We are getting near that time of year...MARCH MADNESS. Championship week starts this Thursday and it all leads to the crowning a National Champion April 6th.

Who do you think the top seeds will be in each bracket?  Which bubble team will finds it's way into the tournament?  Let's see if we can get a good discussion going on one of the most exciting times of year in Sports...

We are getting near that time of year...MARCH MADNESS. Championship week starts this Thursday and it all leads to the crowning a National Champion April 6th.

Who do you think the top seeds will be in each bracket?  Which bubble team will finds it's way into the tournament?  Let's see if we can get a good discussion going on one of the most exciting times of year in Sports...


I don't even know what sport you're talkin' 'bout. :P

I don't even know what sport you're talkin' 'bout. :P


College basketball.

Ugh! that time of year again, I am still bitter from last year's tournament. I missed out on a 1,000 dollar prize because
a freakin' team couldn't hit free throws.  >:(

College basketball.


As far as I'm concerned it could just as well have been pelote. ;)

College basketball gets about as much coverage over here as Dutch Eredivisie soccer in US, so I'm outta this thread.

SO! Here are a list of the Automatic bids so far.

1. CS NORTHRIDGE
2. XAVIER
3. NORTH DAKOTA STATE
4. WASHINGTON
5. EAST TENNESSE STATE
6. UTAH
7. MEMPHIS
8. MORGAN STATE
9. MOOREHEAD STATE
10.NOTHERN IOWA
11.NORTH CAROLINA
12.UCLA
13.AMERICAN
14.LSU
15.ROBERT MORRIS
16.CORNELL
17.GONZAGA
18.CLEVELAND STATE
19.BINGHAMTON
20.SIENA
21.MICHIGAN STATE
22.PORTLAND STATE
23.BOWLING GREEN
24.BYU
25.VCU
26.WESTERN KENTUCKY
27.STEPHEN F. AUSTIN
28.RADFORD
29.UNLV
30.KANSAS

There you have it the first 30 of the 65 team field.  I thought that North Dakota State was getting the Madness started with their BUZZER BEATER to get into the Tournament.

Does anybody see the upset team waiting to try on their Cinderella Slipper?

I am not sure yet.  I mean Gonzaga always seems to find a way to factor into an upset or two in the Tournament. Then of course you have the history of a UNLV or even Kansas. Of course Kansas at 25-6 is not exactly an upset that would be CInderella worthy. For right now i have to say pencil me in as picking Cinderella from this first 30 as Cleveland State.
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/01/basket.gif

WOW! What a 6 time Overtime Thriller between Syracuse and U Conn.

WOW! What a 6 time Overtime Thriller between Syracuse and U Conn.


That was sick :o

http://d.yimg.com/j/r/ncaab/tourneybracket

Da Bracket.

I have Kansas, Memphis, Duke and UNC in the Final Four.  Duke over Kansas.  Yeah right 8)

I have Louisville and their Pressure Defense over Memphis.
I also have North Carolina over Pittsburgh

Then for the Championship I have Louisville out lasting UNC for Rick Pitino's Championship! Yet again denying Coach Williams.

I have Louisville and their Pressure Defense over Memphis.
I also have North Carolina over Pittsburgh

Then for the Championship I have Louisville out lasting UNC for Rick Pitino's Championship! Yet again denying Coach Williams.


Roy won one a few years back I think.  Pitino has one as well from the 90s.

Yeah Roy Williams won with Mc Cants and Sean May. Pitino won his while at Kentucky.

I say we let Coach K win #4 8)  I don't see it happening though realistically, Duke isn't as good as the pundits make them out to be.

I didn't look at the brackets yet but all I know is that I want Memphis out in the first round. Those non-
free throwing chumps cost me a grand in last year's bracket pool. I look at it tomorrow and make my
selections.

I didn't look at the brackets yet but all I know is that I want Memphis out in the first round. Those non-
free throwing chumps cost me a grand in last year's bracket pool. I look at it tomorrow and make my
selections.


Seriously :P  I couldn't believe it, almost double-digit lead goes POOF.

Purdue was the last automatic bid, winning the Big Ten title--Finally! ;)

BTW, the regular season champion in a major conference does not get an automatic bid. Bowling Green did not win theie conference tournament, so Akron is going instead and Bowling Green got an NIT invite.  Xavier, Washington, North Carolina, Michigan State,UCLA, and LSU received at-large bids, and UNLV didn't win the regular season or conference tournament, so they're out.


SO! Here are a list of the Automatic bids so far.

1. CS NORTHRIDGE
2. XAVIER
3. NORTH DAKOTA STATE
4. WASHINGTON
5. EAST TENNESSE STATE
6. UTAH
7. MEMPHIS
8. MORGAN STATE
9. MOOREHEAD STATE
10.NOTHERN IOWA
11.NORTH CAROLINA
12.UCLA
13.AMERICAN
14.LSU
15.ROBERT MORRIS
16.CORNELL
17.GONZAGA
18.CLEVELAND STATE
19.BINGHAMTON
20.SIENA
21.MICHIGAN STATE
22.PORTLAND STATE
23.BOWLING GREEN
24.BYU
25.VCU
26.WESTERN KENTUCKY
27.STEPHEN F. AUSTIN
28.RADFORD
29.UNLV
30.KANSAS

There you have it the first 30 of the 65 team field.  I thought that North Dakota State was getting the Madness started with their BUZZER BEATER to get into the Tournament.

Does anybody see the upset team waiting to try on their Cinderella Slipper?

I am not sure yet.  I mean Gonzaga always seems to find a way to factor into an upset or two in the Tournament. Then of course you have the history of a UNLV or even Kansas. Of course Kansas at 25-6 is not exactly an upset that would be CInderella worthy. For right now i have to say pencil me in as picking Cinderella from this first 30 as Cleveland State.
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/01/basket.gif

Obama's bracket...not too many upsets.

http://games.espn.go.com/tcmen/entry?entryID=2813746

whoo hoo!  perfect so far.  and yes I picked Michigan beating Clemson. 

GO BLUE

The PAC-10 is a weak Conference in my opinion and Maryland exposed Cal.  Then UCLA nearly dropped their game as well.  I do like the squad from Washington.

I think my bracket pool this year is toast, 7 losses in the first round. I'll wait and see if I can
get back on track today and tomorrow.

my 7 losses:

Wake Forest
West Virginia
Boston College
FSU
VCU
Butler
Illinois

I am a huge Maryland fan but today could be ugly.  We are so undersized I am not sure that we can survive against Memphis.  However, there is always a glimmer of hope...ask Cleveland State.

FEAR THE TURTLE!

Can anyone explain why UConn plays in the West division/section/league?

Also what does LSU stand for?

Can anyone explain why UConn plays in the West division/section/league?

Also what does LSU stand for?


LSU = Louisiana State University.

UConn is playing as the #1 seed in the West because Louisville, Pittsburgh and UNC are ranked higher and since there are only four #1 seeds...UConn has to travel the farthest.

whoo hoo!  perfect so far.  and yes I picked Michigan beating Clemson. 

GO BLUE


A man after my own heart....I bleed maize and blue!  Was upset by their loss to Oklahoma tonight  :\'(

UConn is playing as the #1 seed in the West because Louisville, Pittsburgh and UNC are ranked higher and since there are only four #1 seeds...UConn has to travel the farthest.


Still no understand  :-\\  :(  Who is in East league thing then?

A man after my own heart....I bleed maize and blue!  Was upset by their loss to Oklahoma tonight  :\'(


I too am upset, I had them upsetting OK :P

Still no understand  :-\\   :(  Who is in East league thing then?


I believe Pittsburgh is the #1 seed in the East region.

I don't think I'm ever going to understand US sports

Here are the rankings...

AP Top 25
1.Louisville (45)
2.North Carolina (11)
3.Memphis (11)
4.Pittsburgh (3)
5.Connecticut (1)
6.Duke
7.Oklahoma
8.Michigan St.
9.Missouri
10.Gonzaga

USA Today/ESPN
Louisville (14)
Memphis (11)
North Carolina (6)
Pittsburgh
Duke
Connecticut
Michigan St.
Oklahoma
Missouri
Gonzaga

RPI Rankings
Duke
Pittsburgh
North Carolina
Louisville
Oklahoma
Michigan St.
Memphis
Connecticut
Utah
Missouri

RPI is like a rating for how rough a school's schedule is based on their opponents' win-loss record and the overall strength of opponents.

