NCAA Tournament Thread - Sweet 16/Elite 8

[srbin84]

I'm shocked at the SEC's performance, I will give them loads of credit as Florida was the only SEC team I even had winning a 1st round game.

 

Pac10 not so much. Washington had their sweet 16 handed to them, and they still barely made it, and UCLA played one of the worst college basketball wins I've ever seen last night.

 

How's that?

[Butterscup1679666578]

Maybe it's just the homer in me, but Illinois and North Carolina last year would be able to wipe the floor with any of the teams this year. No team is close to the level that those two were at last year.

 

I think LSU could very well beat either of those teams, if they could overcome the lack of experience.

[stitchface]

Maybe it's just the homer in me, but Illinois and North Carolina last year would be able to wipe the floor with any of the teams this year. No team is close to the level that those two were at last year.

 

I agree too - though NC didn't play any better, they were just ridiculously talented. Had Illinois not lost their composure and run their offense, they should have won that game. I would have to say that the four teams today were far better than those yesterday. That UCLA win was an awful awful game. Plus, how did a 1 seed end up playing a road game in the elite eight? UCLA never should have been in that region.

[SouthSideRyan]

Maybe it's just the homer in me, but Illinois and North Carolina last year would be able to wipe the floor with any of the teams this year. No team is close to the level that those two were at last year.

 

I think LSU could very well beat either of those teams, if they could overcome the lack of experience.

 

LSU wouldn't stand a chance. UNC had a better Davis in Sean May along with FAR superior supporting players. Illinois played a better Glen Davis down to the wire against a team with FAR superior supporting players. LSU couldn't handle either of those teams' guards. I think Arizona, Oklahoma St., and Michigan St. of last year would win it all as well.

 

I'm not gonna go back over my Washington/Illinois game review again. If you didn't see it, it was one sided foul calls against Illinois. If you did see it then you're a pac-10 homer/illinois hater.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

SEC proving it is a top conference this year.

[Andy]

Nice job Big East. No teams in the Final Four for the 2nd straight season.

 

I suppose I could use the "Big East beats up on its teams so bad that they're worn out come tournament time" argument, but that would be lame and stupid. I thought with as terribly depressing a season as ND had, I'd at least be vindicated by the Big East's tournament performance, but no, they all get themselves eliminated by the end of week 2 again.

 

And I have 1 team left, UCLA. Not coincidentally, all my other Final 4 teams were Big East teams. Last time I trust this conference.

[XZero771679666304]

I'm shocked at the SEC's performance, I will give them loads of credit as Florida was the only SEC team I even had winning a 1st round game.

 

Pac10 not so much. Washington had their sweet 16 handed to them, and they still barely made it, and UCLA played one of the worst college basketball wins I've ever seen last night.

 

How's that?

 

Get a copy of their second round game and see for yourself.

[XZero771679666304]

Nice job Big East. No teams in the Final Four for the 2nd straight season.

 

I suppose I could use the "Big East beats up on its teams so bad that they're worn out come tournament time" argument, but that would be lame and stupid. I thought with as terribly depressing a season as ND had, I'd at least be vindicated by the Big East's tournament performance, but no, they all get themselves eliminated by the end of week 2 again.

 

And I have 1 team left, UCLA. Not coincidentally, all my other Final 4 teams were Big East teams. Last time I trust this conference.

 

Nova was a bit overrated, and UConn just played like crap all tournament. If it werent for the officiating, UConn wouldn't have beaten Washington. The Big East as a whole was overrated, but UConn was clearly the best team, except they couldn't seem to play anything like it.

 

I think that would be the most frustrating thing, to know you were the best but screwed it up.

[Butterscup1679666578]

Maybe it's just the homer in me, but Illinois and North Carolina last year would be able to wipe the floor with any of the teams this year. No team is close to the level that those two were at last year.

 

I think LSU could very well beat either of those teams, if they could overcome the lack of experience.

 

LSU wouldn't stand a chance. UNC had a better Davis in Sean May along with FAR superior supporting players. Illinois played a better Glen Davis down to the wire against a team with FAR superior supporting players. LSU couldn't handle either of those teams' guards. I think Arizona, Oklahoma St., and Michigan St. of last year would win it all as well.

 

I'm not gonna go back over my Washington/Illinois game review again. If you didn't see it, it was one sided foul calls against Illinois. If you did see it then you're a pac-10 homer/illinois hater.

