2024 NCAA Tournament Thread

[acoustimac]

Very intriguing matchup with Maryland and our former assistant coach. Maryland had a very up and down season reflected in their 10 seed. Had one win against a ranked team which was their victory over Ohio State in the tournament. Of course they then lost to a tough Nebraska team. Three guards lead the way in scoring at 15, 13, and 12 ppg. Sellers (6’2”) is their leading scorer and averages about 6 assists per game. A guard is their leading rebounder. They shoot 36% from deep and made 180 on the season (ISU is shooting 38% and made 264). They are a big team with most of the regulars being over 6’.

 

[theshadow]

Do we know the dates for the women?

Either Fri/Sun or Sat/Mon.

 

[CloneSt8]

What is it with the NCAA selection committee? Last year they match us with Toledo - Fennelly's old team. This year it's against Fennelly's old assistant. Is that a conscious decision?

Also on Texas the NCAA rep said they looked at how they finished. Just the opposite of what the men's rep said about seeding the ISU men. Consistency??

 

[Buster28]

If I hadn't just returned from the Bay Area on Wednesday and wasn't going back in eight weeks, I'd be looking at flights to get out there for the weekend. Would not have been my guess that we'd be playing THERE for the first game.

 

[Junejax]

What is it with the NCAA selection committee? Last year they match us with Toledo - Fennelly's old team. This year it's against Fennelly's old assistant. Is that a conscious decision?

Also on Texas the NCAA rep said they looked at how they finished. Just the opposite of what the men's rep said about seeding the ISU men. Consistency??

Can’t wait to hear Chris Williams’ reaction. This was pretty much what he said after the men‘s selection show—both about the “cutesy” pairings and about the conference tourney.

 

[BoxsterCy]

What is it with the NCAA selection committee? Last year they match us with Toledo - Fennelly's old team. This year it's against Fennelly's old assistant. Is that a conscious decision?

Also on Texas the NCAA rep said they looked at how they finished. Just the opposite of what the men's rep said about seeding the ISU men. Consistency??

The committee pretty much picks the seeding factors on a whim. They can pretty much do whatever they want. One thing that wasn't a factor, things that happened before the current players were born, like Brenda being at ISU in 1999.

 

[acoustimac]

Airline tickets to San Fran are only $900

 

[acoustimac]

I told my wife we could go see the men Thursday…drive to San Fran Friday…watch the women Saturday (if they played then), stay, watch their second round game and then drive home. She looked at me like I was insane.

 

[Buster28]

Airline tickets to San Fran are only $900

Fly into San Jose instead of "San Fran". It's closer. But probably not any cheaper.

 

[StClone]

What is it with the NCAA selection committee? Last year they match us with Toledo - Fennelly's old team. This year it's against Fennelly's old assistant. Is that a conscious decision?

Also on Texas the NCAA rep said they looked at how they finished. Just the opposite of what the men's rep said about seeding the ISU men. Consistency??

For all the talk of the deep-thinking used for pairing of teams, it seems too much is placed on "bracket junk science" of finding "interesting" connections like us playing Toledo and Maryland. Yes, this is the stuff the committee spends hours working on to build the brackets. It's just a game so why don't they let AI do it instead of TV network Execs (who I assume seem to influence committee to concoct)? It isn't all bad but it is a questionable rationale.

 

[farm85]

 

[BoxsterCy]

Random: Iowa State and Maryland have never played each other in WBB. On the MBB side we played them one time in 2014.

 

[acoustimac]

If Iowa makes the Final Four with their bracket and have to face the good seeds there…they will deserve major respect. It’s tough.

 

[cincy_cy2014]

ESPN app says we play Friday with no time listed.

 

[Allikat]

Fly into San Jose instead of "San Fran". It's closer. But probably not any cheaper.

san Jose is a much better airport unless you are stuck at the airport. Small and and easy to get through security. The rental cars are in the parking garage next one of the terminals. Not quite as close as DSM but close.

My only issues there were long queues at rental cars if something went wrong with my flight that caused the rental to get shifted. For some reason my cell coverage in the rental garage is awful so I learned to modify any agreements before getting on the intra terminal bus.

 

[4cy16]

Texas A & M/Corpus Christi makes the tourney for the first time in school history with a gal from Mason City playing for them. https://goislanders.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jaeda-whitner/4584

 

[theshadow]

Iowa State vs. Maryland
Friday, March 22
6:30 pm CT
ESPN2

...followed by Stanford vs. Norfolk State, also on ESPN2

 

[Tpups21]

I think ISU would have a shot against Stanford if they can get past Maryland.

 

[JP4CY]

The way these women are playing I'm not going to doubt them at all.

I did find it funny last night on the ESPN women's show that when they announced TX they said (paraphrasing) TX got past Iowa State in the Big 12 tourney/held off Iowa State.

I doubt the TX fans loved that.

 

[qwerty]

Iowa State vs. Maryland
Friday, March 22
6:30 pm CT
ESPN2

...followed by Stanford vs. Norfolk State, also on ESPN2

Maryland gives up 73 points per game but have tightened up (or played worse teams) at end of season as they averaged giving up 64 points in the last 10 games. They average 78 ppg but dropped to 72 over last 10 games. They went 7-3 in last 10 games to play their way into NCAA (12-10 at the time).

Our defense is probably better than they saw, so I will go with 70 points being the magic number. If we score over 70 we win, if under 70 it will be up for grabs.