NCAA tournament picks Tuesday game must be in Tuesday before 7PM

[Jedi Master Carr]

Okay going to post this little game again :)
I am just going to put the Tuesday game up first and put the rest up no later than tomorrow night.

16) Oakland (12-18)

(16) Alabama A&M (18-13)

[Jedi Master Carr]

I pick Oakland

[Ka' el Darcverse]

Alabama A&M -Winner

Oakland has to be emotionally drained and physically tired after only winning their last 3 games by a combined 8 points.

[darth_mcbain]

I'll play - not that I tend to usually be any good at these type things...

For this game, I'm going with Alabama A&M.

[CMJ]

Oakland.

The last 3 years the school with the worse record has won this game.

[Figrin D'an]

Oakland

[Commander Zemil Vymes]

A&M. Those ghetto boys can ball.

[CMJ]

Oakland won pretty convincingly. The tourney starts in earnest Thursday...:D

[Jedi Master Carr]

Here are Thursday's games will post Friday's games later.

12) Wis. Milwaukee (24-5) 12:25 pm EST

(5) Alabama (24-7)



(13) Pennsylvania (20-8) 2:45 pm EST

(4) Boston Coll. (24-4)


(9) Nevada (24-6) 7:10 pm EST

(8) Texas (20-10)



(14) Utah St. (24-7) 7:20 pm EST

(3) Arizona (27-6)



(16) Fairleigh Dickinson (20-12) 9:30 pm EST

(1) Illinois (32-1)


(11) UAB (21-10) 9:40 pm EST

(6) LSU (20-9)

Austin Region


(15) Eastern Kentucky (22-8) 12:20 pm EST

(2) Kentucky (25-5)


(14) Niagara (20-9) 12:45 pm EST

(3) Oklahoma (24-7)


(10) Iowa (21-11) 2:40 pm EST

(7) Cincinnati (24-7)


(11) UTEP (27-7) 3:05 pm EST

(6) Utah (27-5)


Albuquerque Region

(9) Pittsburgh (20-8) 12:40 pm EST

(8) Pacific (26-3)

(16) Montana (18-12) 3:00 pm EST

(1) Washington (27-5)


(15) Chattanooga (20-10) 7:10 pm EST

(2) Wake Forest (26-5)


(14) Winthrop (27-5) 7:25 pm EST

(3) Gonzaga (25-4)



(10) Creighton (23-10) 9:30 pm EST

(7) West Virginia (21-10)


(11) UCLA (18-10) 9:45 pm EST

(6) Texas Tech (20-10)

[Ka' el Darcverse]

Going to the Illinois First and Second round game! wo0t!

will edit with my picks this afternoon

[CMJ]

In protest of them taking the real regions away...I'm gonna post the old ones instead of the cities. Some of these picks were utter tossups)

MIDWEST

(12) Wis. Milwaukee
(5) Alabama (W)

(13) Pennsylvania (W)
(4) Boston Coll.

(9) Nevada (W)
(8) Texas

(14) Utah St.
(3) Arizona (W)

(16) Fairleigh Dickinson
(1) Illinois (W)

(11) UAB (W)
(6) LSU


SOUTH

(15) Eastern Kentucky
(2) Kentucky (W)

(14) Niagara
(3) Oklahoma (W)

(10) Iowa (W)
(7) Cincinnati

(11) UTEP (W)
(6) Utah


WEST


(9) Pittsburgh
(8) Pacific (W)

(16) Montana
(1) Washington (W)

(15) Chattanooga
(2) Wake Forest (W)

(14) Winthrop
(3) Gonzaga (W)

(10) Creighton (W)
(7) West Virginia

(11) UCLA
(6) Texas Tech (W)

[Jedi Master Carr]

Yeah I don't like the city stuff either. I prefer the old way myself
Here are Friday's games

Syracuse Region


(10) N.C. State (19-13) 12:15 pm EST

(7) Charlotte (21-7)


(13) Ohio (21-10) 12:25 pm EST

(4) Florida (23-7)


(9) Iowa St. (18-11) 12:30 pm EST

(8) Minnesota (21-10)


