Golden-Road.net
Studio 46 - Non-TPiR Discussion => Out In Left Field => Topic started by: SeaBreeze341 on November 26, 2020, 12:00:20 AM
-
I can only speak for myself, but when it comes to sports, there are a handful of events or periods full of them to look forward to annually. Opening Day. The Cup-Clinching game in the Stanley Cup finals. For the latter, the series and the postseason as a whole. Wimbledon. Army-Navy. The Saturday of NBA All-Star break. The Super Bowl. And the Masters.
In between those two are personal periods that I wait for annually. Especially given the fact that I've dealt with the worst weather within a long period that follows the Big Game every first Sunday of February. Throughout this year, there have been several tragedies that are a bigger deal than a lot of the stuff that doesn’t benefit one’s livelihood. Unless your career (and future) is (are) based off of that.
I will admit, I was not happy when Selection Sunday and the NCAA Tournament were both cancelled. I was livid period. Not conference tournaments that preceded it, no Thursday & Friday opening day. No Final Four. As mentioned there are bigger issues, but it doesn’t mean you can’t be upset about it.
November 25, 2020 was a special day, in my opinion. Within a pandemic, we finally saw the return of the last of six big sports (including the 4 professional sports & college football). Obviously different, I was glad to see it back. Ongoing issues have impacted the sport, but to see College hoops in any capacity is a blessing. It’s a recognition that we are in a pandemic, but it’s a sign that people have to live their lives on their own terms
As for the action, I think Villanova is going to win it all. Not really an official pick, but I forgot that they were rolling last year and this year, returned 4 of 5 starters
-
My own "look forward to" list includes: Pro: anything NFL related in the regular season or postseason, MLB opening day, the World Series, the NBA Finals, and the Stanley Cup Finals. College: All New Year's Six Bowls and the National Championship game, Ohio State-Michigan football, the Iron Bowl, Duke-North Carolina basketball, major conference basketball tournaments and the NCAA tournament. But I'm an NFL fan 1st. Before the sports shutdown I remember having goosebumps seeing all the living members of the NFL's 100 all time team on the field before the Super Bowl. That was awesome.
I was glad to my Sun Devils get a win over Rhode Island tonight 92-88. I think we have a shot at making the field of 68 this season. Though I certainty don't see us beating Villanova tomorrow night.
FWIW, I personally believe that if the NCAA tournament had been played last year that Kansas would have won the natty last year. As for this year, it's impossible to make picks this early in a season in college because of how much teams change from year to year.
A lot of games today were blowouts but it didn't matter. It just felt awesome to watch college basketball again. There was something almost nostalgic about seeing ESPN refer to "Feast week" Very happy to see basketball again.
-
I will admit, I was not happy when Selection Sunday and the NCAA Tournament were both cancelled. I was livid period. Not conference tournaments that preceded it, no Thursday & Friday opening day. No Final Four. As mentioned there are bigger issues, but it doesn’t mean you can’t be upset about it.
If you were livid that an overhyped sports tournament based on nothing but greed (the hypocrisy of college players being "amateur" athletes is laughable) was cancelled during a national health crisis, the worst such crisis in modern times, then you seriously need to rethink your priorities.
It's nice to have some sense of "normalcy" in these less-than-normal times, but public health always needs to take priority.
-
As expected. my Sun Devils lose to Villanova 83-74. Villanova is clearly elite.
Meanwhile, Illinois is spectacular offensively scoring 122 points yesterday and 97 today.
My how the mighty have fallen. WTF happened to the Jayhawks today?! SMH!
-
Apologies for the month long bump, but officials announced today that the NCCA men's basketball tournament will be played in Indiana. With teams playing most of the games at multiple venues in Indianapolis and some in Bloomington and West Lafayette.
Selection Sunday is still scheduled for March 14, while the Final Four is tentative for April 3 and 5 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/30650595/ncaa-men-basketball-tournament-played-entirely-indiana
-
1353742196814589957[/tweet]]On This Day 33 Years Ago...Send it in, Jerome! (http://[tweet)
In modern day news, I still cannot believe that it's been SIX decades since Kentucky, Duke, and North Carolina were all out of the Top 25. That is incredible. I think Kentucky might be in trouble, I don't know about UNC, but IMO Duke can recover and easily made the NCAA Tournament
-
1353742196814589957[/tweet]]On This Day 33 Years Ago...Send it in, Jerome![/url]
In modern day news, I still cannot believe that it's been SIX decades since Kentucky, Duke, and North Carolina were all out of the Top 25. That is incredible. I think Kentucky might be in trouble, I don't know about UNC, but IMO Duke can recover and easily made the NCAA Tournament
What's really amazing about that too is.....Kentucky had a probation period at the end of the 80's/beginning of the 90's. and even THEN they woulda still been in Top 25, that's unreal. (http://[tweet)
-
What's really amazing about that too is.....Kentucky had a probation period at the end of the 80's/beginning of the 90's. and even THEN they woulda still been in Top 25, that's unreal.
