2024 March Madness participants

[Rocketsr]

The poor showing of the MW is not good for them. Just like the constant poor showing from the Big 10 has seen them reduced from their usual 10 teams to 6 to 8, committee will put less in next year.

SDSU is the only constant. Can only hope Utah State at least makes it respectable with a win.

The only thing that I laugh at is if UTEP was in that league, everyone would be defending the 6 teams in. My argument is if UTEP was in that league, it would be a 2 bit (Yes, not 2 bid) league.

And if the MW wanted to expand and add UTEP, I doubt anyone on here wouldn't be jumping at the chance to get in.

 

[Rocketsr]

My bad for not counting the play in game. By the way, I didn’t know Clemson was part of the MW?

My comments were based solely on the MW’s record in the first round so far. It’s not a good look for the MW to get half their teams knocked out in the first round. As far as seeding is concerned, that’s part of being a mid major. That’s why most of us like seeing the lower seeds beat the higher seeds. I’m all for mid majors beating P5 schools in any sport. In another post I celebrated Duquesne and Oakland’s victories over p5 programs. I recognize the MW is superior to CUSA and other mid majors. However, I don’t think they were deserving of 6 teams in the tourney. As far as Nevada having a big lead, nobody cares, they still lost. That was one of UTEP’s problems this year, not finishing games. I’m not hating on the MW and hope UTEP will someday be a part of them. The issue I have is including 6 MW teams and not including more teams from other mid majors like the A-10. You better believe the P5 schools will be poking fun of the committee for taking so many MW teams who are getting beat in the first round.

I totally disagree on the Atlantic 10. That was a 1 bid league until Dayton lost in their tournament. Look at the schedule of Richmond and Loyola and tell me what justifies anyone besides Dayton getting in? They beat absolutely no one and lost any game of consequence.

Again, go out and work your NET, as no one outside of Dayton has a top 70 NET in that conference.

You have to look at the body of work and what is in front of you, and I don't think anyone was arguing that they deserved more in. On paper they were not very good, and that is what you have to go on unfortunately.

 

[KaneFan29]

The poor showing of the MW is not good for them. Just like the constant poor showing from the Big 10 has seen them reduced from their usual 10 teams to 6 to 8, committee will put less in next year.

SDSU is the only constant. Can only hope Utah State at least makes it respectable with a win.

The only thing that I laugh at is if UTEP was in that league, everyone would be defending the 6 teams in. My argument is if UTEP was in that league, it would be a 2 bit (Yes, not 2 bid) league.

And if the MW wanted to expand and add UTEP, I doubt anyone on here wouldn't be jumping at the chance to get in.

Outside of SDSU last year, they have always performed poorly. They got 6 teams in because they deserved to. Even if they went 0-6. Nobody is saying Kentucky shouldn’t have been in the tournament because they lost to Oakland. Losing games doesn’t justify getting less bids next year.

I would be extremely happy if UTEP were in the MWC. They would be battling Fresno, SJSU, and Air Force for last place, but I would rather lose to Wyoming and Nevada, than Jacksonville St and Delaware. If UTEP can’t compete for championships in CUSA, imagine how poorly they would fare in the MWC?

 

[STexMiner]

Looks like SDSU's path just got easier.

 

[nattybry]

The formula seems easy for some of these mid majors. Shooters surrounding a capable Big! Golding has more resources, money than these schools. He has to deliver next year in my opinion or he needs to go!

 

[STexMiner]

The formula seems easy for some of these mid majors. Shooters surrounding a capable Big! Golding has more resources, money than these schools. He has to deliver next year in my opinion or he needs to go!

If you're asked the type of player Golding needs to recruit for next year and your answer isn't a shooter, you need to hop back in your time machine and rejoin us from the 1980s. We can't win shooting as poorly as we have the last couple of years. We currently have three bigs on the roster and that should be more than enough.

 

[FeralFelidae]

We currently have three bigs on the roster and that should be more than enough.

If we could recruit one who could play the post, that would help.

 

[Rocketsr]

Looks like SDSU's path just got easier.

I don't think so. Auburn is part of the SEC who lost 5 of 8 first round games. I would rather play any SEC school that can't defend, than a Yale team that will slow down the game the same way SDSU does. I just don't see them being able to stop LeDee, but Auburn would not have been able to either.

