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March Madness - College Hoops!

D

Dave00

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Dec 2, 2003
886
119
Pittsburgh
OK, so let's get started on the whole NCAA tournament discussion.

(1) Who's up for a MacRumors NCAA tournament pool? (Not monetary, just for bragging rights).

(2) Which conference will get the most bids? Will the record be broken for most teams from one conference in the tournament? (I say Big East gets 9)

(3) Who will be the biggest tournament snub?

(4) Who's going to get those #1 seeds? I'd say probably Duke (unlikely to lose 2 games before the end), winner of UConn-'Nova game, Memphis, and then either the loser of UConn-'Nova or Gonzaga (although Gonzaga's RPI probably not high enough). GW just doesn't have the strength of schedule.

Dave
 
This will be a good tournament with the top 5 schools all having a legit shot at the title, I do think that Uconn will be the team to beat but they still haven't proven themselves to be able to pull it out in the closing seconds of a big game yet. I don't see who can really stop them tho so I still give them an edge when the elite 8 comes around. My picks so far look like this Uconn Duke Memphis and Nova in the final four. Of course seedings and brackets will possibly change that.
 
It will be a good bracket. I just want to see Gonzaga and Duke playing. Morrison vs. Redick will be a great match. Even though I live in Washington, the Zags have yet to blow out any team really, which they should be, so I will be choosing Duke to go all the way.
 
Bubbasteve said:
Gonzaga all the way.... Morrison can't be stopped
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The problem with that is that Gonzaga is in a weak conference so I don't know how they can stack up with the Dukes or Uconns in the Turney. I see them going far just not all the way.
 
I still like Illinois ... not like i did last year, but its a plucky squad with senior leadership. If they somehow learn how to make free throws we have a shot at going deep. We might come out better having gone through tough big ten...
 
Duke and UConn are locks for #1 seeds. All announcers and ESPN have been kissing their a.... all year. I usually like UConn, but not this year. The starting point guard gets arrested for stealing laptops from his school, and gets reinstated. A real program and coach would not let that slide. Coach K, Tubby, Knight would have all sent that kid packing.
I'd like to see Villanova get a #1 seed. As well as either Memphis or Gonzaga. Texas doesn't deserve it (anybody remember the Duke/Texas game?).
Count me in for the MacRumors tournament pool :)
 
I hope that a) GW wins their remaining regular season game and wins the A10 tournament, giving them a 29-1 record come NCAA time and that b) that earns them at least a 2 seed. I definitely see them not getting a 1 given their poor schedule strength, but I think if they get a 4 seed (as I've seen on ESPN's Bracketology), that's rediculous.

As for the Big East getting 9, I think there should be a rule that no team that has a losing conference record should be eligible for an at large bid. I think it's far more interesting to give an independent or a team from a little conference the chance to do something interesting rather than see yet another Big East team lose in the first round. It remings me of the big 12 getting 7 bids in the early 1990s only to got 2-5 in the first round. If you're an underacheiving power conference team, that's what the NIT is for.
 
Hey Dave! Looks like March is doing what the NBA couldn't do. I've been struggling to find time to keep up, and with that has come my slide in the rankings...:eek:

As with any sporting event, I'll be in.
 
And Cincinatti is the #9 team in the Big East. They have an impressive schedule strength, being in the Big East, playing 7 ranked teams over the course of the season...

...against which they went 0-7.
 
miloblithe said:
I hope that a) GW wins their remaining regular season game and wins the A10 tournament, giving them a 29-1 record come NCAA time and that b) that earns them at least a 2 seed. I definitely see them not getting a 1 given their poor schedule strength, but I think if they get a 4 seed (as I've seen on ESPN's Bracketology), that's rediculous.
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GW's RPI is at 31. The A-10 has disappointed this year and GW's biggest non-conference win was against a down Maryland squad. Other than the Maryland game and the pasting NC State put on them, every one of GW's non-conference opponents has an RPI of over 200. Ouch.

I love to see the A-10 do well (I'm a Richmond alum and fan...yes, we're struggling this year after Jerry Wainwright decimated our team before skipping town), but GW just hasn't proven themselves worthy of anything better than a 4 seed. Blame Kvancz and Hobbs for terrible scheduling...they knew they were going to have a loaded team, and they should have scheduled game to prove it.
 
WildCowboy said:
Blame Kvancz and Hobbs for terrible scheduling...they knew they were going to have a loaded team, and they should have scheduled game to prove it.
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it's a two way street...

the other team has to want to play you too. it's the reason that GW and GTown haven't played in years...

more benefit for the underdog, upsetting a nationally ranked team. teams like uconn, duke, etc don't want to take a chance on GW- they don't need to because they have tough conferences already. taking a chance against a team like GW can only hurt them if they lose- and only help GW.

