• America East champion UMBC upset #1 overall seed Virginia, and looks to continue its impossible string of dominance versus Kansas State.
• Many pegged Davidson to upset Kentucky, but the Wildcats advance to take on another dangerous 'mid'-major, the MID-American champion Buffalo Bulls.
• Missouri Valley champion Loyola-Chicago are 2-0 in the regular season against tournament teams, and are proving their worth. Can they upend SEC blueblood Tennessee?
• Cincinnati and Nevada struggled and overcame their round 1 opponents. It feels like an easier road to the Final Four for the Bearcats, but can Nevada make the South region even more chaotic?
  

• Xavier closed out strong against scrappy Texas Southern, while Florida State embarrassed Missouri. Will this Big East-ACC collision produce tournament fireworks?
• Ohio State shut up plenty of haters against the Summit League champs, while Gonzaga raised many red flags against UNCG. Are we looking at a surprising Big Ten run?
• Houston and Michigan both are looking to reignite the basketball lores of their pasts. Phi Jamma Slamma or the Fab Five?
• Texas A&M and North Carolina overcame a couple nerve-wracking matchups, but will the defending champions continue to survive and advance under the pressure?
  

• Alabama is about to face their toughest test. Are they for real, or will Villanova roll over the tide as expected?
• The 'Capital Classic' is BACK. West Virginia wants nothing to do with the Herd. Marshall just wants to play their rival school. A must watch game!
• We are not playing football, Florida and Texas Tech face one another as two well-rounded teams with massive potential. Will the SEC continue their victory trend?
• This tournament seems designed to allow for the rebirth of local rivalries. Butler, once Cinderella, now a major player in basketball. Purdue, also from Indiana, has been electric all year. Another must watch game!
  

• Kansas got a scare from Ivy League champion Penn, while Seton Hall stumbled its way past NC State. Can either of these teams shape up and play a complete game, start-to-finish?
• Clemson defies the brackets and does not falter to upset-favorite NMSU, while Auburn struggled to close out Charleston. Can Clemson build on their strong performance and stymie the SEC regular season champion?
• Syracuse could be yet another First Four team to advance to the Sweet Sixteen, but Michigan State is powerful and deep. Is scurvy in store for the Spartans?
• Rhode Island was taken to overtime in the first Round 1 game of the tournament, while Duke was coasting. This game looms large for the Rams, but can the Atlantic 10 defeat this ACC titan?

(03-17-2018 10:15 AM)ken d Wrote:  For me, this first weekend is when the real tournament starts. The pretenders have been culled out and the field is strong.

Remaining teams by conference:

SEC....6
ACC....5
B12....4
B1G....4
BE......4
AAC....2
AEAS..1
A10....1
CUSA..1
MAC...1
MWC..1
MVC...1
WCC..1
PAC...0

(03-17-2018 11:24 PM)stever20 Wrote:  why in the hell do coaches still don't cover the inbounds pass on late game situations?

(03-17-2018 11:24 PM)MWC Tex Wrote:  Wolverine!!

Down goes Houston last second shot.

Not making free throws killed them.

(03-17-2018 11:42 PM)stever20 Wrote:  one thing interesting just saw-
Teams are shooting 68% from the FT line in the NCAA Tournament. Teams had been shooting 71% in all D-I games as of Selection Sunday.

(03-18-2018 12:23 AM)_C2_ Wrote:  

(03-17-2018 11:24 PM)MWC Tex Wrote:  Wolverine!!

Down goes Houston last second shot.

Not making free throws killed them.

I remember thinking at the time that all he had to do was hit one. Just one would have guaranteed overtime. They missed 3 ft's in the final 30 seconds. There's your game.

(03-18-2018 07:53 AM)ken d Wrote:  

(03-17-2018 11:42 PM)stever20 Wrote:  one thing interesting just saw-
Teams are shooting 68% from the FT line in the NCAA Tournament. Teams had been shooting 71% in all D-I games as of Selection Sunday.

I wonder how that compares with other years. Is it the tournament pressure, or do we just have too small a sample size so far to tell?

(03-18-2018 08:38 AM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(03-18-2018 07:53 AM)ken d Wrote:  

(03-17-2018 11:42 PM)stever20 Wrote:  one thing interesting just saw-
Teams are shooting 68% from the FT line in the NCAA Tournament. Teams had been shooting 71% in all D-I games as of Selection Sunday.

I wonder how that compares with other years. Is it the tournament pressure, or do we just have too small a sample size so far to tell?

I don't know...shooting from the line has just been awful. Sample size might only accentuate that so far, but, yikes. Rhode Island alone really stunk it up.

It does appear, though, that teams were going fewer times to line up until each half's conclusion. I think that comes with everyone taking the 3.

(03-18-2018 08:41 AM)bullet Wrote:  Hardly anybody takes mid-range jumpers. They just don't make mathematical sense.

(03-18-2018 08:41 AM)bullet Wrote:  Hardly anybody takes mid-range jumpers. They just don't make mathematical sense.