(Updated) NCAA Day One Open Thread; Barnes vs Tubby in NC; Tubby emerges as UVA’s #1

General NCS Basketball95

Evening Sessions
Maryland’s win over California today was really big for the conference. Gary Williams has now won his first round game in nine consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Wow! (And you were told how you should be happy with four first round NCAA Tournament wins in a decade.)

How tough is playing basketball in the ACC? Cal hasn’t had to worry about an NCAA Tournament bid since January. The Bears tied Arizona State for third place in the weak Pac-10 with an 11-7 conference record and 22-10 overall record. As you remember, Maryland entered the ACC Tournament needing to win games to earn a bid to the Big Dance. (…but, not needing to advance to the ACC Championship game as ESPN’s Jimmy Dykes confidently proclaimed multiple times during Maryland’s first round win over NC State).

If Clemson & Florida State can pull through in their tough first round games then the ACC could go a fantastic 7-0 in first round games, further supporting the conference’s annual claim that our 6th-9th place teams should deserve more credit from the tournament committee than we seem to receive. ACCNow has a nice entry about the conference.

As opposed to this afternoon’s games, this evening’s slate may be the best of the four first round sessions. I’ve bolded the games that will be streaming on my computer at home. In fact, I picked the worse seed in each of these four games in one of my brackets.

7:10 – Texas vs. Minnesota
7:10 – Clemson vs. Michigan
7:20 – Villanova vs. American
7:25 – Gonzaga vs. Akron
9:40 – Duke vs. Binghamton
9:40 – Oklahoma vs Morgan State
9:50 – UCLA vs Virginia Commonwealth
9:55 – Illinois vs. Western Kentucky

I’m most interested in the Minnesota vs Texas game tonight in a battle of two coaches from North Carolina – Rick Barnes & Tubby Smith – playing in Greensboro. WOW! This is awesome! If I weren’t sick this week I would have hopped in the car and driven up. These gentlemen’s ties to the NC State job three years ago are well known; and now it appears there is a chance that we may see more of Tubby Smith in these parts as he has emerged as Virginia’s top choice to replace Dave Leitao.

“Nothing else will happen until we talk with Tubby, and he’s obviously busy right now,” one source close to the Virginia search said Thursday. “Obviously, in the meantime, there will be due diligence done on several other coaches.”

The Minnesota head coach gave Virginia serious consideration four years ago, before eventually electing to stay at Kentucky. The Cavaliers eventually hired Dave Leitao.

Both parties are in a different place now. Virginia is seeking to make a splash with a big name to replace Leitao, who resigned on Monday, while Smith is in his second season as the head coach at the University of Minnesota.

The Cavaliers’ strong interest in Smith indicates that the school is willing to spend big money on in its next coach.

It’s no secret that one Rick Barnes’ Texas Longhorns is one of our all-time favorite non-Wolfpack programs to support. Barnes has amazingly directed Texas to the NCAA Tournament in EACH of his eleven seasons in Austin. (Tell me more about how ‘great’ it was to go to ‘Five in a row’ and win a grand total of five NCAA Tournament games in those five years?)

This is one of the weaker Texas teams in recent years as the Longhorns are absorbing the premature departures of DJ Augustin and Kevin Durant. This link provides a quick look at this year’s Longhorns.

In an attempt to draw a quick line to NC State, I thought I would share the following quick video. In light of how NC State has stuggled the last few years with the effort and hustle of some players I found this interesting.

Afternoon Comments
It’s NCAA Tournament time, and we can all pull up a chair alongside our basketball team and watch the games on TV. (or with live online streaming on CBS’ website). Here’s a quick look at today’s schedule with my quick comments on each contest. You can click here to see which announcers will be calling today’s games. Discuss below.

BJD Insert – I wanted to give some free publicity to WRAL and Time Warner Cable, for showing HD broadcasts of every single NCAAT game, at no extra charge. WRAL’s broadcast schedule is here. God bless you, WRAL.

Greensboro, NC
Regions: South (afternoon) and East (evening)

#8 LSU vs. #9 Butler, 12:20 PM

SEC Coach of the Year Trent Johnson leading the regular season SEC champs LSU into Greensboro, making the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since their Final Four run in 2006.

#1 North Carolina vs. #16 Radford, 2:50 PM

I say UNC in a yawner. Radford says they “are ready for UNC” but I will go with the inimitable philosophical musings of Mike Tyson: “Everyone has a plan until I hit ’em in the mouth.” Lawson or no Lawson, expect Carolina to roll and for most Tar Heel fans to be unbearable until at least the weekend.

Kansas City, MO
Regions: West (afternoon) and South (evening)

#2 Memphis vs. #15 Cal State Northridge, 12:25 PM
The Memphis Tigers are probably the best defensive team in the country, and that’s bad news for CS Northridge. They lose in an earthquake.

#7 California vs. #10 Maryland, 2:55 PM
The Greivas Vasquez Show rolls into the NCAA. I’m torn on this one, but I think that Gary Williams sweats this one out.

