2018-19 NCAA Basketball Season

[mister d]

Atlantic 10 (Brooklyn???)

[brian]

Atlantic 10 (Brooklyn???)

Amongst others. I only saw three that play at campus sites, but I didn't look at all of them so there could be one or two more.

[Rush2112]

I wonder how many fans those games attract. An example, America East is somewhat low, but they play games on campus and the championship game is sold out. How many people would be there if they played in Worcester or Albany and the like? There's a reason they went from neutral to campus games. It would probably help other low to mid-major teams as well.

[brian]

To be honest, I think most conferences don't care that much about butts in seats. Obviously they want to sell as many tickets as possible, but going to a conference tournament is about as close as many of these kids are going to get to playing in the NCAA Tournament so in that sense a neutral-site tournament is a good chance for the kids to get to experience traveling for a tournament, etc.

The ADs, coaches and the media get a chance to get together as well, etc.

[A_B]

If you can't enjoy watching Zion play you're a monster.

This coming from a UK fan.

[Joe K]

If you can't enjoy watching Zion play you're a monster.

This coming from a UK fan.

I still think KD is the best player as a freshman that I’ve seen in the one-and-done era but Zion is the biggest freshman star I’ve seen, if that distinction makes any sense.

[HaulCitgo]

Maybe if you qualify with "as a freshman" but Durant was not some sort of monster in college. A lot more like Ben Simmons level if I remember right. You saw the flashes and physical tools but didnt translate so much. Crazy as it sounds Oden was the consensus pick and not sure it was close.

Well, looked it up and the stats were gaudy but I just dont remember him being so dominant and certainly not that team. Parts were better than the whole. Definitely remember the infamous bench press. You could see it but mostly because of the freakish size and relative dearth of longish perimeter guys at the time.

[DaveInSeattle]

If you can't enjoy watching Zion play you're a monster.

This coming from a UK fan.

I still think KD is the best player as a freshman that I’ve seen in the one-and-done era but Zion is the biggest freshman star I’ve seen, if that distinction makes any sense.

I think that Anthony Davis is the guy who was just far and away the best player in the country his freshman year.

[Joe K]

Maybe if you qualify with "as a freshman" but Durant was not some sort of monster in college. A lot more like Ben Simmons level if I remember right. You saw the flashes and physical tools but didnt translate so much. Crazy as it sounds Oden was the consensus pick and not sure it was close.

You do not remember right. Durant was definitely a monster in college. He averaged 26 points and 11 rebounds per game with 47.3%/40.4%/81.6% shooting splits. So he outscored Zion by 4 ppg, outrebounded him by 2 rpg, and was a much better shooter from 3 and the foul-line. He also had a slight edge in blocks per game.

Oden was the consensus pick because people still overvalued centers and undervalued perimeter scoring.

[Joe K]

If you can't enjoy watching Zion play you're a monster.

This coming from a UK fan.

I still think KD is the best player as a freshman that I’ve seen in the one-and-done era but Zion is the biggest freshman star I’ve seen, if that distinction makes any sense.

I think that Anthony Davis is the guy who was just far and away the best player in the country his freshman year.

I’m a Kentucky fan and Durant was way better in college than Davis. Davis had nowhere near the offensive game that he has since developed. Durant was an unstoppable scoring machine from day 1.

[HaulCitgo]

Nah it was because Oden was the actual monster that year. Seems like OSU went to the final four and Texas did squat.

[Joe K]

Nah it was because Oden was the actual monster that year. Seems like OSU went to the final four and Texas did squat.

It’s almost like basketball is a team game.

[Ryan]

Nah it was because Oden was the actual monster that year. Seems like OSU went to the final four and Texas did squat.

Good lord

[HaulCitgo]

Its not a knock on Durant its just that Oden was really really really good. And Durant had guys on his team too. Maybe its that basketball is more than throwing up 3s.

[Joe K]

I’m going to walk away from this conversation now out of fear that I will be baited into being a full fledged KD-stan.

I’ll stand by my view he’s the best freshman I’ve ever seen and return to hoping that he gets into a fistfight with Draymond and implodes the Warriors this postseason.

[Ryan]

If Oden's no-name teammate doesn't hit a crazy 3-POINT SHOT, they're out in the same round as Texas

[HaulCitgo]

Ifs, buts, whatever. They made the final with Conley and Oden and Texas got bounced with Durant and Augustin. About the same to me.

[L-Jam3]

I had zero doubts whatsoever that Durant was going to be a megastar after his year at Texas. He's the only player I can say that about since LeBron in high school.

ETA. Thinking back, I also had zero doubts about Carmelo being a megastar, but that didn't quite hold true.