It is, but on the other hand, it's pretty typical. Big time programs or blue bloods get that type of treatment more often than not. The rankings stuff happens today, but if a school had a postseason ban it wouldn't matter too much. Especially as it relates to the NCAA Tournament
-
Selection Sunday is four weeks from Sunday, and prior to that, courtesy of CBS and NCAA March Madness, comes the 5th annual Preview Show. It's the typical "If the season ended today" outlook where the NCAA Hoops committee and the Road to the Final Four team selected their top teams for the NCAA Tournament.
At the mid point (between the average start of conference play and the conference championship games) Gonzaga, Baylor, Michigan, Ohio State. Alabama, Villanova, Houston, and Illinois round out the Top 8 (1 seeds and 2 seeds). As of February 13, Gonzaga is the overall one seed, but speculation of Baylor passing them down the stretch is legitimate. The Top 16 teams so far can be found right here (https://twitter.com/marchmadness).
Obviously no preview of all 68 teams this year; they didn't originally do that. It's something they started later on. Might have done it in 2020, but definitely in 2019
-
Well, it's Selection Sunday, and to the surprise of no one, there has yet to be any programs to voluntarily bow out of March Madness. Well, outside of Duke, whose athletic director ended things last week due to a positive test. Two other schools (Kansas & Virginia) bowed out of their respective conference tournaments for the same reason, but they are slated to be within the field of 68. They were before Conference Week even started.
Jerry Palm's "Top 8" (https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/bracketology-baylor-holds-on-to-no-1-seed-as-oklahoma-state-moves-up-after-thrilling-showdown/) teams remain the same for the most part. As in 75% of it. Big 10 teams Illinois & Ohio State, who are currently playing as of this post, swapped places from the projections made 4 weeks ago. Michigan, Baylor, Gonzaga, and Alabama stayed put.
Joe Lunardi's Last Four In & First Four Out (https://dknation.draftkings.com/2021/3/14/22329903/ncaa-tournament-bracketology-joe-lunardi-cincinnati-vs-duke-drake-utah-state-wichita-state-st-louis) include Syracuse being the last team (and hoping the tourney steals exclude the AAC Title Game). WSU is the first four out, but think they might be doomed. Michigan State might have to earn their way into the main 64-team bracket.
The Big East Game was a nice treat. IMO, that was vintage Georgetown
-
Well, it's Selection Sunday, and to the surprise of no one, there has yet to be any programs to voluntarily bow out of March Madness. Well, outside of Duke, whose athletic director ended things last week due to a positive test.
Actually they may still play if they are selected for the tournament.....so might not be done afterall. https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/31057689/source-duke-blue-devils-play-ncaa-tournament-selected
-
Actually they may still play if they are selected for the tournament.....so might not be done afterall. https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/31057689/source-duke-blue-devils-play-ncaa-tournament-selected
Looks like Duke didn’t make it after all. I don’t think they were going to get in anyway, and if they had, I don’t think they would’ve been much of a threat this year. However, it didn’t help that their AD said that their “season was over” which it likely was given the fact that they needed a tourney win. I think a win over Florida State would’ve had them limping into the dance (at Syracuse’s expense). On the other hand, there were so many stolen bids including the Big East Tournament Winner that anyone on the bubble was pretty much at the committee’s mercy
Gonzaga, Baylor, Illinois and Michigan headline the 2021 Mens Division I NCAA Tournament. Unlike Virginia 3 years ago, overall top seed Gonzaga has a rather easy path into the final four. I think the Bulldogs would have to beat themselves in order to bow out prior to April.
Michigan State & UCLA, both programs who were in similar positions Duke was in, face each other in one of the First Four matchups on Thursday. That has the potential to be a great game. Speaking of the First Four, I actually had concerns that the winners on Thursday might have to play the next day, but all of the teams would earn a spot against a team scheduled to tip on Saturday.
