2015 NCAA Tournament

[Riggins44]

I don't know what Bo Ryan is doing offensively. Kaminsky has a big size advantage on his man. He should put him on the low post and feed everything through him. Don't put him on the damn perimeter.

 

[The Hock]

Dekker coming alive, hitting some shots with some nice baseline drives. Still a tight game.

 

[Jack Lambert]

The Badgers just need to make their free throws now, and it looks like they're in the Sweet 16!! They're up 63-56, and they have the ball!

Another note, Maryland (who does play 3 white guys) is down by one to Bob Huggin's too black West Virginia squad.

 

[Riggins44]

Dekker is their player of the game. He came up big tonight. He has really taken his game to the next level this season and shown that he has the potential to be a solid NBA player.

Wisconsin played well enough to win tonight but they need to play better down the road. They won't beat Kentucky playing like they did tonight.

 

[Jack Lambert]

Dekker is their player of the game. He came up big tonight. He has really taken his game to the next level this season and shown that he has the potential to be a solid NBA player.

Wisconsin played well enough to win tonight but they need to play better down the road. They won't beat Kentucky playing like they did tonight.

I agree; hopefully they'll show better against North Carolina in the Sweet 16.


I really hope Northern Iowa is able to knock off Louisville tonight!

 

[Riggins44]

I really don't like this West Virginia team. Don't like the coach and don't like the players.

 

[Freethinker]

I wanted to come on and post last night but couldn't sign in from home.

I was basically yelling at the TV during the Northern Iowa vs Louisville game. Over the course of the last 8 to 10 minutes, Louisville got every call. The refs "missed" an obvious back court violation. They also let Louisville get away with playing "hard, physical defense" while calling Northern Iowa for non-existent "touch fouls". Even the announcer, I believe it was Doug Gottlieb, mention some of the horrible calls. It seemed like Pitino had the refs in his pocket.

With that said, Louisville still probably would have won but with fair officiating I think we might have seen a close finish.

That soured my night but the tourney has gone pretty well so far. Here's the best remaining teams to root for:

Wisconsin: 4 White starters, plus reserves
Gonzaga: 3, plus reserves
Arizona: 2, plus reserves
Notre Dame: 2
Wichita State: 2
UCLA: 1, plus 2 reserves
Xavier: 1, plus reserves
Utah: 1, plus a reserve
Oklahoma: 1
Michigan St: 1 (if Costello starts)
Duke: 0, but 2 reserves
West Virginia: 0, 1 reserve
Kentucky, NC ST and Louisville: all cocoa

Best possible results:

WV beats Kentucky
ND vs Wichita is a push
Wisconsin beats UNC
Arizona beats Xavier
NC St vs Louisville is a push
Oklahoma vs Mich St also a push
Utah beats Duke (Poeltl is a focal point)
Gonzaga beats UCLA

ND/Wichita, Wisconsin, Oklahoma/Mich St & Gonzaga would be our best Final 4.

 

[celticdb15]

On Wisconsin!!

 

[Don Wassall]

Thanks to the work and enthusiasm of Jack Lambert, Celticdb15 and others, I've been watching more of this tournament than I have in many years, and really enjoying it. It's nice to see so many talented White players with hops and solid all-around games.

 

[Jimmy Chitwood]

it's good to be back on the boards. i'm VERY happy Don got everything sorted out, and i'm happy that this unique haven on ye olde intra-webs is back in business.

Jack, you and the rest of the guys have done a terrific job of keeping the info coming for my favorite time of the sports year (second only to the World Cup every four years).

onward Wisconsin and Gonzaga! good luck, as well, to Arizona, Wichita State, and Notre Dame.

 

[DixieDestroyer]

it's good to be back on the boards. i'm VERY happy Don got everything sorted out, and i'm happy that this unique haven on ye olde intra-webs is back in business..

Welcome back JC!

 

[Jack Lambert]

it's good to be back on the boards. i'm VERY happy Don got everything sorted out, and i'm happy that this unique haven on ye olde intra-webs is back in business.

Jack, you and the rest of the guys have done a terrific job of keeping the info coming for my favorite time of the sports year (second only to the World Cup every four years).

onward Wisconsin and Gonzaga! good luck, as well, to Arizona, Wichita State, and Notre Dame.

It's great to see you back Jimmy!! Also, thank you to you and Don for the kind words. I love March Madness as well; and am always happy to help (and very thankful for Freethinker's and Phall's help with the brackets this year).


Just a few comments for the Sweet 16:

I love the way the Zags are playing this year. In the past, when they've gotten knocked out on the first weekend, you could see that their play wasn't "up to par" so to speak, including the year when they were a #1 seed. This year, the Bulldogs look like they are on a mission, especially in the way they destroyed the Hawkeyes. I hope this continues against UCLA, whom they've beaten already this year. The Bruins have been playing better, but I think the Zags get revenge for the 2006 debacle.

