2022 NCAA Tournament thread

[HarryDoyle]

Wow! Kudos to UNC for bouncing back.  I thought they'd be completely demoralized to come back and win in OT. Great gutcheck, and shame on me.

[HarryDoyle]

And another #1 barely escapes. Gonzaga is the only legit #1 seed in this tournament. I'd be shocked if they don't see win it all. I see Providence beating Kansas in the next round.

[HarryDoyle]

Freaking Michigan busting my bracket.

[HarryDoyle]

My goodness this Aggies/Razor backs game. Over 12 minutes into the game and neither team is in double digits yet.

[Samurai Bucky]

12 minutes ago, HarryDoyle said:

My goodness this Aggies/Razor backs game. Over 12 minutes in the game and neither team is in double digits yet.

<blue sarcasm text>

They are setting the game back 50 years.

</blue sarcasm text>

[SeaBass]

St. Peter's up 7 against 7 seed Murray St. with 2:21 to go. What a story.

[HarryDoyle]

So St. Peter's is going to the Sweet 16 and Kentucky, Baylor, Tennesee, and possibly Gonzaga if they don't get it together are not. This is possibly the most wide open tournament ever.

[HarryDoyle]

 

[stalton]

Gonzaga barely holds on.  

[DuWayne Steurer]

1 seeds aren't really playing like it so far in this tourney.  Be interesting to see how everything plays out.  I think there's a lot of teams left that have a legit chance of cutting down the nets.  Like HD said above, this is super wide open.  Gonzaga is still the favorite, and they should be, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone knocks them off in any given round. 

[HarryDoyle]

1 hour ago, RoCoBrewfan said:

1 seeds aren't really playing like it so far in this tourney.  Be interesting to see how everything plays out.  I think there's a lot of teams left that have a legit chance of cutting down the nets.  Like HD said above, this is super wide open.  Gonzaga is still the favorite, and they should be, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone knocks them off in any given round. 

Right. IMO Gonzaga was the only legit #1 seed in the tournament and even they have struggled to win both games they played.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

From a spending perspective, St. Peter's might be the biggest shock to ever make the Sweet 16. Very little pedigree. Tiny budget. Beat the POY and most known brand in the sport. And did it looking confident and athletic. 

Pretty incredible stuff. 

[Joseph Zarr]

14 minutes ago, Cool Hand Lucroy said:

From a spending perspective, St. Peter's might be the biggest shock to ever make the Sweet 16. Very little pedigree. Tiny budget. Beat the POY and most known brand in the sport. And did it looking confident and athletic. 

Pretty incredible stuff. 

Indeed. It's incredible. 

The best part of the Peacocks' story is this is THE first team EVER to make the Sweet 16 from the MAAC. I am simply elated Holloway led the team to it and not Pitino. Iona can take a backseat. First Round NIT losers. While, Holloway leads his small squad from Jersey City. It's such an incredible story...and, thankfully, it will lead Holloway (most likely) back to his Alma Mater in Seton Hall to sit in the HC's chair in a Big East program.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Holloway is so fun to watch. Just very calm and yet energized all at once. Team mirrors him for sure.

I really hope he finds success at the the Hall. It's hard to make that jump--at the MAAC level, it's just easier to get guys to believe in you in some ways (though you also have to prove to them why they shouldn't transfer just about every week). Anyway, the Big East is awesome. It needs a second marquee program.

And seconded on Iona. For as good as that program's been (very good), it's pretty shocking they haven't really threatened like St. Peter's. They got an at-large bid in the last decade! From the MAAC! They had enough cache to hire a top-3 all-time famous coach! The distance between them and the rest of that league is massive.

This is why college hoops is fun. St. Peter's is national news. And people will remember it for decades. Already. Independent of whatever happens next week.

[HarryDoyle]

Just not the B10's day today.

[HarryDoyle]

And another poser team goes down in Auburn. Without looking at the brackets is it possible that the highest seed in the Final Four be a 5 or even lower? Because I wouldn't be surprised in the least. I still expect Gonzaga to make it though.

