(03-25-2023 11:31 AM)Poster Wrote:  Even with Houston's exit, 3 of the Elite Eight are from non-Power 6 conferences. (FAU, San Diego State, Gonzaga) When was the last time that happened?

The last time a non-Power 6 team won the championship was UNLV in 1990.

I had no idea that no MWC team had made the Elite Eight before.

This may be looked at as an "audition" for SDSU by the PAC-12. If they make the Final Four, I say that should (keyword: should, not will) secure the school an inviation to join the league.

(03-25-2023 12:31 PM)GeminiCoog Wrote:  

(03-25-2023 11:31 AM)Poster Wrote:  Even with Houston's exit, 3 of the Elite Eight are from non-Power 6 conferences. (FAU, San Diego State, Gonzaga) When was the last time that happened?

The last time a non-Power 6 team won the championship was UNLV in 1990.

I had no idea that no MWC team had made the Elite Eight before.

This may be looked at as an "audition" for SDSU by the PAC-12. If they make the Final Four, I say that should (keyword: should, not will) secure the school an inviation to join the league.

I think a championship could make a difference for SDSU's PAC odds, but I don't think a Final Four or even a championship game appearance will.

(03-25-2023 12:37 PM)Poster Wrote:  

(03-25-2023 12:31 PM)GeminiCoog Wrote:  

(03-25-2023 11:31 AM)Poster Wrote:  Even with Houston's exit, 3 of the Elite Eight are from non-Power 6 conferences. (FAU, San Diego State, Gonzaga) When was the last time that happened?

The last time a non-Power 6 team won the championship was UNLV in 1990.

I had no idea that no MWC team had made the Elite Eight before.

This may be looked at as an "audition" for SDSU by the PAC-12. If they make the Final Four, I say that should (keyword: should, not will) secure the school an inviation to join the league.

I think a championship could make a difference for SDSU's PAC odds, but I don't think a Final Four or even a championship game appearance will.

Agree to disagree, but at least we're both thinking about what it would most likely take.

(03-25-2023 11:31 AM)Poster Wrote:  Even with Houston's exit, 3 of the Elite Eight are from non-Power 6 conferences. (FAU, San Diego State, Gonzaga) When was the last time that happened?

The last time a non-Power 6 team won the championship was UNLV in 1990.

I had no idea that no MWC team had made the Elite Eight before.

Well plenty of WAC schools made it prior to the split.

(03-25-2023 08:27 AM)darkdragon99 Wrote:  

(03-25-2023 07:30 AM)72Tiger Wrote:  UConn got back in a league with a lot of their old rivals in the two sports that they excel at. No brainier to make that move.

Its not a no brainer if you have football. They sacrificed their football team for basketball. Independence isnt sustainable long term.

Yeah it was a no-brainer because it was a clear indication they value their basketball tradition over their G5 football program. It was the right decision.

(03-25-2023 12:54 AM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(03-24-2023 10:12 PM)Aztecgolfer Wrote:  

(03-24-2023 07:50 PM)e-parade Wrote:  If SDSU closes this out they'll scream "look, we can replace UCLA in their best sport! We did better than them!"

No, we just continue to substantiate our claim that we have been one of the top 4 programs in the west for the past 13 years. Pretty good for being in the MWC. Just imagine how good we could be if elevated to the PAC. We already outdraw every BB program in the PAC save for Arizona by a lot. UCLA is somewhere between 8.5-9.5K, USC is in the 3-4K range. We draw over 12K. You can look that up if you want.

Top 5. Oregon, Arizona, UCLA, Gonzaga, and SDSU. Congrats on making it to the Elite 8. SDSU averaged 12,261 fans per game this season. That is really good considering your non-conference home schedule. When you join the Pac-12 in 2024, your schedule will improve, and your roster will get even better. UCLA averaged 10,775 for their ten conference home schedules. They had three sellouts at home (13,659), for USC, Cal, and Arizona. The start times for conference games are all over the place due to TV, which does not help, especially the 6pm games in Westwood traffic.

I considered Oregon but they haven't been consistent.

Pomeroy now has UConn as his #1 team, albeit by only 0.02 points over Houston. This is the first time I can recall anybody but Houston being #1 ever since UConn was #1 earlier in the year.

It definitely seems like UConn deserved better than a 4 seed.

https://kenpom.com/

If Michigan State had beaten Kansas State, the left side of the bracket would be 5, 6, 7 and 9 seeds.


Has that seriously ever happened before, that there was a guarantee going into the Elite Eight that a 5 or lower seed would be going to the championship game?

(03-25-2023 11:21 AM)esayem Wrote:  

(03-24-2023 10:33 PM)stever20 Wrote:  2 most impressive teams this round IMO are UConn and Texas. That could be one hell of a national semifinal next weekend if they can survive this weekend.

