Ahhh yes... It's March Madness Time.

[Headache in a Suitcase]

meh... georgetown beating ohio state is just about the only upset i picked that actually happened

 

[impy13]

TEXAS FIGHT

 

[speedracer]

Wow. When Duke loses a rebound on a late-game free throw when the shooter is the only guy down there, you know they're toast.

 

[phanan]

 

[speedracer]

Also, when will ESPN learn to stop hyping up these supposed greatest teams/programs ever? First they say the Colts might go undefeated, then they say USC is one of the best two college football teams ever, then they compare Duke's Sweet 16 streak to UCLA's streak of championships. Geez.

 

[Chizip]

wow what a game

 

[speedracer]

Wow.

The last basket for UCLA was like Bird stealing the ball from Isiah, or like MJ hacking the ball away from Karl Malone and then shoving Bryon Russell.

 

[cjboog]

I am probably the biggest Gonzaga fan in this forum and I am so mad right now if I see anything moving, I will attack it and kill it. I think I have screamed different profanities about 500 times in the last half hour. UCLA did not win that game, Gonzaga lost it, they fucked up so bad its funny. I think I am going to go find JP Batista and kill him right now......

 

[speedracer]

I am probably the biggest Gonzaga fan in this forum and I am so mad right now if I see anything moving, I will attack it and kill it. I think I have screamed different profanities about 500 times in the last half hour. UCLA did not win that game, Gonzaga lost it, they fucked up so bad its funny. I think I am going to go find JP Batista and kill him right now......

Now I know Gonzaga gave a textbook illustration of how not to break a press on that one possession, but could you point out the plays where Gonzaga scored the last 11 points in UCLA's basket? Thanks.

 

[cjboog]

Let's review:

3:26 Morrison made free throw
2:22 Morrison missed jumper
1:39 Raivio missed 3 pointer
1:35 Batista missed layup
1:01 Morrison missed jumper
0:23 Morrison missed jumper
0:02 Batista missed jumper

Gonzaga missed their last 6 shots down the stretch. Those shots were the single most important 6 shots of the game. And if JP Batista had held onto the ball, UCLA would have fouled and it would have been almost impossible for them to come back from that. Hats off to UCLA for hanging in there, but if Gonzaga had their heads out of their asses, this game should have been a certain win.

 

[speedracer]

I think your sarcasm detector needs new batteries.

Ever hear of the concept of "defense"? (This question is another example of sarcasm.)

 

[cjboog]

I don't have a sarcasm detector right now because my head is pulsating violently from that humiliating defeat...

By the way, it wasn't like UCLA was playing utterly spectacular defense, GU just missed their shots. They had countless opportunities to put the game away and made one stupid mistake after another. Just stop and think -- if Batista had grabbed the ball on that inbounds play and held onto it, UCLA would have fouled him for sure. If he had made at least one of the free throws, it would have been difficult for the Bruins to come back. All he had to do was hold onto the ball instead of waving it over his head like he was some kind of idiot.

I have a sarcastic question for you now: Ever heard of "choking"?

 

[speedracer]

By the way, it wasn't like UCLA was playing utterly spectacular defense, GU just missed their shots.

It was solid if unspectacular team defense, the type of which UCLA has played over the last few games.

They had countless opportunities to put the game away and made one stupid mistake after another. Just stop and think -- if Batista had grabbed the ball on that inbounds play and held onto it, UCLA would have fouled him for sure. If he had made at least one of the free throws, it would have been difficult for the Bruins to come back. All he had to do was hold onto the ball instead of waving it over his head like he was some kind of idiot.

That entire possession was poor team play against a press. It wasn't just Batista's fault. The first pass into the left corner to Morrison was a bad idea. The crosscourt pass to Batista in the other corner was also a bad idea. And nobody came to get the ball from Batista.

There were 20 seconds left when the ball was inbounded. UCLA clearly did not plan to foul until less than 10 seconds or so were left. They tried to strip the ball from Morrison, but he got rid of it. Batista held the ball up high like big men are supposed to do; he just didn't see Farmar sneaking up from behind, and Farmar made a great steal. If he had held the ball in his chest, he'd have been even more susceptible to a strip or a held ball, which would have given the ball to UCLA.

I have a sarcastic question for you now: Ever heard of "choking"?

Yes. Yes I have. Tends not to happen unless the other team does something to make it happen.

