We often say these days

[SWC75]

...that there are no great teams out there anymore. I think we had three of them and they gave us two great games.

 

[Flacusian]

...that there are no great teams out there anymore. I think we had three of them and they gave us two great games.

I couldn't agree more Steve. Those teams were a treat to watch. There was much to be learned by watching the ebb and flow of the games and the contrasting strategies which were on display at the highest levels.

Some of those kids really had some outstanding performances and did some clutch things under the most tense and dramatic of circumstances.

 

[Toga]

Other teams, including our own, could benefit just by trying to emulate the intensity factor.

 

[SWC75]

And it's interesting that Duke won it with 8 guys. I remember JB saying that they won it in 2001 basically using 6 guys.

 

[JAXCUSE]

And it's interesting that Duke won it with 8 guys. I remember JB saying that they won it in 2001 basically using 6 guys.

You gotta have the right 8 or 6 guys to win that way though...

 

[SWC75]

You gotta have the right 8 or 6 guys to win that way though...

But some people would still want to play more.

 

[MikeSU02]

...that there are no great teams out there anymore. I think we had three of them and they gave us two great games.

All relative. The level of basketball still stunk. Lots of missed easy shots. Uneven officiating (and that is putting it kindly) and Bo Ryan coached one of the worst final six or seven minutes of a game that I've seen.

Was it exciting? Yes. Were these two great teams? Relatively, yes, for college basketball. Was this amazing basketball? No.

 

[Cheriehoop]

And it's interesting that Duke won it with 8 guys. I remember JB saying that they won it in 2001 basically using 6 guys.

If he said that then he's wrong. We used 8 guys against Kansas and the 3 "subs" played over 60 minutes .Jeremy McNeil and Keuth played the least, each with 13 minutes, a significant number while everyone else played over 21. Josh Pace, Billy Edelin and Jeremy McNeil, our bench, were integral parts of our championship and played very important minutes.

It was Kansas who played only 7 players, one with only 5 minutes.

 

[Domedog84]

If he said that then he's wrong. We used 8 guys against Kansas and the 3 "subs" played over 60 minutes .Jeremy McNeil and Keuth played the least, each with 13 minutes, a significant number while everyone else played over 21. Josh Pace, Billy Edelin and Jeremy McNeil, our bench, were integral parts of our championship and played very important minutes.

It was Kansas who played only 7 players, one with only 5 minutes.

I thought he was referring to Duke winning it all in 2001 with 6 guys.

 

[Cheriehoop]

I thought he was referring to Duke winning it all in 2001 with 6 guys.

Oops. My bad. Duke has always had a pretty short bench and Coach K actually used 7 players who played 10 minutes or over in the Arizona game - what's funny is that Arizona used 8 players but only 6 who played 10 minutes or more. It's all hyperbole, coaches rightfully are defensive about their decisions on who and how long players play - especially if they lost. JB etc are correct in saying that most successful teams have short set rotations by the NCAA's.

 

[andyw715]

I think the Kentucky/ND game was better than any of the 3.

 

[SWC75]

I thought he was referring to Duke winning it all in 2001 with 6 guys.

He, (and I) were.

 

[SWC75]

I think the Kentucky/ND game was better than any of the 3.

The more, the merrier. It was a good tournament. Remember all the one-pointers in the first round?

 

[andyw715]

The more, the merrier. It was a good tournament. Remember all the one-pointers in the first round?

True it was a fun tourney. While the close games are exciting; many where far from good ball though