NFT: March Madness- Selection Sunday just over a month away

...if the committee stops putting us in a bracket with goddamned MSU! hah

Pretty wide open this year, no truly dominant teams. Villanova is probably a lock for a 1 seed simply because they really only have one tough game remaining on their schedule, at Xavier. Same thing with Iowa - no remaining opponents ranked at this time. Maryland plays at Purdue and Indiana in Bloomington is no gimme. Oklahoma has some tough sledding to come - home against Kansas and Baylor, on the road at WVU and Texas. Kansas has games at Oklahoma, Texas, and Baylor, and home against Iowa State and WVU.

What I do know is that this has the potential to be one of the best tournaments in recent memory. I don't see a dominant team and wouldn't be surprised if a 5, 6, 7 seed wins it all. With SMU and Louisville ineligible for the tourney, the bubble increases by 2 teams.

That being said, I'm hanging my hat on Michigan State and Maryland this year, with Kansas a distant third. I think Villanova might be the best team in the country, but I cannot trust them come March.

It will be an upset filled tourney.

Big 10 and Big 12 conference tournaments are going to be fantastic. Nice little preview of whats to come a few days later.

I'm having surgery on my deviated septum the day before the tourney starts. Cannot wait to not move from the couch for 4 days.

if they can't beat SMU or win their conference tournament. This despite having 2 of the final 25 players on the Wooden Award watch list.

In comment 12807686 shockeyisthebest8056 said:

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if they can't beat SMU or win their conference tournament. This despite having 2 of the final 25 players on the Wooden Award watch list.

I think we're the only two Gonzaga fans on this board. Karnowski getting injured really hurt their depth. Who knows where they would be if Sabonis hasn't stepped up. It's an absolute pleasure watching Wiltjer play, and if he gets hot, I think the Zags could make a run. I hope they finish strong, win the WCC Tourney and I'm hoping for a 7, 8, 9, or 10 seed. Wouldn't mind being in the 8-9 game in Iowa or Xavier's section at all

I thought UNC was the best team. Whoops.

Nova with no depth and 1 big will hurt them during the tournament. I know people think Maryland is overrated but they have the pieces in Trimble/Suilamn/Stone and some shooters.

In comment 12807700 dep026 said:

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I thought UNC was the best team. Whoops. Nova with no depth and 1 big will hurt them during the tournament. I know people think Maryland is overrated but they have the pieces in Trimble/Suilamn/Stone and some shooters.

Maryland doesn't control tempo enough to be a Final Four team, and they make enough mistakes each game to keep teams in it. They are also slightly soft - if they get WVU again, they'll get the same result as last year.

Providence and Xavier will be tough outs from the Big East, depending on where they are place.

In comment 12807698 Giants in 07 said:

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Quote: I think we're the only two Gonzaga fans on this board. Karnowski getting injured really hurt their depth. Who knows where they would be if Sabonis hasn't stepped up. It's an absolute pleasure watching Wiltjer play, and if he gets hot, I think the Zags could make a run. I hope they finish strong, win the WCC Tourney and I'm hoping for a 7, 8, 9, or 10 seed. Wouldn't mind being in the 8-9 game in Iowa or Xavier's section at all

Losing Karno obviously hurt, but a LOT of guys haven't stepped up despite ample opportunities. Melson can't shoot all of a sudden, Perkins is MADDENINGLY inconsistent, Alberts hasn't shot well, E-mAC and Dranginis have struggled with their shot, and Edwards has just started to step up in the past few games. Had this group of players been average, they probably would've won at least 4 of the games they've lost. Instead, they were GOD awful in at least 3 of those games while Domas and Wilt carried the team.

Slow the game down and make them play halfcourt offense and they struggle. Their size will get them past the first couple of rounds but I don't think they can consistently beat other top teams.

If UVA's recent play is more than just a hot streak, we can go far. The defense has improved dramatically from last month and LP and Brogs are really shooting the ball well. Brogdon had the ability to take over games in the past (look at the second half of the loss to UNC in the ACCT, he singlehandedly kept us close), but didn't have the mindset to do so very often. I think he's taken that next step to become a guy who can carry the team. We still have our weakness if our opponent gets hot from downtown, and we're weaker in the paint than the past few years, but we're deep, efficient, and so far this year we can really shoot the ball.

but Maryland is built to win it all. It's a wide open year and several times have a shot and any team can get picked off early, but Maryland is built to win it all.

