Interesting. Does Arizona benefit in the hunt for a #1 because they are located out west? I'll use KenPom, they are more readily quotable. However, breakdown their resumes...

Both 3 losses
Wisconsin plays in a slightly better conference

Wisconsin losses to Duke (6), Maryland (31) and Rutgers (214). Obviously the Rutgers loss sucks, but considering the circumstances.
Arizona losses to UNLV (101), Oregon State (113) and Arizona State (68). None will make the NCAA Tournament.

Arizona has 3 top 25 wins (Utah x 2, Gonzaga), 5 more top 50 wins (Stanford x 2, Oregon x 2, San Diego State). They also have 7 more top 100 wins.
Wisconsin has 5 top 25 wins (Michiga State, Iowa x 2, Georgetown and Oklahoma), 2 more top 50 wins (Boise State, Purdue). They also have 7 more top 100 wins.

Everyone basically has Arizona as a lock out West, but why not Wisconsin as the last #1 out West, with Arizona going to the South Region (Houston) and Gonzaga staying in the West Region (Los Angeles)?

As it stands, if they both win out, Wisconsin and Villanova will both be left out of a #1 seed unless Zona loses.

Laley don't know if you'd consider him "great" but he has been very dominate the last 3 years and that is Alan Williams from UCSB. I'd also say Tyler Harvey from Eastern Washington even though he is only a sophomore to add to your list of recent guys who have yet to play in the NCAA Tournament.

Been a good day of basketball so far today. Really though Illinois State was going to upset UNI to steal away a bid from a bubble team.

I will add Harvey if they don't win the Big Sky.

Azubuike24;1710906 wrote:He did.

Does that change the fact that he's not still one of the most overrated players this year? Not even deserving of first team All-ACC and nowhere close to All-American. He's also on a team with literally 3 scoring threats. His numbers don't really reflect the opportunity he has to put up stats...

To the contrary, usually having better players around you makes you better and can create more opportunites. Its easy to focus on just one player defensively. Don't let your hatred cloud the obvious.

I guess I just don't understand your hatred for Harrell. Is it because you are a UK fan?

He is not a player of the year type player, but the guy is pretty damn good. 15.9 ppg and 9.4 rpg plus he just dropped 20 and 12 against the best defense in the NCAA's.

Again, I agree he's not an all American but plenty of players are ore season all Americans and don't end up being one. Doesn't mean they suck, like you basically claim Harrell is on a weekly basis.

I don't personally hate him. He's just overrated. VERY overrated. I mean, his demeanor on the court (he likes to flex and yell) and throwing haymakers isn't endearing behavior, but I also understand emotions can get the best of you, so I'm not a blind hater who will dismiss him for those instances. It's probably my "closeness" with UK, which by default, keeps pretty close tabs on Louisville. Their fan base has touted Harrell for 2 years now, and he simply hasn't produced. Many, many players have come and gone, who have out-performed him.

centralbucksfan;1711115 wrote:To the contrary, usually having better players around you makes you better and can create more opportunites. Its easy to focus on just one player defensively. Don't let your hatred cloud the obvious.

It works both ways. There are players who put up insane numbers (Harrell's are pretty good, but not incredible) who have less help around them. It's not like Louisville is devoid of talent either. Rozier is an All-American, Blackshear is a 3-year starter, Jones was a very good college guard and they supposedly had quite a few promising prospects. Look at D'Angelo Russell this year. At times, he's a 1-man team, but still put up All-American numbers.

In addition, some guys milk the name recognition and exposure. IMO, Karl Towns has been better than Willie Cauley-Stein (definitely on offense, pretty close on defense), but WCS will get more of the accolades.

Azubuike24;1711173 wrote:I don't personally hate him. He's just overrated. VERY overrated. I mean, his demeanor on the court (he likes to flex and yell) and throwing haymakers isn't endearing behavior, but I also understand emotions can get the best of you, so I'm not a blind hater who will dismiss him for those instances. It's probably my "closeness" with UK, which by default, keeps pretty close tabs on Louisville. Their fan base has touted Harrell for 2 years now, and he simply hasn't produced. Many, many players have come and gone, who have out-performed him.

How hasn't he produced? Lol he added minutes as a freshman on a national championship team, put up solid numbers last year as a sweet sixteen team, and this year, well I've already posted his stats.

