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Post by motorcitysam on Mar 17, 2021 12:28:55 GMT -5
Thanks to our Uncle in the Furniture Business for sponsoring the postseason scoreboard.
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Post by motorcitysam on Mar 17, 2021 12:39:30 GMT -5
What to Watch:
The NIT kicks off tonight. I still get hyped for NIT games. In a Covid-19 twist, all games are played in Texas this year.
Toledo vs Richmond 7:00 PM ESPN2 Can Toledo shake off the disappointment of missing out on the NCAA tourney? I hope so. Richmond is in the same boat, as many people expected the Spiders to be in the Big Dance this year.
Western Kentucky vs St. Mary's 9:00 PM ESPN2 Says a lot about the St. Mary's program that in a down year they still end up a 2 seed in the NIT. Western Kentucky is another team that was expected to be in the NCAA tournament this year.
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Post by Commissioner on Mar 17, 2021 13:16:17 GMT -5
What to Watch: The NIT kicks off tonight. I still get hyped for NIT games. In a Covid-19 twist, all games are played in Texas this year. Toledo vs Richmond 7:00 PM ESPN2 Can Toledo shake off the disappointment of missing out on the NCAA tourney? I hope so. Richmond is in the same boat, as many people expected the Spiders to be in the Big Dance this year. Western Kentucky vs St. Mary's 9:00 PM ESPN2 Says a lot about the St. Mary's program that in a down year they still end up a 2 seed in the NIT. Western Kentucky is another team that was expected to be in the NCAA tournament this year. Western Kentucky has lost 3 straight CUSA tournament finals (note there was no CUSA tournament last year). They could easily be sitting no 4 straight NCAA bids.
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Post by Commissioner on Mar 17, 2021 22:49:14 GMT -5
Wednesday, March 17, 2021
You've got an Uncle in the furniture business!
NIT Richmond 76, Toledo 66. Richmond (14-8) trailed for the first 29 minutes, and finally pulled away in the final 5 minutes. Macomb's Ryan Rollins finished up a very good freshman season for Toledo with 18 points. The Rockets finish 21-9.
Western Kentucky 69, St. Mary's 67. After trailing by as many as 11, St. Mary's (14-10) got its first lead of the second half with 51 seconds to go. The Hilltoppers (21-7) responded with a dunk from Charles Bassey to tie, with 30 seconds left, got a steal, and won it on a couple of free throws by Taveion Hollingsworth with 4 seconds left. Hollingsworth led all scorers with 21, while Bassey had 19 points and 11 rebounds.
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Post by motorcitysam on Mar 18, 2021 16:38:45 GMT -5
What to Watch tonight. The NCAA tourney begins!
Drake vs Wichita State 6:27 PM TBS A very good match up between two mid majors, in my least favorite thing about the Big Dance: A play in game between two 11 seeds.
John Wooden vs Jud Heathcote 9:57 PM TBS I need someone to cheer on the Spartans for me, because I have to get up at 4:00 AM tomorrow. I won't be staying up to watch this one.
Good NIT Match Up: Sidney Lowe vs Steph Curry 7:00 PM ESPN NC State had NCAA hopes this year, but can build some momentum for next season with an NIT run. Davidson had a fine season, coming in third in the A10 and they're actually a two point favorite tonight.
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Post by Commissioner on Mar 18, 2021 23:46:37 GMT -5
Thursday, March 18
NCAA Great opening night for the NCAA. Two one-point games, and an overtime game.
UCLA 86, Michigan State 80 (OT). MSU looked in control most of the game, even as UCLA hung close, but the Spartans let the Bruins score the last 5 in regulation, and did not play well in the OT..
Drake 53, Wichita State 52. I agree with Sam. I've always thought having a play-in between what are usually 11/12 seeds is stupid. I'd take it back to 64 teams, but if you want play-ins, have all the 16s play in. But then you get a game like this. Ugly to watch, it nonetheless got March Madness off to a pretty good start. In a low-scoring game, Drake came back from 12 down midway through the second half. Up by a point with 6 seconds left, the Dogs' Josef Yesufu, an 82% free throw shooter, missed the front end of a 1 & 1. The Shockers rebounded, but Alterique Gilbert's three was off the front rim. Drake (26-4) last won an NCAA game 50 years ago today, and now goes on to play Southern Cal; Wichita State finishes 16-6.
