2018 NCAA Tournament thread

[willie warrior]

I think we all know that Nova is very capable of winning the whole damn thing again this year. That is a team that Wojo should be aspiring to mold us like.

[GooooMarquette]

Small?

edit: just looked at their size. They are indeed quite small. Crazy athletic, though.

Their hair makes them look tall....

[WarriorDad]

Congratulations Virginia!

You have now knocked Marquette's loss to Miami of Ohio in 1978 off the  top of the list of biggest NCAA upsets of all time.

We're now number 2, but on this list, that's OK!

By the way, that was the worst game in MU history. Absolutely the worst! Defending national champions. Arguably a one or two seed. And we lose to Miami of F-ing Ohio.

I'm sure Virginia fans are saying the same thing this morning. F-ing Baltimore County!!!???!!!!

That's how I feel.   Others in this thread don't agree, maybe you and I are tainted because it was our school.  That was at the time the worst loss in NCAA history and it didn't help that we had the game absolutely sown up without the collapse. 

Of course "one could argue". One could argue virtually anything whether the argument has merit or not. In this case yours doesn't.

There have been 3 opening round NCAA games where a 20+ point favorite has lost - #2 seed Arizona vs #15 Santa Clara in 1993, #2 seed Missouri vs #15 Norfolk St in 2012 and Virginia last night. In term of point spreads our loss to Miami O in 1978 isn't even in the top 20.

I'm not sure point spreads is that applicable.  First question is what was our point spread back then in March of '78 vs Miami?  I'd add that point spreads are there to influence bets, they also factor in the style of play.  A 10 point favored Wisconsin from a few years ago with their defense was like a 15 point favorite for someone else.  A team could be trailing them by 7 or 8 and the game was essentially over. 

The tournament matters much more than regular season games and it's how coaches are judged. Sean Miller, Thad Matta and Dana Kirk (to mention a few) have much better regular season records than Tom Izzo, Bobby Knight, Jim Calhoun and Denny Crum. Mark Few has a higher winning % than Johnny Wooden and Coach K. Good coaches win in November - February. Great ones win in March.

I am not disagreeing with you on the value of the tournament, that's where the championship is won.  However, it doesn't mean you throw the baby out with the bath water either.  The regular season also means something. How many teams win the tournament that aren't the best team during the season?  That happens at a high rate. If the committee of experts say the four best teams are the #1 seeds, then every year a #1 seed doesn't win the tournament that proves to be the case.  Going a step further, does it mean when a #10 seed makes the championship they are really better than 36 other teams for the year, or better in the tournament which can present easier paths based on games you didn't even play in (i.e. a 13 knocks off a 4, or a 6 beats a 3).  Do you think the tournament has any element of luck to it? 

If March is the only real indicator, does that mean Frank Martin (10-5 NCAA record) is a better coach than Tony Bennett at 10-8?
Coach Buzz Williams at 8-7 is a worse coach than Coach Tom Crean at 12-9 in the NCAA tournament?   Lon Kruger only 20-18.   Tubby Smith 30-17, but fired last week.    March is very important, but you still have kids playing basketball for 40 minutes and many times the better team doesn't win. 

[GooooMarquette]

DiVincenzo is on fire from Rowsey range....

[WarriorDad]

I think we all know that Nova is very capable of winning the whole damn thing again this year. That is a team that Wojo should be aspiring to mold us like.

While you are at it, why not UCLA of the 70's, Indiana of the 80's, Duke of the 90's.  It's damn hard to replicate what Villanova has done and their fans wanted Wright kicked to the curb only a few years ago, 2013 time frame.

[PGsHeroes32]

Nova playing horrible

Without Brunson for over 10 min

Still up 5.

Impressive

[Dr. Blackheart]

Nova: 74% of shots from three with the foul trouble. Most impressive is that Wright's teams can adjust based on tempo, situationals, and game flow.

[fjm]

And now Alabama is seeing the same Nova that the BigEast saw this year

[Its DJOver]

When Nova plays like this, they are unbeatable

[fjm]

Up 5 to up 22 in less than 5 minutes. Incredible.

[Eldon]

This is NBA-Jam-esque.

[PGsHeroes32]

They are just so damn good.

[Norm]

Bridges is on fire. Would LOVE to have a player like him.

[Mr. Nielsen]

This 2nd half is the Nova we all know.

[tower912]

Up 5 to up 22 in less than 5 minutes. Incredible.

Feels like the Marquette game.  Cain can be Bridges lite in a couple of years.

Villanova's best is better than anybody else's best.

[statnik]

I know I'm in the minority on this, but Nova is an example of how the 3 pointer is ruining old school basketball.  There's practically no reason to be a driving/paint oriented team when you are a decent 3 point shooting team and chuck them up.  There used to be a good balance but not anymore.  Look at Nova in this game: mediocre 3 point shooting but high volume and they had the lead at halftime.

[willie warrior]

Bridges is on fire. Would LOVE to have a player like him.

Would love to have several of the Nova players.

[PGsHeroes32]

I know I'm in the minority on this, but Nova is an example of how the 3 pointer is ruining old school basketball.  There's practically no reason to be a driving/paint oriented team when you are a decent 3 point shooting team and chuck them up.  There used to be a good balance but not anymore.  Look at Nova in this game: mediocre 3 point shooting but high volume and they had the lead at halftime.

They had the lead at half because while bamas D was great and limited transition. Novas D was also great and Bama can't shoot(jumpers or free throws)

[willie warrior]

So much for letting 18-14 Bama in the dance.

[Dr. Blackheart]

So much for letting 18-14 Bama in the dance.

But they did beat your Chia Rock Cowboy...

[mu_hilltopper]

Not all 16 seeds did well yesterday .. WOW.

http://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/boxscore?gameId=401026141

[Eldon]

But they did beat your Chia Rock Cowboy...

2018-19 MEME ALERT: Chia Rock

[forgetful]

I know I'm in the minority on this, but Nova is an example of how the 3 pointer is ruining old school basketball.  There's practically no reason to be a driving/paint oriented team when you are a decent 3 point shooting team and chuck them up.  There used to be a good balance but not anymore.  Look at Nova in this game: mediocre 3 point shooting but high volume and they had the lead at halftime.

The two best ways to set up the 3, are drive and dish (requires driving to the paint), and inside out passes to skilled bigs (paint oriented).

It doesn't change the strategy, it changes what the shot looks out.  If teams guard the 3, you have to have guys that can punish them in the paint. 

[jesmu84]

Alabama has a top 20 defense. Couldn't do anything against Nova.

And people were upset that Marquette got lit up by Nova

[forgetful]

Alabama has a top 20 defense. Couldn't do anything against Nova.

And people were upset that Marquette got lit up by Nova

Their defense is predicated upon being out of control to a a decent extent.  Works well against young or poorly coached teams, will be obliterated by senior led teams, with good coaching and an all-American PG. 

In contrast, Buzz tried to out crazy them, which let to one of the poorest played games I can remember...ugly basketball.  Exciting, but ugly.