Author Topic: Road to the Final Four thread (NCAA basketball 2010-11) (Read 25095 times)

DPMOmaha · « **Reply #225:** March 19, 2011, 12:04:23 AM »

not a lot of compelling basketball today.

CALSGR8 · « **Reply #226:** March 19, 2011, 12:58:46 AM »

George Mason beat Villanova! whoo hoooo!

JMW IV · « **Reply #227:** March 19, 2011, 03:19:37 AM »

wonder if Jay Bilas thinks that VCU belongs in the Dance now.

DPMOmaha · « **Reply #228:** March 19, 2011, 12:15:42 PM »

Whether he does or not doesn't change the validity of his argument as of last Sunday.

The Chief · « **Reply #229:** March 19, 2011, 12:25:53 PM »

Quote from: DPMOmaha on March 19, 2011, 12:15:42 PM

Whether he does or not doesn't change the validity of his argument as of last Sunday.

*somebody* sounds bitter/scared

prodding aside though, I think it's incredibly unprofessional for someone in Bilas' position to down on a team like that. I realize it's not particularly unusual, but I still don't think that makes it right. But I guess focusing on the positive doesn't get you a job in that line of work these days (or sell newspapers/pageviews/airtime either

)

DPMOmaha · « **Reply #230:** March 19, 2011, 12:36:25 PM »

Quote from: The Chief on March 19, 2011, 12:25:53 PM

*somebody* sounds bitter/scared

prodding aside though, I think it's incredibly unprofessional for someone in Bilas' position to down on a team like that. I realize it's not particularly unusual, but I still don't think that makes it right. But I guess focusing on the positive doesn't get you a job in that line of work these days (or sell newspapers/pageviews/airtime either )

lol, no not at all, I have no horse in this race. It's just not an if/then argument, that's all, it's a discussion of merit. Bilas even said in his rant that it was entirely possible VCU was capable of winning, which, as we saw, they clearly were, but that there were other teams that were more deserving, and he had a compelling case. I don't think his intention was to slam VCU as much as it was to criticize the committee that put the field together. All people heard was "rant, rant, rant, VCU, rant, rant."

nats2playoffs · « **Reply #231:** March 19, 2011, 01:46:51 PM »

Quote from: DPMOmaha on March 19, 2011, 12:04:23 AM

not a lot of compelling basketball today.

Saturday March 19, 2011:
On CBS now #4 Kentucky vs #5 West Virginia, in Tampa.
2:30 pm CBS #2 Florida Vs #7 UCLA, in Tampa.
5:00 pm CBS #12 Richmond vs #13 Morehead State, in Denver, the UPSET Special
6:00 pm on TNT #2 San Diego State vs. #7 Temple, in Tucson
7:00 pm on TBS #1 Pittsburgh vs #8 Butler, in Washington DC at the Verizon Center
7:30 pm CBS #3 BYU vs #11 Gonzaga in Denver
8:30 pm on TNT #4 Wisconsin vs. #5 Kansas State, in Tucson
9:30 pm #3 Connecticut vs. #6 Cincinnati, in Washington DC at the Verizon Center
Midnight on TBS - Inside March Madness, highlights & analysis

mimontero88 · « **Reply #232:** March 19, 2011, 02:45:36 PM »

WVU played so bad at the end there. With about 2 minutes to go down by 4 I knew it was over when they were only willing to take a 3 point shot. Seriously, there was no reason to be going for threes at that point. The entire game they played uptempo which was a terrible idea against a team like Kentucky that has so many ways to beat you in transition. This was a very winnable game for them but they schemed terribly against Kentucky.

ronnynat · « **Reply #233:** March 19, 2011, 06:29:56 PM »

This Temple-SDSU game should be very close throughout.

mitlen · « **Reply #234:** March 19, 2011, 07:02:36 PM »

All I ask is that Bilas use the same argument next year in explaining why Georgetown's "body of work" over the last few years is weak to say the least. Explain why Georgetown doesn't belong in the NCAA madness. Tell us about Villanova and St. John's and Louisville and WVU and ... Playing Pitt and UConn shouldn't give you an automatic ticket to the dance. While he's at it, tell me about Duke and their schedule against Wake Forest, Maryland, Virginia ... and VA Tech too. Bilas is an elitist just like the school he attended. If I could buy him for what he's worth and sell him for what he thinks he's worth, I'd be a millionaire.

I wouldn't have minded his pre-tourney assessment if I thought for a minute he had any idea what he was talking about. He probably didn't see VCU play all year. Probably doesn't even know where it's located. He only knows about the power conferences, just like most of the network analysts. The only thing different between NCAA football and basketball selection championships is the BCS. Bilas probably believes the whole ACC should get a bid. How does he think Maryland would have done this year?

