2022-2023 General Discussion

The SEC is having a strong tournament so far, even with Princeton destroying Missouri and Auburn failing to capitalize on a good chance to knock out Houston.

Bama, Tennessee and Arkansas are through to the Sweet 16, with Kentucky playing a tough but winnable game vs. K-State today.

Meanwhile, it’s a big day for the Big East today, with all four of its remaining teams in action in games where they could be perceived as the favorite. The Big 12 has three more teams playing today — TCU, Baylor, K-State — and trying to make up for Kansas’ early exit by joining Texas in the Sweet 16.

The ACC’s bad season is down to two teams — Miami and Pitt — trying to get any ACC representation in the Sweet 16.

And the poor Big Ten has Michigan State and Indiana trying to save face for the conference after Purdue’s embarrassing dismissal and the rest of the league getting sent home last night.

I thought Northwestern played a very respectable game vs. UCLA, just could never hit one big shot to get their nose in front down the stretch. And Audige putting up a goose egg in the first half put them in a hole, though he was NBA Jam on fire for a good portion of the second half. Jaime Jaquez carried UCLA and won them that game. The rest of the Bruins looked very beatable to me.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …
 
PAC 12 only has UCLA left who thankfully will be headed to the BIG. For the BIG it is simple get an influx of new coaches quit being satisfied with just making the NCAA tourney. SEC other than Ky. was nothing for years now with new coaches plus Beard heading to Ole Miss they (SEC) unfortunately are at the top of the bball heap. Coaching don't matter look at Duke and North Carolina where are they right now?
 
Observation from the FDU coach who has the shortest team in the tourney on how they beat Purdue: The Big Ten teams don't do much pressing, so he thought Purdue would not be used to it, giving his team an advantage.
 
It is kind of funny how the NCAA basketball landscape is more and more starting to mirror the college football power structure.

SEC is getting stronger (although it hasn’t shown up yet in national title game appearances other than Kentucky).

The Big Ten seems perpetually overrated, just like in football. The Pac 12 is virtually irrelevant, like it had been in football prior to this past season. The ACC legacy of power is starting to erode with new coaches at Duke and Carolina and the rest of the league not really holding up its end of the bargain except for Virginia’s outlier run in 2019. The league seems to be sliding downward toward its football mediocrity.

The Big 12 is the one conference that really bucks the trend — strong in basketball, bad at football.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …
 
The SEC is having a strong tournament so far, even with Princeton destroying Missouri and Auburn failing to capitalize on a good chance to knock out Houston.

Bama, Tennessee and Arkansas are through to the Sweet 16, with Kentucky playing a tough but winnable game vs. K-State today.

Meanwhile, it’s a big day for the Big East today, with all four of its remaining teams in action in games where they could be perceived as the favorite. The Big 12 has three more teams playing today — TCU, Baylor, K-State — and trying to make up for Kansas’ early exit by joining Texas in the Sweet 16.

The ACC’s bad season is down to two teams — Miami and Pitt — trying to get any ACC representation in the Sweet 16.

And the poor Big Ten has Michigan State and Indiana trying to save face for the conference after Purdue’s embarrassing dismissal and the rest of the league getting sent home last night.

I thought Northwestern played a very respectable game vs. UCLA, just could never hit one big shot to get their nose in front down the stretch. And Audige putting up a goose egg in the first half put them in a hole, though he was NBA Jam on fire for a good portion of the second half. Jaime Jaquez carried UCLA and won them that game. The rest of the Bruins looked very beatable to me.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …
When you think of ACC basketball Pitt and Miami don’t come first to mind.
 
The B1G will not advance a team to the Sweet 16. The record of the league over the past three NCAA tournaments is abysmal. The talent is not there, which means the coaching is not there. A lot of these schools really need to take a good look at their HC situations and if they are getting their money’s worth. To me, the only for sure keeper is Collins at NW. He’s working under a different set of constraints than the others and is doing as well as possible. Illinois…gone, Indiana…safe for now, Iowa…gone, Maryland…safe for now, Michigan…gone, Michigan State…needs to retire, Minnesota…gone, Nebraska…gone, Northwestern…keeper, Ohio State…gone, Penn State…safe for now, Purdue…gone, Rutgers…safe for now, Wisconsin…gone.

That’s eight who have been there long enough to determine they are largely mediocre and one who should retire. Collins is a keeper. The other four are too new to determine.
 
It is kind of funny how the NCAA basketball landscape is more and more starting to mirror the college football power structure.

SEC is getting stronger (although it hasn’t shown up yet in national title game appearances other than Kentucky).

The Big Ten seems perpetually overrated, just like in football. The Pac 12 is virtually irrelevant, like it had been in football prior to this past season. The ACC legacy of power is starting to erode with new coaches at Duke and Carolina and the rest of the league not really holding up its end of the bargain except for Virginia’s outlier run in 2019. The league seems to be sliding downward toward its football mediocrity.

The Big 12 is the one conference that really bucks the trend — strong in basketball, bad at football.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …
The Big Ten is worse in basketball than football. At least in football we have OSU who's competed and won championships in the 21st century. Basketball doesn't have anyone like that.
 
