The Good/Bad/Unknown

[BFieldHusky]

We deserved a 3 seed over Kansas State. I think we deserved it over Xavier, but others were right and I was wrong. They beat us twice, finished better in the BE, and advanced further in the BET.

The good:

We got Albany.
The 5/12 matchup isn't terrible. I think we match up well with St. Mary's, and VCU actually might be a tougher matchup as a 12. Hurley knows VCU well, and we played them last year.
Playing Kansas potentially in Vegas is MUCH DIFFERENT than having to play them in Kansas City.

The bad:

4 versus 3 is huge.
Iona is a tough matchup because let's face it...Pitino is an excellent X and O guy. Plus Taliek knows our team.
Iona also plays in Albany every year playing Siena, so they may be more comfortable than us.

The unknown:

We have always had more success going out West.
MSG may have been a blessing, but also a curse. Lots of bad tournament memories.

Bottom line. Get past Iona. As good as Pitino is, he doesn't have an ACC/SEC roster. The MAAC is not a great league. And to me St. Mary's/VCU is a better matchup than the other 5/12 matchups.

 

[BFieldHusky]

We are the #13 overall seed. Right on the 3/4 line.

 

[pj]

I don't think 4 vs 3 is much different in a region where Kansas is the #1 and UCLA and Gonzaga are on the other side of the bracket. I'd rather face Kansas than UCLA to be honest.

I think Alabama got an easy road to the Final Four and Houston got one really tough game against Texas. Kansas has two really tough games against us and the UCLA-Gonzaga winner. Purdue has the Tennessee-Duke winner followed by Marquette. I think Kansas got a really tough draw for a 1 seed. If I were them I'd be moaning.

 

[BFieldHusky]

I don't think 4 vs 3 is much different in a region where Kansas is the #1 and UCLA and Gonzaga are on the other side of the bracket. I'd rather face Kansas than UCLA to be honest.

I think Alabama got an easy road to the Final Four and Houston got one really tough game against Texas. Kansas has two really tough games against us and the UCLA-Gonzaga winner. Purdue has the Tennessee-Duke winner followed by Marquette. I think Kansas got a really tough draw for a 1 seed. If I were them I'd be moaning.

Good point @pj. If we got the 3 it would have been Xaviers spot. They are looking at a matchup with Texas in Kansas City in the Sweet 16. Texas is loaded and just beat up KU.

Still happy we got Albany. If we can get past Iona, I expect a nice turnout for Sunday. Indiana will travel well.

 

[Palatine]

Iona lost in Albany to Siena.

 

[MrSec224]

Ionas toughest game this season was New Mexico. They lost by 20+ to Quinnipiac.

Our biggest opponent in this game is who it is against every team, ourselves

 

[AntG168]

Ionas toughest game this season was New Mexico. They lost by 20+ to Quinnipiac.

Our biggest opponent in this game is who it is against every team, ourselves

THIS.

 

[UCTitleTown]

THIS.

Yep, what's our over-under turnover goal vs Iona? We will dominate Iona on the boards, especially if Hurley plays Sanogo with Clingan. However, will the rebound margin exceed the turnover margin? That will be the key to the game. Also, don't overlook the David vs Goliath motivation. Can't start slow and let them get confident. Need to punch them on the mouth right from the tip.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

The Good:
The tournament (what matters, our first game) starts early evening on Friday.

The Bad:
The Boneyarders who are losing their collective minds over our landing a four seed (instead of the massively superior three seed) and/or having to face that invincible powerhouse Iona (from the look of their season, their best win may have been against Vermont).

The Unknown:
As the Boneyards' reactions will be very easy to predict with either outcome, I believe that the only true unknown is the amount of whining we will need to endure on this board from the usual suspects from now until tipoff on Friday

 

[Dutch Boyd]

Iona lost in Albany to Siena.

By 30 or something

 

[MrSec224]

You could ask for a better roster. That would help

 

[CTBasketball]

I think UK will be the hurdle. But I like your guy’s draw. UK is on borrowed time and you know Cooley can outcoach Calipari.

 

[mike012]

The good.
We may only have to beat a 13 and 12 seed to reach sweet 16

The bad
If we don’t make it we clearly suck and have no excuse.

Unknown
How quickly the basketball board will shut down if they lose to Iona

 

[CardiacAndre7]

You could ask for a better roster. That would help

Chill out. The guy is a good poster and comes here to the board and adds good insight. He also just complimented our team. Don’t be that guy

 

[caw]

I think UK will be the hurdle. But I like your guy’s draw. UK is on borrowed time and you know Cooley can outcoach Calipari.

I wouldn't say Cooley is a better coach than Calipari. Better human, sure.

 

[Ripper32]

I think UK will be the hurdle. But I like your guy’s draw. UK is on borrowed time and you know Cooley can outcoach Calipari.

Croswell vs Oscar. Providence doesn't match up badly.

 

[CTBasketball]

Croswell vs Oscar. Providence doesn't match up badly.

X-Factor will be Bynum. If he can perform, you guys will be in a good spot. Oscar will get his but that is a huge battle down low.

 

[gsmooth]

Cooley is really good at scheming game plans and strategy Calipari, well, not so much.

everyone will be focusing on the Bryce Hopkins angle, but I think the keys will be Bynum and Noah Locke. Locke can light it up and when he does I think it opens PC's offense a lot more and Bynum has to be the steadying presence and break the momentum with key baskets (i.e. game at Nova, first half at Gampel). They can put Bynum on Wheeler, who I believe he will returning, and Wheeler is short, too so Bynum's defensive deficiencies can be hidden. The more PC can keep Bynum on the court, but also fresh, the better. When Breed enters the game for Bynum, the offensive potency goes down a lot, while the defensive abilities go up.

They just can't put it all on Hopkins. Controlling his emotions will be key. He could be hyped up so much he performs out of this world or crashes because he wants to play well so badly he tries too hard individually. Plus he has a tough defender in Jacob Toppin and Hopkins didn't do to hot against KC Ndefo who has the same athletic and size profile as Toppin.

Croswell and Clifton Moore I think match up well with Tshiebwe and keeping him off the boards will be key, but tough.

 

[Fishy]

I don’t care about the four seed or three seed or east or west.

There were some teams that I preferred that we not see and two of them were UCLA and Kansas….and here they are.

But, honestly, the bracket changes after every game, so just win two and then let’s see where we‘re at. We’re in a mini-bracket with Iona, St. Mary’s and VCU. Good programs, but we should scorch them.

Win the mini-bracket and then we can look at the next mini-bracket.

 

[gsmooth]

I don’t care about the four seed or three seed or east or west.

There were some teams that I preferred that we not see and two of them were UCLA and Kansas….and here they are.

But, honestly, the bracket changes after every game, so just win two and then let’s see where we‘re at. We’re in a mini-bracket with Iona, St. Mary’s and VCU. Good programs, but we should scorch them.

Win the mini-bracket and then we can look at the next mini-bracket.

exactly. Hurley and the staff have to set up and practice their press breakers. This could actually unleash Hawkins and Karaban as they could get some nice wide open looks when UConn breaks their press.

 

[Ripper32]

There is also an offchance that Marquette could meet Providence in the sweet 16.

 

[gsmooth]

There is also an offchance that Marquette could meet Providence in the sweet 16.

in MSG, but the stakes are higher than a BET game. It would make for good copy, but there is a long way to go before that happens. I believe Marquette will be there.. Providence, not so sure, but we will see.