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[NCAA Tournament] Bracket Pool in OP

Hi I'm Vee!Hi I'm Vee! Formerly VH; She/Her; Is an E X P E R I E N C ERegistered User regular
edited March 2012 in Debate and/or Discourse
Previous OP:
Well folks, we're a week away from the best month in sports.

March competes with the Christmas season for my favorite time of the year, and most of that is because of college basketball. God I love the tournament. I love it so much you guys.

Last year's tournament was awesome right up until the Final Four, which was pretty bland and boring (unless you're a UConn fan, I guess). It taught me a valuable lesson about upsets in the tournament; namely, some upsets are awesome, but let's not get too ridiculous.

So here's hoping this year's Final Four is a bit more reasonable.

Conference tournaments are coming up in a couple of weeks. Then Selection Sunday, and then the tournament. So let's see what's up right now!

Jerry Palm's "If Selection Sunday was today" bracket. Last updated Feb 24th.
CBSBracket1.png

Joe Lunardi's bracket, which is slightly outdated (last update Feb 20th):
ESPNBracket1.png

At this point, in terms of "best teams", it seems like it's Kentucky and Syracuse, and then a bunch of other people. Each of them has one loss, and aside from Murray State, everybody else in the Top 25 has at least 3.

Do you guys think you're going to be chalking it up this tournament, or would you go with a lot of the underdogs? Anybody want to make some Final Four picks? Right now I'm probably leaning towards UK, Syracuse, Michigan State, and Kansas, although I think North Carolina and Ohio State are going to be serious contenders as well. I was thinking about Duke, but never mind, fuck Duke.

My favorite stat right now: Anthony Davis is ranked in the Top 40 in blocks/game. Just below Wake Forest, and just above Harvard. :P

NCAA Tournament has started!

Here's the bracket pool:
Ringo wrote: »
I put up a Yahoo bracket group:

Group ID#: 99128
Group Password: wang

Or just click this link!

http://tournament.fantasysports.yahoo.com/t1/register/joinprivategroup_assign_team?GID=99128&P=wang

Or if you prefer using ESPN instead of Yahoosports, go check out SE++'s March Madness thread

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    VeritasVRVeritasVR Registered User regular
    Kentucky scares the every loving bajeezus out of me. They are so good. Michigan State is very tenacious as well, and I think it will be those two in the final. No one else really jumps out right now.

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    Let 'em eat fucking pineapples!
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    Hi I'm Vee!Hi I'm Vee! Formerly VH; She/Her; Is an E X P E R I E N C E Registered User regular
    VeritasVR wrote: »
    Kentucky scares the every loving bajeezus out of me. They are so good. Michigan State is very tenacious as well, and I think it will be those two in the final. No one else really jumps out right now.

    Yeah, it's hard for me to tell because I'm a Kentucky fan, so obviously I watch a lot of them and am biased.

    But man, they are definitely the best Kentucky team since Calipari got here, and one of the best teams I've followed closely since I really started watching college basketball. They're just good at everything. Defense, shooting, driving the lane, in transition, in half-court, blocking, rebounding...

    Anthony Davis is such a game-changer. I really don't know if this team can be beat by any of the current teams when it's firing on all cylinders.

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    enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    edited February 2012
    We're making a second try at this thread?

    So I do not know how my team is a three seed. We have a seven man rotation, assuming no foul trouble. Those seven guys are:

    1) Jordan Morgan, a 6'8" center whose dad was shocked when he got ANY scholarship offer, much less one from Michigan. He gets by on hard work and outrunning other centers down the floor for easy dunks. Also, he's an excellent setter of screens.
    2) Zach Novak, a 6'4" power forward. Seriously. I mean, I love Novak to death, but...
    3) Tim Hardaway, who's a crappy rebounder and frequently a bad defender who falls in love with the three even though he's shot teribbly this year.
    4) Stu Douglass, who is a great defender and has finally learned how to create his own shot.
    5) Trey Burke, a true freshman point guard running one of the more complex offenses in the country
    6) Evan Smotrycz, a really athletic tall dude who turns the ball over all the time and is in an amazing shooting slump.
    7) Matt Vogrich, who until the last two weeks was a guy whose only skill was shooting threes but was only making like 28% of them.

