Now that we have the Final Four set, let's go back to my post of 2/16. I had UCONN as a team that could easily make the Final Four and that's it! I named 16 teams and only one made it. Butler didn't come out of nowhere, nor did Kentucky. VCU was a shock. The parity in college basketball is amazing.
It's actually disappointing that the 2 "Cinderellas" have to face off against each other in the semi-finals. The battle between VCU and Butler for a National Championship would have been, well, a fairy tale. That said, the Match-ups in the Final Four are nothing short of delightful.
UCONN is riding a formula everyone has seen from them before. Their two championship teams, in 1999 and 2004, featured high scoring guards, Rip Hamilton in 1999 and Ben Gordon in 2004. They also featured great shot blocking forwards. Jim Calhoun's teams feature guards that can shoot and go the the hole, and he teaches his big men to go to the glass as if a shot is a pass off the rim. It works for UCONN. This year's team is no different...Walker is a money guard, and UCONN sports 3 players that combine for over 4 blocks a game on the defensive end and, between the same 3 big men, over 5 dunks a game.
Kentucky has so much young talent. Knight, Lamb, and Jones have hit their stride as freshman. It is obvious that Calipari can weather a season with freshman and prepare them for post-season play. This isn't the first time he's done it and, as a friend of mine pointed out astutely in his blog before the Tournament (blogspot.andaplayertobenamedlater.com), Kentucky felt shunned by the Committee in receiving a 4 seed. I love the UCONN match-up. It will be a war. UCONN will win by 7.
Butler going up against VCU is every bit as intriguing. VCU is averaging over 10 3's a game in the Tournament, so you have to wonder how they will hold up if Butler can limit their 3's. Of course, fanning your defense out to contest treys allows for back-door cuts and dribble penetration, and VCU has great team quickness. I believe Butler will try and establish their big men early in the game. This will allow them to control the tempo of the game. Since Butler is so well coached and was in this position just last year, I think they will keep this game in the high 60's / low 70's and win by 5.
College Hoops All Year
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
NC State Coaching Search
Finally, NC State put Sidney Lowe out of his misery. Lowe is clearly a likable guy, and has shown himself to be a good recruiter. However, he had more than enough time to build a winner, and just couldn't get the Pack over the hump into the upper echelon of the ACC. I noticed a few things that Lowe's teams failed to do throughout his tenure, and these problems can be prevented with proper coaching.
1. Offensive flow / continuity. NC State was never very good at running an effective half court offense under Lowe. The Pack were able at times to run the right sets to get favorable match-ups (like an NBA team), but the offense was never smooth and consistent. I listened to people give excuses for the Pack's inability to execute in this area over the past few years, such as State not having a top tier point guard or the fact that a couple of key players left early, but there is no excuse for sloppy half court execution. There are a lot of programs that run an effective half-court offense without a top tier point guard. There are also plenty of schools that have key players leaving early and still have a system in place that players grasp and execute.
2. Defensive effort. I noticed this more this year than in prior years, but State was awful at getting back in transition. It was incredibly frustrating to watch team after team beat State down the court and get a lay up or a dunk. Even teams who are not considered running teams, like Clemson and Florida State, were getting easy baskets on State in transition. Seriously, here's a great way to get blown out by UNC or Duke...don't get back on defense. Great idea making things easy on teams that are talented and well coached. I saw it time and time again.
State's half court defense relied on funneling opponents to a shot blocker, rather than shutting down 3 point shooters. Granted, State was able to make some spectacular blocks at times because of their athletic ability, but they were one of the worst defensive teams in the ACC over Lowe's tenure. Opponents that made the extra pass against State were rewarded for the most part.
There were times when Lowe looked like he was turning the corner and moving in the right direction. Then it seemed like State would lose 5 games in a row and be back to square one. I think Lowe has potential as an assistant coach / recruiter for a top program like Kentucky or UCLA. I think players like and understand him. However, he has never been successful as a head coach at any level.
What State needs is a system. There are plenty of systems and coaching styles out there. Roy Williams, Coach-K, and Rick Pitino all have systems. They adjust their systems to best make their teams' talents most effective. I think Sendek was able to do it with NC State. He went from a Pitino style motion offense to e modified Princeton offense. Sendek's teams ALWAYS played tough defense. State needs a dedicated coach with a plan that can be modified because, let's face it, State doesn't always get the recruits they want.
