NCAA Hoops: The March to the Arch

[imagineer99]

....AND WE'RE IN! GW JUST CLINCHED THE A-10 TOURNEY.

Guaranteed to go to the dance.

I'm so excited! I just spent the last two and a half hours biting my nails.

Good to luck to everybody else!

 

[LiveItUp21]

My heart goes out to the Illini coach- Bruce Weber. For those of you who haven't heard he lost his mother (81) this weekend and still coached in this afternoons game against Minn.

My choice has been made for the NCAA tourney: GO ILLINI!! (At least for the NCAA tourney)

 

[nikimsu2002]

Michigan State is expected to make it. Although I think the women will go farther. Big Ten Champs!

And how about the school from my hometown: Oakland University. Pretty good for a team like that. There's been a lot of excitement around town this week.

 

[FanofDinsey1981]

The passing of Weber's mother was such an eye opener. Everyone has been so caught up in the excitement of such an amazing year, that reality had to stop us to remind us that it is only a game. I can tell you from personal experience what a class act Coach Weber is, and how much he means to the entire staff. He has put forth his best efforts in everything he does, and i know that his mother had a big part in his attitude towards the game of basketball, and those that surround him in every day life. I think the collective heart of the illini nation broke yesterday when he fought back tears before the game.

On a brighter note, I had a good weekend watching all that the basketball world had to offer. I think most, if not all of the games the last few days have been close ones, and even a few buzzer-beaters. (how many of you felt SO BAD for the freshman from Memphis?! I was a little choked up after that game). I think the big dance is going to be fantastic to watch this year, I can't wait until Thursday!

 

[FanofDinsey1981]

Michigan State is expected to make it. Although I think the women will go farther. Big Ten Champs!

And how about the school from my hometown: Oakland University. Pretty good for a team like that. There's been a lot of excitement around town this week.

It was great seeing 5 teams from the Big Ten make it. I think MSU is going to have a tough time getting past possibly Syracuse and Duke, but if they play to their potential, I think they could give both of those teams a good game.

 

[nikimsu2002]

It was great seeing 5 teams from the Big Ten make it. I think MSU is going to have a tough time getting past possibly Syracuse and Duke, but if they play to their potential, I think they could give both of those teams a good game.

I agree. Hopefully they won't choke and miss all their free throws like they did against Iowa. And hopefully Oakland will win the play in game and be able to be one of the 64 teams. That would be a HUGE deal for that school.

 

[imagineer99]

Personally, I think MSU can go quite far.

Duke lacks inside presence--something that MSU really can capitalize on. Of all the number 1 seeds, I think Duke actually might be the most "beatable" (although they certainly are no pushover). We shall see.

 

[FanofDinsey1981]

Duke lacks inside presence--something that MSU really can capitalize on. Of all the number 1 seeds, I think Duke actually might be the most "beatable" (although they certainly are no pushover). We shall see.

agreed. if Reddick has one bad game, Duke is done. I think the key is going inside, Duke's big men tend to foul a lot. Get them out of the game early. Double team reddick, force him away from the three point line. Dont let him get open shots.

For some reason MSU wasn't the only terrible free throw shooting team at hte Big Ten tourney. Illinois was horrible from the line, something that has been very consistant for them all year. I have no doubt that the team will be doing a TON of free throws at practice today. During the NW-Illini game, they combined for 51 percent at the line. that is horrible!

 

[disneymoc]

I feel like exorcising a demon. :fork:

GO MOCS.

 

[MKCP 1985]

My alma mater is in - Miss State U. If your team is not in the tournament, feel free to pull for these Bulldogs, as there is plenty of room on the bandwagon. There is a story in the Wall Street Journal today about the last MSU (that's MISSISSIPPI State U in this context!) team to make the final four and what became of them. You would be surprised to know that most of them actually earned a bachelor's degree. That's right - Student Athletes!

Anyway, good luck everybody. I'm not going to talk any trash. As a #9 seed, MSU will be an underdog from the first game on, but that means we have nothing to lose!