(15) UCF (24-8) 2:35 pm EST

(2) Connecticut (22-7)



(12) New Mexico (26-6) 2:45 pm EST

(5) Villanova (22-7)


(16) Oakland (13-18) 2:50 pm EST

(1) North Carolina (27-4)



(11) Northern Iowa (21-10) 7:20 pm EST

(6) Wisconsin (22-8)



(14) Bucknell (22-9) 9:40 pm EST

(3) Kansas (23-6)


Chicago Region


(15) SE Louisiana (24-8) 12:30 pm EST

(2) Oklahoma St. (24-6)


(10) St. Mary's (25-8) 2:50 pm EST

(7) Southern Ill. (26-7)


(13) Vermont (24-6) 7:10 pm EST

(4) Syracuse (27-6)


(16) Delaware St. (19-13) 7:25 pm EST

(1) Duke (25-5)


(12) Old Dominion (28-5) 9:30 pm EST

(5) Michigan St. (22-6)


(9) Mississippi St. (22-10) 9:45 pm EST

(8) Stanford (18-12)


Albuquerque Region


(13) LA Lafayette (20-10) 7:10 pm EST

(4) Louisville (29-4)


(12) Geo. Washington (22-7) 9:30 pm EST

(5) Georgia Tech (19-11)

[Ka' el Darcverse]

Originally posted by Jedi Master Carr
Here are Thursday's games will post Friday's games later.

12) Wis. Milwaukee (24-5) 12:25 pm EST

(5) Alabama (24-7) (W)



(13) Pennsylvania (20-8) (W) 2:45 pm EST

(4) Boston Coll. (24-4)


(9) Nevada (24-6) 7:10 pm EST

(8) Texas (20-10) (W)



(14) Utah St. (24-7) 7:20 pm EST

(3) Arizona (27-6) (W)



(16) Fairleigh Dickinson (20-12) 9:30 pm EST

(1) Illinois (32-1) (Are you kidding me? WIN!)


(11) UAB (21-10) (W) 9:40 pm EST

(6) LSU (20-9)

Austin Region


(15) Eastern Kentucky (22-8) 12:20 pm EST

(2) Kentucky (25-5) (W)


(14) Niagara (20-9) 12:45 pm EST

(3) Oklahoma (24-7) (W)


(10) Iowa (21-11) (W) if anything these seeds prolly should have been reversed 2:40 pm EST

(7) Cincinnati (24-7)


(11) UTEP (27-7) (W) 3:05 pm EST

(6) Utah (27-5)


Albuquerque Region

(9) Pittsburgh (20-8) (W) 12:40 pm EST

(8) Pacific (26-3)

(16) Montana (18-12) 3:00 pm EST

(1) Washington (27-5) (W)


(15) Chattanooga (20-10) 7:10 pm EST

(2) Wake Forest (26-5) (W)


(14) Winthrop (27-5) 7:25 pm EST

(3) Gonzaga (25-4) (W)



(10) Creighton (23-10) (W) 9:30 pm EST

(7) West Virginia (21-10)


(11) UCLA (18-10) 9:45 pm EST

(6) Texas Tech (20-10) (W)

[Jedi Master Carr]

12) Wis. Milwaukee (24-5) 12:25 pm EST

(5) Alabama (24-7) W



(13) Pennsylvania (20-8) 2:45 pm EST

(4) Boston Coll. (24-4) W


(9) Nevada (24-6) 7:10 pm EST W

(8) Texas (20-10)



(14) Utah St. (24-7) 7:20 pm EST

(3) Arizona (27-6) W



(16) Fairleigh Dickinson (20-12) 9:30 pm EST

(1) Illinois (32-1) W


(11) UAB (21-10) 9:40 pm EST

(6) LSU (20-9) W

Austin Region


(15) Eastern Kentucky (22-8) 12:20 pm EST

(2) Kentucky (25-5) W


(14) Niagara (20-9) 12:45 pm EST

(3) Oklahoma (24-7) w


(10) Iowa (21-11) 2:40 pm EST W

(7) Cincinnati (24-7)


