NCAA Tournament, week 1 of 3

[Plebe]

I've kind of expected it, honestly. When your conference tournament 2 seed is WSU, who lost to NC State and Oregon by more than the total points they scored today, you know it was a down season for the conference.

All things considered, I've thought the Big 12 has had the greatest share of quality teams of any conference this year, and that seems to be bearing fruit in the tournament. I'm probably unusually superstitious but I think Kansas is going to be much more competitive against the Cardinal tomorrow than the Vegas line is anticipating.

Utah is playing well and might give Texas some trouble.

And I am not counting Arizona out until they're out. They have Reese back, they will not go down quietly IMO.

Kansas and Kansas State are nice results for the Big 12, but Kansas State has no chance against NC State and Kansas’ chances of beating Stanford are even smaller.

 

[DefenseBB]

Well, you know I've been a cheerleader for the PAC 12 for any number of years. Even though they may be a little down this year IMO they're still better than the B1G 10, the ACC, and the BIG 12...and it ain't like the HS talent is shying away from the conference.

Wait, what? The Big 10 is much deeper than the PAC12. Any of Iowa, Indiana, Michigan,MD and OSU are better than anyone save Stanford. I am thrilled about the inroads that Utah and Colorado have made but for their improvement, OSU ASU, UCLA, USC, AZ and Oregon have all taken a step back.

I agree the ACC after NC St and Louisville were pedestrian and the SEC only had SC so that leaves the Big12 who is having a pretty awesome postseason despite my own reservations as them being good.

 

[FridaFriend]

Is this the largest number of first round upsets in the women's NCAA?

Also, two #3 seeds, LSU and Iowa State, and two #4 seeds, Oklahoma and Arizona, were pushed really hard and barely survived at the end of their games.

 

[Basket]

People are freaking out on social media about this comment Kim made.

That’s what it’s all about now as coaches. The money is getting crazy so go get it while you’re hot. I thought it was a dumb comment to share by Mulkey too but that’s what’s on coaches minds

 

[Basket]

Is this the largest number of first round upsets in the women's NCAA?

Also, two #3 seeds, LSU and Iowa State, and two #4 seeds, Oklahoma and Arizona, were pushed really hard and barely survived at the end of their games.

WBB is weak this year. Pac 12 was weak last year not just this year. No one besides Arizona or Stanford was worth a flip last year. This year Wash St took advantage of a weak league. No way a team like Wash St should finish third. They are not a good team and I’m a fan.

 

[Basket]

Wait, what? The Big 10 is much deeper than the PAC12. Any of Iowa, Indiana, Michigan,MD and OSU are better than anyone save Stanford. I am thrilled about the inroads that Utah and Colorado have made but for their improvement, OSU ASU, UCLA, USC, AZ and Oregon have all taken a step back.

I agree the ACC after NC St and Louisville were pedestrian and the SEC only had SC so that leaves the Big12 who is having a pretty awesome postseason despite my own reservations as them being good.

ACC thinks they are the best conference. They killed the Big 10 this year. ACC is better than it was. It had been down and had a big talent drain a few years back around the time Stevens transferred out to UConn. The two years after that it stunk

 

[nwhoopfan]

Pellington did her Aari McDonald impersonation. Reese being back was big for Arizona. They really cranked up the D and started forcing TOs late. For a while they weren't scoring much off of it, but eventually it wore UNLV down.

I was impressed w/ UNLV. Hung in there, just kept coming at Arizona. I imagine Coach La Rocque could be on the move soon if she wants to be.

 

[SECbbfan24]

Is this the largest number of first round upsets in the women's NCAA?

Also, two #3 seeds, LSU and Iowa State, and two #4 seeds, Oklahoma and Arizona, were pushed really hard and barely survived at the end of their games.

LSU is playing with house money at this point, on paper they just don't have the talent to be winning as much as they have but have found ways to win this year. But the team also has not been the same since Morris went down with her MCL strain almost a month ago. Chemistry in general is off but that is someone who was putting up 20+ points per game her last 4 starts in SEC play. She shot free throws today which helped but they miss her ability to create, score and distribute.

 

[DefenseBB]

Pellington did her Aari McDonald impersonation. Reese being back was big for Arizona. They really cranked up the D and started forcing TOs late. For a while they weren't scoring much off of it, but eventually it wore UNLV down.