One problem the B1G has in football does not apply in basketball…solid recruiting base. The hoops recruiting base for the B1G is just fine. So then comes the style of play. The B1G prides itself on playing football on the hardwood. Tom Izzo is a classic example of the old school B1G coach and style. That doesn’t fly anymore. The B1G needs to start with having the refs call much tighter games and not allowing so much contact. The coaches who cannot adjust will be the ones who need to be replaced. Changing the way the games are called, and played, will keep B1G teams fresher come tourney time and more in tune with the less physical way the game is called and played in the tourney. It’s honestly a simple fix, and the coaches either adapt or lose their jobs.
 
Shrewsberry is going to be gone unless Penn State gives him a huge payday/extension. Penn State is a terrible basketball job with next to no history or tradition, and very limited functional accessibility to recruits in Philly and along the east coast. It's a football school/wrestling powerhouse in the boondocks that isn't beating out Villanova or any other east coast Big East school for a Philly recruit.

Shrewsberry is an Indiana guy and has that Brad Stevens/Celtics connection. I would be shocked if he is not Notre Dame's first choice as well as a serious choice for Georgetown.
 
They are going to win today and might still have another win or two in them beyond today. They are solid.
Can never tell with this tournament. FD beat Purdue for a reason. I think we have a good shot today and anything beyond that is gravy. Just need a victory today at least !
 
FWIW, I know why the CBS exclusive window exists on Saturday and Sunday afternoons for second round games, but it’s bad for viewers.

A far better option would be to have two locations for four afternoon games and the other two locations be night venues for four night games.

And starting a game at 9:40 ET on Sunday night (which inevitably tips off closer to 10 p.m.) sucks for a massive swath of the American population who have to work on Monday morning.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …
 
One problem the B1G has in football does not apply in basketball…solid recruiting base. The hoops recruiting base for the B1G is just fine. So then comes the style of play. The B1G prides itself on playing football on the hardwood. Tom Izzo is a classic example of the old school B1G coach and style. That doesn’t fly anymore. The B1G needs to start with having the refs call much tighter games and not allowing so much contact. The coaches who cannot adjust will be the ones who need to be replaced. Changing the way the games are called, and played, will keep B1G teams fresher come tourney time and more in tune with the less physical way the game is called and played in the tourney. It’s honestly a simple fix, and the coaches either adapt or lose their jobs.
Agreed it's a combination of style of play as well as how league games are officiated...but over the last few years IMO the extra eligibility years that have resulted in a huge uptick in 5th and 6th year players at smaller schools are also a major factor.

For all of the pats on the back Tony Bennett gets in coaching circles, UVA has the same problems as the majority of the Big Ten teams in a one and done format. They constrict space offensively and play extremely physical in the lane area defensively. A team like Furman that KO'd UVA in the first round has skilled 23 and 24 y.o. guards that are looking to space you out, beat you to the rim with ball movement and skill, and Jack up a huge number of analytic friendly three point attempts. It is what winning basketball, especially for somebody that does not have a top 5-10 roster, looks like in the current era. The Big Ten badly needs to adapt or their woes will continue.
 
Agreed it's a combination of style of play as well as how league games are officiated...but over the last few years IMO the extra eligibility years that have resulted in a huge uptick in 5th and 6th year players at smaller schools are also a major factor.

For all of the pats on the back Tony Bennett gets in coaching circles, UVA has the same problems as the majority of the Big Ten teams in a one and done format. They constrict space offensively and play extremely physical in the lane area defensively. A team like Furman that KO'd UVA in the first round has skilled 23 and 24 y.o. guards that are looking to space you out, beat you to the rim with ball movement and skill, and Jack up a huge number of analytic friendly three point attempts. It is what winning basketball, especially for somebody that does not have a top 5-10 roster, looks like in the current era. The Big Ten badly needs to adapt or their woes will continue.
Yeah, I definitely cannot wait until these Covid grandpas are done with their ten years of eligibility. Sueing didn’t even begin his career at OSU and it feels like he’s been there forever. Time to move on.
 
Michigan State impressively closed out this game after letting Marquette back into the game. Walker with some really big plays in the final 2 minutes.
 
Marquette will not take MSU to the woodshed.
Nice call. Quite frankly, I saw MSU several times this season and felt they lacked talent. I still don’t see a lot of talent, but this tournament is as wide open as I can ever remember. The quality of play and talent level overall stinks, but a lot of the games have been close and fun to watch.
 
Nice call. Quite frankly, I saw MSU several times this season and felt they lacked talent. I still don’t see a lot of talent, but this tournament is as wide open as I can ever remember. The quality of play and talent level overall stinks, but a lot of the games have been close and fun to watch.
I've always found it hard to sleep on MSU because they've generally taken care of the boards in the tournament under Izzo.
 
I've always found it hard to sleep on MSU because they've generally taken care of the boards in the tournament under Izzo.
Ohhhh, Izzo will always have them playing hard and he always tests his team with a daunting non-league schedule. He just hasn’t been getting the elite recruits lately.
 
Someone said earlier Creighton sucked. First time I’ve actually watched them this year and this is the best any team has looked in the tournament so far.
 
Someone said earlier Creighton sucked. First time I’ve actually watched them this year and this is the best any team has looked in the tournament so far.
They looked dangerous out in Maui and it seems like things come full circle a lot where teams thought to be top tier early on in the year end up making a run come tourney time.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …
 
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