College Basketball 2013 Tourney: Blue Blooded Blues

[Matrim Fox Cauthon]

Yay, the board's back!

Louisville has by far the toughest bracket, and Gonzaga's is the weakest. I'm surprised UNC was an 8 seed; I would have thought a 6 or 7, but the committee probably wanted that possible match up. If they beat Villanova and we beat them, that would be 3 out of the last 6 years that we knocked them out of the tourney. Villanova is salty though, they have wins over Louisville, Georgetown, Syracuse, and Marquette, so there's no guarantee that UNC wins.

Yep. Despite our rocky season, we got handed a shittier bracket than we probably deserved.

[Ferrum Aeternum]

But that just goes to show how badly Oregon got fucked. If they lose it's like "Oh, well ,they weren't that good." Uh, well, they probably deserved a much higher seed.

Yeah, it's a weird situation. I assumed they'd be around a 7 seed. Just looked at their schedule and the only two losses I'd call bad were UTEP and Utah, both on the road. And hell, everyone knows playing at UTEP in any sport is like stepping into the Twilight Zone - strange things just happen in west Texas.

Our situation is puzzling, too. The NCAA selection committee rep said on the CBS show that Ole Miss was in no matter what happened today. Presumably if we'd lost we'd have played in the 13/13 play-in game as one of the last two in the tournament. So by beating a top-10 RPI team and winning the conference tournament, down our starting point guard to boot, we got a whole one-position bump in the seeding.

The justification that committee fellow gave for including certain teams in the field was interesting, to say the least. I listen to bracketologist Jerry Palm of CBS every week of the season on the local radio and he kept hammering home the notion that head-to-head matchups don't matter at all in selection (it was his reasoning for including Tennessee in the field and not Ole Miss). Yet, selection committee guy said that Ole Miss sweeping TN this year factored into their decision to include us even if we didn't beat UF. His justification for including Middle was that they'd played a pretty good non-conference schedule and had consistently won on the road. I suppose it didn't matter that those road wins were over the likes of North Texas, Troy, South Alabama, La Monroe et al. In fact, the more I think about it, the stronger I feel that they didn't belong in the tournament at all. I still think they're a pretty good team, but they couldn't even win their own horribly shitty conference tournament.

[davos]

I'm rather unhappy that Wisconsin was dropped to a 5th seed. They've wins against Indiana (twice) Michigan (twice), Ohio St, as well as against Minnesota and Illinois when both were ranked. A couple of questionable losses hurt them, sure, but I thought it would be between a 3rd seed and a 4th seed, even with loosing the Big 10 tourney. There are always a few teams that really get screwed in their seeding and this year it WI is one of them. Though I will say, that WI seems to be part of that unfortunate club almost every year. I also don't like drawing Ole Miss in the first round. A lot of folks are going to pick that as an upset. Miss is going to come into that game wanting to prove they belong in the field after being one of the last teams in. If Wisconsin gets by them, though, the road forward is not as bad as it could be.

[BLU-RAY]

Any help on UNLV? Anyone? Do we have conclusive proof they actually played basketball this year? Is this a team I need to give a damn about?

[Eponine]

I thought the top seed had home court advantage in the NIT? (In fact a look at the site confirms they're the only higher seed to be playing away - a good reason, or too embarrassed to bring Robert Morris home?) Virginia Tech didn't get into the NIT, ouch. They did have the ACC player of the year in Erick Green, something that almost never happens for a team in the bottom half of the conference.

Do we have a bracket pool yet? I am finding this confusing to pick, probably because I have some personal preferences, which I often don't.

[BLU-RAY]

I thought the top seed had home court advantage in the NIT? (In fact a look at the site confirms they're the only higher seed to be playing away - a good reason, or too embarrassed to bring Robert Morris home?) Virginia Tech didn't get into the NIT, ouch. They did have the ACC player of the year in Erick Green, something that almost never happens for a team in the bottom half of the conference.

Do we have a bracket pool yet? I am finding this confusing to pick, probably because I have some personal preferences, which I often don't.

Rupp Arena in Lexington is getting the first round on Thursday night, so I don't think that they could put UK in here for the NIT.

I don't think we have a bracket pool yet, but I haven't checked the Forum Games section yet.

[Rhom]

Any help on UNLV? Anyone? Do we have conclusive proof they actually played basketball this year? Is this a team I need to give a damn about?

They have a player named Anthony Bennett who Kentucky missed out on this year that is a lot of fun to watch. They were supposed to be the hot thing out west this year, but New Mexico kind of overshadowed them. They're a solid team, but I don't know how they match up with Cal.

I thought the top seed had home court advantage in the NIT? (In fact a look at the site confirms they're the only higher seed to be playing away - a good reason, or too embarrassed to bring Robert Morris home?) Virginia Tech didn't get into the NIT, ouch. They did have the ACC player of the year in Erick Green, something that almost never happens for a team in the bottom half of the conference.

Do we have a bracket pool yet? I am finding this confusing to pick, probably because I have some personal preferences, which I often don't.

