2016 NCAA Tournament Game Discussion

[bressler3south]

Been a 'cuse fan since making a visit there during the Coleman/Seikaly years.
First game I ever saw there was vs Louisville and Pervis (Never Nervous) Ellison....

If they can beat VA on Sunday...might be one of JB's best coaching jobs ever?

That would have been the first sign NOT TO ROOT FOR THAT POS PROGRAM!!!!!!!!!!!

Boeheim and Crum -- UGH..........

[woodennickel1]

Been a 'cuse fan since making a visit there during the Coleman/Seikaly years.
First game I ever saw there was vs Louisville and Pervis (Never Nervous) Ellison....

If they can beat VA on Sunday...might be one of JB's best coaching jobs ever?

Let's be honest Syracuse has caught every break possible the lowest seed they have played so far is Dayton who was really not playing well at the end of the year. I give them credit for taking advantage of the breaks but this is where luck also comes into play getting to play middle teen (15 seed) and Gonzag (11) even though gonzaga was playing very well.

[NYGFan_Section208]

Been a 'cuse fan since making a visit there during the Coleman/Seikaly years.
First game I ever saw there was vs Louisville and Pervis (Never Nervous) Ellison....

If they can beat VA on Sunday...might be one of JB's best coaching jobs ever?

Let's be honest Syracuse has caught every break possible the lowest seed they have played so far is Dayton who was really not playing well at the end of the year. I give them credit for taking advantage of the breaks but this is where luck also comes into play getting to play middle teen (15 seed) and Gonzag (11) even though gonzaga was playing very well.

Don't disagree. It's been a great combination of low expectations and good fortune on the match-ups.

[Rhody74]

My daughter went to the 'cuse, but I could never bring myself to root for the basketball team.

[PeterRamTime]

no worries UVA will end them.

[NYGFan_Section208]

Quite possible...I was expecting it last night...just enjoying the ride

[PeterRamTime]

The UCONN women are maming the competition thus far.
Up 76-16 against 5 seed Mississippi state....

[NYGFan_Section208]

The UCONN women are maming the competition thus far.
Up 76-16 against 5 seed Mississippi state....

There needs to be a mercy rule for uconn women's games....
Get up by 50 - game over. Then they could keep trying to break their own record for 'shortest game.'

Or...they should just move to the WNBA...

[Ramblinrose]

Count me among those who didn't think Syracuse should be in the Dance. I was sure wrong. I was surprised to see Gonzaga fold as they did... the backcourt violation was inexcusable. Gonzaga was essentially a two man team ...and Syracuse keyed on that.

[sf2010]

I'm of the school of thought that performance once in the tournament is not validation for borderline selection. Syracuse has done well in the tournament, still should not have been selected in my opinion.

[STC]

That UConn game was just silly. Just have to roll your eyes at some of the results.

It will never happen but I would love to see Auriemma move to the men's game and really test his coaching ability.

[PeterRamTime]

The UCONN women are maming the competition thus far.
Up 76-16 against 5 seed Mississippi state....

There needs to be a mercy rule for uconn women's games....
Get up by 50 - game over. Then they could keep trying to break their own record for 'shortest game.'

Or...they should just move to the WNBA...

No kidding! They oughta at least scrimmage one.
Mississippi state couldn't get a pass off without it getting stolen. When Uconn was trying.

[NYGFan_Section208]

I'm of the school of thought that performance once in the tournament is not validation for borderline selection. Syracuse has done well in the tournament, still should not have been selected in my opinion.

In or out...I think it was borderline...could have seen it either way, but I agree that performance once in, doesn't validate the selection. It's all about match-ups and how you play 'that day'.

[Ramblinrose]

I think performance definitely validates selection. Who cares if you struggled against Iona in the winter? Beating the big boys in March is what matters.
Syracuse starting 5-5 has no bearing.

