Championship Week 2020

[pfrduke]

Championship Week (which, like most numerical/temporal designations in the ESPN/NCAA universe, only very loosely adheres to its temporal description, clocking in at 13 days long) begins today! The Big South, Atlantic Sun, Horizon, and Patriot conferences/leagues all have their tournaments tip off. Favorites are Winthrop, Liberty, Wright State, and Colgate, respectively - only Liberty is in action today.

Anyway, open thread for non-ACC conference tournament discussion.

[scottdude8]

Time to root for some crazy upsets to make the committee's life miserable! In general though, upsets in these tournaments tend to mean weaker teams on the low seed lines (14-16), which helps our first round matchup no matter what.

[mattman91]

Gonna try to catch some SOCON games here in town this weekend.

Go Catamounts!

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Gonna try to catch some SOCON games here in town this weekend.

Go Catamounts!

I'll be there Monday night!

[mattman91]

I'll be there Monday night!

Me too, probably. Meet me on the concourse for a Chub Burger and a Dales Pale Ale

[wsb3]

Championship Week (which, like most numerical/temporal designations in the ESPN/NCAA universe, only very loosely adheres to its temporal description, clocking in at 13 days long) begins today! The Big South, Atlantic Sun, Horizon, and Patriot conferences/leagues all have their tournaments tip off. Favorites are Winthrop, Liberty, Wright State, and Colgate, respectively - only Liberty is in action today.

Anyway, open thread for non-ACC conference tournament discussion.

I have grown more fond of the mid major conference tournaments over the years. The only one in most cases to receive a bid is the champion and that makes for some entertaining basketball. I love the excitement the winners show just to be going to the dance. I only hope that our local team UNCW hires a head coach that might get the Seahawks back to the dance.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

The Yeshiva University basketball team making the D3 tournament made the news here in NY. This is a fun story about the team, featuring a cameo from the Jewish Jordan, Tamir Goodman, who was a big target of Gary Williams at Maryland many years ago.

https://apnews.com/b48f48e23f2fe4b00ad3eaa70b4e8c0f

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Me too, probably. Meet me on the concourse for a Chub Burger and a Dales Pale Ale

I've got the VIP passes... Free beer!

[Faustus]

I've always loved that week since ESPN started showing these lesser conference tournaments, particularly the eastern ones, mostly small private schools, and rarely do the same ones dominate every year (presumably because the winning coach punches his ticket outta there when he can) so these games mean everything to the teams and the fans, usually in small on-campus arenas too. The quality isn't great (including bottom-tier play-by-play and color), but it doesn't matter as the intensity is terrific. It's almost always guard play that makes the difference - you rarely see the frontcourt players taller than 6 -7 or so, and the P5 conferences have scooped up all the good ones even at that height. The winners know they'll probably get buried in their next game in the NCAAs, but they're just so happy in the celebration. Great stuff.

[pfrduke]

Northern Iowa got trounced by Drake in the MVC quarterfinals (a conference tournament traditionally dubbed Arch Madness due to its St. Louis venue). They were #36 in NET coming into today, but losing by 21 to a very mediocre team is not the best marketing job for an at-large bid.

[pfrduke]

Tickets punched through the weekend:

Utah State (Mountain West), Belmont (Ohio Valley), Winthrop (Big South), Liberty (Atlantic Sun), Bradley (Missouri Valley)

Ticket to be punched tomorrow:

Southern - East Tennessee State (#1) vs. Wofford (#7) (that's right - UNC lost at home to the seventh best team in the Southern Conference this season)

[Acymetric]

After notching their first conference tournament win since 2015 yesterday against #10 JMU, 7 seed Elon knocks of #2 William and Mary tonight to advance to the CAA semifinals where they will take on #6 Northeastern.

First time a 7 seed has advanced in the CAA since 2011 if I'm remembering my trivia from the postgame correctly*. The winner of tomorrow night's game will most likely be facing Hofstra in the final on Tuesday.

The Phoenix are, of course, lead by first year head coach Mike Schrage, long time Director of Basketball Operations at Duke under Mike Krzyzewski and former assistant at Stanford under Johnny Dawkins.

*Edit: I was not remembering correctly. It is the first time a team seeded fifth or higher has pulled an upset in the CAA Tourney since 2011.

[FUBARDoorBuster]

After notching their first conference tournament win since 2015 yesterday against #10 JMU, 7 seed Elon knocks of #2 William and Mary tonight to advance to the CAA semifinals where they will take on #6 Northeastern.

First time a 7 seed has advanced in the CAA since 2011 if I'm remembering my trivia from the postgame correctly*. The winner of tomorrow night's game will most likely be facing Hofstra in the final on Tuesday.

The Phoenix are, of course, lead by first year head coach Mike Schrage, long time Director of Basketball Operations at Duke under Mike Krzyzewski and former assistant at Stanford under Johnny Dawkins.

*Edit: I was not remembering correctly. It is the first time a team seeded fifth or higher has pulled an upset in the CAA Tourney since 2011.

Enough said. Go Phoenix!!!

[left_hook_lacey]

Looks like Kentucky might be down a player for part or all of the SEC tournament. Ashtan Hagans didn't play in Florida's upset win over Kentucky, and has taken leave for "personal reasons".

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...rsonal-reasons

[Natty_B]

Tickets punched through the weekend:

Utah State (Mountain West), Belmont (Ohio Valley), Winthrop (Big South), Liberty (Atlantic Sun), Bradley (Missouri Valley)

Ticket to be punched tomorrow:

Southern - East Tennessee State (#1) vs. Wofford (#7) (that's right - UNC lost at home to the seventh best team in the Southern Conference this season)

Out of these teams Duke played and beat Winthrop in a sluggish affair the game after the SFA nightmare. Duke also beat Wofford.

Other notables from the schedule:

Northwest Missouri St. went 31-1 and opens the DII tournament as a 1 seed.
Colorado St. went 20-12 and was upset by Wyoming in the MWC tourney. They're likely considering a CBI or CIT invite.
Georgia State is a 4 seed in the Sun Belt tournament.
Stephen F. Austin went 28-3 and is the 1 seed in the Southland tournament.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Stoked for Wofford and ETSU!

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

ETSU is great. Wofford hanging in. Oscar Blues support is appreciated!

[devildeac]

ETSU is great. Wofford hanging in. Oscar Blues support is appreciated!

Who is Oscar?

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

That floor in Las Vegas for the WCC tourney is one awful eyesore. Wow.

[gofurman]

Tickets punched through the weekend:

Utah State (Mountain West), Belmont (Ohio Valley), Winthrop (Big South), Liberty (Atlantic Sun), Bradley (Missouri Valley)

Southern - East Tennessee State (good team. NET top 43