# Elite Eight Discussion



## croco

Would anyone really be surprised at this point if Wichita State beat Ohio State?


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## King Joseus

Not I. Louisville losing would be good for me on the BBF Bracket front too.


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## FSH

I really wish Syracuse was playing any other team then Marquette(well beside Louisville)


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## Diable

Based on what we've seen to this point Wichita State should be at least even money in that game. The Luckeyes have got to run out of magic beans at some point.


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## Nimreitz

Friend of mine from high school who went to Syracuse, who berated me all week last year to make a bet with him on the Cuse-Wisconsin game, has been dodging my demands that he make a bet on this Marquette-Cuse game. I didn't take the Wisconsin bet. He has eventually said he will take this one, but is not finalizing the terms. I think he's a little worried.


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## croco

This has the makings of a 39-38 final score.


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## HKF

The 35 second shot clock is the worst thing hurting scoring in the NCAA today. There is no desire to get transition baskets. Just run 30 seconds of clock every single possession.


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## croco

What the hell is Marquette doing?


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## Nimreitz

Nimreitz said:


> Cuse is long and their zone extends. You need smart players, and it really helps if you have a PF or C who can make passes out of the high post. Running through a smart player in the high post really ****s with Cuse. That zone collapses and there can be as many guys as EVERYONE ELSE ON THE TEAM wide open. Shooting over the zone isn't how you beat a zone, you beat a zone by penetrating it and making guys commit outside of their assignment.


Davante Gardner in the high post is how Marquette is getting their points.


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## HKF

22% shooting. Yikes.


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## Nimreitz

Buzz should be ashamed of himself. Yeah Marquette shot bad, but they took bad shots. I saw at most 7 possessions run through the high post.


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## croco

I typically don't use the term "embarrassing" for college sports, but this was pretty close.


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## Diable

I don't think I'd mind it if Ohio State got run out of the building. Honestly don't believe they are capable of winning if Wichita State can put a reasonably high score either

They can start calling Kraft for more than a quarter of the fouls he commits.


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## HKF

Ohio State's whole defense is to hold the opposing player. Wichita has guys who are in the weight room.


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## Nimreitz

Craft is ****ing garbage. If you keep the ball in his hands defensively he's going to make bad decisions and brick the front end of his 1-and-1s. Do NOT let Ross and Thomas get the ball.


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## HKF

Matta looks like Gargamel.


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## Diable

Hell if Wichita State can score 20 points in the second half that probably puts them at a number Ohio State will have trouble reaching.


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## HKF

This is impressive. I wish the committee would do away with the pod system. I wonder if OSU even wins that game over Iowa State if the game was played in San Jose, instead of Dayton.


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## Rather Unique

Some more OSU luck. Early to the locker room with an hurt ankle for Wichita st.


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## HKF

NCAA officials love riding momentum. Guy has his hands straight up as a guy barrels into him, foul on the defender.


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## Rather Unique

Anybody notice the run is happening with Craft on the bench. :lol:


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## HKF

Craft sucks.


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## Rather Unique

Shockers are choking under the increased defensive pressure..mad turnovers.


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## HKF

A foul against Ohio State, would you ever believe it?


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## HKF

It's like the refs are calling two different games.


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## HKF

All these fouls. Unbelievable.


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## HKF

Knockout blow. End this.


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## EpicFailGuy

Ohio State needs Elijah Johnson to suit up for the Shockers now.


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## Rather Unique

SHOCKERRRRRR


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## HKF

4th time since 2006, a non-power conference team in the Final Four. And this was supposed to be a rebuilding year for Wichita State.


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## HKF

And no one would mention that the only way OSU was able to get back into the ball game was the free throw line, cause it certainly wasn't through hitting shots.


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## EpicFailGuy

A mid-major (I like) makes the Final 4.

They were from the Missouri Valley (I don't like).

But congrats to the Shockers anyway!


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## Nimreitz

HKF said:


> Craft sucks.


100%. He's the current scrappy white guy that the media has to suck off. Just the next in line after Wojo, Tebow, Hansbrough, etc. He's gonna start slapping floors next year, I just know it.


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## croco

Ohio State was a much better team last year with Sullinger and Buford. I thought they actually overachieved this season, they are limited with Craft as the second option. Ironically, they didn't lose a game to an unranked opponent until this one against Wichita State.


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## Nimreitz

Yeah, both of those Sullinger teams were really good.


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## croco

Wow...


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## HKF

Michigan is hot offensively.


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## croco

McGary is now 32/42 on field goal attempts in this tourney. Unreal.


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## HKF

Erik Murphy is killing them. This dude keeps shooting and missing.


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## Rather Unique

Murphy is only any good if his shot falls. If it doesnt he's a waste.


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## HKF

Now Florida is going to slow the game down significantly. Bah.


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## HKF

This ball game is over.


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## croco

Donovan might need to invent a new defensive scheme at halftime.


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## Standard

Two bad teams do not make a good game.. 68 bad teams do not make a good tournament.. One of the final four teams was beat by Evansville... twice


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## Standard

and yes I am bitter that my brackets sucked..


