Week 17 preview (Feb. 28–Mar. 6)

[Plebe]

Completely unbelievable that a fully healthy juggernaut like SC lost twice this year to bubble teams.

Elzy has gone from hot seat to COY candidate.

 

[DaBball]

Kentucky has been a different team since going on a late run against Mississippi State to come back from down 15 in the fourth quarter.

Impressive turnaround by Elzy and some really great play from Edwards and Howard.

 

[triaddukefan]

What?! I looked at the score several times, South Carolina had it firmly in hand. Got outscored 21-7 in Q4. Oops. Louisville not the only highly ranked team w/ a late game collapse in a conference tourney.

I was watching the Dayton-Umass game, and got the alert that the SC-KY was going down to the wire... I was like meh.. how close can it be. Welp..

 

[TheFarmFan]

If you want my contrarian hot take, I think this increases their odds of taking the title this year. This kind of collapse is the wakeup call a team that's coasted through a number of games needs right before going on a tourney run. Same reason I was not upset we blew the huge lead to SCAR in December: proved to ourselves we could beat any team in the country, and also showed us just what we still needed to work on, and how we couldn't afford to let our foot off the gas.

But for now, congrats to Kentucky. Heck of a comeback season after looking barely like a bubble team for most of conference play.

It's almost like Howard saw NaLyssa Smith displace her for predicted #1 WNBA draft pick and said, "Hold my beer!"

 

[triaddukefan]

I guess I'll have to watch the replay... at least the last few minutes... Wow.... Might be some high seeds hoping that KY and Miami don't get placed in their region.

Then again... countless times I've seen some underwhelming/under achieving squads get hot at the end of the season..... either win or make it to the conference finals... then fall flat in the NCAA's.. though mostly on the men's side.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I'm not sure if it's the same in women's hoops, but in men's there's almost no correlation between how teams do in conference tourneys and how they do in the Big Dance. So a team that gets on a hot streak and becomes a trendy pick might actually be fairly likely to flame out early. We'll see.

 

[SECbbfan24]

It's almost like Howard saw NaLyssa Smith displace her for predicted #1 WNBA draft pick and said, "Hold my beer!"

Howard is great but I'm still going with NaLyssa, she brings more to the table to me as a scorer, rebounder and defender.

 

[Plebe]

If you want my contrarian hot take, I think this increases their odds of taking the title this year. This kind of collapse is the wakeup call a team that's coasted through a number of games needs right before going on a tourney run. Same reason I was not upset we blew the huge lead to SCAR in December: proved to ourselves we could beat any team in the country, and also showed us just what we still needed to work on, and how we couldn't afford to let our foot off the gas.

I had the same reaction. Perhaps unfortunately for the rest of the field, this will no doubt light a fire under them that IMO makes it less likely that they'll be upset.

 

[Iluvacc2]

If you want my contrarian hot take, I think this increases their odds of taking the title this year. This kind of collapse is the wakeup call a team that's coasted through a number of games needs right before going on a tourney run. Same reason I was not upset we blew the huge lead to SCAR in December: proved to ourselves we could beat any team in the country, and also showed us just what we still needed to work on, and how we couldn't afford to let our foot off the gas.

But for now, congrats to Kentucky. Heck of a comeback season after looking barely like a bubble team for most of conference play.

It's almost like Howard saw NaLyssa Smith displace her for predicted #1 WNBA draft pick and said, "Hold my beer!"

I said this yesterday

 

[triaddukefan]

I'm not sure if it's the same in women's hoops, but in men's there's almost no correlation between how teams do in conference tourneys and how they do in the Big Dance. So a team that gets on a hot streak and becomes a trendy pick might actually be fairly likely to flame out early. We'll see.

