Yeah sucks kinda! Colorado St. was the last chance to be a Cinderella and they almost had it. Now it’s just a bunch of Power Schools and my bracket is crap, so I no longer care!
OT: NCAA Tournament 2025
- Thread starter MineroFanatico
- Start date
That is how the media likes it though. They got the tournament they wanted. They do not like Cinderella's and Mid Majors doing well. They want to put more teams from the Power Conferences in. Even their talk of expansion is putting more of them in.
It will be interesting how the TV numbers are this year with so few upsets. If the numbers are good, then they will think it as a justification to put even less Mid Majors in.
It really sucks because the NIL and Portal have killed the smaller schools. Every single year all the best players leave and they just start over. Maybe we are headed to 2 leagues just like football.
All three of the big-time players that led Florida Atlantic to the Final Four in 2023 are now in the Sweet 16. Vlad Goldin (Michigan), Johnell Davis (Arkansas), and Elijah Martin (Florida). Also Nic Boyd who was a starter portaled out last year to SDSU. This is an example of how you cannot keep your team together and basically just have to start over again.
Got me thinking that if UTEP ever did have great success, the best players would just portal out and UTEP would just start over every single year.
You are spot on. More "major" conferences means more money to them.
I think it was Dave Campbell that mentioned there were zero all conference Texas G5 football players that returned to their previous school this year (either due to eligibility or transfer).
In today's landscape, G5's are essentially 1 year JUCOs. At least in JUCO, most of the players are there for two years as non qualifiers who are required to graduate from the JC before leaving. For both basketball and football, each year will be a rebuild. I was a bit surprised that some of the higher end CUSA basketball guys ended up returning last year (McHenry-WKU and Porter-MTSU), but those are more exceptions than the norm. It is also a reflection of the transfer market for guards versus big men.
As for UTEP, I do think guys like Terrell, Camper, and maybe Jones are players that probably need to be prioritized for next year. However, I don't think anyone would mistake these guys for Boum, Kennedy, and Williams. Has Golding brought in a first team all CUSA player in his time at UTEP? I can't think of any off the top of my head.
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RoadKiller…the Coogs are still in it! Lucky to be so. Almost couldn’t overcome an off shooting night. LJ Cryer went 2-13 on the night. UH’s two best shooters, Cryer and Sharp, went a combined 3-13 from deep. That won’t cut it against Tennessee. Phewww.
What an inbounds play for the win, tho.
What an inbounds play for the win, tho.
If you look at my predictions in the other thread "Has UTEP Quit" before we created this thread, I said this:
Duke, A&M, Florida, Auburn, Alabama, quite possibly Michigan State or Tennessee are starters that will give Houston trouble.
I have 7 of the 8 Elite 8 schools in there.
I picked Auburn to win the whole thing in a pool, and I have them vs Duke. Watching those 2 teams you can tell talent wise they are the best. Houston looks like an Auburn 2.0. Auburn can spread the floor and look like an newer version of the old UNLV teams. Talent wise, they look like a pro team with a pro style. They will be very hard to beat.
One game at a time. I have no doubt Tennessee will give UH fits. It should be a slugfest. Two really good defensive teams. Offensively, the edge goes to the Vols.
The Coogs seem to have a bad shooting night about every 5 or 6 games, but their defense has been good enough to bail them out most of the year. I hope they shook all the rust off last night, because if Houston shoots like they did last night, they’ll lose by 6-7 against the Vols. Uzan was the saving grace, going 6-9 from deep, can’t do it alone. If they hit their season fg% average of 45%+, I think the Coogs win by 3 or 4.
Both Cryer and Sharp, both who shoot the 3 at over 41%, are due for breakout games. That’s my hope anyway.
That inbounds play was insane! Go Coogs!
