College Basketball Thread 2015-16

[bjkrautk]

Last night seemed like a combination of the team letting off the gas (immediately after Gard was named permanent head coach), and still being a little worn down after that Purdue game.

 

 

All things considered, assuming they're still in the tournament, I think not having to play another game or three this weekend probably helps more than moving up one or two lines in the brackets.

[rwa12]

I think they'll get a 7. The conference tourneys really only seem to matter if you win them. If they shoot like they did last night, they'll lose to anyone. Hope it's out of their system. Still bullish on the second weekend of the tourney.

[MrTPlush]

I think they'll get a 7. The conference tourneys really only seem to matter if you win them. If they shoot like they did last night, they'll lose to anyone. Hope it's out of their system. Still bullish on the second weekend of the tourney.

 

The conference tourneys matter a lot...even more so when you win it or have an early exit. Losing to a 15-17 team is not going to look good. Fresh on the minds of the committee will be a bad lose for a team already loaded with many of them.

[fondybrewfan]

NBC Sports has them as an 8 with Kansas in Round #2. Ouch

CBS Sports has them as an 8 with Kansas in Round #2. Ouch

ESPN has them as a 7 with Oregon in Round 2. I'll take that

Yahoo has them as a 7 seed.

 

I think UW could do anything from being knocked out in the 1st Round Ala Ole Miss a few years back to maybe an Elite 8. A Final 4 run would be incredibly unexpected. Truthfully I expect them to win the opening round and then get beat. That really isn't all that disappointing given all the question marks going into this season.

[MrTPlush]

Also important to note that Wisconsin can still go down. Not sure if any teams on the 8/9 line are still playing in the tourney, but if so they could easily bump down Wisconsin with a good win or two. Of course I am referring to anyone that has them as a 7. I don't think they will fall past 8/9 no matter what.

[DHonks]

I'm no Wisconsin fan, but I think this loss helps me as the Badgers should be a 7-seed now. That means they'll be against a 10-seed and something like a 3-to-5.5 point favorite. Sometimes the mid-tier Big Ten teams seem overseeded, so I could still see Wisconsin landing a 6-seed. If they have a low-line, I'll consider throwing money on them.

[superfly]

Horrific might not cover what they were last night.

[LouisEly]

Teams such as Nebraska that have no shot at the tourney unless they win their conference tourney have nothing to lose and are going to play that way in their conference tourney. It happens every year in several conferences where a good team loses to a low seed because the low seed plays like they have nothing to lose because they have nothing to lose. It won't help them obviously, but it won't hurt them that much. It probably solidifies a 7-seed, but I think Indiana losing hurts UW more than losing to Nebraska. Indiana losing makes the conference look bad.

[MrTPlush]

Not to mention Iowa lost their opening round game to Illinois. Good Job Wisconsin, Iowa, and Indiana.

[nodakfan17]

It sounds like UW-Milwaukee is not pursuing an invite to one of the third-tier post-season tournaments, even though they had a 20-win season. I wonder if they are getting ready to fire AD Amanda Braun and / or Rob Jeter? I know these third-tier tournaments are not the prize for most mid-major programs, but you would think that extra (televised) basketball is good for the program.

 

JS Online Link

[nodakfan17]

My opinion of Linc Darner is extremely high, but if I were an AD of a major conference program, I'd have some concerns. It's obvious that he can coach, but can he recruit?

 

Well, we're not talking about Duke or Kansas here. UCF or someone in that sphere would still be a better opportunity and a bigger paycheck. I imagine he would be as good as anyone else recruiting at a school at that level.

 

He's a guy with 1 year of D1 head coaching experience. Barring a Sweet 16 run (or better), he's not going anywhere this off-season.

I think Linc Darner stays at UWGB for at least one more season. He'll graduate two decent players in Jordan Fouse and Carrington Love, but will otherwise return 6 seniors and 4 juniors. However, the quick move from D-II to a high-major program is not unprecedented. Kim Anderson won a D-II title at Central Missouri in 2014 and then took the head job at Missouri.

