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Posted by Trey Ball (Member # 332) on 03-17-2019, 04:17 PM:

Now that the dust has mostly settled outside of the Big Ten Championship Game, but I think both MSU and Michigan are already locked in as #2 seeds.

1. UK and UNC will be in the same Region, most likely the Midwest because they will not allow UK to play in Louisville.

2. UK's second round opponent will be Syracuse more than likely so they have to play against the zone, which they have proven they struggle against.

3. My guess is they will get the Strongest #3 Seed possible

4. All ACC teams will be over seeded and the SEC will be under seeded. Take it to bank.

5. UK is going to cut the Nets down no matter who they put in front them. I just have a feeling about this one. The Tournament Gods owe UK a championship.

[ 03-18-2019, 11:22 AM: Message edited by: Trey Ball ]

Posted by ProBlue (Member # 2944) on 03-17-2019, 04:37 PM:

I hope your right on #5.

Posted by Trey Ball (Member # 332) on 03-17-2019, 06:18 PM:

I bet Murray State ends up in UK's region as well.

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 03-17-2019, 06:30 PM:

UK gets a 2-seed in the Midwest, behind UNC's 1-seed. I like our path the the elite 8.

Not bad, considering all the possibilities.

Posted by Trey Ball (Member # 332) on 03-17-2019, 06:30 PM:

So on an S curve you are telling me that Michigan ended up as the best number #2 seed? That makes absolutely zero sense.

They should have been the worst #2 behind MSU/UT/Kentucky. This committee is clueless.

They also allow Kansas, if they advance and I think they will to basically be playing at home in the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 possibly.

Just unreal

Posted by Trey Ball (Member # 332) on 03-17-2019, 06:31 PM:

Tip,

The West Region is going to be a cakewalk for Gonzaga. Just put them in the Final Four now. Michigan as a two? FSU as a three? Nevada as the #4?

Posted by Trey Ball (Member # 332) on 03-17-2019, 06:36 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by Trey Ball:
Tip,

The West Region is going to be a cakewalk for Gonzaga. Just put them in the Final Four now. Michigan as a two? FSU as a three? Nevada as the #4?

Even easier. Texas Tech as a #3 Seed?

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 03-17-2019, 06:46 PM:

I agree. Gonzaga has by far the easiest path the the final four... wonder if the committee made a mistake and should have put Duke there?

UK has one major hurdle (Houston, IMO) on the way to a rematch with UNC. But Houston-Iowa State should be interesting as well. If get to play UNC, I like our chances of getting to the final four.

Let the games begin!

[ 03-17-2019, 06:50 PM: Message edited by: Tiptree ]

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 03-17-2019, 06:51 PM:

I am surprised, but glad, that they put Auburn in the UNC side of the region. Auburn scares me more than UNC.

Posted by blue hoot (Member # 398) on 03-17-2019, 06:51 PM:

Now let's just hope we get a gift from God and someone knocks off Dook. I feel something special might happen.

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 03-17-2019, 06:53 PM:

BTW, seeing four teams from the commonwealth is nice, even if one of them is Louisville. Glad to see Murray State and Northern Kentucky in the dance!

Posted by Trey Ball (Member # 332) on 03-17-2019, 06:53 PM:

Did anyone hear the Committee Chair? He said Michigan State leaped over Kentucky after winning the Big 10 Championship.

So MSU's reward for jumping UK on the 2 seed line was to be matched up against the Tournament Overall #1 Seed Duke? How does that make sense? I swear the last time a NCAA Committee head went into those interviews and they didn't sound like a complete buffoon or idiot was in 1998 when C.M. Newton was the chair person. I think CM was great because he was a FORMER PLAYER and COACH.

Every year they say something to contradict themselves. Why not just let former coaches or basketball people pick the field. These Athletic Directors are clueless.

[ 03-17-2019, 06:53 PM: Message edited by: Trey Ball ]

Posted by blue hoot (Member # 398) on 03-17-2019, 06:58 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by Tiptree:
BTW, seeing four teams from the commonwealth is nice, even if one of them is Louisville. Glad to see Murray State and Northern Kentucky in the dance!

I agree too and our daughter accepted a Murray St. Scholarship and starts this fall so we're super excited.

