Reason to Watch the Pairings

talksalot · March 12, 2023, 08:46:09 AM

They WOULDN'T do THAT.... would they?

Congratulations to Grand Canyon for winning the Western Athletic Conference
Congratulations to Baylor for another outstanding year and a solid NET performance

How about a #2 - #15 matchup in the opening night in Denver.

Homer always said... only in the NCAA...

highlights of the Antelopes championship game Saturday night in Paradise, Nevada

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/gametracker/recap/NCAAB_20230311_GC@SUTAH/

justducky · March 12, 2023, 10:45:03 AM

Quote from: talksalot on March 12, 2023, 08:46:09 AMThey WOULDN'T do THAT.... would they?

Even I would tune in.

Just Sayin · March 12, 2023, 10:51:45 AM

Finally, we are going to get some basketball worth watching. (and paying for) Gentlemen, start your engine. Let the Dance begin!

usc4valpo · March 12, 2023, 10:58:42 AM

Fight on!

talksalot · March 12, 2023, 04:16:23 PM

Palm has Baylor as a #3 seed... playing #14 Kennessaw State
Palm has GCU as a #14 seed... playing #3 Kansas State

What does he know???

Pshaw I Say !!

JD24 · March 12, 2023, 05:09:46 PM

Quote from: talksalot on March 12, 2023, 04:16:23 PMPalm has Baylor as a #3 seed... playing #14 Kennessaw State Palm has GCU as a #14 seed... playing #3 Kansas State What does he know??? Pshaw I Say !!

The guys that publish the tournament ins and outs such as Palm and Lunardi also typically put out "pre-brackets". I've always assumed that the specific matchups they put out weren't that accurate. Has anyone ever checked them for accuracy....not that it really matters in the grand scheme of things.

elephtheria47 · March 12, 2023, 06:58:03 PM

This site tracks everyone:

http://www.bracketmatrix.com/rankings.html

Lunardi and Palm are both bad.

elephtheria47 · March 12, 2023, 08:09:35 PM

Drake (MVC) and VCU (A10) get the same seed and both leagues only one team. A10 has fallen. Wonder if Loyola has buyer's remorse.

Horizon League = 16 seed. Woof.

Nice for the Drews to both be in Denver.

JD24 · March 12, 2023, 09:09:01 PM

Bryce draws the Zags.

Dr. T · March 12, 2023, 09:10:40 PM

What's it say about the current state of the Valpo program that our only way to have an internal rooting interest (institutionally) is to root for the coaches that are FORMER Valpo coaches?

I'm rooting for Baylor & Bryce 100%. And, though I'm not a Zags fan - how can I not root for Powell there?

historyman · March 13, 2023, 03:47:19 AM

Quote from: Dr. T on March 12, 2023, 09:10:40 PM
What's it say about the current state of the Valpo program that our only way to have an internal rooting interest (institutionally) is to root for the coaches that are FORMER Valpo coaches?

I'm rooting for Baylor & Bryce 100%. And, though I'm not a Zags fan - how can I not root for Powell there?

You might have noticed that it's Bryce vs Powell when GCU plays Zags in Denver. It ought to be a great reunion. Prayer breakfast?

valporun · March 13, 2023, 08:16:01 AM

Quote from: elephtheria47 on March 12, 2023, 08:09:35 PM
Drake (MVC) and VCU (A10) get the same seed and both leagues only one team. A10 has fallen. Wonder if Loyola has buyer's remorse.

Horizon League = 16 seed. Woof.

Nice for the Drews to both be in Denver.

The things that happen when the regular season conference champion DOESN'T win the conference tournament. Bradley may have drawn a higher seed, if they won. The Horizon League was taken by the 3rd place team. It's why conferences have the tournaments, otherwise the NCAA would just take the regular season conference champions, and their select 36 other teams to fill the bracket.

The regular season would be rather boring if we saw the same teams always winning, and getting in, instead of having the opportunity for a darkhorse to make a run at the right time, like NKU, when the rest of the league beats itself up regularly.

crusadermoe · March 13, 2023, 11:45:22 AM

One of the Final Four hosts immediately picked Drake to beat Miami and Indiana and go to the Sweet Sixteen. That's pretty aggressive.

Does Drake have more upside in the tourney than Bradley because of Brody's size and Tucker DeVries "wants the ball" confidence?

historyman · March 13, 2023, 11:49:45 AM

Quote from: crusadermoe on March 13, 2023, 11:45:22 AM
One of the Final Four hosts immediately picked Drake to beat Miami and Indiana and go to the Sweet Sixteen. That's pretty aggressive.

Does Drake have more upside in the tourney than Bradley because of Brody's size and Tucker DeVries "wants the ball" confidence?

