"How 'Bout That Game?"

[nwafan20]

Well, being part of a March Madness bracket tourney, and being the College basketball fan I am requires that I follow all the games being played in the tourney.

I WAS running a perfect bracket (15/15) until that one game, the biggest upset that is likely to happen in this tourney. Duke got beat by VCU.

It was one of the best games I watched, but it was oh so painful. Tied until just a few seconds left, when VCU went on to win 79-77. This is the first time VCU has won in the NCAA tournament since 1985, and Dukes first first-round loss since 1996 (11 years).

Who did I pick to win it all? North Carolina!

[RDU-JFK]

My Duke Blue Devils blew it---too many missed free throws and lousy calls by the officials. VCU played dirty as well.

I have Kansas taking it over Georgetown.

[lijk604]

I HATE Duke, and the prissy Blue-Devils. HA! Enjoy taking tests now, you didn't get out of them this year!

[RDU-JFK]

I HATE Duke, and the prissy Blue-Devils. HA! Enjoy taking tests now, you didn't get out of them this year!

Not sure I follow your test analogy--I guess my Duke education did not teach us how to interpret a useless statement like that.

[USAF Pilot 07]

Duke has been, and probably always will be, an overrated basketball team. They definately did not deserve a 6 seed in the tourney.

East Coast and Major Conference basketball bias is the only reason Duke was in the top 25 for as long as they were, and is the only reason they received such a high spot in the tourney...

VCU pressed that game for the entire 40 minutes, against a probably over-confident Duke team, and was able to successfully do so - something that many teams cannot do. They deserved that win hands down.

[RDU-JFK]

VCU pressed that game for the entire 40 minutes, against a probably over-confident Duke team, and was able to successfully do so - something that many teams cannot do. They deserved that win hands down.

The guy pressing Paulus was throwing cheap shots the whole game. He had an attitude problem. VCU's press and trap included a lot of no-call cheap shots whereas Duke was called for the ticky-tacky fouls. Bottom line was we missed 12 free throws. That cost us the game.

I agree that Duke got a higher seed than they deserved, but the ACC is brutal competition (7 teams in the tournament). Also, we did beat Georgetown, and our schedule was harder than most. If you say Duke was overrated due to the power conference and East Coast Bias, that goes the same for lots of other schools.

I'm used to the Duke bashing, but I respect your opinion. At least your reply was backed by information, rather than lijk's babble.

[mirrodie]

well, up until my cousin's husband started coaching men's college basketball here in NY, I never really followed it.

But over the last 3 years, my wife and I have been to many games courtside at MSG and we love the action.

That said, that was a great game last night with VCU/Duke. I wasn't really cheering either team on but saw the score convert midway through the 2nd period, great game!


Who's left and who's cheering who now?

[RDU-JFK]

well, up until my cousin's husband started coaching men's college basketball here in NY, I never really followed it.



Cool!


I'm pulling for Kansas--they've got a nice young team. I'm sure many will be pulling for G-town since Ewing's kid's playing on the team.

[mirrodie]

who's left in the tourney?

[lijk604]

After today? 32 teams....too many to list.

[USAF Pilot 07]

The guy pressing Paulus was throwing cheap shots the whole game. He had an attitude problem. VCU's press and trap included a lot of no-call cheap shots whereas Duke was called for the ticky-tacky fouls. Bottom line was we missed 12 free throws. That cost us the game.

I agree that Duke got a higher seed than they deserved, but the ACC is brutal competition (7 teams in the tournament). Also, we did beat Georgetown, and our schedule was harder than most. If you say Duke was overrated due to the power conference and East Coast Bias, that goes the same for lots of other schools.

I'm used to the Duke bashing, but I respect your opinion. At least your reply was backed by information, rather than lijk's babble.

Free throws is really what it did come down to. I thought the game was fairly called, and that Duke got a lot of calls their way, but that's just my opinion. This is Men's D1 College Basketball. Let the players play a little agressively, as long as the game is called fairly from start to finish. Also, I do know that in games past, especially during the regular season, Duke gets a lot of calls, especially against non-conference and mid-major teams, simply because they are Duke.

The problem with Duke this season is that they never really beat a good team, and lost to some not so good teams. The Georgetown you beat like two months ago, is not the same Georgetown that's in the Tournament now, that's for sure.

I will say there is a huge East Coast bias when it comes to College Basketball, not just a Duke Bias. But, it seems that Duke gets hyped a lot more than they deserve, especially from people like Dick Vitale, and Jay Bilas (an ex-Dukie)... And the ACC is a tough conference, but I'm not so sure I'd call it a Brutal Conference. Wake Forest and Miami were garbage this year, and FSU and Clemson did well, but not great in conference play.

Duke has a solid program, and probably always will have a solid program. The problem this year is experience. Losing JJ Redick, among other seniors, hurt tremendously. Right now Duke is a very young team, competing against some very experienced senior-laden teams. Give them a year or two, and they will be right back up there...

[RDU-JFK]

I will say there is a huge East Coast bias when it comes to College Basketball, not just a Duke Bias. But, it seems that Duke gets hyped a lot more than they deserve, especially from people like Dick Vitale, and Jay Bilas (an ex-Dukie)... And the ACC is a tough conference, but I'm not so sure I'd call it a Brutal Conference. Wake Forest and Miami were garbage this year, and FSU and Clemson did well, but not great in conference play.



Yet we never hear about Billy Packer and the other Anti-Duke commentators. Did you hear the announcers yesterday?! I thought they were going to piss themselves every time VCU scored. For what it's worth, I can't stand Dick Vitale. Never have, never will.

[mirrodie]

OMG the Ohio Xavier game was insane!!!

[nwafan20]

Personal opinion, Michigan should have been in the tournament. We beat MSU, Indiana, and the bunch, yet they got in and we didn't.


I'm routing for N. Carolina, if N. Carolina doesn't get in the finals it will be Ohio State.

[FlightShadow]

UNLV / Wisconsin was a pretty good game. Always up for an upset! And go Mountain West Conference! (...wait, who??)

I was wishing Texas A&M Corpus Christi could've pulled it off though - they were looking like it in the first half - but oh well, I guess :)

[USAF Pilot 07]

The MWC was a strong conference this year, but because it was not an East Coast Conference, or Major Conference, got overlooked. BYU should have beaten Xavier three days ago. UNLV is a really good team. The MWC would have been a three bid conference had it not been for Air Force's choke act in the last 6 games...