Selection Sunday-NCAA tournament thread

Just from watching both teams play this year, VCU is going to trounce Michigan.

And as far as brackets go: I don't think a lot of amateurs understand that when Harvard beats New Mexico, unless you have New Mexico going deep in the tournament, your bracket is fine. Because nobody picked that game. Huge upsets don't ruin your bracket. What ruins your bracket is picking a huge upset that doesn't happen.

 

Unless you picked Harvard, nobody has anything to brag about based on yesterday.

A No. 12 beating a No. 5 is kind of a big deal, but the two that happened yesterday were hardly surprises... The work pool I'm in had 2/3 of the people in there picked Oregon. I'm kicking myself for not picking Cal. I talked myself out of it because I am an unabashed Cal fan and I often pick them to go a lot further than they do...

 

I didn't pick Oregon because, other than UConn a few years ago, it seems like these teams that make a huge conference tourney run to sneak in usually lose early. Guess I was wrong. But I think it was the right decision.

 

Tubby Smith.

Ben Howland.

Who ya got?

The tournament selection committee loves story lines, and Gophers vs. UCLA offers two veteran coaches sitting squarely on the hot seat. The grumbling within both fan bases grew with such intensity this season that a change in leadership seems probable for the team on the losing side.

Literally, a one-and-done.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/199461581.html

 

New Mexico was kind of a trendy Final Four pick, mostly because nobody seems to think Gonzaga is going to come out of that region and in part because Belmont was a trendy upset pick as well... It's interesting to look at my work pool, because it's from people all around the country and more people picked New Mexico, Ohio State and Wisconsin than picked Gonzaga.

 

I was trying to explain this to my son as he has an unusual title game.

Try to think about the Elite 8 and work backwards. Make this your goal: try to get 7 of your final 8 out of the first weekend. If, by Monday, 7 of your final 8 are still standing, then you've done your job and see where the bounces go.

 

I think it's hilarious UNM announced a 10-year extension for Alford the day before the Harvard game.

Why would you do this, especially for a shaky March coach like this??

 

Oh, certainly. People who actually had New Mexico lasting to the Elite Eight have a right to gripe. But in far more cases, I get the feeling people just think that every time an upset occurs, they're fucked. When Missouri lost last year, I heard all kind of kvetching about, "My bracket!" I wonder how many of those people actually had your alma mater advancing that far, despite being a 2.

 

Well, it's not like the loss is going to get him fired... I wonder if they gave him that because they were expecting his name to come up for some opening.

 

Usually, the best way to find an upset is to find the team that has a seed that is so much better than anything it's ever had before...

Iowa State, South Carolina, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ole Miss...

Of course, this year, the No. 2 seed that fits that category is Miami, and I have them winning the whole thing...

 

I liked NM from what I saw. Good team. I went against my season-long instincts though on 2 teams in that bracket: Notre Dame and Ohio State. Both of them are Final 4 caliber. Unfortunately they'd have to play Sunday. I chose Ohio State to win that then New Mexico beating Ohio State then New Mexico beating Wichita in the Elite 8.

 

Miami is tremendously deep and seasoned, has a transcendent point guard, a coach that's been to the Final Four before and a fairly reasonable draw, at least until the 16. I'd be stunned if the 'Canes went out early.

There's a larger question of whether or not this is sustainable for Miami, but this year? That team is built for a run to Atlanta.