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## Diable

Purple Aces beat a lot of things


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## croco

Ok, so which team is going to race out to a 20-point lead, Duke or Louisville?


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## Nimreitz

Trey Burke is good

Incidentally, Michigan is now the #1 offensive team in kenpom.


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## HKF

Three years in a row losing in the Elite Eight. Twice when they had double digit leads. Eric Murphy 0-11 from the field. But please keep shooting.


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## Nimreitz

Really surprising, the guy shoots 61% from the floor and 46% from 3.


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## Rather Unique

HKF said:


> Three years in a row losing in the Elite Eight. Twice when they had double digit leads. Eric Murphy 0-11 from the field. But please keep shooting.


Garbage. 

The way they treatin coaches lately..FIRE Billy D :sarcasm:


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## HKF

Definitely don't fire him, but Donovan has to recruit better players. Patric Young looks like a bodybuilder, but he sure as hell isn't a basketball player.


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## croco

They got run over during the first couple of minutes and didn't recover. They played a bad game, it happens. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with Florida.


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## HKF

Florida didn't beat a great team all year. That is definitely a fact.


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## hobojoe

HKF said:


> Definitely don't fire him, but Donovan has to recruit better players. Patric Young looks like a bodybuilder, but he sure as hell isn't a basketball player.


Remember when he was being touted as a top 10 or even top 5 pick?


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## Rather Unique

I definitely thought he would end up better than he is. At least more impactful. He's the same player from 2 yrs ago except less foul trouble and a baby hook that he shoots like 40% with.


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## Nimreitz

HKF said:


> Florida didn't beat a great team all year. That is definitely a fact.


Statistically they were the best team in the country, although Louisville will surpass them today with a win. They didn't beat a great team because they didn't play a great team until today. They CRUSHED Wisconsin and Marquette by 18 and 33 points respectively.


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## croco

hobojoe said:


> Remember when he was being touted as a top 10 or even top 5 pick?


Around the same time when Kenny Boynton was considered to be a potential lottery pick.


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## Nimreitz

This is gonna be a good game. I'm cheering for Duke.


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## Diable

I don't think that's a foul on Kelly. He's entitled to stand there and if the Louisville player wants to jump into his chest it's either an offensive foul or nothing.


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## HKF

Damn, dude just broke his leg in like every single place. My God.


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## Diable

That was horrific...


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## Basel

Holy shit. That's ****ing awful.


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## Rather Unique

Jesus christ.


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## hobojoe

Holy ****, poor kid.


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## Nimreitz

So glad I didn't see that


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## Nimreitz

Since when does Plumlee think he's Allen Iverson. Stop dribbling 20 feet from the basket, white boy.


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## Mrs. Thang

That was horrific. I've never seen a tib-fib fracture like that on a basketball court. I know people who have done it skiing. It's a long, hard rehab.


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## HKF

Damn, I give Louisville a lot of credit to still have energy. It would be real easy to lose focus and let Duke run away with this.


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## Diable

I can remember when I'd have paid to have teams try to press Duke....Why do they keep calling that crap? It's not a foul on the defense, and if they want to call little shit like that on Duke why aren't they calling all the crap Louisville is doing on the ballhandler?


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## Rather Unique

Gotta give credit to Duke too. Easy to feel bad for Lville and not play as aggressive.


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## Knick Killer

That injury was worse than Allan Ray/Shaun Livingston/Jorge Garbojosa combined. 


Sent from Verticalsports.com Free App


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## Rather Unique

This game is living up to its billing so far. I like it.


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## Mrs. Thang

Plumlee's defense is embarrassing. He's not even contesting shots.


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## croco

Dieng is making himself some money.


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## Rather Unique

Spoke to soon. Damn it.


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## Mrs. Thang

Dieng should be a lottery pick. He's been fantastic all year but the draft sites hate him because he's a 23 year old junior. He's been the best big man in college basketball this year. Any coach preparing for a zone defense should show tape of Dieng passing out of the high post.


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## HKF

Russ Smith and Siva have put on a clinic.


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## croco

Mrs. Thang said:


> Dieng should be a lottery pick. He's been fantastic all year but the draft sites hate him because he's a 23 year old junior. He's been the best big man in college basketball this year. Any coach preparing for a zone defense should show tape of Dieng passing out of the high post.


I agree. Teams really got it backwards if they hold his age against him. Who cares? He has improved greatly since arriving at Louisville and that's much more important than being one or two years older. He has the type of skill set you want your bigs to have in the NBA.


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## HKF

Dieng also has length and athleticism. He plays bigger than 6'10-6'11.


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## Nimreitz

Hey, don't look at me, I have him at 17.

Age is a factor because it often suggests the player can't develop much more. Dieng is different because he was so raw initially that he's only just begun to tap into his potential and can get better and better. You really have to compare him to other African players like Mutombo and yes, Thabeet.


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## croco

> Alex Kennedy ‏@AlexKennedyNBA 1h
> Glad to hear Kevin Ware's surgery went well. His teammates brought the regional championship trophy to the hospital:


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