    This makes no sense. And if Minnesota didn't choke horribly Wednesday night, this team would be tied for the lead in the best conference in the nation. Don't get it.

    And yeah, I don't see how Kentucky loses, except Calipari is a shit game coach and his teams always blow it in the tournament because he's a let's go illegally recruit a bunch of guys and throw the ball out kind of coach. Unfortunately, I feel like MSU is the most likely other champion, which makes me sad.

    enlightenedbum on
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    BubbaTBubbaT Registered User regular
    edited February 2012
    I'm hoping Long Beach State can get in and win a game or two, because college hoops in the LA area has been hot death this year. And USC -sigh- has been leading the way in terms of SoCal suckitude.

    I like how Long Beach is fearless, they're willing to play anyone anywhere. No one will come to the Pyramid, so they've left home to play North Carolina, Kansas, San Diego State, Creighton, Pitt, Xavier, Louisville, and Kansas State.

    BubbaT on
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    Hi I'm Vee!Hi I'm Vee! Formerly VH; She/Her; Is an E X P E R I E N C E Registered User regular
    We're making a second try at this thread?

    Oh, I didn't see the first attempt.

    I'm honestly surprised there isn't more NCAA Basketball talk on these forums, considering how popular the college football thread is. I know they're two different sports, but even so...

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    enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    One popped up maybe a month ago? And to be honest, we're mostly Big Ten people, with some PAC-12 people and Oklahoma fans mixed in. Not the most basketball conducive group, especially as there are only a couple Sparties.

    Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
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    PhonehandPhonehand Registered User regular
    Watch out for Damian Lillard and Weber State! Bracket Busters!

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    BubbaTBubbaT Registered User regular
    I'm honestly surprised there isn't more NCAA Basketball talk on these forums, considering how popular the college football thread is. I know they're two different sports, but even so...

    It usually gets crackin at tournament time. Some kid from a tiny school with hit a clutch 3, and there'll be 2 pages of people going "Oh shit!"

    It's funny, college basketball is able to encapsulate the best arguments for and against a playoff in college football. The people who want a playoff point to March Madness and how awesome it is, and they're right. The people who don't want a playoff point to how March Madness makes everyone not care about the regular season, and they're right.

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    enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    I feel awful for Northwestern. Never made the tournament, have a pretty damn good team, some nice wins (including one against MSU) and they're solidly on the bubble because they keep losing close games against top 3/4 NCAA tournament seeds. Twice in OT against us, were tied with OSU until 3.1 seconds left last night.

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    VeeveeVeevee WisconsinRegistered User regular
    Northwestern can play with anyone in the NCAA, but as you said they just can't finish. They're my pick for biggest upset of the tournament, if they get in

    I like my Badgers chances this year as long as they show up to play. If they decide to actually make their fucking shots they can and will beat anyone

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    JihadJesusJihadJesus Registered User regular
    BubbaT wrote: »
    I'm honestly surprised there isn't more NCAA Basketball talk on these forums, considering how popular the college football thread is. I know they're two different sports, but even so...

    It usually gets crackin at tournament time. Some kid from a tiny school with hit a clutch 3, and there'll be 2 pages of people going "Oh shit!"

    It's funny, college basketball is able to encapsulate the best arguments for and against a playoff in college football. The people who want a playoff point to March Madness and how awesome it is, and they're right. The people who don't want a playoff point to how March Madness makes everyone not care about the regular season, and they're right.
    Yeah, pretty much this. For example, I guess UW is expected to win what was a pretty crappy PAC-12 this year. Woohoo? I didn't watch so far because who cares?

    Tournament for us will about what it always is at best - win, tough win, holy shit we were so close to E8 we only lost to [higher seed team that has solid post presence and plays defense] by a couple! Problem is since we'll be like a 12 seed we get to play post presence/defense team in rd 1, so this time we'll spit the bit there instead of the sweet sixteen.

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    enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    Big Ten (co) regular season champs! First one since the first year I was alive. Unofficially or otherwise. Fab Five never won one.

