2017-2018 NCAA Basketball

[HOZER]

1 hour ago, NFLfan said:

I am getting old. Just saw Dave Odom, former South Carolina coach, in the stands. He looks so much older than what I remember. His son coaches UMBC. 

 

UMBC needs to score. They have a great chance to go to the Sweet 16. 

Love seeing the coaches still follow their old teams....the great Gene Keady is at almost all home games, he also made the trip to Detroit for the tournament, saw him sitting behind the team today, so cool!

[2006Coltsbestever]

14 minutes ago, GOZER said:

That’s a dancing Flamingo my dude, lol!!!!

 

 

Thanks I thought it was some silly duck on drugs dancing silly  

[radiogirl]

On 3/18/2018 at 11:44 AM, NFLfan said:

I am not too happy about losing Bridgewater. But it is time to move on.

 

Nice to see you posting again. We miss you and RadioGirl.  I would appreciate another woman on the Baseball thread. 

 

Hope both of you are well. 

I'll be back on the baseball thread.  We have had a BUSY WINTER!  Good to see old friends again!

[PrincetonTiger]

UE is down to 5 five finalists including 3 Evansville Harrison Grads

 Calvert Cheaney(IU)

 Walter McCarty(UK)

 David Ragland(USI)

 

 

 

 

[PrincetonTiger]

Penny Hardaway will be the new coach at Memphis

[dgambill]

34 minutes ago, PrincetonTiger said:

UE is down to 5 five finalists including 3 Evansville Harrison Grads

 Calvert Cheaney(IU)

 Walter McCarty(UK)

 David Ragland(USI)

 

 

 

 

UE needs to step up their funding. I can't imagine taking that job if you can't afford to pay good assistants. Also they have to step up their competition in who they play during the non-conference. One money game against Duke isn't cutting it. New coach will also have to fill a ton of holes in the roster too. Probably why they want a local hero to sign on.  I thought Michael Lewis would be a good fit down there but these names will be alright if they will get out and make appearances etc. Lots of good home grown talent in Evansville/Southern Indiana/Illinois.  I'm hoping Ryan Taylor signs/transfers to Indiana though....we need a starting sg real bad...especially if Romeo goes to Vanderbilt. I'm still holding out hope but it seems a long shot.

[dgambill]

Brackets are a mess....so much parity across the sport and the 3 pt shot....lots of upsets. If your a top favorite and you made it this far....you got to feel really good about your chances to make the final four....I mean look at Kentucky's path. Cal may have been complaining last week about Boise but he is sitting so pretty this week...and they get to play in Georgia now...basically home games. No excuses for them.

[PrincetonTiger]

1 minute ago, dgambill said:

Brackets are a mess....so much parity across the sport and the 3 pt shot....lots of upsets. If your a top favorite and you made it this far....you got to feel really good about your chances to make the final four....I mean look at Kentucky's path. Cal may have been complaining last week about Boise but he is sitting so pretty this week...and they get to play in Georgia now...basically home games. No excuses for them.

Something needs to be done look at the Women’s Tournament  

 ND gets to go to Spokane and potentially play Oregon

[dgambill]

21 minutes ago, PrincetonTiger said:

Something needs to be done look at the Women’s Tournament  

 ND gets to go to Spokane and potentially play Oregon

Yep. The women's were set up like the old men's ones were. The committee would try to put Kansas, UK, DUKE, NC like in different brackets so that they would have a good shot to make the final four. Honestly sending ND out west made little sense. They would be better off having Baylor a number one out there in Spokane and letting them be a two in any of the other places..Albany, Lexington, or KC. The committee was more worried about having ND play UCONN in the elite 8 though instead of putting them logistically where they belonged. I know being a 1 is suppose to mean something but playing closer to home would mean more to the fans and team I would imagine. In the end you probably have to beat a good team to win it all but if your a #1 you shouldn't have to play on someone elses floor essentially. If that is the case make them a 2 and put them close to home. The selection committee just didn't think that one through. Other than swapping ND and Baylor though I don't know what else you can do...aren't the first two rounds played on your home floor? Rest of the seeding looked fine geographically just a long trip to be in the West this year.

[PrincetonTiger]

Walter McCarty has been named the next Purple Ace Coach

[PrincetonTiger]

Loyola Chicago keeps it rolling

[2006Coltsbestever]

1 minute ago, PrincetonTiger said:

Loyola Chicago keeps it rolling

Wonderful story!

