2021 NCAA West Regional Thread (Gonzaga, Iowa, Kansas, Virginia)

[pfrduke]

Discuss and pick the regional winner here.

[Wahoo2000]

Of interest here:

Zags played their (2), (3), and (4) seeds already this year, sweeping all by double digits and an average of 15.3 ppg. Seems like Zags *should* roll to the FF, though it doesn't always work out how I expect....

And since I'm a Virginia fan keeping up with things on our end, I'll add this info- based on Bennett's press conference, it sounds like the UVA team will be in quarantine all week, unable to practice together, doing only film study. Apparently they will travel to Indy on Fri, perhaps even ON game day and take the floor with no live reps AT ALL. Given our history of NCAA issues and the total lack of practice.... I might throw a few bucks on Ohio (moneyline) to take the sting out of another potential first round flameout.

[tommy]

Of interest here:

Zags played their (2), (3), and (4) seeds already this year, sweeping all by double digits and an average of 15.3 ppg. Seems like Zags *should* roll to the FF, though it doesn't always work out how I expect...

And since I'm a Virginia fan keeping up with things on our end, I'll add this info- based on Bennett's press conference, it sounds like the UVA team will be in quarantine all week, unable to practice together, doing only film study. Apparently they will travel to Indy on Fri, perhaps even ON game day and take the floor with no live reps AT ALL. Given our history of NCAA issues and the total lack of practice... I might throw a few bucks on Ohio (moneyline) to take the sting out of another potential first round flameout.

Wow that seems pretty extreme. What's the point of playing if you can't prepare to play your best??

[jhmoss1812]

Wow that seems pretty extreme. What's the point of playing if you can't prepare to play your best??

Well UVA does have seniors who might want to play in the NCAA tournament again before they graduate.

[Ranidad]

Of interest here:

Zags played their (2), (3), and (4) seeds already this year, sweeping all by double digits and an average of 15.3 ppg. Seems like Zags *should* roll to the FF, though it doesn't always work out how I expect...

.

This really jumped out as strange to me. Gonzaga has only played 4 of the 12 teams seeded 2-4 yet the committee places 3 of them in their bracket. I would much rather see how the Zags handle some other top teams than repeats of earlier contests.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

This really jumped out as strange to me. Gonzaga has only played 4 of the 12 teams seeded 2-4 yet the committee places 3 of them in their bracket. I would much rather see how the Zags handle some other top teams than repeats of earlier contests.

I imagine those teams feel the same way.

[House P]

Is it a coincidence that both of the highly seeded teams who pulled out of their conference tournaments due to COVID were placed in a region which doesn't play until Saturday? I haven't heard anything from the selection committee about this, but UVA and Kansas have an extra day to get the 7 consecutive days of negative tests that players need in order to play.

I also suspect that, by now, UVA and Kansas have a pretty good idea of any specific player(s) who will not be eligible to play on Saturday. If I understand the rules correctly, anybody who tested positive today will not be eligible to play on Saturday. I also suspect that this information will not be made public until the teams leave for Indy.

[Natty_B]

Oklahoma is a 9 seed. Is 15-10 Oklahoma that much better than 13-11 Duke?

[uh_no]

Oklahoma is a 9 seed. Is 15-10 Oklahoma that much better than 13-11 Duke?

2 losses to KP 50+ vs 7. That's pretty significant in itself. They also have 5 wins against teams in the 20s or better, vs 1 for duke.

You can trot out Duke's record all you want, but the ACC was not good this year. And maybe duke was a better team overall, but unfortunately, when it comes to selection, actually winning matters...and duke did not do enough of it in a conference where a tournament team should have done a lot of it.

[rsvman]

I predict that Gonzaga is going to fall. Maybe not in this region, but eventually.

BYU gave them two good games, and at one point was ahead of them by 15 points in their last match-up. BYU is a solid team, but they are not THAT good. St. Mary's, which is the third-best team in their league, just lost their NIT opener to Western Kentucky.


Yes, Gonzaga has some real talent, they are well coached, and they have beat some very good teams, but their conference is just not that good. They are not accustomed to playing solid teams game after game. To their credit, they took on some good teams outside their league and beat them all, but in between they go back to games that are generally not that difficult for them. I think it will be hard for them to have to play good teams game after game.

[dukelifer]

I predict that Gonzaga is going to fall. Maybe not in this region, but eventually.

BYU gave them two good games, and at one point was ahead of them by 15 points in their last match-up. BYU is a solid team, but they are not THAT good. St. Mary's, which is the third-best team in their league, just lost their NIT opener to Western Kentucky.


Yes, Gonzaga has some real talent, they are well coached, and they have beat some very good teams, but their conference is just not that good. They are not accustomed to playing solid teams game after game. To their credit, they took on some good teams outside their league and beat them all, but in between they go back to games that are generally not that difficult for them. I think it will be hard for them to have to play good teams game after game.