[Rhodymob05]

I think Cuse deserves more respect than people are givign them. First of all, their coach was suspended for part of the season, everyone thought the season was over, but they fought on. Dayton, although having a end of season collapse, was still Dayton who Cuse handled by 19! Then playing Middle Tenn who OBVIOUSLY wasn't a cupcake since they destroyed most of the worlds brackets by defeating the favorite (MSU), cuse handled them by 25. Next is Gonzaga who went from "they shouldn't be in" to " "they weren't seeded right" since they screamed by the Big East Tourney Champs Seton Hall, then destroying a Pac 12 favorite Utah by 23 points. Cuse goes on to defeat that same Gonzaga team to make the Elite 8 where they belong. Impressive indeed.

[NYGFan_Section208]

I think performance definitely validates selection. Who cares if you struggled against Iona in the winter? Beating the big boys in March is what matters.
Syracuse starting 5-5 has no bearing.

Performance in the tourney is a 'moment in time' thing...I don't believe that how deep you go into the tournament indicates how worthy you were for selection.

See: MSU out in the first round vs. Syracuse playing for a spot in the Final Four...
Doesn't make me think the Syracuse selection was more validated than MSU by any stretch.

[Billyboy78]

Since Kansas is playing...never forget this game!

http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/box ... ansas.html

[860_rhody]

Awesome to see a cash cow like Kansas go down...rooting for Nova all the way.

[ramfan85]

Always happy when KU loses. They definitely have trouble against eastern teams when the game matters.
Unfortunately, I think Villanova will win it all.

For a URI fan, having a BE team win the title is the cherry on the sundae for a truly rotten year.

[rambone 78]

Agreed about the BE, but they are still considered a mid major without the big money of a P5 school, even with that bloated TV contract.

I don't have a problem with them winning it, although I think NC will.

But a rotten year it certainly has been. No doubt about that.

[ace]

Random question for people not in, from, or around the Philly area- do you consider Villanova a Philadelphia school? (if you've ever thought of it at all)

[hrstrat57]

I do - Big 5 and on the mainline

SEPTA serviced too no?

[Seawrightspostgame]

I guess I qualify. Hardly spent time in Philly, don't know much about it, I do assume Villanova is part of the city.

[Ramblinrose]

Jay Wright is a terrific coach.

[UCH21377]

They have a heck of a program; the A10 has nothing like it right now. And we have to admit that the BE is a cut above the A10 right now, don't we? Call them mid-majors if you want but I think we have to acknowledge there is a gap currently.

[rambone 78]

The A10 has 14 teams, some of which are pretty small time in terms of facilities and commitment.

Too much dreck at the bottom.

The BE at 10 teams is much more compact, and almost all of their programs spend [and receive] a good deal more money than many A10 teams.

Not likely to change much at least in the near future either.

[Ramblinrose]

It will never be what it was 30 years ago. Not without UCONN and SU. But the name Big East still resonates.and you can show recruits a sweet TV deal and a tournament in MSG. And, most important, a lot of players in the NBA
An aside ...Syracuse has a 40-year-old starter in Cooney.

[NYGFan_Section208]

The 'cuuuuuuuuse! hanging in! amazing

[NYGFan_Section208]

WOW

[Ramblinrose]

A 27-8 run. And Tony Bennett's singing the blues.

[SmartyBarrett]

My favorite part of Cuse's Final Four run will be when it gets vacated in two years.

[NYGFan_Section208]

A 27-8 run. And Tony Bennett's singing the blues.

Yes, but at least he got to watch firsthand how to coach in a big game.

[860_rhody]

The frauds to the Final 4! I always hate it when fraud teams win, oh well. I think Syracuse is using the fact that people said they shouldn't have gotten in (and those people were right) as motivation. Impressive.

[Ramblinrose]

Not a Syracuse fan, but they are the story of this tournament. Their defense in the final minutes smothered Gonzaga and Virginia.

[rodfromcranston]

So, we have UNC with the NCAA dragging their asses
on what could be the biggest cheating/academic scandal
in NCAA history.
IF they ever get this mess out in public. This "investigation"
has been going on for years.
Same with Syracuse.
So, the NCAA closes their eyes to cheaters, because they
are money making programs.
Just hypocritical how NCAA comes down on small schools
and lets real egregious things go unabated.

[Cameron_Dollar]

Syracuse paid the price, took their punishment and rallied behind their coach. UNC has been given a free ride to this point and Louisville is yet to come.

