Selection Sunday Open Thread
by LVS on Mar 14, 2010 4:51 PM CDT
in Michigan State Spartans Basketball
139 comments
[UPDATE: MSU is a 5 seed in the Midwest, playing New Mexico State in Spokane on Friday. If we can get through the first round, we're probably looking at Maryland in the 2nd round, and a potential Sweet Sixteen rematch with Kansas in the Sweet Sixteen. Ohio State is the #2 seed in the Midwest, playing the opening rounds in Milwaukee.
My immediate reaction is that this is an immensely unfavorable draw for MSU. Seems like the committee put a lot of emphasis on the conference tournament. Truly, we made our own bad luck here. End update.]
First, congratulations to Ohio State, who put together a national championship-quality performance in throttling Minnesota, 90-61. Whoever ends up in the same region as Ohio State, beware: it's cliche, but the Buckeyes are peaking at the right time and playing as well as any team in the country.
The bracket selection gets underway in approximately 10 minutes, on CBS. Your Spartans figure to be a 4 or 5 seed (3 if we're massively lucky). The key here would seem to be avoiding the dreaded 5-12 matchup. A quick sampling of expert bracket predictions:
- SBN's own Blogging the Bracket has MSU as the 5 seed in the South region. We'd play Cornell (27-4, Ivy League champs) in New Orleans.
- Joe Lunardi's Bracketology has MSU as the Midwest 5 seed, playing Wake Forest (19-10) in San Jose.
- Jerry Palm also has MSU in the Midwest region, but as the 4 seed, playing Murray State (30-4, Ohio Valley champs) in San Jose.
Other burning questions: will Minnesota be in the field? Illinois? We'll find out soon enough. The best sports week of the year is about to begin.
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Midwest probably up first.
If the experts are right, we might find out about MSU sooner rather than later.
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Ohio state got screwed...
Weakest 2 seed? ouch..
Kansas, Maryland, Tennessee, Georgetown, Ohio State, Oklahoma State.
It’s the bracket of death.
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Yup.
Fly across country. Face co-ACC champs if we get out of second round. Face juggernaut if we beat them.
Thanks for playing!
Sucks to be syracuse...
Zags are a tough draw as an 8 seed.
As an 11, and they're playing in Milwaukee
That’s very, very favorable for them.
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Deserved
IMO we got what we deserved. Should’ve handled business (for at least one game) in the BTT.
Some are born great,
some achieve greatness, some have greatness thrust upon them, and some piss greatness away by missing 15 free throws against Minnesota.
by njd on Mar 14, 2010 5:32 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
West Bracket is a crock
‘Cuse in trouble against the Zags’ size. KSU looks awfully good in that region.
Kentucky has to get there first.
Probable 2nd round matchup with Texas. One of the few teams that matches up with Kentucky talent-wise.
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We need conference solidarity
even with Wisconsin
Spring Football...
Starts soon right? When can we expect some threads about the new jerseys?
by SpartyOn37 on Mar 14, 2010 5:27 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
+1 to you sir
Light a man a fire, he'll stay warm for a day.
Light a man afire, he'll be warm for the rest of his life.
On top of everything
MSU will be a VERY popular 5-12 upset pick this week.
by Con-T on Mar 14, 2010 5:35 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
Do you know anything about them?
Because I really don’t, ha. Will have to get edumicated tonight.
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What the hell is Notre Dame doing at a 6?
The committee did a very, very poor job this year. Lots of questionable picks.
Yeah, what else is new?
"Based on my estimates, it appears that Stanzi shall transcend the ages." - Cairo
by ReadingRambler on Mar 14, 2010 6:34 PM CDT up reply actions
Why even have an NCAA tournament?
Why not just another Big East tourney?
Unfathomably favorable draws for the Big East. Someone needs to ask the questions.
ugh.
Hope Izzo feels that sending a message to Summers and Allen at the same time was worth a match-up with Maryland and then Kansas if they can somehow get past them (which I don’t think they can).
I'm not at all worried about Maryland.
We’ll have to play well, but we do well against guards like Vasquez. Waterbugs like Battle give us problems. Lucas will be able to penetrate at will if both teams advance.
KU we simply don’t have the personnel to beat, barring a miracle.
From the S'News:
MSU head coach Tom Izzo: “I think I worry too much about who the leader is. Maybe this week I’m gonna be the leader.”
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The Midwest
Has to have the strongest 1 through 6 in memory.
Light a man a fire, he'll stay warm for a day.
Light a man afire, he'll be warm for the rest of his life.
Also
I’m not happy we were passed over by the likes of Vanderbilt and Wisconsin.
Light a man a fire, he'll stay warm for a day.
Light a man afire, he'll be warm for the rest of his life.
I attended NMSU and graduated from MSU.
Ugh. Worst possible draw for me….was hoping I could root for the NMSU aggies in a game or two…oh. well.
How did UW get a four? We finished ahead of them in the B10 (co-champs) and we both lost our opening round BTT games…us to a NCAA tourney team them to the Illini?
Trying to find out.
I’m going to be in Las Vegas from Tuesday morning until Friday morning. Desperately hoping for a Thursday night game, for selfish reasons.
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I will laugh like the Joker....
when the Big East fails to place a team in the Final Four.
Unbelievably overrated league.
And still...
They had to go to OT against a Miss. St. team and got some serious help from the refs.
"Based on my estimates, it appears that Stanzi shall transcend the ages." - Cairo
by ReadingRambler on Mar 14, 2010 6:36 PM CDT up reply actions
They play bored a lot.
They won’t in the tournament. Plus, Miss. St. had seen them before.