 

[disneymoc]

I'm not going to talk any trash. As a #9 seed, MSU will be an underdog from the first game on, but that means we have nothing to lose!

Do you think I have room to talk trash? Chattanooga is a 15 seed. :lol:

 

[imagineer99]

GW is a 12...going up against Georgia Tech

*gulp*

 

[JBSLJames]

UK drew a 2 seed. I assume the loss to Florida in the SEC title game ruined their shot at the last #1 seed. Intersting thing here is the possible 2nd round match-up with the Bearcats of Cincinnati. It's just about all the local stations are talking about. Of course UK has to get by Eastern and UC has to beat Iowa. Still, it could happen. Not the kind of "Cat Fight" I would have hoped to see, but still, it should be a good game.

 

[GenerationX]

Wow, lots of upsets in the first week of games. Alabama, Boston College, Gonzaga, Wake Forest, Kansas, U Conn, Syracuse, and Oklahoma ... all gone. That Wake Forest/West Virginia game was a good one. I'm sorry about your Colonials and Mocs, imagineer99 and disneymoc. MKCP 1985 - You guys ran with Duke the whole way.

At least Illinois and Kentucky won.

Illinois vs. UW-Milw is an interesting match-up. The UW-Milw coach, back when he was an assistant at Iowa, is the one who recorded conversations with Illinois recruit Deon Thomas. He turned them in to the NCAA, and Illinois got into some trouble. The Allstate Arena may be geographically closer to Milwaukee than Champaign, but I'm confident the stadium will be a sea of orange for the game.

 

[imagineer99]

yeah...what can ya' do?

I actually picked West Va. to upset Wake. West Va. has been surprising me all season!

Personally, I gotta to stick with my Dad's alma matter now, Michigan State. BEAT DUKE!

 

[MKCP 1985]

MKCP 1985 - You guys ran with Duke the whole way.

Thanks, yeah we had a fun weekend playing with the big boys. I was proud that we made a game of it, and that sonic boom you heard yesterday afternoon came from my house when we actually took the lead (briefly) in the second half! :lol:

Good luck to the Sweet 16 - enjoy the ride!

 

[FanofDinsey1981]

Illinois vs. UW-Milw is an interesting match-up. The UW-Milw coach, back when he was an assistant at Iowa, is the one who recorded conversations with Illinois recruit Deon Thomas. He turned them in to the NCAA, and Illinois got into some trouble. The Allstate Arena may be geographically closer to Milwaukee than Champaign, but I'm confident the stadium will be a sea of orange for the game.

That is so funny, (not funny haha...but funny the other funny....)that we were just talking about that whole situation here in the office. Most of the secretaries here were with the dept back in the 90's, and remember the situation really well. (I on the other hand, was still in grade school). There is a lot of bitterness about it all, though something good did come out of it. our compliance dept is top notch, and hopefully will be our defense against anything that would happen like that again.

And another note, Bruce Weber's alma mater is UW-Milwaukee.

 

[nikimsu2002]

Personally, I gotta to stick with my Dad's alma matter now, Michigan State. BEAT DUKE!

WOOO-HOOO! State won! They beat Duke! Best game I've seen all season and I had season tickets so I saw some good ones. Now we just have to beat Kentucky on Sunday. I need to make sure I'm back on campus before the game ends in case anything happens like what happened the last time we made it this far and lost in the Elite 8. Riots all over campus.

And the MSU women are in the Sweet 16 too! Such an exciting time to be a Spartan!

 

[imagineer99]

It was a GREAT game. Both teams played well--MSU just got the edge.

I was so excited, when they one. I hope they make it to the final four!

 

[Dwarful]

Whooo hooooo...fightin' Illini fought til the end .....and WON!!!! my husband and his best friend went across the river over into St.Louis to watch the game w/a big rowdy crowd and ended up on tv....(ok don't ask why they had to leave Illinois to watch Illinois) but anyway....Kiel Center here we come!!!!!