Yes, enough to beat Miami and Indiana? That is what makes the tournament games so exciting. I don't believe Drake will lose badly to Miami.

usc4valpo · March 13, 2023, 11:51:17 AM

Drake will beat Miami. Indiana is another matter.

crusadermoe · March 13, 2023, 11:57:17 AM

Is Miami on a downswing? I haven't followed NCAA as much as in past years. So many are picking Drake.

historyman · March 13, 2023, 11:59:52 AM

Quote from: usc4valpo on March 13, 2023, 11:51:17 AM
Drake will beat Miami. Indiana is another matter.

Drake vs Miami scheduled for Friday, March 17, 6:25 pm CDT Albany, NY

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/college/drake/drake-bulldogs/2023/03/12/drake-mens-basketball-ncaa-tournament-vs-miami-march-madness/69989855007/

Drake men's basketball will face No. 5 seed Miami in Albany in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs enter the tournament as the No. 12 seed in the Midwest Region. Drake and Miami will play on Friday at 7:25 p.m. ET/6:25 p.m. CT on TBS.

"For us, it's been a long week, waiting to see who we play," Drake coach Darian DeVries said. "Now we know who it is and super excited just to be a part of it. Playing a very good Miami team that won the ACC, so we know we have a big challenge in front of us."

This is the sixth NCAA Tournament appearance for Drake, with the Bulldogs last making it to March Madness in 2021. Drake was a No. 11 seed in that appearance, beating Wichita State in the play-in to advance to the first round. The Bulldogs lost to USC in the first round.

Drake finished third in 1969, beating North Carolina, 104-84 in the consolation game. The Bulldogs made Elite Eight appearances in 1970 and 1971. Drake also made it to the tournament in 2008 but lost in overtime to Western Kentucky in the first round

Drake enters the tournament with a 27-7 record and a 15-5 record in conference play. The Bulldogs have won their last three games – including the Missouri Valley Conference championship over Bradley to earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs have a 16-4 record since the beginning of the new year.

Miami is 25-7 and tied for the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season championship with a 15-5 record. The Hurricanes lost to Duke 85-78 in the ACC semifinals. Isaiah Wong is their leading scorer at 16.2 points per game.

"I thought this last month of the season we were playing some of our best basketball," DeVries said. "We were fully healthy and have made it all the way through the season healthy and that's a good feeling too."

The winner of the Drake-Miami game will play the winner of the Indiana-Kent State contest in Sunday's second round of the NCAA Tournament. The first and second round games will be played at MVP Arena in Albany.

usc4valpo · March 13, 2023, 12:14:46 PM

https://dknation.draftkings.com/2023/3/10/23634763/norchad-omier-injury-status-miami-hurricanes-vs-duke-acc-tournament-will-he-return

The Canes may not be at 100%.

David81 · March 17, 2023, 11:14:59 PM

So....Gonzaga did not steamroll Grand Canyon: 82-70 final, but only 40-36 at the half.

Bryce is putting together a very respectable program there.

AB · March 18, 2023, 12:16:13 AM

it was 66-46 at one point. Zags took foot off gas, but for the first half, GCU hung and played hard until the end.

David81 · March 18, 2023, 12:47:09 AM

So FDU won only 4 games last season. I guess I'm looking for stories like that to give me hope for fast program turnarounds.

wh · March 18, 2023, 04:04:40 AM

Purdue's loss to Fairleigh Dickinson is the second time in NCAA history that a 1-seed has lost to a 16, but it's probably the worst ever defeat. All 9 teams in the NE Conf. had NET's >300. F-D didn't even win its conf. tournament, but winner Merrimack isn't eligible for the tournament after making the move from D-3.

Another bit of surprising information (at least to me) is learning that the BIG 10 hasn't won the tournament since 2000.

usc4valpo · March 18, 2023, 07:32:22 AM

The last 2 games for Purdue, they lost to a 15 seed and a 16 seed. Painter must be a coaching genius.

JD24 · March 18, 2023, 09:11:41 AM

Quote from: David81 on March 17, 2023, 11:14:59 PMSo....Gonzaga did not steamroll Grand Canyon: 82-70 final, but only 40-36 at the half. Bryce is putting together a very respectable program there.

Without comment on Bryce's crew but Gonzaga typically puts teams away with one 5 minute burst which is what happened yesterday. Whether the game is close at any given point depends on when the burst comes.

JD24 · March 18, 2023, 09:14:37 AM

Quote from: wh on March 18, 2023, 04:04:40 AMPurdue's loss to Fairleigh Dickinson is the second time in NCAA history that a 1-seed has lost to a 16, but it's probably the worst ever defeat. All 9 teams in the NE Conf. had NET's >300. F-D didn't even win its conf. tournament, but winner Merrimack isn't eligible for the tournament after making the move from D-3. Another bit of surprising information (at least to me) is learning that the BIG 10 hasn't won the tournament since 2000.

FDU is the lowest seeded team to beat a #1 based on the fact that they are the first play-in 16 to beat a #1. NCAA is a guards game and sometimes these little schools with a grouping of guards who know how to play and don't take any

from anyone can beat the big boys. St. Peters, FDU, Loyola, etc.