2015 March Madness Bracket

[Pelicans78]

Pac-12 is always bandied about as down, but Stanford and Washington were both ranked at mid season before injury and suspension derailed, and Oregon with POY was 3rd, and UCLA 4th, and the latter played Arizona tough twice last month. Much tougher than even Utah and almost as tough as Gonzaga.

UCLA was pissed on because of their Kentucky loss, but somehow Kansas survies their 30-point rout without being diminished. Why? Because they beat up on some very young teams in Michigan State and Georgetown in non-conference and played in the Big12 which was severely overrated all year for beating up on itself.

ACC was better at the top and middle than the Pac. But I think every other major conference was vastly overrated because their middle tier teams occasionally beat their top-tier teams. People are down on UCLA but forget they lost 4/5th of their starters, and a lottery pick off their bench. They needed time, but by the time they had developed the only teams they could face to prove themselves were crappy teams and Arizona. They advanced on a fluke, but I can actually see them making Elite 8.

Utah should give Duke fits as they are a bigger, more efficient version of SDSU.

I'm curious to see how Oregon plays Wisconsin. Young is capable of a 30 point game and making that an interesting matchup similar to MSU last Sunday.

Stanford the 5th team and ASU are undefeated in NIT. I thought Stanford was good enough to win a game in the tournament if shot was falling.

Outside of Kentucky, any other elite team can lose to any other good team on a given day. And even UK has survived some close games against average teams.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

You're too sensitive and also not reading what I said. I said they deserved top 4 seed meaning they're a top 4 team in the country. Did I say anything otherwise? Of course not. You're picking an argument for the sake of arguing because your team is getting slurped enough even though I said they should have been a number one seed meaning they're a top 4 team. Don't be so salty all the time.

I have no idea what you're talking about here but I was saying UCLA was the 4th best Pac-12 team during the regular season. This isn't a matter of opinion, it's a fact that they were 4th in the conference standings.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

The Pac-12 wasn't that good outside of Arizona and Utah.

Excellent counter argument.

[Pelicans78]

I have no idea what you're talking about here but I was saying UCLA was the 4th best Pac-12 team during the regular season. This isn't a matter of opinion, it's a fact that they were 4th in the conference standings.

I thought you were talking about Arizona.

[JMarkJohns]

When Miami was left out people in the media whined and cried... But Stanford is left out and nary a word. But Stanford has a top-30 adjusted offense (better than Miami) and better adjusted defense than Miami according to KenPom, and sits as the 46th best metric'd team in the country, with Miami sitting as 56th, and Stanford had a SOS almost 100 slots tougher than Miami.

I'm saying perception of the "crappy" Pac-12 isn't always the reality.

Had teams like Arizona and Utah not been judged harsher for close wins and beating each other than other top-conference contenders, and teams like Stanford, Oregon not just been dropped to obscurity at season's beginning (Stanford was a Sweet -6 team last year), and had people watched UCLA from January on, they'd have seen five Tournament teams. No doubt. Factor in both ASU and Colorado also had top-75 KenPom rankings and people would have seen while perception said the Pac would suck, reality says 7 top-75 teams suggests a much stronger conference and this is without preseason and early season ranking support which boosts the metric ranking.

[Pelicans78]

Excellent counter argument.

I could have added in Xavier, but got tired of talking about the Big East.

Anyway, I'm rooting for Arizona. I got them in the Final Four against UK.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

And I'm picking an argument because the Big East is a joke. I think the SEC is better than they are just as much as I do the Pac. Villanova wasn't any better than teams like Creighton or Long Beach State that dominate ty conferences every year.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

I thought you were talking about Arizona.

No, I was talking about how you clearly know so much about the Pac by thinking UCLA was the 3rd best team during the regular season.

[Pelicans78]

When Miami was left out people in the media whined and cried... But Stanford is left out and nary a word. But Stanford has a top-30 adjusted offense (better than Miami) and better adjusted defense than Miami according to KenPom, and sits as the 46th best metric'd team in the country, with Miami sitting as 56th, and Stanford had a SOS almost 100 slots tougher than Miami.

I'm saying perception of the "crappy" Pac-12 isn't always the reality.

Arizona and Utah got screwed with their seeding. I use college basketball-reference and both teams were rated higher than their actual seedings.