[QuevedosTongue]

It sounds like UW-Milwaukee is not pursuing an invite to one of the third-tier post-season tournaments, even though they had a 20-win season. I wonder if they are getting ready to fire AD Amanda Braun and / or Rob Jeter? I know these third-tier tournaments are not the prize for most mid-major programs, but you would think that extra (televised) basketball is good.

 

Anybody know what's going on here? It seems clear this is Braun's decision and Jeter is not on board. Do they not like each other? I get that the program backers don't like this, but her logic seems sound to me (the team underperformed ased on expectations and spending, so let's not play in a crappy tournament nobody cares about). On the other hand, it sounds like money wasn't really an issue. So, is there more to this?

[Patrick425]

2 hour selection show?! I remember when it was a 1/2 hour. Just tell us who's in, I don't need interviews with coaches and analysts picks . I know, I know...all about money.

[LouisEly]

When do they typically announce the actual schedule/times? If the Badgers end up here in STL I want to hop on tickets for their session right away (two sessions - the two early games are session 1, the two late games are session 2).

[MrTPlush]

I will never understand how they come to these decisions. Kansas, the #1 overall seed by a large margin, somehow gets put in the South Region? So if they make the Elite 8 they play in Louisville instead of Chicago?

 

Every year they make some of the strangest decisions and usually are out to get the #1 overall seed.

[MrTPlush]

What is everyone's Final Four picks?

 

SOUTH: Kansas - I think they find a way. Won't be easy, but they know how to win.

 

EAST: Kentucky - Wow....what a bracket. I take Kentucky though. Team has the talent clicking right now.

 

WEST: Texas A&M - I will jump on this band wagon. Love the way they played Kentucky today. I think they can make a run.

 

MIDWEST: Michigan State - Probably the pick I am most comfortable with. Fairly easy bracket for them.

 

KANSAS over TEXAS A&M ------- KENTUCKY over MICHIGAN STATE

 

KANSAS over KENTUCKY

 

NOTE: I wouldn't be shocked if 3/4 of these teams don't even make the Final Four. Heck I could see a few of those teams losing the second game they play.

 

 

I am pretty sure the committee is on some kind of mission when they make these brackets. I think they try to get certain teams to lose and have certain upsets they try to get. Must be looking at some formula to get the best TV ratings. Why else do so many mid-majors get screwed when they do exactly what the committee wants?

[MrTPlush]

When do they typically announce the actual schedule/times? If the Badgers end up here in STL I want to hop on tickets for their session right away (two sessions - the two early games are session 1, the two late games are session 2).

 

Some have already been released so I imagine not very long.

[nodakfan17]

When do they typically announce the actual schedule/times? If the Badgers end up here in STL I want to hop on tickets for their session right away (two sessions - the two early games are session 1, the two late games are session 2).

 

Some have already been released so I imagine not very long.

I've read on other message boards that the Badgers will play at 5:50 pm on Friday, but I don't have an official source for that. Some times and channels are slowly populating on the CBS Sports website, but that is not one of them.

 

Edit: UWGB is playing on Friday at 6:20 pm on TBS (same time as the Badgers are rumored to be playing).

[nodakfan17]

Regarding the UW-Milwaukee situation ...

 

I've gathered from certain basketball message boards and the JS Online comments section that AD Amanda Braun is not well-liked by Panther fans. I think part of that may be due to the state budget situation and new cost of attendance measures, but they certainly aren't the only program facing these challenges. UW-Milwaukee's athletics budget is 5th in the Horizon League (out of 10 teams). I also gather (from third-hand sources) that she leans introvert and has not made herself as accessible to players, boosters, and the media as fans would like to see. Also, I don't wish Rob Jeter any ill will, but if you were to exclude his first season in which he went 22-9 and made the NCAA tournament with Bruce Pearl's players, he is 162-161 over the last 10 years. The timing might be right for a new AD / HC.

