2025 NCAA Tourney Thread

[willie warrior]

Feel Hurley is spot on about the refs.  Sweet 16 has 3 conferences and Duke in it. If you are not from these 3 conferences you get what a joke college basketball has become this year. Too bad for the USA and America.

Complain or adapt.

[Billy Hoyle]

Feel Hurley is spot on about the refs.  Sweet 16 has 3 conferences and Duke in it. If you are not from these 3 conferences you get what a joke college basketball has become this year. Too bad for the USA and America.

I was at the Michigan/UCSD game and it was evident to everyone they refs swallowed their whistles after UCSD took the lead and favored UM. Three brutal non calls benefitting Michigan. They tried their best to help Bucky too against BYU.

[MuggsyB]

I was at the Michigan/UCSD game and it was evident to everyone they refs swallowed their whistles after UCSD took the lead and favored UM. Three brutal non calls benefitting Michigan. They tried their best to help Bucky too against BYU.

I will agree Billy that the BYU/UW game was officiated very poorly, and in the Weasels' favor.  There were an insane amount of phantom fouls on BYU.  In many ways it was criminal.  Fortunately the better team still found a way to prevail. 

As for the Tritons and UCSD?  I trust your judgment. 

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I was at the Michigan/UCSD game and it was evident to everyone they refs swallowed their whistles after UCSD took the lead and favored UM. Three brutal non calls benefitting Michigan. They tried their best to help Bucky too against BYU.

I couldn't believe the whistle in that game. Only thing that saved the Wolverines

[Billy Hoyle]

I couldn't believe the whistle in that game. Only thing that saved the Wolverines

Or, once UCSD took the lead, the lack of a whistle. Goldin was blatantly over the back on a rebound and then UCSD had a runout where they were fouled twice. And the UM fans around me were celebrating like they won the title. I guess when your actual alma mater is Washtenaw County Community College you do that.

[wadesworld]

Or, once UCSD took the lead, the lack of a whistle. Goldin was blatantly over the back on a rebound and then UCSD had a runout where they were fouled twice. And the UM fans around me were celebrating like they won the title. I guess when your actual alma mater is Washtenaw County Community College you do that.

I'm sure all Marquette fans in attendance were sitting quietly, stone faced when MU pulled a win out of their ass against Davidson.  They won a close NCAA Tournament game.  Of course their fans are celebrating.  And they continued celebrating all the way to Atlanta.

[Pakuni]

Stay classy, UConn


https://awfulannouncing.com/college-basketball/uconn-huskies-dan-hurley-viral-clip-threaten.html

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Fresh off their 2025 NCAA tournament after upsetting Central Connecticut in the NEC Tournament final. 

Saint Francis University Announces Move from NCAA Division I Athletics to Division III Athletics
https://www.francis.edu/blog/saint-francis-university-announces-move-ncaa-division-i-athletics-division-iii-athletics

[MuggsyB]

Stay classy, UConn


https://awfulannouncing.com/college-basketball/uconn-huskies-dan-hurley-viral-clip-threaten.html

This whole thing is whacked. 

[MuggsyB]

Who are your S16 picks?  Could BYU punk Bama? 

[MuggsyB]

Nm.

[Uncle Rico]

Who are your S16 picks?  Could BYU punk Bama? 

Pulling for the Big Ten and yes

[MuggsyB]

Pulling for the Big Ten and yes

Why are you pulling for the B18?  Are you alright?  I know it's been a tough 5 days. 

[Uncle Rico]

Why are you pulling for the B18?  Are you alright?  I know it's been a tough 5 days. 

Would like to see them end their drought and hoist a banner

[MU82]

I hereby claim the NCAA title for Marquette!

[MuggsyB]

Would like to see them end their drought and hoist a banner

Is this your usual sarcasm?  Truthfully it's tough to root for any of these teams. 

[MuggsyB]

I guess BYU and TTU would be my top 2 but it's probably a 2% chance they could win it.  That means we should probably root for Duke. 

[Scoop Snoop]

Is this your usual sarcasm?  Truthfully it's tough to root for any of these teams.

Took you long enough to figure it out. 

[muwarrior69]

Is this year a fluke or is this article spot on?

https://www.inquirer.com/college-sports/march-madness-cinderella-power-conferences-20250326.html

[Uncle Rico]

Is this year a fluke or is this article spot on?

https://www.inquirer.com/college-sports/march-madness-cinderella-power-conferences-20250326.html

Every year, something happens in the tournament that pundits declare the new normal. 

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Is this year a fluke or is this article spot on?

https://www.inquirer.com/college-sports/march-madness-cinderella-power-conferences-20250326.html

One year does not make a trend. 

I felt like this year is a fluke.  With the final year of 5th year COVID players and the settlement who knows what 2025-26 will bring.  Things will be different but who knows how?

[MuggsyB]

As far as Duke is concerned could they just roll through this tournament?  They haven't been in close games.  Houston is an interesting team and may be their biggest challenge.  The fact that they lost one game the entire season in the B12 (in overtime) is pretty remarkable. I've decided I will not root for any SEC or B18 team although Barnes seems like a good dude and I respect Painter.  Where will Beard eventually wind up?  I can't see him staying in Mississippi. 

[Uncle Rico]

As far as Duke is concerned could they just roll through this tournament?  They haven't been in close games.  Houston is an interesting team and may be their biggest challenge.  The fact that they lost one game the entire season in the B12 (in overtime) is pretty remarkable. I've decided I will not root for any SEC or B18 team although Barnes seems like a good dude and I respect Painter.  Where will Beard eventually wind up?  I can't see him staying in Mississippi. 

Beard's dream job is Wisconsin.  His parents met there

[MuggsyB]

Beard's dream job is Wisconsin.  His parents met there

If you're Nova wouldn't you want him in lieu of Willard? 

[mug644]

One year does not make a trend. 

I felt like this year is a fluke.  With the final year of 5th year COVID players and the settlement who knows what 2025-26 will bring.  Things will be different but who knows how?

As Jay Bilas noted in a recent article on ESPN.com https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/insider/story/_/id/44411062/march-madness-2025-ncaa-men-tournament-sweet-16-final-four...

"And yes, the Sweet 16 is set, made up of teams from four conferences, all major conferences. There are seven SEC teams, four each from the Big Ten and Big 12, and one from the ACC. All four No. 1 seeds, three No. 2 seeds, two No. 3 seeds and three No. 4 seeds crowd the field.

But to all that discourse, I say: Nonsense. One data point does not make a trend.

We have had chalky NCAA tournaments before, well before NIL and the portal. Two years ago, Houston was in the American Athletic Conference, BYU was in the West Coast Conference and Arizona was in the Pac-12. Without recent expansion, we would be talking about 16 teams from seven conferences. If Maryland's Derik Queen had missed his buzzer shot, we'd be talking about eight, including a mid-major.

The last time Ole Miss was in the Sweet 16 was 2001, and the last time BYU was in the Sweet 16 was 2011. Drake, McNeese, New Mexico, Colorado State, Saint Mary's and Gonzaga all won first-round games. UC San Diego, a trendy upset pick, lost to Michigan by one possession, and Colorado State was that buzzer shot away from a Sweet 16 appearance."

So, in addition the MU Fan in CT's comment about COVID 5th years, larger P4 conferences play a role in this year's results.