2019 NCAA Tournament Game Thread

CatMG · Post by **CatMG** » Sat Apr 06, 2019 5:13 pm

That is a painful loss for Auburn....brutal

UAEebs86 · Post by **UAEebs86** » Sat Apr 06, 2019 5:16 pm

84Cat wrote:Tough call on Auburn

I thought it was the correct call though. Bodied a guy who was in the air, could have come down awkward and gotten hurt. Tough for the kid but he got too close.

84Cat · Post by **84Cat** » Sat Apr 06, 2019 5:18 pm

UAEebs86 wrote:
84Cat wrote:Tough call on Auburn

I thought it was the correct call though. Bodied a guy who was in the air, could have come down awkward and gotten hurt. Tough for the kid but he got too close.

Absolutely the correct call. Too bad they missed the double dribble the prior play

pc in NM · Post by **pc in NM** » Sat Apr 06, 2019 5:18 pm

Totally fucking screwed by the refs. As bad as the bail-out of Duke in the second round....

dovecanyoncat · Post by **dovecanyoncat** » Sat Apr 06, 2019 5:20 pm

Missed double dribble off the foot, but the foul called on the 3 pt. shot was righteous.

Frybry02 · Post by **Frybry02** » Sat Apr 06, 2019 5:28 pm

Correct call on the foul. Blatant missed double dribble

Chicat · Post by **Chicat** » Sat Apr 06, 2019 5:28 pm

Just a BRUTAL final sequence for Auburn.

pc in NM · Post by **pc in NM** » Sat Apr 06, 2019 5:32 pm

Frybry02 wrote:Correct call on the foul. Blatant missed double dribble

Before the double dribble, the ball went off his leg - turnover.

No excuse whatsoever for those two no calls....

CatMG · Post by **CatMG** » Sat Apr 06, 2019 5:52 pm

In hindsight, I wonder if the Auburn player wished he didn't foul....I imagine if Virginia was in the penalty, Virginia likely loses.

azgreg · Post by **azgreg** » Sat Apr 06, 2019 6:16 pm

Here's the double dribble. However, the refs also missed the call right before the ball went off Jerome's leg.

azcat49 · Post by **azcat49** » Sat Apr 06, 2019 6:21 pm

That call at the end was brutal IMO. It better be called all the time now instead of being passed on 99 times out of 100.

The double dribble was incredibly a terrible call

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Sat Apr 06, 2019 6:36 pm

You need luck to win in the tourney. Auburn tried to win on great effort and execution alone.

Macho Grande · Post by **Macho Grande** » Sat Apr 06, 2019 7:03 pm

UAEebs86 · Post by **UAEebs86** » Sat Apr 06, 2019 7:29 pm

Sparty looks like crap

dovecanyoncat · Post by **dovecanyoncat** » Sat Apr 06, 2019 7:40 pm

Tech got grit. Go get 'em Tech. But Sparty gon give it a fight.

84Cat · Post by **84Cat** » Sat Apr 06, 2019 8:05 pm

Sayonara Sparty

azcat49 · Post by **azcat49** » Sat Apr 06, 2019 8:06 pm

Get your guns up for Tech on Monday (maybe they should rethink that rallying cry)

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Sat Apr 06, 2019 8:07 pm

yesssssss

Frybry02 · Post by **Frybry02** » Sat Apr 06, 2019 8:11 pm

So I guess defense wins.

CalStateTempe · Post by **CalStateTempe** » Sat Apr 06, 2019 8:15 pm

This is the final the people wanted.

Alieberman · Post by **Alieberman** » Sat Apr 06, 2019 8:21 pm

1st team to 10 wins on Monday night

azgreg · Post by **azgreg** » Sat Apr 06, 2019 8:28 pm

Alieberman wrote:1st team to 10 wins on Monday night

If Dick Tomey were a basketball coach.

U.P. Zona Fan · Post by **U.P. Zona Fan** » Sat Apr 06, 2019 9:48 pm

I love it when defense wins!!!!!!

Edit.

I called it...

Guy hits three free throws like a boss to force Auburn to hit something to win.

Good for the pack line!!!!!

