2024 NCAAB - MADNESS

[Greggulator]

8 hours ago, Cobra Commander said:

I don’t know how long DJ Burns would hang around pro basketball. But for some weird reason, it wouldn’t shock me if he was coaching somewhere one day. As impossible as it would seem to predict current college basketball players future coaching prospects.

He reminds me a lot of Zach Randolph. I have been wrong so many times before but I could absolutely see DJ Burns as a bench guy for a playoff team next year.

[Greggulator]

Dear almighty were we treated to something tonight with Caitlyn Clark. What a great night for sports. My soon to be five-year-old son knows who she is and calls her Twenty Two and I am so glad that he gets to watch her during his formative sports fandom years.

[TimLivingston]

Jokic loves his game, which makes me think he’d angle to get him a shot in Denver. To see those two play together would be magical. 
 

LSU/Iowa lived up to the hype and then some. We don’t deserve Caitlin and Angel, let alone in the same game. Near a 40-point triple double and a damn near 20/20 game? Outstanding. 

[Brian Fowler]

21 minutes ago, Greggulator said:

He reminds me a lot of Zach Randolph. I have been wrong so many times before but I could absolutely see DJ Burns as a bench guy for a playoff team next year.

I feel like the continuum is somewhere between Tractor Traylor and Z-Bo.

[Cobra Commander]

1 hour ago, Greggulator said:

He reminds me a lot of Zach Randolph. I have been wrong so many times before but I could absolutely see DJ Burns as a bench guy for a playoff team next year.

*checks Wikipedia*

hey, Oliver Miller stuck around the NBA in some form for 10 years (I'm pretty confident that Oliver was better thought-of back then, and also he was in college 30 years ago).. but Oliver Miller sorta came to mind with DJ Burns physique

[Greggulator]

1 hour ago, TimLivingston said:

Jokic loves his game, which makes me think he’d angle to get him a shot in Denver. To see those two play together would be magical. 
 

LSU/Iowa lived up to the hype and then some. We don’t deserve Caitlin and Angel, let alone in the same game. Near a 40-point triple double and a damn near 20/20 game? Outstanding. 

Plus the comeuppance of Kim Mulkey! 

[Tabe]

4 hours ago, Greggulator said:

Dear almighty were we treated to something tonight with Caitlyn Clark. What a great night for sports. My soon to be five-year-old son knows who she is and calls her Twenty Two and I am so glad that he gets to watch her during his formative sports fandom years.

I thought it was more of a mixed big from her than a lot of others seem to think. Multiple lazy or terrible passes in the first half for turnovers and shot just 45% from the floor. But...... 

A whole lot of 3s and some (a lot of) amazing passes. 

Overall, I'd say she played an excellent game. 

Edited April 2, 2024 by Tabe

[NikoBaltimore]

I wonder how the game would have turned out if Angel didn't hurt her ankle at halftime.  She had a good first half and tried in the second but if fully healthy she might have drove LSU to a win.  Whenever they have a rematch in the WNBA it's going to be incredible.  Also, it's not lost on me that Caitlin Clark is fucking special.  She has the skills and the charisma to boot which makes me hopeful for her WNBA career.  I don't want to look too far into the future but with how she is now it's hard not to get excited about the impact she'll have on the WNBA.

Edited April 2, 2024 by NikoBaltimore

[Greggulator]

Over 10 million people watched the game last night. That’s right what the men’s tournament did the past weekend — which has a giant head start on women’s hoops, has huge interest because of (gross) gambling, and featured a bunch of blue bloods that always attract eyeballs. 

It’s so awesome to see this unfolding. Women’s basketball is a really great product, even beyond Caitlyn Clark or South Carolina. It obviously can’t generate that at-the-rim highlights of the men’s game. But the passing, ball movement, player movement and the like is just at the absolute highest level. They barely stop moving. 

I describe elite women’s basketball as the absolute highest form of basketball that I am familiar with playing. I grew up playing basketball with some really good athletes — one kid was a walk-on at Providence (total douche), a few other kids who played other D-1 sports at least for a little bit. But I did not play with anyone who could dunk in-game. Maybe, at most, someone I knew could barely do a one-handed ”dunk” more like a finger roll after 15 attempts in a layup line. This is not to say that I could have ever competed with a women’s player even on a crappy junior college team. But, aesthetically, the women’s game is how 99 percent of the world actually plays basketball and they are the absolute best at it. 

