Waiting on the Mich-Purdue men's game to finish. I'd guess Michigan still gets a 1 seed even though Purdue is about to upset them, but this could elevate Purdue a line.
For sure. He certainly would have helped on offensive efficiency, though I also feel like the biggest issue yesterday was on the boards and I don't know if Donny would have made a big...dent...in that regard.
Yeah, it's a weird thing with Booker, but I think we all understand there's so much more to rebounding than being tall. There's a huge component of anticipation and hustle. Walton used to talk about reading a shot to know where a rebound was going to come off and beating his man to that spot. He was a master of recognizing that, and then height and hops were his advantage at that point. It's a surprisingly nuanced skill to have and it's pretty hard to teach. We know Mick isn't great at developing bigs in many regards, so it's not super surprising Book hasn't become great at it.
I'm much more invested in the women's seeding and likely matchups today. I'd expect our women to end up v UConn in the finals, but the committee has never looked on our Bruins favorably. I wouldn't be the least bit shocked to see overall seeds 5/6 and 9/10 somehow appearing in the Bruins quadrant.
100% agree. Those numbers and the dominance in attaining them were unmatched this year. We had one crappy half early in the season vs a top 4 team, or we would have been a runaway #1 overall seed.
The big issue is that because of the rules about conferences, UConn and us will get LSU/Vandy despite being 1 and 2 overall. I’m expecting SoCarolina to get the usual cakewalk, but maybe it’ll be Texas.
Maybe we should’ve lost to Michigan State to get the 8 seed in SD. Cal Baptist got San Diego.
At least it’s a Friday game so an extra day to rest up. Clark Kellogg already talking about a potential ucla/msu rematch.
At least we get the easiest 2-seed. Hurley is a great coach but he’s just as nuts as his brother.
Edit: actually easiest 2-seed is prob Purdue for ucla assuming their win moves them up a line. But the committee would’ve tried to avoid a conference rematch that early in the tournament
Missouri getting in off the bubble as a 10-seed and getting to play in St Louis is a joke. BYU and UT St getting to stay in the west as 6 and 9 seeds is also dumb. Cal Baptist in SD as a 13 seed? This is why it feels like ucla is getting punished for some reason.
Honestly - yes, getting shipped out basically as far as is possible is awful and Duke-UConn is loaded (UConn fell to the last #2 thanks to getting blown out by St. John's), but, as a 7, I'd rather play UCF than Santa Clara, aTm in OKC, or Missouri in St. Louis...
Good luck to both teams!
Waiting on the Mich-Purdue men's game to finish. I'd guess Michigan still gets a 1 seed even though Purdue is about to upset them, but this could elevate Purdue a line.
I do believe we beat Purdue yesterday with a healthy Dent. So that makes us better than Dusty's 'tampering be damned' team using deductive reasoning 🙃
For sure. He certainly would have helped on offensive efficiency, though I also feel like the biggest issue yesterday was on the boards and I don't know if Donny would have made a big...dent...in that regard.
(apologies 😜)
Your dry humor 🤣
The boards lost us the game, but Dent has been pretty good with rebs, better than Book and Jam.
It is unbelievable that Book can't seem to rebound. He knows he needs to, but doesn't. I think B Wills and Freeny should get a lot more time.
Yeah, it's a weird thing with Booker, but I think we all understand there's so much more to rebounding than being tall. There's a huge component of anticipation and hustle. Walton used to talk about reading a shot to know where a rebound was going to come off and beating his man to that spot. He was a master of recognizing that, and then height and hops were his advantage at that point. It's a surprisingly nuanced skill to have and it's pretty hard to teach. We know Mick isn't great at developing bigs in many regards, so it's not super surprising Book hasn't become great at it.
To be fair, Izzo couldn't unlock him either...
Fair, tho he was never more than a distant bench guy there where we really need him to be a key big, in the absence of anyone else, for us.
