2023-24 College Basketball Thread

[RonnieFranchise]

Just award UConn the title now

[shafnutz05]

I'm not sure I've ever seen anything like that run. The game was competitive until halftime.

[Orlando Penguin]

Rebounding has crushed Clemson in this game. I really hate Bama and their coach. Getting sick of seeing all these 3's falling.

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

Sears and Pringle looking beastly in this half

[Ad@m]

Damn!

[Orlando Penguin]

MAKE YOUR **** FREE THROWS

[Ad@m]

JFC so many missed FT’s.

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

Who cares about free throws the tide just made like 17 threes

[Orlando Penguin]

When your 75% free throw shooter goes 4 for 8 and your 83% FT shooter misses 2 straight, those are some big momentum killers in a tight game. Don't get fooled by all the shiny objects from 3. They're nice but games are won on the glass and at the free throw line. Bama got it done at both spots.

[willeyeam]

I feel like leaving Pringle alone underneath for the last five minutes may have been a bad idea

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

Seems like once pj hall fouled out Clemson decided that the best idea was to play no defense at all

[Orlando Penguin]

REMATCH SUNDAY GAMES:

South -- NC State vs Duke (-6 1/2) at Dallas

These teams played twice in 10 days earlier this month. Duke won the first matchup in Raleigh by 15 but the Wolfpack got their revenge in the ACC Quarterfinals in a 5-point game. The difference in the two games was that NC State had more balanced scoring with 5 guys in double figures in their win vs having just two in the loss. That seems to have been the recipe throughout this run by the Wolfpack in that they've been getting contributions from all over rather than just relying on DJ Burns to do most of the work. Duke showed in their win over Houston that they can adjust to any tempo or style. But how their guards go will determine this result. In game 1, Proctor-Roach-McCain went 19 of 41 for 58 points. In game 2, they were 7 of 28 for 23 points. I see this as a one-possession game into the final minute with Duke able to close it out at the free throw line.
PICK -- NC State (but Duke wins outright)

Midwest -- Tennessee vs Purdue (-3 1/2) at Detroit

These teams faced each other in the semifinals of the Maui Invitational with Purdue scratching out a 4-point win in a game that featured 78 free throws. Zach Edey went for 23 & 10 and I don't know how Tennessee thinks they're going to guard him in this one either. Jonas Aidoo tried in the first matchup and eventually fouled out (Edey shot 17 free throws in the game). Both teams shot below 36% in the first matchup and I can see Tennessee harassing Purdue's guards into a similar shooting night. So really, the big sticking point -- like most Purdue games -- is what will happen with Edey down low. I still maintain that he can get his but if you can defend the guards, you can win the game. Tennessee let Fletcher Loyer go for 27 in Maui so maybe this is Braden Smith's time. Vols star Dalton Knecht only had 16 in that first matchup as he hadn't become the shooting star yet. Santiago Vescovi is still questionable with illness but if he does play, who knows how effective he'll be. But at least he could stretch Purdue on defense if he is out there. In my original bracket, I picked Tennessee in an upset but part of that was insurance against Purdue being Purdue in an earlier round. Now that we're on this matchup and seeing how both teams have played, I'm going to side with Purdue to win and cover for their first trip to the Final Four since 1980.
PICK -- Purdue

[Orlando Penguin]

Tennessee had a pretty good defensive gameplan. Purdue's guards hardly did anything but unfortunately for the Vols, they had no one else besides Knecht. If Zeigler could have had any semblance of an offensive game, Tennessee wins that one comfortably.

[King Colby]

You were all over this one OP. what a run by NC state

[Orlando Penguin]

I certainly didn't think the Duke guards would have another bad shooting game like they did in the ACC Quarters. And Duke has had zero answer for Burns inside. They won't double him because they're afraid of the shooters but NC State has been cold from outside so why let the hot guy beat you?

[Ad@m]

Suck it Duke!

[faftorial]

Good to see NC State (my dad's an alum) winning. That will make him happy.

[Orlando Penguin]

I watched this NC State team live in a game against Notre Dame back in January. They had one of the worst shooting nights a team could ever have but they used their defense to make a big comeback and Burns hit a near buzzer beater in the lane to win it. I left there thinking that for all the talent they had if they could just get some better shooting out of a couple guys, they could at least be a tournament team. They waited until March 12th to finally start putting it together. What a run this team is on.

[King Colby]

Burns is fun to watch. He bullies his way in there but has sweet finishing touch. It's not like he's just barreling his way to the rim

[willeyeam]

Burns is fun to watch. He bullies his way in there but has sweet finishing touch. It's not like he's just barreling his way to the rim

He has a sweet finishing touch but he most definitely does just barrel his way to the rim imo. He commits an offensive foul almost every time he touches the ball

[willeyeam]

[MWB]

Burns is fun to watch. He bullies his way in there but has sweet finishing touch. It's not like he's just barreling his way to the rim

He has a sweet finishing touch but he most definitely does just barrel his way to the rim imo. He commits an offensive foul almost every time he touches the ball

How so?

[willeyeam]

He just blasts guys with his shoulder or shoves off each time imo. The dude is unreal at finishing, I can't argue that

[dodint]

He just blasts guys ... off each time imo. The dude is unreal at finishing, I can't argue that

"ulf reviews an adult video"

*cues Always Sunny music*

[willeyeam]

hehe