(11) UTEP (27-7) 3:05 pm EST

(6) Utah (27-5) W


Albuquerque Region

(9) Pittsburgh (20-8) 12:40 pm EST W

(8) Pacific (26-3)

(16) Montana (18-12) 3:00 pm EST

(1) Washington (27-5) W


(15) Chattanooga (20-10) 7:10 pm EST

(2) Wake Forest (26-5) W


(14) Winthrop (27-5) 7:25 pm EST

(3) Gonzaga (25-4) W



(10) Creighton (23-10) 9:30 pm EST

(7) West Virginia (21-10) W


(11) UCLA (18-10) 9:45 pm EST W

(6) Texas Tech (20-10)

[Commander Zemil Vymes]

I hate playing "off the radar" teams. They give me the heebie-jeebies :(

[CMJ]

Wisconson-Milwaukee keeps the 12/5 upset streak alive....

[Jedi Master Carr]

I was so close to taking them but I changed my mind at the last second.

[CMJ]

Same here....

[Jedi Master Carr]

On my bracket I went with the Old Dominion upset of Michigan State instead, no clue if that will happen now. I also didn't see Pitt losing to Pacific. Although, should have saw it coming with the way Pitt played down the stretch.

[CMJ]

Pacific also won a round last year...AND were ranked in the top 25 this year. I actually think they'll give Washington a game.

[CMJ]

After Thursday I'm 12-5(counting Tuesday's game).

Doing this now while I'm thinking about it....

EAST

(10) N.C. State (W)
(7) Charlotte

(13) Ohio
(4) Florida (W)

(9) Iowa St. (W)
(8) Minnesota

(15) UCF
(2) Connecticut (W)

(12) New Mexico (W)
(5) Villanova

(16) Oakland
(1) North Carolina (W)

(11) Northern Iowa
(6) Wisconsin (W)

(14) Bucknell
(3) Kansas (W)


MIDWEST

(15) SE Louisiana
(2) Oklahoma St. (W)

(10) St. Mary's
(7) Southern Ill. (W)

SOUTH

(13) Vermont
(4) Syracuse (W)

(16) Delaware St.
(1) Duke (W)

(12) Old Dominion (W)
(5) Michigan St.

(9) Mississippi St.
(8) Stanford (W)


WEST

(13) LA Lafayette
(4) Louisville (W)

(12) Geo. Washington
(5) Georgia Tech (W)

[Jedi Master Carr]

Syracuse Region


(10) N.C. State (19-13) 12:15 pm EST

(7) Charlotte (21-7) W


(13) Ohio (21-10) W 12:25 pm EST

(4) Florida (23-7)


(9) Iowa St. (18-11) 12:30 pm EST

(8) Minnesota (21-10) W


(15) UCF (24-8) 2:35 pm EST

(2) Connecticut (22-7) W



(12) New Mexico (26-6) 2:45 pm EST

(5) Villanova (22-7) W


(16) Oakland (13-18) 2:50 pm EST

(1) North Carolina (27-4) W



(11) Northern Iowa (21-10) W 7:20 pm EST

(6) Wisconsin (22-8)



(14) Bucknell (22-9) 9:40 pm EST

(3) Kansas (23-6) W


Chicago Region


(15) SE Louisiana (24-8) 12:30 pm EST

(2) Oklahoma St. (24-6) W


(10) St. Mary's (25-8) 2:50 pm EST

(7) Southern Ill. (26-7) W


(13) Vermont (24-6) 7:10 pm EST

(4) Syracuse (27-6) W


(16) Delaware St. (19-13) 7:25 pm EST

(1) Duke (25-5) W


(12) Old Dominion (28-5) W 9:30 pm EST

(5) Michigan St. (22-6)


(9) Mississippi St. (22-10) 9:45 pm EST

(8) Stanford (18-12) W


Albuquerque Region


(13) LA Lafayette (20-10) 7:10 pm EST

(4) Louisville (29-4) W


(12) Geo. Washington (22-7) 9:30 pm EST

(5) Georgia Tech (19-11) W

[CMJ]

I believe I'm 23-10 with my picks so far...not too bad. I'm gonna be at work most of the day Saturday(but hey I can't complain I lucked out getting Thursday and Friday off) so I will miss most of the action.