I know they don’t care about us, but still like seeing two Texas Teams in the elite 8! Still dreaming that Utep will make a sweet 16 again in my lifetime. I was 13 the last time and I remember how excited I was when they beat Kansas! I wanna feel that one more time in my lifetime smh 🤦🏽
now we will see if Houston is any good … they barely won two games and be honest Texas tech shouldn’t be in the elite 8 … but congrats to them pulling it out…
Like I said big 12 was not very good this year and it’s showed …
I am torn because I love good defense and wouldn’t mind them winning but I have them going out on my bracket to tenn
Like I said big 12 was not very good this year and it’s showed …
I am torn because I love good defense and wouldn’t mind them winning but I have them going out on my bracket to tenn
Yeah good point. Teams in the Elite 8 and have been ranked all year aren’t any good. Only if they make the Final 4.
What do you mean? Tech completely earned that win.. They absolutely belong. The fact they grinded out that win, and had the 2nd largest come back in Sweet 16 history, makes them even more deserving imo.
I don’t fault anyone for having Tennessee moving past UH. They are really good, and battle tested from SEC play. It’s a game I’m very nervous about.
What I’m almost certain of is, even if the Coogs lose, they’ll put up a fight and a win won’t come easy for the Vols.
I don’t get your harsh critique of the Big12. They had a quarter of the teams in the Sweet16 and have a quarter of the teams in the Elite8. Considering there are 5 power conferences in cbb, they more than have held their own.
Most analysts are saying the SEC has the strongest conference in the history of cbb. I haven’t seen one better either. Those that are left from the SEC will be very tough to beat. That certainly doesn’t mean the other teams/conferences aren’t very good, though. That honestly makes you sound bias or not very knowledgeable about cbb.
you all are taking this wrong … I am not saying Houston is not good I am saying they are not elite…. I have seen all these big 12 teams in person and the conference just doesn’t look as strong the past two years as in years past… not saying they aren’t good they just aren’t on the same level they used to be and it’s shown in the Tournament… last year no one past the sweet 16 and this year only Houston should be… tech was lucky as hell to advance ..
Don’t worry…I’m not mad. 😜Just bringing facts to the discussion. I looked back 12 seasons. The ONLY two years, in the last dozen, that it could even be argued that the Big12 was any better (and I’m saying this with incomplete data from this year) is the year Baylor and UH made the final 4 and Baylor won it all and possibly the year Tech went to the finals, however there was only 1 Big12 team in the elite 8 that year. Again, this is being said without this tournament being fully played out. Perhaps that one year is etched in your mind and has skewed your perception.
Lotta time left, but is anyone watching this clinic being put on by McCasland and Tech?
Yup how’s the BIG 12 looking now lol Texas Tech plays Tough as Nails!
You can’t miss two front end 1 and 1s down the stretch. FTs did Tech in. 7-13.
No shame for Texas Tech at all. No one expected them to win. They kinda choked down the stretch from the line and Florida went off from 3 late! Great Game!
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Agree. Had both of these teams in both of my ESPN brackets and had Florida winning in both. Tech belonged in this game though, and to say otherwise is a bit naive or even ignorant. Great game, like you said.
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I thought my MinerDigs bracket was toast. Now I'm wondering if I can change my pick to win it all. 🤔
I thought about you and your bracket when the Gators were down by 10. Those two guys had ice in their veins down the stretch. That Hauch(?) is an absolute sniper.
So much for “a little feeling”.
I was a tad off. Didn’t hit 45% shooting on the day. Way off on the score. But the defense was stifling and the offensive rebounding was outstanding. So many 2nd chance points.
Duke scares the fvck out of me. They look nearly unbeatable.
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Me too. If I could re-rank my final four, I would go with:
1. Duke
2. Auburn
3. UH
4. Florida
I would go:
1. Duke
2. Auburn
3. Florida
4. UH
ESPN's predictor has Duke, Florida, UH, Auburn.
One of my best friends lives in Durham and is a big Duke fan. We've chatted about Duke and how good they are this year. I'm still rooting for the Coogs but I'd be a little -- just a little -- surprised if they don't win it.
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