[jdcfsu]

So much for my Noles making it to the third round. Oh well, it was a great season.

Second round starts today! Let the upsets commence.

[FFL]

'Nova is really showing UCLA how Big East basketball is played.

UCLA looks completely outclassed.

[Partial]

Big time win for Wiscy last night! Whoo hoo! Two very entertaining games last night from the Big11.

[kieran]

Villanova is just flat out kicking UCLA's ass.

Simple as that.

[Kickaha]

Does anyone else think Marquette coach Buzz Williams looks like a grown up Bobby Hill?

[FFL]

Memphis is looking very hungry after their lackluster 1st round game.

This just might be another blowout.

[PKIDelirium]

UCLA got pwnt.

[FFL]

WOW - look at LSU geaux!

[Kickaha]

LSWho?

Washington choked. Two panic shots by Pondexter in the last 90 seconds, either of which they had time for, and could have taken them at least into OT. Pewp.

[jdcfsu]

UNC was impressive this afternoon. 10-1 rebounding in the second half and only 3 team fouls (before CBS switched to a different game)? That's really good basketball. And Ty Lawson looked great.

[Kickaha]

Lawson saved our asses, plain and simple. 2nd half, he was an animal, and the rest of the team finally gelled around him and stepped up. When they started playing like a team, they clicked, and started walking away with it, but it took them a while.

[JohnnyTheA]

Originally Posted by PKIDelirium UCLA got pwnt.

I like UCLA but after losing Love, Westbrook, and Aflalo (sp?), they are in a re-build season. UCLA fans tend to hold high expectations for every season but that is not really possible anymore. There will never be another Wooden era. They played spotty towards the end of the season. I thought "real hard" about picking VCU over them but instead picked UCLA to lose in the second round. For once I am right on something in the tourney...

Now Maryland on the other hand.... If Memphis and syracuse don't win their next games, my bracket is in real trouble...

JTA

[torifile]

My bracket is completely trashed right now but I don't care because we're playing well. Fun games last night.

[Maciej]

Man, Marquette shit the bed. That is all.

[PKIDelirium]

Marquette fucking gave the game away. Idiotic violation by Hayward on the inbound.

Anyone else see their coach about to murder a ref after the clock ran out with no horn?

[ezkcdude]

They would've lost anyway.

[Maciej]

I'm furious. But you know he's gonna beat himself up over it more than any of us could. Poor kid, granted its a rookie mistake, but I still feel bad for him.

[flounder]

Tough year for Cinderellas.

The east and south have the 1-4 seeds left, the west is 1,2,3,5 and the midwest is 1,2,3,12

[Partial]

Not a good six months for Wisconsin sports. That's for sure.

[FFL]

Sweet 16 teams by conference:

BEast - 5
B12 - 3
B11 - 2
ACC - 2
Pac10 - 1
CUsa - 1
A10 - 1
WC - 1

[torifile]

Originally Posted by FFL Sweet 16 teams by conference: BEast - 5 B12 - 3 B11 - 2 ACC - 2 Pac10 - 1 CUsa - 1 A10 - 1 WC - 1

I'm very disappointed in the ACC. 3 teams were #1 at some point in the season and only 2 Sweet 16 teams? The biggest mistake the conference could have made was to expand to 12 teams. It diluted the talent in the conference making nearly everyone mediocre. John Swofford should be fired.

[jdcfsu]

Originally Posted by torifile I'm very disappointed in the ACC. 3 teams were #1 at some point in the season and only 2 Sweet 16 teams? The biggest mistake the conference could have made was to expand to 12 teams. It diluted the talent in the conference making nearly everyone mediocre. John Swofford should be fired.

You could make that argument. Or you could say that the ACC has become a basketball powerhouse but ran into trouble in the tournament. I might just be excited FSU made such a mark in the conference this year, but I think it's pretty cool that there is a lot more parity then there used to be.

[Partial]

How the hell has more teams in the ACC diluted the talent? That doesn't make any sense. In a professional sport, sure, but college is completely based around recruiting.. Who says "I want to play for any ACC team that will take me" instead of "I want to play for Duke" or "I want to play for Wisconsin".

I don't think it has anything to do with that. FSU is a good team and got a tough draw with Wisconsin. Wake was overrated to begin with. Duke and NC are good.

And blaming the commish for a poor showing from a conference and saying they should be fired? To quote 'Cool Runnings', "whatever is wrong with you.. is no small thing".

[ezkcdude]

Pac 10 = Pwn 10?

[torifile]

Originally Posted by Partial How the hell has more teams in the ACC diluted the talent? That doesn't make any sense. In a professional sport, sure, but college is completely based around recruiting.. Who says "I want to play for any ACC team that will take me" instead of "I want to play for Duke" or "I want to play for Wisconsin". I don't think it has anything to do with that. FSU is a good team and got a tough draw with Wisconsin. Wake was overrated to begin with. Duke and NC are good. And blaming the commish for a poor showing from a conference and saying they should be fired? To quote 'Cool Runnings', "whatever is wrong with you.. is no small thing".

