2025 NCAA Tourney Thread

[Judge Smails]

1 v 2, 1 v 2, 1 v 2, and 1 v 3 in the regional finals. March Blandness rather than March Madness. Where are all the upsets?  Crappy tournament especially with MU losing in the first round.

[tower912]

You are saying that the committee got it right.

[Warrior_2002]

It may be challenging this year but it is bound to happen sometimes. And yes the committee got it right then.

[wadesworld]

Hopefully that gives us good E8 and F4 games. Because so far not only do we not really have any Cinderellas but we also don't have good games.

[Uncle Rico]

1 v 2, 1 v 2, 1 v 2, and 1 v 3 in the regional finals. March Blandness rather than March Madness. Where are all the upsets?  Crappy tournament especially with MU losing in the first round.

When we get to regional finals, give me the best teams

[Warrior_2002]

Right. A buzzer beater or two (Maryland over Colo St, last night Hou over Purdue basically) and a big 16 point come back by TT. Just didn't have those huge upsets or little school buzzer beaters but they will be there in the future. They always come back around. Don't want to use this tourney as a reason to expand that's for sure.

[We R Final Four]

Right. A buzzer beater or two (Maryland over Colo St, last night Hou over Purdue basically) and a big 16 point come back by TT. Just didn't have those huge upsets or little school buzzer beaters but they will be there in the future. They always come back around. Don't want to use this tourney as a reason to expand that's for sure.

Actually, it's more likely that they don't "always come back around."

[Warrior_2002]

Actually, it's more likely that they don't "always come back around."

Maybe I'm overly optimistic, but I think they will. There are still some great players coming from the small schools. Perhaps it won't be as often but I think you'll see some of those upsets come back. Certainly expanding the field will not make things better.

[The Sultan]

1 v 2, 1 v 2, 1 v 2, and 1 v 3 in the regional finals. March Blandness rather than March Madness. Where are all the upsets?  Crappy tournament especially with MU losing in the first round.

Television ratings will be huge.

[The Sultan]

Hopefully that gives us good E8 and F4 games. Because so far not only do we not really have any Cinderellas but we also don't have good games.

There have been plenty of good games.

[willie warrior]

You are saying that the committee got it right.

Pretty much they did. Except for MU getting their ass kicked by a lower 10 seed. And a few others

[wadesworld]

There have been plenty of good games.

There have been some, but doesn't feel like as many as most years.

[The Sultan]

Actually, it's more likely that they don't "always come back around."

Nah. In a single elimination format there is always a chance for upsets. It will happen.

[Uncle Rico]

Pretty much they did. Except for MU getting their ass kicked by a lower 10 seed. And a few others

Good point, Willie

[SERocks]

1 v 2, 1 v 2, 1 v 2, and 1 v 3 in the regional finals. March Blandness rather than March Madness. Where are all the upsets?  Crappy tournament especially with MU losing in the first round.

Thank you transfer portal.  You ruined March Madness.

[Warrior_2002]

Thank you transfer portal.  You ruined March Madness.

It's not like this never happens

[Uncle Rico]

Thank you transfer portal.  You ruined March Madness.

This has happened before

[wadesworld]

Thank you transfer portal.  You ruined March Madness.

No it didn't.

[Billy Hoyle]

Thank you transfer portal.  You ruined March Madness.

The Portal has contributed but I think it's more COVID year. Look at how many 5th-year/Grad guys are starting for Sweet 16 teams. That goes away after this season.

[MU82]

So many college coaches run vanilla BLOB plays with no creativity to them. That was a masterpiece design by Kelvin Sampson and perfect execution by the Cougars.

It was a great play call by Sampson, yes. And it was even better execution by the players, which is what really makes any play work.

But frankly, it was pizz poor defense by Purdue. Coaches constantly - and I mean CONSTANTLY - drill "watch out for the pass back to the inbounder." That Uzan was not only left open but left wide open on that play was a horrible mistake by Purdue.

It was the kind of mistake that costs a team a game ... and this time it did.

[tower912]

Good scouting.  Was counting on the Purdue player to lose the inbounder.

[Billy Hoyle]

So many college coaches run vanilla BLOB plays with no creativity to them. That was a masterpiece design by Kelvin Sampson and perfect execution by the Cougars.

No doubt. Smith drops off the inbounder because Cryer came wide open. He should have stayed home but I can't blame him for switching to take away what could have been a wide-open look by UH's leading scorer. UH set a perfect screen to force Smith to make a decision.

[Biggie Clausen]

1 v 2, 1 v 2, 1 v 2, and 1 v 3 in the regional finals. March Blandness rather than March Madness. Where are all the upsets?  Crappy tournament especially with MU losing in the first round.

Is that really all some people watch the tournament for, upsets and Cinderellas?  Those are fun every once in a while, but I think there's also something to be said for big time programs, star players, and great coaches going head-to-head when it matters most.

[tower912]

Watching the big boys lose to the mid-majors is what does it for me.  And other than the final champion, what gets remembered fornever.  Valparaiso.  Valvano.  UMBC. 

[JWags85]

Watching the big boys lose to the mid-majors is what does it for me.  And other than the final champion, what gets remembered fornever.  Valparaiso.  Valvano.  UMBC. 

Pssh, that 1983 NC State run wasn't even the best run of the mid 80s.  They beat a 10 seed in the S16 and got a fluke 4 seed UGA in the FF.  85 Nova beat 2 #2s and 2 #1s and were way bigger underdogs to Georgetown in the final.