1. We got screwed as a #6 seed. I don't think that is in doubt.
2. We could have gotten a worse first round draw and Seth Davis (and get ready for a lot of other talking heads) picking us as the upset special has to help us. Looking at our match-ups:
a. SDSU goes 8 deep and are led by their front-court. Their best player is a freshman (positive). JP Prince guarding him is a good thing for us IMO. Their second best player is their PF -- Chism matched-up there is another positive for us. Their third best player is their Center, but he is not a big guy. He has only attempted 5 three pointers all year. He should have his hands full on the glass with Williams and Hall. Their two guards are a Junior at PG and a freshman at 2G. Again, you don't want to see guys at the guard positions in March with a lot of experience. The Junior has played a lot of minutes in his three years. The positive is that he is 6'0 167 pounds. Not the power PG that has often given us trouble. Also, their two starting guards are very good three point shooters, but they don't have other good three point shooters on their team. They also don't have a lot of size after you get passed their starters. Their sole bench guy in the post is 6'11 300 pound transfer from Illinois playing his first year at SDSU. We should zone this team and our length should bother their outside shooters (6'0 and 6'2), dominant the boards, and win going away if we focus. The question is focus.
b. Georgetown. Let's face it, Georgetown was playing like a 2 seed down the stretch. They are a very good basketball team, which I think is good for us. We will not get any respect, but 1 week ago a lot of folks would have had us ahead of them in their projected bracket. The problem with Georgetown is that they have a strong guard leading them in Austin Freeman. Georgetown also has size, but I have to say that Monroe sometimes plays less than he is capable. And we've seen Kansas and Kentucky. Georgetown doesn't have that kind of size. The other interesting thing about Georgetown is they go 9 deep, but every guy off their bench is a freshman. The Vols could beat them in bench scoring. Gtown is a lot like UT. We have our experience at guard, our big guy is our leader, and we go 9 deep. The difference is that Gtown's game includes some good three point shooting. But, we are the SEC's best at defending the three pointer.
c. Ironically, if we were to get out of the first weekend, we might be facing Ohio State again with the best player in the nation (again) to try to get past the Sweet 16. I'll say this -- I like the Ohio State match-up this time a lot better than the last time. But, let's face it, Ohio State may not make it to the Sweet 16. Oklahoma State and Georgia Tech are both capable of taking down Ohio State. The Big 10 is down this year and Ohio State is young at the guard positions (both freshmen).
d. I'm not sure Kansas will make it to the great 8. There is more parity this season than any other IMO. Michigan State and Maryland are both capable of pulling the Sweet 16 upset on the Jayhawks.
3. Bottom line is that the Vols have to bring it. It's all about match-ups and it is hard to complain about the match-ups we may have. They could be better, but we can beat any of these teams on the way to the Final four. Thankfully we are the flavor of the month pick for an upset. That has to work in the favor of a team that does a great job of overlooking teams like SDSU.
4. It is clear that the Selection Committee is not about integrity -- they are about television ratings. That's why teams like UT, Cornell, and Temple get screwed and teams like Wisconsin don't. Who wants to see Wisconsin play Georgetown? No one.
2. We could have gotten a worse first round draw and Seth Davis (and get ready for a lot of other talking heads) picking us as the upset special has to help us. Looking at our match-ups:
a. SDSU goes 8 deep and are led by their front-court. Their best player is a freshman (positive). JP Prince guarding him is a good thing for us IMO. Their second best player is their PF -- Chism matched-up there is another positive for us. Their third best player is their Center, but he is not a big guy. He has only attempted 5 three pointers all year. He should have his hands full on the glass with Williams and Hall. Their two guards are a Junior at PG and a freshman at 2G. Again, you don't want to see guys at the guard positions in March with a lot of experience. The Junior has played a lot of minutes in his three years. The positive is that he is 6'0 167 pounds. Not the power PG that has often given us trouble. Also, their two starting guards are very good three point shooters, but they don't have other good three point shooters on their team. They also don't have a lot of size after you get passed their starters. Their sole bench guy in the post is 6'11 300 pound transfer from Illinois playing his first year at SDSU. We should zone this team and our length should bother their outside shooters (6'0 and 6'2), dominant the boards, and win going away if we focus. The question is focus.
b. Georgetown. Let's face it, Georgetown was playing like a 2 seed down the stretch. They are a very good basketball team, which I think is good for us. We will not get any respect, but 1 week ago a lot of folks would have had us ahead of them in their projected bracket. The problem with Georgetown is that they have a strong guard leading them in Austin Freeman. Georgetown also has size, but I have to say that Monroe sometimes plays less than he is capable. And we've seen Kansas and Kentucky. Georgetown doesn't have that kind of size. The other interesting thing about Georgetown is they go 9 deep, but every guy off their bench is a freshman. The Vols could beat them in bench scoring. Gtown is a lot like UT. We have our experience at guard, our big guy is our leader, and we go 9 deep. The difference is that Gtown's game includes some good three point shooting. But, we are the SEC's best at defending the three pointer.
c. Ironically, if we were to get out of the first weekend, we might be facing Ohio State again with the best player in the nation (again) to try to get past the Sweet 16. I'll say this -- I like the Ohio State match-up this time a lot better than the last time. But, let's face it, Ohio State may not make it to the Sweet 16. Oklahoma State and Georgia Tech are both capable of taking down Ohio State. The Big 10 is down this year and Ohio State is young at the guard positions (both freshmen).
d. I'm not sure Kansas will make it to the great 8. There is more parity this season than any other IMO. Michigan State and Maryland are both capable of pulling the Sweet 16 upset on the Jayhawks.
3. Bottom line is that the Vols have to bring it. It's all about match-ups and it is hard to complain about the match-ups we may have. They could be better, but we can beat any of these teams on the way to the Final four. Thankfully we are the flavor of the month pick for an upset. That has to work in the favor of a team that does a great job of overlooking teams like SDSU.
4. It is clear that the Selection Committee is not about integrity -- they are about television ratings. That's why teams like UT, Cornell, and Temple get screwed and teams like Wisconsin don't. Who wants to see Wisconsin play Georgetown? No one.
