At least Jay Bilas gave us some props

[sufandu]

I'm not going to go nuts and look up a bunch of stuff, but I remember us in 2003 being a 3 or a 4 seed, Kansas being a number 1, Texas may have been a number 1 or at worst a 2, and Marquette was like a 5 or a 6.

It's usually something like that - a couple expected / not surprising seeds; one team that was very good, but pulled an upset in the regional final against a slightly higher seed, and then the one outlier who has a great athlete leading them.

We were a 3. Kansas was a 2 (I think the overall 5). Texas was a 1. I Don't remember what was Marquette was, I think you're right when you say a 5. Oklahoma was also a 1. We beat two 1's and probably the best 2 in our NC run.

 

[UnknownOrange]

IF we beat Baylor

And IF we beat Gonzaga

Then we will beat FSU

IF we win 5 straight here I think we can give UNC a real tough game in the championship

 

[sufandu]

But one could rightfully point out that we don't need the world's best experts to tell us that. If they had anything to offer, it would be in talking about those teams in that 4-7 seed range who really have some interesting chances to make noise. I don't need an expert to tell me that "on average" the 1 seeds should make it to the final four. All that said - I reiterate that it is the reason they don't spend a lot of time on the 8/9 teams because they are the least s e xy of all the seed lines with respect to the types of teams that wind up there and their likely fate.

But usually what they're discussing is which of the highest seeds are going to make the final four and which will get upset, and they don't all pick the same teams to make it. Ultimately, it's supposed to be in good fun. If you view it as anything more serious than that, of course you'll get frustrated.

 

[Jake]

We would slow a game vs. Gonzaga to a crawl

It’s easier to slow a team down than speed them up in March.

St Mary’s played slow and efficiently...we do one of those very well.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

IF we win 5 straight here I think we can give UNC a real tough game in the championship

LOL... Yes, if we can just beat Baylor, Gonzaga, FSU, I think we have a shot at the final four!!!!

 

[Townie72]

What Bilas said was SU should get by Baylor and that Gonzaga would have only 1 1/2 days to prepare for us and that would be difficult.

But since that, even mentions of SU as a factor in the West have been few and far between. In Feinstein's piece today, we aren’t even mentioned. In all the commentators minds the West is all about a FSU vs. Gonzaga final.

 

[Bayside44]

Townie72, Junior did mention us:

Assuming Gonzaga advances, it will play the winner of Syracuse-Baylor, which should be one of the more entertaining first-round games. Don’t bet against Jim Boeheim in early-round games. He has been tough to beat on the first weekend in his dotage, which means the Orange will give Gonzaga all it wants.

 

[Townie72]

Townie72, Junior did mention us:

Assuming Gonzaga advances, it will play the winner of Syracuse-Baylor, which should be one of the more entertaining first-round games. Don’t bet against Jim Boeheim in early-round games. He has been tough to beat on the first weekend in his dotage, which means the Orange will give Gonzaga all it wants.

I scanned that before coffee this morning. You are exactly right. But I did get the Bilas quote right.

 

[TexanMark]

It’s easier to slow a team down than speed them up in March.

St Mary’s played slow and efficiently...we do one of those very well.

Alex:. What is "slow"?

 

[TexanMark]

What Bilas said was SU should get by Baylor and that Gonzaga would have only 1 1/2 days to prepare for us and that would be difficult.

But since that, even mentions of SU as a factor in the West have been few and far between. In Feinstein's piece today, we aren’t even mentioned. In all the commentators minds the West is all about a FSU vs. Gonzaga final.

The Zags did play UW this year so that would help them against us

 

[realorange]

The Zags did play UW this year so that would help them against us

That will also help us as JB and Mike will talk.

 

[TexanMark]

That will also help us as JB and Mike will talk.

Good point... Zags aren't in the PAC12

 

[Cusefan0307]

UW was able to stay in the game with Gonzaga because they only had 9 turnovers and missed just 1 FT. That's going to be hard to expect from us.

 

[kirbivore]

What Bilas said was SU should get by Baylor and that Gonzaga would have only 1 1/2 days to prepare for us and that would be difficult.

But since that, even mentions of SU as a factor in the West have been few and far between. In Feinstein's piece today, we aren’t even mentioned. In all the commentators minds the West is all about a FSU vs. Gonzaga final.

