March Madness 2025

[HarryDoyle]

Well, there goes my perfect bracket.

[Jim French Stepstool]

14 minutes ago, adambr2 said:

They didn’t even get an NIT invitation, though, so I don’t think that they were particularly close. They weren’t going to accept anyway.

I never understood teams turning down NIT bids. Maybe for some programs I guess it makes sense, but for pretty much any Horizon League team, get your kids that experience, those postseason reps. Maybe the NIT wouldn’t be treated like such a big joke if teams took it a little more seriously.

I was referring to UWs' losing to Oregon & Penn State possibly keeping them from being sent to Milwaukee for the NCAAs.

But for the record, I don't like schools turning down the NIT either.

[Jim French Stepstool]

13 minutes ago, HarryDoyle said:

Well, there goes my perfect bracket.

Do like I do----don't make them out anymore, let your wife make one out, then point out her mistakes.😛

[adambr2]

Nice opening win. Someone is getting upset on opening weekend, you never want to be on the wrong end of the big stunner. Montana made a little bit of a push midway through the second half, but the outcome of this game was never in serious doubt.

[homer]

KenPom almost got it right on the nose:

[OldSchoolSnapper]

This is definitely the most tournament-built team the Badgers have had since playing in the Final. Doesn't mean they won't lose next round, but it does really feel like they could go far.

[Jim French Stepstool]

Without knowing much of anything about their program, I thought Montana ran some good stuff offensively. Many times they made the 'extra pass' & wound up with a good look. Obviously the depth was a factor. They made (IIRC) seven of their first twelve from deep which kept it interesting for longer than I would've liked.

Now for a 3OT game between VCU & BYU😎.

[GreatNWwi]

1 hour ago, RedStickBrew said:

Creighton taking it to Louisville was a surprise for me.  Almost a home game for a good Louisville team 

Perhaps Chucky took the first round loss MoJo from Madison to Louisville for us to never see again in Badger land.

[RedStickBrew]

2 minutes ago, GreatNWwi said:

Perhaps Chucky took the first round loss MoJo from Madison to Louisville for us to never see again in Badger land.

Let’s hope so. Saw the first half of that game and Chucky was the only reason Louisville was somewhat in the game still. 
 

[adambr2]

Hard to pull a 16/1 upset shooting 20% from the line, Alabama State.

[RedStickBrew]

Brutal half for Clemson. McNeese is a scrappy team and tough to play against 

[Jim French Stepstool]

I didn't buy the McNeese over Clemson hype. Perhaps I should've.

Clemson & LU both going down would be a real kick in the nether region for the ACC.

[Jim French Stepstool]

25 minutes ago, GreatNWwi said:

Perhaps Chucky took the first round loss MoJo from Madison to Louisville for us to never see again in Badger land.

IMO Louisville was living right in their conference tourney in getting past Stanford & Clemson. Caught up to them a little.

[HarryDoyle]

Uh, Clemson. I picked you to go to the Elite 8. You may want to score more than 11 points in 18 minutes.

[RedStickBrew]

2 minutes ago, HarryDoyle said:

Uh, Clemson. I picked you to go to the Elite 8. You may want to score more than 11 points in 18 minutes.

13 points in a half won’t get it done

[HarryDoyle]

Clemson finding out that the ball is supposed to go IN the hoop.

 

[HarryDoyle]

And now Georgia down 27-3? This is a completely different kind of Madness going on.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

1 hour ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

I didn't buy the McNeese over Clemson hype. Perhaps I should've.

Clemson & LU both going down would be a real kick in the nether region for the ACC.

I was right there with you. Clemson was sleepwalking for the first 25 minutes there. They made it...kind of interesting? Looked like McNeese was just perfectly ready to run that thing down.

Have to say, I've also been impressed with BYU's defense. VCU is not great offensively, but they have guys who can hurt you and usually BYU struggles with teams on the more physical side. I still think BYU is a good matchup for us, but they've also been playing hot lately and will have the geography advantage. Should be a very good second round game.

[igor67]

Quote

 

13 points in a half? Not even Dick Bennet would have been able to stomach that..

[RedStickBrew]

20 minutes ago, Cool Hand Lucroy said:

I was right there with you. Clemson was sleepwalking for the first 25 minutes there. They made it...kind of interesting? Looked like McNeese was just perfectly ready to run that thing down.

Have to say, I've also been impressed with BYU's defense. VCU is not great offensively, but they have guys who can hurt you and usually BYU struggles with teams on the more physical side. I still think BYU is a good matchup for us, but they've also been playing hot lately and will have the geography advantage. Should be a very good second round game.

Hopefully the Badgers plan on playing some defense on Saturday

[OldHeidelberg]

23 minutes ago, Cool Hand Lucroy said:

Have to say, I've also been impressed with BYU's defense. VCU is not great offensively, but they have guys who can hurt you and usually BYU struggles with teams on the more physical side. I still think BYU is a good matchup for us, but they've also been playing hot lately and will have the geography advantage. Should be a very good second round game.

BYU may smoke us but I am just relieved we won't lose to an 11 or 12 seed like the last couple trips, I don't think I could stomach that again.

[RedStickBrew]

Kansas v Arkansas has been a fun one to watch so far. Lots of scoring 

[Jim French Stepstool]

3 hours ago, Cool Hand Lucroy said:

I was right there with you. Clemson was sleepwalking for the first 25 minutes there. They made it...kind of interesting? Looked like McNeese was just perfectly ready to run that thing down.

Have to say, I've also been impressed with BYU's defense. VCU is not great offensively, but they have guys who can hurt you and usually BYU struggles with teams on the more physical side. I still think BYU is a good matchup for us, but they've also been playing hot lately and will have the geography advantage. Should be a very good second round game.

Agree re BYUs' defense. The Rams admittedly aren't an offensive juggernaut but I thought BYU was pretty sound fundamentally on D & on the boards.

From what I saw it's a game UW 'could' lose if they don't come out strong.. Want to see energy on the defensive end, and don't play fast just for the sake of playing fast. Move off the ball, make the extra pass. I'm not nuts about Blackwell matching up vs their 6'9" PG. Methinks Janicki lines up against him when he's in the game

Crowl scoring inside & out like he did vs the Grizz would be real nice..

[Jim French Stepstool]

1 hour ago, RedStickBrew said:

Kansas v Arkansas has been a fun one to watch so far. Lots of scoring 

Am I being petty? Maybe. But I'm glad that on Saturday Storr & Hepburn will be playing the same # of minutes as I will.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

I think it's hilarious that the only SEC team to win a game so far is coached by the guy a lot of folks declared officially done for like two months ago. Love to see Drake finally getting a win in the big bracket. That program and that league deserve it, wherever McCollum ends up.

UC San Diego looks entirely unprepared for Wolf and Goldin. Yikes. Long way to go, but adjustments will be needed if that's going to become a game.