Newportcat · Post by **Newportcat** » Sat Apr 06, 2019 10:33 pm

god college basketball is fucking ugly to watch nowadays

scumdevils86 · Post by **scumdevils86** » Sat Apr 06, 2019 10:48 pm

Dang, Texas Tech eh? First NCAA tournament I haven't watched a single minute of in about 20 years. End of an era.

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Sat Apr 06, 2019 10:58 pm

I was disappointed in the first three rounds but it’s been awesome since. Great games, enthralling to watch.

catgrad97 · Post by **catgrad97** » Sun Apr 07, 2019 7:25 am

Packline wins championships. Tony Bennett just got there before Sean Miller.

(Yes, I am calling it now. Safest bet of the tournament.)

CalStateTempe · Post by **CalStateTempe** » Sun Apr 07, 2019 8:01 am

Bennett recruits the right players for his system and they stick around.

Hats off to him.

84Cat · Post by **84Cat** » Sun Apr 07, 2019 12:47 pm

He also has some nice 3 point shooters to open up the offense

SCCats · Post by **SCCats** » Sun Apr 07, 2019 2:38 pm

CalStateTempe wrote:Bennett recruits the right players for his system and they stick around.

Hats off to him.

If you want a funny exercise, go onto one of the Sean Miller threads or "This year" threads or whatever, and say there are ways to recruit other than just taking whatever 20-40th rated "one and done" players that want to come.

CalStateTempe · Post by **CalStateTempe** » Sun Apr 07, 2019 3:55 pm

Do what we do SCC...

Newportcat · Post by **Newportcat** » Sun Apr 07, 2019 5:05 pm

CalStateTempe wrote:Do what we do SCC...

Totally, feels like their is a path with the Packline but its with the way Tony Bennett has done it, not with one and dones

Will say packline does make college basketball almost unwatchable. Those games yesterday were fucking awful to watch

NBA games are so much more entertaining

Newportcat · Post by **Newportcat** » Mon Apr 08, 2019 5:25 am

https://www.wsj.com/articles/virginia-v ... ding_now_3" target="_blank

azgreg · Post by **azgreg** » Mon Apr 08, 2019 6:11 am

Newportcat wrote:https://www.wsj.com/articles/virginia-v ... ding_now_3

Absolutely has all the potential to be ugly. Can't wait. looking forward to seeing two teams play great defense. If I want to watch unlimited scoring I'll just watch a NBA All Star game.

ProfessorFate · Post by **ProfessorFate** » Mon Apr 08, 2019 7:02 am

azgreg wrote:
Newportcat wrote:https://www.wsj.com/articles/virginia-v ... ding_now_3
Absolutely has all the potential to be ugly. Can't wait. looking forward to seeing two teams play great defense. If I want to watch unlimited scoring I'll just watch a NBA All Star game.

Agree 100%. Those games Saturday were amazing. I wish Arizona teams played with that intensity on both ends of the court.

Newportcat · Post by **Newportcat** » Mon Apr 08, 2019 7:52 am

azgreg wrote:
Newportcat wrote:https://www.wsj.com/articles/virginia-v ... ding_now_3
Absolutely has all the potential to be ugly. Can't wait. looking forward to seeing two teams play great defense. If I want to watch unlimited scoring I'll just watch a NBA All Star game.

No thank you personally, just boring as hell

I will be curious to see where ratings are for tonight

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Mon Apr 08, 2019 8:54 am

CalStateTempe wrote:Bennett recruits the right players for his system and they stick around.

Hats off to him.

Last year, it was Bennett plays a midmajor scheme that gets owned in the tourney.

This year, two miracles in a row and the narrative changes.

zonagrad · Post by **zonagrad** » Mon Apr 08, 2019 9:14 am

Spaceman Spiff wrote:
CalStateTempe wrote:Bennett recruits the right players for his system and they stick around.

Hats off to him.
Last year, it was Bennett plays a midmajor scheme that gets owned in the tourney.

This year, two miracles in a row and the narrative changes.

The luck Virginia has had the last two games is unprecedented. Purdue makes a FT, game over. Purdue grabs a defensive rebound on a missed FT, game over. Virginia doesn't come up with loose ball in back-court cleanly: game over. Virginia misses desperation jumper at the buzzer: game over.