Rupp Arena in Lexington is getting the first round on Thursday night, so I don't think that they could put UK in here for the NIT.

I don't think we have a bracket pool yet, but I haven't checked the Forum Games section yet.

Yes, Rupp is hosting the 1st round games. (Interesting note: last year when I went to the games in Louisville for opening weekend, two of the teams playing there were Colorado State and Marquette. Slotted into the Lexington pod for this weekend are... Colorado State and Marquette.)

Apparently there is a staffing issue with Memorial Coliseum (where UK played before Rupp was built in the late 70's) and they could not host the first game. It seems a little fishy to me though. Something tells me that if they really wanted to get that game at home, they could have.

[MisterOJ]

Apparently there is a staffing issue with Memorial Coliseum (where UK played before Rupp was built in the late 70's) and they could not host the first game. It seems a little fishy to me though. Something tells me that if they really wanted to get that game at home, they could have.

Not really. UK doesn't have an unlimited athletic department staff. And when a school agrees to host NCAA Tournament games, they're also committed to providing a good portion of the support staff for the event.

WRT the bracket, I'm for Louisville. I know... I know. But I've never been able to muster up the hate a lot of Kentucky fans have for Rick Pitino since he took that job. In all honesty, I don't blame him. I think they've got a cakewalk into the Elite 8. Whoever they get in that round is going to be tough though.

[Rhom]

Since I hadn't seen anyone else post a bracket group yet, I started one up. (Even though it hurts me to my core.)

http://tournament.fantasysports.yahoo.com/t1/register/joinprivategroup_assign_team?GID=111299&P=stark

Group name: Westeros

Password: stark

Not really. UK doesn't have an unlimited athletic department staff. And when a school agrees to host NCAA Tournament games, they're also committed to providing a good portion of the support staff for the event.

WRT the bracket, I'm for Louisville. I know... I know. But I've never been able to muster up the hate a lot of Kentucky fans have for Rick Pitino since he took that job. In all honesty, I don't blame him. I think they've got a cakewalk into the Elite 8. Whoever they get in that round is going to be tough though.

I don't hate Pitino at all for taking the job. He's said time and time again that he made a mistake by leaving Kentucky. (Of course he still believes it was only a mistake because the C's didn't win the lottery and get Tim Duncan. :lol:) Living in Elizabethtown (45 minutes south of Louisville for the non-Kentuckians on the board.) I have recently developed a very real dislike for Louisville fans however. You want to talk about a "little brother complex"? They've got it in spades.

[Ferrum Aeternum]

I also don't like drawing Ole Miss in the first round. A lot of folks are going to pick that as an upset. Miss is going to come into that game wanting to prove they belong in the field after being one of the last teams in.

I think we can keep it competitive, but I don't know that we've got a significant chance of winning. Wisconsin's strengths seem to offset ours at every turn. If y'all can shut down Henderson from range (and at first glance there's no reason to believe you can't), we'll have a tough time finding enough scoring.

It's imperative given the limitations of our bench that we get our starting point guard back, and that our bigs stay out of foul trouble.

Virginia Tech didn't get into the NIT, ouch.

There were some downright shocking snubs in the NIT field - Arkansas and Xavier in particular. I read this morning that so many were left out because there were 10 automatic bids. I guess I hadn't paid too much attention before, but I wasn't even aware the NIT gave out auto-bids.

[MisterOJ]

Since I hadn't seen anyone else post a bracket group yet, I started one up. (Even though it hurts me to my core.)

http://tournament.fa...=111299&P=stark

Group name: Westeros

Password: stark

Bonus points if you find an NIT Bracket contest and set one up for us. :)

I don't hate Pitino at all for taking the job. He's said time and time again that he made a mistake by leaving Kentucky. (Of course he still believes it was only a mistake because the C's didn't win the lottery and get Tim Duncan. :lol:) Living in Elizabethtown (45 minutes south of Louisville for the non-Kentuckians on the board.) I have recently developed a very real dislike for Louisville fans however. You want to talk about a "little brother complex"? They've got it in spades.

I understand. I lived in Bowling Green for a good, long while before I moved over to Russellville. When I first moved to town there, I was excited because I had actually been a fan somewhat of WKU. I remember cheering like hell for them back when they made their tourney runs in the mid 90s. But then living among the WKU fans kinda soured me on that team. I imagine I'd feel similarly toward Louisville if I lived somewhere with a significant Cardinal fanbase.

[Rhom]

Bonus points if you find an NIT Bracket contest and set one up for us. :)

Heh... funny thing is, I was just coming here to post that I was unable to find one. :lol:

I understand. I lived in Bowling Green for a good, long while before I moved over to Russellville. When I first moved to town there, I was excited because I had actually been a fan somewhat of WKU. I remember cheering like hell for them back when they made their tourney runs in the mid 90s. But then living among the WKU fans kinda soured me on that team. I imagine I'd feel similarly toward Louisville if I lived somewhere with a significant Cardinal fanbase.

