***Official NCAA Basketball Tournament thread***

[CallMeJoe]

Given vcu's defense I'd rather see the cats face butler. Pulling for butler. He'll of a game so far.

Vcu d ain't no joke from what I'm seeing.

VCU's defense is the biggest part of why they're still in it. Shaka Smart has to go 9-10 players deep just to keep them fresh enough to play that hard for 40 minutes.

 

[rcpratt]

Thank god.

 

[MikeMike]

Live by the 3...

Die by the 3...

 

[ElFenix]

i still don't understand why an 11 seed was in a play in game

 

[MikeMike]

i still don't understand why an 11 seed was in a play in game

this has confused me for a while as well... I don't get the reasoning...

 

[CallMeJoe]

i still don't understand why an 11 seed was in a play in game

The NCAA wanted at least some teams in their "First Four" that people would actually watch, and didn't care who they had to screw in the process. VCU's depth was what saved them from running out of gas in three games of the opening weekend.

edit: If you think VCU got a raw deal with the First Four, consider Clemson. They had a 36-hour turnaround and a red-eye flight from Dayton to Tampa before facing West Virginia.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

skeen wasn't touched at all there, shouldn't have been a foul.

Officiating was uneven in this game, but at least the right team won. :awe:

WOO HOO BUTLER!!!!!!

 

[blurredvision]

i still don't understand why an 11 seed was in a play in game

I think the idea is to allow the last couple at-large teams play their way into the tournament instead of having a hard cut-off as to who makes it and who doesn't. The "last four in" teams are typically 11 seeds if I'm not mistaken, since the rest of the crappy seeds go to the winners of all of the crappy conferences around the land.

 

[blurredvision]

Kinda hard to win a ballgame when you can't score. I don't really see UK recovering from that horrendous first half, but here's hoping.

 

[ElFenix]

I think the idea is to allow the last couple at-large teams play their way into the tournament instead of having a hard cut-off as to who makes it and who doesn't. The "last four in" teams are typically 11 seeds if I'm not mistaken, since the rest of the crappy seeds go to the winners of all of the crappy conferences around the land.

so it's really an admission by the ncaa that the play in games are not the tournament despite being called the '1st round' this year.

 

[zzuupp]

Congrats to Butler!

I hope you win it all now!

 

[blurredvision]

so it's really an admission by the ncaa that the play in games are not the tournament despite being called the '1st round' this year.

Not really any kind of admission, since as you said, they've labeled it as the "First Four (Games)" and even call it the first round now (which I think is stupid). They don't use the term "play in" anymore.

Whatever they are thinking, I think it's better than the proposed 128-team tournament they were kicking around before settling on this.

 

[ElFenix]

pretty amazing that there's been no fouls since the 8 minute mark so they have yet to hit the 8 minute TV timeout at 2:55 left in the game


edit: 8 minute TV timeout happens with 2:09 to go, kensucky hasn't hit a field goal in over 5 minutes but they're at the line

 

[blurredvision]

At least UK has put together a good 10 minutes of play in the 37 they've played so far.

 

[ElFenix]

big 3 kensucky!


damn i wish i were there

 

[ElFenix]

this type of foul doesn't make any sense to me. going up into the guy who is in the air does not give an unfair advantage to the guy in the air.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Too bad, I think Butler would've had an easier time against Kentucky. UConn looks pretty scary.

 

[ElFenix]

game over man game over

 

[KentState]

Why is the championship game on so late? Does the west coast even care about watching the final game this year?

 

[Engineer]

:'''(

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Why is the championship game on so late? Does the west coast even care about watching the final game this year?

It is always on that late.

 

[Adrenaline]

HAHAHHAHHHAHHAHHHAHA Coach Cal.

 

[Slew Foot]

You KHAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!

I got 900 for them making the final four, i get another 900 if they win it all.

 

[SP33Demon]

10 tough wins in a row for UConn. Talk about battle tested, jesus. I'd be very surprised if Butler beats them... Unless Oriaki gets into foul trouble, they are in for a tough interior battle.

Butler wins just as I predicted they would: by dominating the glass (+16) and not fouling VCU (only 13 trips to the line vs 20+ when they win). Amazing season for VCU, they should be proud to be the best Cinderella to ever make the F4.

 

[Syringer]

Bulldogs/Huskies!! Michael Vick is salivating somewhere out there.