It doesn't take much to beat Pennsylvania. But the same goes for Ohio. 
March Madness - 2008
- Thread starter tomalak301
- Start date
I don't understand the argument that history has anything to do with it. What does Memphis not being in the Final Four since the 70s have to do with the team they have right now? People harp on tradition and all of that all the time, but what impact does it actually have on the game? Zero. Memphis has been to the Elite Eight for 3 straight years too and the year before that won the NIT with ease. They also have an extremely talented team with an experienced coach. They didn't have to rely on comeback wins. They pretty much shut everyone down that they played with the exception of Tennessee who was ranked #2 at the time and only took the lead with :30 to play and eventually won by only 4 points. A 37-win season is nothing to scoff at. I couldn't disagree more that UCLA was the clear logical choice. They simply were not deep enough to hang with Memphis.
*Edit* Forgot to mention they have now tied the record for most wins in 3 seasons. And just to eliminate the weak conference issue before it starts, they also have wins over Connecticut, Oklahoma, Georgetown, and Gonzaga.
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Actually, from what I heard on various sports talk programs, they were saying just the opposite. That even when the games were close, it was obvious who was the superior team waiting to take charge. The games were called anywhere from "disappointing" to "dogs - especially if you were hoping for classics from four #1 seeds." Often, a relatively close game does not automatically make it a very good game at all.
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Western PA, perhaps. However, southeastern PA knocks Ohio out of the water. True story.
Disagree. It doesn't have everything to do with it, but it does have influence. History and tradition does affects recruiting, fan support and so on. Those can combine to affect perceptions of people picking a game. That may not make much sense but you know it has and does happen. Is that bias? I suppose you could make an argument. However, would it also explain why there was such a big deal made about how some teams had not reached a certain point in the tournament? When a team consistently makes it to a certain point and recently so, people will notice and make decisions based upon that. All of the factors you mentioned for Memphis, well UCLA had them and perhaps moreso. Talent, experience on the court. And even though Memphis had made the Elite Eight, UCLA had made the Final Four, a step farther and against arguably a tougher schedule over that same stretch of time. That doesn't mean people picking the game thought Memphis would do poorly but that it's possible UCLA would do better because they had been doing better. I did not say UCLA was the "clear logical choice", just that those picking them made a logical choice.
Memphis was the better team yesterday without question, but that does not mean those who did not pick them did so completely out of bias,
Then we're listening to many different programs, because while I heard what you've said I also heard that while the winners were the better playing teams it wasn't as if there was no competition. For example, the first half of the UCLA / Memphis game had all of the CBS analysts saying that even though UCLA was trailing they were in great shape. On the Kansas / UNC game, they were taking UNC to task and giving Kansas props for that magnificent stretch in the first half. But they also gave UNC credit for never packing it in and getting back to within four pts in the second half.
Nobody - myself included - called these games classic. But I at least was not so disappointed in them as to call them boring. Not when you see the amazing execution of CDR and Rose on Memphis, or the sheer speed and teamwork of Collins, Arthur, Chalmers, Rush and more on Kansas team.
Well.. my bracket's over. I scored a 96 on Facebook.
Tennessee survived another battle with LSU and is playing for it's eight national title in 21 years Tuesday night. Even with Candace Parker's bum shoulder, they still completely shut down LSU. Five straight Final Four trips for the Lady Tigers and they can't close the deal. Hey - but at least they have that nifty regular season win over UT a few months back to hang their hat on. 
Don't know if they'll beat Stanford, but they're playing for the title and that's all you can ask.
Don't know if they'll beat Stanford, but they're playing for the title and that's all you can ask.
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Well, it's flatter. I will give you that.It is over Pennsylvania.
I just saw the replay of the end of this game... WOW! The winning basket was I think the first one of the game for that girl. Talk about a heart-breaking loss for LSU.Tennessee survived another battle with LSU and is playing for it's eight national title in 21 years Tuesday night. Even with Candace Parker's bum shoulder, they still completely shut down LSU. Five straight Final Four trips for the Lady Tigers and they can't close the deal. Hey - but at least they have that nifty regular season win over UT a few months back to hang their hat on.
Don't know if they'll beat Stanford, but they're playing for the title and that's all you can ask.
Yeah - that was her first basket. Both teams shot pretty poorly. Partially due to defense, partially due to just some bad shots. LSU's free throw shooting was terrible. Tennessee was up 10 in the second half, but LSU rallied strong. I'm sure they must feel terrible at getting to the Final Four yet again and not being able to win a game once there.
If Parker's shoulder can hold up, perhaps the Lady Vols can add another repeat to their resume.
Anybody remember the consolation/3rd place game in the NCAA tourney? I'd really love to see that game come back.
If Parker's shoulder can hold up, perhaps the Lady Vols can add another repeat to their resume.
Anybody remember the consolation/3rd place game in the NCAA tourney? I'd really love to see that game come back.
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Halftime and Kansas has a 5 pt lead. Interesting since they've turned the ball over several times. Right now ... I have to wonder of that stomach bug that was affecting CDR esterday isn't still having some latent effect of some kind. He has made some nice plays and done a good job handling that ball. But he has hardly scored at all.
Edit: Memphis has made some excellent adjustments at halftime. And Derrick Rose... he is a stud! No scoring to speak of in the first half, and back he comes in the second half. I will be almost shocked if he doesn't declare early for the NBA draft.
Edit: Memphis has made some excellent adjustments at halftime. And Derrick Rose... he is a stud! No scoring to speak of in the first half, and back he comes in the second half. I will be almost shocked if he doesn't declare early for the NBA draft.
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Derrick Rose had the stomach problem, not CDR.
Wow, overtime 
Well the piss poor free throw shooting came back to bite them in the ass. They had the game in hand in regulation and gave it away by missing 4 free throws in a row. C'est la vie.
What a game. I tell you, Kansas really earned it. That comeback under so much pressure. That kid who missed the free throws for Memphis must be puking sick right now. It really cost them the game. What a maddening way for a 38 win team to lose. I feel for them, because when will Memphis have a season this good again?
And in a side note, Sean Sutton's sitting there fuming to himself, "I beat this team this season. After I lost my point guard at the last minute and had three players transfer on me at the last minute, my team still beat the national champion Jayhawks. Thanks for nothing, O-State." That idiot T. Boone Pickens and his puppet master athletic director Mike Holder still think they're going to get Bill Self from Kansas if T. Boone waves a big enough check in front of his face. Most folks around here are shaking their heads big time at the hubris.
I tell you, Kansas really earned it. That comeback under so much pressure. That kid who missed the free throws for Memphis must be puking sick right now. It really cost them the game. What a maddening way for a 38 win team to lose. I feel for them, because when will Memphis have a season this good again? And in a side note, Sean Sutton's sitting there fuming to himself, "I beat this team this season. After I lost my point guard at the last minute and had three players transfer on me at the last minute, my team still beat the national champion Jayhawks. Thanks for nothing, O-State." That idiot T. Boone Pickens and his puppet master athletic director Mike Holder still think they're going to get Bill Self from Kansas if T. Boone waves a big enough check in front of his face. Most folks around here are shaking their heads big time at the hubris.
