Official NCAA Tourney Thread

[Point Blank]

Get well Kendall Marshall.

[Sportsbuck]

Elite 8 bound! So glad we finally broke through the Sweet 16 barrier.

If I had to make a prediction, I think this might be the end of the line for us. We need Thomas to keep going, Buford to show up, and Sully to have a big game inside against that zone. Biggest key is ball movement.

[Rudi]

Saw a missing person's report on the news looking for a William Buford

[Senser81]

*Very disappointed in Wisconsin's effort. They shot very well from 3, they came back after Syracuse made their run, and they had a chance to win the game on the final possession. Why Bo Ryan didn't try to set up a play at some point during that final possession, especially when it became apparent that Wisconsin's offense was out of sorts, makes no sense to me. The final shot was terrible...a 30 foot 3 pointer down by 1? It allowed Syracuse to escape yet another round.

*Lousiville stifled Michigan State, who has been limited offensively much of the year. Appling for MSU was terrible as usual, and Michigan's lack of good guards cost them. I thought MSU was far and away the worst #1 seed, so not surprised they lost.

*Marquette couldn't make a shot, and Crowder didn't have his usual monster game. Florida physically dominated the game. Should be an interesting matchup with Louisville...Pitino taking on his protege, Donovan.

*Ohio State is playing very well right now. I actually enjoy watching Craft, because he isn't an idiot and he does whatever it takes to win. If the big guy needs the ball, he passes. If his team needs a stop, he plays D. If they need a score, he makes a basket. OSU-Syracuse should be a great game...possibly the game of the tournament thus far.

[Sportsbuck]

FINAL FOUR BOUND! This may be the happiest I've been in a long time for sports. Tatgate, blowing it against Kentucky last year, a losing season in football... this is an incredible feeling. Just absolutely incredible.

[Rudi]

[Roogy]

Elite 8 bound! So glad we finally broke through the Sweet 16 barrier.

If I had to make a prediction, I think this might be the end of the line for us. We need Thomas to keep going, Buford to show up, and Sully to have a big game inside against that zone. Biggest key is ball movement.

Nice prediction. Don't see any legitimate reason as to why you would pick a Cuse team over Ohio State...but to each his own.

[Senser81]

*Watched the Kentucky-Baylor game in bits and pieces. Saw Baylor up early, then got outscored 16-0 at one point, then I turned the game off.

*Ohio State-Syracuse was a good game. Ohio State seemed to always be a bit ahead of Syracuse. I think OSU's defense was the key, because Syracuse didn't make many outside shots or get that many 2nd chance points. It was kind of funny at the end of the game. It was apparent that Syracuse couldn't make a shot, so Triche would just spastically flail his arms and get foul calls. On two of the plays, there was no OSU player anywhere near him, yet the foul call was still made. Luckily OSU had enough offense to keep ahead.

*Florida seemed to have better players than Louisville, but I guess Pitino outcoached Donovan again. Either way, Louisville has been able to keep close and finish games. Don't really like their chances in the Final Four because they don't match up well, but who knows?

*Kansas-UNC was a really good game. Kansas would jump ahead, then UNC would claw back. It doesn't need to be said, but Roy Williams is a terrible coach. I think he handcuffed his PG too much...he would have wide open shots but would pass to a teammate like a robot. The problem was his teammates weren't doing anything. They didn't really go inside that often, and Barnes was terrible. Similar to Triche and Syracuse, UNC's comeback was led by Barnes flailing his arms and getting foul calls. One play Barnes lowered his shoulder and slammed into Whitbey, who was standing in his spot for literally 3 seconds. The blocking call was inexcusable, because it gave Whitbey his 4th fould. But Roy Williams did nothing, and it seemed like UNC stopped scoring once the refs stopped trying to give them the game, which was like the 2 minute mark.

[ralaw]

Yeah, there were times when you could tell Stilman White was totally scared to shoot, because earlier in the game (and against Ohio U) Williams would yell and scream at him for shooting, but then when he passed on a wide open jumpshot Williams would yell and scream at him for not shooting. During the Ohio U game I told me wife that once Williams basically told him not to shot he'd be usless, because he'd have no confidence.