Philadelphia, PA
Regions: West (afternoon) and East (evening)

#8 BYU vs. #9 Texas A&M, 12:30 PM
I have no real opinion on this game except for the fact that BYU is better at taking care of the ball and that usually makes the difference.

#1 Connecticut vs. #16 Chattanooga, 3:00 PM
Lookout Chatanooga, UConn will see your Rock City and blow you out…again. The Huskies eradicated the Mocs in 1995 by a 100-71 final, despite Chattanooga star Terrell Owens. Yes, THAT Terrell Owens.

Portland, OR
Regions: West (afternoon) and South (evening)

#5 Purdue vs. #12 Northern Iowa, 2:30 PM
This game will probably be a lot more entertaining than the UNC game. Both teams feature balanced attacks and defenses that are in the upper half of their respective leagues in field goal percentage defense…that sounds like runs in both directions, and a game I would rather see than UNC. Thanks, DirecTV!

#4 Washington vs. #13 Mississippi State, 5:00 PM
Don’t sleep on the Bulldogs. Despite a low seeding, this is a team that can and I think will take down the Huskies. First of all, Miss State is a hot team, they played their way in by winning the SEC tournament. Look for Jarvis Varnado (13.1 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 4.7 bpg) to have a big game.

As you gear up for today’s games we thought you would find this article interesting to read. What does one have to look forward to if they own March Madness? Perhaps they could become a used car salesman in Las Vegas:

Ed O’Bannon, who not long ago owned March Madness and won just about every college basketball award imaginable following a dream senior season at UCLA, is now a car salesman in Las Vegas. He works for Findlay Toyota, whose founder, Cliff Findlay, just so happens to be a former UNLV player and a huge supporter of the Runnin’ Rebels program. It’s the same program that O’Bannon committed to coming out of Artesia High near Los Angeles in 1990. And before and during halftime of most UNLV home games, you can find O’Bannon, whose No. 31 is retired by UCLA, here on the Thomas & Mack Center concourse, hawking “the official vehicle of the Runnin’ Rebels.”

General NCS Basketball

95 Responses to (Updated) NCAA Day One Open Thread; Barnes vs Tubby in NC; Tubby emerges as UVA’s #1

  1. LRM 03/19/2009 at 11:28 PM #

    Western Kentucky has now won more NCAA Tournament games in the past two years than we have in the past four. Western Kentucky.

  2. highstick 03/20/2009 at 6:04 AM #

    Greywolf, “it’s amazing how our thought processes change as we age, isn’t it?” LOL!

    Indigo girl fans, I’m going to have to remember that one today!

  3. highstick 03/20/2009 at 6:06 AM #

    Reminds me of a younger friend a few years ago that was very infatuated with a mini circuit young lady, followed her around, sponsored her, and we kept telling him that she was gay and he didn’t believe it.

    Guess what, now he does!!

  4. Alpha Wolf 03/20/2009 at 7:09 AM #

    The Indigo Girls had a counterpart here in Raleigh that actually predates them: the Black Girls. Three chicks, same look, same sad songs of lesbian love unrequited, etc. etc.

    Bananarama had a clone here that pre-dated them too, they were called “O Boy!” They were the hot back in that day, but the band came to a sad end when two of ’em got busted for prostitution up in Richmond. That was some sad news for one of the local band guys here (I forget who exactly) because he was engaged to one of ’em and he had no clue at all that his betrothed was turning tricks.

  5. TOBtime 03/20/2009 at 7:11 AM #

    LRM, I also think our moron AD was the reason RB did not come to replace Herb. Why in the heck would he leave the Big 12, where he was the current king with the departure of Roy WIlliams, to work for a very bad clown like foul-up? I still think we have a shot at the guy. He hasn’t won a NC and most likely won’t at Texas. Football and Mack Brown are king there and that’s not going to change. Rick may have competition from TOB for “big man on campus” at NCSU but we have 2 NC banners in basketball and I think Rick understands the passion of our fans for that sport.
    Also good point on Western Kentucky. Friggin Western Kentucky. I was so pulling for VCU as well.

  6. ktoh 03/20/2009 at 7:21 AM #

    Western Kentuky with a new coach this year,coaching the previous coach’s players? Imagine that ,I thought it could not be done.

  7. Rick 03/20/2009 at 7:24 AM #

    “I have a friend who works for the Univ. of Michigan, so they’re my adopted team this year.”

    I cannot stand to watch the style of play. I think it just dregs up such bad memories for me.

    The Charlotte Observer apparently needs some hits to its website. It had another “HWSNBN can gloat but does not” article. I will not put a link as IMO we should not give them hits. I still do not miss that moron. Even though we suck right now I would want him back.

  8. frankiepack 03/20/2009 at 7:39 AM #

    Read the gopack link,but don’t get it. So Sid is angry not making the NIT? Guess that Lipscomb win did not have that great of an impact. How clueless is this man? We did not deserve to be in the nit. Same record as Georgetown ,yes but not the same ooc schedule and as badly as G-town underachieved I would rathe be them than us.
    Western Kentucky’s does have a new coach,their former coach is at South Carolina now.

  9. Wulfpack 03/20/2009 at 8:06 AM #

    WKU also has had the same amount of players placed in the nba as us if I’m not mistaken.

