🏀 KuBuckets Archive

At this time of the year, I like to project which team the NCAA will place in our path to knock us off during each round. I use http://bracketmatrix.com/ ↗ ↗ to get the teams and the seeds. The committee just loves putting vastly underseeded teams to try to mess us up. So the first run is if we end us as a 1 seed:

Game vs 8/9 seed

In the 8/9 game, guarantee they will throw Murray St against us. They want the David vs. Goliath angle on this one. Murray St is a very good little team that give us problems.
If not Murray St, Creighton has been a big roll, and they just beat the crap out of Providence.

Game vs 4/5 seed

This is where the committee will really hammer us. Arkansas, Houston, and UCONN stand out as very tough outs in the S16 game. I wouldn't be surprised to see 4- Arkansas play 5- Houston. And UCONN is going to be very underseeded. They beat Arizona, then their center misses time, and they stink for awhile, and now their center is back, and they almost took down Villanova last night. No thanks!

Game vs 2/3

If we make it this far, I am convinced we'll play Auburn, Tennessee, Dook, or Purdew. I have no doubts it will be the best #2 on the board. I will venture to say they could make 'Tucky the #2 in our region as insurance against us making it to the FF.

OUR MATCHUPS AS A 2 SEED:

Game vs 7/10 seed :

I'm putting Murray in here as well. They are on the cusp of 7/8, so that way the committee can sneak them in no matter what we're seeded. The 7 seed I fear is USC. Yep...they're baaccck. I think they only have 5 or 6 losses...massively underseeded like last year. They don't have Evan Mobley, but they do have his brother. Yuck. There is also Michigan St and Ohio St coming in at 7 seeds. That's not an easy draw by any means. And Memphis is a 10 seed, so there would be a chance we could see them. They have some major talent and athleticism. Would be a very tough draw.

Game vs 3/6

Tennessee and Purdew stand out. Purdew would be a very tough match up for us with Edey and Williams down low, and they've got some shooters, too. Tennessee isn't the world's most athletic team, but they sure have some great guard play and they defend.

Alright, so that's what I got so far. Feel free to disagree, modify, add, subtract, or ignore. It's one man's opinion.

All teams advancing will be good, key will be the matchup.

We need to avoid teams with athletic Bigs.

Ah, the "Committee Hates KU" paranoia thread!

That said, it is presented well.

Ever read "Chariots of the Gods?"

@AsadZ

I think big athletic guards create problems for Dajuan. Remy is small, but uses his speed as an equalizer. That's why we will see Dajuan get less minutes against big athletic guards. If Remy keeps playing like he did yesterday, we jump a notch on potential and have a lot more bench quality.

Here are today's 8/9 seeds :
8 Murray State Ohio Valley
8 San Diego State Mountain West
8 Seton Hall Big East
8 TCU Big 12
9 North Carolina ACC
9 Creighton Big East
9 Marquette Big East
9 Memphis AAC

Some really good teams in that grouping. Murray St was a 7 seed when we were a 2 seed, now they drop to 8 as we rise to a 1 seed. Shaka again? We owe him one or two, for sure. Memphis is problematic.

Here are today's 4/5 seeds:
4 UCLA Pacific-12
4 Illinois Big Ten
4 Arkansas SEC
4 Providence Big East
5 Houston American
5 Connecticut Big East
5 Iowa Big Ten
5 St. Mary's (CA) WCC

Pick your poison on this one. You have a team from last year's Final Four, B10 champion, metrics darling and soon to be B12 member, Houston, scary UCONN and Iowa teams, and a surging Arkansas team. And some will say that St Mary's is as good as any of them. No easy outs. To make the Elite 8, we'll be playing an elite team, for sure.

This year, some of the lower to mid-majors are more experienced than ever with guys who have played together 5 years. That's going to be the wild card in this tournament. That chemistry will be the undoing of some very good teams.

@bskeet Good insight. Just happened with Duke!

KU does not lack experience, key will be to remain poised and play strong team D when shots are not falling.

@AsadZ said in UNDERSEEDS- BRACKET FUN:

KU does not lack experience, key will be to remain poised and play strong team D when shots are not falling.

And hope Memphis isn't our future opponent.

Memphis is down 12 at halftime.