As for a new coach, State fans need to be realistic. Sean Miller is not going to leave Arizona to coach State. If they made him AD and Head Coach, he still wouldn't do it. They can't afford enough money to make him consider it, as Arizona is one of the elite programs in the country. It should be noted that Miller was an assistant under Sendek, so he had first-hand knowledge of how unreasonable State fans can be. They were unfair to Sendek, because of his "lack of personality." Five NCAA Tournaments in a row couldn't satisfy State fans, so Sendek headed elsewhere. I can guarantee Miller is acutely aware of it, so forget Miller.
Chris Mooney would be a good fit, as he has made Richmond a very good team. Before that, he even made Air Force competitive. As a Princeton graduate, he has a great basketball pedigree. I would tap him on the shoulder and see if he is interested. Buzz Williams would be another interesting choice. He is a character and has led Marquette to 3 straight NCAA berths. His teams are tough as nails, which I think State needs. When you can't out recruit UNC and Duke, you have to out tough them.
We'll see what the selection committee can come up with, but I wouldn't count on a high profile coach. It wasn't worth it for Lavin and Calipari a few years ago, and I doubt any household names are going to think of the State job any differently this time around.
1. Offensive flow / continuity. NC State was never very good at running an effective half court offense under Lowe. The Pack were able at times to run the right sets to get favorable match-ups (like an NBA team), but the offense was never smooth and consistent. I listened to people give excuses for the Pack's inability to execute in this area over the past few years, such as State not having a top tier point guard or the fact that a couple of key players left early, but there is no excuse for sloppy half court execution. There are a lot of programs that run an effective half-court offense without a top tier point guard. There are also plenty of schools that have key players leaving early and still have a system in place that players grasp and execute.
2. Defensive effort. I noticed this more this year than in prior years, but State was awful at getting back in transition. It was incredibly frustrating to watch team after team beat State down the court and get a lay up or a dunk. Even teams who are not considered running teams, like Clemson and Florida State, were getting easy baskets on State in transition. Seriously, here's a great way to get blown out by UNC or Duke...don't get back on defense. Great idea making things easy on teams that are talented and well coached. I saw it time and time again.
State's half court defense relied on funneling opponents to a shot blocker, rather than shutting down 3 point shooters. Granted, State was able to make some spectacular blocks at times because of their athletic ability, but they were one of the worst defensive teams in the ACC over Lowe's tenure. Opponents that made the extra pass against State were rewarded for the most part.
There were times when Lowe looked like he was turning the corner and moving in the right direction. Then it seemed like State would lose 5 games in a row and be back to square one. I think Lowe has potential as an assistant coach / recruiter for a top program like Kentucky or UCLA. I think players like and understand him. However, he has never been successful as a head coach at any level.
What State needs is a system. There are plenty of systems and coaching styles out there. Roy Williams, Coach-K, and Rick Pitino all have systems. They adjust their systems to best make their teams' talents most effective. I think Sendek was able to do it with NC State. He went from a Pitino style motion offense to e modified Princeton offense. Sendek's teams ALWAYS played tough defense. State needs a dedicated coach with a plan that can be modified because, let's face it, State doesn't always get the recruits they want.
As for a new coach, State fans need to be realistic. Sean Miller is not going to leave Arizona to coach State. If they made him AD and Head Coach, he still wouldn't do it. They can't afford enough money to make him consider it, as Arizona is one of the elite programs in the country. It should be noted that Miller was an assistant under Sendek, so he had first-hand knowledge of how unreasonable State fans can be. They were unfair to Sendek, because of his "lack of personality." Five NCAA Tournaments in a row couldn't satisfy State fans, so Sendek headed elsewhere. I can guarantee Miller is acutely aware of it, so forget Miller.
Chris Mooney would be a good fit, as he has made Richmond a very good team. Before that, he even made Air Force competitive. As a Princeton graduate, he has a great basketball pedigree. I would tap him on the shoulder and see if he is interested. Buzz Williams would be another interesting choice. He is a character and has led Marquette to 3 straight NCAA berths. His teams are tough as nails, which I think State needs. When you can't out recruit UNC and Duke, you have to out tough them.
We'll see what the selection committee can come up with, but I wouldn't count on a high profile coach. It wasn't worth it for Lavin and Calipari a few years ago, and I doubt any household names are going to think of the State job any differently this time around.
Monday, March 21, 2011
The First Weekend
As predicted, I got creamed on my bracket. Louisville was one of my Final Four teams. I had Pitt winning it all. It's funny, because I had the VCU/USC winner into the Sweet Sixteen, but I assumed USC would beat VCU, who I didn't think belonged in the Tournament. The closest I came to a good call was saying Florida State could give Notre Dame problems. Of course, I picked Notre Dame to advance. So I'm left with 8 out of 16. President Obama is beating me. Sad.