 

Statistically and athletically speaking, I think LSU matches up with these teams quite well. Glen Davis is no Sean May, but he could still play quite well against May, and I think he's better than Augustine. Darrel Mitchell is their Luther Head/Deron Williams/Rashard McCants, and is solid all around. Tyrus Thomas is a freak of an athlete. If this team stayed together for two or three years, I think they'd be just as good, if not better, than the teams in last years championship game.

[Flames24Rulz]

this should be a real fun Final 4.

 

i'm hoping for a final of LSU-George Mason with of course GMU winning it all.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I want to see the LSU-Florida rematch in the Finals.

 

Geaux Tigers!

 

Truthfully, I'm just excited the Tigers made it this far!!!

[BleedCubbieBlue81]

"They were physical. They were banging me," Roy said. "I came off screens and they were grabbing me."

 

"We were hacking more. We were undisciplined on defense." - Dee Brown

 

 

 

While the refs may not have been perfect, they in no way "gave the game" to Washington.

 

A friend of mine tried to tell me that the refs gave UNC the title last year because they were calling fouls on Augustine and not on May. But it's hard to get big men in foul trouble when all you do is shoot threes.

 

But back to this year, what an amazing tournament. Who would've thought that the final four wouldn't have one single team from the Big East, the Big Ten, or the ACC. Simply amazing. Go George Mason.

[XZero771679666304]

Maybe it's just the homer in me, but Illinois and North Carolina last year would be able to wipe the floor with any of the teams this year. No team is close to the level that those two were at last year.

 

I think LSU could very well beat either of those teams, if they could overcome the lack of experience.

 

LSU wouldn't stand a chance. UNC had a better Davis in Sean May along with FAR superior supporting players. Illinois played a better Glen Davis down to the wire against a team with FAR superior supporting players. LSU couldn't handle either of those teams' guards. I think Arizona, Oklahoma St., and Michigan St. of last year would win it all as well.

 

I'm not gonna go back over my Washington/Illinois game review again. If you didn't see it, it was one sided foul calls against Illinois. If you did see it then you're a pac-10 homer/illinois hater.

 

Statistically and athletically speaking, I think LSU matches up with these teams quite well. Glen Davis is no Sean May, but he could still play quite well against May, and I think he's better than Augustine. Darrel Mitchell is their Luther Head/Deron Williams/Rashard McCants, and is solid all around. Tyrus Thomas is a freak of an athlete. If this team stayed together for two or three years, I think they'd be just as good, if not better, than the teams in last years championship game.

 

Other than Thomas, LSU doesn't have a single player that projects to be as good as UNC's starters from last year. To put it simply, LSU's guards are average at best. Last season's Illinois backcourt would have absolutely dominated this year's LSU backcourt. UNC would have just flat out dominated. Even as an Illini fan I have to admit last season's UNC squad was as talented a team as I have ever seen.

 

Given all that, I think LSU will win it all at this point.

[Andy]

I have to pick Florida to win it all from here. They've overwhelmed all comers so far, and they have the best remaining player in the tourney in Joakim Noah.

 

That said, my avatar reveals my true allegiances from here. I'm jealous of anyone who goes to George Mason.

[stitchface]

Maybe it's just the homer in me, but Illinois and North Carolina last year would be able to wipe the floor with any of the teams this year. No team is close to the level that those two were at last year.

 

I think LSU could very well beat either of those teams, if they could overcome the lack of experience.

 

LSU wouldn't stand a chance. UNC had a better Davis in Sean May along with FAR superior supporting players. Illinois played a better Glen Davis down to the wire against a team with FAR superior supporting players. LSU couldn't handle either of those teams' guards. I think Arizona, Oklahoma St., and Michigan St. of last year would win it all as well.

 

I'm not gonna go back over my Washington/Illinois game review again. If you didn't see it, it was one sided foul calls against Illinois. If you did see it then you're a pac-10 homer/illinois hater.

 

Statistically and athletically speaking, I think LSU matches up with these teams quite well. Glen Davis is no Sean May, but he could still play quite well against May, and I think he's better than Augustine. Darrel Mitchell is their Luther Head/Deron Williams/Rashard McCants, and is solid all around. Tyrus Thomas is a freak of an athlete. If this team stayed together for two or three years, I think they'd be just as good, if not better, than the teams in last years championship game.

 

in two or three years . . .

