College Basketball

[Calvada]

Eight minutes into Badgers vs Pitt and I'm pacing in my living room.  Badgers start 0 for 42 and my blood pressure is UP! 

 

OK, maybe 0 for 42 is a slight exaggeration.  But as I type they have hit one (ONE!!) bucket..  What has happened to this team - who is this wearing the jerseys of Nigel Hayes, Bronson Koenig and Ethan Happ?   Badgers cannot buy a bucket,

 

C'mon guys, get it together!  Big Ten has not had a lot of shining moments in this tournament.

 

 

[AimingforYoko]

16 points?!? Minneapple, as Tony Kornheiser would say, "Defend your boys!"

[Calvada]

Beginning to think I should have picked the lower seed in every game - would my bracket be as busted?

 

Badgers showing some signs of life, but still lots of rust.  With their early exit in the Big Ten tournament, they've not played a game in eight days.  I also blame the ugly uniforms they are required to wear in March for their poor performance.  Let them wear the throwbacks they wore all through February.  . 

[Ohwell]

Well, at least I picked Hawaii.

[AndreaK1041]

I think everyone on ESPN is out. There were a few people still perfect after MSU lost but they picked other upsets that didn't pan out like Temple or SDSU. Pretty early halfway through day 2!

[AimingforYoko]

Well, Wisconsin prevailed, but I'm pretty sure basketball didn't.

[Calvada]

I have picked myself up off the floor, re-started my heart and am ready to go on to the next round.  Wisconsin won a grinder, but I've got two thoughts about that.  I'll bet Izzo would have loved to win a grinder today.  And there's no East German judge handing out style points.  A win's a win. 

 

Now I need alcohol.  Lots and lots of alcohol. 

 

One amusing thing - after Pitt picked up 5 fouls in the first 2:33 of the 2nd half, one of the Wisconsin State Journal sportswriters tweeted that he was wondering if Coach K talked to the officials at halftime. 

 

Editing again to say how lucky is broadcaster Brian Anderson?  Calls the Mid Tenn upset of Michigan State, what some are calling the biggest upset in NCAA tournament history.  He also called the Halladay perfect game in the 2010 MLB playoffs, only 2nd perfecto in MLB postseason..  Long suffering Brewers fans wish he had something, anything, good happen while broadcasting in Milwaukee.  

Edited March 19, 2016 by Calvada

[Dejana]

Wasn't Michigan State supposedly robbed of a 1-seed? Oops.

[Minneapple]

16 points?!? Minneapple, as Tony Kornheiser would say, "Defend your boys!"

I can't.

At least they won! Survive and advance.

[LexieLily]

I picked St. Joe's to advance, but oh my god, I felt SOO BAD for that Cincinatti kid that had the ball in his hands 0.0001 seconds too long. He was about to cry...

[Minneapple]

UNI with the half-court heave and then the Cincinnati basket waved off. What a crazy tournament so far.

[AimingforYoko]

I've been following this tournament since Al McGuire was on the bench and this is the nuttiest day since probably '81. 

[twoods]

Wasn't Michigan State supposedly robbed of a 1-seed? Oops.

I'm sure Virginia fans are laughing at them. Haven't done the bracket in years so love seeing all these upsets. Too bad the PAC 12, aside from Oregon, didn't show up.

[MyAimIsTrue]

  Doesn't hurt that Ivy League schools tend to destroy the landscape of the field almost annually (with Harvard doing so earlier this decade)

 

I love it when Ivy League teams pull the upset more than any other team or conference.  Anyone else remember how 16 seed Princeton took 1 seed Georgetown down to the wire in 1989, losing by only one point?  And then Princeton finally pulled off its shocker by beating defending national champ UCLA as a 13 seed in 1996.  In the women's tournament 16 seed Harvard beat 1 seed Stanford  in 1998, and then back to the men 12 seed Cornell made it to the Sweet 16 in 2010.

 

I'm sure there are other moments but these are the ones I can think of right now.

[benteen]

UPenn made the Final Four in 1979 but lost to Magic Johnson and Michigan State.

 

Hell of a first two days.  I was zonking out and missed the Northern Iowa shot but that was incredible.

[MyAimIsTrue]

That's right and Bill Bradley's Princeton squad made the Final Four the year I was born, 1965.

 

I'm sorry I missed Northern Iowa's buzzer beating shot as well but even watching replays of it that was one damn exciting shining moment.  Better than Ali Faroukmanesh's three in 2010 to beat top overall seed Kansas?  I'm not sure about that but definitely close.