[Joseph Zarr]

8 hours ago, Cool Hand Lucroy said:

Holloway is so fun to watch. Just very calm and yet energized all at once. Team mirrors him for sure.

I really hope he finds success at the the Hall. It's hard to make that jump--at the MAAC level, it's just easier to get guys to believe in you in some ways (though you also have to prove to them why they shouldn't transfer just about every week). Anyway, the Big East is awesome. It needs a second marquee program.

And seconded on Iona. For as good as that program's been (very good), it's pretty shocking they haven't really threatened like St. Peter's. They got an at-large bid in the last decade! From the MAAC! They had enough cache to hire a top-3 all-time famous coach! The distance between them and the rest of that league is massive.

This is why college hoops is fun. St. Peter's is national news. And people will remember it for decades. Already. Independent of whatever happens next week.

The MAAC is really a weird League. The refereeing is atrocious. It truly is. The school campuses often reflect those of a big high school rather than a worthwhile Division I University. There’s a reason this is the first Sweet 16 appearance from the League - tho, I will say there have been some very good basketball players throughout its tenure. 
 

Agreed on all fronts Holloway and Iona. It’s a lovely feeling when the Gaels Fail(s). Pitino is no longer a  likable Coach as far as I’m concerned whereas you can’t help but absolutely love Holloway.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

What I love about college basketball is that, when your team bows out, you can still find a lot to love about this tournament.

TCU-Arizona was excellent last night, despite some pretty bad officiating.

The Sweet 16 is fantastic. St. Peter's provides the small-school shock of a story. Providence has been the most fun team in the sport for my money all year. Duke and Texas Tech in a game that puts athleticism versus just grinding defense. Gonzaga and Arkansas about to track meet. Houston and Arizona in a massive clash of styles (one of the fastest teams in the sport v. one of the absolute slowest). Purdue going for its first FF in forever. Villanova, the closest thing the last decade has to a dynasty, somehow flying way under the radar with a HOF coach. Even the Iowa State/Miami game is fascinating because ISU won two games last year.

I think it's a great, balanced Sweet 16. There isn't game I want to skip over Thursday or Friday, and that's rare.

I would love to see a Providence, St. Peter's, Gonzaga, Nova FF, which won't happen, but there are some fun, fun combos out there. Should be another great hoops weekend.

[NBBrewFan]

Just saw this halftime score for NCAAW:

 

Notre Dame 60

Oklahoma 25

 

Just WOW! I didn't see any of the game, but the highlights showing on ESPN are just 3-pointer after 3-pointer by the Lady Irish.  And believably a win% of 99.9% with a half to go.

[NBBrewFan]

Can the Lady Sooners pull off a miracle comeback?  Nope.  ND just put the pedal to the metal and now leads by 43 with less than 5 minutes left.

 

Edit: Final, 108 to 64.

[HarryDoyle]

WIDE. OPEN.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Houston is looking really strong.  I didn't fill out a bracket, but they're looking tough.  (Watch, they'll lose their next game now)

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Saturday's two games look great. Houston-Villanova is really fascinating. If Jay Wright can win a third title, he's gotta be right behind K and Wooden as the best coach in the game. 

Tonight's slate is less compelling than last night's, I think, but I'm really looking forward to Kansas-Providence. Would love to see St. Peter's hang with Purdue. They should have good fan support in Philly.

[craigharmann]

2 hours ago, RoCoBrewfan said:

Houston is looking really strong.  I didn't fill out a bracket, but they're looking tough.  (Watch, they'll lose their next game now)

They're so tough. I'm in Houston. Been watching Sampson and this team for a while. Last year, they made the Final Four with same kind of guys. Defense and rebounding. It's amazing and fun to watch. They really dominated Arizona from the get-go last night. It's going to be a great game tomorrow night and I really hope they win. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Let's. Go. Peacocks. That is All.