***Official 2024 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Thread***

[CycloneErik]

Parameters are made to be broken, plus it hasn't been that long since Florida repeated. But you are right, that is an exception.

However, if you want to get pickier, nearly every champion in the KenPom era hasn't just been top 40 in both offense/defense, but they've actually been top 20 in both. Only 2014 UConn (39th best offense) and 2021 Baylor (22nd best defense) buck that trend.

In fact, the majority of champions in the last 25 years have been top 10 in both categories.

If you limit to top 20 in both, this year that would leave possible champs of:
UConn
Houston
Auburn
Arizona
And that's it.

You could also stretch and include Purdue, they are 21 in defense.

This year, the only team going into the tournament top 10 in both categories is actually Auburn.

For a team like Purdue, Tennessee, Duke, North Carolina, Creighton, Marquette to win, that would only align with 2 of the last 23 champions. It's possible, just much more improbable.

For someone like us to win it all, we would be trendsetters. No one with either an AdjO or AdjD as poor as ours has won a national title in the KenPom era. Making the Final Four, though is a different threshold, certainly would be other teams like us who have done this recently.

Sounds like we might as well be trendsetters.

 

[dahliaclone]

I saw a stat yesterday that in the KenPom era, no team with a top offense and a defense >100 has made the Sweet 16. That was in reference to Alabama (3 Off; 112 Def), but Illinois is not far from that arbitrary threshold (2 Off; 92 Def).

UIUC / ISU would be a fascinating matchup of #2 offense vs #2 defense; but our offense is a magnitude better than their defense. If we don't throw an offensive clunker, we should beat them if they even get that far.

I'm glad the tough draw prevented everyone from jumping on our "final four bandwagon".

Another noteworthy stat is that Duke hasn't beaten a top 40 NET team since January.

 

[madguy30]

What was ISU's KP offense before the post-Houston 'slide'? Was it in the 30s or 40s?

Would it be closer to 40 now had the group played offense like they did in KC, i.e. patience, sharing the ball, etc for better looks?

Are there parameters for trends of teams to be outside of that are high seeds but get boundced early?

 

[Urbandale2013]

Anyone know why Terrence Lewis isn’t playing? Is he hurt?

 

[PizzaTheHutt]

Anyone know why Terrence Lewis isn’t playing? Is he hurt?

He hasn’t played for over a month. I think he got injured.

 

[HoopsTournament]

There is only one game in the First Round that is a rematch of a previous NCAA Tournament Game: Marquette defeated Western Kentucky 79-60 in the 1976 Round of 32

 

[HoopsTournament]

Last Tournament Win - Big Twelve Schools

Texas - 2023 Sweet Sixteen - 83-71 vs. Xavier
Kansas State 2023 Sweet Sixteen - 98-93 vs. Michigan State
Houston - 2023 Round of 32 - 81-64 vs. Auburn
Baylor - 2023 Round of 64 - 74-56 vs. UC Santa Barbara
TCU - 2023 Round of 64 - 72-70 vs. Arizona State
Kansas - 2023 Round of 64 - 96-68 vs. Howard
Iowa State - 2022 Round of 32 - 54-49 vs. Wisconsin
Texas Tech - 2022 Round of 32 - 59-53 vs. Notre Dame
Oklahoma - 2021 Round of 64 - 72-68 vs. Missouri
Oklahoma State - 2021 Round of 64 - 69-60 vs. Liberty
West Virginia - 2021 Round of 64 - 84-67 vs. Morehead State
Central Florida - 2019 Round of 64 - 73-58 vs. VCU
Cincinnati - 2018 Round of 64 - 68-53 vs. Georgia State
Brigham Young - 2012 First Four - 78-72 vs. Iona

 

[HoopsTournament]

Last Tournament Win - Big Ten Schools

Michigan State - 2023 Round of 32 - 69-60 vs. Marquette
Indiana - 2023 Round of 64 - 71-60 vs. Kent State
Maryland - 2023 Round of 64 - 67-65 vs. West Virginia
Northwestern - 2023 Round of 64 - 75-67 vs. Boise State
Penn State - 2023 Round of 64 - 76-59 vs. Texas A&M
Purdue - 2022 Round of 32 - 81-71 vs. Texas
Michigan - 2022 Round of 32 - 76-68 vs. Tennessee
Illinois - 2022 Round of 64 - 54-53 vs. Chattanooga
Ohio State - 2022 Round of 64 - 54-41 vs. Loyola Chicago
Wisconsin - 2022 Round of 64 - 67-60 vs. Colgate
Iowa - 2021 Round of 64 - 86-74 vs. Grand Canyon
Rutgers - 2021 Round of 64 - 60-56 vs. Clemson
Minnesota - 2021 Round of 64 - 86-76 vs. Louisville
Nebraska - Never