Here are the tip times for this year's NCAA Tournament (https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2021-march-madness-schedule). A previous discussion (http://www.golden-road.net/index.php/topic,31909.0.html) started by jhc2010 over a month ago included a change in terms of what days the games would take place.
To be brief, the first week was pushed back a day, and the second week was pushed back two days. The times are pretty much the same as it relates to the first week. However, the second week tip times are somewhat reversed. The Sweet 16 starts in the afternoon given the weekend start, while the Elite 8 takes place in primetime EST, both on weeknights. The Final Four and National Championship game dates and times remain as scheduled
-
Don't forget to join the official bracket pool (http://www.golden-road.net/index.php/topic,32013.0.html)!
-
Thanks cu. Bracket submitted (before the deadline obviously). Should we continue any March Madness discussion in the other thread, or should we post NCAA Tourney discussion here? Even though the dance is part of the 2020-2021 College Basketball year, it feels like a restart or a new season on its own
Good luck to all of the participants!
-
We have our first upset of the tournament as Oral Roberts, the 15th seed in the south defeats the 2nd seed Ohio State in OT.
-
It looked like it was going to be a very bad day for the Big 10, with Ohio State & Purdue losing big (a day after Michigan State's fall). Wisconsin & Rutgers sorta bailed them out (Illinois won earlier).
Bob Huggins finally got his 900th win, Roy Williams lost a first round game for the first time ever, and Syracuse is once again proving that they belong in the tournament following criticism toward the committee that they don't belong at all
-
Tonight's scheduled contest between No. 7 seed Oregon and No. 10 seed VCU has been declared a no-contest due to COVID-19 issues within the VCU program. With Oregon facing the winner of the game between No. 2 seed Iowa and No. 15 seed Grand Canyon.
https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/oregon-vcu-declared-no-contest-as-covid-19-positive-advances-ducks-into-second-round-of-2021-ncaa-tournament/
-
Really stinks for VCU they are eliminated without even playing. I wonder if they'll be given an automatic bid into next year's tournament.
-
And in another upset in the tournament to wrap up the day, the #14 Abilene Christian Wildcats beat the #3 Texas Longhorns winning 53-52, and will face the UCLA Bruins for a spot in the Sweet 16 Monday.
-
Really stinks for VCU they are eliminated without even playing. I wonder if they'll be given an automatic bid into next year's tournament.
I'd say no to that. Robert Morris qualified in 2020 by winning its tournament, and a year later, they got nothing. It sucks that it happened this way, but it should not come as a surprise. OTOH, if VCU is on the bubble next year, I think the committee will definitely put them in.
Way too soon to speculate, and I'd rather not speculate what happened. VCU made the final four a decade ago, after playing in an opening First Four round. I doubt they'd blow it in terms of the protocols; IMO they're just a victim of bad luck. Meanwhile, Oregon probably would've been happier to knock off VCU to advance
-
Yes, I don't think they should get a bid if they aren't deserving (as in having a losing record), but as long as they are on the bubble they should likely get in next year because of what happened this year. I didn't think about the schools that had automatic bids last year that weren't put in this year.
-
Loyola upsets Illinois.
-
West Virginia and Syracuse are duking it out. Orangemen has the lead up to recent when the Mountaineers went on a 9-0 run.
-
I really need to stop picking against my own team...
-
Syracuse hangs on. Woot Woot!
-
You just never know what Syracuse team you're going to get. It's usually a run for the Orange whenever I think they're not built to win, or whenever they have a monster year in the ACC (previously the Big East), they end up going home before the weekend, courtesy of a double-digit seeded team people didn't know existed.
Nevertheless, it was a treat (for me at least) to see a classic Big East game with West Virginia and Syracuse. That game was probably the best of the day so far & could have gone either way (and nearly did).
I didn't pick Syracuse in either one of the brackets I submitted for the contest on the site. However, I did have them beating WVU in other brackets, and then making a run before falling to Illinois. Of course that can't happen, but a Loyola/Syracuse game would be so worth it if it gets to that point
-
Oral Roberts does it again, upsetting the Florida Gators.
-
Oral Roberts does it again, upsetting the Florida Gators.
They're the second 15 seed to advance to the Sweet 16. While Oral Roberts will have their hands full against another SEC team in Arkansas, they have a fair enough chance to make history. The Razorbacks will have a little more time to prepare, actually more than normal given an extra day due to the schedule, and the lack of travel.
