NCAAT 2024 Thread

[Jojogunne]

For those who want to discuss the NCAA Tournament.

I'll start with some local news: Wagner will be going to the Big Dance for just the second time:

https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/wa ... ournament/

Maybe the Seahawks will be this year's St. Peter's or Monmouth?

Wags: I'm sure you will be rooting for them.

[Wags]

Wags: I'm sure you will be rooting for them.

You bet! There will be Seahawks in the NCAAT after all, even if it's not UNCW.

At least if I can't root for my alma mater, I can still root for my namesake in the NCAAT.

This was fun to do - I once wrote about a Hofstra home win over Wagner, using only Alma Maters and Namesakes as team names instead of Wagner, Seahawks, Hofstra, or Pride:

https://www.nysportsday.com/2010/11/29/ ... st-wagner/

[dutchPride86]

Funny you guys bring up Wagner... actually went to their NEC semifinal game at CCSU last weekend (that's my neck of the woods). Team only has 7 active players in uniform due to injuries, not exactly talent jumping off the page watching them, but they found a way. Their coach about as lively on the sideline as any I've seen in a while, team must feed off his energy. And similar to our fate with Stony, Wagner lost both games to CCSU (the 1 seed) by 1 point in the regular season before picking them off in that semi with ccsu having a horrible offensive game

[triplec2195]

Wagner at 16-15 a losing record in their conference at 7-9 and playing in the NEC RANKED 32 OUT OF THE 33 CONFERENCES in the country. Just a joke and really no relevant wins. Kudos to them because they're doing something we just dream about.

[Jojogunne]

Here's a link to ESPN's Bracketology page, showing who's in and where they are seeded:

https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story ... redictions

It currently has #13 Charleston playing #5 South Carolina -- a nice Palmetto State matchup -- in SPOKANE!

[Wags]

Here's a link to ESPN's Bracketology page, showing who's in and where they are seeded:

https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story ... redictions

It currently has #13 Charleston playing #5 South Carolina -- a nice Palmetto State matchup -- in SPOKANE!

That would be in the next round if they both win their first games.

[Wags]

Here's a link to ESPN's Bracketology page, showing who's in and where they are seeded:

https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story ... redictions

It currently has #13 Charleston playing #5 South Carolina -- a nice Palmetto State matchup -- in SPOKANE!

That would be in the next round if they both win their first games.

[EvanJ]

With losses by Princeton and South Florida, maybe Charleston's seed could improve to a 12.

You are invited to my Dad's NCAA Tournament pool. Two of you previously participated. It costs $10 per bracket, and people have submitted more than one. Last year it had 20 brackets. It had a big margin of victory because only one bracket had Connecticut winning, and nobody else had Connecticut or San Diego State in the Championship game. Three brackets win money. If you are interested, post your email address or type it to me in a private message and I will attach instructions.

[EvanJ]

With the upsets yesterday, ESPN has St. John's as the first team out. Going into the tournament, it was expected that beating bubble team Seton Hall in the Quarterfinals would be enough, and they ended on a good note by losing by 5 to Connecticut. If ESPN is correct that the Big East gets three bids, this year will tie 1993 as the fewest Big East bids in the 39 tournaments with at least 64 teams. I wonder if Dayton or VCU will want to go to the Big East. 1993 was a bad tournament for the Big East as 2 seed Seton Hall lost to 7 seed Western Kentucky, and the Big East did not have a team in the Sweet Sixteen. I also wonder if it would be the first time that the conference with the overall Number 1 seed had its fewest bids since 31 or more years earlier.

[Jojogunne]

St. John's didn't make the cut and won't accept an NIT bid. Pitino would rather spend them time recruiting.

Do you think anyone from the CAA will receive an NIT bid? The selection show is in an hour.

[Wags]

St. John's didn't make the cut and won't accept an NIT bid. Pitino would rather spend them time recruiting.

With the portal starting tomorrow, there's no point in accepting an NIT bid if they're going to lose players before the NIT.

This is an NCAA issue, not the teams' issue. Really, no team should accept an NIT invitation unless they're somehow certain they're not losing anyone. I don't blame them.

A very easy way to fix this - don't open the portal tomorrow, wait only 22 days more, until April 9, and the issue goes away. I know a lot of teams like to start working in June now, but they can still do that with a portal window of 4/9-5/23 instead of 3/18-5/1.

Do you think anyone from the CAA will receive an NIT bid? The selection show is in an hour.