I'm really interested in the Wisconsin v Butler game. Both teams are very well coached, and they can both shoot from deep. Florida State v VCU is intriguing as well. I was impressed at how VCU blew Purdue's door's off, putting up over 50 in the 2nd half. This week will be different for the Rams, though. VCU will not get any easy transition hoops against Florida State, so they need to get creative if they expect to score. I don't expect Florida State to shoot as well as they did against Notre Dame, so I expect VCU will be able to keep it close.
Ohio State looks unbeatable. The only thing that can keep them from the Final Four is UNC. That has the makings of a great game if they both win in the next round.
On the other side of the bracket, Kansas' athletic ability came through against Illinois. As is typical of the Jayhawks, they shot over 50% in the game. Bill Self's team understands when to push the ball and when to back off and run their half court sets. Their shot selection is phenomenal.
I'm really interested in the Wisconsin v Butler game. Both teams are very well coached, and they can both shoot from deep. Florida State v VCU is intriguing as well. I was impressed at how VCU blew Purdue's door's off, putting up over 50 in the 2nd half. This week will be different for the Rams, though. VCU will not get any easy transition hoops against Florida State, so they need to get creative if they expect to score. I don't expect Florida State to shoot as well as they did against Notre Dame, so I expect VCU will be able to keep it close.
Ohio State looks unbeatable. The only thing that can keep them from the Final Four is UNC. That has the makings of a great game if they both win in the next round.
On the other side of the bracket, Kansas' athletic ability came through against Illinois. As is typical of the Jayhawks, they shot over 50% in the game. Bill Self's team understands when to push the ball and when to back off and run their half court sets. Their shot selection is phenomenal.
Monday, March 14, 2011
My Bracket
Here it is. Unlike most, I publish one and one only. There have been years where I have hit all 4 Final Four teams (2001 and 2004 were the last two times, so I feel I'm due) and years where I have hit only 1 of 4. Last year I correctly predicted 2 Final Four participants - Michigan State and Duke with Duke winning it all. Also, I predicted Kansas State and Butler into the Elite Eight. I had Kansas State beating Butler, and luckily won my pool by 2 points. I never liked the idea of filling out multiple brackets and pulling out the best one after the first weekend. "Look, everybody...I got 30 out of 32!" That's weak. Of course, I have other brackets to try and win online contests, but I'm putting this one out there.
I took a lot of risks, but I still put 3 number 1's in the Final Four. I am sure I will get burned, but this year was very difficult. Watch Wofford - they are balanced and experienced. I wanted to put them into the Sweet Sixteen, but chickened out. Gonzaga can easily win 2 games as well. In that part of my bracket, I went with the Lavin factor. He has made a habit of winning the first weekend. I also chickened out on LIU, because I think Carolina is too talented. The LIU Blackbirds are for real, though. They are unusually talented for an NEC team. It's too bad they're an NEC team, because that conference never gets a higher seed than 14.
I love the way Louisville and Washington are playing and went with my gut on Temple. The Owls looked fatigued to me last week, I feel like they can play well after getting some rest. One more team to watch is Florida State. They may give Notre Dame big problems provided the Noles can find ways to score in their first game and advance.
Let the Madness begin. By the way, a Buffalo Wild Wings opened up on Route 22 here in New Jersey. If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend watching the games and chowing on wings there. Of course, given my girth, you may want to discard my dining advice. A few more pounds and I'll have my own satellites.
I took a lot of risks, but I still put 3 number 1's in the Final Four. I am sure I will get burned, but this year was very difficult. Watch Wofford - they are balanced and experienced. I wanted to put them into the Sweet Sixteen, but chickened out. Gonzaga can easily win 2 games as well. In that part of my bracket, I went with the Lavin factor. He has made a habit of winning the first weekend. I also chickened out on LIU, because I think Carolina is too talented. The LIU Blackbirds are for real, though. They are unusually talented for an NEC team. It's too bad they're an NEC team, because that conference never gets a higher seed than 14.
I love the way Louisville and Washington are playing and went with my gut on Temple. The Owls looked fatigued to me last week, I feel like they can play well after getting some rest. One more team to watch is Florida State. They may give Notre Dame big problems provided the Noles can find ways to score in their first game and advance.
