NCAA hoops question?

#1
TennFan

TennFan

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#1
Seems just about every time a team is #1 they get beaten within a week or less. I'm thinking any team in the top 10 could win it all this season. Is there a dark horse outside the top 10? I'll be surprised if a team from the Big 10 wins it all. One team I don't want to see win it all is the Gators. Sorry Gator fans!
 
#2
#2
Anybody can win it this year because the talent pool is weaker than usual.
 
#3
#3
Even some of the team outside the top ten are scary. Ohio State, Syracuse, Minnesota, etc.
 
#4
#4
LittleCat said:
Even some of the team outside the top ten are scary. Ohio State, Syracuse, Minnesota, etc.
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They are only scary because they are capable of beating the top 5 teams....which are weak. This is a weak year in college basketball. I'd take last year's UK team against any of those top 5 without reservation, because they are nothing special. The NBA draft this year is the weakest it's been in years.

As a result, anything and everything could happen this year in the NCAA tourney. Could see the first 1/16 upset ever.
 
#5
#5
Brian McCat said:
They are only scary because they are capable of beating the top 5 teams....which are weak. This is a weak year in college basketball. I'd take last year's UK team against any of those top 5 without reservation, because they are nothing special. The NBA draft this year is the weakest it's been in years.

As a result, anything and everything could happen this year in the NCAA tourney. Could see the first 1/16 upset ever.
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I think a big reason there is no single dominant team is that the program that has been monopolizing a large % of the best recruits each and every year is having a down season.

The play-in games increase the odds of a 16/1 upset. Two of the 16s would have been 15s a few years ago, and a 15 has beaten a 2 a few times. So, today's 1s are playing tougher opponents than 1s used to.
 
#6
#6
ukvols said:
I think a big reason there is no single dominant team is that the program that has been monopolizing a large % of the best recruits each and every year is having a down season.

The play-in games increase the odds of a 16/1 upset. Two of the 16s would have been 15s a few years ago, and a 15 has beaten a 2 a few times. So, today's 1s are playing tougher opponents than 1s used to.
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I would say that good programs have either been plagued by injuries or recruits not playing to their potential. That is the reason that this season is so up and down.

Duke, with Ryan Kelly, was almost great. Without Ryan Kelly, they have lost three games and at times look no better than average.

Louisville has been dealing with injuries all year; and, R. Smith's shooting slump has not helped.

KU is a six-man team. Perry Ellis has not yet made the transition to college. When Whithey or Young need a rest, KU has to hope to just play even for two or three minutes.

I do think that aside from Duke with Kelly, the best teams this season might all reside in the B1G. However, then IU, Michigan, Michigan State, and tOSU just beat up on each other. I will be very surprised if a B1G team does not win the championship this season.
 
#7
#7
ukvols said:
I think a big reason there is no single dominant team is that the program that has been monopolizing a large % of the best recruits each and every year is having a down season.

The play-in games increase the odds of a 16/1 upset. Two of the 16s would have been 15s a few years ago, and a 15 has beaten a 2 a few times. So, today's 1s are playing tougher opponents than 1s used to.
Click to expand...

I don't know if I buy your reasoning for the first. I think it's reflective, not so much causative. Even draft experts admit that it's a lousy class this year.

yeah, if Kentucky is in a play-in game, it could happen. That shizzle is made for tv.
 
#8
#8
I'd LOVE to see all the number 1's go down and i'd love to see a double digit seed win it all.
 
#9
#9
TennFan said:
Seems just about every time a team is #1 they get beaten within a week or less. I'm thinking any team in the top 10 could win it all this season. Is there a dark horse outside the top 10? I'll be surprised if a team from the Big 10 wins it all. One team I don't want to see win it all is the Gators. Sorry Gator fans!
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The Vols !
 
#10
#10
Brian McCat said:
I don't know if I buy your reasoning for the first. I think it's reflective, not so much causative. Even draft experts admit that it's a lousy class this year.

yeah, if Kentucky is in a play-in game, it could happen. That shizzle is made for tv.
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If Kentucky was in a play-in game (doubtful) and got to play Gonzaga in Dayton, would it even be an upset? The entire arena would be UK fans.
 
#11
#11
OldandStillaVol said:
If Kentucky was in a play-in game (doubtful) and got to play Gonzaga in Dayton, would it even be an upset? The entire arena would be UK fans.
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Whether or not it would be an upset isn't up for debate. UK fans would definitely travel well to Dayton. But if UK is a 16 seed, then it's definitely possible.
 
#12
#12
Well, if it does happen that UK plays Gonzaga as a 1-16 matchup in Dayton, I would check the odds and put my money on Ky. It would be ironic if UK were the first 16 seed to win in the first round!
 
#16
#16
Two of the play-in games are for 16s. The other two play-ins are the last four at-large teams, and the winners usually get 12s.
 
#18
#18
Brian McCat said:
I don't know if I buy your reasoning for the first. I think it's reflective, not so much causative. Even draft experts admit that it's a lousy class this year.

yeah, if Kentucky is in a play-in game, it could happen. That shizzle is made for tv.
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It's a stretch for me to blame it all on UK, and part of that is personal bias, but it's a fact that there are fewer 5* players to go around for everyone else when one school is signing them at an unprecedented pace like this.

It's not normal for one school to sign, say, five guys in the national Top 20 and not just do it once, but recruit at about that level every year. It makes one wonder if Calipari is doping his blood or taking steroids. When you see a superhuman performance in sports these days, you unfortunately have to question it.
 
#19
#19
therealUT said:
I would say that good programs have either been plagued by injuries or recruits not playing to their potential. That is the reason that this season is so up and down.

Duke, with Ryan Kelly, was almost great. Without Ryan Kelly, they have lost three games and at times look no better than average.

Louisville has been dealing with injuries all year; and, R. Smith's shooting slump has not helped.

KU is a six-man team. Perry Ellis has not yet made the transition to college. When Whithey or Young need a rest, KU has to hope to just play even for two or three minutes.

I do think that aside from Duke with Kelly, the best teams this season might all reside in the B1G. However, then IU, Michigan, Michigan State, and tOSU just beat up on each other. I will be very surprised if a B1G team does not win the championship this season.
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Coach K, you are giving Ryan Kelly too much credit.
 
#20
#20
allvol_12 said:
Coach K, you are giving Ryan Kelly too much credit.
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Ryan Kelly is a matchup nightmare for teams and his presence on the floor spreads the floor, usually by taking one of the opponent's big men out of the paint and out to the perimeter. That opens up plenty for Duke and for Plumlee.
 
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#22
#22
therealUT said:
Ryan Kelly is a matchup nightmare for teams and his presence on the floor spreads the floor, usually by taking one of the opponent's big men out of the paint and out to the perimeter. That opens up plenty for Duke and for Plumlee.
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Exactly. That matters a lot when you're trying to run your offense through the post, which is the best way to win in the tourney.
 
#23
#23
ukvols said:
When you see a superhuman performance in sports these days, you unfortunately have to question it.
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I agree, it's amazing to see him reel in these 5* players every year. But lets remember, there are countless people searching all the time for dirt on Cal. If they haven't found it yet, he's either really good at hiding it or very lucky.
 
#25
#25
therealUT said:
Ryan Kelly is a matchup nightmare for teams and his presence on the floor spreads the floor, usually by taking one of the opponent's big men out of the paint and out to the perimeter. That opens up plenty for Duke and for Plumlee.
Click to expand...

K
 
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