I really hope the top PAC-12 team gets the 1 seed in the West

[Alsacs]

If that happened my dream scenario for Syracuse to be a 10-11 seed in a region with Gonzaga and Baylor as the 1-2 seeds.

The top teams in the nation IMO seen
NorthCarolina/Villanova/Oregon/UCLA/Kentucky/Arizona.

Kansas/Baylor have talent but could choke.

Nobody in the Big Ten except Wisconsin scares me.
Florida doesn't scare me.
I really hope we play UNC in the ACC tournament that would decrease the odds we are in their bracket. Teams you play once are a lot more likely than teams you play twice.

 

[benjams77]

If that happened my dream scenario for Syracuse to be a 10-11 seed in a region with Gonzaga and Baylor as the 1-2 seeds.

The top teams in the nation IMO seen
NorthCarolina/Villanova/Oregon/UCLA/Kentucky/Arizona.

Kansas/Baylor have talent but could choke.

We wanna avoid The Zags as much as possible this year...I don't like the Baylor match up either as they play zone a bunch and would know how to attack it...This is not your typical Zags team...They have many pieces and depth...Karnowski in the post would eat us up as he is a good passer and rebounder at over 7 feet.

I think UCLA and Kentucky are good for us as their young and offensive teams that we can slow down and make impatient...To me they would be similar to Indiana team we beat in regional final...NC, Nova and Arizona avoid for sure...I cant get a good read on Kansas cause their athletic but don't impress me...but they win lots games

 

[Alsacs]

We wanna avoid The Zags as much as possible this year...I don't like the Baylor match up either as they play zone a bunch and would know how to attack it...This is not your typical Zags team...They have many pieces and depth...Karnowski in the post would eat us up as he is a good passer and rebounder at over 7 feet.

I think UCLA and Kentucky are good for us as their young and offensive teams that we can slow down and make impatient...To me they would be similar to Indiana team we beat in regional final...NC, Nova and Arizona avoid for sure...I cant get a good read on Kansas cause their athletic but don't impress me...but they win lots games

Gonzaga is not getting to the Final Four.

Their schedule this year was weaker than usual in nonconference play. They beat Arizona without Trier in LA.
They beat Iowa State and Miami.

I don't see them as good as their 1 seed will get them. I want in their bracket so they get upset.

 

[Ward]

We wanna avoid The Zags as much as possible this year...I don't like the Baylor match up either as they play zone a bunch and would know how to attack it...This is not your typical Zags team...They have many pieces and depth...Karnowski in the post would eat us up as he is a good passer and rebounder at over 7 feet.

I think UCLA and Kentucky are good for us as their young and offensive teams that we can slow down and make impatient...To me they would be similar to Indiana team we beat in regional final...NC, Nova and Arizona avoid for sure...I cant get a good read on Kansas cause their athletic but don't impress me...but they win lots games

I feel like every year I'm told Gonzaga is the best group Few has ever had and isn't the typical Gonzaga team that the media hyped up the year before and this is finally the year they are poised to make a deep run. And then every year in the tournament they're exposed as being nothing special.

Though I will say that I think Perkins and Williams-Goss is a real tough back court. Still think they probably lose in Sweet 16.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Me thinks Oregon is the best team out west.

 

[CuseCactus]

I don't want to be anywhere near Arizona in the tourney. Two 7 footers that can play. We wouldn't get a single rebound.

 

[Briancuse]

If that happened my dream scenario for Syracuse to be a 10-11 seed in a region with Gonzaga and Baylor as the 1-2 seeds.

The top teams in the nation IMO seen
NorthCarolina/Villanova/Oregon/UCLA/Kentucky/Arizona.

Kansas/Baylor have talent but could choke.

Nobody in the Big Ten except Wisconsin scares me.
Florida doesn't scare me.
I really hope we play UNC in the ACC tournament that would decrease the odds we are in their bracket. Teams you play once are a lot more likely than teams you play twice.