Do you always have to make personal attacks? Couldn't you just say you disagree with me and be done with it? Jeez, mon.

Anyway, the past few years since the expansion of the conference have been below average years for us in NCAA tourney play. I don't think that is just a coincidence. Whatever. I'm *not* going to get into a fucking argument with you over the tournament. It's the one sporting event I look forward to every year and you're not going to sour the experience for me.

<ignore back on>

[FFL]

The Big East also expanded in the last few years, and it doesn't seem to have hurt their tourney performance this year.

Of course, matchups and luck is a big part of it. Next year could have 4 ACC teams and 2 or 3 BEast teams....

[Partial]

Originally Posted by torifile Do you always have to make personal attacks? Couldn't you just say you disagree with me and be done with it? Jeez, mon. Anyway, the past few years since the expansion of the conference have been below average years for us in NCAA tourney play. I don't think that is just a coincidence. Whatever. I'm *not* going to get into a fucking argument with you over the tournament. It's the one sporting event I look forward to every year and you're not going to sour the experience for me. <ignore back on>

The league has had a rough few years because other programs are rising to prominence, and it is very tough to sustain that sort of performance. Duke or NC can't win it all every year! You're seeing a lot of good, younger coaches like Bruce Pearl, and some older ones developing really strong programs in Louisville and Memphis (Pitino and Calipari). I would say the growth of these programs over the past 5-6 years has as much effect on the ACC doing poorly as anything.

Hell, even perennial powerhouse UCLA had an only okay year.

Sorry about the personal attack, but I simply don't see a correlation at all, nor do I think calling for someone's head over your basketball team doing poorly is really necessary, considering they aren't affiliated with the program in any way, shape or form.

[Partial]

Originally Posted by torifile Do you always have to make personal attacks? Couldn't you just say you disagree with me and be done with it? Jeez, mon. Anyway, the past few years since the expansion of the conference have been below average years for us in NCAA tourney play. I don't think that is just a coincidence. Whatever. I'm *not* going to get into a fucking argument with you over the tournament. It's the one sporting event I look forward to every year and you're not going to sour the experience for me. <ignore back on>

The league has had a rough few years because other programs are rising to prominence, and it is very tough to sustain that sort of performance. Duke or NC can't win it all every year! You're seeing a lot of good, younger coaches like Bruce Pearl, and some older ones developing really strong programs in Louisville and Memphis (Pitino and Calipari). I would say the growth of these programs over the past 5-6 years has as much effect on the ACC doing poorly as anything.

Hell, even perennial powerhouse UCLA had an only okay year.

Sorry about the personal attack, but I simply don't see a correlation at all, nor do I think calling for someone's head over your basketball team doing poorly is really necessary, considering they aren't affiliated with the program in any way, shape or form.

FFL has it completely correct. Just luck of the draw and match-ups. In the case of the big east, I think it has only become stronger with Marquette joining up, and Louisville rising to a dominant level.

You a louisville fan FFL? What do you think of Jerry Smith. I remember a few years back the outrage when Bo Ryan couldn't get him to agree to come to UW. The fans were pissed! He was a hell of a prospect.

[FFL]

Originally Posted by Partial You a louisville fan FFL?

Yeah.... only for the last 30-some-odd years..... I recently changed my Custom Title, just in case there was any doubt.

Originally Posted by Partial What do you think of Jerry Smith. I remember a few years back the outrage when Bo Ryan couldn't get him to agree to come to UW. The fans were pissed! He was a hell of a prospect.

I'm glad Jerry is a junior and will be back next year. He seems like a good kid with a great attitude - more intelligent and (dare I say it?) "articulate" than many other college basketballers. He picked Louisville specifically because of Rick Pitino more than any other factor. As a player he is very good but not outstanding, which actually makes him perfect for Louisville's very balanced 4-guard rotation He is probably the most consistent of the 4, and rebounds exceptionally well for his height and position. If he's having a good night, and scoring production is lacking from the front line, he is easily capable of lighting it up for 20 points or more. I don't know how he feels about UW, but he has a nice running local rivalry with some of the Marquette players. Check out his official bio for more.

[FFL]

Interesting article from cbs.com on the Sweet Sixteen's records against each other:

There were 72 games played between Sweet 16 teams this season. Who played the most? Syracuse (9). Who won the most? Louisville (5) Who didn't lose any? North Carolina (3-0) and Arizona (2-0). Is there a Sweet 16 team that didn't beat another Sweet 16 team? Yes, Gonzaga (0-3). (The following is the Sweet 16 teams' records this season vs. other Sweet 16 teams) North Carolina: 3-0 Arizona: 2-0 Louisville: 5-1 Xavier: 2-1 Pittsburgh: 3-2 Connecticut: 4-3 Villanova: 3-3 Duke: 2-2 Michigan State: 2-2 Missouri: 2-2 Syracuse: 3-6 Kansas: 2-4 Memphis: 1-2 Oklahoma: 1-2 Purdue: 1-3 Gonzaga: 0-3

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebask...story/11540007