Wisconsin Badgers Basketball

[RyDogg66]

After looking at some of the other top 3 seeds in each bracket I think Wisconsin got hosed. G'Town and Kansas is a tough draw.

[packfan79]

A number three seed seems alittle ridiculous and playing the winner of the USC/K-State game is going to be a tough draw for Bucky, both teams are more athletic. If they can get by that game I think they can be Georgetown. I know the Big Ten was down this year but Wisc a #3 and Indiana #8 seems like a raw deal.

[Fatter than Joey]

After looking at some of the other top 3 seeds in each bracket I think Wisconsin got hosed.

 

I'm not so sure --

 

If we got the #2 in the East -- that means we would have to play UNC in Charlotte -- PASS

 

If we got the #2 in the West -- we would have had to play UCLA in Phoenix -- PASS

 

If we got the #2 in the South, we'd be playing Memphis in Houston -- PASS

 

So -- If we got the #2 in the Midwest and swapped seeds with Gtown -- the end result would be the same -- we'd be playing Gtown/Kansas in Detroit.

 

You could certainly argue that USC might be a tougher draw than Gonzaga for the second round -- but I don't think that sort of difference is screwjob level.

[M Skjellyfetti]

I would rather face UNC than Kansas any day of the week. Wisconsin also got a pretty tough draw in having to face the winner of the best 6-11 game in the tournament (Kansas State is 15th in the nation in pythagorean winning percentage, yet only an 11 seed?). I feel that the screw job happens in the route to the elite 8 more than the match-up with the #1 seed. UW has a much tougher path to the elite 8 than any two seed, and the toughest road to the sweet 16 out of any 3 seed--with the possible exception of Stanford having to face Marquette most likely.

[Glennron]

While Kansas State got a pretty low seed, they're very inconsistent. While it wouldn't be an easy matchup for Wisconsin, I think UW's D could really slow down Beasley/Walker and force them into some impatient decision making. USC is a pretty tough team as a 6, but in their two games against Washington State (similar style to Wisconsin's) they lost by double digits, so hopefully that's a sign they'd also struggle with the Badgers.

And about the Georgetown 2 and UW 3, regardless of seeding, you're likely playing a very good team in the Sweet 16. It's obviously not a given they'll be there, but Detroit is easily the most favorable region.

Apparently Fullerton's tallest starters are 6'5", and they have two 6'6" guys coming off the bench. Plus they average 83 ppg. I'd say quite the contrasting styles.

[LouisEly]

And about the Georgetown 2 and UW 3, regardless of seeding, you're likely playing a very good team in the Sweet 16.

 

Yep. Once you get to the Sweet 16, theoretically you should be playing one of the top 16 teams in the country so it really doesn't matter. UW got arguably the weakest #2 seed in the closest venue (Detroit - the venues are pre-determined so while Omaha isn't Chicago or Minneapolis, it was the closest one in the first round). As Glennron said, USC got blown out by Wazzu both times they played, and K-State is a one-man team. The only game UW got blown out was at Duke early in the season, and the other three were close games to ranked teams.

 

Now Marquette getting Kentucky in the first round... that is a raw deal. Kentucky had a lot of key players out with injury early in the season which contributed to their losses. Other than Gardner-Webb, they lost to UNC (#1 overall), at Indiana (before the Sampson issues), UAB (22-10, just missed out of the tourney), at Houston (22-9, just behind UAB and Memphis in conference USA), San Diego (beat Gonzaga for WCC Championship), Louisville (#3 seed), at Mississippi State (#8 seed), at Florida (21-11, just missed tourney), at Vanderbilt (#4 seed), at Tennessee (then #1), and to Georgia, who won the SEC tourney. And they beat Vandy and Tennessee. Tough schedule. Kentucky is better than an 11 seed.

[bjkrautk]

Badgers ended up about where I expected them to be seeded, and they received the most favorable regional treatment possible. (Badger fans will make their way to Detroit.)

 

While I'm currently expecting Georgetown to beat Wisconsin, at least the two teams match up in terms of style of play.

(Note: I always get burned when I project the Badgers into the final four; Georgetown presents the best opportunity to 'out-Badger' the Badgers.)

[temke]

here is how i see it.

 

poll #1 = 6

poll #2 = 8

RPI = 12

 

divide by 3 = 8.66

 

and also remember this nugget from the "Principles and Procedures For Establishing the Bracket"

 

"An institution may be moved one bracket line from its true seed line (e.g., from a No. 13 seed to a No. 12 seed) when it is placed in the bracket if necessary to meet the principles."

 

maybe a move to the three to give them a favorable draw?

 

FYI: http://www.ncaa.com/basketball-mens/article.aspx?id=92514

[Oldcity]

I'd rather be with Memphis than Kansas, but oh well. I'm very surprised at Kansas State's 11 seed while Oregon gets a 9, South Alabama gets a 10, Arizona gets a 10. Kansas, as was mentioned, is inconsistent, but when they play well they can beat anyone.

[ELCABALLO45]

I loved Georgetown all year long, and then we get stuck with BOTH Kansas and G-Town. Ouch, much better than facing UNC I guess.

 

And I hope everyone is not thinking that the 2nd round is a auto win. With it being 1 and done, sometimes great players can carry their team to a win. With USC we get OJ Mayo and with Kansas St. we get the best player in America in Michael Beasley, who can take over a game at anytime.