[mojoween]

When did Johnny Dawkins get old and when did he become the former head coach of Stanford?

Agh the press conference from one of the Wichita St. seniors was heart-breaking hearing the sadness in his voice.

Dammit I've been waiting for a buzzer beater and I missed it yesterday.

The State Farm ads with the NBA guys shrunken down are creepy as hell.

Edited March 19, 2016 by mojoween

[AimingforYoko]

When did Johnny Dawkins get old and when did he become the former head coach of Stanford?

I hate to tell you this, mojoween, but that first Coach K Final Four team was 30 years ago.

Nice to see Indiana get the bragging rights over their southern neighbor for a year. Crean really pulled it out this year, he was close to walking the plank.

[wanderingstar]

Arghhh, Michigan State!

Seriously! 

 

I watched this game in a bar (was there for a work event), and I was so frustrated with Michigan State. But my hats off to Middle Tennessee State. They legit outplayed MSU.

Edited March 20, 2016 by Gillian Rosh

[xaxat]

So. . .  I guess Tom Crean's eternally hot seat just got hotter.

 

Umm. . . I spoke too soon?

[xaxat]

I am so tired of the VCU band conductor.

 

Unless you plan to lace 'em up and hit the court, it's not all about you.

[Ohwell]

Welp.  He's gone now, thank goodness.

[Calvada]

Minneappple, ​check out Zach Heilprin"s twitter feed, showing Xavier coach getting a little close to Zac Showalter.  How can the officials miss the coach doing something like that?  Don't they have those lines on the court for a reason? 

 

 

[xaxat]

Wow! It looks like I turned away from UNI/A&M too soon.

[LexieLily]

14-2 run in the last 1:32 to let it go to O/T! Really, UNI?

[xaxat]

Calvada, Minneapple? Are you breathing yet?

[mojoween]

I'm irritated that I flipped from Wisconsin/Xavier to A&M/UNI because of the OT. Should have stayed where I was since this game set up a second OT.

[xaxat]

I fell so bad for those UNI kids. Not only did they lose in agonizing fashion. Some of them will now have to face the press because the NCAA was greedy and shitty enough to sell the television rights to the most painful moments in these kids life. 

[Calvada]

Xaxat ---​I am breathing, barely!   My heart is pounding!  So many thoughts going through my head right now.  I thought the officials would take it away from Badgers - so many strange calls.  Think this crew needs a refresher on just what exactly is a foul.  Seemed like they changed their mind from possession to possession. 

​Couldn't believe Gard called the TO since they have had such issues inbounding the ball.  Thought we would be going to OT. 

 

Ironic they will be playing in Philly without Bo Ryan as HC. 

 

Bronson Koenig is back.  After having his consecutive game with a 3 streak broken, he found his stroke again.  Thanks for playing that zone, Xavier, giving him those open looks to get him going. 

 

Badgers back in the Sweet 16!  I thought it was possible, but really thought it wouldn't happen. 

[LexieLily]

How...is it even possible to lose, though, when you are up 12 with 38 seconds left?

[Crs97]

All I can say is, "Gig 'Em, Aggies!" Sometimes it really is just survive and advance.

[Minneapple]

Calvada, Minneapple? Are you breathing yet?

Nope! Pretty sure I died at some point there!

I saw the Xavier coach getting friendly with Showalter. For anyone who says Showy flopped at the end of the game (when the charge was called), point out that Vine and ask why Chris Mack didn't get a technical.

Edited March 21, 2016 by Minneapple

[prican58]

Not doing brackets but I really am enjoying this NCAA stuff. I am by tradition a Big East fan and I am so bummed we no longer have SYR and UCONN in it. UCONN is my favorite program along with St John's (will they ever get back here?) but I have been rooting for 'Nova, Syracuse and Seton Hall. I miss the great days of Big East with Georgetown, St John's, Seton Hall, Syracuse and 'Nova all playing great ball.

But I have been impressed by so many of these other teams. Indiana was fun to watch as was Kentucky and Middle Tenn.

 

My imaginary money is on Villanova. Kind of hoping Kansas gets upset. 

[Calvada]

I didn't see postgame interviews (too busy celebrating), but did anyone ask Chris Mack about that play? Is he using the Mike Tomlin line of bullshit that he just lost track of where he was on the court?  That is the very definition of unsportsmanlike conduct. 

 

Another question - who the heck was the guy right behind the Wisconsin bench wearing a Xavier shirt?  How did he get that seat?   There's a great shot on UWBadgers.com of Bronson about to take the final shot and you see the crowd behind him and the guy in Xavier shirt looks completely stunned. 

