-There is only one region with three of the top four seeds still remaining: the South. How is it that the region that most people called "the weakest" still has Purdue, Duke, and Baylor? I still really like St. Mary's chances of making the Final Four among this group.
-On the contrary, the undisputed toughest region, our Midwest, only has 1 of the top 4 remaining (stupid Buckeyes). They now have a chance at making the Final Four without playing anyone seeded better than 6 (or at the very worst a 5).
-With West Virginia losing their point guard for the tournament as well, I propose that everyone else follow suit. No more starting PGs in the tournament.
I would rank the Sweet 16 teams in liklihood of making the Elite 8 and the Final Four as such. That means I think the top 8 will win this round and the top 4 are the Final Four. Yes, I know I am putting all of the #1 seeds left into finals. After all, they say the first weekend is about Cinderella and the second is for the top teams. I rank Cuse ahead of Kentucky because I don't think they face as tough of competition.
1. Syracuse
2. Kentucky
3. Ohio State
4. Duke
5. Baylor
6. Kansas State
7. West Virginia
8. Michigan State
9. Xavier
10. St. Mary's
11. Northern Iowa
12. Tennessee
13. Purdue
14. Cornell
15. Butler
16. Washington
-Call me crazy, but I am more concerned about losing Chris Allen against Northern Iowa than Lucas. Kalin has had some off-games and we can have other people provide the scoring (Summers, Raymar, even Lucious). All indications are that this will be a low scoring, half court offense game. Our defense, particularly keeping Fahroukmanesh in check, will be key and that falls on Allen. (Who would have written that sentence one week ago??) I'm really interested to see if Izzo comes out with the press at all. We aren't a press-team, but N. Iowa looked TERRIBLE against Kansas' full course pressure.
-My only hope for the Elite 8 is that OSU is a familiar opponent and it is tough to beat a Big 10 team twice in one year. With 2 days to prepare, I would rather have Izzo than Matta.
Get Us Some Respect
# Big 12 Teams left: 2
# Big East Teams left: 2
# Big Ten Teams left: 3
-Did anyone else think the silver lining in Lucas' injury is that there is no way he can go in the NBA Draft now?
-How many of the Sweet 16 teams would lose to UConn Women?
-Stacey asked me earlier tonight who was the last Big 10 team to win the title. Naturally, I figured MSU, but to confirm my guess I made a list of every championship team and their opponent for the past 10 years. I got every champion except for one and I correctly named the complete games from 05-09. Can you come up with this list?
7 comments:
I can't say I'm too surprised about the South. Duke had to beat a 16 seed and Cal. Baylor had to beat a 15 and an 11. Purdue is a mild surprise, but that game against A&M could have swung either way.
And the Midwest getting destroyed only shows how much the selection committee fucked up. There were too many good teams seeded too low in that region...
I don't disagree much with your rankings. I would probably slide Cornell in front of Northern Iowa, and Purdue below both Cornell and Butler.
Yeah, I thought about Lucas staying, too. I think that's helping me be able to cope with his loss.
I'm going to come up with the list later...I want to be awake when I try to do it =).
Go green!!!
Winners first, runner-up second.
2009: North Carolina, Michigan St.
2008: Kansas, Memphis
2007: Florida, Ohio State
2006: Florida, UCLA
2005: North Carolina, Illinois
2004: Connecticut, Georgia Tech
2003: Syracuse, UCLA
2002: Maryland, Indiana
2001: Connecticut, Duke
2000: Michigan State, Florida
I've completely drawn a blank on who Syracuse played in the 2003 championship, and the 2001 championship escapes me altogether...although I know Duke had a really good team, so I'm guessing they're in the finals?
I'm pretty certain 2004 onward.
Let me know how many I got!
If we get behind early, I think we should press Northern Iowa. Just to see if they have problems with it, maybe it will throw off their rhythm and let us get back into the game. But I don't think we should open the game with a press though, we should only do it as a last resort.
You are right about 2009-2004 and 2002.
2003 - they played Kansas (UCLA didn't make the tournament)
2001 - Duke beat Arizona (I thought the same thing - that UConn won 2 championships this decade)
Kansas! Ah, I should have gotten that one! Haha, and UCLA didn't even make the tournament...what a sad guess.
Was UConn a winner in 1999 then? Hmmm...how far back in the 90's can you go? I can probably only do winners...maybe...
1999: UConn
1998: Kentucky
1997: Arizona
1996: Kentucky
1995: UCLA
1994: Arkansas
1993: North Carolina
1992: Duke
1991: Duke
1990: UNLV
I think I'm pretty sure about 1990-1994 and 1997. I think I may have UCLA and Kentucky mixed up.
80's?
1989: Michigan
1988: Kansas
1987: Indiana
1986: Louisville
1985: Villanova
1984: North Carolina State
1983: North Carolina
1982: ???
1981: ???
1980: ???
1979: Michigan State
I think maybe UNC might have been 82, and NCState 83...
All the way back to the 80's?! How do you guys remember this stuff?
I got North Carolina winning in '09, and I said Memphis won for '08. And I know MSU won in 2000. That's all I had.
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