2014 NCAA Tournament

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

AMC did a horrific job of adjusting to the refs... who while calling the game maybe a bit tight... were consistent.

[Greek Tragedy]

Yeah. Not a good sign when Ljuljdjuraj fouls out in 16 minutes! He probably didn't even need to shower after the game.

[GnacBballFan]

Cardsfan, albertus beat wpi and purchase back to back nights. They weren't ready for Williams, but I think the gnac statement is a bit much. Let's not forget they beat two quality teams to get to the sweet 16. I just think they ran into one of the 5 best teams in the country. Refs called I tight but they were consistent

[CardsFan]

Cardsfan, albertus beat wpi and purchase back to back nights. They weren't ready for Williams, but I think the gnac statement is a bit much. Let's not forget they beat two quality teams to get to the sweet 16. I just think they ran into one of the 5 best teams in the country. Refs called I tight but they were consistent

As I said, AMC is a good team. They simply seemed overmatched against Williams, which is not an insult since many teams would be. My point about the GNAC is that being the far and away best team in a weak conference isn't always a good thing. Scranton was the hands-down best team in the Landmark and they went home in the 1st Round.

[bopol]

So, ummmm, the system isn't working for Mary Washington so far (4 for 28 from 3 in the first half, 3 for 8 from inside the 3).

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Williams and Amherst destined for another meeting.  Would have been great to have them on opposite sides of the bracket.

I was going to watch the IWU game because the guy doing the Whitewater call is a bit overly exuberant.  However, that may be the only close game here by 8:30.

[Greek Tragedy]

So, ummmm, the system isn't working for Mary Washington so far (4 for 28 from 3 in the first half, 3 for 8 from inside the 3).

I didn't realize Grinnell made the tournament. 5-42 from 3-point range.

[jaybird44]

Emory is at it again...down by 1 to Whitewater at halftime!

Just watched the ESPN documentary on NC State's national championship run.  Emory is looking like the Wolfpack in the last couple of nights...

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Despite all the surprises early on, I don't think anyone would be too terribly shocked by a Final Four of Williams, Amherst, IWU, and Whitewater.  Everyone one of those teams belongs and I could see any of them taking home the trophy.

[bopol]

So, ummmm, the system isn't working for Mary Washington so far (4 for 28 from 3 in the first half, 3 for 8 from inside the 3).

I didn't realize Grinnell made the tournament. 5-42 from 3-point range.

I was starting to feel bad for the rims.

[nescac1]

Agreed, Hoops Fan.  I felt all year that Williams and in particular Amherst were a bit underrated, and a few teams ahead of them just hadn't looked quite as impressive (Wooster, St. Norbert, and Wash U. simply didn't have close to Amherst's talent level, for example). 

I really think that, at worst, four of the best five teams in the country are playing in the Final Four, and the way Stevens Point has been playing of late, it really does seem like the best four.  All of them are very balanced, with no glaring weak spots in the starting lineups.  I think that Amherst has by a significant margin the best starting lineup of the four teams, but also the thinnest bench.  If Amherst starters can play close to 40 minutes each, as they typically do in big games when not in foul trouble, it will spell trouble for whomever plays them.  IWU is clearly the deepest of the four teams, but I don't think the Titans have the same sort of individual star power as the other three, and in particular, as Williams or Amherst -- Toomey is almost certainly the best player on the remaining four teams, and Mayer is almost certainly the second-best player.  The Titans' second unit could be a really big asset if they can survive Friday, because they can rotate fresh guys in after the short turnaround.

I feel that on any given day, any of these four teams can beat any of the other four.  Whitewater and Amherst have athleticism that will present problems for IWU and Williams, respectively, but Williams and IWU each have multiple guys who can light it up from three and when they get it going from deep, those offenses are very hard to contain, and both looked dominant this weekend. 

For all the complaints about bracketing, seeding, who was in, and who was out, in the end, the four best teams are in Salem, and none can credibly claim a harder road to getting there than any of the others.   I expect three hotly contested games between hungry, experienced, veteran-laden and enormously talented teams.  One of the strongest overall and most balanced Final Fours of recent years, in my opinion. 

[Gregory Sager]

I think that Amherst has by a significant margin the best starting lineup of the four teams, but also the thinnest bench.  If Amherst starters can play close to 40 minutes each, as they typically do in big games when not in foul trouble, it will spell trouble for whomever plays them.

"Media timeout" might be the two favorite words among Lord Jeffs fans next weekend.

[pjunito]

AMC did a horrific job of adjusting to the refs... who while calling the game maybe a bit tight... were consistent.

Dave, I agree with you. I would have liked to see a little more contact but the refs called it the same way the entire game. Albertus had to adjust and they didn't. I think the refs in the GNAC do allow them to play a little more physical, but I don't think it would be fair to say the maul guys. I watched the entire game, most of the calls were not aggressive, but were fouls. NCAA rules, you put two hands on a ball handler, it's a foul. You impede the progress of a player driving toward the hoop with your hip, it's a foul. And if you make contact with any person jumping toward the basket with your body (regardless if you hit the ball clean), it's a foul.

The coaching staff may have been upset and players arguing. I'll chalk that to a little sour grapes. I think Williams outplayed Albertus. They outcoached Albertus. That is why they won big.

The trash talking, the guys yelling at each other, the coaching staff yelling is unfortunate. And should be cleaned up. But let's face it.... College Basketball coaches are the biggest babies in collegeiate athletics. 

[Greek Tragedy]

Point had three bad tourney games. Yes. But they did blow out Whitewater in the WIAC title game, so it's not like they were playing bad going into the NCAAs.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I haven't compared participants to final pre-tourney polls, but this is looking (on paper) like the best FF since 2006.  Usually there is at least one 'weakest link'; that year the four games (there was still a consolation game then) were ALL decided by 4 or fewer points (and the 4-point margin was IWU over Amherst in the consolation game, so never more than 3 points in the games they still play). 

IWU would still like a game against Wittenberg for 2nd; better yet a re-match with VaWes for first in 2006!  

There are no Cinderellas in this FF, and a solid case could be made for any of the teams taking home the hardware.  (Perhaps the weakest case would be for Williams, who has already lost three times to Amherst (whom they play in the semi), but Williams has been on fire in the tourney.)