Refs call an obvious double-dribble: game over.
Refs swallow their whistle on controversial foul: game over.

There should be a giant asterisk next to Virginia.

The funny thing is, when Virginia lost last year to 16-seeded UMBC there was no luck involved. No last second shot. No missed FTs that allowed UMBC to steal the game from a #1 seed. Virginia just flat out got their ass kicked in the second half. The game was over with 8 minutes left.

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Mon Apr 08, 2019 9:20 am

zonagrad wrote:
Spaceman Spiff wrote:
CalStateTempe wrote:Bennett recruits the right players for his system and they stick around.

Hats off to him.
Last year, it was Bennett plays a midmajor scheme that gets owned in the tourney.

This year, two miracles in a row and the narrative changes.
The luck Virginia has had the last two games is unprecedented. Purdue makes a FT, game over. Purdue grabs a defensive rebound on a missed FT, game over. Virginia doesn't come up with loose ball in back-court cleanly: game over. Virginia misses desperation jumper at the buzzer: game over.

Refs call an obvious double-dribble: game over.
Refs swallow their whistle on controversial foul: game over.

There should be a giant asterisk next to Virginia.

The funny thing is, when Virginia lost last year to 16-seeded UMBC there was no luck involved. No last second shot. No missed FTs that allowed UMBC to steal the game from a #1 seed. Virginia just flat out got their ass kicked in the second half. The game was over with 8 minutes left.

For me, UVA's run this year just proves how fickle luck is in the tourney. They had two straight games where they would lose 9 of 10 times and won both.

In fairness to UVA, their PG made an incredible pass vs Purdue and Guy hit some cold blooded shots vs Auburn. UVA made plays to win both games, and also got a boatload of luck.

Beachcat97 · Post by **Beachcat97** » Mon Apr 08, 2019 9:27 am

Spaceman Spiff wrote:For me, UVA's run this year just proves how fickle luck is in the tourney. They had two straight games where they would lose 9 of 10 times and won both.

Bingo. Which is why as time has passed, my respect for Miller's body of work at AZ has deepened. If Miller gets the same luck Bennett has had this year, he's possibly got two FFs and maybe a NC.

You want a coach who can keep you positioned to *catch* some of that March magic, which means being in the tourney every year and getting your team to peak at the end of the season. Bennett has been doing this lately, which is why he's here.

zonagrad · Post by **zonagrad** » Mon Apr 08, 2019 9:54 am

Beachcat97 wrote:
Spaceman Spiff wrote:For me, UVA's run this year just proves how fickle luck is in the tourney. They had two straight games where they would lose 9 of 10 times and won both.
Bingo. Which is why as time has passed, my respect for Miller's body of work at AZ has deepened. If Miller gets the same luck Bennett has had this year, he's possibly got two FFs and maybe a NC.

You want a coach who can keep you positioned to *catch* some of that March magic, which means being in the tourney every year and getting your team to peak at the end of the season. Bennett has been doing this lately, which is why he's here.

That's what fans need to understand. The last few years, Miller's teams have over performed during the regular season and conference tourney even though they were a bit flawed. Those flaws get exposed quickly in a one and done setting. To me, it's incredible that Arizona won the conference regular season and tourney with PJC at the point. Buffalo attacked us out front and dismantled PJC. No other Pac 12 teams figured that out and most had two cracks at us.

NYCat · Post by **NYCat** » Mon Apr 08, 2019 10:17 am

zonagrad wrote:
Beachcat97 wrote:
Spaceman Spiff wrote:For me, UVA's run this year just proves how fickle luck is in the tourney. They had two straight games where they would lose 9 of 10 times and won both.
Bingo. Which is why as time has passed, my respect for Miller's body of work at AZ has deepened. If Miller gets the same luck Bennett has had this year, he's possibly got two FFs and maybe a NC.

