Wow, this is going to be great!
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Tonight, what a slate of games!!
WVU-Gonzaga. A chance for the big12 to vindicate themselves, which I think they will. My bracket shows WVU in the FF. But it’s always a big storyline when you have a traditional power like Gonzaga who actually has never won anything important. And they’re playing a team that very nearly beat us twice this season.
Xavier-Arizona Actually kind of a yawner for me. I never mind watching AZ lose, but Xavier, while being a good story, has always had kind of a bad rep in my mind, reminding me of Cincy and Thuggins. Same city, same crap.
Michigan-Oregon What an awesome matchup this is. Michigan, who according to some in the media, survived the worst plane crash in history, still is a good story and I’ve mellowed some on Beilein. Bo Ryan absolutely owned him so I got this idea that he was a lousy coach, but I’m changing on that. Oregon, whom I’ve seen just a little this year, is an exciting and talented team. Michigan’s comeback and dominating finish against Oregon was fun to watch. I never mind seeing Pitino lose either.
Kansas-Purdue A chess match type of game we’ve discussed ad nauseum.
Tomorrow. It’s hard to ignore tournament game between Kentucky and UCLA. Just sounds like a heavyweight title bout. Go Bruins I guess. Kentucky will have a nice home court edge playing in Memphis. Funny how that works that the 2 seed gets a more favorable regional site than the 1 seed UNC. But that happens in these things.
Butler-UNC, David-Goliath, Hebron-Quincy (tiny Hebron, IL winning state championship against gigantic Quincy back in the 50’s), Chaminade-Virginia. All epic mismatches that ended memorably. Butler obviously is not exactly an unheralded mid major any more, but it still has that feel.
Baylor-USC Two familiar foes in Martin and Drew. I’m guessing Martin in this one although for the conferences sake go Bears.
Badgers-Florida. It’s telling when someone reseeded the remaining 16 teams and made the Badgers the top seed in their region. The Badgers are not going to win it all this year. Until Nova, they hadn’t beaten any of the top teams they’ve played like Purdue, UNC, Creighton. They had a long stretch where Bronson Koenig was playing hurt with a calf injury and they stumbled badly. Hayes went in the tank and Happ did too. It was ugly, but that’s all over now and they’re looking legit. They’re legit enough to advance out of this region, but not sure beyond that. I’ll say this, these seniors know how to win.
It’s going to be a great two nights of college basketball as @HighEliteMajor pointed out.
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“The Badgers are not going to win it all this year.”
Obviously… I’m a Jayhawk so I’m for Kansas winning it all… but if we don’t, I’m pulling for the Badgers. Hey… they took out the #1-rated team in the tourney. That not only shows they can beat anyone, but also should be a monster momentum builder moving forward.
How many times have we lost to the eventual National Champion? I know we did last year. When teams beat us they pick up momentum.
I’m expecting some damn good Badger ball against Florida… and beyond! Go, Badgers!
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@drgnslayr Last year after our loss to Nova I wrote a post that was titled “who we’ve lost to” Since 1986, we have lost to a team that has made it to the sweet 16 every one of those years except two. 1989 when we couldn’t participate, and 2005 when we lost to Bucknell.
The Badgers matched up well with Nova obviously, and while it’s a very good win, it wasn’t surprising to me. UW can’t handle height because Happ and Hayes aren’t extraordinarily elite athletes (they’re all elite athletes playing DI basketball). So Purdue handled them, UNC did too. I just dont’ feel it.
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Sometimes a teams’ drive is all it takes. Size, etc, just becomes side notes to a game dominated by will and momentum. I’d take that over all the size and skill out there!
I didn’t really think Nova was such a crazy skilled and tall team last year. But once they got rolling, they were like a buzz saw from the wood mill… grinding up teams on their way to the trophy.
For whatever reason, I associate our team this year as being like Villanova was last year.
This Badger team has a lot of heart and guts. I’m not going to sell them short on anything. I see the reality and threat they pose to us. It is real!
Heck… I doubt anyone in this tournament has a chip like Wisconsin. It still hurts thinking back when Coach K worked over the refs to throw the championship game. That will go down in my books as being one of the worst rigged games ever in college basketball. I will not forget it nor will I forgive Duke and K.
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@drgnslayr I had that game on my DVR, never watched it. Just couldn’t, probably never will. That and the KU/Syracuse game in 2003 are my most bitter defeats as a fan. The KU game for very different reasons obviously.
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Yeah… sometimes it is best to just look forward. I would hate to see the KU/Syrc game again… really… all our NCAA tournament losses are hard to watch again.
If we lose a game now, I will burn it off my DVR immediately.
If we win it all… I will torment my family by replaying KU March Madness for months! I bet I will watch the championship game 30 times or so. Yes… you read it right…
Shows how diehard my wife is… she still wants Kansas even though she will be punished later if we win it all!
BTW: My wife hasn’t used the “P-word” once this season!
Does that not say something about our team?! I think so…
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@drgnslayr I would do that too!
Some losses are easier for me to watch than others. I recently watched highlights from the UNI and VCU games - those just dont bother me as much anymore, but I just cant watch the Nova loss or the Michigan loss. Both of those teams were national title caliber and didnt even make it out of their region.
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@drgnslayr The P word is…?
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Nice posts. Great games tonight and tomorrow for sure.
Only a few hours more before tip and I am starting to get nervous. A few beers will help that I suppose. Can’t wait.
ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!!!
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@joeloveshawks Ya you and me both, always get nervous. - Wish I had a couple of cold ones - -guess my Diet Coke will have to do - – I’ll get up pace, - - don’t know how many trips I will leave the room can’t watch lol. get to worked up probably. - - I love it when I can watch others games with no body in the pot - - just enjoy the game lol - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY
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@wissox K-State.
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Getting nervous. This game can’t end fast enough…
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Bravo!
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