(And yes..I realize I'm going with way too much chalk...and I'm gonna get hosed on several upsets)


MIDWEST

(12) Wis. Milwaukee
(4) Boston Coll. (W)

(11) UAB
(3) Arizona (W)

(9) Nevada
(1) Illinois (W)


SOUTH

(6) Utah (W)
(3) Oklahoma

(7) Cincinnati
(2) Kentucky (W)


WEST

(6) Texas Tech
(3) Gonzaga (W)

(8) Pacific
(1) Washington (W)

(7) West Virginia
(2) Wake Forest (W)

[Jedi Master Carr]

I am 19 and something I picked the wrong upsets half the time especially in the 6-11 and 7-10 games.

MIDWEST

(12) Wis. Milwaukee
(4) Boston Coll. (W)

(11) UAB
(3) Arizona (W)

(9) Nevada
(1) Illinois (W)


SOUTH

(6) Utah (W)
(3) Oklahoma

(7) Cincinnati
(2) Kentucky (W)


WEST

(6) Texas Tech
(3) Gonzaga (W)

(8) Pacific (W)
(1) Washington

(7) West Virginia (W)
(2) Wake Forest

[CMJ]

I move to 28-13 overall....


EAST

(10) N.C. State
(2) Connecticut (W)

(5) Villanova (W)
(4) Florida

(9) Iowa St.
(1) North Carolina (W)

(14) Bucknell
(6) Wisconsin(W)


MIDWEST

(7) Southern Ill.
(2) Oklahoma St. (W)


SOUTH

(13) Vermont
(5) Michigan St. (W)

(9) Mississippi St.
(1) Duke (W)


WEST

(5) Georgia Tech (W)
(4) Louisville

[Jedi Master Carr]

(10) N.C. State
(2) Connecticut (W)

(5) Villanova (W)
(4) Florida

(9) Iowa St.
(1) North Carolina (W)

(14) Bucknell
(6) Wisconsin(W)


MIDWEST

(7) Southern Ill.
(2) Oklahoma St. (W)


SOUTH

(13) Vermont (W)
(5) Michigan St.

(9) Mississippi St.
(1) Duke (W)


WEST

(5) Georgia Tech
(4) Louisville (W)

[CMJ]

I move to 34-15 overall. We really didn't see the kind of upsets today we say yesterday...except for NC State.

[CMJ]

MIDWEST

(12) Wis. Milwaukee
(1) Illinois (W)

(3) Arizona (W)
(2) Oklahoma St.


WEST

(4) Louisville (W)
(1) Washington

(7) West Virginia
(6) Texas Tech (W)

[Ka' el Darcverse]

Midwest :

Illinois by 137 points. I hope the Illini wipe the floor with the NCAA's equivilant of Linda Tripp (except Linda actually had proof and didn't have to make it up.) This will be the most disgusting and revolting show of poor sportsmanship by a group of fans in the history of Illinois basketball and I for one will enjoy every moment of it

Puck Bruce Fearl!

[Jedi Master Carr]

MIDWEST

(12) Wis. Milwaukee
(1) Illinois (W)

(3) Arizona (W)
(2) Oklahoma St.


WEST

(4) Louisville (W)
(1) Washington

(7) West Virginia (W)
(6) Texas Tech

[LightKnight]

MIDWEST

(12) Wis. Milwaukee(L) (although I would love to be wrong)
(1) Illinois (W)

(3) Arizona (L)
(2) Oklahoma St. (W) (one final four pick )


WEST

(4) Louisville (W) (one of the final two)Of course I was way off about Florida.
(1) Washington (L)

(7) West Virginia (W)
(6) Texas Tech(L) and take the trash(aka B.K) with you

[LightKnight]

Originally posted by Ka' el Darcverse
Midwest :

Illinois by 137 points. I hope the Illini wipe the floor with the NCAA's equivilant of Linda Tripp (except Linda actually had proof and didn't have to make it up.) This will be the most disgusting and revolting show of poor sportsmanship by a group of fans in the history of Illinois basketball and I for one will enjoy every moment of it

Puck Bruce Fearl! What Happened??