Kansas ran a triangle and 2 most of the second half and after the game Williams said he thought it was only for a few plays...LOL. It's too bad Marshall was hurt, because it is obvious he was the reason for this team's success.

[FirstTimer]

*Watched the Kentucky-Baylor game in bits and pieces. Saw Baylor up early, then got outscored 16-0 at one point, then I turned the game off.

*Ohio State-Syracuse was a good game. Ohio State seemed to always be a bit ahead of Syracuse. I think OSU's defense was the key, because Syracuse didn't make many outside shots or get that many 2nd chance points. It was kind of funny at the end of the game. It was apparent that Syracuse couldn't make a shot, so Triche would just spastically flail his arms and get foul calls. On two of the plays, there was no OSU player anywhere near him, yet the foul call was still made. Luckily OSU had enough offense to keep ahead.

*Florida seemed to have better players than Louisville, but I guess Pitino outcoached Donovan again. Either way, Louisville has been able to keep close and finish games. Don't really like their chances in the Final Four because they don't match up well, but who knows?

*Kansas-UNC was a really good game. Kansas would jump ahead, then UNC would claw back. It doesn't need to be said, but Roy Williams is a terrible coach. I think he handcuffed his PG too much...he would have wide open shots but would pass to a teammate like a robot. The problem was his teammates weren't doing anything. They didn't really go inside that often, and Barnes was terrible. Similar to Triche and Syracuse, UNC's comeback was led by Barnes flailing his arms and getting foul calls. One play Barnes lowered his shoulder and slammed into Whitbey, who was standing in his spot for literally 3 seconds. The blocking call was inexcusable, because it gave Whitbey his 4th fould. But Roy Williams did nothing, and it seemed like UNC stopped scoring once the refs stopped trying to give them the game, which was like the 2 minute mark.

That IMO killed UNC's chances. Zeller got off early and for some reason it seemed like they just quit going to him. Zeller ended with something like 12 points but 8 of them were in the first 5-7 minutes of the game...or it at least seemed that way. I'd have to rewatch the game but I don't recall Kansas doing anything to truly take Zeller away and force other Tar Heels to beat them. Henson was a ghost. Barnes and Bullock were terrible and I kept wondering why Williams just didn't bench Bullock at one point and go with a bigger lineup with McAdoo in as he seemed to be one of the few Tar Heels who could play against Kansas' athleticsm.

[Senser81]

Yeah, there were times when you could tell Stilman White was totally scared to shoot, because earlier in the game (and against Ohio U) Williams would yell and scream at him for shooting, but then when he passed on a wide open jumpshot Williams would yell and scream at him for not shooting. During the Ohio U game I told me wife that once Williams basically told him not to shot he'd be usless, because he'd have no confidence.

Watching Stilman White was like watching Ollie from Hoosiers.

[ralaw]

Watching Stilman White was like watching Ollie from Hoosiers.

LOL, at first I thought White was one of those "GPA boost" guys, but it appears he was actually given a scholarship. I was sort of surprised that a school like UNC wouldn't have at least have a backup that wasn't overwhelmed by the talent level. You'd think Williams would have had a better backup plan considering Strickland is a senior and Marshall will probably go pro.

[Point Blank]

Watching Stilman White was like watching Ollie from Hoosiers.

He killed my buzz, fuck him.

[Point Blank]

LOL, at first I thought White was one of those "GPA boost" guys, but it appears he was actually given a scholarship. I was sort of surprised that a school like UNC wouldn't have at least have a backup that wasn't overwhelmed by the talent level. You'd think Williams would have had a better backup plan considering Strickland is a senior and Marshall will probably go pro.

Couldn't agree more.

[Sportsbuck]

Nice prediction. Don't see any legitimate reason as to why you would pick a Cuse team over Ohio State...but to each his own.

I didn't think we would match-up too well against their zone.

Are you really bitching at me for being realistic?