Let the Madness begin. By the way, a Buffalo Wild Wings opened up on Route 22 here in New Jersey. If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend watching the games and chowing on wings there. Of course, given my girth, you may want to discard my dining advice. A few more pounds and I'll have my own satellites.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Hats Off To The Committee
The Committee had a lot of pressure on it this year, primarily because there was so much parity across the country. There were a lot of teams that were so similar in terms of their body of work that seeding up and down the Tournament was extremely difficult. Usually, there is some controversy as to who gets a number 1 seed versus a number 2 or the last couple of teams to get in (and this year was no different), but it was unusually difficult to seed the bids from 5 and lower.
Duke received a number 1, but it doesn't help their chances. They were shipped out West, when they would have been far better off with a 2 seed closer to home. Yes, I know they're playing in Charlotte the first weekend, but they're going to play Hampton. They don't need a home crowd during the first weekend. Duke is the defending National Champion and just won their conference tournament with ease against a top 10 team. Half their alumni are from Jersey. The Committee should have thrown them a bone and seeded them in the East, even if it meant a 2 seed. Duke also has a potentially tough second game with Tennessee who, if they show up, can be dangerous. Then Texas awaits Duke in all likelihood. Furthermore, the Committee is handing San Diego State a virtual home game against Duke in Anaheim if they both advance to the regional final. The Devils won't have it easy. Obviously, Coack-K and the Blue Devils don't care - they will go about their business as always.
I thought Colorado and St. Mary's should have been given bids. The West Coast Conference is not a 1 bid league anymore. St. Mary's was about as good as Gonzaga, and Gonzaga definitely belonged in the field. Colorado beat Kansas State 3 times and Mizzou once, finishing .500 in the Big 12. Clemson also lost to UVA and NC State. If Clemson had beaten Carolina at least once in 3 tries, I could have accepted the selection. Their non-conference schedule was awful except for South Carolina, Michigan, and Old Dominion, and they lost all those games.
UAB beat nobody and lost to a dismal Arizona State team. GW beat UAB by 33. Conference USA was truly a 1 bid league this year. Memphis would have been enough. I also question giving VCU a bid. I don't see the Colonial as a 3 bid league, especially since VCU lost to Georgia State, Northeastern, and USF (who was the only bad team in the Big East).
I didn't understand the inclusion of Georgia, either. They beat Kentucky a few months ago and later beat Tennessee, but have no other quality wins. The SEC was down this year, but 5 bids was too much. I would have kept Georgia home.
The reality is that the Committee always gets criticized, no matter who they select. I think the Committee did a great job in a year where there are teams with 12 or 13 losses who can beat 1 seeds. This year's Tournament is going to be extremely entertaining.
Duke received a number 1, but it doesn't help their chances. They were shipped out West, when they would have been far better off with a 2 seed closer to home. Yes, I know they're playing in Charlotte the first weekend, but they're going to play Hampton. They don't need a home crowd during the first weekend. Duke is the defending National Champion and just won their conference tournament with ease against a top 10 team. Half their alumni are from Jersey. The Committee should have thrown them a bone and seeded them in the East, even if it meant a 2 seed. Duke also has a potentially tough second game with Tennessee who, if they show up, can be dangerous. Then Texas awaits Duke in all likelihood. Furthermore, the Committee is handing San Diego State a virtual home game against Duke in Anaheim if they both advance to the regional final. The Devils won't have it easy. Obviously, Coack-K and the Blue Devils don't care - they will go about their business as always.
I thought Colorado and St. Mary's should have been given bids. The West Coast Conference is not a 1 bid league anymore. St. Mary's was about as good as Gonzaga, and Gonzaga definitely belonged in the field. Colorado beat Kansas State 3 times and Mizzou once, finishing .500 in the Big 12. Clemson also lost to UVA and NC State. If Clemson had beaten Carolina at least once in 3 tries, I could have accepted the selection. Their non-conference schedule was awful except for South Carolina, Michigan, and Old Dominion, and they lost all those games.
UAB beat nobody and lost to a dismal Arizona State team. GW beat UAB by 33. Conference USA was truly a 1 bid league this year. Memphis would have been enough. I also question giving VCU a bid. I don't see the Colonial as a 3 bid league, especially since VCU lost to Georgia State, Northeastern, and USF (who was the only bad team in the Big East).
I didn't understand the inclusion of Georgia, either. They beat Kentucky a few months ago and later beat Tennessee, but have no other quality wins. The SEC was down this year, but 5 bids was too much. I would have kept Georgia home.
