@globaljaybird I didn't see it there, but I think carrying should be called more. It's a maneuver that freezes defenses in their shoes.
wissox
13106 posts
@DanR No, but I do remember Matt Painter!
538 has us as an 86% win probability right now. Not sure how they do that, but it's interesting to see.
What's interesting to me is when we played them back in 2013 or whatever year it was, both coaches played an intense defensive battle. Personnel changes leads to changes in style. This is not what anyone would call an intense defensive battle.
POY
That's the play we get out of a TO?
AFH East coming to life
@Blown To be fair, Gonzaga really didn't give them much in the way of an open look
WVU couldn't even get off a 3 to tie.
@approxinfinity We also beat them in the 2nd round way back in like 1993/94
POY
We're playing kind of stupidly
POY
Unfavorable whistle thus far.
And they called it a shooting foul? That was so on the floor.
Just watched the replay of the Lucas 'foul'. You're all right, it was minor at best.
POY
Watching Gonzaga and didn't even realize our game had started. 0-0, didn't miss much I guess.
Beat Oregon!
@BShark They nearly beat Villanova in Philly believe it or not, but you're right, they're horrible.
You misunderstood me. I found it humorous that you said "Call me crazy". I'm like, no sir, don't invite anyone to call you crazy, because you have had some feuds on other threads just this week! That's all, wasn't trying to start anything please understand!
Now @jayballer54, if you don't want to get into feuds with other bucketites, don't title your post with the invitation to call you crazy!! For the record, I had WVU as one of my final four teams.
@drgnslayr The P word is......?
@jayballer54 I didn't know he was on the hot seat. I know they've been a relative non-factor for quite a few years. That's still viewed as a desirable job I assume. It will cause a little more than a ripple.
@drgnslayr I had that game on my DVR, never watched it. Just couldn't, probably never will. That and the KU/Syracuse game in 2003 are my most bitter defeats as a fan. The KU game for very different reasons obviously.
@drgnslayr Last year after our loss to Nova I wrote a post that was titled "who we've lost to" Since 1986, we have lost to a team that has made it to the sweet 16 every one of those years except two. 1989 when we couldn't participate, and 2005 when we lost to Bucknell.
The Badgers matched up well with Nova obviously, and while it's a very good win, it wasn't surprising to me. UW can't handle height because Happ and Hayes aren't extraordinarily elite athletes (they're all elite athletes playing DI basketball). So Purdue handled them, UNC did too. I just dont' feel it.
Tonight, what a slate of games!!
WVU-Gonzaga. A chance for the big12 to vindicate themselves, which I think they will. My bracket shows WVU in the FF. But it's always a big storyline when you have a traditional power like Gonzaga who actually has never won anything important. And they're playing a team that very nearly beat us twice this season.
Xavier-Arizona Actually kind of a yawner for me. I never mind watching AZ lose, but Xavier, while being a good story, has always had kind of a bad rep in my mind, reminding me of Cincy and Thuggins. Same city, same crap.
Michigan-Oregon What an awesome matchup this is. Michigan, who according to some in the media, survived the worst plane crash in history, still is a good story and I've mellowed some on Beilein. Bo Ryan absolutely owned him so I got this idea that he was a lousy coach, but I'm changing on that. Oregon, whom I've seen just a little this year, is an exciting and talented team. Michigan's comeback and dominating finish against Oregon was fun to watch. I never mind seeing Pitino lose either.
Kansas-Purdue A chess match type of game we've discussed ad nauseum.
Tomorrow. It's hard to ignore tournament game between Kentucky and UCLA. Just sounds like a heavyweight title bout. Go Bruins I guess. Kentucky will have a nice home court edge playing in Memphis. Funny how that works that the 2 seed gets a more favorable regional site than the 1 seed UNC. But that happens in these things.
Butler-UNC, David-Goliath, Hebron-Quincy (tiny Hebron, IL winning state championship against gigantic Quincy back in the 50's), Chaminade-Virginia. All epic mismatches that ended memorably. Butler obviously is not exactly an unheralded mid major any more, but it still has that feel.
Baylor-USC Two familiar foes in Martin and Drew. I'm guessing Martin in this one although for the conferences sake go Bears.
Badgers-Florida. It's telling when someone reseeded the remaining 16 teams and made the Badgers the top seed in their region. The Badgers are not going to win it all this year. Until Nova, they hadn't beaten any of the top teams they've played like Purdue, UNC, Creighton. They had a long stretch where Bronson Koenig was playing hurt with a calf injury and they stumbled badly. Hayes went in the tank and Happ did too. It was ugly, but that's all over now and they're looking legit. They're legit enough to advance out of this region, but not sure beyond that. I'll say this, these seniors know how to win.
It's going to be a great two nights of college basketball as @HighEliteMajor pointed out.
@mayjay I mentioned this somewhere else, but it's worth repeating. Haas and Swanigan had the two most post ups in the country according to JNew yesterday.
I have found watching without sound on can really add to the enjoyment of a basketball game. If you can sync the radio broadcast of the game to the TV even better.
@Crimsonorblue22 I didn't finish, but the way he was talking he was sounding pretty positive. Interestingly the way he started his podcast you'd think I'd listened to it and started this thread because he started with basically the same question. Maybe he read my question and turned it into a podcast!
I heard on JNew's preview tonight that Swanigan and Haas had the two most post ups in the entire country.