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    Hi I'm Vee!Hi I'm Vee! Formerly VH; She/Her; Is an E X P E R I E N C E Registered User regular
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    So It GoesSo It Goes We keep moving...Registered User regular
    Big Ten (co) regular season champs! First one since the first year I was alive. Unofficially or otherwise. Fab Five never won one.

    hell yeah oh god that's a long time

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    stevemarks44stevemarks44 Registered User regular
    Let's go CUSE

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    OSUJumpManOSUJumpMan Registered User regular
    Big Ten (co) regular season champs! First one since the first year I was alive. Unofficially or otherwise. Fab Five never won one.

    three trophies this season. also, stupid Indiana forcing us to be the #3 seed in the conference tourney (if my understanding of the tiebreaking procedure is correct).

    Also, Gus Johnson would want me to leave this here.

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    enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    OSUJumpMan wrote: »
    Big Ten (co) regular season champs! First one since the first year I was alive. Unofficially or otherwise. Fab Five never won one.

    three trophies this season. also, stupid Indiana forcing us to be the #3 seed in the conference tourney (if my understanding of the tiebreaking procedure is correct).

    Also, Gus Johnson would want me to leave this here.

    It's record against Wisconsin (the fourth place team). MSU was 2-0, Michigan 1-0, OSU 1-1.

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    OSUJumpManOSUJumpMan Registered User regular
    ahhh, i looked at the standings too quickly. thought IU finished 4th. Oh well, still on the easier side of the bracket I think, excepting the semi-final of course.

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    enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    edited March 2012
    A pretty hot Purdue team -> a pretty hot Michigan team -> MSU/Indiana/Wisconsin? That is not an easy road.

    Though I think y'all beat us in the semis. Only with home cooked officiating can we defend Sullinger without Morgan fouling out and Smotrycz/McClimans on Sullinger = death. That is a bad, bad matchup for us. And so is Purdue's Hummel at the 5 lineup. Hell, the Cats took us to OT both times, and they have a ton to play for.

    What I'm saying is I expect a disappointing tournament and with the Sparties suffering an injury I think Wisconsin takes our three seed and we get dropped to a four, which is terrifying regardless of which #1 we draw. I'm fine with any of the twos (I think I'd prefer Mizzou, for style reasons), but Kentucky/Cuse/Kansas/UNC are terrifying and I would rather not play them until the most inexplicable Elite Eight ever. Also I'm saying that OSU beats Wisconsin in the Big Ten tournament final, approximately 52-46.

    enlightenedbum on
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    OSUJumpManOSUJumpMan Registered User regular
    Official Big Ten bracket

    I mean avoiding Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Indiana (not to mention an underperforming Illinois team that gets hot in the tourney) until the championship round. Assuming Purdue wins against Nebraska (safe bet) we still match up very well against them, especially the way Matta gets the team up for the conference tourney.

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    Hi I'm Vee!Hi I'm Vee! Formerly VH; She/Her; Is an E X P E R I E N C E Registered User regular
    Is there any chance that UNC doesn't end up with a 1 seed, barring a loss to a bad team in the conference tournament?

    Mostly I'm wondering if there's a Big Ten team that can challenge them for a 1 seed at this point, since I'd much rather Kentucky play in Atlanta than St. Louis.

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    Penguin_OtakuPenguin_Otaku Registered User regular
    I called Michigan State and Kansas from the beginning, especially after Sparty fell to UNC and... Duke (was it? someone good.) Knew Izzo would have them going at the right time, but with the last of that frosh it could hinder them.

    Kansas is just one of those teams that when no one's talking about, they often give people something to talk about. My No. 1 seed darkhorse if you will.

    'cuse and Kentucky, obviously, very good too.

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    enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    Is there any chance that UNC doesn't end up with a 1 seed, barring a loss to a bad team in the conference tournament?

    Mostly I'm wondering if there's a Big Ten team that can challenge them for a 1 seed at this point, since I'd much rather Kentucky play in Atlanta than St. Louis.

    I think the fourth number one is still a little up for grabs, but UNC has the inside track. Sparty could get it if they win the Big Ten and UNC loses the ACC. Possibly Duke if they win the ACC?