The reality is that the Committee always gets criticized, no matter who they select. I think the Committee did a great job in a year where there are teams with 12 or 13 losses who can beat 1 seeds. This year's Tournament is going to be extremely entertaining.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Championship Week Part 2 and Another Digression
I still think Pitt should get a number 1 seed at this point. Kemba Walker, who was beaten out by Hansborough for Big East Player of the Year honors, may have had a little extra motivation today. Pitt switched on the pick and roll, and Walker made Pitt's big man look silly in executing a perfect step-back. How can Pitt be bumped to a number 2 seed? It's all up to Duke and Notre Dame. If those 2 teams win their conference tourneys, they deserve number 1 seeds in my opinion. Yes, I know the ACC is sub-par, but Carolina and Florida State are no slouches and Maryland, who plays Duke tomorrow, is desperate. Va Tech is playing well, too. Duke will not have a cake walk. I could see the committee considering ND and Pitt as number 1's if Duke loses to MD, but Coach K and Duke's reputation will make the Committee think twice about not giving the ACC a 1 seed. However, even if Duke and ND win out, it may not be a bad thing for Pitt to get a number 2 seed as it may allow them to stay back East, which would be a good thing for them. They're tough, but they're a truly regional team. Going out West would be a tough road.
UNC winning the ACC should make an interesting decision for the Commitee. No team with 6 losses should be a shoo-in for a 1 seed, but UNC has lost to the following teams: Minnesota, Texas, Vandy, Illinois, and Ga Tech (Jan 16th) with Larry Drew II. After that loss, they lost to Duke in Cameron...and that's it. They haven't lost in over a month. They have no bad losses except for Ga Tech, and the Heels started to ease Larry Drew II from their rotation since then (and now he's gone). If they win the ACC Tournament (and beat Duke in the process), they have a case to make for a number 1 seed. However, the fact that St John's smoked Duke earlier this year, and St John's was the 5 seed in the Big East Tournament, should say something as to the relative strengths of the Big East v the ACC.
Personally, I think UNC does less with their talent than any other team in the country. They have more McDonald's All Americans (by double) than any other program in the NCAA since the McDonald's All American game was created in the 70's. Given their ability to recruit, they should be at least twice as successful as Duke. Yet they aren't.
I have to give Duke credit over UNC and and every other program in the country. Duke HAS NEVER BEEN ACCUSED OF VIOLATING RECRUITMENT RULES. The Duke program should be the model for all other programs in Division I. Yes, I know that Duke is a pocket IVY League School. Yes I know Duke's endowment is around $5 BILLION. Here's the point. Any player that can survive in Duke's basketball program will be able to do well in society given what they were able to do under Coach-K. Isn't that the point? I know that most basketball players at Duke major in Sociology. However, majoring in Sociology at Duke and getting your degree when you are a member of their men's basketball team is amazing. As for the players who have chosen to enter the NBA draft...ask them if Coach-K discouraged them from going into the NBA draft. Kyrie Irving is going number 1 in all likelihood, and Coach-K has been nothing but supportive.
BTW...it boggles my mind that UCONN was the 9 seed in the Big East. They are very good, and are led by a Hall of Fame coach. The Big East is strong.
Elsewhere in the Big East, I believe St. John's has earned a 5 seed with their loss to Syracuse today. They are still the story of the year in my opinion. DJ Kennedy is out for the year, so that hurts the Red Storm's chances in that he is such a versatile player. Nobody, including myself, thought SJU would be in this position. The Orange can earn a 2 seed if they win the Big East Tourney, but a 3 is assured for them. UCONN can creep into a 3 seed potentially if they can beat Syracuse. Georgetown has 6 seed written all over them. West Va and Cincy are no better than 8 or 9's as far as I'm concerned. Huggy Bear's reputation and UWV's Final Four appearance last year may get them as high as a 6 seed, however.
Louisville continues to impress me despite a few hiccups during the year. They are showing an inside, kick to the outside shooter game, pressure defense, and transition game that will make them a tough out. In addition, their guards go to the rack hard and effectively. I think they'd be a nightmare 3 or 4 seed if they can make it to the Sweet Sixteen. I can see them giving an Ohio State or Kansas trouble because Louisville strips the ball from big men so well and force opponents to guard the 3 point line and the paint. If I'm Carolina or Duke, I don't want to see them. At the end of the day, unless you have a clear talent advantage and the right game plan, Rick Pitino's teams don't bow down. They force you to play well to beat them. The Cardinals have a nice resume...they beat Butler, St John's, Nova, Syracuse, West Va (once), UCONN, and Pitt. They also smoked Marquette tonight.
