2024 NCAA Tourney

[hhcmatt]

Heading to Texas for the eclipse this weekend and will be staying with my in laws who are NC State grads. Should be a fun Saturday

[NUtball]

10 minutes ago, throwback said:

I seem to remember Coach Miles getting ejected on something pretty similar to that down in San Antonio - wasn't his 2nd technical for being out of the box when he was trying to get someone's attention that the shot clock wasn't running? Something like that.

 

 

Can you imagine being an NC State fan right now? The heater they've been on since starting the ACC tourney is something every sports fan dreams of experiencing.

 

They wouldn't even be here if UVa didn't completely botch the final minute of the ACC semis to let NC State bank in a 3 at the buzzer to force OT.

 

Adding in what they did in the ACC tourney just to make the NCAA field, NC State to the Final Four is one of the craziest postseason runs of all time. As if that wasn't enough for the fans, they got to beat UNC in the ACC final and knock Duke out in the Elite Eight. 

 

Also kind of strange in the NCAAs where the guards always seem to rule the day to see two huge dudes in Ivey and Burns completely dominating. Going to be a war in the paint next weekend when those two collide.

 

I can imagine being an NC State fan right now.  Finished grad school there in '93.  I don't know what happened to light a fire under them to start them on this run.  They weren't a bad team during the regular season, just extraordinarily mediocre.  Lost most of their games by less than 10 points - could never quite get over the hump.  I certainly thought they underachieved and this post-season run seems to back that up.  It's been quite enjoyable - especially disposing of the Dookies twice and the Tar Holes once along the way (the vast majority of people in NC are Duke and UNC fans, so playing 3rd fiddle or lower to both gracious and arrogant fans for the past 30 years has been quite annoying).

 

Facing Purdue is going to be tough because they haven't seen a dominant monster like Edey (I guess you can say that about any team facing Purdue).  NCSU's bigs tend to get in foul trouble and they're only 3 deep.  Might have to run some lightly used guys off the bench to absorb some fouls.  Also, I think Burns will have a real hard time attacking Edey.  His quick spin moves might get him around Edey, but since they measure his vertical with sheets of paper, Edey will probably be able to just block his shots from behind.  Burns is a real good passer, but that's usually from a double-team.  I don't think Purdue will double him much.  But, Burns only had 4 against Marquette.  Different guys have been stepping up during this run.

[HuskerFever]

3 minutes ago, NUtball said:

I don't know what happened to light a fire under them to start them on this run.

 

I'm not sure what all goes into this, but I did catch an interesting part of DJ Horne's postgame interview. He said something about how his team started showing up on time, stop playing selfish, etc.

 

So although there's probably much more depth to that, I'm getting the feeling there was some team dynamics / locker room issues throughout the season. Seems they put that in the past.

[HuskerFever]

 

[NUtball]

Yeah, I saw that also.  I think the close loss disappointments and the coach's hot-seat situation weighed on them at the end of the regular season.  It's widely acknowledged around here that he was getting fired if they didn't win the ACC tourney.  Maybe winning the first couple of games in the ACC tourney made them believe they could actually win some games.  They've also talked quite a bit about cleaning up some 'details' about the way they play before the ACC tournament started, primarily on defense.

[cornfed24-7]

1 hour ago, NUtball said:

I can imagine being an NC State fan right now.  Finished grad school there in '93.  I don't know what happened to light a fire under them to start them on this run.  They weren't a bad team during the regular season, just extraordinarily mediocre.  Lost most of their games by less than 10 points - could never quite get over the hump.  I certainly thought they underachieved and this post-season run seems to back that up.  It's been quite enjoyable - especially disposing of the Dookies twice and the Tar Holes once along the way (the vast majority of people in NC are Duke and UNC fans, so playing 3rd fiddle or lower to both gracious and arrogant fans for the past 30 years has been quite annoying).

 

Facing Purdue is going to be tough because they haven't seen a dominant monster like Edey (I guess you can say that about any team facing Purdue).  NCSU's bigs tend to get in foul trouble and they're only 3 deep.  Might have to run some lightly used guys off the bench to absorb some fouls.  Also, I think Burns will have a real hard time attacking Edey.  His quick spin moves might get him around Edey, but since they measure his vertical with sheets of paper, Edey will probably be able to just block his shots from behind.  Burns is a real good passer, but that's usually from a double-team.  I don't think Purdue will double him much.  But, Burns only had 4 against Marquette.  Different guys have been stepping up during this run.

I am really good friends with an alum and HUGE fan. Refuses to engage in conversation about it because he's afraid to jinx it Told me at the beginning of the tournament to watch out for DJ and that they are sneaky good. 

