Dont think the other semi-finals game is even worth watching at all, winner of the Nova/Kansas game will win the trophy.
Is Villanova vs Kansas the real NC game?
- Thread starter thebasketballreasons
- Start date
Most likely Nova wins it all, but I am not counting out any of the other teams. I think all 3 games will be decided by single digits.
No, though the winner should be the favorite to cut the nets.
I definitely wouldn't sleep on any team left.
I definitely wouldn't sleep on any team left.
Kansas is the only team that can beat Nova, so, in a sense, yes.
However, Michigan can beat Kansas.
If Nova wins Saturday, they will have locked it up. If Kansas wins, Monday will be a battle too.
However, Michigan can beat Kansas.
If Nova wins Saturday, they will have locked it up. If Kansas wins, Monday will be a battle too.
I think this is accurate.
The Ramblers will get rolled in one semi. The other will be a barn burner.
Winner of that game is going to have a lot taken out of them. I think Michigan takes it
This could be true. Everybody says Michigan can’t beat Nova, but if Nova shoots like they did the last two games, Michigan will have a chance.
Sorry but you are out of your mind if you think Michigan can’t beat Nova. They wouldn’t beat them shooting like they did against FSU, but if Michigan shoots well they can beat anyone in the country.
Lol Loyola isnt winning anything. Biggest cakewalk to the Final Four ever, they're there because someone simply has to be there from that region. Virginia and Kentucky, your version of the Game of Thrones style shame walk is watching Loyola be introduced at the Final Four.
Kansas, Nova and Michigan all can beat each other. I like my Jayhawks chances but at the end of the day none of these 3 would surprise me. Loyola would.
Anything can happen (see UMBC), but, no, Michigan isn’t beating Nova.
Having said that, I had Michigan in my Final...against Nova. And, yes, I’m winning it.
The Michigan team that showed up vs Texas a and m could beat any team in the country. Our defense is elite and if the shots fall we can beat nova. The problem is our shooting has sucked in 3 of the 4 tournament games.
Funny that you say Loyola had the easiest path "ever" when they didn't even have the easiest path this year. Loyola beat a 6, 3, 7 & 9 for a total of 25. Michigan beat a 13, 6, 7 & 9 for a total of 35. Michigan's opponent's average seed was 8.75. Loyola's was 6.25.
There’s not a shot in hell I’m discounting Michigan or Loyola from winning it all. Loyola has seemed to get better by the game and Michigan is just downright dangerous as a national title contender.
I think Michigan is being overlooked, esp a potential matchup with Nova or KU. Sure they had a tough first round, but I'm going to blame Delany and the early BIG Tourney for Mi's rusty performances.
Mi can play with either team & have a coach who can make a difference from the bench. In fact, because Beilein has traditonally had less blue chip talent than Nova or KU over the years, he has clearly become a better coach from the bench than Self or Wright, albeit "bench coaching" does not ultimately determine who is a better coach. Wright and Self have something Beilein does not: a NC. All 3 are excellent coaches.
You hear all this talk about who has played who in past tourney's, esp Nova & KU during their NC runs (2008 & 2017) & suddenly a mysterious predictor spits out KU or Nova will cut down the nets - see ESPN College Hoops homepage for this 45 second bs video.
People shouldn't forget that Mi was in the 2013 title game, and it was a tight game. Mi beat KU that year in dramatic fashion.
Mi was also on the brink of beating Oregon last year, they forgot to box out Jordan Bell a couple of times & missed late FTs despite a 3 point lead. We know what that Oregon team would do to KU & they sure played UNC to the wire.
Bottom line: Nova, KU and Mi have enough experience on their rosters over the past 3 years that have either won a NC or have been really close to cutting down the nets. But Beilein has never won a NC, the hunger factor seems to favor Mi.
Mi can play with either team & have a coach who can make a difference from the bench. In fact, because Beilein has traditonally had less blue chip talent than Nova or KU over the years, he has clearly become a better coach from the bench than Self or Wright, albeit "bench coaching" does not ultimately determine who is a better coach. Wright and Self have something Beilein does not: a NC. All 3 are excellent coaches.
You hear all this talk about who has played who in past tourney's, esp Nova & KU during their NC runs (2008 & 2017) & suddenly a mysterious predictor spits out KU or Nova will cut down the nets - see ESPN College Hoops homepage for this 45 second bs video.
People shouldn't forget that Mi was in the 2013 title game, and it was a tight game. Mi beat KU that year in dramatic fashion.
