$2.0MM lineup

[jsglow]

So with the additions to the Tourney team this week including Derrick, let's start to play Coach Diener and postulate the lineup, bench rotation, etc.  It's almost gametime.  Do we know their opponents yet?  Do we need a new '----- is Evil' thread yet?  Too bad we'll be out of town for that opening weekend.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Opening round matches are announced on Friday

[KampusFoods]

My starting 5:

Jerel
Buycks
DJO
Davante
Jamil

Could see putting lockett in there for DJO or for Jamil if they go a little smaller. I'll be at the games saturday, should be fun.

[brewcity77]

I would have had Acker as a lock to start until Buycks joined the lineup. With DB in there, this is what I'd go with, as well as the primary backup at each position:

PG Dwight Buycks (Acker)
SG Darius Johnson-Odom (Chapman)
SF Jerel McNeal (Lockett)
PF Jamil Wilson (Burke)
C Davante Gardner (Jackson)

Same starters as RKMU, though I would have Jamil handle the tips instead of Davante. Good combination of speed, shooting, and low-post offense. Not sure what everyone else will have, but I think this would almost have to be one of the stronger teams in the field. Three guys that have been on NBA rosters, while others have either played D-League or had success overseas.

[Sharpie]

I'd love to be a fly on the wall with these guys telling stories about coaches/players/their days at MU.

It would also be interesting to see these guys go head to head in their practices and to see who gets the better of one another. Some very talented collegiate ball players on this roster. Will be fun to track their games.

[wadesworld]

Maybe I'm a pessimist but I'd be surprised if they were a real threat to win.  My guess would be there are some teams that are filled with guys who were decently talented in college and then have just played together for years and years.  Putting together a bunch of guys who have either never played together or haven't played together for years and trying to get something going based on a few practices isn't an easy thing to do no matter how much talent you have.

[KampusFoods]

Maybe I'm a pessimist but I'd be surprised if they were a real threat to win.  My guess would be there are some teams that are filled with guys who were decently talented in college and then have just played together for years and years.  Putting together a bunch of guys who have either never played together or haven't played together for years and trying to get something going based on a few practices isn't an easy thing to do no matter how much talent you have.

Kentucky does this every year

In seriousness, I don't think very many teams will have a bunch of guys that have played together for years. These guys are professionals. Basketball takes them all over the world to different teams and countries every couple years. There will be some familiarity among teammates on every squad, but none of these guys are coming out of college and then playing on the same pro teams together for years. I do, however, agree that MU probably won't win because I've looked at the competition and it's pretty stiff.

I do think teams will have a bear of a time trying to stop the Ox, though.

[MomofMUltiples]

Despite the fact that these guys haven't played together for years, many of them did play under Buzz which means there's probably a common playbook and role delineation that could help them play well together.  Win or lose, it will be fun to watch them.  I wonder who the ringer will be if they get to the round of sixteen?

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

I just looked at the roster for the first time and noticed the "salary" line.  Do these dudes really make $100k+ for playing in this tourney?

[KampusFoods]

I just looked at the roster for the first time and noticed the "salary" line.  Do these dudes really make $100k+ for playing in this tourney?

Pretty sure that is the cut each of them would get if they won

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

Pretty sure that is the cut each of them would get if they won

Got it, thanks.  Haven't paid much attention.

Are these games going to be televised or streamed anywhere? Would be fun to watch.

[Benny B]

If the officials are calling tight games:
Buycks
Jerel
Jamil
Gardner
Jackson

If the officials are letting guys play:
DJO
Jamil
Lockett
Burke
Jackson

Jerel and Davante are great at getting to the hoop, but let's remember that a big part of their game was drawing fouls and getting to the line; take that away, and you need guys who can bang around and still finish.

[KampusFoods]

Got it, thanks.  Haven't paid much attention.

Are these games going to be televised or streamed anywhere? Would be fun to watch.

I believe rounds of 16 and 8 will be on ESPNU while the final 4 and champ game will be on ESPN. If they make it far enough, let's just hope they don't wear the baby blues.

[wadesworld]

If the officials are calling tight games:
Buycks
Jerel
Matthews
Gardner
Jackson

If the officials are letting guys play:
DJO
Jamil
Matthews
Burke
Jackson

Jerel and Davante are great at getting to the hoop, but let's remember that a big part of their game was drawing fouls and getting to the line; take that away, and you need guys who can bang around and still finish.

Matthews is coaching, not playing, I believe.

[Benny B]

Matthews is coaching, not playing, I believe.

Just caught that... changed it up.

[Benny B]

Who's going to be the ringer for the team?  DWade?  JFB?  Jake?

[KampusFoods]

Who's going to be the ringer for the team?  DWade?  JFB?  Jake?

Don't think we'll see any NBAers out there. Probably something in their contracts restricting it. Or they just don't want to risk injury.

Give me Carlino. Team needs a sniper.

[brewcity77]

Pretty sure that is the cut each of them would get if they won

That's correct, and it's a winner take all tourney, so only the team that wins the title gets paid.

[barfolomew]

Who's going to be the ringer for the team?  DWade?  JFB?  Jake?

Clearly it's going to be Ners.
The question is, will Derrick pass to him?

[Sharpie]

There are custom uniforms for the tourney. It was just posted on Twitter. The white jerseys are actually pretty sweet looking with arrowheads on the sides and it appears they took some aspects of the untucked jerseys.

On the tbt website, the blue jerseys are for sale along with the shorts for MU.

[avid1010]

blackledge balling on the utah team...he go mormon?

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

I didn't look through all the rosters, but I looked through a good chunk and I have to imagine they got a pretty good chance to go a ways.

The only other roster that looked pretty impressive was Syracuse.

[BM1090]

I didn't look through all the rosters, but I looked through a good chunk and I have to imagine they got a pretty good chance to go a ways.

The only other roster that looked pretty impressive was Syracuse.

I think Nova's looks good too.

[MU82]

Are these games going to be televised or streamed anywhere? Would be fun to watch.

According to the Web site:

$2 Million, Winner-takes-all Championship – August 2 @ 7p EST on ESPN
Semifinals – July 30 @ 5p & 7p EST on ESPN
Quarterfinals – July 23 @ 12p (ESPN2), 2p (ESPNU), 6p (ESPNU), 8p (ESPN2) EST
Rd of 16 Day 2 – July 22 @ 1p (ESPN3), 3p (ESPN3), 7p (ESPN2), 9p (ESPN2) EST
Rd of 16 Day 1 – July 21 @ 1p (ESPN3), 3p (ESPN3), 7p (ESPN2), 9p (ESPN2) EST

Rounds 1&2 from Chicago & Philadelphia – July 16 & 17 on TheTournament.com
Rounds 1&2 from Charlotte & Los Angeles – July 9 & 10 on TheTournament.com

I just now found out we have a regional here in Charlotte. If I've got nothing else going on next weekend, I might go check it out. I'd definitely check it out if I was gonna be in Chicago the following weekend because I AM (clap, clap) MAR-QUETTE (clap, clap).

[rocky_warrior]

Who's going to be the ringer for the team?  DWade?  JFB?  Jake?

Need a lot more votes to qualify for a ringer.