[PrincetonTiger]

2 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Wonderful story!

Same conference as UE, ISU, and Valpo

[NFLfan]

7 minutes ago, PrincetonTiger said:

Walter McCarty has been named the next Purple Ace Coach

 

I read that earlier. What do you think of the hire? I did not realize McCarty was from your area of Indiana. I was once riding the subway and McCarty and Jay Williams (Jayson Williams, former Duke player) were in the train car sitting across from me. I wondered why two rich guys were riding the subway.

 

Congrats to McCarty.

[PrincetonTiger]

9 minutes ago, NFLfan said:

 

I read that earlier. What do you think of the hire? I did not realize McCarty was from your area of Indiana. I was once riding the subway and McCarty and Jay Williams (Jayson Williams, former Duke player) were in the train car sitting across from me. I wondered why two rich guys were riding the subway.

 

Congrats to McCarty.

Love it 

[2006Coltsbestever]

KY down 13-1 early! Uh oh

[HOZER]

The “Madness”continues!!!!!!

[dgambill]

18 hours ago, PrincetonTiger said:

Walter McCarty has been named the next Purple Ace Coach

Yeah I heard he was getting close. I think Cheaney backed out when the money for assistants wasn't agreed upon or at least that was an area both sides didn't see eye to eye. Walter should be a good fit. They just need to promote him and get him out in the community and his name around. He should be able to recruit Southern Indiana and Kentucky on his name alone. He has been assistant for Stevens so I'm sure he has been able to take some things from him about leading young men. Good hire. UE is always going to be at a disadvantage given its size and lack of funding but in that part of the state they should be able to use VU to their advantage and the market down there is not as crowded as say anything north of Indy with Ball State, ISU, Butler, Indiana, Purdue, ND, Valpo, Michigan, Michigan St. etc. If he can coach up some players he can have some junior and senior classes every 3 or 4 years in the tournament. MVC is very winnable.

[dgambill]

13 hours ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

KY down 13-1 early! Uh oh

It was an ugly ugly game. Too many foul calls. It really disrupted the flow of the game. UK reverted back to January UK. They had everything laid out for them but just had no identity last night. Their defense going back and forth with a zone they hardly ever used before and their offense too. So much bigger and yet didn't utilize their size to its fullest. I'm usually not that rough on Cal because he is coaching mostly freshman and that is super hard...but he did not have his finest moment last night. The kids played tight and KSU kept the fans out of the game for the most part. Living down here all I hear is the refs again ripped them off....maybe its the go to for every fan base after a bad loss but it is especially bad down here. Even so much that refs intentionally were putting Washington on the line because they knew he couldn't hit free throws. If you told me this team in late January and February was going to make a sweet 16 I would say it was Cal's greatest coaching job and I would have been shocked. The fizzling out last night was surprising to me since for the first time all year I thought they were playing with heart and some togetherness. It just didn't last.

 

Rooting for Purdue and Michigan now. I had Texas Tech beating Purdue before the Haas injury so I think it will be tough to win without him but now that they are the under dog I think they actually will play better. They aren't as athletic as TTU but they have some vets that won't go down without a fight. Michigan just impresses me. John Beilein I don't think gets enough credit and I like his teams makeup. I kinda wish he would have been our coach instead of Crean the last ten years or so but I think Michigan had just hired him before we lost Sampson. Anyways I l like the guy. Those are my teams left...hope one of them wins it!

[ColtsBlitz]

I’m stoked Loyola won! They played sloppy in the first half, taking shots that were easily blockable for the Martin brothers. Those guys were making plays all game. Cleaned it up in the 2nd half, probably due to their coach. Loyola has a great head coach imo. 

[RockThatBlue]

9 minutes ago, dgambill said:

It was an ugly ugly game. Too many foul calls. It really disrupted the flow of the game. UK reverted back to January UK. They had everything laid out for them but just had no identity last night. Their defense going back and forth with a zone they hardly ever used before and their offense too. So much bigger and yet didn't utilize their size to its fullest. I'm usually not that rough on Cal because he is coaching mostly freshman and that is super hard...but he did not have his finest moment last night. The kids played tight and KSU kept the fans out of the game for the most part. Living down here all I hear is the refs again ripped them off....maybe its the go to for every fan base after a bad loss but it is especially bad down here. Even so much that refs intentionally were putting Washington on the line because they knew he couldn't hit free throws. If you told me this team in late January and February was going to make a sweet 16 I would say it was Cal's greatest coaching job and I would have been shocked. The fizzling out last night was surprising to me since for the first time all year I thought they were playing with heart and some togetherness. It just didn't last.

