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How the Conferences are stacking up in Tourney

That Tech defense is suffocating. KU and Baylor have the advantage of having played against it a few times, but teams who are just experiencing it for the first time can struggle quite a bit.
The Syracuse effect. Whenever they get in their a danger to make a run because that zone throws teams off that aren’t used to it.
 
The Syracuse effect. Whenever they get in their a danger to make a run because that zone throws teams off that aren’t used to it.
Part of why VCU was able to make that run 10 years ago. Or that UAB team that knocked off Kentucky many years back. Tech though doesn’t run an unconventional defense necessarily. They just play very physical, fundamentally sound, and they communicate so well on defense. You have to learn to be very patient with them and not force up bad shots. You also have to be able to hit shots with contact or not let the pressure make you shoot stiff when you do get open looks. It helps to have a go to guy with an alpha mentality that can hit shots. Agbaji hit a lot of tough shots in that OT game in Lawrence. KU broke their pressure better with a healthy Remy Martin, so if you have an extremely quick guard who can get to the hoop and hit mid range jumpers that helps.
 
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The SEC is a good conference but not what espn tried making them out to be. 3-3 and they were the favorite in every game. With that said, it wouldn’t be too hard to believe if one of the three left were to win it all.

ESPN has a SEC channel so naturally they are going to hype one of their products/content. I think Tennessee is good and like Rick Barnes.

It helps that the officiating so far has been very Big XII like. They allow a lot of contact in the Big XII and so far that’s how they’ve called these tourney games.

I'm okay with however they want to call it just make it consistent. Don't call it one way in the first half and different in the second. Also if your going to call fouls on us down low fine. But when the other team is getting physical with Bryson Williams in the low post I want a call as well.

You know vs playing like Kansas.

@Kansas
Bryson Williams - 33 pts (14-19 FG), 4-4 3pt line, 1-1 FT, 5 rebs, 1 ast, 1 stl
David McCormack - 13 pts (3-5 FG), 7-8 FT, 5 reb, 1 ast
 
I'm okay with however they want to call it just make it consistent. Don't call it one way in the first half and different in the second. Also if your going to call fouls on us down low fine. But when the other team is getting physical with Bryson Williams in the low post I want a call as well.

You know vs playing like Kansas.

@Kansas
Bryson Williams - 33 pts (14-19 FG), 4-4 3pt line, 1-1 FT, 5 rebs, 1 ast, 1 stl
David McCormack - 13 pts (3-5 FG), 7-8 FT, 5 reb, 1 ast
Williams doesn’t get to the FT line very much because he settles for mid-range and long jump shots.
 
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All of this is true. I'd just add that the Big East has looked bad. Not just the losses but Marquette and Seton Hall were embarrassed in games that, on paper, should have been competitive.

That Marquette loss isn't looking quite as bad anymore. UNC is working Baylor
 
Obviously the Big 12 has been impressive. And the ACC has looked solid too, especially when you consider that 4 out of 5 teams were 8 seed or worse, so the ACC doesn’t have any wins over 10/11/12/13/14 seeds.

Big 10 has clearly been a disappointment so far. Not just the losses, Illinois looked shaky at best, and Michigan State struggled for long stretches. One of these years we are gonna have to reign it in for the hype and the bids/seeds for the Big 10. Just seems like Groundhog Day over and over and over.

The Kentucky loss is still difficult to grasp. Just stunning. But beyond that, I’ll reserve judgment on the SEC until Sunday afternoon. LSU was coach-less, so their loss was pretty expected. And Alabama should have never ever been a 6 seed. Auburn and Tennessee both looked fantastic.

The WCC looked great. San Fran nearly pulled off the win despite their best player not playing. And they arguably should have been an 8/9 anyway. And Zags and St Marys dominated.

Then you have the MWC. Good lord, folks. What in the world happened?
The Big Ten went undefeated yesterday, and they were not the only high seeds to struggle; it was happening everywhere. And the Big Ten isn’t hyped, our highest seed is a 3! If we get ONE team in the Elite Eight, we’ve overachieved.

Some of you seem to be clinging to last year in so many ways, both in acting like that disaster describes the Big Ten’s historical Tournament performance (it doesn’t) and maintaining that the Big Ten is “hyped” (it’s not!) so you can keep calling it “overrated.” It’s weird, haha.

If the Big Ten didn’t have the most money and the most total fans and therefore a ratings draw, none of you would be so obsessed with shitting on us, haha … and none of that is in our own fans’ control. We aren’t out here on these boards talking about how good we are.
 
This tourney is all over the place. Not seeing any conference as excelling. I was big on the pac after last years dominance, but not the same this year. No conference looks weak or strong to me so far. Maybe the ACC, not sure yet though.
That's because the NCAA at heart is really an every dog for themselves tourney. Conference affiliations should be thrown out the window, and one team winning the national championship does not make that conference any greater than it was.
 
That's because the NCAA at heart is really an every dog for themselves tourney. Conference affiliations should be thrown out the window, and one team winning the national championship does not make that conference any greater than it was.
Although I root for fellow Big Ten teams, this is kind of true. It didn’t hurt Duke one iota that people perceived the ACC as “weak” during the regular season this year. If Illinois could dominate a “weak” Big Ten, I’d take it in a heartbeat, lol. MSU winning it all doesn’t help us at all.
 
Obviously the Big 12 has been impressive. And the ACC has looked solid too, especially when you consider that 4 out of 5 teams were 8 seed or worse, so the ACC doesn’t have any wins over 10/11/12/13/14 seeds.

