NCAA Tourney Thread (UPDATE: UK Opens Against Abilene Christian Thursday at 7:00)

[Joneslab]

^ Michigan St. is an interesting team.

They're still in play for a 1 but losing to Indiana twice is not a good look. But I noticed that since the NCAA revealed the top four seeds a month ago, Michigan St. did have the best record of anyone.

I would love to see them as our 2 because I don't think they'd get out to the Elite 8.

[Blue Heaven]

The Cats would have to totally stumble in the SEC Tourney to not get a 1 seed I feel. Have a chance for some more Q1 wins before selection sunday.

[Joneslab]

The Cats would have to totally stumble in the SEC Tourney to not get a 1 seed I feel. Have a chance for some more Q1 wins before selection sunday.

Beating Ole Miss and Tennessee would pretty much lock Kentucky to the point where I think Louisville would be in play with us as a 1. We'd have a good chance to be the second #1 if that happened.

[Matt Dillon]

Beating Ole Miss and Tennessee would pretty much lock Kentucky to the point where I think Louisville would be in play with us as a 1. We'd have a good chance to be the second #1 if that happened.

Will, I tried to send you a non related PM and it says your quota is full.

[Joneslab]

Will, I tried to send you a non related PM and it says your quota is full.

Should be good now. I finally figured out how to delete some things. It only took me five years.

[Joneslab]

Going back to the seeding thing and talking about other teams:

Houston is an interesting team. They have one big win on the year, against LSU, but they've only lost twice. One of their losses came when an offensive foul wiped out a game-winner against Temple.

I was able to catch the last 13:00 of their game yesterday against Cincinnati...and man, are they good. I was really impressed. If they win the AAC they'll probably be a 3 seed, but I can see them making a run out to the Elite 8. The last few minutes of their game yesterday was the best I've seen anyone play this year with the exception of Duke against us.

[lilproUK98]

Going back to the seeding thing and talking about other teams:

Houston is an interesting team. They have one big win on the year, against LSU, but they've only lost twice. One of their losses came when an offensive foul wiped out a game-winner against Temple.

I was able to catch the last 13:00 of their game yesterday against Cincinnati...and man, are they good. I was really impressed. If they win the AAC they'll probably be a 3 seed, but I can see them making a run out to the Elite 8. The last few minutes of their game yesterday was the best I've seen anyone play this year with the exception of Duke against us.

About a month ago I told myself I didn't want Houston at all. I feel even stronger about that now.

[lilproUK98]

Currently the 1 seed in the South (Louisville regional) with Duke, Michigan, and Kansas State at our 2, 3, 4 seeds...not an easy road, but playing Duke in Louisville for the Final Four would be absolutely epic.

[JFCats22]

I would prefer not to play VA Tech is Robinson comes back. They are a team that could give us big problems and are probably more like a 3 seed when healthy.

[Joneslab]

Cal has shown over the past decade that his teams play much better in March against teams who want to push it and shoot quick. I think we'd smash Virginia Tech.

I worry much more about teams who want to grind. Cal's flaw, maybe his biggest one, is that he'll get in the dirt with other teams. This has burned us many times, including in that slugfest against Kansas St. last year. (Also see UCONN. Twice). If we run, push, fly...we're pretty good. If the game is slow, like it was against Florida both times we played them, it comes down to halfcourt execution. At that point it'll largely come down to which Hagans you get.

North Carolina is a team I'd probably pick to be upset for this reason. They play crazy, crazy basketball. I can see them losing on the first weekend because they just have very little common sense. I think this is why we played so well against them: in those fluid, fast-moving games we usually play great (the Duke disaster notwithstanding). It's when you want to milk the shot clock on every possession that Kentucky can be had.

[Catsrock]

St. Mary's just beat Gonzaga. Someone just got knocked off the bubble. In my opinion the Zags should be a 2 seed as another effect.

Also the Zags beat St. Mary's by 48 early in the season meaning this was a bigger turnaround than it would be for us to beat Duke.

[Jeff ROCKober]

Yep. Zags may be last number 1 seed or will fall in number 2 seed. Duke or UK (if UK loses) may be sent out West. Zags looked so good but thats an ass beating when you have not payed anybody in 2019 and not sure you can be rewarded by the ending they have had,

[KCKUKFan]

Gonzaga does not have the resume of a 1 seed. At this point, I wouldn't mind the ACC getting three 1 seeds and Kentucky getting the fourth, as it would ensure that we'd avoid Carolina and Duke both until at least the Final Four.

[justford]

Gonzaga does not have the resume of a 1 seed. At this point, I wouldn't mind the ACC getting three 1 seeds and Kentucky getting the fourth, as it would ensure that we'd avoid Carolina and Duke both until at least the Final Four.

I made the same statement to my son. ACC with three number one seeds unless Duke loses with Zion in the ACC tournament.
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[Joneslab]

I don't think Gonzaga should get a 1 either. They've done spectacularly little when you compare them to the other candidates. The only card they can play is one that will probably carry a lot of weight on Selection Sunday: they beat Duke with Zion.

Don't think the ACC gets three but it's possible; Carolina and Duke being on the same side helps us IMO. I believe our #1 will come down to whoever wins the Tennessee/Kentucky game Saturday, assuming that both make it to that game.