Bear Down Wildcats

ASUHATER! wrote:

Spaceman Spiff wrote:

Newportcat wrote:This is such a weird feeling

Not even going to do a bracket this year

It will be sort of nice not having to care. I'm usually nervous about how our future matchups look. This year, I feel like I can just watch and enjoy.

Other than Duke and ASU losing, I don't care about any of the other 66 teams.

Agree. Duke is the favorite but there are like 10 teams that could win it. As long as ASU loses early and Duke gets knocked out in the sweet 16 or earlier, there's nothing else to really watch for or care about.

Maybe it's my Duke hating glasses, but I don't get them as this tremendous favorite. They're an iffy 3 point shooting team and lack depth.

A bad shooting night, injury or foul trouble are all big issues for them. Now, it is Duke, so foul trouble is unlikely, but the remainder makes it fairly wide open. Duke can overwhelm midlevel teams with Zion, Jones, Barrett and Reddish's physicality, but a real top level team isn't nearly as clear.

I saw Duke play for the 1st time in ACC semi final game.

My thinking prior to that game was that Zion was another overhyped ESPN slobberfest of a Duke player.

I was wrong.... he is the real deal.

I fear a deep run for Duke.

Think its funny to see ASSU fans here at the office roll in with ASSU as the champion. I like North Carolina better than Duke and I also like Michigan should they see each other.

How good is buffalo, generally the same team they beat up last year right?

CalStateTempe wrote:How good is buffalo, generally the same team they beat up last year right?

Haven't seen them play but they've been ranked all year.

I'm a big St. John's and Justin Simon fan this week. I hope he owns Remy Martin or Lugentz Dort. I don't just want ASU to lose. I want them to get their asses beaten in.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basket ... acketology" target="_blank

Irish27 wrote:http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basket ... acketology

So Arizona will be borderline NIT next year. Joe knows something I can't fathom.

IMNSHO, most way-too-early pre-season polls merely operationalize the "What have you done for me lately?" perspective....

There's zero reason to look at next season polls / projections prior to the Draft deadline.

YoDeFoe wrote:There's zero reason to look at next season polls / projections prior to the Draft deadline.

Exactly. Several of the projected top 10 could be losing key players.

Also, do we know for certain that CJ and BW are returning?

YoDeFoe wrote:There's zero reason to look at next season polls / projections prior to the Draft deadline.

I'm with you here. However, after the year we just went through it's nice to see that the talking heads believe we bounce back and this year was all an aberation.

azgreg wrote:

YoDeFoe wrote:There's zero reason to look at next season polls / projections prior to the Draft deadline.

I'm with you here. However, after the year we just went through it's nice to see that the talking heads believe we bounce back and this year was all an aberation.

I think our 2019-20 roster is much more akin to those Miller's had in his best years at AZ, so it's reasonable to expect a top 25 ranking to start the season. Say what you will about Miller, but when he has good teams, he wins his league and gets to the S16 or better.

You're going to see the hype machine gather steam as the fall approaches. We've got some flashy, talented players on this team. Future pros.

Beachcat97 wrote:

azgreg wrote:

YoDeFoe wrote:There's zero reason to look at next season polls / projections prior to the Draft deadline.

I'm with you here. However, after the year we just went through it's nice to see that the talking heads believe we bounce back and this year was all an aberation.

I think our 2019-20 roster is much more akin to those Miller's had in his best years at AZ, so it's reasonable to expect a top 25 ranking to start the season. Say what you will about Miller, but when he has good teams, he wins his league and gets to the S16 or better.

You're going to see the hype machine gather steam as the fall approaches. We've got some flashy, talented players on this team. Future pros.

We're getting 12-13 comparisons bc that was another year off no tourney appearance with a highly touted recruiting class.

I feel like this year results in a much more balanced roster, though. We had a glut of PF/C's in 2012-13. This year's pure talent level matches well with 13-14 and 14-15, but those teams meshed and had people who performed to their talent.