Michigan State deserves a bid, even if they lose to Purdue. Outside of Coach-K, Tom Izzo deserves more leeway than any other coach in the country. State played a very tough road prior to their conference schedule, and the Big Ten was tough. The Committee should just let them in.
Here's my conference breakdown as it stands today:
Big East - 11 teams - I thought this was a long shot, but .500 in the Big East - punch your ticket: Pitt, ND, Syracuse, UCONN, St John's, Louisville, West Va, Villavova, Cincy, Marquette, Georgetown.
Big 10 - 6 teams - Penn State, no way, no how. Ohio St, Purdue, Wisconsin, Mich St, Mich, Illinois
Big 12 - 5 teams - Colorado won a big game, but this conference was top heavy. Kansas, Texas, K-State, A&M, Mizzou
SEC - 4 teams - the winner of Georgia and Alabama punches their ticket. This ain't football...sorry Tennessee. Bids: Florida, Vandy, Kentucky, winner of UGA v Alabama
Mountain West - 4 teams - UNM should get in. This conference was better than the SEC and equal to the PAC-10. Bids: BYU, SDSU, UNLV, UNM
PAC-10 - 4 teams - USC deserves it. They beat Texas, Tennessee, UCLA, and Arizona. Bids: Arizona, UCLA, USC, Washington.
Atlantic-10 - 4 teams* - Duquesne should get a bid if they win tomorrow. This league is better than the SEC. Temple, Xavier, Richmond...TBD, Duquesne
ACC - 3 teams* - the winner of the BC v Clemson means little, unless the winner beats Fla St. This was not your daddy's ACC. Duke, UNC, Fla St., BC or Clemson TBD
West Coast - 2 teams - St. Mary's and Gonzaga are more than qualified
Colonial - 2 teams - GM and ODU can be sleepers in the Tourney
Watch Long Island University, they have a lot of talent. Once the seedings come out, I will give my upset watch.
UNC winning the ACC should make an interesting decision for the Commitee. No team with 6 losses should be a shoo-in for a 1 seed, but UNC has lost to the following teams: Minnesota, Texas, Vandy, Illinois, and Ga Tech (Jan 16th) with Larry Drew II. After that loss, they lost to Duke in Cameron...and that's it. They haven't lost in over a month. They have no bad losses except for Ga Tech, and the Heels started to ease Larry Drew II from their rotation since then (and now he's gone). If they win the ACC Tournament (and beat Duke in the process), they have a case to make for a number 1 seed. However, the fact that St John's smoked Duke earlier this year, and St John's was the 5 seed in the Big East Tournament, should say something as to the relative strengths of the Big East v the ACC.
Personally, I think UNC does less with their talent than any other team in the country. They have more McDonald's All Americans (by double) than any other program in the NCAA since the McDonald's All American game was created in the 70's. Given their ability to recruit, they should be at least twice as successful as Duke. Yet they aren't.
I have to give Duke credit over UNC and and every other program in the country. Duke HAS NEVER BEEN ACCUSED OF VIOLATING RECRUITMENT RULES. The Duke program should be the model for all other programs in Division I. Yes, I know that Duke is a pocket IVY League School. Yes I know Duke's endowment is around $5 BILLION. Here's the point. Any player that can survive in Duke's basketball program will be able to do well in society given what they were able to do under Coach-K. Isn't that the point? I know that most basketball players at Duke major in Sociology. However, majoring in Sociology at Duke and getting your degree when you are a member of their men's basketball team is amazing. As for the players who have chosen to enter the NBA draft...ask them if Coach-K discouraged them from going into the NBA draft. Kyrie Irving is going number 1 in all likelihood, and Coach-K has been nothing but supportive.
BTW...it boggles my mind that UCONN was the 9 seed in the Big East. They are very good, and are led by a Hall of Fame coach. The Big East is strong.
Elsewhere in the Big East, I believe St. John's has earned a 5 seed with their loss to Syracuse today. They are still the story of the year in my opinion. DJ Kennedy is out for the year, so that hurts the Red Storm's chances in that he is such a versatile player. Nobody, including myself, thought SJU would be in this position. The Orange can earn a 2 seed if they win the Big East Tourney, but a 3 is assured for them. UCONN can creep into a 3 seed potentially if they can beat Syracuse. Georgetown has 6 seed written all over them. West Va and Cincy are no better than 8 or 9's as far as I'm concerned. Huggy Bear's reputation and UWV's Final Four appearance last year may get them as high as a 6 seed, however.