I was an occassional poster in this forum as far back as October 2003, when Grady Little left Pedro in for the eighth inning. I threw several objects at the TV as it was happening. Doesn't take anything away from what the Yankees accomplished that night though.

 

[cjboog]

Well I guess we can agree to disagree. As a Zags fan, I see it as them completely screwing up in the last minute because they completely controlled that game for 38.5 minutes. The free throws by Hollins were made with 20 seconds left so by the time Batista got the ball there were 15 seconds left. All he had to do was hang onto it for a little bit longer, and since when are big men supposed to just hold the ball up in the air? It's not like other players can't jump up and knock the ball away. He should have had the ball low and close to his body, swinging it around and pivoting so the UCLA players couldn't he just taken it away from him....

Call the defense what you like, but the Zags had some great looks that they failed to capitalize on in the last few minutes not to mention the turnovers.

We are obviously not going to agree. Here is how I sum up the game:

1. Gonzaga dominated for 9/10 of the game
2. UCLA never gave up and kept fighting
3. Gonzaga choked in the last 2 minutes, missing ALL their shots and turning the ball over (most of which was their own carelessness IMO)
4. JP Batista made a bonehead play that ended up costing Gonzags the game

Anyway, I now hope UCLA kicks Memphis's ass

 

[cjboog]

Well, I'm a Gonzaga season ticket holder and watched pretty much all of their games this season, so I am very disappointed. However, Speedracer, you can consider my rant officially over, I am too tired to continue. Good night

 

[speedracer]

Well I guess we can agree to disagree. As a Zags fan, I see it as them completely screwing up in the last minute because they completely controlled that game for 38.5 minutes.

I wouldn't call a 71-66 lead with 2 minutes to go, or a 71-62 lead with 3 minutes to go, "complete control". But that's just me.

since when are big men supposed to just hold the ball up in the air? It's not like other players can't jump up and knock the ball away.

See: Karl Malone, 1998 NBA Finals Game 6. Again, the problem was that Batista didn't see Farmar coming from behind because he had another guy in his face.

Call the defense what you like, but the Zags had some great looks that they failed to capitalize on in the last few minutes not to mention the turnovers.

The one Gonzaga shot of the last 3 minutes that I think was a "great look" was the putback of Raivio's three that Batista missed. In a previous post you lumped in Batista's last-gasp shot with all the others, which is unfair. The other shots were typical Morrison shots where he doesn't really get a whole lot of separation from his guy but gets enough of a look at the basket that he shoots a good percentage. He just happened to miss a few of them.

Gonzaga's only turnover down the stretch was when Raivio was driving for the winning score, ran into traffic, and Mbah A Moute dove onto the floor to steal his dribble. Now that's hardcore.

We are obviously not going to agree. Here is how I sum up the game:

1. Gonzaga dominated for 9/10 of the game
2. UCLA never gave up and kept fighting
3. Gonzaga choked in the last 2 minutes, missing ALL their shots and turning the ball over (most of which was their own carelessness IMO)
4. JP Batista made a bonehead play that ended up costing Gonzags the game

If Gonzaga had won the game and UCLA fans started saying that they gave the game away in the first half by taking dumb shots early in their possessions, I think you'd be rather indignant about it, and rightly so.

 

[Lila64]

I caught a bit of the first half of the game when UCLA was getting their arse kicked. Got busy later on, and heard hubby screaming at the TV (UCLA fan). Then I heard they won and they apparently made a miraculous comeback. WTG UCLA

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

UCLA did not win that game, Gonzaga lost it, they fucked up so bad its funny.

I never understand when people say this. Is it supposed to make them feel better about the loss?

 

[Hewson]

Just remember that I told you on Nov 17, "prepare to be shocked".

i will... and you remember what i said too and we'll compare memories in march.

 

[phanan]

You knew that post was coming.

 

[Numb1075]

Are everyone's brackets just as worthless as mine are right now?

 

[Hewson]

I have UCLA winning it all, so I'm still good.

