College Basketball 2009-2010 (part 2)

[burrolover]

Tom Izzo knows March! What a fabulous coach. Why do I keep betting against his teams in March? He builds them to win when it matters.

[Buckylovesbeer]

Hate the guy during the Big Ten season, but I agree with you burr, Izzo is a great coach this time of the year.

[berniebrewer4life]

I'm rooting HARD for Baylor. Simply because i love what that coach has done. He comes into an impossible situation and has turned the program around.

[homer]

Tom Izzo knows March! What a fabulous coach. Why do I keep betting against his teams in March? He builds them to win when it matters.

So THAT's why you hate UW!

[crewcrazy]

For those that love Gus, I give you the Gus Johnson soundboard: http://gusjohnsongetsbuckets.com/

[Roscoe Chill]

As far as brackets go, I really have no idea how it's possible, but if Butler and West Virginia can win today, I have a pretty decent shot at first place out of 56 people. That's with no champion, and only two final four teams correct (assuming Duke wins too). I'll take it, but that's downright pathetic. For the record, I think both Kansas State and Kentucky will win, but it's still interesting.

[pitchleague]

congrats to Butler! I was excited about either team winning but was surprised that K-State just showed no urgency or good team play in the entire final minute of the game.

 

I always love it when mid-majors/non big-time teams make the Final Four. NCAA tournament always rocks. Except that one year that all four #1's made it to the finals. Snooze.

[homer]

KSU looked completely clueless at the end there. Ohio St had the same deer in headlights look to them the other day.

[RyDogg66]

I watched one team all year, that is Wisconsin. I saw bits and pieces of Marquette, but mainly I just saw Wisconsin.

 

Now, to watch Evan Turner and John Wall slice through the lane and toss up a prayer with 25 seconds on the shot clock I wonder how these teams are as good as they are. Watching kentucky, they throw the ball away it seems every other possession, same with Ohio State at the end of the game yesterday.

 

Yeah, its fast paced and they are REALLY good athletes, but I dont see how this is more of an exciting product than what Wisconsin does. I know they are better, but I think it is pretty ugly to watch if you ask me.

[trwi7]

That's got to be awesome for the fans and players being an underdog and having the Final 4 in your home city.

[razzzorsharp]

And down goes Kentucky.

[crewcrazy]

Words cannot describe how happy I am that Kentucky went down. It's not like they'd still be recognized as a Final Four team in a few years anyway, given Calipari's track record, but I'm definitely happy for the fans of West Virginia.

[TooLiveBrew]

That's got to be awesome for the fans and players being an underdog and having the Final 4 in your home city.

I love it. This has to be one of the best Final Four stories ever.

[danzig6767]

I watched one team all year, that is Wisconsin. I saw bits and pieces of Marquette, but mainly I just saw Wisconsin.

 

Now, to watch Evan Turner and John Wall slice through the lane and toss up a prayer with 25 seconds on the shot clock I wonder how these teams are as good as they are. Watching kentucky, they throw the ball away it seems every other possession, same with Ohio State at the end of the game yesterday.

 

Yeah, its fast paced and they are REALLY good athletes, but I dont see how this is more of an exciting product than what Wisconsin does. I know they are better, but I think it is pretty ugly to watch if you ask me.

That was mainly because West Virginia is a very very good defensive team that forced Kentucky into mistakes, just as KU forced Cornell into tons of mistakes. WV has pretty much 6-7 guys that all stand 6-6' to 6-10' that all are long armed good athletes taught to played hard nosed defense by Huggins who always turns out good defensive teams. If say Kentucky had to face the Badgers instead, they'd have been able to get a bunch more easy shots because we don't have the athletes or the length that WV has. Plus, Kentucky simply had an unusually bad night shooting threes. They aren't a good three point shooting team, but they aren't a 0-20 three point shooting team as was the case until late, while WV shot better from three than usual. Another thing to keep in mind, Kentucky was a team full of freshman.

