TR Forums

Ayy march madness this year?

I don't usually have much success picking winners, mostly because I choose my alma mater (Michigan) or the turtle team (Maryland) to win every year, rather than actually knowing anything about basketball. This year Michigan is a 2 seed, so hopefully I get a few wins out of them. Last year Michigan went to the finals and I won the pool I was in.

I'm playing in a different group and right now I look smart picking Bradley over Michigan State.

derFunkenstein wrote:

I'm playing in a different group and right now I look smart picking Bradley over Michigan State.

not sure this one is gonna hold up, Ben

DancinJack wrote:

derFunkenstein wrote:

I'm playing in a different group and right now I look smart picking Bradley over Michigan State.

not sure this one is gonna hold up, Ben

Not lookin too good, is it.

edit: it's overrrrr

derFunkenstein wrote:

I'm playing in a different group and right now I look smart picking Bradley over Michigan State.

I think that the top programs like MSU have two advantages that cause these upsets to rarely materialize. The first is that they have better depth; the guys riding the pine at MSU probably would have started at Bradley. The second is that they're more experienced in spotlight.

I would bet that there are more than twice as many "upsets" at the end of the first half than at the end of the second half.

TurtlePerson2 wrote:

derFunkenstein wrote:

I'm playing in a different group and right now I look smart picking Bradley over Michigan State.

I think that the top programs like MSU have two advantages that cause these upsets to rarely materialize. The first is that they have better depth; the guys riding the pine at MSU probably would have started at Bradley. The second is that they're more experienced in spotlight.

I would bet that there are more than twice as many "upsets" at the end of the first half than at the end of the second half.

Yes and no. Kentucky/Duke consistently have mostly younger kids and a few "veterans." They're generally contending for a national championship. It's different every year, but juniors and seniors definitely have been valuable at times.

Honestly, it's just who plays better that day most the time. Literally no one thought Kansas would beat Duke to get to the Final Four last year but it happened. No one thought UVA would go down vs a 16 last year (the first time it's ever happened) and yet it did. Just gotta go out there and play the best you can each game.

I don't have time to follow enough teams to even put together a coherent bracket.

Just cheering for my Iowa State Cyclones to go far. The Men a 6 seed in the Midwest (after winning the Big 12 Tournament), and the Women a 3 seed in the Chicago bracket.

With the football team going to the Alamo bowl, both men's and women's hoops in the NCAA tournament, and the wrestling teams placing 9 wrestlers in the NCAA tournament, the university is having a great year in athletics!

Heyyyy UVA actually won a game this year! I'm thrilled!

Face it. You'll never get over Macho Grande (a/k/a losing to a 16 AND by 20 points).

Come on refs! That was TWO charges on Williamson. Gimme a break.

What an ending though. Whew I need CPR right now.

kvndoom wrote:

Come on refs! That was TWO charges on Williamson. Gimme a break.

What an ending though. Whew I need CPR right now.

Refs love to let the superstars and big men get away with murder. I'm sure it's on their performance review criteria somewhere.

Buub wrote:

I don't have time to follow enough teams to even put together a coherent bracket.

Just cheering for my Iowa State Cyclones to go far. The Men a 6 seed in the Midwest (after winning the Big 12 Tournament), and the Women a 3 seed in the Chicago bracket.

With the football team going to the Alamo bowl, both men's and women's hoops in the NCAA tournament, and the wrestling teams placing 9 wrestlers in the NCAA tournament, the university is having a great year in athletics!

Sadly, the ISU men couldn't overcome the physical play of Ohio State, and the big man in the middle who was allowed to maul anyone and get away with it. If all the non-seniors return next year (a big IF, because there are rumors of Lindell Wiggington and maybe Talen Horton-Tucker going to the NBA), they should be pretty freaking amazing.

On the other hand, the ISU women curb-stomped New Mexico State so badly (97-61) that every player on the team got to score!