Posted by SCWC (Member # 2464) on 03-17-2019, 07:02 PM:

I heard that Trey, could not believe he would make such a statement as that on television. That kind of data is not normally shared with those announcing the pairings. Totally out of line. I always felt the championship games had little to no bearing on the pairings. A few years ago we beat Fla for the SEC championship and the committee gave Florida a 2 seed and us a 4 seed. There is no way three teams from the ACC should have had number one seeds.

Posted by Old Norm (Member # 1482) on 03-17-2019, 07:09 PM:

I'd like to see Murray State make some noise in the west region. Also, I like UK's path to the elite eight. Could lose, but not if they take care of business or somebody comes out red hot against us.

Posted by PaulCat (Member # 513) on 03-17-2019, 07:18 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by Trey Ball:
Why not just let former coaches or basketball people pick the field. These Athletic Directors are clueless.

My proposal is that a committee puts the teams in order, 1-64, so that then each teem would have a seed number. Then to place the teams in the bracket, start pulling names out of a hat. To me, that's the most fair way to do it.

The #1 seed in the south is... randomly pick one of the #1 teams out of the hat.
The #2 seed in the south is... randomly pick one of the #2 teams out of the hat.
Etc, etc.

[ 03-17-2019, 07:20 PM: Message edited by: PaulCat ]

Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 03-17-2019, 07:19 PM:

Even Dickie V is questioning "rewarding" Michigan State with winning the Big Ten by putting them in the same bracket as Duke.

Posted by SCWC (Member # 2464) on 03-17-2019, 07:26 PM:

Handy, that is where we should have been. They dropped us all the way from a one seed down to number 7 seed overall.

Posted by blue hoot (Member # 398) on 03-17-2019, 07:36 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by Old Norm:
I'd like to see Murray State make some noise in the west region. Also, I like UK's path to the elite eight. Could lose, but not if they take care of business or somebody comes out red hot against us.

Me too Norm, hope Murray State can win at least one game. They need more contribution from players other than Morant.

Posted by Trey Ball (Member # 332) on 03-17-2019, 08:28 PM:

The Midwest is the toughest bracket by far in my opinion. I don't see any easy games after the 1st game for UNC or UK. Whatever team comes out of the Midwest will have earned it.

I think Duke and Gonzaga pretty much have a cake walk to the Final Four. I wouldn't hesitate at all about writing both those two teams into the Final Four.

If Tennessee can pretend that everyone they play has Kentucky written across their chest than I think they advance fairly easily as well. History says that will not happen though.

Posted by GA Cat (Member # 642) on 03-17-2019, 08:49 PM:

From a matchup standpoint, I think Tennessee got as good a draw as they could imagine. Tennessee is susceptible to long athletic teams that play up and down and negate the effect of the power of Williams and Scoffield. They are in a bracket with slow plodding teams like Virginia. If they can play with a bit of passion, they have a good path to the final four. My concern is that they will not be able to maintain the needed intensity.

Posted by GA Cat (Member # 642) on 03-17-2019, 08:51 PM:

Oh, I don’t think Gonzaga makes out of the first two rounds. It wouldn’t surprise me to see FSU come out of that bracket.

Posted by PaulCat (Member # 513) on 03-17-2019, 09:07 PM:

Oh I love the possibility of a Gonzaga/Syracuse matchup. On any given night, Syracuse can beat anyone. I'd love to see them take down Gonzaga.

Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 03-17-2019, 09:26 PM:

If I could be granted two wishes my second one would be that no ACC team makes it to the final four.

The first is my long standing wish that lettuce would be my favorite food.

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 03-17-2019, 09:27 PM:

I like that, Handy!

Posted by Old Norm (Member # 1482) on 03-17-2019, 10:50 PM:

Whew Handy, when you started your sentence about what your greatest desire was with, "The first is my long standing", you scared the wadding out of me. I wasn't sure where you were going with that!

Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 03-17-2019, 10:52 PM:

After getting home from church and playing the selection show I decided we are in maybe the best bracket of all. I'm not too concerned with anyone we play up to UNC. Just glad they screwed up and put MI ST in the same one as Duke. Thanks Izzo for saving us. The south would have been a good choice for me with VA there. But a couple others there scare me also. None of the people in KY wanted to go to the west so I think getting the midwest bracket is the best one for us.

Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 03-18-2019, 07:28 AM:

I agree Bama.