FSU vs. Gonzaga would be a sweet 16 game

 

[Fat tire 13]

To be fair, almost none of these commentators are going to talk about any 8 or 9 seed going on a serious run. Except maybe when Kentucky was a 8 seed like 4-5 years ago and did indeed go on a run

 

[teamco]

Here is another wildcard I don't think I've seen anybody mention in this thread . . . our foul shooting.
According to what I see we have shot 68.1% v our opponents 72.3% from the line this season. However, we have had seven games where we have shot free throws at a rate of LESS THAN 60%. Here's what I've come up with for those games--->

Eastern Washington 15/28, 53.6%; won by 32
Buffalo 5/13, 38.5%; Lost by 12
Pittsburgh 12/23, 52.2%; Won by 11
at Va Tech 7/14, 50%; Lost by 18
at BC 8/15, 53.3%; Won by 6
at NC St 11/22, 50%; Lost by 15
at UNC 13/23, 56.5%; and Lost by 8
and Duke 13/22; 59.1 in ACC tourney Lost by 12

Record when shooting < 60% from
the foul line 3-5

winning while shooting 50% to 60% from the charity stripe is like playing the game while wearing 3lb ankle weights . . . just puts you at a real disadvantage. Let's not beat ourselves.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Kansas was a 2, we were a 3, Texas was a 1, and Marquette was a 4.

So that's 10 points under their system. Pretty close to the 11 average. Thanks for looking it up. I thought I recalled that the Big 12 had 3 number 1 seeds that year, and we had to beat them all, but I guess I'm mistaken. Fifteen years will do that, of course. Thank you for looking it up.

 

[IthacaMatt]

LOL... Yes, if we can just beat Baylor, Gonzaga, FSU, I think we have a shot at the final four!!!!

LOL - fair enough!

But as far as a draw goes, I'd rather be playing these guys, than say (1) Oklahoma or Washington in the 8/9 game; (2) VIrginia Tech or Kansas as the 4 seed; and (3) Duke or North Carolina as the 1 seed just to get to the Regional Final.

 

[Day2]

So that's 10 points under their system. Pretty close to the 11 average. Thanks for looking it up. I thought I recalled that the Big 12 had 3 number 1 seeds that year, and we had to beat them all, but I guess I'm mistaken. Fifteen years will do that, of course. Thank you for looking it up.

You’re welcome. I remember conventional wisdom being that Kansas should have been a 1 and we should have been a 2. Kansas beat Arizona anyway and we didn’t even get to play Wake.

Marquette knocked off overall #1 Kentucky, BTW.

 

[Day2]

Here is another wildcard I don't think I've seen anybody mention in this thread . . . our foul shooting.
According to what I see we have shot 68.1% v our opponents 72.3% from the line this season. However, we have had seven games where we have shot free throws at a rate of LESS THAN 60%. Here's what I've come up with for those games--->

Eastern Washington 15/28, 53.6%; won by 32
Buffalo 5/13, 38.5%; Lost by 12
Pittsburgh 12/23, 52.2%; Won by 11
at Va Tech 7/14, 50%; Lost by 18
at BC 8/15, 53.3%; Won by 6
at NC St 11/22, 50%; Lost by 15
at UNC 13/23, 56.5%; and Lost by 8
and Duke 13/22; 59.1 in ACC tourney Lost by 12

Record when shooting < 60% from
the foul line 3-5

winning while shooting 50% to 60% from the charity stripe is like playing the game while wearing 3lb ankle weights . . . just puts you at a real disadvantage. Let's not beat ourselves.

Battle might be the worst “good” free throw shooter in school history. I’m sure his percentage is in the 70s, but it feels like the 50s.

Both he and OB just need to concentrate.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Battle might be the worst “good” free throw shooter in school history. I’m sure his percentage is in the 70s, but it feels like the 50s.

Both he and OB just need to concentrate.

I hear you. I feel like he does give away points at the line too often, especially late in games. Frank, too.

I remember there used to be a stat they would talk about in game a few years ago, about the player's FT percentage in the last 5 minutes of games.

Over the year's JB's strength has been in winning a disproportionate number of close games, even though we haven't been the greatest FT shooting team.

It would be interesting to see the numbers for this group. I almost feel like Buddy or Chukwu shoot better from the line late in games than our stars.

 

[orange79]

Battle might be the worst “good” free throw shooter in school history. I’m sure his percentage is in the 70s, but it feels like the 50s.

Both he and OB just need to concentrate.

76.2% on the season.

 

[jncuse]

To be fair how many 8/9 seeds is the media hyping up today?

 

[Day2]

To be fair how many 8/9 seeds is the media hyping up today?

Exactly. The winner of our game has the best shot at taking out a 1. May not even be a good shot, but the other 1s vs. 8/9s are probably going to be blowouts.

 

[Day2]

76.2% on the season.

And that’s a career low. What gives?