First 2009 March Madness thread

jwkniska · #1 03-13-2009, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by philcski

I think all of the Big East goes far in the Tournament. They are just playing at a higher level right now than all the other leagues outside of the ACC.

The Big East could end up with:
3 #1's (Pitt, UConn, Louisville)
2 #3's (Syracuse, Villanova)
1 #4 (West Virginia)
1 #6 (Marquette)

That is STACKED.

Marquette should be the first one out. They could easily lose their first game since James is out. Wouldn't want to draw any of the others. They could easily have 5 of the sweet 16.

philcski · #2 03-13-2009, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwkniska

Marquette should be the first one out. They could easily lose their first game since James is out. Wouldn't want to draw any of the others. They could easily have 5 of the sweet 16.

True. They are still very tough even without their best player though, just don't think they have enough for a deep run.

I think WVU will open a lot of people's eyes in the Tournament. I saw a GREAT team last night who are coached at an extremely high level. Good for Huggins who has taken a lot of sh1t in the past for stuff that is kind of across the board in college BB these days like mediocre graduation rates.

SniperSB23 · #3 03-13-2009, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by philcski

True. They are still very tough even without their best player though, just don't think they have enough for a deep run.

I think WVU will open a lot of people's eyes in the Tournament. I saw a GREAT team last night who are coached at an extremely high level. Good for Huggins who has taken a lot of sh1t in the past for stuff that is kind of across the board in college BB these days like mediocre graduation rates.

F*ck Huggins. What he did in Cincinnati was unprecedented, 27 of his 85 players during his tenure graduated (most in the early years) including a six year span where not a single player graduated.

ateamstupid · #4 03-13-2009, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by philcski

True. They are still very tough even without their best player though, just don't think they have enough for a deep run.

I think WVU will open a lot of people's eyes in the Tournament. I saw a GREAT team last night who are coached at an extremely high level. Good for Huggins who has taken a lot of sh1t in the past for stuff that is kind of across the board in college BB these days like mediocre graduation rates.

Jerel McNeal is Marquette's best player, yesterday's brain fart on defense notwithstanding.

Agree with you re: West Virginia, I think they're vastly underrated. Ebanks has really come on towards the end of the season and they'll always be in games thanks to their defense.

philcski · #5 03-13-2009, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SniperSB23

F*ck Huggins. What he did in Cincinnati was unprecedented, 27 of his 85 players during his tenure graduated (most in the early years) including a six year span where not a single player graduated.

that really isn't any different from any other basketball factory, where they just fabricate grades anyways.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

Jerel McNeal is Marquette's best player, yesterday's brain fart on defense notwithstanding.

Agree with you re: West Virginia, I think they're vastly underrated. Ebanks has really come on towards the end of the season and they'll always be in games thanks to their defense.

Fair enough- 2nd best player.
Ebanks is a stud.

SniperSB23 · #6 03-13-2009, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by philcski

that really isn't any different from any other basketball factory, where they just fabricate grades anyways.

It was far worse. At least if you get a guy some useless degree he has a shot in life of landing a job somewhere other than McDonalds. They were just using the kids for basketball convincing them that classes weren't important since they'd all go to the NBA. Then very few of them actually went on to an NBA career.

horseofcourse · #7 03-13-2009, 11:36 AM

Is the Big East really that good this year? Or is it a case that it is finally a good conference to actually match the complete nonsensical hype they get every year when they are vastly overrated. Are 6 of the 8 eilite 8 and 3 or 4 of the final 4 really coming from the Big East?? Maybe all the new teams have indeed made it the supreme super conference. But since the NCAA tourney went to 64 teams in 1985, the Big East is at best the 5th best conference in tourney performance...clearly far behind the ACC, Big 10, SEC, Big 12. Are we now just seeing the effect of the additions of Marquette, Cincinnati, Louisville??

King Glorious · #8 03-13-2009, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by horseofcourse

Is the Big East really that good this year? Or is it a case that it is finally a good conference to actually match the complete nonsensical hype they get every year when they are vastly overrated. Are 6 of the 8 eilite 8 and 3 or 4 of the final 4 really coming from the Big East?? Maybe all the new teams have indeed made it the supreme super conference. But since the NCAA tourney went to 64 teams in 1985, the Big East is at best the 5th best conference in tourney performance...clearly far behind the ACC, Big 10, SEC, Big 12. Are we now just seeing the effect of the additions of Marquette, Cincinnati, Louisville??

Count me as one of those that hasn't bought into the hype. I think it's a good conference. I don't think it's anywhere near a great one. I think that 4-16, there isn't a conference that can compete with them. But their top teams haven't shown me that they are better than the top four from the ACC. I think people mistake parity for toughness. I don't think WV beating Pitt or Syracuse beating UConn shows how good those teams are. I think it shows instead how vulnerable Pitt and UConn are. We'll see how it plays out but I don't think there is more than one Big East team in the Final Four. If that.

ateamstupid · #9 03-13-2009, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by horseofcourse

Is the Big East really that good this year? Or is it a case that it is finally a good conference to actually match the complete nonsensical hype they get every year when they are vastly overrated. Are 6 of the 8 eilite 8 and 3 or 4 of the final 4 really coming from the Big East?? Maybe all the new teams have indeed made it the supreme super conference. But since the NCAA tourney went to 64 teams in 1985, the Big East is at best the 5th best conference in tourney performance...clearly far behind the ACC, Big 10, SEC, Big 12. Are we now just seeing the effect of the additions of Marquette, Cincinnati, Louisville??

Like I said earlier in this thread, the Big East has three great teams, four very good ones, and a bunch of dreck. 1-7, there's no other conference that can compete, but after that, it ain't much.