Had teams like Arizona and Utah not been judged harsher for close wins and beating each other than other top-conference contenders, and teams like Stanford, Oregon not just been dropped to obscurity at season's beginning (Stanford was a Sweet -6 team last year), and had people watched UCLA from January on, they'd have seen five Tournament teams. No doubt. Factor in both ASU and Colorado also had top-75 KenPom rankings and people would have seen while perception said the Pac would suck, reality says 7 top-75 teams suggests a much stronger conference and this is without preseason and early season ranking support which boosts the metric ranking.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

I could have added in Xavier, but got tired of talking about the Big East.

Anyway, I'm rooting for Arizona. I got them in the Final Four against UK.

Fine, I concede Xavier is better than Stanford, so when comparing the top 5 teams in each conference, the Pac is 3-1-1.

[Pelicans78]

No, I was talking about how you clearly know so much about the Pac by thinking UCLA was the 3rd best team during the regular season.

I skipped Oregon, but I was looking at the overall metrics on basketball-reference where UCLA was 3rd. Oregon was actually 5th behind Stanford.

[Pelicans78]

And I'm picking an argument because the Big East is a joke. I think the SEC is better than they are just as much as I do the Pac. Villanova wasn't any better than teams like Creighton or Long Beach State that dominate ty conferences every year.

I disagree about the SEC and I'm from the South. Outside of UK and Arky, the rest of the conference was average. Georgia was solid, but LSU and Ole Miss were lucky to get tournament bids. Florida and A&M were ok at best and the rest of the conference was terrible.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

I disagree about the SEC and I'm from the South. Outside of UK and Arky, the rest of the conference was average. Georgia was solid, but LSU and Ole Miss were lucky to get tournament bids. Florida and A&M were ok at best and the rest of the conference was terrible.

LSU outplayed NC State but choked it away with missed free throws.

Villanova was down the entire game and lost to the same NC State team

[Pelicans78]

LSU outplayed NC State but choked it away with missed free throws.

Villanova was down the entire game and lost to the same NC State team

But that's just a one game scenario. LSU also lost to Auburn twice this year who are horrible. N.C. State would beat LSU consistently on a regular basis. They beat Duke, UNC, and Louisville by double digits this season. But they're also inconsistent enough to lose to teams like Wofford, Boston College, and Wake Forest.

[Pelicans78]

Wouldn't surprise me if UCLA or Iowa made the Elite 8 against Duke. I smell a Gonzaga choke.

[N0 LyF3 ScRuB]

DoK is delusional.

i bet NCSU would compete for first in the PAC 12

[N0 LyF3 ScRuB]

, Maryland finished 2nd in the big 10 their first year out the ACC with their ACC recruiting. They finished 8th in the ACC last year

[Pelicans78]

DoK is delusional.

i bet NCSU would compete for first in the PAC 12

I think they would battle for 3rd, but Arizona and Utah are better overall since the Pack are a young team. Pack will be a top 5 possible team next season.

Anyway, the path is clear for them to get to the Final Four. They should beat the winner out of L'Ville/UNI and now with Virginia out, it gives them a great chance in the Elite 8.

[Pelicans78]

Kansas getting decked over and over by WSU. No wonder they never schedule the Shockers.

[Pelicans78]

In the last 25 years, has there ever been a team that's choked more than Kansas in the tournament?

[Pelicans78]

Texas needs to offer Gregg Marshall a ton of money.

[CitizenDwayne]

In the last 25 years, has there ever been a team that's choked more than Kansas in the tournament?

Nope. Bill Self has turned disappointing fans into an art form.

[Clipper Nation]

In the last 25 years, has there ever been a team that's choked more than Kansas in the tournament?

Gonzaga, but that's pretty much it. At least Kansas got a ring, even though it took Gangbanger Rse ting down his leg in the clutch as usual for them to win it. Mark Few gags at the mere thought of the Sweet 16.

[Pelicans78]

Gonzaga, but that's pretty much it. At least Kansas got a ring, even though it took Gangbanger Rse ting down his leg in the clutch as usual for them to win it. Mark Few gags at the mere thought of the Sweet 16.

That's true, but Kansas has had numerous number one seeds, number one ranked team in the country with multiple NBAers and have lost in the round of 32 or sweet 16 plenty of times. Those previous Gonzaga teams didn't have nearly the talent of those Kansas teams with Roy or Self as the coach. Its been amazing.

[Pelicans78]

Nope. Bill Self has turned disappointing fans into an art form.

The sad part is, Roy choked way more than Self