I am pulling for them. History over the past 20 says it will be either a ACC or Big East team. Other than Kansas, those are the only two leagues to win it all.

[uh_no]

I am pulling for them. History over the past 20 says it will be either a ACC or Big East team. Other than Kansas, those are the only two leagues to win it all.

uh sec has 3

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

uh sec has 3

Ew gross. We don't talk about it those.

[Wahoo2000]

I predict that Gonzaga is going to fall. Maybe not in this region, but eventually.

BYU gave them two good games, and at one point was ahead of them by 15 points in their last match-up. BYU is a solid team, but they are not THAT good. St. Mary's, which is the third-best team in their league, just lost their NIT opener to Western Kentucky.


Yes, Gonzaga has some real talent, they are well coached, and they have beat some very good teams, but their conference is just not that good. They are not accustomed to playing solid teams game after game. To their credit, they took on some good teams outside their league and beat them all, but in between they go back to games that are generally not that difficult for them. I think it will be hard for them to have to play good teams game after game.

I don't know. Through the years there has always been a, "I know this coach/school school has been producing elite results year after year, but they just can't get it done in the postseason for reason [X]". And while [X] often sounds totally plausible/reasonable, the VAST majority of the time, those coaches/programs just keep knocking on that door until they get it done and people move on to the next target.

Just off the top of my head, Dean/K/Boeheim/Pitino/Roy/Cal/Wright/Bennett all went through spots where it was, "yeah they win a ton of games but will they ever win a title?"

The only guy/team I can think of that has had multiple years of really top level elite success (think multiple NCAA tournament 1 seeds) that it hasn't happened for is Sean Miller.

Long story short - if a team's advanced metrics and on court results have them as elite year after year after year... USUALLY, they end up breaking through. I think Zags proved in 2017 that their lack of competition in Jan/Feb doesn't prevent them from making a deep run in March. They had a couple easier matchups in their run to the title game vs UNC, but once they did play elite comp (UNC), they totally looked to be competing on even footing.

I wouldn't be on the Zags to win the title this season, but only because it's a loooong shot to bet on any 1 team in ANY tournament. But if somebody wanted to bet me that they'll "never" win a title (and I'm talking Few-era here, assuming he sticks around), I'd think my odds of winning that bet would be quite high.

[uh_no]

I don't know. Through the years there has always been a, "I know this coach/school school has been producing elite results year after year, but they just can't get it done in the postseason for reason [X]". And while [X] often sounds totally plausible/reasonable, the VAST majority of the time, those coaches/programs just keep knocking on that door until they get it done and people move on to the next target.

Just off the top of my head, Dean/K/Boeheim/Pitino/Roy/Cal/Wright/Bennett all went through spots where it was, "yeah they win a ton of games but will they ever win a title?"

The only guy/team I can think of that has had multiple years of really top level elite success (think multiple NCAA tournament 1 seeds) that it hasn't happened for is Sean Miller.

Long story short - if a team's advanced metrics and on court results have them as elite year after year after year... USUALLY, they end up breaking through. I think Zags proved in 2017 that their lack of competition in Jan/Feb doesn't prevent them from making a deep run in March. They had a couple easier matchups in their run to the title game vs UNC, but once they did play elite comp (UNC), they totally looked to be competing on even footing.

I wouldn't be on the Zags to win the title this season, but only because it's a loooong shot to bet on any 1 team in ANY tournament. But if somebody wanted to bet me that they'll "never" win a title (and I'm talking Few-era here, assuming he sticks around), I'd think my odds of winning that bet would be quite high.

winning a title is REALLY hard and involves a ton of luck. I mean look at almost any tournament run, and there is some moment that could have gone wrong. UVA had the stupid sequence in the one game last year is the most topical. Sometimes you can go an entire career without the ball bouncing your way. If you keep putting your team in good positions, you'll get it done eventually.

[dukelifer]

uh sec has 3

Yes - must have erased them from my fading memory.

[uh_no]

god. kill me for that lasst WSU possession. 5.7 seconds left down one and they jack a 3 from 30' with 1.5s left on the clock. terrible terrible finish.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

That was a great end, for someone who doesn't care who wins. I was rooting(ish) for Drake because it sorta sounds like Duke.

Wow, I just read this and realized how sad it sounds.

[uh_no]

That was a great end, for someone who doesn't care who wins. I was rooting(ish) for Drake because it sorta sounds like Duke.

Wow, I just read this and realized how sad it sounds.

Yeah, it was a good game....but WSU not getting a viable shot at the end is sad. They had a shot to win the game and threw it away.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

That was a great end, for someone who doesn't care who wins. I was rooting(ish) for Drake because it sorta sounds like Duke.

Wow, I just read this and realized how sad it sounds.

Got to love the Drake.