College Basketball 2009-2010 (part 2)

[jjfanec]

Gonzaga as a 5 seed as it is is a joke, giving them home games as that high of a seed is a bigger joke.

 

Another one that I think is a joke is Kansas State as a #2 seed playing in Oklahoma City.

 

Wisconsin has pretty much the same record (23-7 for Wisconsin vs 23-6 for Kansas State).

 

They both have similar bad losses (UWGB and Iowa State)

 

Kansas State has also lost to Mississippi on a neutral court, @ Missouri, vs Oklahoma State and Kansas twice once at home and once on the road.

 

Wisconsin has also lost to Gonzaga on a neutral court, @ Michigan State, @ Ohio State without Leuer, @ Purdue without Leuer, vs Illinois without Leuer and @ Minnesota with that being Leuer's first game back.

 

Each team is 7-3 in their last 10 games although two of Kansas State's losses were to Kansas and the other was a bad loss to Iowa State. Wisconsin lost to Purdue on the road and Illinois at home (without Leuer) and at Minnesota in Leuer's first game back. It's pretty clear how important Leuer is to Wisconsin as they lost at home to Illinois and then came back with Leuer against Illinois on the road and beat them by double digits.

 

Kansas State's best wins on the year are Xavier, Dayton, UNLV and Texas.

 

Wisconsin's best wins on the year are Duke, Maryland, Purdue and Michigan State.

 

So how does that make Kansas State a 2 seed within driving distance of their projected location and Wisconsin a 5 seed having to play 1,700 miles away and likely playing a road game if they advance to the 2nd round.

Add in that the Badgers where without Jon Leuer for 9 games and the committee is supposed to take that into effect as well. The Badgers have a better resume than a handful of the teams in front of them - I am calling you out Michigan State, but the Badgers typically get seeded lower than they should wo I am used to it.

[LouisEly]

Well, Gonzaga beat UW pretty handily on a neutral court so you can argue that they should be seeded higher than UW.

 

Then again, Gonzaga got absolutely destroyed by Duke on a neutral court (lost by 35) whereas UW beat Duke at home. That victory over Duke is starting to look better and better for UW.

[trwi7]

The problem is Wisconsin is Gonzaga's only win against a ranked team. As you mentioned, they got destroyed by Duke and they lost to Michigan State. After Wisconsin, what's their next most impressive win? Memphis? St. Mary's? Portland? Just a big meh to all of those. If Gonzaga wouldn't have been a mid major power for the last 10 years, we would be talking about them as an 8 or 9 seed in the tournament based on their resumé.

[Buckylovesbeer]

Gonzaga just got smoked in the WCC finals against St. Mary's. Now what does that do to their seed?

[Glennron]

I remember a few years ago (maybe '03 or so?) Gonzaga was something like 30-3 and got a 6 seed in the tournament, and lost in the first round anyway. Maybe it's irrelevant now but it shows they've been screwed in the past. After losing by 20+ points on national T.V., I don't see how anyone on the committee would feel they deserve a home game in the tournament. They should probably be a 7-8 seed.

[hawing]

Who was just named the Big Ten Player of the Week? hawing's basketball fan crush, that's who. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Oldcity]

Not that it matters that much, but I don't understand all the Kalin Lucas love. He's not as great as everyone says.

 

Lucas: 14.8 points, 1.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 2.4 turnovers, 45.5 fg %

 

Trevon Hughes: 15.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.0 turnovers, 41.2 fg %

 

Jordan Taylor: 10.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.2 turnovers, 39.8 fg %

 

Jason Bohannon: 12.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.3 turnovers, 48 fg %

 

Lucas is a good but not great scorer who turns the ball over too much and doesn't rebound. Somehow he makes first team, Hughes makes second, Bohannon makes third team, and Taylor is left off entirely. Yet by the numbers, you could make the case that all three of these Badger guards have had better seasons. Certainly when you factor in defense, I'd definitely take at least Hughes over Lucas.

 

Also, these numbers made me realize JBo has been even better than I thought. I didn't know he was grabbing almost four boards a game, and 48% shooting for a guard is outstanding.

 

But because Lucas was a pre-season pick, and because he's on Michigan State, it doesn't matter.

[trwi7]

Gonzaga just got smoked in the WCC finals against St. Mary's. Now what does that do to their seed?

I think it knocks them down to a 6 or 7 and away from Spokane. At the very least they're not playing in Spokane or at least I hope that's the case.

[Roscoe Chill]

Trevon Hughes: 15.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.0 turnovers, 41.2 fg %

Jordan Taylor: 10.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.2 turnovers, 39.8 fg %

Jason Bohannon: 12.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.3 turnovers, 48 fg %

 

Mediocrity at it's finest.

 

Sorry to keep pounding whoever said that, but it was a silly statement at the beginning of the year, and it's even sillier now.

[homer]

I don't know how Bo Ryan didn't win coach of the year. Matta and Painter both did what they were expected to do. UW was picked to finish 9th.

[Menotti80]

speaking of coaches of the year, too bad syracuse didn't have such a great season, otherwise buzz had a good shot at big east coach of the year AND maybe even some votes for national coach of the year...

[Fatter than Joey]

Gonzaga just got smoked in the WCC finals against St. Mary's. Now what does that do to their seed?

 

The other thing it does, is bumps a team like Illinois off of the bubble, as there is now one less at-large bid to be handed out. I think St. Mary's was likely to make it, but Gonzaga is assured a spot.

