2022-23 NCAA Men's Basketball Thread

[wisblue]

Purdue beat Michigan at Michigan by the exact same score 75-70 that Marquette lost to Purdue by at Purdue. Not that it means much or anything.

If anything the Michigan result says that Purdue is one of the weakest number one teams ever.

Michigan is a terrible team that is nowhere near the NCAA bubble line and was playing without two starters including its leading scorer.

[panda]

The NEC is so bad this year. Every team is sub-300 in kenpom.

Grasso leaves and the entire operation goes down the tubes

[PGsHeroes32]

If anything the Michigan result says that Purdue is one of the weakest number one teams ever.

Michigan is a terrible team that is nowhere near the NCAA bubble line and was playing without two starters including its leading scorer.

Game was also never at any point in doubt.

[tower912]

Yes, Hunter Dickinson would be a match up problem.   At least he hates the Badgers.

[wisblue]

Watching this Purdue-Michigan game. Michigan doesn't seem great but Dickinson being an absolute monster down low + their play style,just seems like the type of team I'm really hoping we don't run into when it matters.

There is no risk of MU facing Dickinson or Michigan unless MU falls apart and Michigan rallies and they meet in the NIT.

Dickinson would cause some issues for MU, but the supporting cast would have massive problems defending MU's offense.

[MuggsyB]

If anything the Michigan result says that Purdue is one of the weakest number one teams ever.

Michigan is a terrible team that is nowhere near the NCAA bubble line and was playing without two starters including its leading scorer.

Purdue could be hurt in the tournament by the lack of high quality teams in the B14.

[MU82]

If anything the Michigan result says that Purdue is one of the weakest number one teams ever.

Michigan is a terrible team that is nowhere near the NCAA bubble line and was playing without two starters including its leading scorer.

Houston lost to Temple. Does that result say that Houston is one of the weakest number one teams ever?

Alabama struggled to beat a crumbling Mississippi State team. Does that result say that Alabama is one of the weakest number one teams ever?

We can do this with every team that is projected to be a protected seed right now.

Just about every outstanding team in history -- even those good enough to go on to win titles -- can point to several losses and/or too-close-for-comfort wins against vastly inferior opponents during the course of a season.

[wisblue]

Purdue could be hurt in the tournament by the lack of high quality teams in the B14.

Or if they run into St. Peter's.

[wisblue]

Houston lost to Temple. Does that result say that Houston is one of the weakest number one teams ever?

Alabama struggled to beat a crumbling Mississippi State team. Does that result say that Alabama is one of the weakest number one teams ever?

We can do this with every team that is projected to be a protected seed right now.

Just about every outstanding team in history -- even those good enough to go on to win titles -- can point to several losses and/or too-close-for-comfort wins against vastly inferior opponents during the course of a season.

There's a lot more to my opinion than picking out one game.

I don't think there's any question that the number one seeds in this year's tournament are going to be less imposing than they have been in many previous seasons.

There have been years when there seemed to be a big gap between the top 3 or 4 teams and everybody else, and this is not one of those years.

Considering the conference they play in, if Houston is rated number one they might well be one of the weakest number one rated teams ever.

[MU82]

There's a lot more to my opinion than picking out one game.

I don't think there's any question that the number one seeds in this year's tournament are going to be less imposing than they have been in many previous seasons.

There have been years when there seemed to be a big gap between the top 3 or 4 teams and everybody else, and this is not one of those years.

Considering the conference they play in, if Houston is rated number one they might well be one of the weakest number one rated teams ever.

While I think you might be misremembering past years some, this is a reasonable take.

Using only the eye test, I will agree that this season does seem more wide open than most. I try to step away from my fandom when trying to think objectively about this kind of thing, but this season strikes me as one in which a team like Marquette -- a little flawed but extremely strong in one area -- can get to the Final Four.

[Shooter McGavin]

While I think you might be misremembering past years some, this is a reasonable take.

Using only the eye test, I will agree that this season does seem more wide open than most. I try to step away from my fandom when trying to think objectively about this kind of thing, but this season strikes me as one in which a team like Marquette -- a little flawed but extremely strong in one area -- can get to the Final Four.