 

Loved seeing how Frank Kaminsky celebrated BK's winning shot!  Let's hope Bronson's performance gets Nigel going.  Nigel's struggles aside, that is the Badger team we saw from mid-January through February.  Tough defense, making shots, dealing with adversity - that's what got Greg Gard the HC job.  From where they were when Gard took over, to the Sweet 16 - wow.

 

[Minneapple]

I have never seen a shooting slump quite like Nigel's. He does other stuff well on the court -- rebounding and defense -- but yikes, the shooting is ugly. Hopefully he hits a shot or two for the Notre Dame game.

 

Very cool to see all the #NativePride tweets last night at Bronson. He takes his heritage very seriously and sees himself as a role model for young Native American kids.

[Carey]

Probably the most exciting (and painful) opening two round in a long time.  I forgot who said CBS is missing Gus Johnson right now, but I have to agree somewhat. No guarantee that he would have called Wisconsin & Texas A&M winning, and he's doing okay at FOX.  Had he called those games? It would've been a coin-flip to see if he'd get out of there alive!

 

So Jamie Dixon is out at PITT.  End of an era; while his program was trending downward over the past half-decade, there was more good than bad during his 15 year run (2 years as an assistant).  The good news is that it's always nice to go back home.  I doubt I'll pick TCU to dethrone Kansas today, but they probably will fair well, IMO

[DrSpaceman73]

I was watching Texas AM and UNI and changed the channel, I figured it was over. I changed to the other game. THen 30 minutes later I see it in overtime.

I don't get why Indiana UNC is the late game Friday, almost 10 PM. It's an east cost game. Much like UK-IU seems like the traditionally best game and top match up of this round. Unless they think UNC is just going to win easily, which I don't think is going to happen.

[mojoween]

I am pre-emptively bitching about the Duke game because I don't think they are going to come back and I'm really pissed off about it. Farewell, Marshall. I don't know how the program can go on without a Plumlee in it.

Man the games tonight weren't very exciting were they? I miss last weekend.

[MyAimIsTrue]

After last Sunday when the Sweet 16 was set I lost complete interest in the tournament.  Yes I suppose 11 seed Gonzaga is considered a surprise in this round but it's Gonzaga so can they really be a Cinderella?  Apparently I get bored when all of the top seeds and power conference players move on.

[DrSpaceman73]

Only comment for the boring Thursday night games : Thank goodness Duke lost.

[mojoween]

Boooo Spaceman. Booooooooooo.

Other than rooting for SU now, I'm just going to root against teams. *coughUNCKansascough*

[twoods]

Only comment for the boring Thursday night games : Thank goodness Duke lost.

Thank goodness indeed. Oregon is doing much better than I thought they would. Would be nice to see them in the final four. The rest of the teams I could care less.

[Rick Kitchen]

The only time Oregon has ever played St. Joe's in the tournament, they won it all.  This year they played St. Joe's. Just saying...

[mojoween]

I was rooting for the Irish but I was SHOCKED that at least two of those plays at the end (not Jackson's steal, before that) were not called fouls on ND.

Sorry Badgers peeps. You can join me in NCAA tourney misery.

Edited March 26, 2016 by mojoween

[AimingforYoko]

So, none of the lower seeds won in the sweet sixteen round. All the ones are still alive and two of those are playing twos. The only 'cinderellas' left are Notre Dame and Syracuse and they're just lower ACC clubs. Pretty chalky this year.

[ElDosEquis]

Arghhh, Michigan State!

I'm going to need a Louisville stripper, hooker party to make this better.

Anyone have Pitino's number?

 

502 852 5555.

[xaxat]

I wonder how Coach K would react if other coaches started pulling Grayson Allen aside to tell him he's "better than that" and then denied it in the press conference.

[AimingforYoko]

I wonder how Coach K would react if other coaches started pulling Grayson Allen aside to tell him he's "better than that" and then denied it in the press conference.

That would never happen. No one thinks Grayson Allen is better than that.

[xaxat]

If I could, I'd rep you twice for that comment.

[prican58]

Detouring to Women's NCAA,  UCONN is a beast! Watched the game vs Miss State and Huskies totally dissected them.

 

98-38! Hell, I am a fan since the Taurasi/Bird era but this was the most impressive thing I have ever seen. If Texas doesn't bring their A game it will be a carbon copy. 

 

Good luck to all!

 

I will be on edge of the sofa tonight watching 'Nova vs Kansas. I really want Nova to win. It will either be tight or a blowout.