[CMJ]

I move to 37-16. The two late games were terrific. I feel kinda bad for Coach Sutton though.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Great games in the second half, especially between Arizona and Oklahomha state. The West Virginia-Texas Tech game was great too. Have to say that West Virginia team is a sure scrappy team that won't give up, I don't think they can play with Louisville but who knows at this point.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Me too, its too bad Sutton has never won, with all the great teams he has had.

[CMJ]

The AZ/OSU game was sure back and forth the last 90 seconds or so wasn't it? Wow. :)

Here's tommorrow's matchups.

EAST

(10) N.C. State (W)
(6) Wisconsin

(5) Villanova
(1) North Carolina (W)


SOUTH

(5) Michigan St.
(1) Duke (W)

(6) Utah
(2) Kentucky (W)

[Jedi Master Carr]

Yeah it was, I only saw the last 4 minutes, they carried the West Virginia game on here most of the night.
My pics, I might be going for one too many upsets

EAST

(10) N.C. State
(6) Wisconsin (W)

(5) Villanova (W)
(1) North Carolina


SOUTH

(5) Michigan St. (W)
(1) Duke

(6) Utah
(2) Kentucky (W)

I honestly think one of those fives will win, but I have no clue which one, so I am taking them both :p

[Jedi Master Carr]

Oh you think Louisville should make it to the final 4? That would be something to see Pitino take a third different team to the Final Four. Although, West Virginia being there would be quite a story.

[CMJ]

I think Louisville should make it. Heck...right now they might be playing better than anyone. The Cardinals look awesome at the moment.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I know that is what I was thinking, they could be like Arizonia when they were a 4 and won it all. Although Illinois sure looks very good they might end up meeting in the semis.

[CMJ]

I'd have a hard time taking Louisville over Illinois, but the way they're playing....

Illionis will have a tough time defeating AZ I think. The Wildcats match up well against the Illini. Expect Illinois to barely skate by that one.

[Ka' el Darcverse]

eh its hard to not like the Illini though, people have to admit that the swagger is coming back, hopefully it will be there for the AZ game. As for Bruce Pearl do a simple search for him. He "taped" a conversation between Deon Thomas (A former Illini) and himself and the tape was obviously fixed and the NCAA threw it out, but in order to make sure they didn't look bad for accusing Illinois of things it didn't do they ended up revoking a scholarship and suspending the Illini from teh '91 Big Dance for 13 "violations" of the recruiting code, the most severe of which was Coach Collins buying a recruit lunch at McDonalds and giving another recruit a team poster autographed by the squad I believe the street value of these infractions add up to somewhere around $25. Of course Digger Phelps got involved while coaching at ND with the smear campaign, encouraging his star player to lie to the NCAA about improper contact, all of which was actually disproved by his own family. And of course Deon Thomas passed the lie dectector test with not even a hint of falsehood.

[Jedi Master Carr]

The Big 10 sure showed up today. Michigan State played an incredible game over Duke. Great gameplan by Tom Izzo. And Wisconsin beat NC State. So we got 3 Big ten team in the Elite 8, have to say the Big 10 is underrated.

[CMJ]

The Big 10 got better as the year went along, no doubt. Honestly, I was more surprised by the Badgers win than the Spartans. I knew MSU matched up well against Duke and felt it was a tossup game. I sorta think NC State blew their game though...

[Figrin D'an]

Originally posted by Ka' el Darcverse
eh its hard to not like the Illini though, people have to admit that the swagger is coming back, hopefully it will be there for the AZ game. As for Bruce Pearl do a simple search for him. He "taped" a conversation between Deon Thomas (A former Illini) and himself and the tape was obviously fixed and the NCAA threw it out, but in order to make sure they didn't look bad for accusing Illinois of things it didn't do they ended up revoking a scholarship and suspending the Illini from teh '91 Big Dance for 13 "violations" of the recruiting code, the most severe of which was Coach Collins buying a recruit lunch at McDonalds and giving another recruit a team poster autographed by the squad I believe the street value of these infractions add up to somewhere around $25. Of course Digger Phelps got involved while coaching at ND with the smear campaign, encouraging his star player to lie to the NCAA about improper contact, all of which was actually disproved by his own family. And of course Deon Thomas passed the lie dectector test with not even a hint of falsehood.