Great example was the 1995 NCAA Men's tourney.... I had watched Villanova run through the Big East tournament... and they had an all-american scorer and a few other outstanding players. Picked them to go to the final four. They lost the first round to Old Dominion. That basically cost me the pool. Didn't forgive Nova until April 2016,

 

[nwhoopfan]

Great example was the 1995 NCAA Men's tourney.... I had watched Villanova run through the Big East tournament... and they had an all-american scorer and a few other outstanding players. Picked them to go to the final four. They lost the first round to Old Dominion. That basically cost me the pool. Didn't forgive Nova until April 2016,

I was thinking of a Syracuse team who won 4 games in 4 days to win the BET, but wore themselves out and I think went out in the first round. Gerry NcNamara was the star IIRC. One of the BET games was 3 or 4 OTs.

I think I remember that Nova team. Kerry Kittles was their star, right?

 

[triaddukefan]

I was thinking of a Syracuse team who won 4 games in 4 days to win the BET, but wore themselves out and I think went out in the first round. Gerry NcNamara was the star IIRC. One of the BET games was 3 or 4 OTs.

I think I remember that Nova team. Kerry Kittles was their star, right?

That Cuse team went 6 OT's vs UCONN

Yep... had a big guy named Jason Lawson.. and a very good PG who played in the NBA.

 

[Vowelguy]

If you want my contrarian hot take, I think this increases their odds of taking the title this year. This kind of collapse is the wakeup call a team that's coasted through a number of games needs right before going on a tourney run.

Yeah I was thinking this as well.

Hard to know which way it goes. Sometimes though it exposes cracks or gives other teams confidence. Or introduces a tiny bit of self doubt.

 

[nwhoopfan]

It's just one game. I'll be stunned if South Carolina doesn't make it to the Final 4. I'd probably equally stunned if Kentucky goes that far.

 

[Vowelguy]

I'm not sure if it's the same in women's hoops, but in men's there's almost no correlation between how teams do in conference tourneys and how they do in the Big Dance. So a team that gets on a hot streak and becomes a trendy pick might actually be fairly likely to flame out early. We'll see.

Mens tourney has a much shorter window. Win the title on a Saturday night or Sunday and then you're playing 4-5 days later. Factor in travel on both ends plus emotional recovery and not much time.

Not an issue on the women's side for most. KY will have several days to calm down and then a full week of practice before their next game.

 

[cancontent]

Credit to Edwards. It's been an up and down season with discipline issues and benchings. She came through big time in this game.

 

[Britt87]

Howard is great but I'm still going with NaLyssa, she brings more to the table to me as a scorer, rebounder and defender.

Better athlete as well

 

[nwhoopfan]

still want me to hold a minute?

Okay, I was wrong about Nebraska offering much resistance, but looks like you were wrong about third time being a charm for Indiana.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Gotta figure the Summit champ will be South Dakota or South Dakota St., but maybe challenger Kansas City was in some trouble. The Kangaroos scored 53 in the 2nd half to pull out a 81-74 win over North Dakota St.

 

[Plebe]

Summit league quarter finals BOTH N Dakota and N Dakota State LOST.
Another bubble explosion. This one is a real surprise.
Which of these two has the best at large chance?

Huh?

North Dakota =/= South Dakota.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Summit league quarter finals BOTH N Dakota and N Dakota State LOST.
Another bubble explosion. This one is a real surprise.
Which of these two has the best at large chance?

It's the South Dakotas who rule the Summit, not the North Dakotas.

 

[Basket]

Gotta figure the Summit champ will be South Dakota or South Dakota St., but maybe challenger Kansas City was in some trouble. The Kangaroos scored 53 in the 2nd half to pull out a 81-74 win over North Dakota St.

Nope both out in quarterfinals today

 

[Basket]

It's the South Dakotas who rule the Summit, not the North Dakotas.

Thank goodness. Bubble not burst yet. Thanks. I’m in panic mode for BC creating false scenarios

 

[Plebe]

It's the South Dakotas who rule the Summit, not the North Dakotas.

The Geography Department is apparently not the strong suit of Boston College.

 

[skilz]

Howard is great but I'm still going with NaLyssa, she brings more to the table to me as a scorer, rebounder and defender.

Smith had 35 pts & 12 rebounds today! She put on a show.