Who's the surprise team that could win the NCAA tournament?

[KVB]

When it comes down to it, the rest of the team might have to matter.

Talent that won't be in the tourney is worth noting.

UCLA is scrappy, they played Zona tight in the Pac 12 tourney without Jaylen Clark. He played all season and was the Pac 12 Defensive Player of the year and is a Naismith Finalist.

That's a few steals a game they no longer have. That alone can be huge. I am having difficulty trying to figure out just how much it matters, as we thought he'd be back for the Big Dance.

One thing we know, it matters. The team does matter, even in basketball. I hear Goater, a baller in college that wants it will go far. For UCLA, they have a decent starting 5 so it's tough to judge, but I'm sure it will show up at one point. I think they should beat Gonzaga, but it's a tougher task now.

Then there's Arizona, who isn't a bad team overall, they really are pretty good and maybe built for a tourney run. They have a 6'11 Lithuanian, need I say more?? lol

If Zona decides to run pick and rolls, who can stop them? There is nobody that can guard Azuolas Tubelis in a pick and roll situation. They hack him, he draws tons of fouls, but he can get in foul trouble as well.

You bet your ass teams will be going at him, looking to force him to sit. That will make a big difference for Zona, a team one shouldn't underestimate.

[Goat Milk]

When it comes down to it, the rest of the team might have to matter.

Talent that won't be in the tourney is worth noting.

UCLA is scrappy, they played Zona tight in the Pac 12 tourney without Jaylen Clark. He played all season and was the Pac 12 Defensive Player of the year and is a Naismith Finalist.

That's a few steals a game they no longer have. That alone can be huge. I am having difficulty trying to figure out just how much it matters, as we thought he'd be back for the Big Dance.

One thing we know, it matters. The team does matter, even in basketball. I hear Goater, a baller in college that wants it will go far. For UCLA, they have a decent starting 5 so it's tough to judge, but I'm sure it will show up at one point. I think they should beat Gonzaga, but it's a tougher task now.

Then there's Arizona, who isn't a bad team overall, they really are pretty good and maybe built for a tourney run. They have a 6'11 Lithuanian, need I say more?? lol

If Zona decides to run pick and rolls, who can stop them? There is nobody that can guard Azuolas Tubelis in a pick and roll situation. They hack him, he draws tons of fouls, but he can get in foul trouble as well.

You bet your ass teams will be going at him, looking to force him to sit. That will make a big difference for Zona, a team one shouldn't underestimate.

In the times I've watched the tournament, which is rare, I've always found that it's the teams who are 1) talented, but not oh, this guy needs 3 years to develop, it's who's talented now. 2) guys that are two-way players. 3) guys who are hungry. 4) chemistry/comradarie

I'm looking into some of the teams you've named. I like teams that have no holes in the lineup. You can't look at a guy and say he's a liability. If a team only has 1 player that can create and make plays for others, and you shut that down, that's not gonna work. You can't just have a PG who's great surrounded by a few 3 pt shooters and 1 big, but the only guy who can actually get an assist is the PG. It's easy to shut that down if you're a good defensive team. You need multiple guys who can create their own shots and shots for others. You need multiple guys who can switch, defend, both on perimeter and in the post.

2009 UNC championship team for example:

50	SR	F	6-9	250	Poplar Bluff, MO	4 (2005)	20.7 Pts, 8.1 Reb, 1.0 Ast
22	JR	G	6-4	200	Wynnewood, PA	8 (2006)	15.8 Pts, 4.9 Reb, 2.7 Ast
5	JR	G	5-11	195	Clinton, MD	5 (2006)	16.6 Pts, 3.0 Reb, 6.6 Ast
14	SR	F	6-5	210	North Babylon, NY	15 (2005)	13.1 Pts, 4.7 Reb, 2.7 Ast

All of those guys went to the nba and had solid careers. All seasoned players on that team. All can do a little bit of everything. All hungry to win.

There is indeed a formula to winning an ncaa title. It doesn't always work out but those are the teams that get very far and have a chance to win it all.

Florida won b2b rings with Corey brewer, Noah, and Al Horford. All guys that had long NBA careers and were known as 2 way players in the NBA.

[jackpot269]

Huh? We just established that 5 seeds are 44-23 and 11 seeds are 46-44. Something here ain't right.