 

Rooting for Purdue and Michigan now. I had Texas Tech beating Purdue before the Haas injury so I think it will be tough to win without him but now that they are the under dog I think they actually will play better. They aren't as athletic as TTU but they have some vets that won't go down without a fight. Michigan just impresses me. John Beilein I don't think gets enough credit and I like his teams makeup. I kinda wish he would have been our coach instead of Crean the last ten years or so but I think Michigan had just hired him before we lost Sampson. Anyways I l like the guy. Those are my teams left...hope one of them wins it!

Officiating was definitely terrible. The refs were trying to control the game. I despise when refs do that.

 

I'm definitely disappointed about the loss but at one point I didn't even think we were going to make the tournament. A sweet 16 was better than I expected. It appears to be the year of the Cinderella as seems very few really good teams are left.

 

I'm rooting for Purdue and Loyola

[RockThatBlue]

It does excite me that there is a pretty good chance Kentucky gets almost everybody back for once. Knox is the only one for sure gone IMO. We have a pretty good chance at a great team next year.

[dgambill]

13 hours ago, PrincetonTiger said:

Same conference as UE, ISU, and Valpo

Yeah...I hope MVC can get back to the days of multiple bids....going to be tough after losing Wichita St. and Creighton. I am hopeful they might add a couple good basketball schools to help boost their RPI to get them back to that point. We will see. Going to take a team or two to really step forward like those mentioned early to continue to build a track record and recruit but it can happen again. I live about 30 minutes north of Murray and my wife went to school there. I know they would love to get into a bigger league (Murray State). They have a successful basketball program and clearly in the MVC footprint but I'm not sure they are in a market big enough for the conference. SLU I think is the logical choice but I think they are holding out for a bigger bid. Anyways I hope this exposure Loyola is giving the conference will help in the future! Of course I'm an Indiana fan but I love mid-majors and what they bring to college sports.

[dgambill]

59 minutes ago, RockThatBlue said:

Officiating was definitely terrible. The refs were trying to control the game. I despise when refs do that.

 

I'm definitely disappointed about the loss but at one point I didn't even think we were going to make the tournament. A sweet 16 was better than I expected. It appears to be the year of the Cinderella as seems very few really good teams are left.

 

I'm rooting for Purdue and Loyola

Yep it is one thing if its a foul on a shot or something but every little tug or reach was called. It was way over the top. It went both ways though. I mean obviously half of KSU team fouled out or had 4 fouls so it wasn't one sided in the least. It just didn't allow the game to have any flow or allow anyone to get into a rhythm. Obviously that affects UK more than KSU because of how they want to play. The game was ugly...and that is the only way KSU could win. Its a bitter pill down here...as almost everyone around me had bought tickets this weekend expecting a coronation to the final 4.....and now they are all stuck with hotel rooms and tickets they can't/won't use. It's the ultimate slap in the face this year because almost everyone was fed up with this team and how they played with no heart or UK spirit. Just when people finally were believing in them they did this to them. A lot of hang overs this morning at work.

[dgambill]

1 hour ago, RockThatBlue said:

It does excite me that there is a pretty good chance Kentucky gets almost everybody back for once. Knox is the only one for sure gone IMO. We have a pretty good chance at a great team next year.

You believe that? I don't in the least. This team played like a team that they all where looking ahead for themselves. Knox and Alexander are for sure gone. Both are right there in lottery area...Diallo will go. He almost went last year and I think he is a lock to at least be taken in the second round. I know the Nets really liked him last year. Vanderbilt/Washington/Gabriel will be the questions I think. I think they lose probably 4 to NBA maybe more especially if someone transfers. They will definitely be good...they always are good with the recruits they get. As long as they get some guys with some heart then they will be better. They are always a threat for the final 4. I just don't see these guys who wouldn't sacrifice A THING for each other this year to say I'm going to sacrifice starting my future in the NBA/G League for each other. They don't have the same talent as other Cal teams...but in their head I think this was just a layover flight to their future. I don't see most of them delaying it like you. But I'm just an outsider looking in. I don't have any connections to the team. Just someone that is forced to watch them on tv every week because its what's on.