Wisconsin needs to pick it up a bit as well; they coasted through their first game, before getting tested by an Oregon team that Arizona obliterated in the Pac-12 championship game. UNC won't be an easy win for them; they've been playing a lot better lately.

Arizona has been ON FIRE as of late and I don't think they should have many problems with Xavier.

I'm hoping the winner of Wichita State/Notre Dame can beat Kentucky in the Elite Eight. I'll be cheering for the Irish, as I think Pat Connaughton could be the big key in the matchup against the Wildcats.


I never thought I'd cheer for a Bob Huggins coached squad, but alas, I hope they beat Kentucky.

 

[Phall]

Ranking the remaining starters

Number rank is silly, obviously, as my favorite economist Nassim Taleb would be quick to lecture. It is worse than non-information, instead acting as 'dis-information' because of the false subconscious perception placed between the increments. That being said, lists are still great fun for nerds like me, and CBS Sports has published a mainstream-friendly hand at it. Here's how the 17 out of 80 white starters rank:

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebas...the-2015-sweet-16-starters-from-no-80-to-no-1

75. Evan Wessel, Wichita State
71. Steve Vasturia, Notre Dame
59. Kaleb Tarczewski, Arizona
53. Matt Stainbrook, Xavier
52. Bronsin Koenig, Wisconsin
50. Josh Gasser, Wisconsin
47. Bryce Alford, UCLA
46. Ryan Spangler, Oklahoma
39. Przemek Karnowski, Gonzaga
36. Jakob Poeltl, Utah
35. Pat Connaughton, Notre Dame
22. Sam Dekker, Wisconsin
16. Kevin Pangos, Gonzaga
14. T.J. McConnell, Arizona
12. Ron Baker, Wichita State
6. Kyle Wiltjer, Gonzaga
2. Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin

None of these players' teams would be through two rounds of playoffs without the integral contributions of these white starters. Stainbrook and Poeltl (especially him) are focal points in the paint for their otherwise coal-black teams, making them enjoyable to watch simply for the one hero on the court on either side. I have not watched Spangler nor any other Big12 game this entire season, but I know he averages 12 and 8 (because I researched it!) so maybe Oklahoma remains palatable in the second weekend only because of him.

Looking at this run-down, it's clear that Gonzaga vs. Wisconsin would be our ideal matchup amongst "friends". Arizona's white starters have virtually zero buzz as pro-prospects, although McConnell will be the key to winning or losing against Wisconsin. Wisconsin-Arizona may be the true "championship" of the year, not only because CF fans will enjoy it, but because they are probably the #2 and #3 teams of the year... sucks they have to face off before the final weekend! Notre Dame's white players are criminally underrated, but somehow, some way, I expect big performances from them...

Dekker at 22 is weak... you might wonder when the last time one single college team had two white players drafted together in the first round of the NBA Draft, Dekker and Kaminsky projected to go 8-12 and 15-23 respectively...

It was just last year! Michigan put Nik Stauskas at #9 to the ho-ass Sacramento Kings, and Oklahoma City took Mitch McGary at #25. McGary of course missed most of his second college season with a back condition and was forced into the pro's because he got caught smoking pot (meh, such is life)... anyway, I wonder which next pair of hot whites will succeed Wisconsin's racist duo.

 

[Jimmy Chitwood]

i've seen a lot of positive publicity recently for Notre Dame's senior do-everything guard/forward Pat Connaughton. he is the unquestioned leader of the Fighting Irish, and his versatility and leadership (not to mention his impressive talent) are a MAJOR reason the Irish emerged this year.

despite possessing some point guard skills and being the Irish' top 3-point shooter, Connaughton, at just 6-foot-5, frequently plays and defends the opposing team's power forward in UND's 4-guard lineup. if he didn't have the mental toughness and physical prowess to manage that remarkable feat, Notre Dame wouldn't have won their first conference tournament championship EVER. nor would they have prevailed against a hungry and ferocious Butler squad in the round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament, in what was likely the best game of the 2015 Tourney thus far.

oh! and that's without even discussing his ability as a two-sport athlete. he's a flamethrower on the baseball diamond, with a reported 96 mile-per-hour fastball.

here's a video clip of his game-saving block against Kellen Dunham that sent the game into overtime, in which Connaughton ultimately hit the go-ahead-for-good 3-pointer.

[video=youtube;C9H1UxKeisw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9H1UxKeisw[/video]

 

[icsept]

Pat Connaughton is great, and I hope ND beats WSU. I watched a YouTube highlight of Connaughton dunking on Jabari Parker (NBA no. 1 overall pick) last year. The black commentator states: "That's what I love about college basketball. You don't have to have the most talent..." lol, I guess Connaughton used his lunch pail for a step stool to get up for that dunk.

