Sweet Sixteen, Never Been Paid

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Sat Mar 29, 2014 5:07 pm

I hate the term got nothing to lose. Dayton is happy either way.

When you make the quarterfinals of anything in this world. You got a chance to win it all. All 8 teams have everything to lose.

Are Americans happy they lost to Germany in Ulsan that night?

Post by **Shirley** » Sat Mar 29, 2014 5:13 pm

I'm not a big fan of charge calls, but I don't mind that variety. I hate when a secondary defender slides over and plays defense by standing still and then falling down. On the other hand, when it's the on-ball defender and the guy drives his shoulder into his chest, that HAS to be an offensive foul. You have no right to the space in the defender's chest cavity.

As for the UVA game - man, it was a tough one. MSU brought their A game, but UVA looked rattled on offense. They took more forced and/or hurried shots last night than they normally take in 5 games. With a bit better offensive composure, they might have had that one. The other key was Gill was clearly not himself. UVA has really come to rely on his interior offense off of the bench, but he didn't have it last night, especially after he rolled his ankle. Worse, he was also a step slow on D, and Payne and Dawson had it rolling last night. Couldn't afford to be even a half-step slow.

Still, it was a hell of a year. Is this the board where we had that thread about our favorite sports year? I think I need to make an addition.

howard · Post by **howard** » Sat Mar 29, 2014 7:09 pm

If Dayton could grab a friggin rebound, they could win this. Credit to Florida for out of this world offensive boarding.

howard · Post by **howard** » Sat Mar 29, 2014 8:14 pm

If Wisconsin can unclench their sphincters just a bit on offense, they have a better chance at this game.

howard · Post by **howard** » Sat Mar 29, 2014 8:57 pm

I forgot to note, the Enterprise commercial--that "Gauchos!" girl is annoying. UCSB is so much better than that.

Rex · Post by **Rex** » Sat Mar 29, 2014 9:53 pm

Kaminsky even had time to film the Jersey Tucker commercial, he's amazing

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Sat Mar 29, 2014 9:56 pm

Good thing this very tense game gets the pause button pushed for multiple minutes to review an elbow.

Post by **Shirley** » Sat Mar 29, 2014 10:02 pm

I am so sick of this stupid rule about flagrant fouls for elbows to the face, no matter the situation. I've watched far from all of the tourney games, but I've easily seen a half dozen instances where this came up at the end of a close game. In every case, the defender was over pressuring the guy with the ball, desperate for a late turnover. He was all in the offensive player's space, trying to get the ball, while also fouling.

For the guy with the ball, he HAS to protect the ball by getting both hands on it and swinging it around. If he doesn't, it's almost a guaranteed steal or jump ball. But there's nearly no way to NOT hit a guy whose face is two inches from your chest when you do that.

In at least a couple of games (they may have been in the ACC tournament), the "victim" earned technical free throws with this trick.

It's gotta go. If a dude has his face in your chest, an elbow should be expected.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Sat Mar 29, 2014 10:03 pm

Rough night for the Millers.

Post by **Shirley** » Sat Mar 29, 2014 10:04 pm

When did Sean Miller turn into Jackie Gleason?

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Sat Mar 29, 2014 10:09 pm

Wow. By a fingertip.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Sat Mar 29, 2014 10:09 pm

Interesting call. I wonder who was late phoning in to tell the refs who should get the ball.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Sat Mar 29, 2014 10:11 pm

Johnson was the goat the entire overtime. Two fouls and the late shot.

howard · Post by **howard** » Sat Mar 29, 2014 11:08 pm

Shirley wrote:I am so sick of this stupid rule about flagrant fouls for elbows to the face, no matter the situation.

I was blissfully unaware of this abomination until the tournament (Syracuse-Dayton game.) This pisses me off nearly as much as the 'jump-stop' institutionalized traveling unwritten rule change. Except this bs elbow rule will be gone soon. Basketball will continued to be sullied by legal traveling (which would be fine, except it permits three steps in some situations, and not others--the inconsistency is the bullshit.)

Post by **Shirley** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 3:15 pm

Why couldn't UVA have played THIS Michigan State team? I can't remember the last time Dawson touched the ball and Payne has only been a three-point shooter. They stopped trying to go inside about the middle of the first half.

Post by **brian** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 3:16 pm

Appling and Valentine have been inconsistent all season and the bad versions of those guys have showed up today. Perfect storm in UConn's favor.

Rex · Post by **Rex** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 3:22 pm

A Venn diagram of people who demanded replay and people who complain about the reviews would be a circle, I think.

howard · Post by **howard** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 3:26 pm

what an odd game. State might pull it out. Unless they do something incredibly stupid like foul a three-point shot. Oh…

Rams Fanny · Post by **Rams Fanny** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 3:33 pm

They've got to do something about these stoppages to check possession. Under two minutes, the refs are pretty much petrified of making a call and run to the monitor. Some of them go on for minutes and they haven't gotten every call right. It gives these coaches more timeouts to over-coach. Solutions? 35 second clock to overturn decision or original call stands. Teams can't call timeout on subsequent possession (coaches can give instruction on both possible outcomes in 30 seconds. After game 30, I think these kids either know what to do or are going to do what they've done all year anyway).

Am I irrationally angry at these stoppages?

