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General College Basketball 2025

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Erial_Lion

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As our season winds down, figure it's time to finally get a thread going talking Conference Tournaments, coaches with PSU connections still alive (I'd usually say players and coaches, but not much to discuss on the players side at this point), NCAA Selections, and the NCAA Tourney. Earlier this week began my favorite stretch of the year...Championship Week(s) into the NCAA Tournament into The Masters.

Watching a bunch of games tonight, but the Little Rock-SE Missouri St in the OVC Semifinal really shows you how badly these smaller conference teams need to win these games as it's their only shot...
  • The Little Rock head coach, Darrell Walker (was actually an NBA head coach a generation ago) is wearing a walking boot tonight, because he injured his achilles during the game last night while coaching.
  • 13:30 left in the second half, and Little Rock just had their 2nd player foul out. The first one fouled out before the 1st second half media timeout. These guys are leaving it all out there.
 
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Erial_Lion

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On the Bracketology front, really fascinating to see how many the SEC ends up getting. It's not out of the question for them to get 14 of the 16 team in....but I think 13 is the most realistic option, as Texas (at 6-11 in conference) meets Oklahoma (at 5-12 in conference) tomorrow, and it'll be really tough for both of them to make the cut. But 9 are locks, Vandy and Georgia should be pretty safe, and Arkansas, Texas, and Oklahoma are the ones in question.

We'll also be watching for any bid stealers, though it's another season where the mid-majors don't have a lot of very good candidates. Really looking at the American (Memphis), Mountain West (someone other than the top couple of teams), WCC (Gonzaga/St Mary's), maybe the MVC (if Drake loses to Bradley in the Championship)...don't see much else out there unless someone in the ACC made a big run. But most of those don't seem very realistic, so I doubt we see more than maybe one spot stolen.

NC-Duke also has big bubble implications if NC could pull off the big upset.
 
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Nothing Special

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Great time of year. Love the mid-major tournaments. Still struggle with the idea that a team that wins 33% of their league games is under heavy consideration. (Texas/Oklahoma)
 
BobPSU92

BobPSU92

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It would be nice if PSU could be part of general “college” basketball. We’re so ungeneral. 😞
 
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Bkmtnittany1

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Erial_Lion said:
On the Bracketology front, really fascinating to see how many the SEC ends up getting. It's not out of the question for them to get 14 of the 16 team in....but I think 13 is the most realistic option, as Texas (at 6-11 in conference) meets Oklahoma (at 5-12 in conference) tomorrow, and it'll be really tough for both of them to make the cut. But 9 are locks, Vandy and Georgia should be pretty safe, and Arkansas, Texas, and Oklahoma are the ones in question.

We'll also be watching for any bid stealers, though it's another season where the mid-majors don't have a lot of very good candidates. Really looking at the American (Memphis), Mountain West (someone other than the top couple of teams), WCC (Gonzaga/St Mary's), maybe the MVC (if Drake loses to Bradley in the Championship)...don't see much else out there unless someone in the ACC made a big run. But most of those don't seem very realistic, so I doubt we see more than maybe one spot stolen.

NC-Duke also has big bubble implications if NC could pull off the big upset.
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My 2 sleepers…. St John’s and Houston
 
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Erial_Lion

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Bison13 said:
top 10 teams dont qualify as sleepers, UC San Diego or North Texas maybe
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Not sure if Gonzaga would qualify as a sleeper with their pedigree and preseason expectations…but they will come in as a 8/9 seed most likely, but they’re probably one of the top 10 teams in the country.
 
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Erial_Lion

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Nothing Special said:
Great time of year. Love the mid-major tournaments. Still struggle with the idea that a team that wins 33% of their league games is under heavy consideration. (Texas/Oklahoma)
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Super conferences, unbalanced schedules, transfer portal with immediate eligibility where the rich get richer, etc. This year’s SEC is arguably the strongest season we’ve ever seen from a conference, and if our goal is to get the best 37 at-large teams, it will happen.
 
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Bison13

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Erial_Lion said:
Not sure if Gonzaga would qualify as a sleeper with their pedigree and preseason expectations…but they will come in as a 8/9 seed most likely, but they’re probably one of the top 10 teams in the country.
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Neither they nor St Mary's qualify as sleepers IMO based on their past history. I generally take an Atlantic Sun, Southern, Sun Belt type of conference winner as my 'sleeper' or team that could win a couple games asa double digit seed.
 
