The Final Four
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How did UConn lose 8 games? 
For as unbelievable as this tournament has been from an unpredictability standpoint.....this will have been the most one sided tournament runs that I can ever remember. It's been UCONN.....then everyone else.
Let’s go SDSU.
Funny thing is even though UConn looks unbeatable I think SDSU matches up well against them. Their physicality and tendency to turn games into rock fights might give them a shot.
It's awfully tough to imagine them being able to compete on the glass. The pace is going to have to be incredibly slow, SDSU is going to have to be off the charts good and UCONN is going to have to be uncharacteristically bad. Never say never though.
Well, there were several times UCONN was bad this year. Maybe Monday will be one of em?
Doesn’t seem like it considering their run so far, but SDSU did beat Bama and Bama definitely looked to be a favorite.
Also, can we just stop for a second and think about our region luck again. I know we didn’t deserve to advance (we just didn’t have it this year) but if we had found a way to get to the sweet 16, we would of run into possible national champion UConn.
Of course we wouldn’t get the region where the 9 seed got to play a 16 seed and then a hampered Tennessee team on the way to an elite 8.
Maybe it’ll happen for us one of these days!
Someone said that UCONN was really concerned with Creighton, because they knew them so well and had good match-ups..
With three different coaches. Indiana and UCLA were only good with one coach. We’ll see about Duke with coach K gone. Kansas and Kentucky won with multiple coaches. Difference between blue blood coach and blue blood school IMO.
How did no 1, 2, or 3 seeds make the final 4?How did UConn lose 8 games?
Parity, especially in the high major conferences. Lots of really good teams, and you have to go on the road.
UConn has been winning easy, which fits a pattern for them. When they win, it’s usually by 3 or more possessions. They have lost nearly every close game they’ve been in.
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
Interesting point. I agree that UK and KU are in a different class given their decades-long successes under various coaches. Wooden and K were extraordinary coaches.
To be fair (and I gag as I write this), Indiana won two national titles under Branch McCracken, who coached them for 20 seasons until the mid-'60s (his style of play inspired the "Hurryin' Hoosiers" moniker.) IU edged out some fine Illini teams for the BT title on several occasions, back in the days when only the conference champion went to the tourney.
Good point.
Past complaint was that the BIG was physical with more contact allowed than in the tournament. It actually seems the opposite to me at this point. Body contact allowed and fouls only with the use of hands. Anyone else see it that way?
None of our favorite Officials were at the Final Four. I thought the officiating was decent for the most part.
Was I the only person last night trying to figure out why the FAU coach kept playing the tall kid (Goldin, sp). He wasn't rebounding, wasn't blocking any shots, couldn't catch the ball down low, couldn't hit free throws. His back up played a really nice game, imo. I think coach should have played him a lot less, similar to when Underwood had to bench Dainja. I know he missed a lot of free throws late in the game. Him playing as many minutes in the 2nd half cost them the game IMO.
It’s not about how many national championships you have to be a blue blood
You need the length of time of being dominate to be a blue blood
This year and UCONN last run the got hot at the right time
UCONN only has 6 final fours compared to 18 17 16 17 21 by UCLA KU UK Duke and UNC. Those are the blue bloods
IU has the national championships but with 8 final fours I put them in the tier below with MSU O$U UCONN Louisville
Unfortunately we are a tier below that because we only have 5 final fours other teams in our tier are scUM Houston Syracuse Florida Oklahoma State Oklahoma Villanova due to their number of appearances
Purdue is right below that tier because of their 2 final fours if it was not for their conference championships they be lower
no - you shoot a high arc 12-15 footer (avoid long rebound) with 0.5 sec left on the shot clock by time rebound is secured (of course trying to get/tip...) there is 4 secs left - you are also prepared for slowing outlet pass and slowing down guard .... which is why SDSU strategy was bad
201154JC
- Rockford, IL
SPOT ON!
I see where you are going. A couple counterpoints.
Ohio State has a national championship and 10 final fours.
There are problems with looking at final fours.
Big Ten teams could have more final fours, but for a number of years they thought it was a good idea to only allow only one member team per sport to participate in post season play.
Also, prior to 1979, the Final Four was just the final four. It didn't carry the weight it does now.
Another factor that skews the numbers is the NIT was once considered the more prestigious tournament.
In 1965, Michigan went to to the final four. No other Big Ten participated in post season play. The final UPI poll on Mar. 9 1965:
| Michigan (21–2) | 1. |
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| Minnesota (18–5) | 8. |
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| Illinois (17–6) | 16 |
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| Indiana (18–5) | 18. |
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Indiana is trash. That's all
and for the longest time , for about the first 35 years of the tournament, making the Final Four meant you won 1 or 2 games .
it wasnt until 1975 that it expanded to 32 teams and a FF meant you won 3 games.
and yea, multiple teams from the same conference were not allowed until 1975. Teams like Kentucky in the SEC got the invite all the time as it was a weak basketball conference most of the time except for them.
so those FF's in the early years didnt mean nearly as much as they do today
it wasnt until 1975 that it expanded to 32 teams and a FF meant you won 3 games.
and yea, multiple teams from the same conference were not allowed until 1975. Teams like Kentucky in the SEC got the invite all the time as it was a weak basketball conference most of the time except for them.
so those FF's in the early years didnt mean nearly as much as they do today
chrisRunner7
- San Diego
Short and sweet, plus likely accurate regardless of the context
Some truths are universalShort and sweet, plus likely accurate regardless of the context
I was thinking that was just the Big Ten. You are right that it was the NCAA.
For a number of years, the Big Ten did not allow members to accept invitations to the NIT. This ended circa 1978.
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