B1G/NCAA basketball

[froot loops]

Every time Sparty plays basketball a dog gets hit by a car. The fact that this game was a regional final illustrates how shitty the game is right now. Not sure I've seen dumber bball than what L-ville trotted out there today.

Sparty On!

[entropy]

What I learned this weekend... I hate Kentucky so much... Actually their coach... I pulled for ND. I pulled for sparty and for some reason pulled for wisky too.

I feel dirty


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[Mike]

Get out. GTFO.

[hack]

Will never root for Sparty, but respect due to Wisconsin. Ryan gave the halftime bunch an appropriate amount of grief for saying his teams can't score.

[lineygoblue]

Can't root for Sparty.

Ever.

[iam416]

The prospect of a Duke-Kentucky final is horrific. God-willing the #HarbaughEffect continues to carry the day and we get Bucky-Sparty in a rematch of their classic B10 CG matchup earlier this month. Conference Pride, Baby!

[hack]

UK-Wisconsin seems entirely dependent on how they call the fouls. Kaminsky's smart enough to play through, but if the refs decide to pick on both sides evenly then that's going to be a problem.

[iam416]

Yeah, I wouldn't phrase it as "entirely dependent" insofar as it it suggests to me that Wisky will win if Kaminsky isn't in foul trouble. Wisky has zero chance with Kaminsky in foul trouble. They have a puncher's chance if he plays the whole game, but a lot will have to right for them including Dekker-mania. And UK will have to have their average outside shooting game, i.e., not that good. If UK is hitting 3s then the refs could call hooking, facemask and general shenanigans and it won't matter.

[hack]

Maybe. Dunno. UK's offense pretty much sucks outside of getting it to Towns. He's had foul trouble too in this tournament, and against teams without a guy like Kaminsky. Going against Kaminsky is a different challenge that a roll man like Auguste, and probably easier to hide Towns and keep him out of foul trouble against Kaminsky who isn't so mobile. Towns is less likely to encounter him in broken-play or roll/help situations. Man-to-man he can be more conscious of keeping his own foul total low, or he can be hidden fullstop. Which should be Calipari's main goal on defense. Kentucky's offense is a lot worse without Towns in the post, and the defense will have to work much harder than it's used to to get stops.

I don't know for sure, but I think that if Kaminsky doesn't have to play with foul trouble Kentucky's going to have a very hard time coping with Wisconsin's efficiency and patience. Especially if it can't hit a few 3s. If Wisconsin can successfully clog the paint, and if Kaminsky's out there and effective, I think they can outexecute Kentucky down the stretch. If Dekker has yet another game like that Wisconsin's chances are excellent.

[Cody_Russell]

The prospect of a Duke-Kentucky final is horrific. God-willing the #HarbaughEffect continues to carry the day and we get Bucky-Sparty in a rematch of their classic B10 CG matchup earlier this month. Conference Pride, Baby!

I'd rather see Wisconsin vs Duke or MSU vs Kentucky.... With the B10 team winning of course.
But yea, Kentucky vs Duke is awful to imagine.

[entropy]

Anyone but kentucky


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[Mike]

Unless they play Sparty.

[hack]

I'm pretty pissed off that Louisville went from super-smart/extra-savvy to complete and utter stupidity all in two years. WTF, Pitino?

[iam416]

They were a much, much better team 2 years ago. This year, with Jones gone, their offense was prone to some really bad stretches. They finished 8-6 in their final 14 with an offensive efficiency of 107.5 (66th) that was far worse in the final third of the season. Guard play was suspect at times and offensive weaknesses can make cowards and/or fools of any team.

Two years ago they were pretty much awesome. They were a great offensive team. They were a great defensive team. They had great guards who always controlled the game. They almost lost to Wichita, but other than that, not so much.

Fortunately for M that season (and Wichita this one) Kansas still is stupid as shit. Although the KU team a few seasons ago required significantly more stupidity to lose. So, well, you at least had that.

[hack]

Neither version particularly able in the halfcourt, but they were a smart and savvy team then -- so admirable how they played the refs and applied pressure just at the right times, etc. Polar opposite this time. Pitino knows better. Pretty remarkable how bad that last possession was.