I was impressed w/ UNLV. Hung in there, just kept coming at Arizona. I imagine Coach La Rocque could be on the move soon if she wants to be.

So are you saying the #4 seed at home and barely got by the #13 seed in the FIRST ROUND, is a good thing for the PAC12 and the supposed depth of this league? I am just asking for a friend who is curious about the P5 and the cognitive dissonance of those who root for them…

 

[TheFarmFan]

So are you saying the #4 seed at home and barely got by the #13 seed in the FIRST ROUND, is a good thing for the PAC12 and the supposed depth of this league? I am just asking for a friend who is curious about the P5 and the cognitive dissonance of those who root for them…

Again, show me the receipts of the cognitive dissonance. Seems like all us PAC12 fans have been saying since around the holidays that this has been a down year for the league. Rather, it’s the schadenfraude among the non-PAC 12 folks that seems pretty palpable.

 

[nwhoopfan]

So are you saying the #4 seed at home and barely got by the #13 seed in the FIRST ROUND, is a good thing for the PAC12 and the supposed depth of this league? I am just asking for a friend who is curious about the P5 and the cognitive dissonance of those who root for them…

I don't know much, but I'm pretty sure winning a close game is better than losing a close game, regardless of how much you might be favored by. It's already officially a bad Tourney for the Pac 12, this just kept it from getting worse.

 

[Basket]

I don't know much, but I'm pretty sure winning a close game is better than losing a close game, regardless of how much you might be favored by. It's already officially a bad Tourney for the Pac 12, this just kept it from getting worse.

True. Arizona never looks impressive because they aren’t but they have Barnes which is a lot. Pellington and Yeany are brick throwers and Arizona is limited because of it. Ware isn’t that great either. However, if Pellington and Yeany can play like they did last year against Stanford in the championship game they have a chance.

 

[TC22]

 

[cancontent]

I don't have an issue with Kim telling the coach from Jackson State she deserves more. I took it as her telling her to remember her worth.

For all the attention Deion Sanders got for doing what he has done for that school's football program, Reed deserves her roses too. She's done it with a heck of a lot less too. I understand football brings in the money, but she was doing this before he even got there. I hope it's appreciated.

 

[Stymie]

Who'd a thought that Kentucky would be totally out of the basketball business in the first weekend of tourney play?
Re- mark-able...

 

[SECbbfan24]

Who'd a thought that Kentucky would be totally out of the basketball business in the first weekend of tourney play?
Re- mark-able...

Men AND Women teams

I’m not shocked so much the girls got knocked out early.

 

[WestsideWaltz]

Lindy LaRocque should be highly considered for Virginia. Whether she wants it is another story but she took over another program by a lousy coach and rebuilt it in one season.

 

[shiverz45]

I don't have an issue with Kim telling the coach from Jackson State she deserves more. I took it as her telling her to remember her worth.

For all the attention Deion Sanders got for doing what he has done for that school's football program, Reed deserves her roses too. She's done it with a heck of a lot less too. I understand football brings in the money, but she was doing this before he even got there. I hope it's appreciated.

As long as she didn't tell the player she was talking with the same thing.

 

[cancontent]

As long as she didn't tell the player she was talking with the same thing.

That's fair.

 

[Plebe]

Who'd a thought that Kentucky would be totally out of the basketball business in the first weekend of tourney play?
Re- mark-able...

Kentucky hasn't reached the 2nd weekend even once in Rhyne Howard's career. Second round loss in 2019, 2nd round loss in 2021, 1st round this year.

I did just discover a cool bit of trivia. This was an exact rematch of a 1st round game in 2019, a 6/11 game between Kentucky and Princeton, which Kentucky won by 5 points. That was Banghart's last game as Princeton HC before selling out leaving for the UNC job.

So in that sense. Carla Berube has already one-upped her predecessor

 

[LETTERL]

Two games I'm keeping my eye closely on today:

Miami vs. South Carolina -- Miami is a physical team. How do they handle Boston and the other Gamecock bigs?

FGCU vs. Maryland -- First to 90 wins?

 

[LETTERL]

And sadly...both of those games are on at the same time. GRRRRRRR!

 

[SECbbfan24]

FGCU vs. Maryland -- First to 90 wins?

Just 90? Pshhh...

 

[DefenseBB]

Men AND Women teams

I’m not shocked so much the girls got knocked out early.

 

[SECbbfan24]