[danzig6767]

I think people over analyze these seedings to much. When you're a 3 seed, once that first round game is won, all games afterwards have a chance at producing a loss. Hell, look at the Badgers last season to UNLV in the second round. Once the field gets paired to 32 then 16 teams, you don't play a really good game, you lose.

 

I've seen Georgetown play numerous times and if we end up facing them, i don't see that as some much tougher task than playing say Texas or Duke. In fact, i'd rather UW faced Georgetown than Duke.

[homer]

Since Kansas is going to win it all and Georgetown plays an identical brand of basketball as UW, I don't like that region at all. But I could care less about #3 vs. #2. No one remembers what seed a team had five years ago...they remember who won it all (and who was in the Final Four).

[Menotti80]

Since Kansas is going to win it all

Have you forgotten that we are talking about Kansas here, a team coached by Bill Self??? There is nothing about this team that indicates it will not choke in the tourney like they do every year...

[homer]

Right. Like Roy Williams choked every year. Or like Lute Olsen choked every year. Or like Jim Boeheim choked every year.

[FVBrewerFan]

I do believe Wisconsin should have been a #2 seed. Yes, the Big 10 is "down" but Bucky won the conference and the tourny. Only 4 losses, and all to top 25 teams. A win at Texas is the icing. Duke beat WI, true, but they didn't win their conference and exited the tourny early. Plus two losses in conference down the stretch. Texas is in the same boat, although they made it to their conf championship game at least. But Duke and Texas are media darlings, Wisconsin is slow boring basketball. That's how the "experts" see it, even if it's subconscious.

 

Not sure if this will make sense, but that may be a blessing in disguise anyhow. Maybe Bucky can ride the "we are disrespected" train.

[TooLiveBrew]

Who cares about the 2--3? Don't you want the better situation? That's exactly what Bucky got - an extra day off, and closer to WI. This is the best 'snubbing' ever. If we'd gotten the 2, I'd be a little frustrated given that this #3 spot was available.

[Menotti80]

I don't think they get an extra day off - they play on Thursday though don't they???

[hauser42]

Will take the closer to home game and weaker high seeds to being a #2 in a different region. Duke and Texas are both lucky to be seeded that high, but they will not life up to those seedings.

[TooLiveBrew]

Sorry - I'd heard Bo mention yesterday that they would get an extra off-day by being the #3 seed. My fault! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/embarassed.gif

[Oldcity]

I still think they would have been better off out west with the two seed they deserved over Duke, who didn't win their conference and didn't make their conference tourney final.

 

Duke has a relatively easy walk to the elite eight, while Wisconsin will probably need to go through USC/K-St, Georgetown and Kansas to reach the final four. Very tall task that isn't right for a double-champion with 4 losses in a major conference.

[TheCrew07]

I was initially ticked off that UW got shafted a tad, then I slept on it. UW has no real star power, they play ugly ball, they aren't trendy or sexy in any way, and they lost in the second round as a 2 seed last year. Then it also occurred to me that if you're the 2 or the 3, it really doesn't matter, you're still playing in the bottom part of the bracket and face pretty much the same teams either way. After looking at the brackets, I like the Midwest the best for the Badgers, every game in the tourney is a dog fight so it really doesn't matter to me much where they are seeded, I'm more interested in the match-ups and I'm way more worried about G-town than I am Kansas.

 

If UW can make the 16 and get past G-Town I think the Kansas game would be a very good game. I got all hyped up last year thinking Sweet 16 for sure so this year I'm just going to take it one game at a time, especially after the Packers lost to the Giants in GB, I'm not letting myself get too invested in things quite yet.

[fondybrewfan]

Well most people are picking USC to knock of UW, not all that suprising considering the "Star Power" factor. I dont see USC being a huge obstacle because Mayo will be introduced to Mr. Flowers. The Georgetown-UW game would be a fun one to watch, very slow paced. I am very iffy on Kansas, they just seem to squeak by all the time, sooner or later they are not going to get that one turnover or that one big 3, and they will lose

[Oldcity]

I guess I see things differently. I think UW-Georgetown would be a toss-up, but I think Kansas would overmatch UW. The biggest edge is Bo vs. Self, as Self's teams have Self-destructed (boo) in recent years in the tournament. Thing is, Kansas has more talented players, so the coaching edge probably isn't enough.

[TooLiveBrew]

It's all matchups, imo, as opposed to 'overall team talent.' By that I mean I worry more about a team with a dominant post like GU than I do about a team like Kansas that's built around the athletic back-court play (just like when Self was at Illinois) in terms of matchups for this year's Badgers squad.

 

I don't think the Badgers have much of an answer for a low-post guy that could come in & score on Steimsma (like Hibbert), along with getting our bigs into foul trouble. By that logic, I see UNC/GU/UCLA as teams that could give UW problems (UNC has that great backcourt play, to boot), and Kansas/Duke/Memphis as teams that would probably be favored but wouldn't match up as poorly for Bucky imo.

 

Sorry, that was all kind of convoluted.

[PKBadger]

FWIW, I think a lot of people consider Hibbert a bit of a softie. I've seen him described as a 7' shooting guard, and he scored 0 pts against Villanova in the Big East tournament. (Of course, he followed that up with a 25-13 effort against West Virginia). I haven't seen enough to form a definite opinion, just pointing out that it's a bit of a tossup whether he would pose huge matchup problems for Butch/Stiemsma.