 

[HoopsTournament]

Biggest Win Droughts (Power 6 conferences)
1. Nebraska - Never
2. St. John's - 2000 Round of 64 - 61-56 vs. Northern Arizona
3. Georgia - 2002 Round of 64 - 85-68 vs. Murray State
4. DePaul - 2004 Round of 64 - 76-69 vs. Dayton
5. Boston College - 2007 Round of 64 - 84-75 vs. Texas Tech
6. Mississippi State - 2008 Round of 64 - 76-69 vs. Oregon
7. Washington State - 2008 Round of 32 - 61-41 vs. Notre Dame
8. Wake Forest - 2010 Round of 64 - 81-80 vs. Texas
9. Georgia Tech - 2010 Round of 64 - 64-59 vs. Oklahoma State
10. Brigham Young - 2012 First Four - 78-72 vs. Iona

 

[CNECloneFan]

Just when I thought I couldn't resent Michigan State any more than I already do...

MSN

www.msn.com

...Tom Izzo and Michigan State basketball were the victims of one of the larger upsets in March Madness history. In the 2016 NCAA Tournament, a lot of people were picking the Spartans, who were a two seed, to win the national title. However, their time in the big dance did not last long as #15 seed Middle Tennessee State upset them in the first round.

Now, Izzo thinks that the automatic qualifier rule should be looked at and potentially reevaluated.

“Tom Izzo says autobids for mid-Majors has ‘got to be looked at seriously‘ because ‘while everybody likes the upsets in the first round I’m not sure if that’s true as it goes on,'” David Hale said in a tweet. “Also agrees w/Pitino that more former coaches/players should be on selection committee.”...

 

[NWICY]

Totally random question - don’t know where else to ask and don’t want to create a thread for it.

What is the “frosted tips” reference I heard Blum and CW talking about on their podcast this weekend?

Oy, we came out with frosted tips on their hair and proceeded to lay an egg in the tourney.

 

[NWICY]

That’s what I gathered but I still don’t get it. Do people think that’s somehow a sign they weren’t locked in or focused? That’s the part I don’t understand…

We were way overconfident (cocky) and got our *ss beat.

 

[Cyforce]

Be interesting to see if Drake fans support us tomorrow. I'm a Drake fan 2nd and wish I could of made this trip. The obvious answer is they root for the underdog but I think the hard-core Bulldogs what a shot at us.

 

[stormchaser2014]

Montana State choking

 

[qwerty]

I remember those middle school games where the kids would eke out 14 points in a a half. Were those six or eight minute quarters?

JH is six minute quarters
JV is seven and varsity is eight

 

[Kinch]

And we beat Grambling by 55.

 

[NorthCyd]

The bubble darlings Indiana State are really struggling at home against SMU in the NIT.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

The bubble darlings Indiana State are really struggling at home against SMU in the NIT.

They're already checked out and at St Louis

 

[carvers4math]

JH is six minute quarters
JV is seven and varsity is eight

Thanks! That makes it worse that the 8th grade coach just laughed after he left a kid in during the “B” game who fouled out with about a minute and a half left in the first quarter. More than a foul a minute is impressive in a game when they usually let a lot of stuff go.

 

[Clonehomer]

Just when I thought I couldn't resent Michigan State any more than I already do...

MSN

www.msn.com

...Tom Izzo and Michigan State basketball were the victims of one of the larger upsets in March Madness history. In the 2016 NCAA Tournament, a lot of people were picking the Spartans, who were a two seed, to win the national title. However, their time in the big dance did not last long as #15 seed Middle Tennessee State upset them in the first round.

Now, Izzo thinks that the automatic qualifier rule should be looked at and potentially reevaluated.

“Tom Izzo says autobids for mid-Majors has ‘got to be looked at seriously‘ because ‘while everybody likes the upsets in the first round I’m not sure if that’s true as it goes on,'” David Hale said in a tweet. “Also agrees w/Pitino that more former coaches/players should be on selection committee.”...

Only way the auto qualifier would be removed is if the tournament would contract to 32 teams. There are what, 33 at large spots starting next year with the PAC dissolving. If you can’t get in as a P6 team, you don’t deserve to.

That lack of awareness is right up there with Saban’s comments to Congress.