I told you in an earlier post that Auburn at the 10 minute mark would be gassed. It looks like it happened against Yale as they were up 10 with 7 minutes to go.

Yale is the tougher opponent against SDSU as it is all about matchups. SEC schools do not defend. I even said that IF Auburn wins, as I thought they would have issues against Yale.

Spread is only 5.5, which makes you think that they see it the same way I do.

 

[Rocketsr]

Outside of SDSU last year, they have always performed poorly. They got 6 teams in because they deserved to. Even if they went 0-6. Nobody is saying Kentucky shouldn’t have been in the tournament because they lost to Oakland. Losing games doesn’t justify getting less bids next year.

I would be extremely happy if UTEP were in the MWC. They would be battling Fresno, SJSU, and Air Force for last place, but I would rather lose to Wyoming and Nevada, than Jacksonville St and Delaware. If UTEP can’t compete for championships in CUSA, imagine how poorly they would fare in the MWC?

Spot on. Could not agree with you more. Except the constant failure of the MW outside of SDSU is perplexing.

A piece of advice: SDSU does have 5 starting seniors, which makes you think that next year they will have issues, but they have a 7 footer gaining weight redshirting, and another coming in. This will clog the middle further. They also have a 4 star forward that can score that they just signed, and most likely 2 very good transfers.
Take them on a future for next year. If these 2 seven footers pan out, and they get scoring, it will be extremely hard to beat them.

 

[TxRdKiller]

Watching 4 games on one screen and 3 of the 4 are purple vs white. My brain is like, "wait, wut?"

 

[TxRdKiller]

Go 12 seeds! James Madison knocks off Wisconsin and Grand Canyon is giving Saint Mary's a game.

 

[nattybry]

If you're asked the type of player Golding needs to recruit for next year and your answer isn't a shooter, you need to hop back in your time machine and rejoin us from the 1980s. We can't win shooting as poorly as we have the last couple of years. We currently have three bigs on the roster and that should be more than enough.

If we think Hamilton or Kalu is a capable Big, which I don't know if they are really. Then we need shooters to stretch the court I agree. I just see these mid major teams that we probably think of less than us, doing so well in the NCAA and it's frustrating!

 

[TxRdKiller]

I remember watching a Grand Canyon game a couple of years ago and wondering, "Where the fvck did these guys come from?" Well, now I'm wondering if we'd be better off back in the WAC which one or two of us have wondered about over the past few years. I mean, WAC v CUSA.

Remember when we used to think that the Sunbelt was beneath us. Look at us now.

 

[Rocketsr]

At this point, it's the narrative around the MWC. They're the one of the few non-major that get multiple bids but they fall on their faces in the tournament. Add that to the week of they got disrespected talk, and it just further enforces the narrative.

On Nevada, yeah, they the 10 seed, but there was an outcry that those seeds should have been flipped. I think Nevada closed as the betting favorite as well.

But, we'll definitely see tonight. I don't think Utah St. gets by TCU. SDSU probably gets by UAB, but it don't think they get to the second weekend. As much as it pains me to say it, I think New Mexico is the MWC team built to make a run in the tournament.

As I said, Utah State would beat TCU and SDSU would be in the Sweet 16 (Not there yet, but they have a good chance). House and Joseph as I thought were not enough as they were a 2 man team and did not produce as they both needed over 20 points each to have a chance for New Mexico to win.

MW now has 3 wins in the tournament. And don't be surprised if Utah St plays that 1-3-1 and Purdue has fits against it.

 

[MinerManiac]

I haven't seen Utah St play until tonight, and they've impressed the hell out of me. Athletic, aggressive, can shoot, can penetrate, take care of the ball, defend - they've been really, really good. Their only Achille's heal has been their defensive rebounding, but other than that they've been dominating

 

[Rocketsr]

I haven't seen Utah St play until tonight, and they've impressed the hell out of me. Athletic, aggressive, can shoot, can penetrate, take care of the ball, defend - they've been really, really good. Their only Achille's heal has been their defensive rebounding, but other than that they've been dominating

I think most on here talking about the MW, have never seen any of the teams play.

 

[nattybry]

I remember watching a Grand Canyon game a couple of years ago and wondering, "Where the fvck did these guys come from?" Well, now I'm wondering if we'd be better off back in the WAC which one or two of us have wondered about over the past few years. I mean, WAC v CUSA.