    I love those that knock the style of play of Beilein and Michigan. You mean the style of play that wins games and earns NCAA Tournament births at schools with little basketbal tradition? As opposed to the great almighty NC State, whose coach whistles to the point guard on just about every possession.

  10. Bubba 03/20/2009 at 8:26 AM #

    Wulfpack

    It is funny that some Pack fans must win a certain way or it doesnt matter.
    Gonna be hard to do next year losing Ben,Fells, and now Brandon

    Also hearing at least 1 transfer out

  11. primacyone 03/20/2009 at 8:34 AM #

    “Rick B. is in Greensboro and all I can think is that I will go to my grave believing that he wanted to come here and Fowler is the reason he didn’t. Nothing anyone could possibly say will ever change that belief . . . ”

    Not to long ago, a coach named Roy Williams turned down the Carolina Job!!

    I firmly believe is we make an adjustment at the top, and if we need a new coach in the future, that we can make Rick Barns the highest paid coach in college basketball!!

  12. frankiepack 03/20/2009 at 9:02 AM #

    ^ Who is going to transfer? Brandon is leaving,is this official as well? I was pretty sure he was not coming back with Sid here.

  13. Noah 03/20/2009 at 9:34 AM #

    The Indigo Girls had a counterpart here in Raleigh that actually predates them: the Black Girls. Three chicks, same look, same sad songs of lesbian love unrequited, etc. etc.

    When my wife and I were dating, we went to a Shawn Colvin concert out in San Diego at the amphitheater in Coronado down by the SD Yacht Club. GORGEOUS venue, right on the water. And I like a couple of Shawn Colvin songs.

    But man…that was one crowd that I had no business in. I sat quietly and tried not to bother anyone. I couldn’t have been more out of place if I was at a Black Panther meeting in a white robe.

  14. Noah 03/20/2009 at 9:48 AM #

    I love those that knock the style of play of Beilein and Michigan. You mean the style of play that wins games and earns NCAA Tournament births at schools with little basketbal tradition? As opposed to the great almighty NC State, whose coach whistles to the point guard on just about every possession.

    Michigan is WOEFULLY undermanned this year too. Aside from Deshawn Sims, I don’t think they have another guy that was a top-100 recruit. Manny Harris was a decent local recruit and Kelvin Grady was a top-150 guy.

    Tommy Amaker really did NOTHING in Ann Arbor. It’s comical listening to Jay Bilas talk about how unfair his firing was.

  15. Rick 03/20/2009 at 10:09 AM #

    “I love those that knock the style of play of Beilein and Michigan. You mean the style of play that wins games and earns NCAA Tournament births at schools with little basketbal tradition? As opposed to the great almighty NC State, whose coach whistles to the point guard on just about every possession.”

    I assume this was directed at me.
    First off it is my OPINION. It is what I prefer, if you prefer something different then more power to you.
    Second, you make it sound like there are only two options.
    1) Sit at home or
    2) Play that boring style.

    IMO we can both play a more exciting style and go to the NCAA.

  16. BJD95 03/20/2009 at 10:21 AM #

    Here’s the nickel version of the style critique – I couldn’t stand it because it comes with a ceiling. You are never going to stay hot from the perimeter for 6 games in a row, and almost never 4 (and when you’re not hot from the perimeter, Princeton-style teams simply can’t win). Most elite recruits also eliminate you from consideration. So while it’s a good option for intrinsically disadvantaged programs that can’t really compete otherwise, it doesn’t make sense for schools that have sufficient institutional advantages to compete at the highest level. Despite our many years wandering in the basketball desert, NC State does have those institutional advantages. Thus, I will NEVER settle for NC State being a “B-minus” program, even though we are certainly capable of doing much worse.

    It’s like I’ve said many times – Herb Sendek is a better coach than Sidney Lowe. No brainer. But I would never want to bring Sendek and/or the “weave and heave” offense back.

  17. Bubba 03/20/2009 at 10:29 AM #

    frankie

    You were correct about Brandon. The transfer should be officially released pretty soon

    Not a big loss by the way

  18. ThomYorkepack 03/20/2009 at 10:30 AM #

    Noah, Bilas thinks that EVERY coach does a great job, and no one should ever be fired. Really, I’ve never heard him be critical of a coach. Ever.

  19. Noah 03/20/2009 at 12:38 PM #

    Especially when that coach is a former teammate of his.

    Beilein doesn’t really run the same kind of offense that Sendek did. They are still pretty three-point heavy. And really, with the Michigan lineup, you HAVE to be. But it’s a little different.

    The coach I would hate to see is Bo Ryan. That guy’s games are like watching paint dry.

  20. highstick 03/20/2009 at 1:46 PM #

    At 7:15 AM this morning, temperature, 41 and breezy, damp from overnight rain, and a couple of University of Minnesota Women’s Golf Team show up in shorts, soon to be followed by another from Univ. of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Poor girls from Winthrop were wearing overcoats!

    The Yale Women’s Golf team was the most attractive, but I was reluctant to ask any if they were fans of the Indigo Girls!

1 2 3 4

Leave a Reply