Josh Green can be as good as Stanley Johnson or Rondae. Will he be? BWill, if healthy, I think he's good for 14 and 5, which comes close to NJ, at least. Nico, Jeter and Nnaji are more talented than TJ, Zeus and Ashley. Don't know if they'll be as productive.

I'd like to think next season's team will have better passers and shooters. '12-'13 was athletic, but not great shooting the ball. Mannion, Williams, and Green seem like better pure shooters.

zonagrad wrote:I'd like to think next season's team will have better passers and shooters. '12-'13 was athletic, but not great shooting the ball. Mannion, Williams, and Green seem like better pure shooters.

Man I hope you're right. Feel like it's been a while since we had even one lethal outside shooter. We've had guys shoot in the 40s from 3, but I'm talking about a Salim or Gardner type. You gotta have that lights out shooter to draw defenders out, open up the middle. UVA and Tech were both very good three-point shooting teams, and very good defensively. Watching that game, I felt like: this is what a Miller team hitting on all cylinders could look like.

zonagrad wrote:I'd like to think next season's team will have better passers and shooters. '12-'13 was athletic, but not great shooting the ball. Mannion, Williams, and Green seem like better pure shooters.

We really had no distributors in 12-13. We have two this year and unselfish guys at basically every position (if Randolph can stop with bad shots, that would help).

In 12-13, I also thought we never fully figured out who we were as a team. That process is big this year. We didn't suck in 12-13, though. We could have made the Final Four if things broke a little differently. For once, Zaga cleared a path by being upset as the #1 seed.

http://m.espn.com/ncb/bracketology?src=desktop" target="_blank

Irish27 wrote:http://m.espn.com/ncb/bracketology?src=desktop

Jump from an 11 seed play in game to a 4 seed? Man, Lunardi must really love Max Hazzard's commitment!

Even Joe knows that both Miller and this class aren't going anywhere.

4 seed sounds about right for this team.

StickItInTheyFace wrote:

Irish27 wrote:http://m.espn.com/ncb/bracketology?src=desktop

Jump from an 11 seed play in game to a 4 seed? Man, Lunardi must really love Max Hazzard's commitment!

Even Joe knows that both Miller and this class aren't going anywhere.

Or Randolph's absence from the roster. Addition by subtraction. You can't be a volume shooter at a 23% clip in conference play if you're not on the team. Or maybe Joe has inside info that Dylan Smith will not return. That's a lot of bad shooting departing from last season.

Beachcat97 wrote:4 seed sounds about right for this team.

Crap!! That really sucks!!!

What the hell has a 4 seed ever accomplished anyway!!!

zonagrad wrote:

StickItInTheyFace wrote:

Irish27 wrote:http://m.espn.com/ncb/bracketology?src=desktop

Jump from an 11 seed play in game to a 4 seed? Man, Lunardi must really love Max Hazzard's commitment!

Even Joe knows that both Miller and this class aren't going anywhere.

Or Randolph's absence from the roster. Addition by subtraction. You can't be a volume shooter at a 23% clip in conference play if you're not on the team. Or maybe Joe has inside info that Dylan Smith will not return. That's a lot of bad shooting departing from last season.

Joe Lunardi having inside information, or an educated opinion, about a team is a hoot.

pc in NM wrote:

Beachcat97 wrote:4 seed sounds about right for this team.

Crap!! That really sucks!!!

What the hell has a 4 seed ever accomplished anyway!!!

Remember what we did in 17-18 as a 4 seed? Oh wait.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-baske ... cketology/" target="_blank

Irish27 wrote:https://www.cbssports.com/college-baske ... cketology/

4 Pac teams? Did I miss any?

Chicat wrote:

Irish27 wrote:https://www.cbssports.com/college-baske ... cketology/

4 Pac teams? Did I miss any?

Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, Washington... with ASU as one of the first four out. I'm on board with that projection though either or both of USC and UCLA could surprise.