Well they have different writers you know and this one I posted on another thread had enough sense to make the Badgers and Jayhawks #1 seeds, and KU the #1 overall. So it just kind of depends on whom you read, from the same sports page.
I'm on the downhill side of 50 and have no clue what you guys are talking about!
@ralster I'm thinking no one on Florida can guard him. I know KU had some interest in him, but I think he was always committed to UW.
There are three amazing players, 2 at UW, him and Nigel (not an amazing basketball player but an amazing human being) and Frank at KU that I am really going to miss watching play next year. Guys like them are the reason why I hate OAD so much.
This will tell you what I'll miss about Nigel. http://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2017/3/22/14990536/nigel-hayes-wisconsin-ncaa-tournament-2017-greatest-hits ↗ Pay special attention to the GIF of the kadeem Latin flop and his reaction.
And yes, BK is just amazing. Watching the last five minutes of that Villanova game where he just killed them with 3 bombs was something else. He took over the game like Frank has so many times this year. It's not out of the realm of possibility that we see him back at the FF with KU this year. I'd be in hoops heaven!
@JayHawkFanToo I don't know that much about him, but I do remember the Wisconsin game, and UW is smallish, he and Swanigan just tore them up. I think Haas went for over 20 that night.
@Ralster I'm wondering if Self is going to use Coleby more? We've all speculated that, but has anyone heard the coach say that? I haven't but I don't pay that close attention. Point 3 Thanks for saying that. We/I've worried a bit about some matchup problems we might have with them, but I'm sure they're worried SICK about matchup problems with us! Point 4 Brilliant! Painter's been an inconsistent coach. He's had some talent, but he's never really put it together. I think he was better at SIU.
Sometimes it's fun to go to other teams message boards. Saturday I looked at Villanova fans live blog during the game when the Badgers beat them. It was hilarious. Fans telling each other (without these abbreviations) FU, STFU, Blo...., EatS..., Glad we don't do that here.
Proverbs has good wisdom in it, and it says "a gentle answer turns aside wrath". Good words to live by.
@JayHawkFanToo Thanks. Haas averages 12 and 5 so he's not the stiff that some think he is. You've got to have some big games to average 12 points.
@JayHawkFanToo Do you know the tallest player we've faced this season? I could take the time to look it up. I think you're right about height doesn't intimidate us, but when you add girth to height it becomes more concerning to me, but I worry a lot,
Caleb fouled out 5 times and had 4 fouls 7 times. So he is a little foul prone. I don't know how that compares to other players.
@Texas-Hawk-10 Their 3 point shooting worries me. They're as good as we are at shooting them, and well, generally we don't guard the line very well this year.
@KirkIsMyHinrich I noticed that when I posted my link a few lines above here.
Wow, these are some great answers! It's going to be a fascinating matchup.
Watch what he does with the ball at 6:45-6:50 Pure magic!
Not sure if anyone remembers this game. It happened a month ago against WVU and we made a nice little comeback.
@JayHawkFanToo Maybe you'll be pleased with this. I know I am after seeing who one of his other #1 seeds is!
Lucas will have to do his best on Haas. Haas is tall obviously but is not an extremely talented big, but is competent. He won't have faced anyone bigger all year. I think he'll hold his own on the big Bama kid.
That leaves JJ for Swanigan. I don't always pay attention to matchups, but I'm guessing this is the biggest body he'll have to guard all year. Swanigan gives up athleticism to Josh, while Josh gives up bulk and strength to Swanigan. The height difference is minimal. I think it's a wash between the two. Both will get their points, rebounds, etc. But Josh's ball handling, speed, passing, will help him to overcome Swanigan and give us the victory.
A little discussed stat regarding JJ is his improvement on getting T-d up. He had 3 in the first 14 games and hasn't been T-d up since. This indicates focus, control of emotions, thinking more, all the little intangibles that led him to his dominating performance Sunday. He acted like a freshman Sunday when he touched the ball for the first time and tried a difficult shot over his friend Bridges. Nightmare scenarios raced through my head thinking he was going to turn this into a one upping type of contest. Then he missed the dunk and another shot, and then he began to play ball.
And boy oh boy did he play ball Sunday!
@justanotherfan I think there wouldn't be any games tipping near 11 pm local time on the east coast. 10PM would be about the latest. Good information though. As some have pointed out, what a challenge to maximize viewership and appease fans.
@drgnslayr I was there once and it's not the most scenic campus, nor is it the most scenic town. The best part about it is its' proximity to Chicago and Indianapolis!
@wrwlumpy The pod system sets up these incongruities. Trying to get as many teams playing near home as possible means teams get extra rest compared to their opponents.
Took a look at Purdues schedule. Not super impressive. Losses to Iowa, Nebraska, Villanova, Michigan (twice), Louisville, and Minnesota. Granted 5 tournament teams in there, but there were home losses in there to Nova, Minnesota and some pretty bad road losses to Iowa and Nebraska. Their best win is probably Wisconsin, a home game, and ISU this weekend. That doesn't mean they're not a good team, I do think they were the best team in the Big1G, but they're definitely beatable.
They're good at shooting, 40% on 3's and 76% FT's. They have a fairly deep bench too, including 2013 Michigan sniper Spike Albrecht. You might remember his really good 1st half against Louisville in the title game that year. But he really isn't a major player for them at all.
So somehow a team with this great height managed to lose 7 games, so there's something missing with them. They look scary good when you watch them play, but then they lose. It will be an upset should they pull this off, not an all time shocker however, just a surprise.