Texas Southern 60, Mount St. Mary's 52. Coach's old school was down 10 at the half, but opened the second half with an 11-0 run, and went on to win a see-saw second half. As a reward, the Tigers get to play Michigan.
Norfolk State 54, Appalachian State 53. A 15-0 run late in the first half put Norfolk up 19, and at halftime Appalachian State was 0-18 from three and down 16. But the Mountaineers came back with a 16-0 run in the second half that put them jup 6 with 5 minutes to go. Norfolk retook the lead with 3:08 to play on a jumper by JJ Matthews. That was the last field goal of the game. The two teams each missed their final 6 shots from the floor, but Norfolk (17-7) eventually won it on a pair of free throws with 10 seconds left.
NIT North Carolina State 75, Davidson 61.
Boise State 85, SMU 84. A fun game in the NIT, with Boise State jumping out to a 14-0 lead that stretched out to 20 points. But the Mustangs cut it to 6 by the half, and the second half was a barn burner. with the Broncos (19-8) winning it on a Devonaire Doutrive jumper with 10 seconds left.
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Post by larrytitan on Mar 19, 2021 7:38:30 GMT -5
Not only did Drake last win an NCAA game 50 yrs ago, but they made it to the Final Four. Led by All American Willie McCarter.
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Post by motorcitysam on Mar 19, 2021 10:38:31 GMT -5
What to Watch. Whom am I kidding? Watch every game you can. Here are a few match ups that catch my eye.
10 Virginia Tech vs 7 Florida 12:15 PM CBS The Hokies are actually favored by 1.
15 Oral Roberts vs 2 Ohio State 3:00 PM CBS Mentioning this only as a reminder to UDBaller so he knows the time and channel.
9 Georgia Tech vs 8 Loyola-Chicago 4:00 PM TBS Our former conference mate is doing big things since taking that $700 million dollar endowment to the MVC.
12 Oregon State vs 5 Tennessee 4:30 PM TNT This appears to be a popular pick for an upset among the "experts".
4 Oklahoma State vs 13 Liberty 6:25 PM TBS Another popular upset pick, but I don't see it.
9 Wisconsin vs 8 North Carolina 7:10 CBS For Titan Tar Heel, but this should also be a close game.
2 Houston vs 15 Cleveland State 7:00 PM TRU A tall task for our fellow Horizon member.
11 Syracuse vs 6 San Diego State 9:40 PM CBS Smokey's old school is a three point favorite. Go Aztecs.
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Post by titantarheel on Mar 19, 2021 10:58:09 GMT -5
What to Watch. Whom am I kidding? Watch every game you can. . Loved this Sam!! Here's to many hours over the next few days watching hoops!!
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Post by larrytitan on Mar 19, 2021 12:26:30 GMT -5
I just got my 2nd vaccination. Now it’s hoops🏀🏀
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Post by motorcitysam on Mar 19, 2021 13:52:15 GMT -5
I just got my 2nd vaccination. Now it’s hoops🏀🏀 Great news, Larry.
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Post by Commissioner on Mar 19, 2021 14:08:22 GMT -5
Not only did Drake last win an NCAA game 50 yrs ago, but they made it to the Final Four. Led by All American Willie McCarter. One of the few to remember that Drake was once a final 4 team! However, Drake's FF appearance was in 1969, two years before their last NCAA tournament win. That 1971 team was "Elite 8," however (and so was the 1970 squad). The 1969 team lost to UCLA, 85-82, in the national semifinal, and then beat UNC in the old "consolation game" to finish 3rd. Drake was a very strong program for basically the decade of the 1960s and a bit more. They were ranked in the top 15 nationally in each of 1961, '64, '69-'71, and 1975.
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Post by Commissioner on Mar 19, 2021 23:39:37 GMT -5
Friday, March 19, 2021
Truly the best sporting event in America. Tough opening round for the Big 10. And do I have this right--unless Greensboro upsets Florida State tomorrow, no North Carolina team will be in the second round? If that happens, it will be the first time since the 25 team tournament of 1973.
Houston 87, Cleveland State 56. The most thorough shellacking of Day 1 of the main tournament. CSU was never really in this game. The Horizon, which not long ago bragged about its record in NCAA tournament being the best of any non-major conference, hasn't won a game now in 10 years, since Butler's second Final Four appearance in 2011.
