They make the tourney?

For me I swear I've missed NC State about the last 12 times.....and the non-Kansas Big 12 teams just go opposite of what I usually go with.

Pittsburgh. Jamie Dixon should be fired.

UNLV. Dave Rice should be fired.

Georgetown. John Thompson III should be fired.

Rec is right, except none of them burn me cause I know to pick against them every year. Wichita State was the second biggest lock on my bracket (outside my 1 seeds) after VCU.

Id say Syracuse. I think they are damn good...out in first weekend. I think they have a bad match-up...BOOM! Final Four.

Georgetown. Hate them.

Laley23;1412309 wrote:Rec is right, except none of them burn me cause I know to pick against them every year. Wichita State was the second biggest lock on my bracket (outside my 1 seeds) after VCU.

Id say Syracuse. I think they are damn good...out in first weekend. I think they have a bad match-up...BOOM! Final Four.

This, but Louisville. Same thing every other year. I have them going far, here comes the Morehead State Mighty Mountains. I have them losing first round, here comes New Orleans.

reclegend22;1412296 wrote:Georgetown. John Thompson III should be fired.

sleeper;1412311 wrote:Georgetown. Hate them.

this

Ohio State. Pick them almost yearly and haven't came through yet

I've never picked a Big Ten national champion, and for good reason. To me, it's unbelievable, with as good a conference as the Big Ten produces every year, that only one national champion has come out of the conference in the last 23 years. My theory is that while the Big Ten often has the best overall teams, including a good mixture of one or two stars and really good role players (guys like A.J. Moye and Charlie Bell come to mind), that can often get to the Final Four, the conference does not attract the country's most elite, raw talent. Those guys have historically gone to schools like Kentucky, Carolina, Duke, UConn, UCLA, Arizona and Kansas.

I think that's starting to change, though, with guys like Tom Crean (not a great coach, but excellent recruiter), Thad Matta and Jim Beilein leading the conference today. They are getting the "premier" talent now and will start to win titles in the near future.

I don't think I've ever predicted a Creighton first round game correctly. Fortunately they aren't a fixture in the tournament.

reclegend22;1412401 wrote:I've never picked a Big Ten national champion, and for good reason. To me, it's unbelievable, with as good a conference as the Big Ten produces every year, that only one national champion has come out of the conference in the last 23 years. My theory is that while the Big Ten often has the best overall teams, including a good mixture of one or two stars and really good role players (guys like A.J. Moye and Charlie Bell come to mind), that can often get to the Final Four, the conference does not attract the country's most elite, raw talent. Those guys have historically gone to schools like Kentucky, Carolina, Duke, UConn, UCLA, Arizona and Kansas.

I think that's starting to change, though, with guys like Tom Crean (not a great coach, but excellent recruiter), Thad Matta and Jim Beilein leading the conference today. They are getting the "premier" talent now and will start to win titles in the near future.

I think you nailed it.

I also would point out that the B1G won a lot of titles before that because the way the game was played was so much more structured. As the athletes have gotten stronger and faster, the game has opened up and allowed that to flourish. B1G hasnt fully adapted. MSU started the trend for them (and you see Izzos March success) and then Matta came in and now the conference as a whole (save Bo Ryan...again, struggles in March) is more up and down, alley-oop, athletes all over the fucking place basketball.

Big Ten will start to win titles again soon, probably this year, if I am honest.

Laley23;1412534 wrote:I think you nailed it.

I also would point out that the B1G won a lot of titles before that because the way the game was played was so much more structured. As the athletes have gotten stronger and faster, the game has opened up and allowed that to flourish. B1G hasnt fully adapted. MSU started the trend for them (and you see Izzos March success) and then Matta came in and now the conference as a whole (save Bo Ryan...again, struggles in March) is more up and down, alley-oop, athletes all over the fucking place basketball.

Indiana will start to win titles again soon, probably this year, if I am honest.

FIFY!

Laley23;1412534 wrote:I think you nailed it.

I also would point out that the B1G won a lot of titles before that because the way the game was played was so much more structured. As the athletes have gotten stronger and faster, the game has opened up and allowed that to flourish. B1G hasnt fully adapted. MSU started the trend for them (and you see Izzos March success) and then Matta came in and now the conference as a whole (save Bo Ryan...again, struggles in March) is more up and down, alley-oop, athletes all over the ****ing place basketball.

Big Ten will start to win titles again soon, probably this year, if I am honest.

Good point about the natural progression of basketball into more of an open-court, athletic-based game in the last quarter-century. The Big Ten missed the boat in the '90s and continued to play in the half-court for the better part of a decade. As you say, with the arrival of Thad Matta to Ohio State (save for a season here or there where OSU's limited roster forces a slower style) the Buckeyes began to land the top recruits and play more of a modern game where they get out and run, dunk, etc. John Beilien brought his uptempo offense from West Virginia and then Tom Crean came to Indiana and started reeling in the elite in-state talent and has the Hoosiers running and jumping like the days of the Flyin' Illini.

As much as I hate a lot of the conference (not you, Bo ) I can see that it is changing and will eventually win another national title. But until that day happens, the Big Ten really isn't that great IMO. The first Monday in April is where it counts. You must prove it on that day or it means nothing.

reclegend22;1412550 wrote:Good point about the natural progression of basketball into more of an open-court, athletic-based game in the last quarter-century. The Big Ten missed the boat in the '90s and continued to play in the half-court for the better part of a decade. As you say, with the arrival of Thad Matta to Ohio State (save for a season here or there where OSU's limited roster forces a slower style) the Buckeyes began to land the top recruits and play more of a modern game where they get out and run, dunk, etc. John Beilien brought his uptempo offense from West Virginia and then Tom Crean came to Indiana and started reeling in the elite in-state talent and has the Hoosiers running and jumping like the days of the Flyin' Illini.

As much as I hate a lot of the conference (not you, Bo ) I can see that it is changing and will eventually win another national title. But until that day happens, the Big Ten really isn't that great IMO. The first Monday in April is where it counts. You must prove it on that day or it means nothing.

If the Big Ten ain't that great, where does that put 0-4 against the B1G in the last 4 years ACC? Duke sucks. :thumbup:

Plus conferences don't win championships. Maybe you need to educate yourself.

sleeper;1412553 wrote:If the Big Ten ain't that great, where does that put 0-4 against the B1G in the last 4 years ACC? Duke sucks. :thumbup:

You are truly slipping. It's sad to see someone falling from their prime so quickly.

Oregon should have been a 16.

Ironman92;1412555 wrote:You are truly slipping. It's sad to see someone falling from their prime so quickly.

Reminds me of Tracy McGrady.

I like the new sleeper. He seems nice.

reclegend22;1412559 wrote:Reminds me of Tracy McGrady.

I like the new sleeper. He seems nice.

I'll be surprised if he doesn't send us birthday cards.

I always pick against Colorado State and they always end up winning.

Lol @ Rec

Georgetown and this goes all the way back to Patrick Ewing days.

I'll add Temple. They always let me down. The only year they did not was in 2001, when I had Mark Karcher and the Owls getting to the Final Four. They got to the Elite Eight that year. Every other year they have had a big time star I have taken them deep and, like this year, they tear my bracket apart.

The Mountain West always screws me. Seems the always underperform come tournament time.