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    OSUJumpManOSUJumpMan Registered User regular
    I think Duke has first crack at it after UNC. I don't see Sparty getting it over Mizzou unless Mizzou bombs in the big12 tourney (they still have that right?). I'd wager after that it's either MSU or OSU based on who performs better in the BigTen tourney.

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    enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    Last I checked Mizzou is like the last two.

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    enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    edited March 2012
    Tom Izzo being Big Ten Coach of the Year is a joke. If it's not Beilein (which it should be, 6'4" power forward!), it should have been Crean. They only "overachieved" because he did such a shit job last year.

    enlightenedbum on
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    HeraldSHeraldS Registered User regular
    Davidson bitches! Took 2 overtimes but we're going dancing.

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    RingoRingo He/Him a distinct lack of substanceRegistered User regular
    Two overtimes and the refs swallowing their whistles for both you mean. Still a fun game to watch but fouls and travels are still fouls and travels in the extra period. Hell, they mean even more.

    Sterica wrote: »
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    HeraldSHeraldS Registered User regular
    I'm just glad we didn't completely shit the bed. That 12 point lead late in the game should have kept us from overtime.

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    Hi I'm Vee!Hi I'm Vee! Formerly VH; She/Her; Is an E X P E R I E N C E Registered User regular
    New Baylor uniforms:

    HBGwL.jpg

    Did they get a sponsorship from Mountain Dew or something?

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    Mego ThorMego Thor "I say thee...NAY!" Registered User regular
    No mention of Duke's loss to NC last Saturday? That was unexpected; to me, at least.

    I couldn't stand to watch Kentucky while they had Tubby Smith. Man, am I glad they've got a good coach again. Go Cats!

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    enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    "Good coach" in this case means "fantastic* recruiter who throws out a ball in practice."

    *Ignore those previous NCAA violations.

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    Mego ThorMego Thor "I say thee...NAY!" Registered User regular
    If the choice is Tubby or Calipari, I'm perfectly ok with that.

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    lazegamerlazegamer The magnanimous cyberspaceRegistered User regular
    Mego Thor wrote: »
    No mention of Duke's loss to NC last Saturday? That was unexpected; to me, at least.

    Maybe in how badly they got behind early, but not in the loss itself. Duke's been playing above the caliber of their players this season. Coach K is a miracle worker. If UNC didn't have injury troubles they would be far and away the favorite in the ACC tournament this year and probably a lock on a #1 seed.

    I would download a car.
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    SquirrelmobSquirrelmob Registered User regular
    edited March 2012
    Izzo shouldn't have been B1G coach of the year, shoulda been Crean.
    Draymond definitely deserved player of the year honors, though.

    Tournament will be tough without Dawson, though. Nix is going to have to step it up and play consistently well.

    Edit: Also, Kentucky will be upset in the tournment. And then players will leave. And then a ways down the line there will be sanctions. Because that's what Calipari teams do.

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    enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    edited March 2012
    Yeah, no issue with Green getting player of the year. Not even close either. I wouldn't have an issue with him winning national player of the year. So glad that bastard is graduating.

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    enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    Man, Northwestern just cannot finish to save their lives.

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    OSUJumpManOSUJumpMan Registered User regular
    Man, Northwestern just cannot finish to save their lives.

    I can't help but feel like today's games will keep us to 6 conference bids. Minnesota did TERRIBLE in conference play and Iowa's best out of conference win is Drake, who finished 3rd in a mid-major. Unless one of those two manage to win the tournament (hahahahahaha) I'm pretty sure Purdue is our last team in.

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    Edgler VessEdgler Vess Registered User regular
    My Mississippi State Bulldogs are lazy, self-centered, and only care if they look good for their shot at the NBA. If they would consistently play as a team and not CONSTANTLY try to inflate their own personal scorecard we wouldn't be down to a TERRIBLE Georgia team, by 13 with 8:30 remaining, RAGGEEEE!!!!!

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    RingoRingo He/Him a distinct lack of substanceRegistered User regular
    I think I jinxed USF into losing. I never saw any decent offense whenever I was watching that game.

    Sorry USF fans!

    Sterica wrote: »
    I know my last visit to my grandpa on his deathbed was to find out how the whole Nazi werewolf thing turned out.
    Edcrab's Exigency RPG
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