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CDLionFL

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Oct 25, 2021
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Nothing Special said:
Great time of year. Love the mid-major tournaments. Still struggle with the idea that a team that wins 33% of their league games is under heavy consideration. (Texas/Oklahoma)
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Unfortunately, the committee can't ignore what Oklahoma did in the non-conference when considering their candidacy. It is the whole body of work and not just the conference season. But if this committee keeps the nation from seeing good teams like Drake (if they lose today) and the potential 2nd place team in the Big West (UC San Diego or Irvine) because they feel like we need to see more of a terrible Texas team or the legacy ties of North Carolina (neither of whom should be in at all), then we all know what this tournament is really about.
 
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Bison13

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Winthrop looking good today. Hot shooting older guards with tournament games, could be a real tough out based on the match up.
 
LionJim

LionJim

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Bison13 said:
Winthrop looking good today. Hot shooting older guards with tournament games, could be a real tough out based on the match up.
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Every team has shooters, get hot and you can go a long way. (Winthrop ended up losing, so don't look for them while filling out your brackets.)
 
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Erial_Lion

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Good win for Ed DeChellis and Navy today as they won at Bucknell in the Patriot semi. They’ll play for the title and a spot in the dance on Wednesday night.

Dan Earl and his Chattanooga team play in the SoCon semi on ESPNU at 4pm.
 
Nittering Nabob

Nittering Nabob

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@Erial_Lion

Did you happen to watch the Kansas @ Houston game last weekend? Houston seems like a big, physical team, but their perimeter shooting was atrocious (at least in that game).

I don't see Houston getting to the final four, but I can see Kansas beating a team they shouldn't.

Thoughts?
 
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Erial_Lion

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Nittering Nabob said:
@Erial_Lion

Did you happen to watch the Kansas @ Houston game last weekend? Houston seems like a big, physical team, but their perimeter shooting was atrocious (at least in that game).

I don't see Houston getting to the final four, but I can see Kansas beating a team they shouldn't.

Thoughts?
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Houston is really dangerous…4th best three point shooting team in the country, and one of the top few defenses. They play at that plodding pace though that opens up more opportunities for variance, and makes them susceptible for an upset. Going 19-1 in this year’s B12 is really impressive.

Kansas is so much more talented than they’ve played. They could absolutely make a nice run and will be dangerous…but they can also throw out a clunker and get bounced right away.
 
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DaytonRickster

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Nittering Nabob said:
@Erial_Lion

Did you happen to watch the Kansas @ Houston game last weekend? Houston seems like a big, physical team, but their perimeter shooting was atrocious (at least in that game).

I don't see Houston getting to the final four, but I can see Kansas beating a team they shouldn't.

Thoughts?
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St. John's is a terrible outside shooting team but are big, physical and relentless on the boards and defensively.
 
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yboby

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Oct 6, 2021
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Erial_Lion said:
If I were playing matchmaker, I'd bring him back to Penn to fill their opening and finish out his career.
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Would be neat to see the LaSalle HS great back in Philly. Many are surprised to find out he was known back then as "White Magic" from his Philly playground days in the late '70s. Unbelievable ball handler. Honed his game on city playgrounds playing in the Sonny Hill League with great players, including Gene Banks and Lewis Loyd, then known as "Black Magic."
 
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Bison13

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Erial_Lion said:
If I were playing matchmaker, I'd bring him back to Penn to fill their opening and finish out his career.
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I think he is one guy who could do a good job here, but he’s kind of a Bobby Knight Junior to me. Excellent with the X/Os but that temper.
 
Ludd

Ludd

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LionJim

LionJim

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Wisconsin-Michigan State coming up. Which team do I dislike more?
 
LionJim

LionJim

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I’m having issues with my phone and hope that posting will solve the problem. Don’t ask.
 
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DaytonRickster

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Tom McAndrew said:
www.espn.com

Neptune out as Villanova coach after 3 seasons

Villanova has fired men's basketball coach Kyle Neptune after three seasons with the Wildcats.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
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Questions for those of you who follow NOVA closely:
- Big talent drop off since Jay left?
---Losing out on Philly area & mid-atlantic recruits?
- NOVA as an institution/alumni base lack of NIL support?
- Or. talent there but coaching sub-par?

I await your views. Thanks.
 
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Erial_Lion

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My next coaching match...Minnesota should definitely be looking at Nico Medved (and I'm sure they will). Minnesota grad, spent a year coaching there under Monson early in his career, and is ready to jump to a big job (he just keeps winning everywhere he goes). Colorado St might be my favorite team to watch over the past month or two.
 
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Erial_Lion

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People's heads will explode tomorrow if the Mountain West gets 5 teams, and the ACC only gets 3.
 
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