 

[phanan]

I'm pissed because I had Gonzaga in the final.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i remembered what i said, and i have no problem owning up to it.

i should have known better when i made those comments... you're right. duke was a team built around skilled players, not athleticism and physicality like a uconn, a lsu or a memphis. that's the state of american basketball today, like it or not. i'm just living in a dream world where teams that actually run offenses and have guys who can make free throws and jump shots can still win. and then a night like last night happens, and duke, west virginia and gonzaga all go down to grinding, physical defensive minded teams. american basketball is at a point where guys with little to no offensive skill, like josh boone, tyrus thomas, or at the next level, ben wallace, can dominate a game. i don't like it... hate it even... but it's just fact. duke doesn't do that, and probably never will.

one thing that i held to all season was proven correct last night, even in defeat... i always said that sheldin williams was the most important player, and that duke could still win if JJ had a bad game. how does last night prove that? easy... under 2 minutes left in the game, JJ's been completely shut down for the entire game, and duke is down 1 point with the ball. mcroberts and sheldin miss a few close shots, LSU eventually gains control of the ball, and they make a shot. but with JJ playing a bad game, it was still anyone's game in the final 2 minutes. so duke can/could win with JJ having a bad game, they just didn't. sheldin williams tooled up "big baby" all game long.

i was actually a bit disapointed with coach k last night... i think they shold have put the ball in the hands of josh mcroberts more often and used JJ as a decoy. it seemed like they were doing just that when duke took that 5 point lead mid way through the 2nd half, after JJ was taken out of the game for a brief talk with coach K.


a few other random thoughts...

a uconn vs. lsu championship game would be my worst nightmare come true.

mark few is slowly turning into the new roy williams... great recruiter, bad big game coach.

 

[Numb1075]

tyrus thomas is a freak of nature.

Did I see JJ Re-Dick-ulous shed a tear when he went to the bench at the end?

 

[speedracer]

i remembered what i said, and i have no problem owning up to it.

i should have known better when i made those comments... you're right. duke was a team built around skilled players, not athleticism and physicality like a uconn, a lsu or a memphis. that's the state of american basketball today, like it or not. i'm just living in a dream world where teams that actually run offenses and have guys who can make free throws and jump shots can still win. and then a night like last night happens, and duke, west virginia and gonzaga all go down to grinding, physical defensive minded teams. american basketball is at a point where guys with little to no offensive skill, like josh boone, tyrus thomas, or at the next level, ben wallace, can dominate a game. i don't like it... hate it even... but it's just fact. duke doesn't do that, and probably never will.

Defense is still 50% of the game, isn't it? And Duke is a mediocre defensive team that tries to hide its shortcomings by overpressuring the ball and trying to take charges, the way Coach K always teaches his teams to play. The refs weren't calling the game that way, and Duke never adjusted.

 

[DaveC]

I'm pissed because I had Gonzaga in the final.

Me too.

My only Final Four teams left are Villanova (who I picked to win the whole tomato) and Texas.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Defense is still 50% of the game, isn't it? And Duke is a mediocre defensive team that tries to hide its shortcomings by overpressuring the ball and trying to take charges, the way Coach K always teaches his teams to play. The refs weren't calling the game that way, and Duke never adjusted.

duke's defense was no issue in why they lost the game last night. it's not like LSU won because of their stellar offensive performance... their offense was horrific. duke lost because lsu's superior athleticism and physicality on the defensive side of the floor completely took duke's offense out of the game.

 

[speedracer]

duke's defense was no issue in why they lost the game last night. it's not like LSU won because of their stellar offensive performance... their offense was horrific. duke lost because lsu's superior athleticism and physicality on the defensive side of the floor completely took duke's offense out of the game.

No question LSU shutting down Redick was the key to the game. But Duke allowed a backup forward to drive for five easy buckets, they let the LSU point guard penetrate, and they gave up tons of offensive rebounds and putbacks because Shelden Williams had to leave his man and cover somebody else's ass the way he always does.

This year's Duke team just isn't a complete, well-rounded team. No team in the tournament this year is, not like UNC in 2005, Duke in 2001, UConn in 1999, or Kentucky in 1996 and 1998.

And saying West Virginia as some sort of ideal, when a big part of their game plan is jacking up tons of 3s because their lack of rebounding gives their opponents so many more shot opportunities...dunno about that.

 

[fmattyh]

Another glorious day of basketball. Not only does Gonzaga go home (literally) crying, but LSU beats Duke as well. Unfortunately, I think it's all downhill from here, as Washington will likely lose tonight and my bracket will go downhill as I have both Kansas and Nevada in the final four (gulp).