[thebruce44]

speaking of coaches of the year, too bad syracuse didn't have such a great season, otherwise buzz had a good shot at big east coach of the year AND maybe even some votes for national coach of the year...

I still think he will win Big East coach of the year...at least he should.

[MJLiverock]

Trevon Hughes: 15.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.0 turnovers, 41.2 fg %

Jordan Taylor: 10.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.2 turnovers, 39.8 fg %

Jason Bohannon: 12.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.3 turnovers, 48 fg %

 

Mediocrity at it's finest.

 

Sorry to keep pounding whoever said that, but it was a silly statement at the beginning of the year, and it's even sillier now.

 

I don't think I said it at the beginning of the year but I could see where someone would have said it. Bohannon had regressed each year until this year. He really surprised me by turning things around this year and stepping up his shooting percentage and his defense. Taylor was pretty bad at shooting last year so going into this year he was still relatively a question mark. Hughes took and missed a lot of long threes last year as the shot clock ran out, this year he seemed to really make a lot of those same shots. Remember those long scoring droughts of last year as the team tossed up brick after brick from behind the arc in the waning moments of the shot clock? This year they were much better at making them and they seem more aggressive in taking it to the hoop with Leuer and Nankivil actually getting some dunks and even an occasional alley oop. The team still struggles versus a zone defense like versus MN and NW.

 

At the beginning of the year I thought this team would be anywhere from 4th to 6th in the Big 10. I got in a number of discussions/arguments with people who thought I was crazy not to pick them in the top 3 because "Bo always gets in the top 3". I have been critical of his recruiting lately and still think the team is in trouble next year and the following year due to weak recruiting classes last year and this year.. Honestly, the team has exceeded my expectations a bit this year because Bohannnon shot much better and Taylor really improved to match his recuiting status as Mr. Basketball of MN. I still am not sold on Evans or Brusewitz being offensive threats at all. Rob Wilson is the enigma that could improve like Taylor next year. Berggren still can't see the floor even after redshirting and even during blowouts except the final minute. He was fairly hightly touted so maybe he can improve for his sophomore year of eligibility and not become another Gavinksi or Markolf. Dukan is a little intruiging since he may have been a late bloomer a la Leuer or a Wilkinson but I don't have high expectations for Anderson.

[TooLiveBrew]

I don't think I said it at the beginning of the year but I could see where someone would have said it.

 

Reply #32... it wasn't you, MJ http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[trwi7]

Lunardi posted his updated bracket.

 

Gonzaga drops to a 7 seed playing Marquette in Oklahoma City.

 

Wisconsin stays as a 4 seed in Spokane facing San Diego State. 5 seed is Texas A&M.

 

Just looking at the bracket the Badgers are in according to this, I think they could make it to the Elite 8.

 

1. Syracuse

2. Kansas State

3. New Mexico

4. Wisconsin

5. Texas A&M

6. Maryland

7. Gonzaga

8. Northern Iowa

9. Florida State

10. Marquette

11. Utah State

12. Arizona State

13. San Diego State

14. Weber State

15. UC-Santa Barbara

16. Quinnipiac

 

Other than Syracuse, there isn't a team that scares me and there isn't a team that I think the Badgers couldn't beat.

[MJLiverock]

I'd take that bracket in a heartbeat for WI. KSU and NM haven't really done all that much OOC and WI had already played MD, Gonzaga, and MU.

[owbc]

That would be an incredible bracket, although we still have the conference tournament to go. If the Badgers beat Illinois, they will almost certainly get a 4 seed.

[Glennron]

I'd rather be in Syracuse's region than Kansas', but I'd much rather see Kentucky, or maybe even Duke, than 'Cuse. Four of 'Cuse's top 5 scorers are athletic wings/forwards that are 6'7"-6'9". I think we'd see Evans and Bruiser quite a bit if that happened, which obviously wouldn't be good for the offense. Then again if any team is hot from three they can beat their zone.

[Oldcity]

Being in Kentucky's bracket is my dream scenario. Depending on who else is there, there's a good chance I'd pick the Badgers to at least the elite 8.

[LouisEly]

The dream scenario would be for New Mexico to somehow choke in their conference tourney and the Badgers make it to the Big 10 Championship game, which would probably cause the two to swap places. I agree that I'd take that bracket in a heartbeat but they would match up with Syracuse in the Elite 8, whereas I would prefer to be on the other side of the bracket from them. Syracuse runs a similar zone defense as Northwestern only with much better and more athletic players; I think that would be a really bad matchup for UW.

[Menotti80]

kind of an important game for marquette today.

 

if they lose to st johns, they are looking at a 12 seed, and may even be back on the bubble if enough non-at large teams win their conference tourney's.

 

that being said, if they won today, they have a decent chance to beat villanova, which would put them in the 7-8 seed range i think...

[olliegjw]

I agree that I'd take that bracket in a heartbeat but they would match up with Syracuse in the Elite 8, whereas I would prefer to be on the other side of the bracket from them. Syracuse runs a similar zone defense as Northwestern only with much better and more athletic players; I think that would be a really bad matchup for UW.

Actually, they'd play Syracuse in the Sweet 16 in that scenario.

 

 

[Glennron]

Marquette giving the game away pretty quickly after leading by 14 in the first half.

[TooLiveBrew]

Nice to see MU hang on. I'd love to see them knock off 'Nova