No shot unless UNCW's win at Kentucky is valued way more than it should be compared to the rest of the Seawhawks' body of work.

Drexel's win over ViIlanova isn't what it once was so that won't help either.

[EvanJ]

The Big East got three bids, and this year tied 1993 as the fewest Big East bids in the 39 tournaments with at least 64 teams. The Mountain West teams that ESPN thought were locks included two who have to play in the First Four for 10 seeds. Prior to this season, all First Four games were for seeds 11 or worse. Four 11s, four 12s, four 13s, four 14s, four 15s, and six 16s including the First Four) mean that 26 of 32 conferences had their automatic bid go to a team that is worse than the bottom at-large team.

[Wags]

Here's the First Four and First Round schedule with starting times and TV channels:

Tue 3/19 https://www.espn.com/mens-college-baske ... e/20240319 (prediction: my namesake will score the first points of the NCAAT)
Wed 3/20 https://www.espn.com/mens-college-baske ... e/20240320

Thu 3/20 https://www.espn.com/mens-college-baske ... /group/100
Fri 3/21 https://www.espn.com/mens-college-baske ... /group/100

[Wags]

Wagner leading Howard 38-27 at halftime but they better be careful in the second half.

They only have seven players available and have to start the second half with one player with three fouls and three others with two each.

Anyone remember The King & His Court, with pitcher Eddie Feigner and only three other fielders, and they would go around usually winning?

We may see the NCAA tournament version if Wagner keeps fouling too much.

[EvanJ]

Wagner's 17 point lead got down to 1, and they beat Howard 71-68. Colorado State (who I predicted to win in the Round of 64) defeated Virginia 67-42. Colorado State's 27-14 halftime lead was a score that could have been been Football. ESPN does not let you pick the First Four, so if Virginia had won in the First Four and Round of 64, I would have gotten credit for the Round of 64 game I expected Colorado State to win.

Montana State leads Grambling 12-8. Colorado and Boise State play tonight. The Round of 64 starts tomorrow at 12:15 P.M. The Round of 32 times will be determined by who plays, but ESPN lists locations in a way that makes me think there will be more afternoon games on Saturday and Sunday than there used to be.

Edit: Montana State led by 14 in the second half, and blew it. Grambling State went up 4, and it went to overtime tied at 72. Grambling State won 88-81. Both teams shot well other than Montana State's free throws. Grambling attempted 8 more field goals and 8 more free throws. It was Grambling State's first NCAA Tournament game. Grambling, Louisiana is in between Shreveport and Monroe.

Edit: Colorado leads Boise State 28-26. Colorado led 26-24 at halftime, and each team has only 1 three.

Edit: Colorado won 60-53.

[Jojogunne]

Alabama destroyed Charleston tonight, 109-96. At one point, the Cougars were down by 31 points. I hate to think what the Tide would have done to us.

It was a big night for UA's Mark Sears, who led all scorers with 30 points. Estrada had a nice game, displaying his versatility with 13 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists, including several acrobatic alley-oop passes to his teammates.

[triplec2195]

Estrada must have been in his glory beating COC AND Brzovic only had a four points playing 20 minutes. Love that.

[HUSID80]

Alabama destroyed Charleston tonight, 109-96. At one point, the Cougars were down by 31 points. I hate to think what the Tide would have done to us.

It was a big night for UA's Mark Sears, who led all scorers with 30 points. Estrada had a nice game, displaying his versatility with 13 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists, including several acrobatic alley-oop passes to his teammates.

Charleston a terrible matchup for Alabama. They wanted to run with Alabama with much less talent. I think we would have done better but we'll never know.
Yet another poor showing for the CAA.

[Jojogunne]

I love these first-round upsets! No amount of NIL $$$ could help the Wildcats:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KerwA3WQJc

[EvanJ]

I picked Houston to win. Houston allowed 17 in the last 1:52 of regulation, and Texas A&M had five shots on their last possession, including getting the ball from the possession arrow with 1.2 seconds left, and made a three to tie it at 86. Luckily Houston won 100-95 in overtime. ESPN's Fans of Hofstra group has 96 brackets, and I am one of 13 who was not lost any future games. I am in the 82.9th percentile, and I have the same score as if I picked the better seed in each game. If you asked people to guess what percentile a bracket that picked the better seed in every game was, I think they would guess way worse than 82.9th. If Houston wins the Tournament, I will have an elite bracket.