wouldn’t throw Rhule in that category
*Yet. 5-7 and 7-6 isn’t a ringing endorsement. Especially with how impatient Husker fans are. But he *might* be able to catch Minnesota soon, so you have that going for you. Which is nice. 
Year 3 is make or break for Rhule. He made a huge jump at Baylor and Temple in year 3 so we’ll see.
Colorado state got screwed, that was a travel by Queen. But I liked how coach handled it in talking to the players after the loss and I’d say this is the best hire the gophers have made in years.
While I can’t sit here and make excuses for the gophers inability to make the tourney, I don’t think it’s exactly fair to compare them to Omaha. The thing that makes March madness so compelling is pitting small schools against large ones watching the upsets unfold, but don’t pretend that the path to the tournament for a Summit League team is comparable to the path for a Big Ten team. There were maybe 3 teams in the Summit this year that had a shot at winning that conference and getting the bid, and one of them was ineligible.
Why? The Huskers have spent hundreds of millions of their basketball facilities and Hoiberg can’t get a team to the tourney. They also have a massive NIL collective. They’ve underachieved with him as coach.
Getting into the tourney sure but they are not out spending a third of the big ten in basketball and not even close to some of the bigs in the college basketball world. It’s still Nebraska when you are talking basketball. Not exactly where kids are thinking about playing BBall.
Don’t disagree Hoiberg has been a disappointment but were they not third in the big ten last year? I don’t think they are going to be perennial big ten champs in basketball ever. I could be wrong but some pretty high paying and big time programs in the big ten or 20 whatever it is now.
Colorado state got screwed, that was a travel by Queen. But I liked how coach handled it in talking to the players after the loss and I’d say this is the best hire the gophers have made in years.
While I can’t sit here and make excuses for the gophers inability to make the tourney, I don’t think it’s exactly fair to compare them to Omaha. The thing that makes March madness so compelling is pitting small schools against large ones watching the upsets unfold, but don’t pretend that the path to the tournament for a Summit League team is comparable to the path for a Big Ten team. There were maybe 3 teams in the Summit this year that had a shot at winning that conference and getting the bid, and one of them was ineligible.
We’re comparing them to the University of Nebraska…not Nebraska at Omaha.
We’re comparing them to the University of Nebraska…not Nebraska at Omaha.
Nahh, I was responding to lindyrig’s posts. Basically said it’s ridiculous the gophers can’t make the tourney when Nebraska can… then he realized it was Omaha. Just pointing out that the road to March madness for Omaha and UMN look very different.
Another good batch of games last night. I’m really looking forward to Bama and Duke tonight.
Sad to see only one B10 team left. I didn’t realize the last time the B10 won the national championship was 2002 with MSU.
Anyone watching the gals tournament?? Good grief that Paige Beckers for Uconn can’t miss. Scored 40 pts.
The TT v Flo was fantastic! Great comeback by the Gators.
Wow, what a crazy end to the Florida and Texas Tech game. Florida was all but dead and buried… big win for the Gators!!
Wow, what a crazy end to the Florida and Texas Tech game. Florida was all but dead and buried… big win for the Gators!!
Gotta make free throws down the stretch. Missing the front end of those 1 and 1’s killed TT.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>lindyrig79 wrote:</div>
Wow, what a crazy end to the Florida and Texas Tech game. Florida was all but dead and buried… big win for the Gators!!Gotta make free throws down the stretch. Missing the front end of those 1 and 1’s killed TT.
Exactly. To win BIG games you gotta make the frees at the end of the game.
Should be 2 Big 10 teams left in the tournament. Purdue got shafted last night.
Duke put a whoop as on Bama. Bama was tossing up quite a few bricks.
Yeah, Duke looks pretty good. It didn’t seem like they were working very hard to beat bama.
I’m rooting for a Duke-MSU title game.
Duke looks like the easy favorite heading into the final 4. They’re the perfect mix of athleticism, size, and smart play. Knueppel just plays like a savy vet who always makes the right play. He’d have looked real good in a Badger uniform had he stayed home.
Houston vs Tennessee is going to be interesting. Those are 2 dog eat dog type coaches who value defense. Both of those teams have gotten this far despite not having the offensive firepower many tournament teams have.
I am not a Bruce Pearl fan. He’s annoying and was a cheater before cheating was legal in college athletics. I hope Sparty knocks them off
If Houston and Auburn win on Saturday… or Auburn wins it all, I win my bracket.
DOWN GOES DUKE!!!
Total meltdown. 
I don’t watch basketball. I just read on The Athletic that Duke went down. I suppose thats good. Mighta made G a winner in his bracket?
I was leading the bracket I was in until Duke went down. I have the Gators winning it all so I might have a chance for 4th.
Both those games were great! Even though I picked Duke, they are one of those teams you never mind watching lose in epic fashion.
Not a Duke fan but was rooting for them last night. I was rooting for Florida also. Have too much dislike for Sampson and Pearl. They were paying players loooonngg before it was legal.
I don’t understand how Duke doesn’t have an inbounds play to get the ball in when being pressed. 
Of course Houston was just about mugging the Duke players.
Yeah, I am done. If only Auburn would of played 2 halfs. 
Helluva tournament…really good games across the board. I was hoping Sampson would get his championship but his team choked in the final 20 seconds.
Can’t wait til next year!
The best tournament in sports – hands down.
I hope the current model stays the same for decades to come. It’s the right mix of top tier talent, hall of fame coaches, cinderella stories, upsets, and just a bit of controversy (seeding, bubble teams, etc). I cannot think of ONE part of it I would change.
It was a great tourney and two epic collapses/comebacks in the last games. I am a little worried that the transfer portal and NIL money has killed Cinderella though. Check out this graphic of Sweet 16 teams and where they started their college career. Cinderella is usually a veteran tried and true mid-major or small school, tough to do that when the haves pick your roster clean.
IMG_9515.png
^Great graphic Werm.
I don’t think the tournament itself should change in any capacity, but the regulations related to the transfer portal definitely should. If the rules below are adjusted, it’d still give some viability to the cinderella teams that many love to cheer for.
Two Changes I’d Love to See to College Basketball as a Whole:
1. You get ONE transfer in your career. The only way to get a second possible transfer is if you sucessfully graduate and have another year of eligibility as a grad transfer (this would only pertain to students athletes who were red-shirted AND then also graduated with a 4 year degree on time). It’s a subtle reward for kids who actually attend class or go through the motions of earning a degree.
2. The transfer portal should open May 1st (with the above rule added). It should not open while teams are still competing in the tournament. By waiting until May 1st some of the dust should start to settle with coaching changes as well so that student athletes are making informed decisions.
I agree that NIL might kill Cinderella. All those good mid major guys are being plucked up by the bigger schools.
Time will tell but I agree with you, Werm.
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