Louisville continues to impress me despite a few hiccups during the year. They are showing an inside, kick to the outside shooter game, pressure defense, and transition game that will make them a tough out. In addition, their guards go to the rack hard and effectively. I think they'd be a nightmare 3 or 4 seed if they can make it to the Sweet Sixteen. I can see them giving an Ohio State or Kansas trouble because Louisville strips the ball from big men so well and force opponents to guard the 3 point line and the paint. If I'm Carolina or Duke, I don't want to see them. At the end of the day, unless you have a clear talent advantage and the right game plan, Rick Pitino's teams don't bow down. They force you to play well to beat them. The Cardinals have a nice resume...they beat Butler, St John's, Nova, Syracuse, West Va (once), UCONN, and Pitt. They also smoked Marquette tonight.
Michigan State deserves a bid, even if they lose to Purdue. Outside of Coach-K, Tom Izzo deserves more leeway than any other coach in the country. State played a very tough road prior to their conference schedule, and the Big Ten was tough. The Committee should just let them in.
Here's my conference breakdown as it stands today:
Big East - 11 teams - I thought this was a long shot, but .500 in the Big East - punch your ticket: Pitt, ND, Syracuse, UCONN, St John's, Louisville, West Va, Villavova, Cincy, Marquette, Georgetown.
Big 10 - 6 teams - Penn State, no way, no how. Ohio St, Purdue, Wisconsin, Mich St, Mich, Illinois
Big 12 - 5 teams - Colorado won a big game, but this conference was top heavy. Kansas, Texas, K-State, A&M, Mizzou
SEC - 4 teams - the winner of Georgia and Alabama punches their ticket. This ain't football...sorry Tennessee. Bids: Florida, Vandy, Kentucky, winner of UGA v Alabama
Mountain West - 4 teams - UNM should get in. This conference was better than the SEC and equal to the PAC-10. Bids: BYU, SDSU, UNLV, UNM
PAC-10 - 4 teams - USC deserves it. They beat Texas, Tennessee, UCLA, and Arizona. Bids: Arizona, UCLA, USC, Washington.
Atlantic-10 - 4 teams* - Duquesne should get a bid if they win tomorrow. This league is better than the SEC. Temple, Xavier, Richmond...TBD, Duquesne
ACC - 3 teams* - the winner of the BC v Clemson means little, unless the winner beats Fla St. This was not your daddy's ACC. Duke, UNC, Fla St., BC or Clemson TBD
West Coast - 2 teams - St. Mary's and Gonzaga are more than qualified
Colonial - 2 teams - GM and ODU can be sleepers in the Tourney
Watch Long Island University, they have a lot of talent. Once the seedings come out, I will give my upset watch.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Championship Week Part 1
Villanova was bounced today by the USF Bulls, but I seriously doubt that it will influence Villanova's inclusion into the NCAA Tourney. In fact, it doesn't affect Nova at all. Come selection Sunday, they will be an 10 seed instead of a 6 seed, which is the best they could have hoped for even if they had won tonight. Okay, so they have to put on their blue uniforms for the first round or maybe play that extra game in Dayton. No big deal. Granted, they have to buckle down and play defense. USF should not have been allowed to "Bull" back in 2nd half. Inexcusable.
Now that I look at the Big East, it looks like it will dominate the 4 and 5 seeds in the brackets. Louisville, Syracuse, Georgetown, St. John's, UCONN, and West Virginia all fall into the area. Of course, the Committee will endeavor to spread the teams out a little. However, if they make a couple of teams 6 or 7 seeds and a couple 3 seeds, it's going to be hard to avoid several Big East Teams clashing in the 2nd round. Frankly, I don't think the Committee should be overly worried about avoiding Big East match-ups in the first weekend. The Big East will wind up being a victim of its unprecedented success in all likelihood unless the Committee does some major juggling. It's a good problem for the Big East to have in a way.
Now that I look at the Big East, it looks like it will dominate the 4 and 5 seeds in the brackets. Louisville, Syracuse, Georgetown, St. John's, UCONN, and West Virginia all fall into the area. Of course, the Committee will endeavor to spread the teams out a little. However, if they make a couple of teams 6 or 7 seeds and a couple 3 seeds, it's going to be hard to avoid several Big East Teams clashing in the 2nd round. Frankly, I don't think the Committee should be overly worried about avoiding Big East match-ups in the first weekend. The Big East will wind up being a victim of its unprecedented success in all likelihood unless the Committee does some major juggling. It's a good problem for the Big East to have in a way.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Number 1 Seeds
Interesting week, huh?