Jack's the man
 
Mostly true, but Maryland wasn't down early in the season. They still had their leading scorer (he was suspended later) and they were a legitimate top 20 team. Wins at Temple and Xavier are pretty solid as well. And scheduling good out of conference opponents isn't that easy, really. True a stronger schedule would have been good, but most power conference teams would probably only be willing to play at home against GW. It's pretty hard to convince top notch teams to come play in the Smith Center.

And RPI isn't exactly a flawless measure. It's pure math and doesn't take a lot of reality into account, such as injuries, rivalries, and any measure of how close the game really was other than the final score.

Edit: Exactly what the addict said. Duke, etc. won't play GW, let alone come to GW.
 
gwuMACaddict said:
it's a two way street...

the other team has to want to play you too. it's the reason that GW and GTown haven't played in years...

more benefit for the underdog, upsetting a nationally ranked team. teams like uconn, duke, etc don't want to take a chance on GW- they don't need to because they have tough conferences already. taking a chance against a team like GW can only hurt them if they lose- and only help GW.

Jack's the man
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Yes, that is true to some extent (although Richmond has managed to do it over the years...we had Seton Hall, Wake, and UVA at home this year, and Louisville on the road). But a good start would be to get rid of some of the sub-200 RPI schools and replace them with programs in the 100-150 RPI range. The Drexels, Davidsons, and Sienas of the basketball world would gladly play GW. GW should still win those games, and their RPI won't be hammered.
 
As a Carolina fan, this tickled me to no end:
 

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All Carolina fans are so fair-weathered. I hate duke as much as the next guy but when ever youre having a down year I get the "oh man i dont really care" and whenever you guys do good I get the "oh man I was with them all along, heels to the grave." It makes me sick.
 
! ! ! ! ! ! Top said:
All Carolina fans are so fair-weathered. I hate duke as much as the next guy but when ever youre having a down year I get the "oh man i dont really care" and whenever you guys do good I get the "oh man I was with them all along, heels to the grave." It makes me sick.
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I'm not one of those fans. I was raised a Carolina fan and took a lot of crap for it when I went to NC State.

Besides, the bulk of my family on my Mom's side earned degrees from Carolina. Most Duke fans do NOT have any relatives who went to Duke, and I'm betting that most of them have never even been to North Carolina, much less the Duke campus in Durham.
 
So Syracuse is in or you would think with an impressive overtime win over Uconn.
 
MacNut said:
So Syracuse is in or you would think with an impressive overtime win over Uconn.
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I would think.

The A-10 just got itself another bid as GW fell to Temple. It will be interesting to see what seed GW gets...currently ranked seventh in the country before today's loss, but I wouldn't be surprised to see the selection committee punish them for their weak non-conference schedule by giving them a six seed.
 
clayj said:
I'm not one of those fans. I was raised a Carolina fan and took a lot of crap for it when I went to NC State.

Besides, the bulk of my family on my Mom's side earned degrees from Carolina. Most Duke fans do NOT have any relatives who went to Duke, and I'm betting that most of them have never even been to North Carolina, much less the Duke campus in Durham.
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Just turndowned free tix to the 2 games tonight, will go tomorrow night hopefully.

Loved the poster!!:p Watched the game from Navy Reserve duty in Norfolk, not as much fun as doing it here.

UNC grad, GO HEELS!

I never dreamed it would go so well this year, Roy should get COY. They have a legit shot at winnning it all! I predict they will, cause they got HEART, and HUSTLE. You can't buy that.
 
Alright, it's starting to heat up so I'd better get in on the action. Unfortunately, I'm going to miss much of the of the first two weekends since I'll be in Hawaii for my anniversary, but hopefully Illinois will make it through that.

I think Syracuse will be in with their two recent wins - I think they were bubble before, but probably not now.

Gonzaga continues to be over-hyped, I think. Since they've been "good" have they gone anywhere in the tourney? I think they'll go Sweet 16, depending on bracket, but not further.

UNC is getting hot at a good time, but still won't take the title this year. Although who will is up for grabs. A month ago I would have bet on UConn or Duke, but I think there are several legitimate contenders out there, and we may be surprised by someone (other than UNC, of course).

Illinois will be lucky to make the Sweet 16. They've been up and down this year, and still have a lot of inexperience. Dee and James have the will to carry them, but I'm not sure it will be enough. Augie needs to stay out of foul trouble, which has been his issue since day 1 of his freshman year.

I'd love to see another MR NCAA pool this year, like last year. I can look into setting it up, unless Kwyjibo wants to take it again.
 
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