Post by **brian** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 3:47 pm

Florida is 0-2 against teams currently in the Final Four. (Of course, that could be 3-2 in 2.5 hours.)

howard · Post by **howard** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 3:49 pm

Karl Welzein ‏@DadBoner 14m

FUCK, you guys.

howard · Post by **howard** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 5:42 pm

Every time I see Glen Robinson, I think of Sarah Palin. Which is awesome.

kranepool · Post by **kranepool** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 5:45 pm

howard · Post by **howard** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 5:57 pm

A small rant. 60 minutes teaser for their story on Tesla. No engine, just batteries? Really? All that electrical energy just converts to the wheels turning all by itself, no fucking engine.

Not that Boobus americanus would know the fucking difference. But damn, you get something so simple and basic wrong (and leave it uncorrected all week), yet I am supposed to believe whatever 'news' you report and analyze. Um, no thanks.

Post by **brian** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 5:58 pm

howard wrote:Every time I see Glen Robinson, I think of Sarah Palin. Which is awesome.

Don't you mean Glen Rice?

rass · Post by **rass** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 6:01 pm

brian wrote:
howard wrote:Every time I see Glen Robinson, I think of Sarah Palin. Which is awesome.
Don't you mean Glen Rice?

Don't worry howard, I bet she can't tell them apart either.

howard · Post by **howard** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 6:01 pm

Yes, my error. Stupid younger Robinson should've gone to Purdue, to not confuse me.

howard · Post by **howard** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 6:12 pm

Cool. Like the other side of the pillow cool.

Post by **brian** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 6:13 pm

Bummer one of these teams had to lose. Great game.

rass · Post by **rass** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 6:18 pm

That was a hell of a shot. Great game.

Rex · Post by **Rex** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 6:20 pm

Gonna spend a long time wondering why Beilein didn't foul to get the ball back. I thought he was smart.

Post by **brian** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 6:41 pm

Rex wrote:Gonna spend a long time wondering why Beilein didn't foul to get the ball back. I thought he was smart.

You thought they should have fouled Kentucky with like 7 or 8 seconds left? I think Michigan got the defensive look they wanted. An extremely contested three in that situation is probably a 33 percent chance to go in at best. I seldom think giving the opposing team a chance to beat you on the line with less than 10 seconds is the right move.

Joe K · Post by **Joe K** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 6:52 pm

I agree with Brian. A long, contested 3 is the best you can hope for in that situation if you're a defense. Maybe it would've made sense to foul if Dakari Johnson somehow touched the ball, but not otherwise. Man, these last three Kentucky games have been ridiculously entertaining. I've been down on the Harrison twins all season, but Aaron has really stepped up in the tournament. And Dakari Johnson looked lost to me all season long but has been great the last 2 games.

Rex · Post by **Rex** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 7:03 pm

No, I thought they should have pressed with 30 seconds and a foul to give, even if the result of that was to pick up 2 fouls and send a Kentucky player to the line. Your worst case scenario is a quick press break/dunk, which puts you right back where you were, or Aaron Harrison (80% FT, freshman) on the line for 1-and-1. (The others on the floor are worse FT shooters, one of them was a 46% shooter.)

Too many people think of a tie game, 30 seconds left as a 50/50 game. Pomeroy ran the numbers a few weeks ago and found it was more like 70/30. It's probably even more than that when a good offense has the ball in that situation against a mediocre defense. Think of it as the equivalent of the Holmgren/Belichick play to give up the TD rather than let the opponent bleed the clock for a FG. The probabilities are a little less bleak in basketball, but you're still helping yourself by fouling to get the ball back.

Alas, the game ended with a great shot against very good defense, so nobody's going to be discussing this except me.

howard · Post by **howard** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 7:25 pm

Rex wrote:Too many people think of a tie game, 30 seconds left as a 50/50 game.

Correct. It is 50/50 to get to overtime.

OTOH, with the ball down one or two is a >50% loss probability, increasing as time on the clock approaches zero. Plus, even if the other team misses a free throw or two, weird bad things happen with significant probability (fail to grab the defensive rebound.)

So, it is a sucky situation, tied not having the ball with 30 left. I like trapping and forcing the team with the ball to attack early, and I am willing to accept putting them on the line. But losing with that approach costs coaches jobs.

Rex · Post by **Rex** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 8:00 pm

Right. I don't mean to suggest that it is a coaching mistake. Just to recognize that in that situation, you are starting from a 20-30% win probability and it makes sense to coach and play as if you are already behind.

When Brad Stevens' teams get good enough to be tied late in games, I'll bet he does it all the time.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 8:31 pm

Suck it!

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 11:37 pm

rass wrote:
brian wrote:
howard wrote:Every time I see Glen Robinson, I think of Sarah Palin. Which is awesome.
Don't you mean Glen Rice?
Don't worry howard, I bet she can't tell them apart either.

Awesome.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Mon Mar 31, 2014 9:38 am

After reflecting on my admittedly crass comments, what I meant to say was "SUCK IT!" in all caps, not as I typed it above.

Sorry for the confusion.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Mon Mar 31, 2014 9:47 am

If the 7 and 8 seed who made the final four were gonzaga and xavier, the world would implode this week about the plucky underdogs. As it is, no one seems that surprised. I'll take it! Hell, UK was favored yesterday and is favored on Saturday, both against two seeds!