The Official March Madness Thread

[capt. scotty]

Kind of pissed my bracket's busted now with UCONN out, but Im happy for Mich St and Detroit.

Ill be rooting for them monday

[tower]

I think UConn thought they were tough but we out-toughed them and outhustled them.  

I think if Villanova shoots reasonably well they'll win tonight but either way, I'd love another shot at UNC with us healthy and playing well or if we get Villanova that would mean (if we win) three Big East teams disposed of.

[primushead]

Well, tower.

Here it goes.

Monday night.  You have a healthy team (AND Goran Suton) to go against the team that won in the same state.  In the same city.  In the same venue...

WHOA!! Drama, abound!

I have so much more respect for Izzo after this season.  He's done great and I truly think this will be an epic matchup.

Good luck!  And may the better team win.

8-)

[tower]

Well, tower.

Here it goes.

Monday night.  You have a healthy team (AND Goran Suton) to go against the team that won in the same state.  In the same city.  In the same venue...

WHOA!! Drama, abound!

I have so much more respect for Izzo after this season.  He's done great and I truly think this will be an epic matchup.

Good luck!  And may the better team win.

8-)

Yep, looking forward to it...this team is definitely different than the one from earlier in the season.  Raymar Morgan has to show up again like last night and I'm not convinced he'll do that.  Villanova and OK shot so poorly from three that they didn't stand a chance.  Not that I think we'll be jacking up a bunch of threes but you can't go 4 for 25 or whatever Villanova did against a team that clearly can score.

Izzo will have a defensive gameplan in place but we'll see if MSU can follow it like they have the last two games.  I'm not concerned about the inside play but the perimeter shooting that UNC brings.  If we can rebound like I think we will we should be able to get second chance points and I also think we'll run when we can and set it up when we can.  Of course UNC will run which means that if we send 4 to the glass and don't board and score we may be in trouble.  We had like 22 turnovers in the first game and we seem to have improved in that area.  Some were forced but others were just awful and unforced.  Gonna be a great game to watch and I'm so impressed with what Izzo has these kids doing.  

I saw a quote from him where he felt like he lost his way a few years ago with some one and dones and not the greatest character kids.  He said he was lured into recruiting talent over toughness and that he's gone back to toughness...it shows.  I don't think there's a single McDonalds All-American on the starting lineup...quite a contrast with most of the other teams at this level.

[Bigsky]

Why the fuk didn't UCONN throw any three pointers? Not one single three pointer when they needed it most. They deserved to be out, and Mich St played a great game, they are just too fast.

[ycartrob]

ggg, tower, how about a friendly "changing of the avatar side bet? You know, the usual?

[tower]

I don't know if 3G wants a picture of me in his avatar, that's not a fair bet, lol.

Do I get the Vegas line?

[primushead]

I like it!

No vegas lines.  We'll keep it simple.  If MSU wins, I'll put an avatar of your choice up and vice versa.

[MickeyReds]

nova >:(

[tower]

I like it!

No vegas lines.  We'll keep it simple.  If MSU wins, I'll put an avatar of your choice up and vice versa.

Sure, just don't ask me to put an avatar of Ed Hightower up please.  Anyone else notice his conspicuous absence.  And if he shows up tonight to officiate all bets are off.

[capt. scotty]

Went with Michigan State +8

I dont see UNC getting near as many wide open 3's vs. MSU as they did in the Nova game, not to mention converting 50% of them.

Difference in the game will be if MSU's bench has significant contributions. They need that to win. They also probably need Suton to not send his twin to play in the game like he did saturday where he only attempted 5 shots and got 4 points

Go Spartans

[tower]

Suton didn't have to score against UConn, it wasn't a part of the gameplan.  He does have to score tonight though and I think he will.  

I've said all along, a good shooting team that plays D will beat UNC, hope I'm right and I hope it's my Spartans.  My last chance to be right on that one.

[capt. scotty]

Suton didn't have to score against UConn, it wasn't a part of the gameplan.  He does have to score tonight though and I think he will.  

I've said all along, a good shooting team that plays D will beat UNC, hope I'm right and I hope it's my Spartans.  My last chance to be right on that one.

Yeah, everyone was saying for the UCONN game the key was Thabeet vs. Suton and how that would affect UCONNs D. I dont know why it may have gameplan to not center around Suton, but IMO it was probably because even if he was shooting outside, that wasnt going to bring the key their defense Thabeet out there with him and allow their defense to be more vulnerable.

Against UNC though, I could see him pulling Thompson or Hansbrough away from the basket, which could really help MSU to get some less contested shots close.

[tower]

Suton has never been the center of our offense, he takes what's available which really is true of all of our players, there's not one guy who's a scorer.  The idiots on tv just talked about it because Suton had a big first half v. Louisville.  Thabeet was never going to guard Suton because he steps outside, he was guarding Roe or whoever else we put on the block.

[capt. scotty]

That dude making the layup for Wisconsin was the Pontiac Game Changing Performance or the tourney?! Are you kidding me???

Apparently no one else cared about that except people in Wisconsin  ;D

It has to be Scottie Reynolds going down the court and getting to the rim and knocking off Pitt with .5 seconds left, or Kalin Lucas' And 1 that probably won them the Kansas game.

[capt. scotty]

was saturday groundhog's day?!  :-/

[capt. scotty]

My brain tells me this is over, but then I think about UNC's meltdown in 2007 with much of the same cast vs. Georgetown in the Elite 8, where the lead was a similar amount but I think with only 10 minutes left.

Just saying it could happen again, but I think this Heels team is determined.

[Jaimoe]

I was hoping this game would be close, salvaging somewhat one of my least favourite and compelling tournaments in recent memory. I hope for entertainment sake that MSU starts to light it up in the 2nd half.

Goddamit is Bird an ugly mother. He's never been a GQ model, but man, pull back to at least a medium shot, cameraman.

[capt. scotty]

I was hoping this game would be close, salvaging somewhat one of my least favourite and compelling tournaments in recent memory. I hope for entertainment sake that MSU starts to light it up in the 2nd half.

Goddamit is Bird an ugly mother. He's never been a GQ model, but man, pull back to at least a medium shot, cameraman.

That longer front hair to cover the balding corners dont help either  ;D

[Jaimoe]

I was hoping this game would be close, salvaging somewhat one of my least favourite and compelling tournaments in recent memory. I hope for entertainment sake that MSU starts to light it up in the 2nd half.

Goddamit is Bird an ugly mother. He's never been a GQ model, but man, pull back to at least a medium shot, cameraman.

That longer front hair to cover the balding corners dont help either  ;D

I thought you were talking about my hairline  ;D