Sucks for Rutgers (victim of a 14-2 run to end the game); they had their game won, but it's never over until there are complete zeros on the scoreboard
-
Another upset. Oregon State defeats Oklahoma State.
-
Oregon State was picked last in its own conference in its preseason poll. While they'll have their hands full against Loyola, they've achieved success against certain disrespect, with a conference title in the Pac-12 tournament and two NCAA Tourney wins
-
Sweet Sixteen is now set. The match-ups are as follows (with the last year that each team was in the SS):
West Bracket:
(1) Gonzaga (2019) vs. (5) Creighton (2014)
(6) USC (2007) vs. (7) Oregon (2019)
East Bracket:
(1) Michigan (2019) vs. (4) Florida State (2019)
(11) UCLA (2017) vs. (2) Alabama (2004)
South Bracket:
(1) Baylor (2017) vs. (5) Villanova (2018)
(3) Arkansas (1996) vs. (15) Oral Roberts (1974)
Midwest Bracket:
8 Loyola-Chicago (2018) vs. (12) Oregon State (1982)
(11) Syracuse (2018) vs. (2) Houston (2019)
-
Opening Lines for the Sweet Sixteen (Saturday only)
Loyola (-6.5) vs Oregon State (O/U 126)
Baylor (-6.5) vs Villanova (O/U 139)
Arkansas (-11) vs Oral Roberts (O/U 159)
Houston (-6) vs Syracuse (O/U 140.5)
No info on Sundays games yet. I imagine that'll be available within 24 hours
-
Just one team left in the Big 10 standing out of nine, while the Pac-12 comprises a quarter of the Sweet 16, including the two hometown schools that used to be a hotbed of contestants from the later portion of the Barker era. Unfortunately, one of those Big 10 teams that saw the door last night were my Maryland Terps, who were taken down by the team that I'd least like to see win the tournament, given all of the success their athletics teams have seen since the fall. Come on and take down the Tide,
With Oregon State's win, this guarantees at least a #8 seed in the Elite 8, and an all-double digit matchup in the Midwest Regional Final is still possible if Syracuse can upset Houston. Who knows if it can happen since on the opposite end, the NBA's Rockets just snapped their 20-game losing streak last night.
Here are the opening lines for Sunday's Sweet Sixteen:
Creighton vs. Gonzaga (-13.5) (O/U 158.5)
Florida State vs. Michigan (-3) (O/U 145.5)
UCLA vs. Alabama (-5.5) (O/U 143)
Oregon vs. USC (-1) (O/U 139)
-
That 6 Houston is giving Syracuse looks like awfully tasty candy. I don't think Oral Roberts will get past Arkansas but I think it'll be close.
-
That 6 Houston is giving Syracuse looks like awfully tasty candy. I don't think Oral Roberts will get past Arkansas but I think it'll be close.
You never know. I think Oral Roberts might actually pull off the upset. Eight years ago, FGC might have made it to end city if they hadn't run into the top program within the Sunshine State. Speaking of Florida, the Gators weren't as dominant as the 2006 2007 teams or the 2013 2014 teams, but they were okay. As was Ohio State. Given that competition, I think the chance of Arkansas falling is fair. I'm not picking the underdog (at least not before the end of the week), but as mentioned, it could be a good game.
It would be major history if the Golden Eagles win the game. As of March 23, 2021 the "lowest seed" to ever reach the Regional Finals was a 12 seed. Not even a 13 or 14 has made the move toward a third March Madness win within a season
-
I know it seems like "Prediction Hedging", but I think Oregon State and Villanova will both keep it close. They'll cover but not win. For one, I think Baylor is the second best team in the dance, and while Oregon State has the defense, so does Loyola (without penalty)
-
Elite Eight is now set!
Monday's games in the South and Midwest brackets:
(1) Baylor vs. (3) Arkansas
(12) Oregon State vs. (2) Houston
Tuesday's games in the West and East brackets:
(1) Gonzaga vs. (6) USC
(1) Michigan vs. (11) UCLA
-
Here are the Tip Times, Networks, and Lines for Monday & Tuesday's Elite Eight:
Monday, March 29 on CBS (7:15 & 9:57 Eastern)
Oregon State vs Houston (-8) (O/U 129)
Arkansas vs Baylor (-7.5) (O/U 148.5)
Tuesday, March 30 on TBS (7:15 & 9:57 Eastern)
USC vs Gonzaga (-9) (O/U 155)
UCLA vs Michigan (-7.5) (O/U 136.5)
-
This also marks the first time that both UCLA and USC have made it to the regional finals. If both win tomorrow night, they will face off against each other (and there maybe some catfights close to TVC to match). After flying under the radar during the regular season and into Selection Sunday, the Pac-12 has really emerged as the best performing conference this deep into the tournament. Sorry Crimson Tide fans, your overtime loss to UCLA means that you won't become the second school to win college football and basketball titles in the same year.