You want a coach who can keep you positioned to *catch* some of that March magic, which means being in the tourney every year and getting your team to peak at the end of the season. Bennett has been doing this lately, which is why he's here.
That's what fans need to understand. The last few years, Miller's teams have over performed during the regular season and conference tourney even though they were a bit flawed. Those flaws get exposed quickly in a one and done setting. To me, it's incredible that Arizona won the conference regular season and tourney with PJC at the point. Buffalo attacked us out front and dismantled PJC. No other Pac 12 teams figured that out and most had two cracks at us.

I kept track of all the advanced statistical rankings (kenpom, bpi, sargarin, kpi, etc) of the Lauri & Ayton teams, and despite being top 5, top 10 ranked they were always ranked in the mid 20s to low 30s in the advanced rankings. Those teams should've been seeded 5-7. The Lauri year especially despite Arizona being top 5 in the AP for a huge portion of the year, wasn't that good in the advanced metrics. And Arizona fans thought it was bad that Arizona was seeded 4, but that was actually generous.

The conference was bad so that helped Arizona rack up wins and be highly ranked in the AP, but those teams were above average teams. They weren't like '14 & '15 teams.

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Mon Apr 08, 2019 10:24 am

NYCat wrote:
zonagrad wrote:
Beachcat97 wrote:
Spaceman Spiff wrote:For me, UVA's run this year just proves how fickle luck is in the tourney. They had two straight games where they would lose 9 of 10 times and won both.
Bingo. Which is why as time has passed, my respect for Miller's body of work at AZ has deepened. If Miller gets the same luck Bennett has had this year, he's possibly got two FFs and maybe a NC.

You want a coach who can keep you positioned to *catch* some of that March magic, which means being in the tourney every year and getting your team to peak at the end of the season. Bennett has been doing this lately, which is why he's here.
That's what fans need to understand. The last few years, Miller's teams have over performed during the regular season and conference tourney even though they were a bit flawed. Those flaws get exposed quickly in a one and done setting. To me, it's incredible that Arizona won the conference regular season and tourney with PJC at the point. Buffalo attacked us out front and dismantled PJC. No other Pac 12 teams figured that out and most had two cracks at us.
I kept track of all the advanced statistical rankings (kenpom, bpi, sargarin, kpi, etc) of the Lauri & Ayton teams, and despite being top 5, top 10 ranked they were always ranked in the mid 20s to low 30s in the advanced rankings. Those teams should've been seeded 5-7 seeds.

The conference was bad so that helped Arizona rack up wins and be highly ranked in the AP, but those teams were above average teams.

Yes on the Ayton team. Lauri's year, we were legit. We beat Oregon in the P12 tourney just before they made a Final Four run.

Lauri's year, our advanced stats were dragged down by the midseason stretch where Trier and PJC were both out. We were super shorthanded for a few weeks.

Beachcat97 · Post by **Beachcat97** » Mon Apr 08, 2019 10:27 am

NYCat wrote:The conference was bad so that helped Arizona rack up wins and be highly ranked in the AP, but those teams were above average teams. They weren't like '14 & '15 teams.

Even without the advanced metrics, those more recent teams didn't appear as strong as the '14 and '15 teams.

Some would be quick to point out that TJ (an elite PG) was the difference. It's funny how PG somehow always remains the most important position on the team.

NYCat · Post by **NYCat** » Mon Apr 08, 2019 10:56 am

Spaceman Spiff wrote:
NYCat wrote:
zonagrad wrote:
Beachcat97 wrote:
Spaceman Spiff wrote:For me, UVA's run this year just proves how fickle luck is in the tourney. They had two straight games where they would lose 9 of 10 times and won both.
Bingo. Which is why as time has passed, my respect for Miller's body of work at AZ has deepened. If Miller gets the same luck Bennett has had this year, he's possibly got two FFs and maybe a NC.

You want a coach who can keep you positioned to *catch* some of that March magic, which means being in the tourney every year and getting your team to peak at the end of the season. Bennett has been doing this lately, which is why he's here.
That's what fans need to understand. The last few years, Miller's teams have over performed during the regular season and conference tourney even though they were a bit flawed. Those flaws get exposed quickly in a one and done setting. To me, it's incredible that Arizona won the conference regular season and tourney with PJC at the point. Buffalo attacked us out front and dismantled PJC. No other Pac 12 teams figured that out and most had two cracks at us.
I kept track of all the advanced statistical rankings (kenpom, bpi, sargarin, kpi, etc) of the Lauri & Ayton teams, and despite being top 5, top 10 ranked they were always ranked in the mid 20s to low 30s in the advanced rankings. Those teams should've been seeded 5-7 seeds.