 

[celticdb15]

Pat Connaughton is great, and I hope ND beats WSU. I watched a YouTube highlight of Connaughton dunking on Jabari Parker (NBA no. 1 overall pick) last year. The black commentator states: "That's what I love about college basketball. You don't have to have the most talent..." lol, I guess Connaughton used his lunch pail for a step stool to get up for that dunk.

No his work ethic made him rise up!!

 

[Jack Lambert]

ND vs. Wichita State tips off on CBS in a couple of minutes!! Wisconsin and North Carolina tip off at 7:50 Eastern or so on TBS.

 

[Wes Woodhead]

I wanted to come on and post last night but couldn't sign in from home.

I was basically yelling at the TV during the Northern Iowa vs Louisville game. Over the course of the last 8 to 10 minutes, Louisville got every call. The refs "missed" an obvious back court violation. They also let Louisville get away with playing "hard, physical defense" while calling Northern Iowa for non-existent "touch fouls". Even the announcer, I believe it was Doug Gottlieb, mention some of the horrible calls. It seemed like Pitino had the refs in his pocket.

The ONE consistent in March Madness is that black players are allowed to hack, stiff arm, grab, and hit White players with impunity. While White players are not even allowed to breath on negros without a foul being called.

 

[white lightning]

Notre Dame won easily. Happy to see that.

Wisconsin has come back and they have a 4 point lead with 1 minute left. Let's go Badgers. Please hang on.

 

[Phall]

Great win for Whitesconsin in one of the first true caste matchup nail biters of the tournament. Dekker was huge with his 23 and 10, but the unsung heroes are Josh Gasser (for locking down Paige until the very end) and Zak Showalter (who provided a big spark off the bench). UNC threw the kitchen sink at Wisconsin and came up short despite an "off night" of 19 and 8 from Kaminsky.

Now I can relax and watch McConnell's Arizona against Stainbrook's Xavier. While the Wildcats are the CF favorites, I wouldn't mind Xavier making Wisconsin's job easier. Same goes for Huggins and his WVU thugs against Kentucky.

 

[Jack Lambert]

Great win for Whitesconsin in one of the first true caste matchup nail biters of the tournament. Dekker was huge with his 23 and 10, but the unsung heroes are Josh Gasser (for locking down Paige until the very end) and Zak Showalter (who provided a big spark off the bench). UNC threw the kitchen sink at Wisconsin and came up short despite an "off night" of 19 and 8 from Kaminsky.

Now I can relax and watch McConnell's Arizona against Stainbrook's Xavier. While the Wildcats are the CF favorites, I wouldn't mind Xavier making Wisconsin's job easier. Same goes for Huggins and his WVU thugs against Kentucky.

Great night for us so far!! Notre Dame and Wisconsin winning was awesome!

I see WVU is currently in the process of laying a massive egg. One of the guys for the Mountaineers was ****ing off and said they'd beat Kentucky tonight. I hate Kentucky, but I won't be crying over the "loss" of Huggy Bear's thugs from the tournament.

 

[Riggins44]

Notre Dame won easily. Happy to see that.

Wisconsin has come back and they have a 4 point lead with 1 minute left. Let's go Badgers. Please hang on.

Awesome to see Wisconsin win. North Carolina is a talented team that played a very solid game, but the Badgers played with their usual great poise at the end. If Arizona can beat Xavier we will have a great matchup in the Elite 8 and a guarantee of one of our teams going to the Final Four.

Notre Dame will now face Kentucky in all likelihood in the next round. The Irish have had such a great year. It's good that they'll get a shot at knocking off the Wildcats.

On another note, Ashley Judd is so damn annoying. I know she's a legit Kentucky fan, but go away already.

 

[WHITE NOISE]

Great second half for Wisconsin. They fought through several phantom fouls, "errant" elbows and questionable non-calls by the refs. It was an enjoyable game to watch, and as mentioned earlier, the Tar Heals played well , while knocking-down a bunch of three pointers.

 

[Jack Lambert]

Stainbrook has been carrying Xavier so far through both the Big East tournament and now the NCAA Tourney, but he's going to have a tough out tonight against Tarczewski and the Wildcat's towering front-line.

McConnell off to a nice start already. Even though the media likes to say Stanley Johnson is the team MVP (he's a good player, no doubt) but I think it's by far McConnell. Arizona would not be the team they are without him.

 

[white lightning]

Arizona wins. All three of the teams I was rooting for today won. I want Gonzaga to win tommorow. Not sure about the other games. It's a shame AZ and Wisconsin have to play next. Rematch of last year. Should be a great game. Excellent tournament this year after an great super bowl. Cant' complain.