Wisconsin has played no one approaching Kentucky’s talent level. The only team close to their talent level is Kansas.
Sorry, I don't buy that.
UK has had several close games against decent NCAA teams. That has nothing to do with boredom.
"Based on my estimates, it appears that Stanzi shall transcend the ages." - Cairo
by ReadingRambler on Mar 14, 2010 8:29 PM CDT up reply actions
I think it does, to an extent
But I don’t think they can flip the switch for the tournament and guarantee it doesn’t happen again.
In case there was any doubt
Izzo just said that Allen will play. He “probably” would have played against Purdue yesterday.
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More Bad News
Light a man a fire, he'll stay warm for a day.
Light a man afire, he'll be warm for the rest of his life.
5-12 upset...
At least MSU should be a good team next year.
We will beat them by 15.
NMSU is inferior at all positions. Unless we shoot 20%, we will beat them into submission on the glass.
Positive spin
Preseason #1 vs. #2 in the third round!
What does Maryland have besides Vasquez at this point?
Fight for The Only Colors: Green and White!
by KJ@theonlycolors on Mar 14, 2010 6:20 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
Thanks
I trust Izzo to gameplan for one legitimate scorer in a big game.
Fight for The Only Colors: Green and White!
by KJ@theonlycolors on Mar 14, 2010 6:26 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
2nd part is serious question
Fight for The Only Colors: Green and White!
by KJ@theonlycolors on Mar 14, 2010 6:24 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Not sure...
They looked pretty damn good when I watched them beat Duke though.
I'll look forward to reading LVS's preview of the game
if we win on Friday. Big fan of the blog. :)
Fight for The Only Colors: Green and White!
by KJ@theonlycolors on Mar 14, 2010 6:34 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
They are a lot like the Badgers.
Unbeatable at home, average elsewhere. Duke beat the living crap out them at Cameron.
Gary Williams
typically has his teams ready for the big games. Can’t help but think of the game we played against them early last year. Honestly, that Maryland team looks tough.
Bracket Pick 'Em Update:
As TMadison25 told us this morning:
If Ohio State wins it’s a tie between (possessions in brackets):
KarkoviceIsHawt (63)
spartyboy40 (65)
SpartanDan (65)
Weeeeell, Statsheet says that today’s OSU-Minnesota game was a 64 possession game, ha. KJ is the final arbiter here, but it looks like we have a 3-way tie.
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Believe you me, this tweet will be featured prominently in my NMSt. run-through this evening:
@kenpomeroy: Congrats to Michigan State for a relative walkover in a 5/12 game.
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They clearly gave us a favorable matchup.
I would have been far more scared against an opponent like Wake or UTEP.
Similar:
@JohnGasaway: Huge disparity in 5-seed situations. Michigan St. won the lottery. Temple’s underseeded (duh). Butler and TX A&M have very tough games.
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I just noticed
that Maurice Joseph and Vermont made it in. It’d be funny if they beat Syracuse.
Random late addition to the conversation
But I was at the rally for the Ohio Bobcats so I missed the live thread action. Good times and free popcorn. Nice to see one of these things in person. I won’t littler the thread with Bobcat talk, though.
That's the kind of thing we miss out on because we follow a big, successful school.
I grew up one town over from Monmouth University (NJ), a very small school that made the tournament a couple of times during my childhood. When it happened, the exultation and excitement on the campus — and really, in the entire area — was unlike anything I ever saw at MSU. And, that was all done with the knowledge that they were about to get demolished by a 1 or 2 seed, whatever it was. (I remember that it was Duke one year). It never dampened the enthusiasm.
I wouldn’t trade it for the consistent success that we’ve enjoyed, but it’s really a ton of fun.
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Sorry, LVS, you opened the door.
Yeah, it was fun. Surprisingly good turnout – cheerleaders, The Marching 101 (which for basketball should really be called The Standing 45), and all the players with Coach Groce. And we were on CBS!
Obviously, no one is betting their savings on Ohio beating (or even hanging with) Georgetown, but after watching them pull miracles as the 9th seed in the MAC tournament, it’s not like the loss is a foregone conclusion either. They have talent. That Cooper/Bassett backcourt is absolutely legit and PF DeVaughn Washinton is a great athlete who will run the floor and play above the rim when hot. Lastly, OU features Tommy Freeman, one of the nation’s top ten shooters in 3pt% .
One of the biggest challenges for them is depth. They’re a soft 8 deep and if Washington or their one true C Kenneth Van Kempen get in foul trouble against Monroe (which is likely) it is really all over. Also, they have trouble maintaining composure late in close games. Young team, one Senior, Freshman (MAC FOTY) PG.
Overall, Ohio is the classic 14 seed scare team. They could play G’town close for a long time, give them a run, only to collapse at the end of the 2nd half and end up with a score that doesn’t really reflect how close it was. That’s my prediction.
Bracket quick hits
1. Holy God, is the Midwest stacked. Best 1 seed, best 2 seed, best 3 and 4 seeds by Pomeroy (though I’m not convinced on those).
2. The South is a totally unpredictable region, but for the opposite reason of the Midwest: I don’t trust any team in that region at all.
3. Teams seeded way too high: New Mexico (record is pretty good, but they’ve been pulling close games out consistently), the entire Big East (short of Syracuse/WV), Florida (I’m a little surprised they’re in at all).
4. Teams seeded too low: Tennessee, the Mtn West (other than New Mexico), Temple and maybe the other A-10 teams.
5. For all the beefs about seeding, the committee did a pretty reasonable job on selection. If I had seen VT in the bracket, someone on that committee was going to have to explain a few things.
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