The conference was bad so that helped Arizona rack up wins and be highly ranked in the AP, but those teams were above average teams.
Yes on the Ayton team. Lauri's year, we were legit. We beat Oregon in the P12 tourney just before they made a Final Four run.

Lauri's year, our advanced stats were dragged down by the midseason stretch where Trier and PJC were both out. We were super shorthanded for a few weeks.

Disagree, Arizona was always the weakest of the 3 top 5 pac 12 teams (UCLA, Oregon, Arizona) that year in the advanced rankings. Miller deserves a lot of credit for managing to get a co championship with Oregon in the regular season.

Part of the problem was the team wasn't elite on either side of the ball. UCLA was elite on one side of the ball. Oregon was more balanced and better offense/defense ranking. Arizona's strength was offense but wasn't top 20 in kenpom and the defense was ranked 28+, not elite at one thing and not as good as Oregon's.

All 3 teams were at one point 25-3 and ranked #4, #5, #6 in the AP, they all did by beating and otherwise weak ass conference. Just because Arizona beat Oregon (Oregon also was without Brooks iirc) later doesn't mean anything, they still weren't top 20 in the advanced metrics across the board. That offense with Lauri wasn't elite enough to carry the sub par defense, which is how Arizona actually lost - couldn't stop Blueitt and JP sleeves.

(That thing of not being elite on one side of the ball or being really good on both sides was also the curse of the Ayton team. Not good enough/elite enough offensively and sub par defense.)

Oregon was the better team that Lauri year and that's why they went further.

NYCat · Post by **NYCat** » Mon Apr 08, 2019 11:08 am

Btw the big 12 hasn't won the 'chip despite being really tough for a while now. I wonder if they're going to win one today. I honestly have a huge respect for Self, he's done an incredible job and probably could've keep the streak going if his teams were at full strength. In a way, I see a similar career path from Miller. Win some conference titles, a slew of early NCAA exits, once in a while make a FF

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Mon Apr 08, 2019 12:12 pm

NYCat wrote:
Spaceman Spiff wrote:
NYCat wrote:
zonagrad wrote:
Beachcat97 wrote:Bingo. Which is why as time has passed, my respect for Miller's body of work at AZ has deepened. If Miller gets the same luck Bennett has had this year, he's possibly got two FFs and maybe a NC.

You want a coach who can keep you positioned to *catch* some of that March magic, which means being in the tourney every year and getting your team to peak at the end of the season. Bennett has been doing this lately, which is why he's here.
That's what fans need to understand. The last few years, Miller's teams have over performed during the regular season and conference tourney even though they were a bit flawed. Those flaws get exposed quickly in a one and done setting. To me, it's incredible that Arizona won the conference regular season and tourney with PJC at the point. Buffalo attacked us out front and dismantled PJC. No other Pac 12 teams figured that out and most had two cracks at us.
I kept track of all the advanced statistical rankings (kenpom, bpi, sargarin, kpi, etc) of the Lauri & Ayton teams, and despite being top 5, top 10 ranked they were always ranked in the mid 20s to low 30s in the advanced rankings. Those teams should've been seeded 5-7 seeds.

The conference was bad so that helped Arizona rack up wins and be highly ranked in the AP, but those teams were above average teams.
Yes on the Ayton team. Lauri's year, we were legit. We beat Oregon in the P12 tourney just before they made a Final Four run.

Lauri's year, our advanced stats were dragged down by the midseason stretch where Trier and PJC were both out. We were super shorthanded for a few weeks.
Disagree, Arizona was always the weakest of the 3 top 5 pac 12 teams (UCLA, Oregon, Arizona) that year in the advanced rankings. Miller deserves a lot of credit for managing to get a co championship with Oregon in the regular season.

