Running 2010 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament thread

Agreed on UNI.

It seems that something happened at halftime, whether Izzo found a magic formula or combination in the absence of Lucas.

Yet Northern Iowa crept ahead at 46-44 and then shut it down. They took desperation shots, missed FTs, missed the switches on defense - or, worse yet, went for steals instead of staying home on their man.

The first half played out exactly as I thought it would but I was very surprised the Panthers melted after halftime -- figured they had gotten through the nerves after the Kansas game.

Even the "legendary" coaches still in the game (Coach K, Boeheim, Roy Williams) make early exits or had the stigma of not "winning the big one" for many years. You never hear that with Izzo. His teams - whether a legit Final Four team or in a rebuilding year - almost always peak in late March and that's why I have the highest level of respect for his coaching abilities.

 

Definitely not the tables definitely turned on them and they didn't react well. But still, 11 minutes or whatever it was without a basket? That's crazy. And defense doesn't explain the missed free throws. Well, at least it shouldn't. I think they melted under the pressure of the situation.

 

In the last 13 seasons, Michigan State has been to the Elite Eight more than any other team.

http://freep.com/article/20100326/SPORTS07/3260368/1055/SPORTS07/Advancing-is-MSUs-way-of-life-during-March-Madness

Florida 3
Louisville 3
Memphis 3
Okla. 3
Texas 3
UCLA 3
Arizona 4
Duke 4
UK 4
Kansas 5
UCONN 6
UNC 6
MSU 7

 

It is not a surprise - this is what happens when these small conference teams pull upsets -- we get shitty games at a time when there is supposed to be the best teams still standing.

The only difference between Baylor, Mich State, Kentucky and Syracuse is Syracuse is coached by a guy who specializes in wasting talent and blowing it.

The other three teams just pounded their "little team that could" opponent the way that they were supposed to.

That's why I always say, a few upsets are good for the game -- too many, however, means the Sweet 16 is going to suck because these little teams may catch one team by surprise but they more often than not are not going to catch two teams off guard, especially, teams with a decent coach.

It is not a surprise, nor is it a coincidence that seven of the last eight standing are from the power six conferences.

 

And let me add this --

For all the whining about little guys deserving more at-large bids, consider this -- in the field of 65 there were 33 teams from mid-major conferences, or more than half the field, and well, like I said -- only one of 33 is still standing.

 

The Sweet 16 didn't suck Thursday night. There was no way tonight's game would match what we saw last night, where even in the worst game, Cornell made it a six-point game with less than 10 minutes left before Kentucky pulled away.

 

I really dislike the round of 16. The Cinderellas go home and the big boys feast. I'm sure a lot it is just the extra media attention that the big boys are used to, but the small schools aren't, and the fact that the favorites have four days to figure out a game plan.

 

Re: Northern Iowa. When you take a too-long, too-quick shot and it goes in, "confidence" and "guts" are cited. When it misses, "choking" and "pressure" are cited.
It might just be infinitesimal differences in motor skills. To wit, make one, miss one.
Teams built to win games under 60 will lose a certain number of them because they have reduced the number of opportunities to score for both teams, and every so often, their shots won't go down.
Zag's ranting about the mid-majors, who had their most successful tourney as a class since 2006, is very tiresome, even as Zag rants go. What will he say if Butler wins today? Of course, I doubt that problem will come up for him. Kansas State is very good.

 

The Butler-Syracuse game was not without merit. The Ohio State-Tennessee game was excellent. The first half of Duke-Purdue, which CBS decided us New Englanders just had to have, was excruciating. Shooting usually seen in Div 4 Massachusetts high school JV ball.
I think, Moddy, you're partially influenced by an optical illusion. With four games going on at once, CBS is going to have a better chance of showing you a good one in rounds 1-2 and cut away from the blowouts. With only two games at once, you're likely to be stuck with a clinker -- like say, Duke-Purdue.

 

The Cornell game was over before half-time and there was never one minute in the second half that Cornell had a chance to win the game. Kentucky stopped playing hard for a little bit and then turned it on when it needed to.

And Michael, my rants aren't about the mid-majors - they are about all the fawning all over them some people do that is tiresome. There is a reason they are mid-majors and it ain't because they have the best players.