[Baldkin]

I will never understand how they come to these decisions. Kansas, the #1 overall seed by a large margin, somehow gets put in the South Region? So if they make the Elite 8 they play in Louisville instead of Chicago?

 

Every year they make some of the strangest decisions and usually are out to get the #1 overall seed.

 

It's if they make the sweet 16. Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games are in the same spot.

 

Where was Kansas supposed to play? Honestly?

Their first two games are in Des Moines, which is a 3.5 hour drive from Kansas City.

 

Comparing Louisville to Chicago, both are about 8 hour drives from Kansas City.

[Baldkin]

When do they typically announce the actual schedule/times? If the Badgers end up here in STL I want to hop on tickets for their session right away (two sessions - the two early games are session 1, the two late games are session 2).

 

Some have already been released so I imagine not very long.

I've read on other message boards that the Badgers will play at 5:50 pm on Friday, but I don't have an official source for that. Some times and channels are slowly populating on the CBS Sports website, but that is not one of them.

 

Edit: UWGB is playing on Friday at 6:20 pm on TBS (same time as the Badgers are rumored to be playing).

 

http://www.ncaa.com/news/ncaa/article/2016-03-13/march-madness-ncaa-tournament-television-schedule-turner-sports-and-cbs

 

Badgers at 6:50, UWGB at 7:20. Thanks, NCAA

[MrTPlush]

Comparing Louisville to Chicago, both are about 8 hour drives from Kansas City.

 

They were going to play in Des Moines regardless.

 

The problem is the Elite 8. Similar drives, but it is just an hour flight to Chicago and it is a three hour flight to Louisville since you can't take it non stop there. That is THREE TIMES as far. The other issue past that is price. Just using what google maps throws out there to Chicago is $276 and to Louisville is $555.

 

Kansas got hosed and the committee can't even follow it's own rules. They specifically say the number one overall seed will get the closer games, period. Louisville is 3 miles closer, but if they didn't take into account the flying times the committee is a lot dumber than I thought.

 

In the end it probably isn't a huge deal, but man if they can't even get that simple concept right that is concerning.

[superfly]

This committee is a joke all the way around. SYRACUSE!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?! Hell, does PITT even belong in there?

 

Watch out for Stephen F Austin and Iona...the former is really under the radar but they score & they stop people. Iona is going to run Iowa State into the ground in that mile high air, hope ISU is in shape and ready to go.

 

 

South - Kansas / Miami, Kansas final four. I don't believe in Nova but not sure who else would get to elite 8.

 

West - Oregon / Oklahoma, Oregon final four

 

East - Carolina / Wisconsin, Carolina final four. I honestly like Wiskys draw here as long as we don't lay another egg. Xavier is a bit overrated in my mind but will be tough. Michigan, WVU (see SF Austin comment), Notre Dame are all beatable. Kentucky or Carolina will come out of the other side

 

South - Purdue / Michigan State, MSU final four

 

Final four, MSU and Kansas advance

 

Title - MSU

[DHonks]

I tend to feel otherwise, I'll take Xavier to go far, and blowout their opponents. I got what I wished out of Bucky...a low line!

 

Seriously, it's hilarious watching all the experts at ESPN and CBS pick their brackets. I don't think i've seen a single upset outside of a 9 beating an 8 (and I think three 9's are favored in Vegas)

 

The question is which league will be this year's Big 12 with the flops. My money is on the Pac-12. I thought 5 teams deserved to get in, and they got 7!

[patrickgpe]

regarding Marquette: they were completely done in by strength of schedule, hopefully Wojo learned that the reason why they didn't get into the NIT was that strength of schedule was awful and nomatter how good the Big East was, it wasn't enough to make up for scheduling almost all bottom 300 teams in the nonconference home portion of the schedule. Its too bad they wasted Ellenson's only season at Marquette.