You know, I actually have very similar feelings to WKU as well. (Continuing the Kentucky geography lesson... Elizabethtown is an hour north of Bowling Green and a hotbed of WKU alums.) I used to cheer for them in the mid-nineties and when they had guys like Chris Marcus and the Jabar kid. Also had to root for them when Pettigrew was there (Kentucky Mr. Basketball from Etown High), but all the alums in the area sour me on them a bit too. There's so many of them around that I almost feel defensive about my status as a Murray State alum. :dunno:

REG... I don't know how this happened; I've been convinced all year that UofL and IU aren't as good as advertised, but I wound up with a Final Four of UofL v tOSU and IU v Kansas. I have your Jayhawks knocking off both of the hated pretenders. Don't let me down!

[MisterOJ]

You know, I actually have very similar feelings to WKU as well. (Continuing the Kentucky geography lesson... Elizabethtown is an hour north of Bowling Green and a hotbed of WKU alums.) I used to cheer for them in the mid-nineties and when they had guys like Chris Marcus and the Jabar kid. Also had to root for them when Pettigrew was there (Kentucky Mr. Basketball from Etown High), but all the alums in the area sour me on them a bit too. There's so many of them around that I almost feel defensive about my status as a Murray State alum. :dunno:

Chris Marcus was awesome. He was a sophomore when I first moved up to Bowling Green. I went to lots of their games in the first few years I lived there. I got to know Dennis Felton a little bit and he was a super nice guy. I think a lot of him. And Marcus was just a freak of nature. It's a damn shame what that injury did to him.

[Rhom]

Chris Marcus was awesome. He was a sophomore when I first moved up to Bowling Green. I went to lots of their games in the first few years I lived there. I got to know Dennis Felton a little bit and he was a super nice guy. I think a lot of him. And Marcus was just a freak of nature. It's a damn shame what that injury did to him.

The renovation at Diddle was really nice. My brother lives in BG, so every other year when Murray plays down there I try to make it to the game.

[MisterOJ]

They should put Chris Marcus's name somewhere in that building, because it's so nice in large part because of him. That program was so far down the crapper before him it wasn't funny. And nobody cared. But as soon as he started playing in Felton's third season, they turned around immediately and the fanbase got back behind them and they were able to get the renovation done.

If they had continued sucking (and without Marcus, they probably would have) I don't think it gets done. At least not when it did. The men's basketball program owes that fellow a ton. But, unfortunately, I think nowadays he's just another down and out ex-college athlete.

[Rhom]

They should put Chris Marcus's name somewhere in that building, because it's so nice in large part because of him. That program was so far down the crapper before him it wasn't funny. And nobody cared. But as soon as he started playing in Felton's third season, they turned around immediately and the fanbase got back behind them and they were able to get the renovation done.

If they had continued sucking (and without Marcus, they probably would have) I don't think it gets done. At least not when it did. The men's basketball program owes that fellow a ton. But, unfortunately, I think nowadays he's just another down and out ex-college athlete.

This got me wondering "Whatever happened to Chris Marcus?" Its a sad answer apparently. From wikipedia: (So it must be true...)

His last two years at WKU, however, were a disaster. A pre-season injury to his ankle sidelined him months during his junior year, and after rushing his rehabilitation, Marcus only lasted half of his senior season before he packed up and headed home to Charlotte.[1] It was during his final two years of college when he was not actually playing for the team that he became addicted to alcohol.[1] He gained a lot of weight, and rumors of Marcus "throwing away" his potential NBA career circulated.[1]

...

Even though he faded as his collegiate career wore on, the NBA's Denver Nuggets still wanted to see what he could do. Mostly willingly, but somewhat out of self-perceived obligation, Marcus agreed.[1] The Nuggets' strength coach worked him out up to three times a day in preparation for the pre-season training camp. He lasted only until early November, but by then he had re-acquired his urge to drink alcohol and missed mandatory team meetings.[1] The Nuggets parted ways with Marcus and he never played in an NBA game.

Today he still resides in Charlotte, working various menial jobs.[1]

That's a real shame.

[Rhom]

Heh... Calipari is a master of spin. From his Facebook page:

When I heard we couldn't host the first round of the NIT, I decided to accept the bid knowing we could host in the second round. I'm not disappointed we have to start on the road because this team needs to prove it wants to continue to play before our fans pay for tickets. If we had to play on the road, I'm glad it was Robert Morris because I knew what it would do for the program.

Fair enough. I know its massaging the message, but at the same time I believe him on this.

[awesome possum]

I have IU winning it all but that's the homer in me. The way they've underplayed against a few opponents this year I wouldn't be surprised to see them bounced in the Sweet 16.

[Eponine]

Fair enough. I know its massaging the message, but at the same time I believe him on this.

Don't they typically win the first two games (for the home fans) and flop the third - before they have to go to MSG? (I know all about the NIT, lol)

[Rhom]

Don't they typically win the first two games (for the home fans) and flop the third - before they have to go to MSG? (I know all about the NIT, lol)

Dunno... I'm still new to this thing. :lol: