2010 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

[macro]

Discussion of the tournament was getting started in the UK thread, but I think it warrants a thread of its own. Let's keep the UK thread for general discussion of the program and include tournament-related UK discussion in this one. It will prevent people having to read both threads to see all the tournament-related discussion.

As was mentioned in that thread, Kansas and Kentucky seemed to get the #5 and #6 teams in the tournament in WVU and Ohio State. The committee even admitted that those two were the next in consideration for #1 seeds. It doesn't seem quite fair to those four teams, but anyway...

Mississippi State got a bad deal by being left out, and Florida should put the committee members on their Christmas card list. Just goes to show that unless you actually win one of these conference tournaments, they are largely meaningless exhibitions. MSU beat Florida by seven points in the SEC tournament Friday.

[KronoRed]

Originally Posted by macro

MSU beat Florida by seven points in the SEC tournament Friday.

...and lost to them in the regular season.

Utah St stole their spot not Florida :

[Reds Fanatic]

The times have been released for the first round games:

Thursday


(All times Eastern)

Florida vs. BYU, 12:20 p.m.

Old Dominion vs. Notre Dame, 12:25 p.m.

Robert Morris vs. Villanova, 12:30 p.m.

Murray State vs. Vanderbilt, 2:30 p.m.

North Texas vs. Kansas State, 2:40 p.m.

Sam Houston St. vs. Baylor, 2:45 p.m.

St. Mary's vs. Richmond, 2:50 p.m.

UTEP vs. Butler, 4:45 p.m.

N. Iowa vs. UNLV, 7:10 p.m.

East Tennessee St. vs. Kentucky, 7:15 p.m.

Washington vs. Marquette, 7:20 p.m.

Ohio vs. Georgetown, 7:25 p.m.

Lehigh vs. Kansas, 9:30 p.m.

Wake Forest vs. Texas, 9:35 p.m.

Montana vs. New Mexico, 9:40 p.m.

San Diego St. vs. Tennessee, 9:45 p.m.

Friday
Morgan State vs. West Virginia, 12:15 p.m.

Minnesota vs. Xavier, 12:25 p.m.

Cornell vs. Temple, 12:30 p.m.

Siena vs. Purdue, 2:30 p.m.

Missouri vs. Clemson, 2:35 p.m.

Oakland vs. Pittsburgh, 2:45 p.m.

Wofford vs. Wisconsin, 2:50 p.m.

Utah St. vs. Texas A&M, 4:45 p.m.

Florida State vs. Gonzaga, 7:10 p.m.

Georgia Tech vs. Oklahoma St., 7:15 p.m.

New Mexico St. vs. Michigan St., 7:20 p.m.

Ark.-PB/Winthrop vs. Duke, 7:25 p.m.

Vermont vs. Syracuse, 9:30 p.m.

Santa Barbara vs. Ohio State, 9:35 p.m.

Houston vs. Maryland, 9:40 p.m.

Louisville vs. California, 9:45 p.m.

[bucksfan2]

Some thoughts

-Kansas was my pick to win the tournament, they got a bad draw, but I still think they win it all.

-Before the tourney started I thought UK would be the first #1 team to lose. Too much youth, reminds me a lot of the OSU team with Oden who almost bowed out early to X. I do like their draw and Texas would scare me, but there is a reason they are a 8 Seed.

-I wonder if Syracuse has the necessary toughness to win. From what I have seen they are more of a soft, finesse team.

-I wouldn't want to face MSU because of Izzo, Minnesota because of Tubby, and Pitt because of Dixon.

-A lot of people are down on Vilanova. I don't know, I really like Jay Wright as a coach and they have veteran guard leadership.

[cumberlandreds]

WVU and Ohio State got shafted. They should have been 2 seeds in the South and West. Just terrible seeding job done by the NCAA. GTown and Villanova should have been flipped in seedings. Duke have no one to blame but themselves to make the Final Four. Saying that,a true cinderella team may come from that region. It's easily the weakest region.
I was shocked to see Florida make it. Miss State deserved it more than them. But Miss State has no one to blame but themselves for not making it. When lose to Rider,WKU,Auburn and Alabama and don't balance it off with some really good wins you leave yourself wide open not to make it.
I'm tired of hearing Seth Greenburg whine about not making it too. When you play a non conference schedule that is ranked 337 in the RPI you don't deserve to be in it. That's just horrible scheduling and tells me he just wants to fatten his resume with wins.

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by bucksfan2

Some thoughts

-Kansas was my pick to win the tournament, they got a bad draw, but I still think they win it all.

-I wouldn't want to face MSU because of Izzo, Minnesota because of Tubby, and Pitt because of Dixon.

That is my upset special of the tournament. I have Michigan State knocking off Kansas in the Sweet 16. Izzo has the players and the coaching experience to match up full throttle against Bill Self. Also thinks Georgetown beats Ohio State to reach the Final Four in the Midwest region.

I was shocked to see Florida make it. Miss State deserved it more than them. But Miss State has no one to blame but themselves for not making it. When lose to Rider,WKU,Auburn and Alabama and don't balance it off with some really good wins you leave yourself wide open not to make it.

Agreed on all points, but Florida making it over Mississippi State was for one reason and one reason alone. $$$$$$

[Boston Red]

Originally Posted by WVRed

Florida making it over Mississippi State was for one reason and one reason alone. $$$$$$

How do you figure? It's not as though Florida has some sort of huge basketball fan following that is going to sell more tickets or cause many more people to tune in. I'd be surprised if there are a thousand Florida fans in OK City Thursday afternoon. I would expect them to be outnumbered by BYU fans.

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by Boston Red

How do you figure? It's not as though Florida has some sort of huge basketball fan following that is going to sell more tickets or cause many more people to tune in. I'd be surprised if there are a thousand Florida fans in OK City Thursday afternoon. I would expect them to be outnumbered by BYU fans.

Compared to Mississippi State, I would say there would be plenty more pull for Florida compared to Starkville. I do agree on the BYU point though.

Funny Seth Greenberg was mentioned earlier. I wonder if Florida had missed the field if he and Billy Donovan would be campaigning to expand the tournament to 96 teams?

On a somewhat related note, there are people who are debating Kentucky having to play Texas in New Orleans and the supposed home field advantage Texas is going to have. The point was made though that Texas fans are not going to travel to Louisiana to see "this year's team".

[Boston Red]

Kentucky fans would outnumber Texas fans if they played in Houston.

[Sea Ray]

Originally Posted by cumberlandreds

WVU and Ohio State got shafted. They should have been 2 seeds in the South and West. Just terrible seeding job done by the NCAA. GTown and Villanova should have been flipped in seedings.

There was someone from the committee on ESPN this morning and he said they were all clustered in the Midwest due to geography. I don't think they should be seated according to geography. They should seed 1-16 and send them wherever. I don't think they've always done it this way.

[Razor Shines]

Well, I said earlier this season when Texas was ranked #1 that I wanted to see UT and UK play. I've been to a few of the games this year, and I still think they have the talent to beat UK, but Barnes doesn't have any control over that team. It's been kinda sad to see it fall apart.

They have the talent to beat Wake whether they play as a team or not, but it will be close and it wouldn't surprise me if they got beat. If they play as a team they can give Kentucky a good game, but I expect Texas to get blown out if they make it that far.

[joshnky]

Originally Posted by bucksfan2

-I wonder if Syracuse has the necessary toughness to win. From what I have seen they are more of a soft, finesse team.

Syracuse is hardly soft with a front court of Onuaku, Jackson, and Joseph. Their problem will be match-ups against the zone. Some teams (Louisville this year) give them lots of trouble.

Originally Posted by bucksfan2

-I wouldn't want to face MSU because of Izzo, Minnesota because of Tubby, and Pitt because of Dixon.

I agree on MSU and will spread that to cover the Big Ten. For that reason, I think the team UK fans should be most worried about is Wisconsin. Big Ten teams usually do well in the tourney and Wisconsin's style could be a nightmare for a young team.

On the other hand, Jamie Dixon is a terrific coach but his teams always underachieve in the tournament.

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by Razor Shines

Well, I said earlier this season when Texas was ranked #1 that I wanted to see UT and UK play. I've been to a few of the games this year, and I still think they have the talent to beat UK, but Barnes doesn't have any control over that team. It's been kinda sad to see it fall apart.

They have the talent to beat Wake whether they play as a team or not, but it will be close and it wouldn't surprise me if they got beat. If they play as a team they can give Kentucky a good game, but I expect Texas to get blown out if they make it that far.

I was worried about a possible UK-Texas matchup but I am starting to think the second round isn't going to be a problem. It won't be a cakewalk, but I wouldn't lose any sleep over playing Texas or Wake.

Texas's team this year reminds me of UK's "Team Turmoil" which ended up as 8 or 9 seeds and spiraled out of control. They have the athleticism and depth to match Kentucky, but no clear leader or PG on that team.

Wake OTOH is led by Dino Gaudio, who might be the definition of a D-1 coach that is in over his head.

[cumberlandreds]

Originally Posted by Sea Ray

There was someone from the committee on ESPN this morning and he said they were all clustered in the Midwest due to geography. I don't think they should be seated according to geography. They should seed 1-16 and send them wherever. I don't think they've always done it this way.

If that's was the reason then that was shear stupdity. I just don't think they knew what they were doing. having Ohio State,Georgetown and Kansas in the same region is just stupid.

[cumberlandreds]

Originally Posted by WVRed

I was worried about a possible UK-Texas matchup but I am starting to think the second round isn't going to be a problem. It won't be a cakewalk, but I wouldn't lose any sleep over playing Texas or Wake.

Texas's team this year reminds me of UK's "Team Turmoil" which ended up as 8 or 9 seeds and spiraled out of control. They have the athleticism and depth to match Kentucky, but no clear leader or PG on that team.

Wake OTOH is led by Dino Gaudio, who might be the definition of a D-1 coach that is in over his head.

Either one will be tough but I think UK will beat either in the end. These two aren't 8/9 seeds for no reason. They have issues whether it be on the court or off.