Keeping my previous posts in mind, note that Louisville, UNC and Pittsburgh are all ranked higher than UConn.

Louisville, having the #1 overall ranking based on two systems and a high RPI, thus was awarded the highest overall seed, and was #1 in the Midwest Region.  Note that Louisville, KY is in the Midwest.

Pittsburgh is also highly ranked, and higher ranked than UConn, and thus was awarded #1 seeding in the East bracket.

UNC is the best team in the ACC despite Duke winning the ACC tournament and is also highly ranked and has a high RPI, thus earning #1 seeding in the South.

The UConn #1 seed is actually a mystery to me, I would have given it to Memphis, but there is only one region left, so UConn got the #1 seed in the West.

There are lots of squabbles over who got screwed and who got overrated in the field of 65, and also the fact that two teams in wussy conferences have to play into the "play-in game" against the #1 overall seed (in this case Louisville), but that's part of sports.

Can anyone explain why UConn plays in the West division/section/league?


I think I see what you mean. You can't understand why the University of Connecticut is playing in the "west" region, since they're located on the east coast. Let me try to explain....

The 65-team college basketball tournament is divided into four regional brackets(east, midwest, south, west), with each game being held at a neutral site. The teams are assigned a bracket just before the start of the tournament, and since the games are all held at neutral sites, the part of the country a school is located in has nothing to do with which bracket they're assigned. That's how an east coast team like UConn can end up playing in the "west" region, or how a west coast team like UCLA can end up playing in the "east" region.

I think I see what you mean. You can't understand why the University of Connecticut is playing in the "west" region, since they're located on the east coast. Let me try to explain....

The 65-team college basketball tournament is divided into four regional brackets(east, midwest, south, west), with each game being held at a neutral site. The teams are assigned a bracket just before the start of the tournament, and since the games are all held at neutral sites, the part of the country a school is located in has nothing to do with which bracket they're assigned. That's how an east coast team like UConn can end up playing in the "west" region, or how a west coast team like UCLA can end up playing in the "east" region.


Thanks Satish.  It was the playing at a neutral venue bit we didn't know about.

Thanks Satish.  It was the playing at a neutral venue bit we didn't know about.


It isn't always "neutral" per se.  For example, Louisville, the #1 seed, gets to play in Indianapolis which is like a two hour drive from Louisville KY.  That's practically home court advantage. 

Villanova played the first 2 rounds at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia. A court in which the play quite
a few games on during the season. Villanova's Campus is just outside of Philly a mere 10 minute drive west
on Rte. 76, not so neutral.

They do try to limit the travel for teams in in the first 2 rounds. It is unavoidable at times because, as Rice stated,
even though teams have the same seed, a higher ranking team or a team with a higher RPI rating will get precedence.

Well, at least there is still a Michigan team alive and well in the Elite 8!   8)

I was worried because the Spartans trailed most of the game, but they certainly pulled it out at the end.  It was an exciting game!


On to the Final Four, baby!  I can't believe how they handily beat the overall number one seed.  Even a non-Spartan fan can appreciate that!  Go State!!

Final Four = Michigan State, Villanova, North Carolina and Connecticut.  I may have to root for Villanova :D

Anyone feel that college basketball is watered down, now? Over the past decade, the top players have started making the jump to the NBA much earlier. None of them play the full four years, anymore. Most of them are gone after one or two years. And the talent level in college basketball is much lower as a result. The final four teams from fifteen years ago could probably wipe the floor with this year's final four.

So do you think March Madness is less interesting and not worth paying as much attention to, because of this?

Surprise, surprise ::)
North Carolina wins it again.

UNC  89

MSU 72

Surprise, surprise ::)
North Carolina wins it again.

UNC   89

MSU 72




:\'( :\'( :\'( :\'(

MSU laid down and died eh.

I had UNC winning the tournament in my pool but unfortunately I didn't have enough of the early round
upsets to be in the hunt to win.

To make matters worse, UConn's women finish unbeaten and undisputed.

UConn  76

Louisville 54

Another title for Coach Geno Aurroganta. :(

Well at least UConn didn't win both titles.