Running Sweet 16 thread

Oh man, I heart Jeff Green. THank you, oh shooter of basketball, for saving my bracket!!!

 

Did Vandy have no time outs left?

 

Clearly, Jeff Green is prepared for the NBA walking rule.

 

It must be an SEC thing to not take a timeout and then not have your best player touch the ball with the game on the line.

 

Maybe there's an NCAA tournament rule about not calling walking in the final minute of a game. Remember in the 1993 final against North Carolina before Michigan's Chris Webber called a time out he didn't have, he walked at the other end.

 

They made up for it by allowing Jeff Green to walk 3 1/2 miles on the game winning shot.
How many times do you get to reestablish your pivot foot before you get a travel call? He moved it THREE TIMES.

 

Good job by the selection committee this year.

people bemoaned the lack of competitive games (and upsets) in the opening round...they also bemoaned the lack of mid-majors and that Arkansas/Stanford got in over some mid-majors...

But, Round 2 (specifically Saturday was better) was improved...whereas if a mid-major got in and maybe threw an upset, the basketball later on wouldnt be that great.

The Sweet 16 has been great, as of right now the avg margin of victory is 3.8 points. Three one-point games and one three-point game. UF/Butler and UCLA/Pitt were the only games with large margins of victory (8 and 9 points respectively).

As good as these have been, Saturday/Sunday may be even better. If UNC wins, 7 of the 8 one and two seeds will make the elite 8.

The committee rewarded the top 2 teams (and maybe even the top 5) and only one (Wisconsin) didnt hold up their end of the bargain.

Its made for some good basketball.

 

One other thought...

It would be better basketball had CBS left James Brown at home. I know Gus Johnson is annoying as hell, but jeez....I feel as if I'm being lulled to sleep by James here...

As much emotion Johnson has, James Brown is just boring and terrible...

 

Tennessee did call a timeout in between free throws last night to set up a play. It was the same play for a make or a missed free throw.

Have to think that was probably the best chance they could've gotten. Had they called another TO at mid-court, I'd say OSU glues 1 or 2 defenders on Lofton and makes sure Oden stands under the basket until the Ohio State bus leaves the parking lot.

Remember, Texas A&M had the ball at mid-court with 2 seconds out of a time out and Law was heavily guarded and the best shot they got was a 35-footer.

That would've left Tennessee with someone other than Lofton (either Smith, Chism or Bradshaw) taking a long shot with around 2-3 seconds to shoot after an inbounds at mid-court. I'd take the high percentage shot in the paint over that anyday.

That said....I think Vandy needed a TO because I'm sure the previous TO by G'Town was just focusing on their defense. But out of a TO, I think Vandy may have gotten their best look without calling one. It wasnt a good shot, but it was a decent look.

 

I have no problem with the Vandy coach not calling the TO with under 3 seconds to go. It's 50-50 which choice gets you the better shot there. I am puzzled the coach had 2 (!) TOs left on his plate. The lead went back and forth the entire final 15 minutes. In the last 5 minutes wasn't there SOMETHING the coach could say before or after a Vandy possession that would help? What is he, a K.C. Jones disciple?

 

Tenacious "D" by SoCal.
They look good early, those Trojans.