Oral Roberts 75, Ohio State 72 (OT). This really didn't surprise me. ORU has the nation's leading scorer in Max Abmas, and Kevin O'Banor may be the most underrated player in the country. Ohio State has been inconsistent of late, and was missing starting forward Kyle Young. Abmas scored 29 points, increasing his lead over Antoine Davis in the race to be the nation's leading scorer. He just needs 12 points in his next game to hold that lead.
North Texas 78, Purdue 69 (OT). A trio of overtime upset losses--MSU, OSU, and Purdue--leaves the Big 10 looking rather tarnished.
Illinois 78, Drexel 49. Wisconsin 85, North Carolina 62. The Badgers and Illini upheld B10 honor. Rutgers 60, Clemson 56. And so did Rutgers, in an exciting finish.
Loyola 71, Georgia Tech 60. Oakland transfer Braden Norris played all 40 minutes, finishing with 16 points and 8 assists for Loyola.
Baylor 79, Hartford 55. Hartford had the lead more than 12 minutes into the game, and stayed with Baylor for about 15 minutes.
Villanova 73, Winthrop 63. Winthrop ends its season 23-2.
West Virginia 84, Morehead State 67. WVU pulled away late. Wright State transfer Skyelar Potter had 18 points for Morehead State.
Arkansas 85, Colgate 68. What's that Perry Watson bit about winning the last 5 minutes of the half? Arkansas wiped out a 14 point deficit with a 17-0 run in the last 5 minutes of the first half. Colgate recovered and led narrowly for a good portion of the second half, but Arkansas mounted another run, this one a 15-2 spurt starting with about 7 minutes left, and rolled to victory. Northern Kentucky transfer Jalen Tate had 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists for Arkansas.
Texas Tech 65, Utah State 53. Utah State dominated the boards and outshot Tech, but lost the battle of turnovers 22-8. That's a big difference.
Syracuse 78, San Diego State 59. The result surprised me a little, the point differential surprised me a lot. Syracuse held the Aztecs scoreless for the last 9:40 of the first half, turning a 4 point deficit into a 14 point halftime lead.
Florida 75, Virginia Tech 70 (OT).
Oregon State 70, Tennessee 56. I've felt Tennessee was overrated all year. Anyway, there's at least one 12/5 upset every year.
Oklahoma State 69, Liberty 60.
NIT Colorado State 75, Buffalo 73. The NIT features some exciting ball. In this one, Isaiah Stevens hit the game winner for Colorado State (19-6) with 1.3 seconds left.
Louisiana Tech 70, Mississippi 61. A 20-2 run early in the second half overcame a 10 point halftime deficit and set Louisiana Tech (22-7) up for the win.
NCAA Division 2 West Libery 78, Hillsdale 61. Truman State 65, Michigan Tech 62.
Hillsdale and Michigan Tech both lost today in the D-2 Sweet 16. Wayne State had earlier been eliminated in the opening round. That leaves Michigan as the only 4-year school in the state still playing basketball at any collegiate level. Hillsdale was the #1 seed in its region, and finishes up 26-3.
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Post by ptctitan on Mar 20, 2021 6:08:18 GMT -5
What to Watch. Whom am I kidding? Watch every game you can. Here are a few match ups that catch my eye. 2 Houston vs 15 Cleveland State 7:00 PM TRU A tall task for our fellow Horizon member. Sam, the master of understatement. I guess the HL's strategy of the Vikings playing PFW 5 times this season was not the optimum way to prepare CSU to play the Houston Cougars.
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Post by motorcitysam on Mar 20, 2021 16:23:04 GMT -5
What to Watch. Whom am I kidding? Watch every game you can. Here are a few match ups that catch my eye. 2 Houston vs 15 Cleveland State 7:00 PM TRU A tall task for our fellow Horizon member. Sam, the master of understatement. I guess the HL's strategy of the Vikings playing PFW 5 times this season was not the optimum way to prepare CSU to play the Houston Cougars. I'm sure the HL would have preferred to have a normal schedule and avoid things like us playing Oakland four times, but no HL schedule configuration would better prepare the Vikings for Houston. I'm sure they'll still happily take their regular season conference title, conference tournament title, and NCAA appearance and hang a banner or two. It's well deserved, and above the expectations of most. If Gates stays, they'll probably be among the favorites again in 2021-22, even if their style play doesn't please everyone.
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