The Swamp

is this thing on? SuperJew would never have let this happen.

TBS

hey, I found a UCSB third-tier posteason tournament game; I had TruTV on speed dial.

Oklahoma can't shoot for shit. Same thing happened to uk in that arena in 2011. But the difference is uconn didn't shoot lights out like Villanova is right now.

Oklahoma has quit.

Mr D and I have some future bets riding on Nova. Looking good.

If they shoot 60 percent hey are tough to beat. And they are close to 60 percent for the whole freaking tournament.

I mean, hw has some problems, no?

A_B wrote:I mean, hw has some problems, no?

He's in pretty good shape for 90+ though.

I was just wondering what UCLA shot in the Bill Walton 21 for 22 final. 64.5%.

brian wrote:

A_B wrote:I mean, hw has some problems, no?

He's in pretty good shape for 90+ though.

Yeah, I thought he just had the olds (and a formerly broken neck). If it's anything other than that, then I'm truly sorry Giff is such an asshole.

Unc may be in trouble. They don't shoot well enough to make a joke of the zone.

Bless syracuses heart. They just aren't as good. I was wrong hat outside shooting would matter. Unc just too strong inside.

It pains me to watch this game. Syracuse is a good team and all, but dammit, Virginia was better.

Shirley wrote:It pains me to watch this game. Syracuse is a good team and all, but dammit, Virginia was better.

except for eight minutes. That one will hurt for a while.

Despite a massive effort, I still give no fucks about the iHeart Music Awards.

Shirley wrote:It pains me to watch this game. Syracuse is a good team and all, but dammit, Virginia was better.

Well, so was Gonzaga, until they gagged at the finish.

howard wrote:

Shirley wrote:It pains me to watch this game. Syracuse is a good team and all, but dammit, Virginia was better.

except for eight minutes. That one will hurt for a while.

Yep. It was an improbable stretch of sloppy basketball - exactly the opposite of what UVA is known for - at precisely the right time. Don't get me wrong - Syracuse deserved the win. They fought hard and made huge play after huge play. But yet ... replay that last 10 minutes 20 more times and UVA wins 19 or 20 of them.

Malachi Richardson is a hell of a player for the Cuse though. If that kid doesn't turn pro, he's a likely All-American next year.

Carolina too big, too good, too well coached.

I think you'd be hard-pressed to argue that North Carolina and Villanova haven't easily been the two best teams in this tournament. So given that, should be a good one on Monday hopefully.

Last night was unsurprisingly very much like the two times Syracuse and North Carolina played during the regular season. Carolina had 46, 38, and 50 points in the paint in the three games. The middle one was the closest, a five-point Carolina home win. Too tall for the Orange to handle. They also had no issues with Syracuse's press in the regular season, either.

Should Richardson stay, Syracuse will be significantly better next year, but almost certainly won't make it back to the Final Four.

DSafetyGuy wrote:They also had no issues with Syracuse's press in the regular season, either.

I wondered why Boeheim didn't try the press earlier. That could explain his decision.

It seemed to me that once it was apparent that Villanova was having their way with OK in the second half, Kruger needed to send in a couple guys from his bench to dispatch some hard fouls. He needed to up the level of physical play. Yes, Nova was going to win in blowout fashion anyway, but at least it wouldn't have been by 47 points, and they would've had a few bruises to show for their victory as well.

Not to go all #BigEastOldSchool, but there's a reason why those Big East teams were battle-tested by the time the (insert year) NCAA tournament rolled around.

howard wrote:

DSafetyGuy wrote:They also had no issues with Syracuse's press in the regular season, either.

I wondered why Boeheim didn't try the press earlier. That could explain his decision.

He said earlier in the tournament that his press is usually good for about two minutes. When he uses it outside the last few minutes of the game, his goal is to speed the other team up and get them off-kilter for a more long term benefit since he knows he can't stick with the press very long.

The way Carolina picked their press apart earlier in the year (I think the game at the Dome), I think Boeheim knew coming into the game that using it was essentially a last chance move. In retrospect, the only time I think the might have wanted to try it was when they ran off ten straight to get within seven. At the same time, using it then could have just opened the door for UNC to put them away (they basically did, anyway, with a 10-3 run).

Syracuse missing a boatload of the front-end of 1-1s sank whatever small chance they had. Those are just turnovers, period.

That was about as fun a first half as you can ask for in a championship game. High level play on both sides. The only negative was the ticky tack fouls they were calling for a while there.

UNC looks unbeatable. I think Nova played damn well & they're still down 5.

Not now. Nova can't miss again.

What a shot by Paige!

Wow!!!

Holy shit. That was something.

That was awseome.

Rollie has never looked young, but holy shit.

That one shot made three Swampers some money. I had Nova at a variety of 12 to 1 to 5 to 2 to win the tournament and cleared about $500. MrD had some money on Nova he's welcome to disclose if he wishes and RamsFanny had the over which only went over with that shot.

I can't ever recall a true buzzer-beating winner in the championship. Am I forgetting one?

Incredible.

Shirley wrote:I can't ever recall a true buzzer-beating winner in the championship. Am I forgetting one?

Incredible.

Was just talking about that. Not in the last 40+ years at least. Indiana, NCST and a couple other ones were with two to five seconds left. But none as time expired that I remember.

Congrats Nova. Nicely done. Three wins in a row over Kansas, Oklahoma and UNC.

Two of the top 3 tourney games of all time are when Nova won titles. And recency bias be damned, that was the greatest tourney game ever. Including the Duke-Ky game. This was a buzzer beater in the title game. Highest stakes.

Maybe we retire the Jordan thing for good tonight. I'm okay with a one-time return on Nov. 8.

Rex wrote:Maybe we retire the Jordan thing for good tonight.

perfect

Can Jay wright turn the lakers around???