Remember when we used to think that the Sunbelt was beneath us. Look at us now.

WAC, Sun Belt, Missouri Valley once upon a time WCC, when it was only Gonzaga and we still had Memphis. There's so many conferences that have passed CUSA. I really thought Liberty and Sam Houston were going to help. This year had to be the worst in CUSA history in Basketball! Unfortunately I don't know if I see it changing 😔

 

[PickMyAxe915]

Outside of SDSU last year, they have always performed poorly. They got 6 teams in because they deserved to. Even if they went 0-6. Nobody is saying Kentucky shouldn’t have been in the tournament because they lost to Oakland. Losing games doesn’t justify getting less bids next year.

I would be extremely happy if UTEP were in the MWC. They would be battling Fresno, SJSU, and Air Force for last place, but I would rather lose to Wyoming and Nevada, than Jacksonville St and Delaware. If UTEP can’t compete for championships in CUSA, imagine how poorly they would fare in the MWC?

Yep it's a dream scenario to get into the MWC, esp if it also includes Washington State and Oregon State. But the football program needs to become consistently good for it to be even close to a possibility.

 

[Rocketsr]

Funny how so many on here choose to bash the MW, but not one peep of the performance of the SEC.

The SEC went 3-5. While the MW went 3-4. SEC had 8 teams in and yet has the same number of wins as the MW. They also had seeds 2,3 and 2 4's and yet the SEC has only 1 more team remaining than the MW.

To most of you The MW is similar to your Ex that left you and when you hear something bad happened to her you fill with joy and glee as your jealousy and contemptuousness subsides for a while.

 

[axingfools1]

Funny how so many on here choose to bash the MW, but not one peep of the performance of the SEC.

The SEC went 3-5. While the MW went 3-4. SEC had 8 teams in and yet has the same number of wins as the MW. They also had seeds 2,3 and 2 4's and yet the SEC has only 1 more team remaining than the MW.

To most of you The MW is similar to your Ex that left you and when you hear something bad happened to her you fill with joy and glee as your jealousy and contemptuousness subsides for a while.

Who is so many? Am I missing something?

 

[Rocketsr]

Who is so many? Am I missing something?

It's easy, go through the thread. You also will not find one post on the SEC's poor performance, which you know I said was a fraud. Someone else agreed with me before the tournament, and I am not sure if it was you or not.

You are not one of them of course. It was not aimed at you. I am sure you want the smaller conferences to do well as I have seen your posts.

 

[FiliUTEP]

I was gonna post this in the college basketball thread but thought a separate thread was better to highlight this depressing fact: utep has shared (11) or is sharing (1) a conference with 12 of this year's participants:
WKU
UAB
Arizona
Boise
BYU
Colorado State
FAU
Houston
Nevada
UNM
SDSU
TCU

Now name the teams that didn't make it.

 

[STexMiner]

If you were a fan of 90s Big East basketball, hope you enjoyed Grand Canyon-Alabama.

Grand Canyon would have won by double digits if they had anything resembling an offense.

 

[MinerManiac]

If you were a fan of 90s Big East basketball, hope you enjoyed Grand Canyon-Alabama.

Grand Canyon would have won by double digits if they had anything resembling an offense.

They would have also won if they could hit FTs. Crazy game

 

[MinerManiac]

Houston melted down the last 2 or 3 minutes of regulation, allowing the Aggies to come back from 12 down to force OT.

 

[STexMiner]

Houston melted down the last 2 or 3 minutes of regulation, allowing the Aggies to come back from 12 down to force OT.

A&M's coach killed them with that timeout.

 

[Rocketsr]

A&M's coach killed them with that timeout.

Should have never gone to OT if Houston fouls and forces free throws in those last 9 seconds. Instead they let them have 3 shots at it.

 

[utep2step]

 

[MinerManiac]

The game in 1987 was the one in the McKale Center against Arizona. As a biased fan I still think that four of our starters fouling out was home cooking BS. I'm just thankful that Jeep Jackson wasn't one of the four.

 

[MinerManiac]

It's been a mostly bad Tournament for me based on the way I cheer. Here are my priorities, in order, for whom I cheer for in the Tournament:
1. UTEP, if, by some miracle, we ever make it back
2. SDSU
3. Any Mid Major playing a P5 school
4. If two Mid Majors play each other, the one with the better seed, as I believe they stand a better chance of advancing

This means that I cheer for the likes of MWC schools, for NMSU, and for BYU during the Tournament, as my hatred of P5 schools far outweighs that of current and old rivals.