I think its pretty much a lock that Gonzaga gets the number one seed out west.

 

[Alsacs]

I think its pretty much a lock that Gonzaga gets the number one seed out west.

It's not a lock. The early release from the committee had them 4th. They aren't a lock to get the west. If UCLA/Arizona/Oregon run the table the rest of the season and beat the other 2 teams another time it could move them above.
Gonzaga could be the 4th 1 seed I could see the PAC-12 champ as 3rd easily.

 

[Briancuse]

It's not a lock. The early release from the committee had them 4th. They aren't a lock to get the west. If UCLA/Arizona/Oregon run the table the rest of the season and beat the other 2 teams another time it could move them above.
Gonzaga could be the 4th 1 seed I could see the PAC-12 champ as 3rd easily.

I think the Pac 12 champ could get a one seed, but I don't see how an undefeated Gonzaga isn't given the one seed out west.

 

[Alsacs]

I think the Pac 12 champ could get a one seed, but I don't see how an undefeated Gonzaga isn't given the one seed out west.

If the committee looks at Gonzaga and the PAC-12 champ's resume I think unless it's Arizona the PAC-12 champ has the better resume.
Gonzaga would not be undefeated if they played in a P5 or BE league.

 

[SoBeCuse]

Arizona would be tougher than Oregon. That stud Markannen is used to operating on the perimeter a la Porzingis so Lydon wouldn't have the same kind of advantage as against other bigs. Elite talent all over that roster.

I actually really like Florida. Very good defensive team. Good guards and forwards. They crushed South Carolina and will likely sweep UK. I could see Barry giving White all kinds of problems as well as Hill against Gillon.

 

[Briancuse]

If the committee looks at Gonzaga and the PAC-12 champ's resume I think unless it's Arizona the PAC-12 champ has the better resume.
Gonzaga would not be undefeated if they played in a P5 or BE league.

Their resumes are actually pretty close, Gonzaga is 5-0 against the top 50, Arizona is 6-3, and Gonzaga beat Arizona. Kansas is a lock for a one seed, So is Gonzaga, and if Unc wins the Acc they are getting one, that leaves Nova, if Nova looses a couple of games, the Pac 12 champ could replace them, but I don't see Nova falling apart.

 

[jncuse]

Gonzaga is not getting to the Final Four.

Their schedule this year was weaker than usual in nonconference play. They beat Arizona without Trier in LA.
They beat Iowa State and Miami.

I don't see them as good as their 1 seed will get them. I want in their bracket so they get upset.

And they beat Florida on a neutral court.

I think they are a really good team. Not to say they are my top #1 either.

 

[jncuse]

Whether you like Gonzaga as a #1, 2 or 3 seed, the West is as good as its been in several years in terms of elite teams. You have to go back several years to find a group of 4 teams out west as good as Gonzaga, Oregon, Arizona, UCLA,

As bad as the Pac 12 has been this year, they do have a decent chance of getting 2 teams in the final four, since all 3 Pac12 teams need to be in different regions.

 

[Cusefan0307]

How good is the PAC 12 outside of Zona, Oregon, and UCLA? I think Cal is decent, but after that most of those teams are mediocre at best. I can't believe Romar can't win at Washington with the talent he continues to pull in every year. Great recruiter, but he's the Gottfried of the west coast.

 

[jncuse]

Maybe we should pull up the Villanova and crappy Big East threads from last year -- those were used several times to say they were not a legit #1 in the country or #1 seed.

Gonzaga is going to have to earn it however. Until they turn one of their seasons into a final 4, they will get chastised and to an extent deservedly so. I'm not going to say its entirely deserved but at the same time they have had their chances.

But they clearly earned and deserved the #1 seed -- not many teams could go 6-0 on neutral or on the road against Florida, Arizona, Iowa St, Tennessee, and St. Mary's (2). Add in the KP / Sag / BPI ratings where they are all #1 -- and this is a common tool to try to compare apples and oranges (P6 vs non P6). They clearly deserve the #1 seed - now whether they will act like it is up to them,.