Part of the problem was the team wasn't elite on either side of the ball. UCLA was elite on one side of the ball. Oregon was more balanced and better offense/defense ranking. Arizona's strength was offense but wasn't top 20 in kenpom and the defense was ranked 28+, not elite at one thing and not as good as Oregon's.

All 3 teams were at one point 25-3 and ranked #4, #5, #6 in the AP, they all did by beating and otherwise weak ass conference. Just because Arizona beat Oregon (Oregon also was without Brooks iirc) later doesn't mean anything, they still weren't top 20 in the advanced metrics across the board. That offense with Lauri wasn't elite enough to carry the sub par defense, which is how Arizona actually lost - couldn't stop Blueitt and JP sleeves.

(That thing of not being elite on one side of the ball or being really good on both sides was also the curse of the Ayton team. Not good enough/elite enough offensively and sub par defense.)

Oregon was the better team that Lauri year and that's why they went further.

We were 15th offensively and 28th defensively. Oregon was 17th offensively and 17th defensively.

I can see the argument Oregon was better, but it was not a particularly large gap, and as I said, they played a full roster all year. UCLA lost to Kentucky, who took the eventual national champ to the wire in the Elite Eight. They weren't a pretender, either.

I don't think 28th nationally is subpar D. We controlled most of the Xavier game and farted away the end. It wasn't necessarily a whole lot deeper than that, and Rawle's broken finger.

loomer · Post by **loomer** » Mon Apr 08, 2019 1:15 pm

Spaceman Spiff wrote:
NYCat wrote:
zonagrad wrote:
Beachcat97 wrote:
Spaceman Spiff wrote:For me, UVA's run this year just proves how fickle luck is in the tourney. They had two straight games where they would lose 9 of 10 times and won both.
Bingo. Which is why as time has passed, my respect for Miller's body of work at AZ has deepened. If Miller gets the same luck Bennett has had this year, he's possibly got two FFs and maybe a NC.

You want a coach who can keep you positioned to *catch* some of that March magic, which means being in the tourney every year and getting your team to peak at the end of the season. Bennett has been doing this lately, which is why he's here.
That's what fans need to understand. The last few years, Miller's teams have over performed during the regular season and conference tourney even though they were a bit flawed. Those flaws get exposed quickly in a one and done setting. To me, it's incredible that Arizona won the conference regular season and tourney with PJC at the point. Buffalo attacked us out front and dismantled PJC. No other Pac 12 teams figured that out and most had two cracks at us.
I kept track of all the advanced statistical rankings (kenpom, bpi, sargarin, kpi, etc) of the Lauri & Ayton teams, and despite being top 5, top 10 ranked they were always ranked in the mid 20s to low 30s in the advanced rankings. Those teams should've been seeded 5-7 seeds.

The conference was bad so that helped Arizona rack up wins and be highly ranked in the AP, but those teams were above average teams.
Yes on the Ayton team. Lauri's year, we were legit. We beat Oregon in the P12 tourney just before they made a Final Four run.

Lauri's year, our advanced stats were dragged down by the midseason stretch where Trier and PJC were both out. We were super shorthanded for a few weeks.

Even after those two came back we were still mired in the low 20's nationally. That was the most efficient year for the sport in KenPom history. So in a abnormally strong year that was about what our ceiling was. 2017 was one of Miller's better coaching jobs in his tenure here.

loomer · Post by **loomer** » Mon Apr 08, 2019 1:29 pm

catgrad97 wrote:Packline wins championships. Tony Bennett just got there before Sean Miller.

(Yes, I am calling it now. Safest bet of the tournament.)

Virginia and Texas Tech both play the packline. Bennett is using the traditional "no baseline" packline while Beard is running a more modern "no middle" packline. It will be interesting to see which one prevails.

azgreg · Post by **azgreg** » Mon Apr 08, 2019 2:47 pm

loomer wrote:
catgrad97 wrote:Packline wins championships. Tony Bennett just got there before Sean Miller.

(Yes, I am calling it now. Safest bet of the tournament.)
Virginia and Texas Tech both play the packline. Bennett is using the traditional "no baseline" packline while Beard is running a more modern "no middle" packline. It will be interesting to see which one prevails.

Meanwhile Arizona played the "no defense" packline.

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