PC · « **Reply #235:** March 19, 2011, 09:25:05 PM »

Unbelievable ending at Verizon Center, Butler over Pittsburgh!

spidernat · « **Reply #236:** March 19, 2011, 09:26:01 PM »

You have to be a complete moron to commit that foul when the game was set to go into overtime. Pitt cost themselves big time by missing a free throw and then by the mental gaffe of hacking the Butler player on the rebound.

mitlen · « **Reply #237:** March 19, 2011, 09:35:21 PM »

.... add Pitt to the list of Big Least.

mitlen · « **Reply #238:** March 19, 2011, 09:59:51 PM »

Wow !! They're saying the coach for BYU played for Houston in '83 against NC State. I was there. What a weekend but I don't remember him. Had to google him and then CBS just showed a few hi-lites. Deja vu

HalfSmokes · « **Reply #239:** March 19, 2011, 10:11:28 PM »

Quote from: mitlen on March 19, 2011, 09:35:21 PM

.... add Pitt to the list of Big Least.

If anything 11 bids (a decent number of which were based on in conference wins) looks really stupid- at least some should have gone to more mid majors

HalfSmokes · « **Reply #240:** March 19, 2011, 10:14:30 PM »

Quote from: DPMOmaha on March 19, 2011, 12:36:25 PM

lol, no not at all, I have no horse in this race. It's just not an if/then argument, that's all, it's a discussion of merit. Bilas even said in his rant that it was entirely possible VCU was capable of winning, which, as we saw, they clearly were, but that there were other teams that were more deserving, and he had a compelling case. I don't think his intention was to slam VCU as much as it was to criticize the committee that put the field together. All people heard was "rant, rant, rant, VCU, rant, rant."

"rant rant how dare little guy steal an at large from a middling large conference team ran rant" is what I heard

InsaneBoost · « **Reply #241:** March 20, 2011, 05:15:49 PM »

LETS GO MASON!!!!!!!

InsaneBoost · « **Reply #242:** March 20, 2011, 05:23:44 PM »

Man Mason is so much smaller than these Ohio State players.

mitlen · « **Reply #243:** March 20, 2011, 06:48:19 PM »

Quote from: InsaneBoost on March 20, 2011, 05:23:44 PM

Man Mason is so much smaller than these Ohio State players.

The Wiz should be scoutin' the Bucks.

ronnynat · « **Reply #244:** March 20, 2011, 08:37:31 PM »

VCU just needs to play decent defense and they'll win this.

mitlen · « **Reply #245:** March 20, 2011, 08:38:00 PM »

Quote from: ronnynat on March 20, 2011, 08:37:31 PM

VCU just needs to play decent defense and they'll win this.

Yes

PANatsFan · « **Reply #246:** March 20, 2011, 11:44:41 PM »

Sorry Ronny, but it looks like FSU is this year's George Mason.

spidernat · « **Reply #247:** March 21, 2011, 12:06:02 AM »

The Big East got owned/exposed in this tournament. The only two teams that survived the first week of the tournament from the Big East were Connecticut and Marquette and those two teams actually faced off against Big East teams so two of those HAD to win by default. The conference should be dubbed the big ten of basketball.

mitlen · « **Reply #248:** March 21, 2011, 07:20:47 AM »

Quote from: PANatsFan on March 20, 2011, 11:44:41 PM

Sorry Ronny, but it looks like FSU is this year's George Mason.

Florida State from the ACC? How about VCU being George Mason

mimontero88 · « **Reply #249:** March 21, 2011, 11:00:53 AM »

Quote from: PANatsFan on March 20, 2011, 11:44:41 PM

Sorry Ronny, but it looks like FSU is this year's George Mason.

FSU? Yeah until they lose to VCU. VCU has been the most impressive team in this tournament (short of Ohio State though VCU has better quality wins) up to this point. I would actually be a bit surprised to see FSU beat them. Joey Rodriguez has been playing out of his mind and has shown that he can feed the ball to the open man consistently whether it's going into the paint for a big or to the perimeter to his three-point shooters. VCU beat Purdue in the paint where Ja'Juan Johnson presumably should have dominated and they have shut down both Georgetown and Purdue's biggest stars. They have shown they can beat you outside or inside.

But the most impressive thing about VCU is their defense. They are constantly moving and shifting on defense. While this does open up the occasional three-point shot VCU is athletic enough to at least get a hand in the face of the shooter before the release and that has led to a lot of misses. This defensive style (switching between standard half-court defense and the full-court press) has helped VCU cause a lot of turnovers and chaos and really makes them a dangerous team to play against. John Thompson II said of VCU after their victory over Purdue, "There isn't a coach in the nation who didn't enjoy watching that team play. There isn't a coach in the nation who wants to play them either."