 

Bo Ryan obviously has been fabulous for Wisconsin. The basketball history of the program was largely miserably before he arrived. That said, watching us play Cornell and Kentucky play Cornell was so telling. Cornell sliced and diced UW to death, but when facing the vastly more athletic Kentucky, it suffocated the Cornell offense that ate the Badgers defense alive. We regularly this year and in the tourney had Hughes/Taylor/Bohannon on the court together. None of the three is taller than 6'2, none are long armed, and none are super athletic. The only long very athletic guy who played fairly often is Evans. Wilson is athletic and kinda long for a wing, but Bo doesn't trust him so Jarmusz and his nonathletic self got those minutes instead. Once in the NCAA Tournament and having to advance multiple teams before reaching an Elite 8 or Final Four, it's just hard to accomplish that when in most games they'll face more athletic teams that often are also longer. It's easier to get away with those shortcomings in conference play and especially at home where the Badgers have been insane under Bo.

[Buckylovesbeer]

Watching this Tenn-Mich St game ...... great game. If I am going to be travelling in a shady neighborhood, I want this Volunteer team in my corner. Those are some rough, tough lookin dudes!

[PeaveyFury]

Especially

since the big ten is simply an average conference and really won't

matter as far as the big dance. Yes, they beat Mich St, but what does

that say? State has lost to all the goor or semi good (Carolina) teams

they played. The badgers are a surprise but doing well in this

conference does not say alot.

There's that irrelevant Big Ten putting a team in the Final Four yet again.....

[jjkoestler]

The gf is a MSU alum. Its going to be brutal living with her. I really thought Tennessee was going to get the W.

[Oldcity]

I just assumed it was a foregone conclusion Mich St. would win, just as it is that they'll beat Butler in Indianapolis. I've accepted the fact that Tom Izzo can sleepwalk his way through an underachieving regular season and flip a switch as soon as the tournament starts. Ugh.

Also, I don't really understand bragging for the Big Ten when their only semi-regular representative in the Elite Eight/Final Four is Michigan St. People don't brag about the WCC being well represented in the tournament because of Gonzaga's history or the Horizon because of Butler. They're just great individual programs.

[crewcrazy]

6 Final Four appearances in 12 years for Izzo is incredible. I always want to hate Michigan State, but I have so much respect for Izzo that it's hard to do. Congrats to them.

[PeaveyFury]

Also, I don't really understand bragging for the Big Ten when their only semi-regular representative in the Elite Eight/Final Four is Michigan St.

 

The point being responded to was clearly that the Big Ten would be irrelevant in the tourney, despite the fact that they seemingly put a team in the Final Four every year. Not to mention, the post clearly slams MSU's team.

 

And for the record, in the last 10 years, the Big Ten has put 5 different teams into the Final Four, two teams into the same Final Four twice, and 4 different teams into 5 championship games.

[TooLiveBrew]

What an incredible game. There was never a moment where it didn't have my full attention. You don't see games that well-played & evenly contested from opening tip to final buzzer very often. I love the regional final games... always seems like they're the most competitive to me.

 

Now GO BAYLOR!

[jjfanec]

As college basketball fans it has been a good tourney but CBS has to be freaking out about a Baylor win. Butler vs Michigan St, and WV vs Baylor would not be that great for the ratings. I do not see many casual fans watching those matchups.

[craigharmann]

I do not see many casual fans watching those matchups.

I'd watch! I think the stories are intriguing! There really haven't been a whole lot of big time blowouts this year in the tourney.

[jjfanec]

I do not see many casual fans watching those matchups.

I'd watch! I think the stories are intriguing! There really haven't been a whole lot of big time blowouts this year in the tourney.

Are you already a college bball fan though? Ratings show time and time again that people do not watch the underdogs even though they like the story. The year George Mason made the final 4 the ratings were terrible for their game. I will watch the games, but I just do not know what team is a draw for casual sports fan? Maybe Butler.

[Buckylovesbeer]

Somebody needs to tell these officials that Duke doesent get an automatic foul call whenever they miss. These guys have been horrible in the second half. As the game goes on, you can tell Baylor is getting very frustrated.