[HaulCitgo]

I hear you but come on... somebody had doubts that was paid to evaluate him for months on end. Obviously you were on the right end of that evaluation but it wasnt like this guy was head and shoulders better because he wasnt even deemed the best of his year.

[Joe K]

I hear you but come on... somebody had doubts that was paid to evaluate him for months on end. Obviously you were on the right end of that evaluation but it wasnt like this guy was head and shoulders better because he wasnt even deemed the best of his year.

I know I said I was walking away, but Durant *was* deemed the best NCAA player that year as he swept the Naismith and Wooden Awards. He was not deemed the best NBA prospect because, until recently, teams significantly overvalued traditional centers in the draft process. I saw recently that the highest scoring trio from any draft class ever is Nowitzki, Pierce and Carter from 1998. The #1 overall pick in that draft was Michael Olowokandi.

[HaulCitgo]

Or perhaps the national awards favor ball dominant offensive players.

[mister d]

Is there an argument that Wofford should have tanked their conference final to get a second team in?

[A_B]

This unc/duke game is a lot of fun.

[A_B]

That was one of he best non partisan games I’ve ever watched.

[sancarlos]

If Oden's no-name teammate doesn't hit a crazy 3-POINT SHOT, they're out in the same round as Texas

Yeah, I remember watching OSU in the first or second round when they almost lost, and Oden did squat in the game, iirc.

[A_B]

The biggest adjustment Zion is going to have to make is not playing 100 percent all the time. But it’s basically the playoffs so it’s good now. But man it would be hard to play 100 games at that intensity. Fun to watch.

[A_B]

I fully expect three acc one seeds at this point. Then UK/UT/Zags for final spot. I’d lean towards winner of UK/UT but I expect to end up in worst bracket imaginable no matter what.

[Rex]

The biggest adjustment Zion is going to have to make is not playing 100 percent all the time. But it’s basically the playoffs so it’s good now. But man it would be hard to play 100 games at that intensity. Fun to watch.

That’s why he needs to go to the Knicks, to learn bad habits

[brian]

Maybe UVA got its shitburger out of the way early enough this year.

[Square Rob]

That was one of he best non partisan games I’ve ever watched.

Seemed stark to me watching the second half this morning that unc was by far the better coached team. Duke took a ton of bad shots, missed rotations on D, etc, but Zion was a beast so they won. My only beef with Zion is he too often goes for the late block and flies himself out of the picture giving up easy offensive boards.

I would worry a little bit as an nba gm about his body shape and will he maintain his explosiveness in 5yrs. That’s what sets him apart, and if he bulks up a little will his body handle it? That said he is a hell of a player.

[Joe K]

I fully expect three acc one seeds at this point. Then UK/UT/Zags for final spot. I’d lean towards winner of UK/UT but I expect to end up in worst bracket imaginable no matter what.

I’m not sure the ACC will get 3. UVA is a lock; Duke will be too if it wins tonight. But then I could see UNC being a 2-seed with Gonzaga and the Tenn/Ky winner (assuming it also wins on Sunday) getting the other two 1-seeds. The Saint Mary’s loss was bad but Gonzaga had a very strong season overall. What hurts the Zags, however, is having the head-to-head losses against UNC and Tennessee. Michigan State also has a ton of quality wins but it’s probably locked into a 2-seed regardless.

[Rex]

I think Virginia and Duke have locked up 1-seeds (with the order possibly to be decided tonight) and Kentucky will join them if they win today. Kentucky is a little lucky to have their more important game for seeding in the semifinal. The committee has proven to be incapable of making last minute adjustments. For the same reason, I think Gonzaga is probably the last 1-seed. It’s just too hard for them to process what to do if, for instance, Tennessee wins the SEC 3 hours before the selection.

[A_B]

Gonzaga losing to both UT and UNc doesn’t help them at all.

[Rex]

Very match fixy no call at the end there in Nashville.

[A_B]

I’m not huge on conspiracy theories, but pretty sure Tennessee put a guy in to antoagonize our best player. What sucks most? It worked and Washington sat out last 12 minutes of first half.

[Rex]

That is definitely in the Rick Barnes playbook, so maybe

[Rex]

Shouldn’t all of these Iowa State fans be back home evaluating the Democratic presidential candidates? Do they not fucking care about the issues?

[DSafetyGuy]

Shouldn’t all of these Iowa State fans be back home evaluating the Democratic presidential candidates? Do they not fucking care about the issues?

"How do you feel about running Kansas out of a gym that, while technically a neutral court, is pretty close to being their second home arena?"

[Rex]

Meanwhile Trump is going to put Kentucky as the #2 in Louisville and people act like it’s normal

[A_B]

Zero chance we are that 2