Not defending Bruce Pearl, but everyone knows how the NCAA is. If someone at the head office has a bug up his/her rear end about a given school, all it takes is someone from that program to sneeze wrong and it'll get the "full body cavity special." Illinois isn't the only school to go through something like that.

What I find more amusing is that, with all due respect to the Illini fanbase, likely 90% of them didn't know a thing about this incident until, at best, the media brought up during the Horizon League tournament, regarding the icy relationship between Pearl and University of Detriot head coach Perry Watson (who was one of the Illini staff back then who got into trouble over that incident). And, of course, now many of them act as if Bruce Pearl has been their own personal anti-Christ for years, and that UWM is some bastion of unscrupulous evil.


Anyway... it's old news that was dredged up to be another silly offcourt storyline. Nevermind that the tournament itself has more than enough on-the-court intrigue. (Then there's Dickie V, who at one point called for Pearl to be blacklisted, and is now saying he's the hottest big-time coaching prospect. Nothing like consistency).

[Jedi Master Carr]

Well Vitale is not really consistent, he really needs to stick what he does best, color.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Valiant effort by Villianova they came darn close to pulling the upset. For tomorrow's games, I pick

Louisville
Illinois
I so want to pick West Virginia but I just don't have the guts.

[CMJ]

I move to 39-18 overall.

Tommorrow's picks

WEST

(7)West Virginia
(4)Louisville (W)

MIDWEST

(3)Arizona
(1)Illinos(W)

I'm close to picking the Wildcats, but I think the Illini will sneak thru.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I almost went unbeaten this weekend :p I guess I shouldn't have taken Nova but heck they almost won that game. I knew it be close but wasn't sure of the outcome.

[LightKnight]

Boy have my ACC teams have STUNK!! it up this tourny, but at least the one that matters (for me) are still in the hunt. I picked M.S over Duke but I really hoped it wouldn't happen. N.C state should have benched Hodges with 10 minutes to go and maybe they would have had a chance.

That sure was some good officiating in the Heels game :rolleyes


(7)West Virginia
(4)Louisville (W)




(3)Arizona(W)

(1)Illinos

[darth_mcbain]

Wow - what a game between Louisville and West Virginia. They were down by what, about 20 points in the first half - came back to tie and then the win in OT... Good stuff.

[CMJ]

Illinois will win the National Championship. That was their Duke/Kentucky game of 1992(or Duke/Kentucky 1998 too). It's destiny...

[LightKnight]

Originally posted by CMJ
Illinois will win the National Championship. That was their Duke/Kentucky game of 1992(or Duke/Kentucky 1998 too). It's destiny... No way, Illinois is in no way shape or form championship caliber, a good team no doubt but they are still coming from the easiest bracket, home court advantage and just flat out lucky. IF they get (lucky )and by Louisville they will have to contend with either Michigan State, Kentucky, or the Big Heels. They can’t match up with either at this point and time of the season. Now I will say that they do work well together and can run but against inferior opponents . But of course I really thought Arizona would beat them by 20, so what do I know, well other than Bill Murrey *sp* paid Arizona off at the half to throw it if it got close. ;)

[CMJ]

They came back from 15 with 3:30 to go. It reminds me of the miracle comeback Kentucky had against Duke in '98(weren't they down 18 with 5 to go?). The Illini were DEAD and buried. When a team does something like this it's destiny.

EASIEST bracket? The highest seed Carolina is gonna have to play is #5 if ya wanna talk easy roads. ;) Compare that with Louisville(#1) and Illinois(#3).

Anyways one of the best tournament games I've ever seen.