[AuroranHusker]

5 hours ago, HuskerFever said:

 

I'm not sure what all goes into this, but I did catch an interesting part of DJ Horne's postgame interview. He said something about how his team started showing up on time, stop playing selfish, etc.

 

So although there's probably much more depth to that, I'm getting the feeling there was some team dynamics / locker room issues throughout the season. Seems they put that in the past.

 

Reminiscent of NEEbrasketball in 1996.... also finished the regular portion of the Big 8 regular-and-conf.-tourney at 16-14, then rattled off 5 wins in-a-row, often on the road in hostile environments to snag the National Invitational Tournament championship. Only wished that particular NU team had figured it out in the conference tourney like N.C. St. -- they could have done some special stuff way back when. They had a bunch of ballers on the Husker roster. GBR Always.

 

[GhostOfJoeMcCray]

14 hours ago, HuskerFever said:

 

I'm not sure what all goes into this, but I did catch an interesting part of DJ Horne's postgame interview. He said something about how his team started showing up on time, stop playing selfish, etc.

 

So although there's probably much more depth to that, I'm getting the feeling there was some team dynamics / locker room issues throughout the season. Seems they put that in the past.

 

Half the battle is showing up (on time). 

[KZRider]

On 3/30/2024 at 12:46 PM, millerhusker said:

Yikes. Why do you say the Houston players are thugs in sneakers? Shead is by all accounts one of the good guys in college basketball. Great player too. They have a tough, blue collar culture in place there. Duke typically has at least a few players who behave like entitled, whiny little brats on the court. 

I came back after focusing on other things this Easter weekend to find I had created something of a stir. I understand why some took my comments as a statement about players OFF court behavior. I in no way meant this. I don't know any of these players and have no real knowledge of how they behave off the court. They might be model citizens. Any aspersions engendered by my comments were unintended and I regret that.

 

What I intended to convey is how weary I am of how the game is played ON the court. The hacking, pushing, elbowing, shoulder throwing, plowing over defenders, climbing over backs, hand checking, throwing players out of the way to get a rebound, moving screens that knock defenders down, etc. is what I mean by "thugs in sneakers." I have no objection to playing physically tough basketball but I want it to be clean basketball played within the rules. For example, UConn plays REALLY good basketball and is still a physically imposing squad. Illinois does NOT and Terrance Shannon is NOT a very good basketball player. He is an excellent linebacker with a good shooting eye. Shannon and SO MANY like him in the game today are what I mean by thugs in sneakers ON THE COURT. If referees would call the game as the rules are written instead of just making stuff up as they go, basketball would be a lot more fun to watch, IMO.

 

Hope this brings some clarity.

[Huskerpapa]

1 hour ago, KZRider said:

I came back after focusing on other things this Easter weekend to find I had created something of a stir. I understand why some took my comments as a statement about players OFF court behavior. I in no way meant this. I don't know any of these players and have no real knowledge of how they behave off the court. They might be model citizens. Any aspersions engendered by my comments were unintended and I regret that.

 

What I intended to convey is how weary I am of how the game is played ON the court. The hacking, pushing, elbowing, shoulder throwing, plowing over defenders, climbing over backs, hand checking, throwing players out of the way to get a rebound, moving screens that knock defenders down, etc. is what I mean by "thugs in sneakers." I have no objection to playing physically tough basketball but I want it to be clean basketball played within the rules. For example, UConn plays REALLY good basketball and is still a physically imposing squad. Illinois does NOT and Terrance Shannon is NOT a very good basketball player. He is an excellent linebacker with a good shooting eye. Shannon and SO MANY like him in the game today are what I mean by thugs in sneakers ON THE COURT. If referees would call the game as the rules are written instead of just making stuff up as they go, basketball would be a lot more fun to watch, IMO.

 

Hope this brings some clarity.

Correct.  Players and coaches understand.  They will push the envelope until they are made to stop.  A push is not a foul, until a ref calls it a foul.  So if isn't called then a push can become a shove, etc.

Now, it is pretty much anything goes.  Then what becomes frustrating for everyone is the occasional touch fouls "that seem to" favor one team over the other.

[tcp]

10 hours ago, AuroranHusker said:

 

Reminiscent of NEEbrasketball in 1996.... also finished the regular portion of the Big 8 regular-and-conf.-tourney at 16-14, then rattled off 5 wins in-a-row, often on the road in hostile environments to snag the National Invitational Tournament championship. Only wished that particular NU team had figured it out in the conference tourney like N.C. St. -- they could have done some special stuff way back when. They had a bunch of ballers on the Husker roster. GBR Always.