5 seeds would have nothing to do with 11 seeds in the first round. that stat I gave may be wrong heres another that starts in 2014

Since 2014, No. 11 seeds have beaten 6 seeds in 15-of-28 total first round matchups. That’s a 53.4% win rate for the supposed underdog. Even though 11 seeds haven’t been historically great in the first round, that trend has changed dramatically in recent years.

that would have been for 7 years starting with 2014

[KVB]

...Even Kendric Davis could get Kemba Walker dangerous, he's in Memphis. Memphis might play Purude, the winner of that could get far. Further, Memphis has DeAndre Williams, the forward. He's the oldest player in the whole dance this year...

I own Memphis at 80-1 odds.

I believe there is a good chance to build equity here. They will have their hands full in the first game against Florida Atl, no doubt.

They lost to Houston by a bucket on March 5th. They lost to Houston by 8, that was at Houston, on Feb 19th. They lost to Alabama on Dec 13th, at Alabama, 91-88, 3 points.

These are tough teams they are playing.

2 losses very early, and 2 losses in Jan and Feb in OT round the losses they have.

They've been tested against the best in the nation and not only were they not run out of their respective buildings, they took it down to a possession in one.

Memphis.

But this first game could be a doooooozy. They'd better not fukk around and find out, nomsayin'?

Just get past this round and Purdue could be waiting to get picked. If that happens, I have a lot of equity. I liked the math here and took 80-1 and even 75-1.

[KVB]

I only covered the losses with Memphis.

They beat Houston for the Conf Tourney title. One of the OT losses was to Tulane on Feb 4th, 89-90. They also lost to Tulane Jan 1st by 7. On Mar. 11th, they beat Tulane by 40 points, 94-54.

They avenged another one too. A double OT loss to UCF on Jan 11th was avenged in the tourney on March 10th.

They are in form and growing, it appears, but that first game could be tough one.

Memphis.

[JIBBBY]

UCLA or bust for me, not the big College hoop junky. March Madness is fun though with the brackets..

[KVB]

UCLA or bust for me, not the big College hoop junky. March Madness is fun though with the brackets..

No Jaylen Clark really, really sucks for the Bruins, and for the bettors. It's a low key perhaps underestimated injury, but it's tough to say how much.

[KVB]

...How about tonight, The Fairleigh Dickinson's guard, Grant Singleton, might get you the win tonight. He's sneaky good...

FDU handled the business, but it was much more of a team effort.

Now the shortest team in the tournament has to face one of the tallest athletes, in Purdue's Edey.

[Goat Milk]

I only covered the losses with Memphis.

They beat Houston for the Conf Tourney title. One of the OT losses was to Tulane on Feb 4th, 89-90. They also lost to Tulane Jan 1st by 7. On Mar. 11th, they beat Tulane by 40 points, 94-54.

They avenged another one too. A double OT loss to UCF on Jan 11th was avenged in the tourney on March 10th.

They are in form and growing, it appears, but that first game could be tough one.

Memphis.

Memphis is +12,500 on Barstool. I'll follow.

[d2bets]

I own Memphis at 80-1 odds.

I believe there is a good chance to build equity here. They will have their hands full in the first game against Florida Atl, no doubt.

They lost to Houston by a bucket on March 5th. They lost to Houston by 8, that was at Houston, on Feb 19th. They lost to Alabama on Dec 13th, at Alabama, 91-88, 3 points.

These are tough teams they are playing.

2 losses very early, and 2 losses in Jan and Feb in OT round the losses they have.

They've been tested against the best in the nation and not only were they not run out of their respective buildings, they took it down to a possession in one.

Memphis.

But this first game could be a doooooozy. They'd better not fukk around and find out, nomsayin'?

Just get past this round and Purdue could be waiting to get picked. If that happens, I have a lot of equity. I liked the math here and took 80-1 and even 75-1.

Not to brag (maybe a little) I took Memphis 200-1 for $500 while they were thrashing Houston. 1 of 5 teams to win 100k, but this is the most likely and the largest wager.

[lakerboy]

Memphis odds have dropped for sure but they might lose the first game.

[trytrytry]

asu

[d2bets]

Memphis odds have dropped for sure but they might lose the first game.

They might. I also liked FAU and them them 500-1 to win. But I think either of them can beat Purdue.