[Ka' el Darcverse]

Yes no shape or form to beat the Badgers for a fourth time in one year or a 2nd time in a month... :rolleyes

Illinois just played the most dangerous team to them left in the tournament. All year the pundits have been saying that Illinois wont' win the big games because of the style they play that they need one person to step up and take over, well the Illini just served Seth Davis, Dickie V., Grant Wahl and the rest of the ESPN, SI nation a big warm bowl of STFU. With Head blocking a shot, Williams draining a three, Dee making the steals all when everyone and their mother said the game was over.

[LightKnight]

I don’t know CMJ, you maybe right, maybe o_O .


It was one heck of a game just about the best I have seen this year but I really do feel Arizona gave it away not Illinois taking it. Either way it’s going to be interesting to say the least. No matter what, I do feel that this NCAA tourny is the wildest ride I have seen in awhile and whom ever wins not only will have to have talent but heart as well and as much as I hate to say it Illinois does have alot of it, but........

[CMJ]

Hey, I'm a firm believer in the superiority of the ACC LightJedi...but seriously Illinois is a team of destiny.


(BTW I move to 41-18)

Anyways, as for tommorrow....

SOUTH

(5) Michigan State
(2) Kentucky (W)


EAST

(6) Wisconson
(1) North Carolina (W)

Both should be excellent games, though it'd be hard to top today. If this pans out I woulda called 3 of the Final Four correctly. Too bad my Champion went out in the 2nd round.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I pick
Michigan State
North Carolina

That was some comeback, and I agree with you CMJ, Illinois is the team of destinty now. To come back from that kind of deficet is amazing.

[Figrin D'an]

Arizona may have collapsed a bit (and Stoudamire had a horrible game, probably his worst of the season), but come on... Illinois proved it has the one thing that a championship team truely needs: determination. They never quit, and even down 15 points with 5 minutes left, they still knew they could win. Every team that runs to the title in the NCAA tourney needs a little bit of luck to get there, but you still have to be good to survive those 6 games.

I still see an Illinois/UNC title game, which is what I had in my brackets at the beginning. Louisville is athletic, but they're undersized, and unlike today against Arizona, the Illinois big-men won't have to contend with someone like Channing Frye. On the otherside, I had UNC beating Kentucky, but with the way Michigan State is playing, it could easily be them and not the Wildcats in the Final Four against the Tar Heels.




Originally posted by Ka' el Darcverse
well the Illini just served Seth Davis, Dickie V., Grant Wahl and the rest of the ESPN, SI nation a big warm bowl of STFU.


Yeah, and I think the Big Ten in general has served up a nice big bowl to the pundits. Everyone has been ragging on the conference all year, saying that it was the Illini, and then a bunch of also-rans. Three teams in the Elite Eight smacks down that presumption pretty solidly.

[CMJ]

I cannot believe the end of regulation of this game. This is the best set of regional finals that I can remember.

[LightKnight]

That’s a fact !!

[CMJ]

Michigan State prevails in 2OT. Wow, three classics and the fourth was pretty damn good too.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Yeah that was a heck of game probably the second best game of the weekend. Lets hope the final four lives up to this weekend.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Illinois
Michigan State

[CMJ]

I am gonna go with...

Illinois
North Carolina

Hope MSU wins though. :)

[LightKnight]

Better get this in


Illinois 69
Louisville 76


Carolina 92
Mich.st 67
this is the only game that UNC has/will play in the tourny that I'm actually worried about :(

[CMJ]

You're picking the Heels by 25 and you're worried? Good lord man..how much would you pick them by if you were confident?

:cool

Illinois put away a tough Louisville team in the last 6 minutes or so to win by 15. They're gonna be tough in the Final.

[LightKnight]

wow, I wasn't even Close :lol :lol

I cannot believe that Louisville played so poorly in a game this big.Looks as if Illinois lucked into the championship. Hope being #1 seed is a good sign tonight >_<

[LightKnight]

Originally posted by CMJ
You're picking the Heels by 25 and you're worried? Good lord man..how much would you pick them by if you were confident?

