Sweet 16/Elite 8 discussion thread

[Bluedog]

Who would have thought back in January that UNC would be in the Final 4? But it has become apparent that UNC is one of the better, more talented teams out there. Even with the loss of 2 players throughout the season, they continue to show plenty of depth. And yes, I'm quite sure they get the win over UK.

I would say because of the loss of 2 players, UNC has improved. Not in spite of. Roy is stubborn with going as deep with his rotation as he can, while not playing his best players huge minutes. The loss of probably the two players that hurt UNC the most made UNC a better team. Man, this sucks. I have to cheer for Kentucky on Sunday? Painful...OSU chose a bad night to not shoot well. Still had a chance to win it, though.

[Utley]

Duke Thumped, and UNC, KY and UCONN 3 of the remaining 8. God, how I love Kansas all of a sudden.

[dcdrumsinc]

Not a good tournament to be a Duke fan at this point. UCONN, UNC, and UK all have a great chance of getting to the final game while we sit at home. And on the other side, Florida (who I have nothing against), but if Billy Donovan wins his 3rd NC, he is only 1 behind our beloved Coach K. Wow. This sucks. In fact, if Roy or Jim calhoun win it all, they will also have 3 NC. Really sucks

[devildeac]

UK vs unc in East Regional Final. I think I am going to be sick. Where is the meteor?

[Gthoma2a]

I have to say that I was quietly thinking this a moment ago. Let's go BULLDOGS (them doing it two years in a row says that they deserve a reward to me)!!!

I could deal with Kansas or UConn, though. I respect Kemba Walker to an insane level.

[jipops]

I would say because of the loss of 2 players, UNC has improved. Not in spite of. Roy is stubborn with going as deep with his rotation as he can, while not playing his best players huge minutes. The loss of probably the two players that hurt UNC the most made UNC a better team. Man, this sucks. I have to cheer for Kentucky on Sunday? Painful...OSU chose a bad night to not shoot well. Still had a chance to win it, though.

I totally agree with the addition by subtraction thing. Things have worked out for UNC quite well this season. UNC vs. Kentucky is a terrible predicament. I don't think I'll be able to bring myself to watch it. It's a lose-lose situation as far as I'm concerned.

[1 24 90]

I think we all need to pull hard for Kansas on the opposite side of UConn/KY/UNC. We need to have a good team in the title game.

[loldevilz]

Call me crazy, but I think Kentucky wins it all this year. They have Josh Harrelson a dynamic rebounder and a great point guard. This is the year Calipari breaks through.

Hopefully he gets it revolved soon after lol.

[uh_no]

I think we all need to pull hard for Kansas on the opposite side of UConn/KY/UNC. We need to have a good team in the title game.

I'm pretty sure they are going to ROFL their way into the championship game...til the final four at least...but butler might have something to say....

[gumbomoop]

Credit to Knight for the clutch final shot, after have been shut down by Craft. Craft doesn't do much offensively, but it's easy to see why he was Big 10 DPOY. He stopped Knight over and over, got steals and flicks, and was in perfect defensive position on the last shot. But Knight hit it.

Barkley will be crowing about his buddy, Coach Cal. But I gotta say, UK's defense - and I guess D is actually Cal's forte - was wonderfully organized. Lots of blocks. Poor Buford just couldn't hit crap all night.

Intense game. Hard to top. A defensive classic, akin to Duke-Butler. Intense, every, every play. It wasn't Duke, but it was in-your-face D.

[AlaskanAssassin]

Credit to Knight for the clutch final shot, after have been shut down by Craft. Craft doesn't do much offensively, but it's easy to see why he was Big 10 DPOY. He stopped Knight over and over, got steals and flicks, and was in perfect defensive position on the last shot. But Knight hit it.

Barkley will be crowing about his buddy, Coach Cal. But I gotta say, UK's defense - and I guess D is actually Cal's forte - was wonderfully organized. Lots of blocks. Poor Buford just couldn't hit crap all night.

Intense game. Hard to top. A defensive classic, akin to Duke-Butler. Intense, every, every play. It wasn't Duke, but it was in-your-face D.

Craft forced Knight to his left the entire game except the last position, as a result, he drains it!

[Bluedog]

Florida State: last possession of regular session and OT. Don't get a shot off either time. How is that possible? Well, I guess Singleton may have gotten the shot off at the end of OT in time, but it looks half-effort and was blocked. Shocking that VCU is in the Elite 8. They've looked really solid, but I'll be cheering hard for Kansas as can't risk a UNC/KY/UConn championship.

[LSanders]

What a sad sorry sate of affairs ... An Elite Eight game so heinous I'm forced to root for the Holes.

Guess I picked the wrong day to stop drinkin'.

[uh_no]

An Elite Eight game so heinous I'm forced to root for the Holes.

Surely you can't be serious.

[wk2109]

Assuming the KenPom ratings hold, this season will be the first time since 2007 that the #1 rated team won't win the national championship and the first time since 2003 that the #1 or #2 rated team won't win. I'd been hoping that the top-2 run would last...(with #2 winning it all of course)

[Chris Randolph]

What a sad sorry sate of affairs ... An Elite Eight game so heinous I'm forced to root for the Holes.

Guess I picked the wrong day to stop drinkin'.

This can't be right, rooting for UNC. Surely that is a typo

[tommy]

I think we all need to pull hard for Kansas on the opposite side of UConn/KY/UNC. We need to have a good team in the title game.

Worse than that for me. Those three plus Arizona have long been my four most disliked programs in college hoops. Arizona having nothing to do with last night's game, but rather due to the arrogance of Lute and his program during his run. Now one of those four is guaranteed to be in the national finals. Ugh. It does make me want to root for Kansas, to maximize the chances one of those four doesn't win. I guess over Arizona if I had to choose one. I'd rather Butler beat one of em, but Kansas would have a better chance I guess. Again, ugh.

[Kedsy]

An Elite Eight game so heinous I'm forced to root for the Holes.

Sorry, but I'm rooting hard for the 'Cats. For one day only, Kentucky is my second favorite team.

Assuming the KenPom ratings hold, this season will be the first time since 2007 that the #1 rated team won't win the national championship and the first time since 2003 that the #1 or #2 rated team won't win. I'd been hoping that the top-2 run would last...(with #2 winning it all of course)

This is not correct. To make this statement, you have to look at pre-tournament rankings. In 2009, for example, Memphis was Pomeroy's #1 team before the tournament started and they didn't make the Final Four. I don't have pre-tournament Pomeroy numbers before that, but if his #1 team didn't win in 2007, 2009, and 2011 (without knowing who his #1 was in 2008), that's not so good. My guess (without knowing for sure) is his pre-tournament #1/#2 thing doesn't hold as well as you think it does, either.

[sbroc012]

well I guess we best jump on Sir Charles Barkley's Arizona bandwagon and ride it to the national championship game...where hopefully Butler and their undergrad coach can win it

[uh_no]

well I guess we best jump on Sir Charles Barkley's Arizona bandwagon and ride it to the national championship game...where hopefully Butler and their undergrad coach can win it

I hope that bandwagon crashes on later today go uconn