The first weekend of the NCAA Tournament was all we could ask for and more, and all we could expect with the way the regular season went. There were surprises, there were fantastic finishes, and there were reminders that the line between winning and losing in the NCAA Tournament is often very, very thin.
Most of all, there are unlikely teams that advance, and this year is no different. The improbable is continuing to happen.
The first two full days of the 2016 NCAA Tournament weren’t like last year, when you couldn’t possibly have two more contrasting days in terms of results. But they did have a clear pattern develop, especially on Friday: for the most part, seeding doesn’t mean so much this year. The day also ended in dramatic fashion.
And with the way the regular season went, this shouldn’t be a surprise. It’s been that kind of year.
Welcome to the latest edition of Talking Hoops with Ted Sarandis. Here, we look into the first round of the NCAA Tournament, which was quite a couple of days of basketball.
Ted spent the first two days in Providence and Brooklyn, so he saw his share of great games, from Yale knocking off Baylor to Wichita State’s great defense, all the way up to Iowa winning on a buzzer-beater and Stephen F. Austin winning another NCAA Tournament game. We also talk about the larger subject of the double-digit seeds winning, as Friday was quite a day for that.
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Have you seen this person? A physical description isn’t available, but we know some characteristics that might help.
He could be any height or weight. He has a plethora of experience – more than most of his peers, in fact – and plenty of maturity. He is a better player than he was four years ago, proving he can get better, and he is probably more ready to help someone right now than he was back then. The other distinguishing feature is that he’s probably being discounted by those evaluating him, and on a big night in late June, suddenly goes missing.
Welcome to the latest edition of Talking Hoops with Ted Sarandis. Here, we look into the NCAA Tournament selections and some surrounding items.
March is the best month of basketball because of the NCAA Tournament, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be better. Here, we touch on some of the issues surrounding this year’s selections both in terms of who is in and who is out, as well as seeding. In addition, we also touch on some surrounding issues like the conference championship games, as well as the Selection Show itself.
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March is always a month where players emerge from the shadows, with some being more memorable than others. Some end up being one-hit wonders, while for others, it’s just the beginning of their notoriety. All the same, though, March brings both players and casual fans out of the shadows, and it’s the best month of basketball.
This year, more than any in recent memory, we have been reminded of this. And as the NCAA Tournament beckons, this idea fits in even better than usual. More players will emerge under the bright lights, and some already have.
March is always a month where players emerge from the shadows, with some being more memorable than others. Some end up being one-hit wonders, while for others, it’s just the beginning of their notoriety. All the same, though, March brings both players and casual fans out of the shadows, and it’s the best month of basketball.
This year, more than any in recent memory, we have been reminded of this. And as the NCAA Tournament beckons, this idea fits in even better than usual. More players will emerge under the bright lights, and some already have.
This year, the NCAA Tournament bubble seemed as big as it’s ever been, and also with as little separation from one team to the next as ever. College basketball had a lot of even-ness this season, and it was especially manifest when looking at teams that were hardly locks for the NCAA Tournament. You could make compelling cases for numerous teams compared to others, and as is so often the case, the final bracket showed a gulf in the perception between those on the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee and those not on it – the latter camp featuring the media and the general public.
It is precisely this even-ness that should ensure a great three weeks to come. In light of how close so many of these teams are, a lot of games will be called “upsets” that won’t really be upsets. It is in that spirit that I hope that term does not get used very liberally.
The postseason is upon us, and as always happens in the hours after the NCAA Tournament bracket is unveiled, there are lots of opinions going around. What is perhaps most interesting of all is that there were plenty of complaints about the Selection Show itself, and understandably so.
To begin with, the show moved up to 5:30 p.m. That left very little buffer between the final conference championships and the show, which could have been a problem in the event of overtime in either game (that did not happen this time around). It also became a two-hour show, which is not inherently problematic. But it sure proved it. CBS spent a lot of time musing about the selections, then going over the number one seeds, and when commercials came, Twitter lit up with the complaints. Basically, CBS was a tease, taking more time than anyone hoped.
“So as a season, we’ve had some great ups, but I think anytime you end the way we did today, you’re very disappointed.”
Those were the closing words of LSU head coach Johnny Jones in the press conference after Texas A&M annihilated the Tigers 71-38 in the semifinals of the SEC Tournament. As you might expect, there was a bit of understatement there.
In our latest podcast, we check in with some good news from a few teams overseas after a big scare, plus a big addition for a championship contender, a conference on the rise, and a great coach thinking about a return to the bench.
In our latest podcast, we talk about the NBA Draft, of course, but spend much more time on the happenings at Ohio State and Louisville and the implications starting next season.
In our latest podcast, we start with the NBA Draft Lottery, then talk about a big pickup for Duke, important transfers, the coaching carousel winding down and much more.
In our latest podcast, the business of college sports, as well as that of sports media, takes center stage. We talk about the layoffs at ESPN, college basketball’s opening night, and Wichita State’s departure from the Missouri Valley Conference. We close with thoughts on a departed friend of the media business as well.
In our first off-season edition, we look back on the season that just ended, including redemption for one team and a big development for a conference that has had more questions than success on the hardwood. We also look at players coming and going, as well as big coaching news on a day where there was a lot of it.
For the first time, a public school won the Hamilton Park Summer League, and they were led by a big effort from a junior point guard in the title game.
Some news and notes coming from the second and final day of action at the 2017 Boston Shootout, where the host program provided plenty of talent, but so did a program that produced a team that beat them.
The Northeast Hoops Festival helped bring in the new spring travel season in New England, and we have notes from some of Saturday’s action.
We look back at the 2016 Boston Back to School Showcase, where a couple of Boston City League teams were among the most impressive on the day.
We look back at the championship games of the 2016 Hoopville Spring Finale, which had a big local flavor as one might have expected.