Buub wrote:

kvndoom wrote:

Come on refs! That was TWO charges on Williamson. Gimme a break.

What an ending though. Whew I need CPR right now.

Refs love to let the superstars and big men get away with murder. I'm sure it's on their performance review criteria somewhere.

It was a very physical game and there were glaring no-calls on both sides. I have to admit UCF's center got away with a bad one earlier that might have given Duke the win regardless. I was just a bit emotional after that last sequence.

I like Zion Williamson though. He doesn't talk trash, doesn't taunt, and plays a clean game. I hope he keeps that demeanor in the NBA.

kvndoom wrote:

It was a very physical game and there were glaring no-calls on both sides. I have to admit UCF's center got away with a bad one earlier that might have given Duke the win regardless. I was just a bit emotional after that last sequence.

I like Zion Williamson though. He doesn't talk trash, doesn't taunt, and plays a clean game. I hope he keeps that demeanor in the NBA.

I mostly agree with this. Zion has held himself fairly well this year (and I am no fan of Duke), but he does get more calls than pretty much everyone else. Kinda how it's always been in basketball though (NCAA and NBA). UCF guard definitely got bodied on the last play going for that layup too, and yet no call. I'm honestly more irked by how refs just let crap go in the last few seconds of games (and have for years) than giving superstars calls on the reg.

Felt bad for Ja Morant. Dude is gonna be great in the NBA I hope. (obviously i'm not talking about the same game here, just sharing a thought)

Buub wrote:

Buub wrote:

I don't have time to follow enough teams to even put together a coherent bracket.

Just cheering for my Iowa State Cyclones to go far. The Men a 6 seed in the Midwest (after winning the Big 12 Tournament), and the Women a 3 seed in the Chicago bracket.

With the football team going to the Alamo bowl, both men's and women's hoops in the NCAA tournament, and the wrestling teams placing 9 wrestlers in the NCAA tournament, the university is having a great year in athletics!

Sadly, the ISU men couldn't overcome the physical play of Ohio State, and the big man in the middle who was allowed to maul anyone and get away with it. If all the non-seniors return next year (a big IF, because there are rumors of Lindell Wiggington and maybe Talen Horton-Tucker going to the NBA), they should be pretty freaking amazing.

On the other hand, the ISU women curb-stomped New Mexico State so badly (97-61) that every player on the team got to score!

And... I jinxed them. 2-and-done, though they played a really tough game close til the end. Missouri State is the Real Deal. They played some tough, solid ball.

I went into this tourney expecting UVA to flop in any game they played. And somehow those misfits have punched their Final Four ticket finally. I'd say that the only team left that they absolutely can't beat on even ground is Dook, so... GO SPARTY!!!!

Yes.

Yesssssss

YESSSSSS

I know there's a 0.000001% chance it'll happen but i wish Zion Williamson would come back for at least one more year. No matter how much I hate Duke basketball, I loved watching that kid play. Enjoy your 9-figure shoe contract, RIP.

Final Four prediction. Three low- to medium- scoring games. All will be decided by 10 points or less. I can't call any winners because they are all solid teams.

TT and UVA are defensive behemoths. If they meet in the final, it will be more "boring" than UConn/Butler (unless you love defensive slogs like I do).

2 out of 4 on my Final Four (and that's totally fine because Duke and Kentucky aren't there), but I sure wish Houston would have made it to make me 3/4.

I am predicting a UVA/TTU final game with UVA prevailing. It'll likely now be the exact opposite of MSU/AUB and Auburn pulling it off because...reasons.

We've had some really fantastic games leading up to the final four. More of the same, please!

Go Hoos!... I think.

They did not deserve to win in any way, shape or form. So I'm glad that a team from VA finally gets to play for the trophy, but they didn't earn that one. Crazy game though.

Who do you think can win it in randomest year ever?

Ohio State moved up to number 1 seed..

https://www.sportsbetting3.com/ncaabb/f ... ur-betting

Would take them over Gonzaga and Baylor tbh