They have a dominant and imposing front court in Diamond Stone and Robert Carter, Jr. They have an NBA caliber guard who can get to the rim or the line at will and take over games-- and that seems to be the common thread of championship teams, that they have a star guard who can take over in the last few minutes. They also have multiple strong three point shooters. And the icing on the cake is that they are one of the best free-throw shooting teams in the country. I hate it, but they have the roster to do it.

They are 3-0 since losing their center, Ochefu, and his replacement, Darryl Reynolds went for 19 and 10 against Providence. Depth is not problem, no more than most teams. Not to say I think they're going to a final 4 or anything, but they have a shot to do well in the postseason. I know they have to prove that, given their failure the last two tournaments. Anyway, it's nice to be number one for this week at least. Hope we can make it stick for awhile.

again after his concussion protocol was completed.

8 seed or so. We can move up a couple spots if we beat Cincy and finish with 21+ wins.

any time Hield is on the court. His supporting cast is pretty damn good too.

I feel the team chemistry is finally there. Jalen Adams has taken over the point guard duties which lets Gibbs do his thing from the outside. I like what I have been seeing the last three or so games.

will be exciting because there are no teams that stand above the others like in years past and last time I checked, the top six teams from last season were all "better" (per KenPom) than any team this season.

If UVA's recent defensive play is an indication that they are gelling in Tony Bennett's system this season finally (despite lacking that Akil Mitchell / Darion Atkins player who can protect the rim but also hedge screens hard), then they will be a tough out.

They have two bad losses, both true road games in conference, but they have a fantastic collection of wins right now. Per KenPom/Sagarin ratings, they've won

vs. Villanova #2/#1
neutral vs WVU #7/#6
@ Louisville #9/#8
vs. Miami #12/#14
@ Notre Dame #28/#29
vs Syracuse #38/#42
vs Cal #42/#43

... balance is what’s important. Since 2002, which is as far as KenPom.com’s efficiency data goes back, only one team -- UConn in 2014 -- has won a national title without being in the top-25 in both offensive and defensive efficiency. Maryland, Villanova, Iowa, Michigan State and Virginia are the only teams that currently fall into that category this season.

We'd be #1 and the title favorite if he had. UVA has two main weaknesses this year - one is a lack of elite athleticism, the other is rim protection. Anderson fills both needs.

In comment 12807882 tony stg said:

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... balance is what’s important. Since 2002, which is as far as KenPom.com’s efficiency data goes back, only one team -- UConn in 2014 -- has won a national title without being in the top-25 in both offensive and defensive efficiency. Maryland, Villanova, Iowa, Michigan State and Virginia are the only teams that currently fall into that category this season.

That has been a common acknowledgment among cbb fans who follow the efficiency rating systems. One thing worth noting is that it includes performance in the tournament. After winning the whole thing, teams' KenPom efficiency ratings will have gone up in at least one area since they will have just beaten a number of very good teams.

In other words, teams aren't necessarily Top 25 in adjusted offense and adjusted defense before the tournament, just that they are by the end of the tournament. Someone once looked to see where all champions were in their final pre-tourney KenPom ratings, but I can't remember where I read it.

I believe Duke was in the 60s in defensive efficiency going into the tournament last season

Sounds like they would probably be a 10, 11, or 12 seed. I could definitely see them upsetting a 5, 6, or 7 seed. Wouldn't be shocked to see them get to the Sweet Sixteen with the right matchup.

It's a far cry from the NEC days, where they would be a #16 seed going against Duke.

They're likely to lose three starters, maybe four, from this team.

They probably need to win a couple of games in the Big East tournament to make March Madness.

The sum of their whole is less than the sum of their parts. They definitely can win games if they can get in.

is playing really good ball and is a team a bit under the radar because they are in the pac-12.

The defending ACC champion fighting irish look like they are starting to gel late in the season again. Brey might not be bested by anyone when it comes to offensive coaching and if they can even play mediocre defense (which they did against UNC last week), they can make another NCAA tourney run.

Nova is no fluke at #1 and has the tools to win it all. UNC, Oklahoma, Maryland, Kansas are boring picks but will be selected to go far in my brackets barring radical things happening in the last month.