-
In addition to the above, this will be the first time two teams seeded 11 or lower advanced into the Elite 8 within the same year.
Sucks that Alabama didn't match Florida; that is one win the SEC East has against the SEC West. However, it would have been fitting if Ohio State had made it into the National Finals with a chance to lose to the Tide. That went out the window, obviously.
Not to take away from the Pac-12, but it's pretty easy to fly under the radar when the games start after everyone is passed out for the evening.
I have all the favorites winning again. I think most of the underdogs will keep it close; USC will try to keep it close, but will be unable to do so
-
Final Four is here!
The match-ups are:
Houston vs. Baylor
Gonzaga vs. UCLA
-
It's not often when someone is the winningest program in the sport but still gets zero respect, at the expense of another program that hasn't won anything. 14 points is a lot (but not a surprise), but Gonzaga is just that good. 146 total points scored between UCLA & Gongaza, on the other hand, might be too low!
With the conclusion of the regionals, which were pushed back two days (a week after the first week was pushed back 24 hours), the schedule now returns to its traditional form with the National Semis & Finals (the national championship game) on Saturday and Monday. The different times and location were what they were due to the pandemic, but as the end of the day, congrats & hats off to everyone for being able to make it through the tournament under very difficult circumstances.
FINAL FOUR
National Semi-Finals Round:
Houston vs. Baylor (-5) (O/U 135) [about a 05:14 tip time]
UCLA vs Gonzaga (-14) (O/U 146) [about an 8:34 tip time]
It appears that they were starting an hour earlier this year; that second game should tip on time even though the tradition of using the same court for each of the final three games is still in place
-
No April Fool's Joke, but after nearly half a century as a coach, Roy Williams has retired as coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels. To be brief, that's nearly 20 years as the head coach of UNC, 33 years total as a head coach including his Kansas tenure.
It's surprising due to the fact that it's a reality, but the act of him retiring in general isn't a surprise
-
Here we go, folks! The national title game for Monday night, and whoever wins this, is guaranteed their 1st title.
Gonzaga vs. Baylor!
Gonzaga last appeared here in 2017, while Baylor last appeared here way back in 1948.
-
I guess we'll know by Tuesday, but despite getting the match-up "we wanted" all season, I don't know how the National Championship can top what I just saw. That's been a thought mentioned online; Monday could be great with great teams but one team can blow out the other. UCLA/Gonzaga is an instant classic with the perfect ending
Right after waiting for the line, not seeing anything (of course), I asked myself of the possibility of a pick 'em. Nope. Gongaza is favored -4.5. Over / Under is 160
-
If you had told me one semi-final game would go to OT and be won on a buzzer beater and the other one would be won by 20 points, I would have believed you. But not like that. Wowsers, what a game UCLA-Gonzaga was!
-
If you had told me one semi-final game would go to OT and be won on a buzzer beater and the other one would be won by 20 points, I would have believed you. But not like that. Wowsers, what a game UCLA-Gonzaga was!
If you had told me the OT buzzer-beater winner would crush the other team that crushed its semi-final foe, I would've believed you.
Going into the game, either team was capable of beating the other. Baylor was one of those teams that had the tools to knock off Gonzaga. It happened, and it wasn't a shocker if you've studied or followed sports forever. It would also have been ridiculous to go with the Bears if you had Gonzaga winning. Prediction-hedging is no fun (unless there's a guaranteed profit).
Despite the difficulty Baylor possessed toward Gonzaga, you would figure that they'd find a way to win. The same was the case for Florida State against Auburn in the 2014 BCS National Championship. Even though the game was not close, it was still worth the watch. Anyone else and I'm turning the TV off, but if there's anyone that could overcome a deficit, Gonzaga is that team (they had a decent first half close). It just didn't happen (didn't help Suggs ran into super early foul trouble).
Congrats to Baylor. The 37th team to win the Men's Division I NCAA National Championship!