I just posted that in the offensive efficiency thread.  MU definitely has the offense to get to the final four and hopefully their defensive metrics keep going up and that gives them more of a chance.  Couple that with no truly dominant team at the top and anything can happen.  The stars could be aligning 82.  Should be fun the next couple months. 

[Shooter McGavin]

Watch, we'll lose to DePaul Saturday now that final four caliber team is being thrown around.

[JakeBarnes]

Watch, we'll lose to DePaul Saturday now that final four caliber team is being thrown around.

Trap game.

[Uncle Rico]

Trap game.

Classic trap game.  Worried about playing down to the competetion.  We'll learn a lot about Shaka on Saturday

[MarquetteDano]

Classic trap game.  Worried about playing down to the competetion.  We'll learn a lot about Shaka on Saturday

Too many times being at this game to see us piss away a late lead.  We really need to stomp on their throats and have the large MU contingent take the life out of the Demon fans.

[MU82]

The 2018-19 team ended up having many problems that have been well (very, very well) documented. But DePaul was one problem that team didn't have.

Stomped 'em twice, including a 19-point win at Wintrust a couple weeks before the late-season collapse (and alleged letter that went with it). Markus had 23 and 36 points in the two games, Sam 19 and 17.

[Shooter McGavin]

Trap game.

Ha!

[PGsHeroes32]

Now my memory could be deceiving me a bit.

But pretty sure most our DePaul road Demons(no pun intended) have been late in season games, kinda alligning with our collapses.

This game still sneaks in in January and is really the midway point of BE season. So maybe thats something....

[Shooter McGavin]

Classic trap game.  Worried about playing down to the competetion.  We'll learn a lot about Shaka on Saturday

Ha!  Love it.

[MU82]

Classic trap game.  Worried about playing down to the competetion.  We'll learn a lot about Shaka on Saturday

I just hope Shaka can pass his first test.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

I just hope Shaka can pass his first test.

He will need to prove himself eventually.

[Galway Eagle]

The 2018-19 team ended up having many problems that have been well (very, very well) documented. But DePaul was one problem that team didn't have.

Stomped 'em twice, including a 19-point win at Wintrust a couple weeks before the late-season collapse (and alleged letter that went with it). Markus had 23 and 36 points in the two games, Sam 19 and 17.

But the year before that loss likely kept us out of the tournament 

But also if we make that tournament wojos still coaching

[1318WWells]

The 2018-19 team ended up having many problems that have been well (very, very well) documented. But DePaul was one problem that team didn't have.

Stomped 'em twice, including a 19-point win at Wintrust a couple weeks before the late-season collapse (and alleged letter that went with it). Markus had 23 and 36 points in the two games, Sam 19 and 17.

Didn't Joey get hurt during during the game at Wintrust? Jabbed in the eye if I remember correctly?

[Pakuni]

Didn't Joey get hurt during during the game at Wintrust? Jabbed in the eye if I remember correctly?

He suffered a bad instance of hurt feelings.

[wisblue]

While I think you might be misremembering past years some, this is a reasonable take.

Using only the eye test, I will agree that this season does seem more wide open than most. I try to step away from my fandom when trying to think objectively about this kind of thing, but this season strikes me as one in which a team like Marquette -- a little flawed but extremely strong in one area -- can get to the Final Four.

Keep in mind that my memory of college basketball goes back over 60 years and includes those years in the 60's and 70's in which teams like Ohio State, Cincinnati, UCLA, NC State, and Indiana held number one rankings, rarely lost a game, and won NCAA titles. Losing a home game to a team outside of the top 100 (like Houston losing to Temple) simply didn't happen.

Even over the last 20 years or so there have been a lot of seasons in which teams from places like Duke, UNC, Kentucky, Arizona, Kansas, Gonzaga, etc have had  clear top 1 or 2 teams and it was big news when they lost and most of those losses would come on the road to ranked teams.  In some of those years, 3 of the 4 number 1 seeds have made the Final Four and one of them won the title.

This year, if the wager was over/under on 1.5 of the number one seeds making the Final Four, I would probably take the under. I just feel like the gap between the 1 seeds and the 4 and 5 seeds (and even the 8 and 9 seeds)  is not as great as it often is.

I realize that my comment about Purdue was (intentionally) hyperbolic. But it reflects my feeling that being "the number one team in the nation" doesn't carry the same aura of dominance that it often has in the past.