Big 10 has clearly been a disappointment so far. Not just the losses, Illinois looked shaky at best, and Michigan State struggled for long stretches. One of these years we are gonna have to reign it in for the hype and the bids/seeds for the Big 10. Just seems like Groundhog Day over and over and over.

The Kentucky loss is still difficult to grasp. Just stunning. But beyond that, I’ll reserve judgment on the SEC until Sunday afternoon. LSU was coach-less, so their loss was pretty expected. And Alabama should have never ever been a 6 seed. Auburn and Tennessee both looked fantastic.

The WCC looked great. San Fran nearly pulled off the win despite their best player not playing. And they arguably should have been an 8/9 anyway. And Zags and St Marys dominated.

Then you have the MWC. Good lord, folks. What in the world happened?
MSU is a middle of the pack B1G team so it's not a surprise they struggled. Illinois did look shaky (but they're not as good as their record IMO). Iowa is the only disappointment so far. We will see how the B1G stacks up after this weekend.
 
@della Hated to see your Vols go down, what I was able to watch after I got off work they played hard, hope I didn't jinx them catching the end of the game. 👍
 
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@della Hated to see your Vols go down, what I was able to watch after I got off work they played hard, hope I didn't jinx them catching the end of the game. 👍
Thanks, Tennessee didn't play bad at all. Michigan just played great.
 
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@della Hated to see your Vols go down, what I was able to watch after I got off work they played hard, hope I didn't jinx them catching the end of the game. 👍
Nope, I think it was all Michigan's excellent play that did us in.
 
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Does he though? I mean he does have range yes but mostly he scores inside.
Not against KU. Against us he has got most of his points with jump shots. He’s been a thorn in our side. He hasn’t taken his back to the basket against us often.
 
Not really. Sounds more like a UT whiner.

The only issue I have with KU and the Big 12 is having the Conference Tourney in KC every year where you have an obvious crowd advantage.
We had it in Dallas for a while. KU still won it and our fans still packed the stadium. Personally I like it better in KC. KC puts together a much better atmosphere in and around the tourney. And a LOT of ISU fans show up as well, so it’s always a packed house. Dallas wasn’t drawing great crowds outside of KU fans and occasionally OSU fans.
 
The Big Ten went undefeated yesterday, and they were not the only high seeds to struggle; it was happening everywhere. And the Big Ten isn’t hyped, our highest seed is a 3! If we get ONE team in the Elite Eight, we’ve overachieved.

Some of you seem to be clinging to last year in so many ways, both in acting like that disaster describes the Big Ten’s historical Tournament performance (it doesn’t) and maintaining that the Big Ten is “hyped” (it’s not!) so you can keep calling it “overrated.” It’s weird, haha.

If the Big Ten didn’t have the most money and the most total fans and therefore a ratings draw, none of you would be so obsessed with shitting on us, haha … and none of that is in our own fans’ control. We aren’t out here on these boards talking about how good we are.

I agree w u here and think b10 is very good right there with xii, sec and ACC, but the b10 issue us they can’t cut the big one down. I think that’s the void you have. where are the natties??
 
I agree w u here and think b10 is very good right there with xii, sec and ACC, but the b10 issue us they can’t cut the big one down. I think that’s the void you have. where are the natties??
Biiiiig gaping hole. No way around it. I think some Big Ten teams good enough to win it all have definitely got unlucky (‘05 Illinois and ‘07 Ohio State come to mind), but I also think we haven’t had enough NBA-ready guards in the conference.
 
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Biiiiig gaping hole. No way around it. I think some Big Ten teams good enough to win it all have definitely got unlucky (‘05 Illinois and ‘07 Ohio State come to mind), but I also think we haven’t had enough NBA-ready guards in the conference.

It also takes a little bit of luck to cut down the nets. The Big Ten has had plenty of teams get to the Final Four and the Championship Games over the years.

That said, I'm not sure the Big Ten has a legit championship contender this year.
 
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It also takes a little bit of luck to cut down the nets. The Big Ten has had plenty of teams get to the Final Four and the Championship Games over the years.

That said, I'm not sure the Big Ten has a legit championship contender this year.
Honestly, if going by talent alone, Michigan will be right up there with Purdue for Big Ten's best chance of winning a Natty IMO- but Michigan's potential road looks a lot tougher than Purdue's, if Purdue can beat Texas tonight.
 
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Honestly, if going by talent alone, Michigan will be right up there with Purdue for Big Ten's best chance of winning a Natty IMO- but Michigan's potential road looks a lot tougher than Purdue's, if Purdue can beat Texas tonight.

You might be right about Michigan. For whatever reason, they've played a lot better once tournament play has started. The South region is brutal though. They already played Tennessee and could still have to beat Villanova and Illinois/Houston/Arizona just to get to the Final Four
 
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You might be right about Michigan. For whatever reason, they've played a lot better once tournament play has started. The South region is brutal though. They already played Tennessee and could still have to beat Villanova and Illinois/Houston/Arizona just to get to the Final Four
And if Not Nova next round for Michigan, I think they know a little about that school they would face :p
 
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We had it in Dallas for a while. KU still won it and our fans still packed the stadium. Personally I like it better in KC. KC puts together a much better atmosphere in and around the tourney. And a LOT of ISU fans show up as well, so it’s always a packed house. Dallas wasn’t drawing great crowds outside of KU fans and occasionally OSU fans.
Same issue when it was in OKC. Attendance was garbage too. OKC was better than Dallas, but it was not great.

I don’t think I’ve heard many bad things about the tournament from the people that have actually attended it in KC. It’s a big party that happens to have some basketball games for a few days.
 
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