2013 NCAA Tournament

[bukie]

Is there a good reason why round 1 games were between 4 16 seeds, 2 11 seeds, and 2 13 seeds? If I "earned" an 11 seed, I would be ticked that the 12 seeds avoided the extra game

 

The last 4 at-large bids play in the First Four games. The 12 seeds were all automatic bids.

Cal got bumped to a 12 with the play-in bumped to an 11 because of travel concerns. The last 4 at-large bids got first round games.

[Andy]

Fouling immediately was a sketchy strategy that may well have blown up in Cal's face if the refs had called the foul UNLV tried to commit with 5 seconds left.

[JockJones]

I wish I could say that Gonzaga's performance made me feel better about picking Pitt to the Sweet 16.

I'm feeling good about the Shockers chances on Saturday. Would make me a very happy sports fan if they beat the Gonzaga. I don't think they've faced a team as physical as the Shockers are on defense since December.

[Guest]

I am so sick of my sports teams.

[OleMissCub]

I'm hoping this trend of 12 seeds beating 5's continues tomorrow. Very unlikely I know. Wisconsin is probably one of the worst teams that the Rebels could have drawn. Ole Miss is the leading scoring team in the SEC, but that offense thrives on a frantic pace and three minute 15 point runs. That's an impossibility against a team like Wisconsin.

 

In their last 3 games in the SEC tourney, Ole Miss scored 40, 40, and 38 points in the second half of those games after being down 10 or so at halftime. I don't think they'll be able to fall behind Wisconsin like that and overcome it because of Wisconsin's ability to disrupt offensive rhythm. I think our only hope is that our big men can score in the paint (and make their FT's), which from what I've read is one of Wisconsin's weaknesses, because I know they'll be all over Henderson. Although maybe it'll be a good thing if Wisconsin plays a smothering defense against Henderson because he can't seem to make an open 3 to save his life. He seems to make most all of his 3's when someone is right in his grill. It's an oddity.

 

Regardless, we are definitely not a basketball school (first trip to NCAA in 12 years) so win or lose, as a fanbase, we're just excited to be here.

[snoodmonger]

Larry Eustachy has a permanent Eeyore expression.

[Formerly Snayke]

Missouri's defense is an abomination.

[OleMissCub]

NCAA investigations aside, is Haith on the hot seat already? I mean, that's a freaking talent group that Mizzou has.

[Guest]

NCAA investigations aside, is Haith on the hot seat already? I mean, that's a freaking talent group that Mizzou has.

 

No, Frank Haith is not on the hot seat.

[Formerly Snayke]

NCAA investigations aside, is Haith on the hot seat already? I mean, that's a freaking talent group that Mizzou has.

 

Oriakhi is their only above average defensive player, they have no backup point guard, Earnest Ross thinks he's Reggie Miller and their only real shooter is Jabari Brown, who is too inconsistent.

 

Last season's Missouri team could space the floor and they had two guys who shot over 40 percent on 3's. Plus Ricardo Ratliffe was a wiz on the pick-and-roll. They have none of those components this season and Bowers is just a shell of his former self.

 

Long answer short: no. He's got a four-star point guard, a four-star forward and one of the better JUCO players coming in.

[snoodmonger]

I don't know if MU is that talented. Or maybe they're talented but don't play smart. Oriakhi is okay. Frankly I expected more from him. I had a higher opinion of him at UConn. Pressey's decision making undercuts his talent. I think Brown will be pretty good when it's all said and done. Bowers...meh.

 

Haith is definitely not a very good coach, either.

Edited March 22, 2013 by snoodmonger

[Formerly Snayke]

I don't if MU is that talented.

 

They are not.

 

Haith is definitely not a very good coach, either.

 

Disagree.

[snoodmonger]

Did MU used to have a guy named Leo criswell, too?

[Guest]

I'm willing to bet no 5 seed has ever doubled up an opponent in the NCAA tournament before.

[UMFan83]

boring day overall. a couple of close games, one nice finish, not a ton of shocking upsets.

[Guest]

Mizzou has some very talented individuals, but what they lack has killed them. Anderson giving up on recruiting killed their depth and size last year, and Dixon's shenanigans left them without a second ballhandler this year(and IMO, led to overusing Pressey and exacerbating any problems he has). Neither of those is Haith's fault. As a coach he's shown he's real good at putting together an offense, has yet to put together a good defense, and his in game performance is up and down. He's not remotely in risk of losing his job for performance reasons. Last year's team way overachieved, this year's team pretty much met expectations without Dixon(although in an irritating way), and he's done a good job in recruiting and building his staff. Hopefully Pressey comes back, he won't have to play 36 minutes a game and trigger every offensive possession and make guardplay a strength. I have a feeling that type of roster plays into Haith's strengths too.

[snoodmonger]

I don't if MU is that talented.

 

They are not.

 

Haith is definitely not a very good coach, either.

 

Disagree.

 

Not trying to flame, but sell me on Haith.

 

9 years HC experience. Two tourney appearances. Highest conf finish was 2nd. After that, 5th.

[Guest]

Did MU used to have a guy named Leo criswell, too?

 

Yep, Leo Lyons changed his name once he got to campus.

[SpongeWorthy]

Oh god I have new Mexico in the final four

[Formerly Snayke]

Not trying to flame, but sell me on Haith.

 

9 years HC experience. Two tourney appearances. Highest conf finish was 2nd. After that, 5th.

 

I knew you weren't flaming.

 

TT said it pretty well. I think he's strong at developing an offense but on defense they either lack hustle, smarts or good coaching or some combination of all three. Most of the problems I saw were just a matter of being slow to rotate or getting crushed on backdoor cuts. And it just doesn't help that Pressey is all hands, Brown lacks instincts and, IMO, that Bowers is just not quick enough anymore.

 

I think any coach that can take a seven-man rotation that included Steve Moore and Matt Pressey and win 30 games with them can consistently win, especially in the SEC. And maybe it sounds like an excuse, but Mike Anderson screwed this team good. Word is that nobody really wanted the Missouri job because of the gaping holes that came with it. I mean, the only recruits that stuck in the last few years were Phil Pressey and Mike Dixon. Tony Mitchell isn't really his fault, but the lack of in-state recruiting was absurd.

 

Also, the lack of stability in the starting lineup is going to face them again next season, which means another two months of shuffling guys around trying to find the right combination. To me, I think it's an issue that would cause problems for a majority of coaches.

[Andy]

Oh god I have new Mexico in the final four

There's a huge amount of Lobo love this year in the brackets it seems like. I had them out to Arizona.

[bukie]

@kenpomeroy 42m

VCU on the verge of largest MOV for a 5-seed, which I believe is 35 by Tennessee over Long Beach State in 2007.

[Andy]

@kenpomeroy 42m

VCU on the verge of largest MOV for a 5-seed, which I believe is 35 by Tennessee over Long Beach State in 2007.

Ah, I remember that one - I picked the Beach in that matchup

[bukie]

CBS about to call mercy rule on Syracuse-Montana.

[Careless]

@kenpomeroy 42m

VCU on the verge of largest MOV for a 5-seed, which I believe is 35 by Tennessee over Long Beach State in 2007.

It's not quite 55-17 after 28 minutes, though