He's not Anthony Davis if that's what you're getting at. And no one would say he is. But he's not a total bum like you make him out to be.

He hasn't produced as a First Team AA, like every pre-season projection had. Compared to his recruiting rating, he's been about as expected.

LOL at this too - http://deadspin.com/syracuse-tried-really-hard-to-keep-fab-melo-eligible-1690155797?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_twitter&utm_source=deadspin_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow

Boeheim wanted "the best defensive player in the country to play" but hoped Melo's return would be within the rules, the report said.
The group came up with the idea of having Melo obtain a grade change in a class he'd taken a year earlier. The professor agreed to let Melo submit a paper to raise his past grade, so two staffers—director of basketball operations Stan Kissel and basketball receptionist Debora Belanger—set out to write that paper for him.

This is the kind of stuff people take unsubstantiated shots based on. When it actually happens, it gets buried. It's ironic to hear Jim Boeheim, one of the biggest whiners and complainers, especially about those who are superior to him, is the one behind it.

Jim Boeheim is a scumbag. Never liked that guy.

Azubuike24;1711203 wrote:He hasn't produced as a First Team AA, like every pre-season projection had. Compared to his recruiting rating, he's been about as expected.

16 and 9 is pretty damn close

Laley23;1711207 wrote:Jim Boeheim is a scumbag. Never liked that guy.

Definitely agree with you. I am loving all of this for Cuse right now. Fuck Boeheim.

Iliketurtles;1711219 wrote:Definitely agree with you. I am loving all of this for Cuse right now. Fuck Boeheim.

One of those, holier than thou, always standing up for the athletes/"good of the game" guys...who doesnt actually give 2 fucks about anything but himself and his Ws.

Pretty forgone conclusion that UK wins it all this season. Being an IU fan, I wanna see them get beat just once. Can be in the conf tourney for all I care.

This may be the highest percentage ever to pick the same team to win it

Laley23;1711233 wrote:One of those, holier than thou, always standing up for the athletes/"good of the game" guys...who doesnt actually give 2 fucks about anything but himself and his Ws.

Which is why the punishment handed down by the NCAA is particularly perfect for this crime. Once -- and probably still -- consumed by the pursuit of catching Coach K, Jim likely will now have to coach until he is at least 76 or 77 years old to even reach 1,000 wins (and that's being conservative, as the impending scholarship reductions will undoubtedly take a toll on the program's success over the next several seasons). And by that time K will have, in all probability, put the record totally out of his reach.

Once I believed that Boeheim would coach until he either became the winningest coach of all time or the day his body was put in a bag. I still believe that. Fuck that guy.

Damn I for some reason was really rooting for Furman to win against Wofford. Pretty decent game to watch tough.

I forgot that Manhattan took Masiello back. What a chach.

AJ English very lucky not to get tossed. Might have been the end of the line for Iona.

Mulva;1711374 wrote:AJ English very lucky not to get tossed. Might have been the end of the line for Iona.

Yeah I was really surprised he didn't get tossed. Manhattan playing very well so far Iona has to step it up on D or else they will have no shot at winning.

Every potential 4 or 5 seed out there should be rooting vigorously for Manhattan tonight. When on, Iona is very dangerous, as demonstrated in their last game against Monmouth in which the Gaels netted 19 threes. Iona makes almost 11 of them a game, at a 40 percent clip, and is spearheaded by a pair of 20 point-a-game scorers in A.J. English and David Laury.

So far Manhattan is in control as Iona employs the kind of defense popular with most playground teams, but it would be a big disappointment IMO if Iona isn't featured in a 12 versus 5 matchup in the NCAAs. They are so damn fun to watch when their offense is clicking.

Gonzaga only up two at the half on Pepperdine. It would've been a travesty had the Zags finished the year on that deceptive winning streak and then got a one seed only to lose to Davidson in the second round.

Kyle Wiltjer will probably go on to score 37 points in the second half now that I've said that, but Gonzaga is totally overvalued. I do love Wiltjer's game, though. Kid is a baller, as is Arvydas Sabonis' son.

Iliketurtles;1711352 wrote:Damn I for some reason was really rooting for Furman to win against Wofford. Pretty decent game to watch tough.

I hate when those teams win...knocks everyone up a seed because those teams take the 15/16 lines. Makes for less competitive or less likely upsets in the 1st round.

Maryland on to the 2-line if Gonzaga or Kansas falter this week?