane and plays Cal (top #2)? Wouldn't that conceivably set up a possible Stanford vs. Baylor rematch in Oklahoma? And from among Penn State, Maryland, Kentucky, Tennessee, etc., they could fill the #2 spots in Bridgeport and Norfolk.

On a separate note, I thought it was sad to see Coach Hatchell have her UNC team get stomped at home by rival Duke before a good crowd hoping to see her earn victory #900.

 

[Icebear]

Important game among the pretenders tonight. PSU vs Purdue. ESPN2 at 7:00PM.

 

[UcMiami]

I think Cal has the problem of the head to head lost to Duke. If Cal beats Stanford for the Pac10 title and Duke stumbles I guess they could be the 4th #1

 

[UcMiami]

Important game among the pretenders tonight. PSU vs Purdue. ESPN2 at 7:00PM.

Winner gets the Big10 regular season title?

 

[Icebear]

Winner gets the Big10 regular season title?

Not yet, but they would be in the driver's seat.

 

[triaddukefan]

On a separate note, I thought it was sad to see Coach Hatchell have her UNC team get stomped at home by rival Duke before a good crowd hoping to see her earn victory #900.

I certainly shed a tear

Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk 2

 

[OneTrickPony]

To me, ND is the surprise.

I agree...appears that Muffet can not only coach, but she seems to recruit players that like to compete and she molds them into a team...always dangerous!

 

[Icebear]

I certainly shed a tear

Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk 2

Don't mess with with Kib. A former special ops Ranger team will be dropping I to your backyard at 02:00. They will be the toughest septuagenarians you have ever met. Be afraid, be very afraid.

 

[ocoandasoc]

If Cal runs the table and wins the Pac 12 Tourney they’ll have a shot at a #1 if Duke has another loss or two. Ditto for Duke if they win the rest of their games and the ACC Tourney… but they’ve got Maryland at least twice. Remember, of the three teams that would seem to be in contention for the final #1 seed, only Stanford has a win against a higher rated team (Baylor). Sure, I recognize that the circumstances of that game are stronger proof of Sims importance to the Baylor team than Stanford’s competence, but the Committee will overlook that – they’ll just be looking for a good reason to choose Stanford.
UConn can secure the overall #1 seed – all they have to do is beat Baylor once and ND twice without getting upset by a lesser team. ND would have to probably lose two games to teams other than UConn to fall out of a #1. MD, Penn State, Georgia and Kentucky are all long shots to get a #1. They’d need to win out and get a lot of help from a lot of teams above them.
Amazing that if not for Kentucky (barely) there wouldn't be an SEC team in the Top Ten. And, when the dust clears, that Conference's top team might be from a school that wasn't even in the Conference last year.

 

[bruinbball]

Important game among the pretenders tonight. PSU vs Purdue. ESPN2 at 7:00PM.

PSU wins it 69-61. Lucas goes 1/6 3FG -expanding KML's lead.

 

[msf22b]

Good win for Penn State
Entertaining game, both teams defensively challenged.
Rankings were correct.

 

[ThisJustIn]

Who's the biggest threat to Duke left?
You might argue UConn has the toughest road, with Baylor AND ND... and mebbe ND again.

 

[rocky rococo]

Marlon Brando is turning into Chrissie Hynde?

 

[Icebear]

Marlon Brando is turning into Chrissie Hynde?

Oh, the youngin's are going to have a tough time with that one.

 

[triaddukefan]

Who's the biggest threat to Duke left?
You might argue UConn has the toughest road, with Baylor AND ND... and mebbe ND again.

Two games vs Maryland and a home game vs Florida State. Duke won't lose in the ACC tourney.

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[meyers7]

Don't mess with with Kib. A former special ops Ranger team will be dropping I to your backyard at 02:00. They will be the toughest septuagenarians you have ever met. Be afraid, be very afraid.

He must have certain set of skills......

 

[meyers7]

I
UConn can secure the overall #1 seed – all they have to do is beat Baylor once and ND twice

That is going to be tough in itself. UCONN could conceivably still lose a #1 seed.

 

[bruinbball]

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[UcMiami]

That is going to be tough in itself. UCONN could conceivably still lose a #1 seed.

I actually think Uconn only really needs to beat ND once to get the #1 as long as they don't drop any other games. They will have the top SOS of any of the other teams in consideration, and losses only to what would be the #1 and #2 ranked teams. And the same would hold for ND if they were to lose twice to Uconn without dropping any other games.

 

[meyers7]

I actually think Uconn only really needs to beat ND once to get the #1 as long as they don't drop any other games.

Sure, but the poster put forward beating ND twice and Baylor once, which I think is going to be tough to do. I think we can, not sure if we will though.