Running 2011-12 College Basketball thread

And maybe things are just different now. I don't *ever* remember teams sitting players during conference tournaments to get them healthy for the NCAA Tournament. And I don't ever remember teams refusing to cut down the nets after a conference tournament title.

Or maybe I'm just a sucker for the ACC Tournament that I grew up on (RIP).

 

Technically the Great West Conference (Utah Valley State, North Dakota, Texas Pan-American, South Dakota, Houston Baptist, NJIT) tournament champion doesn't have an automatic bid.

 

People that are from ACC country have a different perspective on conference tournaments than I do, for sure. The ACC Tournament has been around longer and used to have HUGE meaning. Where I'm from the Big 8 tournament only came about in the late 70s. Before that there was a holiday tournament that was a different beast all together.

And don't get me wrong. I love conference tournaments. I've been to both the Big 12 and ACC and its a lot of fun to get fans of all the schools together in one location and watch a lot of good basketball. It is fun when your team wins it, but I've never been upset if my team didn't. I grew up eating, sleeping and breathing Kansas basketball. My parents have pictures strategically placed in the basement to cover up holes a less mature version of myself punched in the wall after KU losses, but I don't remember ever being upset the Hawks didn't win the Big 8/12 tournament. I've worried that a poor showing in the league tourney might not bode well for the NCAA's, but the actual trophy I could take or leave.

 

Fair point. Let me reword: Every conference with an automatic bid gives it to its tournament champion except the Ivy League, which does not have a tournament.

 

Haith has a ton of D1 transfers who will be eligible in the fall, in addition to Phil Pressey, Laurence Bowers and Michael Dixon likely coming back. The team may look a little different, but it won't be a bad thing necessarily.

 

As far as the discussion at hand goes, I don't think Kansas or Missouri are 1-seeds. I think your No. 1s are going to be Kentucky, Syracuse, North Carolina and Michigan State, unless Sparty just gets dumptrucked by Ohio State tomorrow (and I don't think that's happening).

 

The Tigers are losing their three best players: Marcus Denmon, Kim English and Ricardo Ratliffe. Earnest Ross will be an excellent addition* and help hedge the impact of losing Denmon and English. Dixon will start on the other wing and need to take the reigns as the team's top scorer, though I've always felt he's more natural at point guard. But who fills in for Ratliffe? Do they try to make Jabari Brown the fifth starter? Bowers has been overmatched in the past against bigger power forwards, so I don't think he would transition well to center. If the best option at center is three-star recruit Ryan Rosburg, the Tigers' saving grace will be that the Southeastern Conference loses a lot of its best big men after this season.

* — Had the Tigers been in the SEC a year ago, Ross would not have been allowed to transfer to Missouri. It will be interesting to see what type of role a two-year SEC veteran takes on this team. I thought he was a very good player for Auburn.

 

I'm no fanboi supporter of the Colorado athletic program, but that coach did a job this year, and loved the full-bore exposure of another Pac-12 epic fake -- the Mildcats -- tonight.

 

A little late to the party, but Digger, if you're still on the sidelines coaching you'll be the first person yelling that a call wasn't made. That was a foul. Whether you call a block or a charge is up to the official, but you don't swallow the whistle.

I think NC State should make it in, anyway. Decent quality wins and the ACC was actually a pretty wild conference this year.

 

S. Miller and the boyz will luuuv the NIT.

 

The only way the A-10 gets three bids this year came through . . . not sure the Bonnies can do it, but would love to see it.

 

Was courtside for State-UNC. I'm rarely a "the refs fucked us" guy, and I'm certainly not a Pack fan. But the officiating was a little one-sided down the stretch. That did not contribute, as Mills noted, to Alex Johnson somehow throwing a pass to a wide-open Lorenzo Brown at his feet. But Gottfried did have beef, as was noted in the postgame by some UNC players, who felt they got some favorable calls.

If N.C. State fails to make the field, I'll eat my hat. That's a tournament team right there.

And Florida State isn't just a tournament team. The Noles might be a deep run, darkhorse Final Four sort of team this year. Great guards, experience, depth and length up front. Complete package.