YoDeFoe wrote:

Chicat wrote:

Irish27 wrote:https://www.cbssports.com/college-baske ... cketology/

4 Pac teams? Did I miss any?

Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, Washington... with ASU as one of the first four out. I'm on board with that projection though either or both of USC and UCLA could surprise.

I'm gonna be so upset if ASU doesn't get to and lose the play-in game again.

I likey!!

Who’s gonna take the weekend off and come party with me in Sacramento!!!

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basket ... acketology" target="_blank

I don’t take links to that site.

F ESPIN!!!

https://www.cbssports.com/college-baske ... cketology/" target="_blank

Irish27 wrote:https://www.cbssports.com/college-baske ... cketology/

Anybody here get a slight headache from the theoretical prospect of facing Wisky again?

ghostwhitehorse wrote:

Irish27 wrote:https://www.cbssports.com/college-baske ... cketology/

Anybody here get a slight headache from the theoretical prospect of facing Wisky again?

Naw, not anymore than facing Xavier...different year different teams.

Frank is in Phx now...as long as Miller teaches the Cats to REALLY guard the perimeter I'm not anxious about anyone this season...hopefully our length and now our experience can muscle up the D.

ghostwhitehorse wrote:

Irish27 wrote:https://www.cbssports.com/college-baske ... cketology/

Anybody here get a slight headache from the theoretical prospect of facing Wisky again?

I've got a slight headache from any amount of "bracketology" that happens before the tail end of conference play. It's obnoxiously "out of the moment."

(Yes, this is coming from someone who spends all summer projecting the performance of our players like it has any bearing on what they'll do when the season starts.)

WEST REGION
Sacramento

5 Memphis
12 LIBERTY

4 ARIZONA
13 NEW MEXICO ST

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basket ... acketology

If we end up as low as a 4 seed, Longhorned will stop wearing pants.

I just bought a bottle of crazy naked person pills.

97cats wrote:WEST REGION
Sacramento

5 Memphis
12 LIBERTY

4 ARIZONA
13 NEW MEXICO ST

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basket ... acketology

Bring it.

I want Arizona in Sacramento

The better the PAC performs in OOC, the better the chances for some high seeds.

We're barely a top twenty team but also a projected four seed. Neat.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basket ... acketology" target="_blank

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basket ... acketology" target="_blank

Irish27 wrote:http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basket ... acketology

If we beat Baylor and Zaga, we're moving up to the 2 line.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basket ... acketology" target="_blank

1. Ohio State

5. North Carolina
4. Arizona

I don't think we can afford to be a #4 seed this year and make a run but I don't think we can climb higher than a #3 seed.

We need to beat Gonzaga and St Johns I think to have a hope of staying out west. I think the committee sticks us in Louisville’s bracket otherwise. They just look to be the best team in college basketball right now and if the NCAA can’t stick it to us the committee will

azcat49 wrote:We need to beat Gonzaga and St Johns I think to have a hope of staying out west. I think the committee sticks us in Louisville’s bracket otherwise. They just look to be the best team in college basketball right now and if the NCAA can’t stick it to us the committee will

Agree completely. Actually, I think it's really just Gonzaga at this point. We could conceivably win that one, lose to St. John's, finish first or second in the Pac, and end up with a 3 seed, imo. And this assumes we get some wins over ranked Pac teams.

The Gonzaga game is our one remaining chance for a "signature win." A win would pay huge dividends on Selection Sunday; a loss would make it easier for the committee to downgrade our seed, almost regardless of our Pac finish.

Yep, a huge game as they have beat both Oregon and Washington. No reason to keep us west unless we win the league if we lose this Saturday

azcat49 wrote:Yep, a huge game as they have beat both Oregon and Washington. No reason to keep us west unless we win the league if we lose this Saturday

So basically...no pressure, guys