Guessing Purdue swaps with Illinois now and gets a 2 seed.
I'm much more invested in the women's seeding and likely matchups today. I'd expect our women to end up v UConn in the finals, but the committee has never looked on our Bruins favorably. I wouldn't be the least bit shocked to see overall seeds 5/6 and 9/10 somehow appearing in the Bruins quadrant.
I agree!
I love the Lady Bruins, as you know, but the committee will make sure we have the toughest road to the Final Four.
And UConn will be the #1 overall seed because they are blindly beloved despite the facts:
We have 18 Q1 wins.
We have the #1 SOS.
We beat Iowa, a likely 2 seed, by 51 points.
100% agree. Those numbers and the dominance in attaining them were unmatched this year. We had one crappy half early in the season vs a top 4 team, or we would have been a runaway #1 overall seed.
All true. What is also true is they will "protect" UConn and have us as the #2 overall slated to face Texas as the #3 overall...
The big issue is that because of the rules about conferences, UConn and us will get LSU/Vandy despite being 1 and 2 overall. I’m expecting SoCarolina to get the usual cakewalk, but maybe it’ll be Texas.
well that's not good
Sent to Philly as a 7 vs UCF in UConn's (#2) side of the bracket - Duke the overall #1 in the East as well
Worst possible situation.
Miami (Fla) is a 7 seed and has to play Missouri in St. Louis - I guess they hate 7 seeds!
Yup, shipped across the country to Philly vs two teams in the east time zone and a 2 that's a couple hours away.
UConn just a 2.5 hour drive down I-95. Geez.
At least it's Friday-Sunday so Bilo and Donny have an extra day
It's all so predictable... if Cronin hates the travel he better start thinking about the whole season not just playing our best at the end.
And the committee f'ing around having us meet UConn on the men's side, with us expected to meet UConn on the women's side too. 🙄
What a way to give you the short end of the stick as a upper seed…
Welcome to the annual screwing of UCLA by the NCAA Tournament Committee
I knew it... the commitee sticks it to us again...
And there we goooo to the East, bad draw... potentially facing UConn, and of course in Duke's region.
Cronin constantly talks about hating travel... and here we are.
Maybe we should’ve lost to Michigan State to get the 8 seed in SD. Cal Baptist got San Diego.
At least it’s a Friday game so an extra day to rest up. Clark Kellogg already talking about a potential ucla/msu rematch.
At least we get the easiest 2-seed. Hurley is a great coach but he’s just as nuts as his brother.
Edit: actually easiest 2-seed is prob Purdue for ucla assuming their win moves them up a line. But the committee would’ve tried to avoid a conference rematch that early in the tournament
I think UConn is going to be rough... as Greg mentioned, it's a two hour drive for them and essentially a home game.
Hopefully the women's committee is more professional than the men's
nothing unprofessional about it. we were obviously the last 7 seed on the line. too bad we are not an 8 out west.
I'd assume Miami (F) was the last 7 given that they have to play Missouri in St.Louis!
Arizona with a cakewalk to the final four.
Invariably the case.
It'll make their inevitable annual choke job all the more painful for them.
Yep
It’s hard to believe that Tommy Lloyd has never been past the sweet 16 but they’re set up as well as they could be this year
yup, agreed on both counts 👍
Ugh.
Purdue jumps to a 2 and plays in St Louis. What a gift. But they earned it today.
Missouri getting in off the bubble as a 10-seed and getting to play in St Louis is a joke. BYU and UT St getting to stay in the west as 6 and 9 seeds is also dumb. Cal Baptist in SD as a 13 seed? This is why it feels like ucla is getting punished for some reason.
Honestly - yes, getting shipped out basically as far as is possible is awful and Duke-UConn is loaded (UConn fell to the last #2 thanks to getting blown out by St. John's), but, as a 7, I'd rather play UCF than Santa Clara, aTm in OKC, or Missouri in St. Louis...