B1G/NCAA basketball

[AlabamAlum]

I bet you I don’t have a problem.

[THE_WIZARD_]

Yer on!

I'm gonna getcha on this one...I just have to keep my eyes open...

[AlabamAlum]

Giving you 3:1 odds!

[THE_WIZARD_]

Yer on!

I'm gonna getcha! Sooner or later...

[AlabamAlum]

NIT Action Tonight!

UAB at Vandy will be watchable tonight. UAB is a solid team and Vandy has had a bit of resurgence.

At a neutral site, would absolutely go strong with the Blazers, but Memorial Gym is hard to play in. That horseshit elevated floor of Vandy’s is disorienting. Should be a good game. Give me UAB in a close one. Wagering last night’s modest winnings on the Blazers.

The game is on espn2 at 6pm central.

Blazers win, 67-59. Improve to 28-9. Head to Vegas for the Semis. Wish I had bet a bit more on this. Gambler’s remorse.

[AlabamAlum]

UAB will face the Cinci/Utah Valley winner.

Vs

Wisconsin/North Texas winner

[CGVT]

UAB has played really well when I have watched them.

It seems to me that it might be time for the NCAA tourney to quit taking so damn many power five teams and take a few teams from some of the one bid conferences especially with the transfer portal playing such a big role in college team building

[THE_WIZARD_]

I think it might be time for you to STFU.

[AlabamAlum]

CGVT,

UAB’s NET was outside the top 50. They just didn’t have the schedule and results to earn a spot.

I don’t think the P5 teams are the issue; rather, it’s the auto qualifiers from the weaker conferences.

[THE_WIZARD_]

Iffen Merrimack wasn't ineligible they would have been in instead of NP FDU...dumb rule.

[CGVT]

They should never eliminate the auto qualifiers.

[AlabamAlum]

I hear you, CG, and I’m a bit conflicted myself, but when I see a 13-17 team from a shitty conference who has sucked ass all year long and lucks into winning three conference tourney games to get in March Madness - which thereby reduces the spots for much, much more deserving teams - it kinda leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

When we award these teams a spot we are saying scheduling doesn’t matter and winning the conference regular season (or at least being close) doesn’t matter, all at the expense of some much more deserving bubble team.

[AlabamAlum]

Anyway, the NIT Final Four is set: UAB vs Utah Valley and Wisconsin vs North Texas. Both games this Tuesday. We could have an all CUSA finals in the NIT.

[CGVT]

The NIT games that I watched have been good. Decent basketball all around.

I think the auto bids are good. It is really a big deal for these small conference teams to make it to the dance. There is always the chance of catching a higher seed asleep on their feet and upsetting them. Of course, no one expects them to make a run, but that really is not what it is about for them. Getting there is the real goal.

83 NC State was a shitty team that would not have made the tourney had they not gotten hot and won the ACC championship. I know that is not the same, but it is... sort of.

I would rather see a few more of the better teams from mid-majors than the seventh place teams from power 5 conferences.

And one more thing.

If a team is in the play-in game, they should be playing for the 16th seed. If you aren't good enough to make the initial field, how the fuck are you good enough to have a higher seed.
Let's shake this shit up a bit.

[AlabamAlum]

CG,

Entering the ACC tourney, iirc, NC State was 17-9 with a winning ACC record (too lazy to look it up) and if the Valvano story I watched on ESPN years ago was accurate, most felt they were a bubble team that needed a couple of wins in the ACCT. The ACC was a premier basketball conference and the Pack had winning records in conference and out. That’s really not the kind of team I’m talking about “stealing” a bid. A team like Hampton a few years ago who entered the MEAC tourney with a 12-17 record and beat Delaware State (Norfolk?) to take a spot. That’s more my point.

Anyway. Hard to believe that Valvano run was 40-years-ago.