[rodfromcranston]

Ten years of all kinds of rule breaking,
from academic fraud to drugs test failures
on 11 players, never being reported, to players being
paid to work at a YMCA.
Yet, they're still in an NCAA.
It's a joke.
Agree on UNC and Louisville.

[Ramblinrose]

The NCAA has perfected the no look pass.

[NYGFan_Section208]

B Johnson is a monstah....Orange fan says: GO ND!

[rodfromcranston]

All cheating aside,
I've never seen so many games where
teams just collapsed at the end of a
game, due to putrid execution.
Guys like Mark Few, and Tony Bennett,
who are highly regarded coaches,
couldn't stem the tide at the end.

[Ramblinrose]

The Syracuse defense was intense within the final 5 minutes.
Rod, we're we close with Bonnie Colson Jr.? Would have been a great addition.

[rodfromcranston]

I don't think we were recruiting him that hard.
He never had an official visit.

[NYGFan_Section208]

All cheating aside,
I've never seen so many games where
teams just collapsed at the end of a
game, due to putrid execution.
Guys like Mark Few, and Tony Bennett,
who are highly regarded coaches,
couldn't stem the tide at the end.

And...call him an arrogant cheater if you'd like...but Jim Boeheim can coach...

[rambone 78]

Boeheim has never had the reputation of a great bench coach. Same as Roy Williams.

But they are getting it done in this tournament.

Look at Self. His teams always have loads of talent, but have lost many more times than they have won, in the Sweet 16 and beyond. One title in 12 years at Kansas.

People are now questioning his bench coaching.

Comes with the territory. Win and you're a genius, lose and you're an idiot.

[NYGFan_Section208]

Boeheim has never had the reputation of a great bench coach. Same as Roy Williams.

But they are getting it done in this tournament.

Look at Self. His teams always have loads of talent, but have lost many more times than they have won, in the Sweet 16 and beyond. One title in 12 years at Kansas.

People are now questioning his bench coaching.

Comes with the territory. Win and you're a genius, lose and you're an idiot.

Where are you hearing that Boeheim doesn't have the rep as a great bench coach? I can see it with Williams, but not Boeheim. Are you making that up?

[rodfromcranston]

You had the commentators last night saying
Syracuse might have won a lot more big games, if
Boeheim varied his defenses, instead of using only
his zone.
He's like Dean Smith, who had guys like Rasheed Wallace,
and Vince Carter and a team loaded with athletes.
He played an entire game with zone against BC
and lost in the NCAAs.
The "one size fits all" theory, isn't always best
when it comes to defense, because all opponents are different.

[NYGFan_Section208]

You had the commentators last night saying
Syracuse might have won a lot more big games, if
Boeheim varied his defenses, instead of using only
his zone.
He's like Dean Smith, who had guys like Rasheed Wallace,
and Vince Carter and a team loaded with athletes.
He played an entire game with zone against BC
and lost in the NCAAs.
The "one size fits all" theory, isn't always best
when it comes to defense, because all opponents are different.

Got it (was probably making too much noise of my own to hear the commentators much )...he has seemed to have a pretty good touch with it in the last couple weeks, though. I'm not sure this team is really ready ready to play anything but that zone and occasional press, is it? I don't think I want Cooney, Lydon or Coleman trying to man up on anyone for an extended period of time...?

[bigappleram]

The thing with the Syracuse Zone though is that you could never be that effective with it if you only played and practiced it some of the time. Its such an effective weapon because they spend so much time on it, and he recruits talent against that defensive philosophy.
Its hard to say what success he would have by switching defenses, I heard Barkley say that but I don't agree. Coaches have their own "philosophies" and coach to it. Some to their benefit, some to their detriment, but almost all great coaches have a "system."

[rambone 78]

Well look at DH. Almost always plays man.

He started to change things up this year out of necessity.

Let's see if he continues that trend, but NOT out of necessity but as a regular option.

[bigappleram]

DH is no different than most coaches. They have a philosophy and system and stick to their guns, even through adversity. That was the point. Maybe the Cuse could have 5 national titles if Boeheim played more man-to-man, or maybe they would have 0 and he would have been fired a long time ago. Hindsight is 20/20 and the easiest job is to sit back and second guess after knowing the outcome.