[RockThatBlue]

28 minutes ago, dgambill said:

You believe that? I don't in the least. This team played like a team that they all where looking ahead for themselves. Knox and Alexander are for sure gone. Both are right there in lottery area...Diallo will go. He almost went last year and I think he is a lock to at least be taken in the second round. I know the Nets really liked him last year. Vanderbilt/Washington/Gabriel will be the questions I think. I think they lose probably 4 to NBA maybe more especially if someone transfers. They will definitely be good...they always are good with the recruits they get. As long as they get some guys with some heart then they will be better. They are always a threat for the final 4. I just don't see these guys who wouldn't sacrifice A THING for each other this year to say I'm going to sacrifice starting my future in the NBA/G League for each other. They don't have the same talent as other Cal teams...but in their head I think this was just a layover flight to their future. I don't see most of them delaying it like you. But I'm just an outsider looking in. I don't have any connections to the team. Just someone that is forced to watch them on tv every week because its what's on.

Alexander and Diallo might be gone but I don't think its 100% a done deal like it is for Knox. Knox has a pretty good shot at being a lottery pick. I don't think the other 2 will be which is why I'm not 100% sold they are gone. But who knows. A few scouts could fall in love with those two and tell em they can be 1st round picks and they both leave.

[dgambill]

25 minutes ago, RockThatBlue said:

Alexander and Diallo might be gone but I don't think its 100% a done deal like it is for Knox. Knox has a pretty good shot at being a lottery pick. I don't think the other 2 will be which is why I'm not 100% sold they are gone. But who knows. A few scouts could fall in love with those two and tell em they can be 1st round picks and they both leave.

I believe the Nets told Diallo they would take him last year but he wanted to up his status into the first rd. I think he is still probably around the same area but I can't see him waiting another year to try to get up to a lottery pick. I don't think he is going to develop that skill where he is. It's all guess work of course. Nobody knows. I even think a guy or two might transfer but whatever happens you will still be SEC favorite and a top 10 team no doubt. Just so many athletes...if most return like you said you will be favorites to win it all for sure.

[NFLfan]

@GOZER @2006Coltsbestever

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.indystar.com/amp/451858002

 

Greg Doyel writes:

 

"It’s a picture from this 2018 postseason, a picture of Gene Keady stepping off the Purdue team bus, and after smiling at that image I get to thinking about Indiana and Bob Knight, and how sad — no, how stupid — it is that we’ll never see a similar picture from Bloomington...."

[HOZER]

27 minutes ago, NFLfan said:

@GOZER @2006Coltsbestever

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.indystar.com/amp/451858002

 

Greg Doyel writes:

 

"It’s a picture from this 2018 postseason, a picture of Gene Keady stepping off the Purdue team bus, and after smiling at that image I get to thinking about Indiana and Bob Knight, and how sad — no, how stupid — it is that we’ll never see a similar picture from Bloomington...."

It is sad that they can’t reconcile, Bob Knights a legend, as is Keady.

[2006Coltsbestever]

I just seen Purdue lost, that's too bad but they had a Good season. I still have my Finals picks alive - Kansas over Michigan on my bracket. We will see how it plays out.

[HOZER]

It was going to be a tough challenge without Haas, as we saw last night they could have used him. Not sure why they were taking half court shots when they were comfortably leading instead of just getting easy buckets. Lots of turnovers as well, just a sloppy performance to say the least. Haarms is a freshman and will get better, as will a few others. They’re losing some key contributors too, so should be interesting next year.

[RockThatBlue]

Anybody but Kansas or Duke please.

[dgambill]

2 hours ago, RockThatBlue said:

Anybody but Kansas or Duke please.

Well only one can win tomorrow night. Then likely play Villanova. I don’t think Duke can beat them. Villanova is the best 3 pt shooting team in the country. Dukes new 2-3 zone won’t stop them.

[dgambill]

3 hours ago, GOZER said:

It was going to be a tough challenge without Haas, as we saw last night they could have used him. Not sure why they were taking half court shots when they were comfortably leading instead of just getting easy buckets. Lots of turnovers as well, just a sloppy performance to say the least. Haarms is a freshman and will get better, as will a few others. They’re losing some key contributors too, so should be interesting next year.