I don't like to digress from sports, but what the heck is wrong with BYU? Yes, yes, yes, I know they have an honor code, but punishing a college player for having pre-marital sex? I've watched a few episodes of "Big Love" and those people commit more acts of perversity in a day than most people do in a lifetime. But seriously, a culture with a tradition of polygamy worried about college athletes having sex and having the "audacity" to lie about it? Maybe it's none of anyone's business what you do as a consensual adult. However, it is a Mormon school. Davies should have been smart and married his girlfriend and 7 other women (on the sly, as polygamy is illegal...wink). What was he thinking? I feel for the kid.
It's obviously a blow for BYU to lose a starter, especially because they're not a particularly deep team even with Davies in the rotation. The Cougars aren't rebounding animals, and they just lost their top rebounder. What do you say as their coach? How about, "Okay, Jimmer...I'm gonna need you to drop an additional 15 points per game and shoot better while you do it, because we can't out rebound a high school team now."
It is safe to say that BYU will not receive a number 1 seed after having lost this week (duh). It's a shame for the program, because not many people would have complained if they had not lost this week, ran that conference tourney, and received a number 1 seed.
Ohio State is an obvious lock for the number 1 seed even if they lose in the Big 10 Tourney. They crushed Wisconsin today. Kansas is a lock at this point, too. Pitt and Duke are right there, because other teams that could have made a case (i.e., Texas and BYU) played themselves out of it. In short, the conference tourneys could vault a couple of teams. One thing that interests me is UNC. If they win the ACC Tourney and beat Duke again in the process, does that take away a number 1 seed for the ACC? If I'm Notre Dame, and I win the Big East Tourney over Pitt and the other teams in that gauntlet league, and UNC wins the ACC, I would be pissed if I didn't get the 4th number 1 seed, especially since Catholics aren't polygamists anymore. (Rimshot!)
I love parity. It will kill my bracket in all likelihood, but I will not complain.
I don't like to digress from sports, but what the heck is wrong with BYU? Yes, yes, yes, I know they have an honor code, but punishing a college player for having pre-marital sex? I've watched a few episodes of "Big Love" and those people commit more acts of perversity in a day than most people do in a lifetime. But seriously, a culture with a tradition of polygamy worried about college athletes having sex and having the "audacity" to lie about it? Maybe it's none of anyone's business what you do as a consensual adult. However, it is a Mormon school. Davies should have been smart and married his girlfriend and 7 other women (on the sly, as polygamy is illegal...wink). What was he thinking? I feel for the kid.
It's obviously a blow for BYU to lose a starter, especially because they're not a particularly deep team even with Davies in the rotation. The Cougars aren't rebounding animals, and they just lost their top rebounder. What do you say as their coach? How about, "Okay, Jimmer...I'm gonna need you to drop an additional 15 points per game and shoot better while you do it, because we can't out rebound a high school team now."
It is safe to say that BYU will not receive a number 1 seed after having lost this week (duh). It's a shame for the program, because not many people would have complained if they had not lost this week, ran that conference tourney, and received a number 1 seed.
Ohio State is an obvious lock for the number 1 seed even if they lose in the Big 10 Tourney. They crushed Wisconsin today. Kansas is a lock at this point, too. Pitt and Duke are right there, because other teams that could have made a case (i.e., Texas and BYU) played themselves out of it. In short, the conference tourneys could vault a couple of teams. One thing that interests me is UNC. If they win the ACC Tourney and beat Duke again in the process, does that take away a number 1 seed for the ACC? If I'm Notre Dame, and I win the Big East Tourney over Pitt and the other teams in that gauntlet league, and UNC wins the ACC, I would be pissed if I didn't get the 4th number 1 seed, especially since Catholics aren't polygamists anymore. (Rimshot!)
I love parity. It will kill my bracket in all likelihood, but I will not complain.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Bracket-Nonsensology
Holy cow...Andy Katz thinks that BYU's loss of their starting center will influence their seeding for the NCAA Tournament! You think, Andy?
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/katz_andy/id/6181784/injuries-play-role-committee-decisions
Great headline to your blog, Andy Katz. Why don't you state something more obvious?
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/katz_andy/id/6181784/injuries-play-role-committee-decisions
Great headline to your blog, Andy Katz. Why don't you state something more obvious?
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