Posted by Trey Ball (Member # 332) on 03-18-2019, 09:32 AM:

I still wish someone could explain to me how UNC got a #1 Seed over UK. Same record, same spot in their conference tournament, UK higher in the NET Ranking, more Quad 1 wins, oh and they BEAT UNC on a Neutral Court by 8.

The Midwest is by far the strongest Region and I think all the talking heads at ESPN said the same thing. I know it never happens but if all the higher seeds advance UK will play the following after the 1st Round Game to get to the Regional Final

Wofford - #13 in the Net Rankings
Houston - #4 in the Net Rankings

Contrast that with Michigan as the #2 in the West:

Nevada - #23 in the Net Rankings
Texas Tech - #10 in the Net Rankings

Michigan State:

Louisville - #22 in the Net Rankings
LSU - #14 in the Net Rankings

Tennessee

Cincinnati - #25 in the Net Rankings
Purdue - #12 in the Net Rankings

I think everyone here thinks UK has it easier because it says Wofford and Houston, but those two teams are legit. Houston did lose twice to Cincinnati, but I think that is simply because UC matches up very well with them. I don't think UK does.

Wofford is one of the top three point shooting teams in the country and we know that is a huge weakness for UK.

[ 03-18-2019, 03:00 PM: Message edited by: Trey Ball ]

Posted by blue hoot (Member # 398) on 03-18-2019, 09:44 AM:

quote:
Originally posted by Trey Ball:
I still wish someone could explain to me how UNC got a #1 Seed over UK. Same record, same spot in their conference tournament, UK higher in the NET Ranking, more Quad 1 wins, oh and they BEAT UNC on a Neutral Court by 8.

I still can't figure that out either. Personally, I think that might be the biggest surprise of the selections. I haven't seen anyone mention that on social media either.

Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 03-18-2019, 10:10 AM:

This site ranks the brackets from the hardest to the easiest. I happen to agree with it. I love our placement this year. I see no team that we should not beat. That doesn't mean we won't be upset but I really like our chances to make it to the final four.

https://fansided.com/2019/03/17/march-madness-2019-ranking-regions-toughest-easiest/

[ 03-18-2019, 10:31 AM: Message edited by: handycat ]

Posted by Trey Ball (Member # 332) on 03-18-2019, 11:01 AM:

quote:
Originally posted by handycat:
This site ranks the brackets from the hardest to the easiest. I happen to agree with it. I love our placement this year. I see no team that we should not beat. That doesn't mean we won't be upset but I really like our chances to make it to the final four.

https://fansided.com/2019/03/17/march-madness-2019-ranking-regions-toughest-easiest/

To each there own. I think he has it completely flipped. I would go in the exact reverse order.

I'm not sure how you can have the SEC Tournament Champion and the Big 12 Tournament Champion as the #5 Seed and #6 Seed and think it is an easy bracket. Remember both of those teams were ranked in the TOP 10 this year before each team hit a mid-season lull due to injuries and each of those teams are now back to full strength.

The Midwest is incredibly difficult. Once again I think because people see Houston as the #3 and they are not a household name that they think it is an easy bracket.

North Carolina and Kentucky will have both earned their way to the Elite 8 if it happens.

I just can't agree with the West. I mean Texas Tech got their ass handed to them by a 13-18 West Virginia team who didn't have two of their best players because Huggins kicked them off the team. I'm not sold on Florida State either. They can't score the ball consistently enough. Marquette has lost 5 of their last 6 games and got absolutely hammered by a pathetic IU team earlier this year. Buffalo is the #6 seed in the West vs. Iowa State being the #6 in the Midwest. I would much rather have Buffalo as a #6 vs having Iowa State as a #6, even though I think they are good I don't think they are anywhere as good as Iowa State. That being said, I have Buffalo in the Elite 8 because the West bracket is so easy. I'm not sold on Texas Tech.

When they said you would spend a considerable time picking the West region, it took me no time to pick the West or the East. I put Gonzaga and Buffalo in the Elite 8 very quickly because it seemed so easy to do so.