Also: as stated before, I played daily with a kid who walked-on at Providence. He was more like a D2 level player if he wanted to actually play in games. That is still impressive. (Even though he is one of the biggest tool bags I have ever met in my life.)

He was NOT the best player in my neighborhood. The best player was my friend Patty. She balled out. She frequently beat the kid mentioned above one-on-one. She was also a starter for one of the top girls high school teams in New Jersey at the time as a freshman and sophomore. She was getting early recruiting letters from Top 25 teams. We were playing 3 on 3 and someone we were playing (another girl who was decent but not nearly as good) against took a cheap shot when Patty went up for a layup, and Patty came down and tore her ACL. Me and my other friend walked her home. She missed about a year and had to regain her athleticism right when recruiting really happens so the big schools didn’t give her any offers. She still ended up playing D1 (St. Peter’s) and is in their Hall of Fame. She was their leading scorer for two teams that made the NCAA tournament as a 16 seed, too. Awesome player and a really good friend when we were kids.

[Tabe]

6 hours ago, NikoBaltimore said:

I wonder how the game would have turned out if Angel didn't hurt her ankle at halftime.  She had a good first half and tried in the second but if fully healthy she might have drove LSU to a win.  Whenever they have a rematch in the WNBA it's going to be incredible.  Also, it's not lost on me that Caitlin Clark is fucking special.  She has the skills and the charisma to boot which makes me hopeful for her WNBA career.  I don't want to look too far into the future but with how she is now it's hard not to get excited about the impact she'll have on the WNBA.

Reese getting hurt changed the game for sure. Before that, LSU was killing Iowa inside at both ends. Reese went from 5-7 before the ankle to 2-14 after. Still finished with 17 & 20.

The first quarter last night was as good as it gets for basketball. Extremely fast pace, great shooting, great passing, blocked shots, the whole package. 

The game lived up to the hype. 

[Brian Fowler]

It's fascinating (in a good way) the confluence of events that has led us to the point where the two biggest current stars in college basketball are both young women.

[Stefanie Sparkleface]

18 hours ago, Brian Fowler said:

It's fascinating (in a good way) the confluence of events that has led us to the point where the two biggest current stars in college basketball are both young women.

I'm here for it!

(This is my reminder that WNBA League Pass is $35 for the season and is a value at twice the price, btw)

[Contentious C]

Kinda-sorta funny in an absurdist way that the big photo on ESPN's page featuring the both of them ATM makes it look like Clark is casually slugging Bueckers in the face. 

[Cobra Commander]

South Carolina vs Iowa for the women’s title on Sunday

(don’t worry, there was a controversy over a foul call in Iowa/UConn)

[Kevin Wilson]

The call on Aaliyah Edwards just as a fan was a shame. I'm not saying if it was "right" or "wrong" as I can see both sides (it was a foul, but who wants a foul called there??), but its still unfortunate. All the casuals watching wanted to see a shot go up at the end, not for it to end like that.

[waffle]

Doing this right in front of the ref might've been a bad call. Enjoyed CC tossing it off Paige's back even though it ran like .3 seconds only. 

[Tabe]

10 hours ago, waffle said:

Doing this right in front of the ref might've been a bad call. Enjoyed CC tossing it off Paige's back even though it ran like .3 seconds only. 

Yep, good call. Sucks it determined the ending but it was a foul. I've always believed the clock shouldn't matter when it comes to officiating so kudos to the ref for calling this one. 

[Cobra Commander]

UConn vs Purdue for the title on Monday night

[odessasteps]

25 minutes ago, Cobra Commander said:

UConn vs Purdue for the title on Monday night

Man, I don't like UConn but clear rooting choice here. 

[Brian Fowler]

I was rooting for NC State because of the great story and how awesome Burns is, but this is probably the right matchup overall. 

And on the women's side we have the undefeated top team versus the biggest star in the game, so I guess the TV network wins that one.

[Cobra Commander]

South Carolina beats Iowa, and now will there be an upset tomorrow night or will UConn win back to back titles

[Cobra Commander]

there's rumors of John Calipari bolting Kentucky for.....

....

......

ARKANSAS

(will this get Calipari a raise from Kentucky?)

[Cobra Commander]

apparently Tyson Chicken is helping to get Calipari to maybe leave Kentucky for Arkansas

[Cobra Commander]

rumor is that Calipari is signing a deal for 5 years with Arkansas

[odessasteps]

(Holds nose)

Thank you, U Conn.