:cool

Illinois put away a tough Louisville team in the last 6 minutes or so to win by 15. They're gonna be tough in the Final. by a 100 :D

No those are scores I hoped for and obviously wrong, well atleast the first game. I tell you I'm glad I didn't put a lot of money on the line, I'd be broke:x

I know Ka'el is dancing in the street about now >_<

[CMJ]

Originally posted by LightKnight
Looks as if Illinois lucked into the championship.

After all they've done this year, you're witholding any praise. Kinda sad my man. :rolleyes

[Jedi Master Carr]

Yeah they have amazing team. What makes them so good is they have 4 great players and any of them can carry this team. That hurt Louisville who has been carried by Garcia all tournament he has a bad game and they are done. Illinois is going to be tough to beat by anyone right now.

[CMJ]

UNC really pikced it up in the second half and won comfortably. As deep as MSU is, they were insane for running with the Heels in the first half. It just cost them. You beat NC the way Duke and Wake beat them. Slow it down....

I stand at 44-19.

[LightKnight]

Originally posted by CMJ
After all they've done this year, you're witholding any praise. Kinda sad my man. :rolleyes No, they are a very good time (I actually have said that) really :) , but Louisville did not show up tonight and unfortunately it isn't the best of seven so they have to go home :(

[LightKnight]

Words can't express what I am feeling at this moment. I have waited for this day since 1993 GO!!! HEELS!!!!!!!!!Hey, even if my boys don't win on Monday I'll still be the happiest son-of-a-gun around just for the fact they made it.

Mich st. played a heck of a game the first half. Carolina did pick it up in the second but I do feel that M.S did not play their best the second half. Plus the fact that the Officials finally started calling the game correctly in the second half. And heck even my "hoped for score" wasn't that far off :D

[CMJ]

I think the title game should be a great one. Hopefully it is...the 2 games today were sort of letdowns after last weekend.

[LightKnight]

So true, I really thought that both games would come down to the final shots.

[CMJ]

My pick - Illinois wins the title game.

Let's say 72-68.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Illinois wins as well
69-63

[LightKnight]

UNC 89
Ill 68

[Ka' el Darcverse]

Who are these officials and will they call a foul on May? Dear gosh!

[Ka' el Darcverse]

How many steps does big fatty get too?

That being said if Illinois hits 10% more of its open looks they are up. The officiatings been bad both ways, but the problem is poor officiating favors a team that plays street-ball style rather than team ball.

Go Illini

[CMJ]

Well played Championship game by both squads. Congrats to UNC and all their faithful. Very happy for Roy Williams :)

[Ka' el Darcverse]

Hey LightKnight, good game bud. Congrats!

Oskee-wow-wow Illinois!

[LightKnight]

Originally posted by Ka' el Darcverse
Hey LightKnight, good game bud. Congrats!

Oskee-wow-wow Illinois! What can I say, Illinois played a heck of a game. They were a scrappy team that wasn’t going away easily. Illinois and their fans have nothing to be ashamed of 37-2, championship game all heart.


Thanks Ka'el, although we never played a second of the game, I feel we have been dooken (sp) it out for some time :p

[CMJ]

I knew that when they kept mentioning Illinois hadn't turned the ball over all night that they'd turn it over in the last minute. :p

[LightKnight]

Well, just as I was editing my previous post my cell phone rings and you’ll never guess who was on the other line.

He had a message for all you pencil neck geeks and his love slaves. And I Quote HOW ABOUT THEM TAR HEELS!!!! Much love ;end quote

[LightKnight]

Originally posted by Ka' el Darcverse
How many steps does big fatty get too?

I may be a big Carolina fan, but that still is funny :lol :lol

[jjwr]

I only caught the last 5 minutes of the game. Illinois had plenty of chances in the last 2 minutes but couldn't buy a shot at that point, 4 open 3's and none of them fell. Had they gone inside and tried for something closer and hit even 2 of those shots they probably would have won the game.

[CMJ]

I sort of agree with you, but they'd been nailing 3's the entire second half. It's how they erased both second half deficits.

[jjwr]

Gotcha, so they went with what got them there.

The looks that kid had on the right wing were wide open, just couldn't put one down.