[ 03-18-2019, 11:23 AM: Message edited by: Trey Ball ]

Posted by mr_ukkid (Member # 2304) on 03-18-2019, 11:04 AM:

Hey guys it has been a while since I have posted. After taking a day and just taking the bracket in, I personally don't think Mich ST will reach Duke, I have them bowing out to LSU. I think the Big Ten is a weak conference even though they got 7 teams in. I FL St Beating Gonzaga and I also have Tenn coming out of the South with the strong play they had all year. I think it is a toss up between Kentucky and N. Carolina, if Kentucky stays attacking the basket. That cost us in that Tennessee game imo. We started playing not to lose in that game instead of just keep attacking. Don't rule out Virgina Tech beating Duke though. They get Robinson back and they beat Duke without him and he is their best player, and Duke did have Zion at the time. So they match up well with Duke. Just some of my thoughts. March Madness, my favorite time of year.

Posted by Trey Ball (Member # 332) on 03-18-2019, 11:13 AM:

quote:
Originally posted by mr_ukkid:
Hey guys it has been a while since I have posted. After taking a day and just taking the bracket in, I personally don't think Mich ST will reach Duke, I have them bowing out to LSU. I think the Big Ten is a weak conference even though they got 7 teams in. I FL St Beating Gonzaga and I also have Tenn coming out of the South with the strong play they had all year. I think it is a toss up between Kentucky and N. Carolina, if Kentucky stays attacking the basket. That cost us in that Tennessee game imo. We started playing not to lose in that game instead of just keep attacking. Don't rule out Virgina Tech beating Duke though. They get Robinson back and they beat Duke without him and he is their best player, and Duke did have Zion at the time. So they match up well with Duke. Just some of my thoughts. March Madness, my favorite time of year.

Duke did not have Zion when Virginia Tech beat them, but Virginia Tech did not have Robinson either.

Big 10 actually got 8 teams into the tournament and I agree with you, I think the Big 10 is not very good this year.

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 03-18-2019, 11:46 AM:

Like I said, Houston is our biggest obstacle to getting to the regional final. They are a legit team.

Wofford scares me too, they can DEFINITELY put pressure on us where we are weakest -- defending the arc. But we should have great fan support in Jacksonville, and we have seen a team like them in Auburn and should not be shocked by their game. I also harbor some hope that Seton Hall might just knock them off. I would LOVE a rematch with Seton Hall!

Should we make it to Anneheim to play (probably) Houston, it should at least be a legit neutral court. I get the feeling that this will be a real nail-biter, and the danger is that even if we win it, we may be so emotionally and physically depleted that we can't run with UNC. BUT, I am not convinced UNC will be there. I really like Auburn's chances to beat them. I think Auburn will pose terrible matchup problems for UNC. Could it be a UK-Auburn rematch in the Elite 8?

Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 03-18-2019, 12:00 PM:

IMO, the Big Ten is pretty solid from top to bottom but has no real quality teams. Michigan State, arguably the best in the league, lost twice to Indiana and once to Illinois. Terrible losses. Izzo thinks the Big Ten and Michigan State got slighted in the seedlings. I think they got better than they deserved.

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/col lege/michigan-state/spartans/2019/03/17/michigan-state-basketball-2019-ncaa-tournament/3198296002/

Edited this to say I've seen Houston play twice and agree they are a good team. I'll also say if they beat us we have absolutely no business even thinking about making it to the final four. You can mark it down now, Houston will beat us by double digits.

[ 03-18-2019, 12:07 PM: Message edited by: handycat ]

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 03-18-2019, 01:04 PM:

Izzo has one legit beef... if did indeed leapfrog over UK, their 'reward' was pretty lousy. Playing the number 2 seed in Duke's bracket is like getting a lump of coal for Christmas.

BUT, his overall tone was too whiny. The Big 10 has been pretty consistently overrated IMO, and while MSU is the cream of the conference, the whole conference is the second-weakest of the power six, IMO. Only the pathetic Pac-10 is weaker. For them to get 7 teams in was just wrong.

Posted by ukcatfannfl (Member # 1425) on 03-18-2019, 01:06 PM:

If Wofford and/or Houston beat us then we had no reason to even be in the tourney..

We are a premier team and now is the time to show it!

Wofford/Houston come on!

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 03-18-2019, 01:11 PM:

Ed,

My problem with this team all year has been that they only get up for the "big games". A team like Wofford or Houston may not spark the kind of effort we will need to beat them. Could we? Yes, of course. Should we beat them? Yes, by a comfortable margin. Will we beat them? Depends on our state of mind more than anything!

Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 03-18-2019, 01:14 PM:

You tell them Ed! I'm with you 100%! You do realize by both of us putting this in print one of them is going to upset us don't you? Hell, both of them will probably upset us now!