I'm getting the feeling Texas will cut down the nets in the end. They beat Miami then they have an overwhelming home crowd in Houston. They're definitely going to be excited about that, but don't count out Wong & Co.

Funny enough, I completely put my eggs in the Texas A&M basket vs Texas, and the Aggies couldn't even get out of round one SMH

If Dylan Disu plays at 95 percent (or better) effectiveness, Texas has a strong chance to win it all, esayem. If he doesn't play, Miami will have a great chance to beat Texas.

(03-25-2023 01:37 PM)Aztecgolfer Wrote:  

(03-25-2023 12:54 AM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(03-24-2023 10:12 PM)Aztecgolfer Wrote:  

(03-24-2023 07:50 PM)e-parade Wrote:  If SDSU closes this out they'll scream "look, we can replace UCLA in their best sport! We did better than them!"

No, we just continue to substantiate our claim that we have been one of the top 4 programs in the west for the past 13 years. Pretty good for being in the MWC. Just imagine how good we could be if elevated to the PAC. We already outdraw every BB program in the PAC save for Arizona by a lot. UCLA is somewhere between 8.5-9.5K, USC is in the 3-4K range. We draw over 12K. You can look that up if you want.

Top 5. Oregon, Arizona, UCLA, Gonzaga, and SDSU. Congrats on making it to the Elite 8. SDSU averaged 12,261 fans per game this season. That is really good considering your non-conference home schedule. When you join the Pac-12 in 2024, your schedule will improve, and your roster will get even better. UCLA averaged 10,775 for their ten conference home schedules. They had three sellouts at home (13,659), for USC, Cal, and Arizona. The start times for conference games are all over the place due to TV, which does not help, especially the 6pm games in Westwood traffic.

I considered Oregon but they haven't been consistent.

Oregon has been to the NCAA Tournament 7 times in the past 11 seasons, missing in 2020 because of the pandemic. They have five Sweet 16 appearances in the past 11 seasons and a Final Four appearance in 2017. They have 13 consecutive seasons of winning 20 or more games. They currently have the No. 4 basketball recruiting class in the nation, according to ON3, with 2 five-star McDonald's All-Americans coming in. They could add a third McDonald's All-American if Bronny James commits to Oregon. He is supposedly down to USC, Oregon, and Ohio State.

Oregon has been wildly inconsistent the past two seasons. They lost by 17 at home to ASU, then two nights later crushed Arizona by 19 at home. They look good at times and really bad at other times. The talent is there.

(03-25-2023 02:08 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(03-25-2023 11:21 AM)esayem Wrote:  

(03-24-2023 10:33 PM)stever20 Wrote:  2 most impressive teams this round IMO are UConn and Texas. That could be one hell of a national semifinal next weekend if they can survive this weekend.

I'm getting the feeling Texas will cut down the nets in the end. They beat Miami then they have an overwhelming home crowd in Houston. They're definitely going to be excited about that, but don't count out Wong & Co.

Funny enough, I completely put my eggs in the Texas A&M basket vs Texas, and the Aggies couldn't even get out of round one SMH

If Dylan Disu plays at 95 percent (or better) effectiveness, Texas has a strong chance to win it all, esayem. If he doesn't play, Miami will have a great chance to beat Texas.

I concur.

(03-25-2023 01:49 PM)Poster Wrote:  Pomeroy now has UConn as his #1 team, albeit by only 0.02 points over Houston. This is the first time I can recall anybody but Houston being #1 ever since UConn was #1 earlier in the year.

It definitely seems like UConn deserved better than a 4 seed.

https://kenpom.com/

UCONN and Miami were both head-scratchers on Selection Sunday. They should have been seeded higher from the beginning.

(03-25-2023 12:18 PM)schmolik Wrote:  

(03-25-2023 11:31 AM)esayem Wrote:  

(03-25-2023 05:56 AM)schmolik Wrote:  I'm a Big East fan but I don't give a crap about Creighton, you know I don't think they even belong in the Big East.

Well, there is no other conference that works for them. Football caused the traditional midwest cage powers (Cincy, Louisville, ND) to go elsewhere, and other peers (SLU, UD, Loyola, Bradley, Drake) are spread out in other major leagues or left behind in the gutted MVC.

You call Creighton a "traditional midwest cage power" but the only Sweet 16's they made in the 64 team era were in 2021 and 2023, they had none when they joined the Big East since 1974. They were no more a power than Dayton who's still stuck in the A-10 or Memphis or Wichita State who are still stuck in the AAC and they're not Midwest but of course Gonzaga's still stuck in the WCC.

No I didn't, I was referencing traditional powers.

They've ascended to Power Conference level over the years—hence why they're in the Big East. Which I called on these boards, when you were still a baby schmolik btw.

(03-25-2023 05:56 AM)schmolik Wrote:  I wish they could redo the bracket and put UConn and Gonzaga on opposite sides. That would be an awesome final.

Well, it was a garbage Sweet 16 game.