 

 

That;s the notorious rebellion team of Boone and Strickland. They had high expectations coming inbto that season and were expected to be the team that got that first win after the 91 team failed in that mission. 

 

Once Nee and the players got their lines of communication un-screwed, the team most of us expected finally showed up. 96 was mmy last year in the Army and Ihad just gotten back from an extra long tour in Korea and was looking forward to decompressing with Nee-ball for that season. They finished well, that's for sure. 

[AuroranHusker]

10 minutes ago, tcp said:

 

That;s the notorious rebellion team of Boone and Strickland. They had high expectations coming inbto that season and were expected to be the team that got that first win after the 91 team failed in that mission. 

 

Once Nee and the players got their lines of communication un-screwed, the team most of us expected finally showed up. 96 was mmy last year in the Army and Ihad just gotten back from an extra long tour in Korea and was looking forward to decompressing with Nee-ball for that season. They finished well, that's for sure. 

 

Yep, the mutiny foiled, barely. lol

 

Sheesh, they squandered a huge opportunity.

 

[AuroranHusker]

On 3/31/2024 at 6:46 AM, hhcmatt said:

 

There are 8 more minutes in a NBA game vs college

 

The 5 - 6 foul ratio is an identical ratio as to the 40-min. - 48-min. ballgame.

Edited April 1 by AuroranHusker

[hskr4life]

 

High Knees AND Courtney Green?  My reffing heart can’t take much more.

[Dead Dog Alley]

12 minutes ago, hskr4life said:

 

High Knees AND Courtney Green?  My reffing heart can’t take much more.

 

They're not even worried about legitimacy, are they?

[AuroranHusker]

21 hours ago, hhcmatt said:

Heading to Texas for the eclipse this weekend and will be staying with my in laws who are NC State grads. Should be a fun Saturday

 

I had planned to hit the Final Four, then I saw the price of any *watchable, decent* seat being $5-6k... said, nah!!

 

 

[REDZONEDAN]

36 minutes ago, hskr4life said:

 

High Knees AND Courtney Green?  My reffing heart can’t take much more.

No Lurch?  I’m disappointed.

[Huskerpapa]

Still, one Nebraskan in the group!

[AuroranHusker]

44 minutes ago, Dead Dog Alley said:

 

They're not even worried about legitimacy, are they?

 

No f'n way..... HIGH KNEES?!?! ..... AND, Courtney Green. Srsly. Sheesh!!!

 

 

Edited April 1 by AuroranHusker

[brfrad]

This game Monday should be really good.  Too bad it won't start until 8:30.  We have to get that fixed.  Game should start no later than 7:30.

[Cazzie22]

UConn has too much for Purdue.  I will be pulling for the Boilers but they are going to be overmatched.

[Swan88]

24 minutes ago, Cazzie22 said:

UConn has too much for Purdue.  I will be pulling for the Boilers but they are going to be overmatched.

Purdue was projected as having too much for the Huskers.  That’s why they play the game.

[OmahaHusker]

2 hours ago, Cazzie22 said:

UConn has too much for Purdue.  I will be pulling for the Boilers but they are going to be overmatched.

UConn is a different level right now. Having a lottery pick as the 4th or 5th best player in your starting lineup is definitely something. 
 

[millerhusker]

6 hours ago, Cazzie22 said:

UConn has too much for Purdue.  I will be pulling for the Boilers but they are going to be overmatched.

I’m gonna disagree. UCONN is very good, but not unbeatable. Talking heads are saying they’re a historically great team and I just don’t think that’s true. They have had historically fortunate paths to two consecutive championship games. 
 

UCONN didn’t have too much for Creighton. Stylistically, Purdue is just a much better version of Creighton. Edey is the one guy in college basketball who can get Clingan in foul trouble and UCONN doesn’t have depth. Braden Smith will be key. Quicker, lower center if gravity guards (NC State and Tennessee) can get up under him and give him problems. That’s not what UConn has. Newton and Spencer are longer, but they do lack in lateral quickness. He could have a huge game, kind of like Ashworth did against them (and Smith is on a whole other level than that guy). I’m glad it’s a Goliath vs Goliath matchup. That doesn’t seem to happen too often. Purdue will be by far the most sound, disciplined team UConn has played in these last two tournaments. I’m taking the Boilermakers.

[millerhusker]

4 hours ago, OmahaHusker said:

UConn is a different level right now. Having a lottery pick as the 4th or 5th best player in your starting lineup is definitely something. 
 

That’s pretty normal for lottery picks coming out as freshmen  in college. The potential #1 pick was Colorado’s third or fourth best player. Kentucky has two of them this year who actually weren’t in the starting lineup.

Edited April 7 by millerhusker