[XZero771679666304]

"They were physical. They were banging me," Roy said. "I came off screens and they were grabbing me."

 

"We were hacking more. We were undisciplined on defense." - Dee Brown

 

 

 

While the refs may not have been perfect, they in no way "gave the game" to Washington.

 

A friend of mine tried to tell me that the refs gave UNC the title last year because they were calling fouls on Augustine and not on May. But it's hard to get big men in foul trouble when all you do is shoot threes.

 

But back to this year, what an amazing tournament. Who would've thought that the final four wouldn't have one single team from the Big East, the Big Ten, or the ACC. Simply amazing. Go George Mason.

 

For some objectivity, I showed a copy of the Washington-Illinois game to some of my aquaintances down here (who could care less about Illinois or the big ten) And nearly all of them (in varying degrees) thought Illinois was jobbed.

 

Illinois still could have won, but they were put at a clear disadvantage by clearly one sided officiating. For the record, I saw the same thing happen to MSU, Indiana and Washington. Something has been terribly wrong with the officiating this year, and goes far beyond the Illinois-Washington game.

 

Now I am happy to see a team like GMU in the final four, as I am a big fan of parity. But overall, this tournament has been poorer because the officials haven't been letting the players really play like they have in previous seasons. Lopsided foul differentials and slow choppy play have been the order of the day this year, and a lot of people have noticed it, not just Illini fans.

[XZero771679666304]

I have to pick Florida to win it all from here. They've overwhelmed all comers so far, and they have the best remaining player in the tourney in Joakim Noah.

 

That said, my avatar reveals my true allegiances from here. I'm jealous of anyone who goes to George Mason.

 

Honestly, I have not been impressed with Florida at any point this year. I think they won today because of a combination of good inside presence and Nova playing like absolute crap. Tyrus Thomas wil own Noah.

[SouthSideRyan]

"They were physical. They were banging me," Roy said. "I came off screens and they were grabbing me."

 

"We were hacking more. We were undisciplined on defense." - Dee Brown

 

 

 

While the refs may not have been perfect, they in no way "gave the game" to Washington.

 

 

There's a quote somewhere around here from that goat Jensen about his brilliant defensive strategy against Augustine in the 2nd half. Can't remember the exact quote but it was somethign along the lines of I just kept grabbing him and pushing him around to stop him from getting the ball.

 

Jensen had 1 foul.

 

Re: LSU vs. NC/UI

 

Yes, in a couple years if the team stayed together(they definitely won't) they could be on par with last year's teams. But that's not the argument at all. Comparing Mitchell to Head/Williams/McCants is absurd.

Edited March 27, 2006 by SouthSideRyan

[stitchface]

But overall, this tournament has been poorer because the officials haven't been letting the players really play like they have in previous seasons. Lopsided foul differentials and slow choppy play have been the order of the day this year, and a lot of people have noticed it, not just Illini fans.

 

I agree completely. When you see 8 or 9 players in foul trouble . . .

[Mark_R]

in the GMU/UConn game, it seemed like the refs were letting them play.

 

For the most part.

[stitchface]

in the GMU/UConn game, it seemed like the refs were letting them play.

 

For the most part.

 

and that was the best game of the elite eight. the memphis UCLA game was the worst. seemed like they called everything until the final two minutes and then they called nothing.

[XZero771679666304]

Packer and Nantz were talking about how this was the best tournament they can remember.

 

I couldn't help but laugh.

[da bears]

in the GMU/UConn game, it seemed like the refs were letting them play.

 

For the most part.

 

Thats what I thought as well. It also, in my opinion, turned out to be the best game of the tournament. It was a very well played game on George Mason's part, and I think UCONN played pretty good as well.

[SouthSideRyan]

and that was the best game of the elite eight. the memphis UCLA game was the worst.

 

The Memphis/UCLA game was one of the worst I've ever seen. Ever.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Maybe it's just the homer in me, but Illinois and North Carolina last year would be able to wipe the floor with any of the teams this year. No team is close to the level that those two were at last year.

 

I agree too - though NC didn't play any better, they were just ridiculously talented. Had Illinois not lost their composure and run their offense, they should have won that game. I would have to say that the four teams today were far better than those yesterday. That UCLA win was an awful awful game. Plus, how did a 1 seed end up playing a road game in the elite eight? UCLA never should have been in that region.

 

If that's the case, Gonzaga shouldn't have been in Oakland either.