Last year was a great Tournament for me, all the way until the disappointing final game. This year things have gone pretty much chalk, and the only Mid Majors left are SDSU and Gonzaga. Oh well, as of now, I can still dream of a Aztec/Bulldogs Final; hopefully that's not shattered by the end of the weekend.

 

[mikesarabia]

The game in 1987 was the one in the McKale Center against Arizona. As a biased fan I still think that four of our starters fouling out was home cooking BS. I'm just thankful that Jeep Jackson wasn't one of the four.

That 1987 game in Arizona in which the Miners were the higher seed, is one of my all time favorites. Agree 100% with Maniac, the officials were trying hard to allow Arizona to advance in front of their home crowd, but Jeep Jackson, Mike Richmond, Chris Blocker, and even Terry Stallworth saved us in overtime. Loved it!!

 

[TxRdKiller]

That 1987 game in Arizona in which the Miners were the higher seed, is one of my all time favorites. Agree 100% with Maniac, the officials were trying hard to allow Arizona to advance in front of their home crowd, but Jeep Jackson, Mike Richmond, Chris Blocker, and even Terry Stallworth saved us in overtime. Loved it!!

Hell of game. We were down 7 with 45 seconds left and came back. Will never forget that game.

 

[Rocketsr]

It's been a mostly bad Tournament for me based on the way I cheer. Here are my priorities, in order, for whom I cheer for in the Tournament:
1. UTEP, if, by some miracle, we ever make it back
2. SDSU
3. Any Mid Major playing a P5 school
4. If two Mid Majors play each other, the one with the better seed, as I believe they stand a better chance of advancing

This means that I cheer for the likes of MWC schools, for NMSU, and for BYU during the Tournament, as my hatred of P5 schools far outweighs that of current and old rivals.

Last year was a great Tournament for me, all the way until the disappointing final game. This year things have gone pretty much chalk, and the only Mid Majors left are SDSU and Gonzaga. Oh well, as of now, I can still dream of a Aztec/Bulldogs Final; hopefully that's not shattered by the end of the weekend.

That is my exact list as well. Exact same order.

This tournament is almost all chalk if it was not for NC State as an 11 seed and the one 6 seed Clemson. 4 and 5 seeds are pretty interchangeable.

 

[nattybry]

That is my exact list as well. Exact same order.

This tournament is almost all chalk if it was not for NC State as an 11 seed and the one 6 seed Clemson. 4 and 5 seeds are pretty interchangeable.

Yup no big Cinderella stories this year, which will hurt ratings a little bit.

 

[KaneFan29]

Yup no big Cinderella stories this year, which will hurt ratings a little bit.

 

[nattybry]

View embedded media

Kane, I clearly referred to going forward in the tournament without any Cinderellas. Obviously there was still Cinderellas on the weekend. So I guess we'll see going forward Sweet 16 and beyond.

 

[JCorona]

IMO tv executives know blue bloods move the ratings. Cinderellas are cute and all but is there evidence that they draw more viewers than a traditional powerhouse vs powerhouse matchup?

 

[MinerManiac]

Yup no big Cinderella stories this year, which will hurt ratings a little bit.

IMO tv executives know blue bloods move the ratings. Cinderellas are cute and all but is there evidence that they draw more viewers than a traditional powerhouse vs powerhouse matchup?

Everything that I've seen, including ratings from past Tournaments, indicates that upsets help drive excitement and ratings in the first weekend, but that the majority of the public wants to see bluebloods playing each other in the later rounds. I personally loved Final Four matchups like VCU-Butler and SDSU-FAU, but I heard talking heads on the radio hating those matchups, and my recollection is that the ratings were poor.

 

[Dmanminer]

I envy those of you who can remember past games. Hell, I’m lucky to remember yesterday!!!!!

 

[T-6 Miner]

If a Cinderella is in the championship game people will watch. Most definitely. And most people would be rooting for them. This “blue bloods” only in the final four or final game is bs. That’s what the big guys want (Big 10, SEC, ACC). We all will root for the small guy all the way through and will love it if they win.