[Nate rasta]

TCU had a good path

[coop-dog]

san diego state kinda sparks my interest

[Al Masters]

TCU had a good path

Did they make it to the final four?

[homie1975]

I agree with KVer here

i really like Memphis. a ton

if they can get past a very game and talented FAU team and the end up vs Purdue, I really like the matchup especially at the guard and wing spots. Edey is a problem so have to throw their three big forwards at him for 15 fouls.

ANFERNEE PENNY HARDAWAY LFG

[Nate rasta]

Did they make it to the final four?

When?

[stevenash]

Texas A&M +5500
or
Iowa State + 6000

Call me a homer, I'm backing UConn +2100

[homie1975]

Texas A&M +5500
or
Iowa State + 6000

Call me a homer, I'm backing UConn +2100

i liked UCONN until i saw every damnn talking head on ESPN pick them to win that region.

i knew people in pools all over the country would be watching that,

so i went with GONZAGA in that region instead.


TEX A&M interesting. buzz williams a stud coach.

Iowa State? good chance to lose in Rd 1 or latest vs likely Xavier (if they beat Kennessaw) in Round 2.

Xavier advances to Sweet 16 is my guess

[KVB]

Ho-Lee Fook this Alabama team is pretty good.

[stevenash]

^
Hopefully Miller has a good tournament and figures out the NBA beau coup money life is better than the thug life that will inevitably cost him half of his life in prison, or death.

[kingdom]

Still waiting for one poster to discuss a contender's roster. Just reading general statements here about tough outs and trends. College basketball is usually dictated by the starting lineups. In the tournaments a lot of teams only have a 7 man rotation. It'd be so easy to cap this shit if I actually watched these snoozefest games.

there are no great players in college bb anymore. since the 1 and done, no good player stays 3 years to become great. in the 90's you had laettner who stayed 4 years, grant hill and hurley on the same team.unlv and lsu with shaq, chris jackson and stanley roberts. the fab 5 and unc with vince carter and jamison. those days are over.
now there is so much parity because a team of decent juniors and seniors can beat a talented team of sophomores and freshman. today's guys aren't even household names anymore. the nova players you mentioned were a great team because they were not 1 and done talent and stayed together with a great coach. if calipari could have kept his guys a few years he would have more rings. no one knows who is gonna win the tourney anymore. it's a team game now and the gap between the best teams and the good teams is a lot closer.

[KVB]

Yeah Kingdom, even last year's Kansas championship team sent multiple players to the NBA.

So there are great players, and even more really good ones, out there, it's just rare that they stick around for long.

A Kansas repeat, which is possible, would be quite a feat given the player turnover.

[kingdom]

Texas A&M +5500
or
Iowa State + 6000

Call me a homer, I'm backing UConn +2100

love the huskies, hate the bracket. west is loaded. a gift to get first 2 games in new york, but then iona essentially has a home game. it will be a dogfight, but i think uconn wins first 2 to get to sweet 16. i hope for the best after that.

[kingdom]

Yeah Kingdom, even last year's Kansas championship team sent multiple players to the NBA.

So there are great players, and even more really good ones, out there, it's just rare that they stick around for long.

A Kansas repeat, which is possible, would be quite a feat given the player turnover.

another case of great college coach and really good players.

[stevenash]

I don't have a puppy in this MSU/USC fight, but how exactly does Sparty for all intents and purposes get a home game?

[lakerboy]

I don't have a puppy in this MSU/USC fight, but how exactly does Sparty for all intents and purposes get a home game?

Green thing. Its st Patrick's Day man come on.

[JIBBBY]

I guess it's Princeton now..

[KVB]

I guess it's Princeton now..

No, it's Arizona State.

They've got TCU as the very last game tonight. They are about 5 point dogs.

Let's Fukkin Go!!!!!!

[Goat Milk]

After watching a few teams play, still not knowing anything, my pick is

AUBURN +11000 to win it all. Fanduel.

[BiloxiSaintsFan]

If Penn St can get by today they should get to the Elite 8. Never know then. I like the way they’re playing right now for long shot odds

[d2bets]

Florida Atlantic

[Slow Fanta]

This will be the first year a 5-seed wins the whole thing.

San Diego State Aztecs

[d2bets]

This will be the first year a 5-seed wins the whole thing.

San Diego State Aztecs

I like that too.