Running 2022-23 NCAA Basketball Thread

I think you mean unhappiest. Fuck those guys. Hope Charleston wins three games.

 

The Red Foxes of Marist, the last-place team in the MAAC, are up six on the middle-of-the-pack Jaspers of Manhattan in the first round.

 

A sampling of NAU's losses this year ... something was bound to turn the Jacks' way at some point.
Lost to Weber State by 1
Lost to Portland State (twice) by 1
Lost to Idaho State by 5
Lost to Montana by 1
Lost to Montana State by 1
Lost to Eastern Washington by 3
Lost to Idaho by 5
Lost to Sacramento State by 3
Lost to Southern Utah by 5
Lost to Utah Valley by 5 and 4

So that's 12 of their 22 losses by five points or less. They're closer to a .500 team than a 10 games below .500 team. They're just incredibly unlucky.

I covered their last tournament appearance in 2000 against St. John's in Tucson. They hit a corner 3 with 30 seconds or so left to briefly take a 1-point lead as a 15 seed and the roof nearly blew off of McKale Center. Disinterested locals love an underdog, especially when said underdog is from four hours up the road. Johnnies eventually won but got their doors blown off by Gonzaga in the next round.

 

Today's key bubble games...
* N.C. State vs. Virginia Tech -- Wolfpack really can't afford to lose here
* Georgia Tech vs. Pittsburgh -- Panthers, see above
* Ohio State vs. Wisconsin -- If the Badgers really are on the bubble, they're going to need to win at least two if not three games in the B1G tournament to feel safe.
* Boston College vs. North Carolina -- I think UNC has to get at least to the ACC final to have any at-large shot
* Oregon State vs. Arizona State -- ASU probably needs two wins at least in the Pac 12 to feel good. They certainly can't lose this one and have any shot.

 

I hope you stuck around for that one and saved all your game notes, because everything about St. John's most recent and quite possibly last-ever NCAA Tournament win is a museum-worthy collectible.

 

Syracuse finished 17-15 and a one-and-done in Greensboro. You could say they added no value.

 

If that was Jim Boeheim's last trip to Greensboro, I don't think a single tear will be shed in the Gate City.

 

Good riddance (hopefully).

 

I'm stealing a line from somewhere, but I would listen to Wes Durham read the telephone book.

 

Pitt doing its damndest to give away a trip to the NCAA tournament.