It was unfortunate for Purdue to lose Haas. He was such a big part of their team you can’t redefine yourself in a week. Purdue just didn’t have enough athleticism to play with Texas Tech. I had Texas Tech winning before the injury...ever tougher after injury. What could have been. It was a tough region with Villanova next. Don’t know how Purdue will fair next year. Maybe a tournament team. Painter always has them playing hard but they’ve lost a ton of skill the last couple years. Might be a couple more before they get back.

[dgambill]

17 hours ago, NFLfan said:

@GOZER @2006Coltsbestever

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.indystar.com/amp/451858002

 

Greg Doyel writes:

 

"It’s a picture from this 2018 postseason, a picture of Gene Keady stepping off the Purdue team bus, and after smiling at that image I get to thinking about Indiana and Bob Knight, and how sad — no, how stupid — it is that we’ll never see a similar picture from Bloomington...."

Lots of people would love to see that. Knight and Keady are good friends...but Doyle is an *. The very thing that made Bob Knight so great is also what would never allow him to forgive the University board for how they had him removed. Maybe when everyone is long gone and the university has made some type of peace with him possibly...but Bob Knight is not going to change. The money and prominence he brought to Indiana University...the athletics department the library it’s going to take a lot. Something Doyle wouldn’t understand because he has never accomplished anything important...given decades of his life too and then watched it all ripped from him. So of course he thinks it’s stupid.

[crazycolt1]

5 minutes ago, dgambill said:

Lots of people would love to see that. Knight and Keady are good friends...but Doyle is an *. The very thing that made Bob Knight so great is also what would never allow him to forgive the University board for how they had him removed. Maybe when everyone is long gone and the university has made some type of peace with him possibly...but Bob Knight is not going to change. The money and prominence he brought to Indiana University...the athletics department the library it’s going to take a lot. Something Doyle wouldn’t understand because he has never accomplished anything important...given decades of his life too and then watched it all ripped from him. So of course he thinks it’s stupid.

His coaching, the money and prominence is not what got Coach Knight fired.

I am not getting into the negative issues he brought to IU because it's all old news that don't need to be rehashed.

[dgambill]

12 minutes ago, crazycolt1 said:

His coaching, the money and prominence is not what got Coach Knight fired.

I am not getting into the negative issues he brought to IU because it's all old news that don't need to be rehashed.

OH we all know why he was fired. Just saying in his eyes the university did an unforgivable wrong to him. Does it surprise anyone that the man that asked to have him buried upside down so the critics can kiss his butt is not going to continue to make his point of how wrong he thinks the university was. Personally I don’t and could never live that way but he is the author of the power of negative thinking and how that can make you successful...so obviously I’m personally not like Bob in my thinking lol.

[crazycolt1]

6 minutes ago, dgambill said:

OH we all know why he was fired. Just saying in his eyes the university did an unforgivable wrong to him. Does it surprise anyone that the man that asked to have him buried upside down so the critics can kiss his butt is not going to continue to make his point of how wrong he thinks the university was. Personally I don’t and could never live that way but he is the author of the power of negative thinking and how that can make you successful...so obviously I’m personally not like Bob in my thinking lol.

It is really sad for a coach as great as he was to be so stubborn as to look and see why things went down as they did.

[dgambill]

26 minutes ago, crazycolt1 said:

It is really sad for a coach as great as he was to be so stubborn as to look and see why things went down as they did.

He was having lots of issues with the president and board for the years leading up. He wasn’t getting any support and the president wanted to make a name for himself and the university outside of basketball. He did...then used it to jump into the president of the NCAA...and we saw what he did there. It was all going to end badly when Knight didn’t have any supporters and those that had a relationship with him such that could get him to listen and reign him in. Once all those had left it was a ticking time bomb. He should have left a few years before and work with people he liked and respected like when he went to Texas Tech. Problem was he finally was putting together a great team again and he couldn’t leave them.

 

A lot of societal changes too. An old General in a new age. He just wouldn’t change his views. Whether he should or shouldn’t that’s for debate but he needed the right people surrounding him and that wasn’t there anymore.

[HOZER]

1 hour ago, dgambill said:

. Knight and Keady are good friends...

They recently did  “An afternoon with Coach Keady and Coach Knight” at The University, didn’t attend, but heard it was pretty neat.

 

https://www.purdue.edu/convocations/event/an-evening-with-coaches-bob-knight-and-gene-keady/