[ 03-18-2019, 01:18 PM: Message edited by: handycat ]

Posted by Trey Ball (Member # 332) on 03-18-2019, 01:28 PM:

Like I said you guys can discount them all you want because of their "name" but Houston and Iowa State are both legit Top 10 teams this year. Luckily UK only has to play one of them.

Iowa State or Houston could easily make the Final Four. Iowa State has 5 future pros on their roster and they are every bit as talented as UK.

Wofford is only concerning because they are capable of making 20-25 threes in a game. Their entire team can flat out shoot the ball. Should UK handle them if they match up? Sure, I'm just saying they can be dangerous because of the way they shoot the three. That is how the "David's" beat the Goliath's.

I just think it is funny that UK may have to play Seton Hall in round 2. I didn't think the committee could make rematches of a regular season game until the Sweet 16. I guess not anymore. So let's have UK play a team that has already proven they can beat them. That gives Seton Hall confidence and should give UK motivation.

And I wills say it one more time. The West Region is a cakewalk for Gonzaga. [Big Grin]

[ 03-18-2019, 01:29 PM: Message edited by: Trey Ball ]

Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 03-18-2019, 01:39 PM:

Does Elvin Hayes still play for Houston? That's the last time I can remember them being relevant in college basketball.😉

[ 03-18-2019, 01:40 PM: Message edited by: handycat ]

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 03-18-2019, 01:41 PM:

Can't forget Phi Slamma Jamma! That was one hell of a team.

Posted by ukcatfannfl (Member # 1425) on 03-18-2019, 01:45 PM:

Handy/Tip If I were Roy Williams I would be saying:

Dag gummit Not Ky again!!

That's the game I want to see!

Posted by Trey Ball (Member # 332) on 03-18-2019, 02:14 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by handycat:
Does Elvin Hayes still play for Houston? That's the last time I can remember them being relevant in college basketball.😉

As Tip pointed out Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler were pretty damn good, but remember last year Houston was up on Michigan 63-61 with 2.5 seconds to play and going to the foul line for two shots to salt the game away. Houston player missed both free throws and Michigan threw in a desperation 3 point heave for the 64-63 win.

Oh yeah, Michigan went on to the Final game last year. Houston lost Evans, but that entire team came back. On top of that they have one of the better coaches in Division 1 in Kelvin Sampson. His only fall back is he likes to text recruits during the no contact period [Big Grin]

, but the guy can flat out coach. He took Oklahoma to the Final Four and had IU trending in the right direction until his texting was caught.

[ 03-18-2019, 02:16 PM: Message edited by: Trey Ball ]

Posted by Trey Ball (Member # 332) on 03-18-2019, 02:58 PM:

And just to point out because I probably haven't said it quite like this. I'm not upset with UK's path to a Regional Final. I think it is manageable. I just think it may be the most difficult of all the two seeds and as the #7 seed it should be close to that.

I think UNC has by far the toughest path of any #1 Seed to get to a Regional Final. I could see Utah State easily knocking UNC off in the second round, same for Auburn or Kansas in the Sweet 16. Kansas has lost games, but they are not getting blown out. That is still a very dangerous team and Bill Self can coach.

[ 03-18-2019, 02:58 PM: Message edited by: Trey Ball ]

Posted by CatFanInYankeeville (Member # 2025) on 03-18-2019, 05:27 PM:

Trey, I picked kansas over UNC in that game. I just don't think UNC matches up too well vs them, plus KU is playing basically a home game.

I really wish the region assignments made more sense. Every year the committee seems to contradict itself from the prior year. Whole body of work, keep teams close to home, no re-matches until the Sweet 16, etc...

Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 03-19-2019, 05:52 PM:

As I said before I still like the midwest because we don't have Duke first of all. I would have liked to be with Gonzaga or virginis but Gonzaga is in the west which I didn't want and I would have taken the south but we couldn't beat TN so they took it instead of us.

I've got Fl St and MI going forward from west with Fla St beating Gonzaga. I'e got KS St and Purdue going forwarsd from the East and UK and UNC from the midwest. My final 4 is Duke beating MI St, Mich beating FL St, KS St beating Purdue and UNC beating UK. Duke beats Mich and UNC to win another one. And they are getting closer to our total championships.