Mi was also on the brink of beating Oregon last year, they forgot to box out Jordan Bell a couple of times & missed late FTs despite a 3 point lead. We know what that Oregon team would do to KU & they sure played UNC to the wire.
Bottom line: Nova, KU and Mi have enough experience on their rosters over the past 3 years that have either won a NC or have been really close to cutting down the nets. But Beilein has never won a NC, the hunger factor seems to favor Mi.
Bottom line is I’d pick Nova to win a 7 game series with KU. I’d pick both Nova and KU to win a 7 game series with Michigan. No doubt. But all they’ll have to do is win one. So Michigan definitely has a chance.
I just don’t see it with Loyola. I’d put them at maybe a 15-20% chance to beat Michigan. MAYBE a 10% chance to beat KU and even less of a chance against Nova. The chances of them winning two games in a row against that slate? I would put that as EXTREMELY low.
I just don’t see it with Loyola. I’d put them at maybe a 15-20% chance to beat Michigan. MAYBE a 10% chance to beat KU and even less of a chance against Nova. The chances of them winning two games in a row against that slate? I would put that as EXTREMELY low.
Fivethirtyeight gives them a 7% chance to do just that (seems about five points too high to me, fwiw).
I fervently hope Loyola wins it all, although they seem so overmatched. On paper, though, I don't see why anyone would say Michigan should be scared of either Villanova or Kansas. IMO, they're better than Kansas.
Fact is, all 4 of these teams are great, and anyone of them can beat the other 3 on any given night.
You'd think a crazy season and crazy tournament would prevent people from making absolute assumptions.
I understand the sentimate that Michigan is better than KU. And Michigan definitely can beat KU. But I think a lot of people's opinions of KU are from how KU looked in January and February. This KU team is actually very different than what we saw in February. 3 main reasons for this.
1. The level of play of Malik Newman. Newman had an up and down year to say the least. Struggled in OOC. Then the light went on shortly after the beginning of conference play and KU played arguably their best stretch of basketball. Then Newman went through a few struggles before turning it back on in the Big 12 Tournament. Him at this level gives KU 3 legit threats to destroy you if you play off them along with Graham and Svi.
2. The emergence of De Sousa. During the season when Doke stepped off the court for foul trouble or a breather there would be a huge drop off for the team. The team would either lose the minutes Doke was out there or play to even. While Lightfoot was a good weak-side shot blocker, his man post defense and rebounding left something to be desired. De Sousa's emergence has made KU so much better because that drop off isn't felt so much. Doke can go to the bench for extended time and De Sousa keeps KU close to that level.
3. Vick's effort. Like Newman, Vick has had a very up and down season. 1 half of season up and 2nd half down. But since really the Big 12 Tournament we've seen a different Vick. One closer to what we saw at the beginning of the season and that is really all because of effort and focus.
Back in February I felt this was the worst KU team in almost 20 years and at the time they were playing like that. The KU team playing so far in March is far from that though. We'll see if they can keep it up Saturday.
1. Nova
2a. Michigan
2b. Kansas
4. Loyola
National champion will highly likely be one of the top 3 teams and those teams aren't separated by enough to say one of the three doesn't have a chance.
2a. Michigan
2b. Kansas
4. Loyola
National champion will highly likely be one of the top 3 teams and those teams aren't separated by enough to say one of the three doesn't have a chance.
LOL, sounds like your change of heart mirrors that of Bill Self. He practically apologized to the sideline reporter for having called them "soft" earlier in the season. I'm not saying that Michigan would at all be a prohibitive favorite over Kansas, and my thoughts might be entirely wrong, but I'd give a slight edge to the Wolverines.
Not bitter, I literally just posted statistics that are inarguable. Michigan basically played five 9 seeds to get to the title game. Good for them taking advantage and a FF is a FF no matter the path. However, you can not argue that it is the easiest path is quite sometime and probably ever.
Yawn.
Don't lose to an 11 seed in a home game and then cry about a different team's path.
Not crying, I already stated that a FF banner looks the same no matter the path. FF banners do not come down due to playing an easy path(tho we did learn that they do come down when you cheat but that is neither here nor there) and props to michigan for beating the teams on their schedule which MSU did not. I am just stating a fact that Michigan had one of the easiest paths seed-wise. It is almost impossible to not play a top 5 seed on the way to a title game.
There have been easier paths to the Final 4 than Michigan's this year. You are responding to a poster that said path to the Final 4, not path to the title game. Stop moving the goalposts.
