All those simpletons out there that say a #16 can't beat a #1...

[honzie]

Exhibit A = Mich St. EVERYONE agreed that they SHOULD HAVE been a Number 1 seed. Okay so what just happened? They be GONE!!!! That said MTSt was a strong 15 seed but still every tourny the 14,15,16 are kind of random and one never knows which one of those will overperform.

Back to what I was saying a 16 CAN BEAT a #1

 

[Willie99]

a 16 will beat a one some day, but a 15 can be much better that a 16

 

[honzie]

I don't know. Over the years I have seen the lower seeds get blown out by 40 or lose by 4. My point is that in recent years the talking heads and experts are saying that we will never see a 1 go down. Back in the 90's they thought it was just a matter of time after Georgetown and Kansas? had a close call as #1 seeds. Several times now we have seen the 2 go down in Rd1. So it's just a matter of degrees here.
Hey who knows -- maybe Oregon team has a flu bug going around and Holy Cross will wear them down late tonight. Probably not, but one of these years that will happen.

 

[pete7713]

exhibit B = until it happens it hasn't happened

 

[REDEYE]

Holy Cross + 23 1/2 is the play..

 

[honzie]

Holy Cross + 23 1/2 is the play..

Even better RedEye, 1st half +13. I think they come out with fire but get outclassed in 2nd half. Either way should score I should think.

 

[bodyforlife]

exhibit B = until it happens it hasn't happened

This

 

[CHOPTALK]

It's about to happen.

With the playin games now for the 16 seeds that gives it a chance to make sure that the 16 is at least decent. That means all 16 seeds just won a conference tourney and a play in b2b.

That gives these teams positive vibes having accomplished so much in such a short period of time.

And the playin games a way for these 16s to get the nervous energy out the way. All this sets up for an eventual 16 beating a 1 in 4 years or less.

 

[CHOPTALK]

Today was the closest ever

MSU was the #1 2 seed and M Tennessee was the #4 15 seed.

Thats as close as you can get to it happening without it happening.

Would anyone have been surprised if they would have made MSU a 1 and Mid Tennnesse a 16?

Or course not.


As a matter of fact most people were surprised MSU was not a #1 to begin with

 

[GoSooners]

1989 was almost a disastrous year for number 1 seeds. Both Georgetown and OU beat their 16th seeded opponents by just one point each. I remember that OU game well. It was the year after they played for the national championship and were a little overrated even though they were a number 1 seed.. By all rights they should have lost that game to East Tenn St. They definitely got outplayed. And Georgetown barely got by Princeton that same year. Luckily they had Alonzo Mourning. One day it will probably happen. But I would never bet it on the ML.

 

[honzie]

It's about to happen.

With the playin games now for the 16 seeds that gives it a chance to make sure that the 16 is at least decent. That means all 16 seeds just won a conference tourney and a play in b2b.

That gives these teams positive vibes having accomplished so much in such a short period of time.

And the playin games a way for these 16s to get the nervous energy out the way. All this sets up for an eventual 16 beating a 1 in 4 years or less.

That's a great point... I didn't even consider that but it matters. Towards your point, this very easily could have been a #1 vs. a #16, especially the way the Committee set it all up this year. Easily could have happened and I repeat MichSt SHOULD have been a #1 by all sensible accounts.

 

[honzie]

1989 was almost a disastrous year for number 1 seeds. Both Georgetown and OU beat their 16th seeded opponents by just one point each. I remember that OU game well. It was the year after they played for the national championship and were a little overrated even though they were a number 1 seed.. By all rights they should have lost that game to East Tenn St. They definitely got outplayed. And Georgetown barely got by Princeton that same year. Luckily they had Alonzo Mourning. One day it will probably happen. But I would never bet it on the ML.

Thats it! Oklahoma not Kansas. I recall that now. Also wasn't Mourning invlolved in a very controversial call in the final minute? I remember thinking that Priceton should have won that if not for bad officiating. But the feeling back then was it was going to happen sooner rather than later. Being that it has been such a long time many are changing their thinking and they should not. It will happen.

 

[GoSooners]

Thats it! Oklahoma not Kansas. I recall that now. Also wasn't Mourning invlolved in a very controversial call in the final minute? I remember thinking that Priceton should have won that if not for bad officiating. But the feeling back then was it was going to happen sooner rather than later. Being that it has been such a long time many are changing their thinking and they should not. It will happen.

Yeah, Mourning kept blocking shots that were dangerously close to being fouls. My guess is they probably had some Big East officials making the calls in that game. Anyway, Princeton was always a tough first round opponent in those days because of their monotonous slow down game. I can't remember what region OU played in, but they had the dumbest court setup that I've ever seen. The players sat on a bench that was below court level. You almost had to stand up to see what was going on.

 

[honzie]

Yeah, Mourning kept blocking shots that were dangerously close to being fouls. My guess is they probably had some Big East officials making the calls in that game. Anyway, Princeton was always a tough first round opponent in those days because of their monotonous slow down game. I can't remember what region OU played in, but they had the dumbest court setup that I've ever seen. The players sat on a bench that was below court level. You almost had to stand up to see what was going on.

LOL! - maybe Vanderbilt court? Crazy. You have to go up a flight of fkng stairs to get on the court! I am having visions now of CHU KENNEDY in that goalie mask deal he used to wear, quite the character for Okla. BTW congrats to your team for grinding out win vs Cal Baker Street late in game = they were gutsy opponent.

 

[Enfuego]

But let's not kid ourselves. There's a huge drop off from a 15 to a 16. MTSU is a decent team and everyone recognized that. They are not Holy Cross.

 

[GoSooners]

LOL! - maybe Vanderbilt court? Crazy. You have to go up a flight of fkng stairs to get on the court! I am having visions now of CHU KENNEDY in that goalie mask deal he used to wear, quite the character for Okla. BTW congrats to your team for grinding out win vs Cal Baker Street late in game = they were gutsy opponent.

Yeah, it was the south region at Vandy. Crazy basketball court. The main thing I remember from that game is Mookie Blaylock hitting some clutch baskets down the stretch. He pretty much won the game for us. I forgot about Choo Kennedy. I think he broke his nose that year and had to wear that crazy full face mask.

 

[honzie]

Mookie Blaylock was a phenom! Totall forgot about him, he made that team go and OK was a force for years back then. That was a great period for college hoops.

 

[honzie]

But let's not kid ourselves. There's a huge drop off from a 15 to a 16. MTSU is a decent team and everyone recognized that. They are not Holy Cross.

Maybe if the commitee gets it the way it should be that seldom happens, esp with those low seeds. I recall years when a 16 put up a good fight while the 14 lost by 50. Team matchups, physical or otherwise, also have a say in all of this.

 

[CHOPTALK]

But let's not kid ourselves. There's a huge drop off from a 15 to a 16. MTSU is a decent team and everyone recognized that. They are not Holy Cross.

They are nothing more then a typical 15.

They won a very weak CUSA tourney.

 

[rolltide]

don't understand why, every year, the committee underrates Conference USA. How many times do UAB, MTSU, and Western KY need to pull these first round upsets before they get a little respect? Last year UAB took down Iowa State, this year MTSU punks Michigan State, and WKY back in the sunbelt pulled off upsets in 2008-09-12 and they still slap a 15 seed on the tourney champ? Izzo team should never lose this type of game but 15's and 16's should be reserved for america east, ovc, southern, etc .... not conference usa.

deserved win for sure...never trailed