 

[jncuse]

How good is the PAC 12 outside of Zona, Oregon, and UCLA? I think Cal is decent, but after that most of those teams are mediocre at best. I can't believe Romar can't win at Washington with the talent he continues to pull in every year. Great recruiter, but he's the Gottfried of the west coast.

I think it's a fair point that you raise.

Is the P12 top heavy with 3 great teams and a bunch of bad teams. Or is it 3 merely good teams taking advantage of bad teams.

Romar does less with more than any other coach in America.

 

[jordoo]

I'll worry about Gonzaga when they beat us. They as well as UVA where really bad for us in last years draw and we beat them. I don't think Gonzaga can make the FF because they have to win 4 games in a row against actually competition. They spend the back 2/3 of every season coasting against non NCAAT opponents.

 

[jncuse]

I'll worry about Gonzaga when they beat us. They as well as UVA where really bad for us in last years draw and we beat them. I don't think Gonzaga can make the FF because they have to win 4 games in a row against actually competition. They spend the back 2/3 of every season coasting against non NCAAT opponents.

If that is the reason why did Wichita St, George Mason, VCU, Butler (2) make the final four in the past 11 years? And most of those teams were not elite. Mid major teams have shown they can succeed in the tournament.

There has to be a reason that Gonzaga struggles, but I don't think it's the above.

 

[Alsacs]

Maybe we should pull up the Villanova and crappy Big East threads from last year -- those were used several times to say they were not a legit #1 in the country or #1 seed.

Gonzaga is going to have to earn it however. Until they turn one of their seasons into a final 4, they will get chastised and to an extent deservedly so. I'm not going to say its entirely deserved but at the same time they have had their chances.

But they clearly earned and deserved the #1 seed -- not many teams could go 6-0 on neutral or on the road against Florida, Arizona, Iowa St, Tennessee, and St. Mary's (2). Add in the KP / Sag / BPI ratings where they are all #1 -- and this is a common tool to try to compare apples and oranges (P6 vs non P6). They clearly deserve the #1 seed - now whether they will act like it is up to them,.

Gonzaga would not run the table in the Big East.
This team hasn't been challenged. They are a good team I just think the Pac-12 champ will have played a way more difficult schedule and should given preference for the 1 seed out West.

 

[Alsacs]

The problem for Gonzaga is that 7 of their 9 conference opponents are the equivalent of DePaul/St. John's.

Having 14 conference gimmes and not playing a hard non conference schedule has inflated their rating.

 

[jncuse]

If the committee looks at Gonzaga and the PAC-12 champ's resume I think unless it's Arizona the PAC-12 champ has the better resume.
Gonzaga would not be undefeated if they played in a P5 or BE league.

They wouldn't need to be undefeated to get a #1 seed.

 

[Alsacs]

They wouldn't need to be undefeated to get a #1 seed.

If they played in a P6 conference I would agree.
Playing that soft schedule should require it. Gonzaga typically plays harder non conference schedules than it did this year.

 

[jncuse]

If they played in a P6 conference I would agree.
Playing that soft schedule should require it. Gonzaga typically plays harder non conference schedules than it did this year.

One thing it has found a way to do is playing several quality neutral court games rather than away games.

The numbers do bear out your point though - looking at KP because I think it is more reliable than RPI in that regard. Looking at KP Non Conf SOS the last 5 years I see 9, 45, 6, 21 and this year it jumped #142,. (Interestingly RPI has it as #51 hardest schedule, so the committee may not see it as being that bad).

 

[jncuse]

I think this is a year that potentially more than 4 teams could deserve #1 seeds.

Gonzaga's resume is certainly better than Wichita St. Plus they are much stronger analytically. But when Wichita St was #1 I believe the #1 seeds were a fairly weak group.