2024-25 College Basketball Thread

[micropolitan guy]

SDSU didn't belong there either. If they were going to take four MWC teams, Boise State was the No. 4, not SDSU.

 

[DanOregon]

Any team that wears maroon or anything close generally screws me over in bowl pools and brackets. Texas A and M, Boston College especially.

 

[micropolitan guy]

St. John's-Gonzaga in 1985 would've been at best a 2-15 pairing and people would be saying, "Who the fork is Gonzaga?" They were still saying it in 1997-98.

Gonzaga sucked in 1985. Didn't even become a player until the late 1990s.

 

[Roscablo]

SDSU didn't belong there either. If they were going to take four MWC teams, Boise State was the No. 4, not SDSU.

San Diego State might be the definition of why focusing so much on the whole season is not the best way to go. I think it needs to be valued, but this current philosophy of it mattering the most or whatever is dumb.

They basically rode their November win over Houston. They were not good in the MW overall -- they got swept by Utah State, they got swept by a mediocre UNLV, they needed an act of god to beat a terrible Air Force team in OT, they barely beat San Jose State and Wyoming in both games against each. They finished fifth in the Mountain West and weren't competitive at all really against Boise State in the MW tourney (their only other saving grace is they swept Boise State during the regular season).

They haven't been a good team in a long, long time, plus one of their most impactful players has basically been out for a month.

Their metrics and a few of those wins were at-large worthy, especially on this crap bubble, but man, look how they've played. It is nonsense that that doesn't matter in terms of selection right now.

Would have thought they would play much better tonight, but I wouldn't have picked them, even if UNC shouldn't have been in either. West Virginia, Indiana, Irvine, Boise, all would have been better choices at the moment and it's really not a discussion.

 

[I Should Coco]

That's one thing I miss about the pre-Internet/pre-modern media landscape era. We now can see and follow the low- and mid-majors. Back in the 80s, you'd see some unknowns and wonder who the heck they were.

"Where the heck is Spo-Cane Warshington? Must be near Seattle."

 

[Slacker]

"Where the heck is Spo-Cane Warshington? Must be near Seattle."

It's 15 minutes from Tahoe.

 

[mpcincal]

They haven't been a good team in a long, long time,

Well, they did make the Sweet 16 last year, and the year before that they made it, um, a little bit further, and lost to the national champs both times. I didn't realize that was such a "long, long time" ago.
That said, I do worry a little bit how the age of NIL will affect the Aztecs; I mean, two of their best players transferring to chase those dollars. But even I admit that Boise State should have gotten in instead of them or in addition to them.
However, I said two years ago, the Aztecs seem to be able to load up for a big season every 3-4 years, so I've got faith.

 

[dixiehack]

Other than the Padres and I guess the soccer teams, there isn't that much competition for the sports dollar in Whale's Vagina. I would think SDSU should be able to tap into that, especially since the football playoffs seem like more than a pipe dream at their level now.

 

[MileHigh]

Well, they did make the Sweet 16 last year, and the year before that they made it, um, a little bit further, and lost to the national champs both times. I didn't realize that was such a "long, long time" ago.
That said, I do worry a little bit how the age of NIL will affect the Aztecs; I mean, two of their best players transferring to chase those dollars. But even I admit that Boise State should have gotten in instead of them or in addition to them.
However, I said two years ago, the Aztecs seem to be able to load up for a big season every 3-4 years, so I've got faith.

I think by "long, long time," he meant this season, as in November.

 

[Roscablo]

I think by "long, long time," he meant this season, as in November.

Yeah. That's funny. Obviously can't take away what they've done in past years. Which also might have helped them get in this year, although their resume was at-large worthy. Their play the last few months just didn't back it up.

 

[John]

I saw where Gonzaga has more tourney wins than anyone since 2017, which is both not surprising and pretty incredible.

 

[Roscablo]

Another fun selection thing I just realized (I'm slow) is they put 8 seed Louisville in Lexington opposite the No. 1 overall seed. How in the world does that happen?

I used to go on annual trips to first-round sites and went to Lexington in 2013 when Louisville was the No. 1 seed and buzzsawed to the title, whether it was taken away or not. That crowd was insane. In all the NCAA tournament games I've been to, plenty with No. 1 seeds, I have never seen such a one-sided crowd. In the second round the whole arena was rabid Louisville fans other than the one section for the other team.

Since they are an 8 seed it might not be that bad because interest is probably not quite as high as a championship contender, but it is still likely will be a very home crowd for them if they advance. Way to protect the top seed.