2013 NCAA Tournament Thread

[Jake0890]

Michigan vs. Louisville

I got Louisville.

[jman3134]

Tune into CBS Sports if you have it. Pretty exciting Division III final right now. Lights just went out.

Later, the Division II final should be fairly exciting and the NABC All Star game is on as well.

[almatic]

I've found it increasingly hard to watch college basketball. The tournament is exhilirating, for sure, but college basketball has gotten so ugly. The 35 second shot clock and all the uncalled fouls on the perimeter has just slowed the game to a crawl.

Uncalled fouls on the perimeter slowing the game?
Ironic, it's those ticky-tack no-advantage calls at the perimeter that make some NBA games borderline unwatchable for me.
College games seem to flow more than NBA games, its why my hockey-watching buddies can tolerate an NCAA game more than an NBA game.
Most NBA teams are in the bonus halfway thru the quarter.

[Krodis]

That's your reaction after those two great games?^

Well, it's my reaction after watching Louisville. Don't get me wrong, I still was into the game. Big game, huge atmosphere, no doubt. But Louisville specifically seems to take advantage of the lack of fouls called on the perimeter. Commit 50 fouls and rely on the fact that they're not going to call half of them, as it were.

I've found it increasingly hard to watch college basketball. The tournament is exhilirating, for sure, but college basketball has gotten so ugly. The 35 second shot clock and all the uncalled fouls on the perimeter has just slowed the game to a crawl.

Uncalled fouls on the perimeter slowing the game?
Ironic, it's those ticky-tack no-advantage calls at the perimeter that make some NBA games borderline unwatchable for me.
College games seem to flow more than NBA games, its why my hockey-watching buddies can tolerate an NCAA game more than an NBA game.
Most NBA teams are in the bonus halfway thru the quarter.

I mean, some times when there are a lot of fouls called that can certainly drag down the game. But I think most of the time the NBA players are simply better about not fouling. You have to call some of those perimeter fouls or else it just grinds the game to a crawl on the perimeter (admittedly, this would be less of a problem in the NBA because the 24 second shot clock, but early 2000s NBA was awfully ugly with the lenient hand check rules).

I'd much rather have constant plays towards the basket slowed down by the occasional march to the free throw line then constant passing around the perimeter for 30 seconds while players are mugged, then throw up a prayer which is what seems to happen in half of these college possessions, ESPECIALLY at the high level where the guards are athletic and strong enough to really bother the ball-handlers.

[G R E Y]

Hancock single handedly leads a 9-1 run. Amazing shooting display on the biggest stage.

[G R E Y]

Make that 4 threes in a row.

[G R E Y]

SPECTACULAR comeback. Great game

[smith2373]

Great game in the 1st half.

Hancock & SPIKE with great starts. Hoping to see a great 2nd half to close it out.

[TripleC]

Great game in the 1st half.

Hancock & SPIKE with great starts. Hoping to see a great 2nd half to close it out.

Smith I use to see you a lot on GB, what happened? Banned like me?

[G R E Y]

Sexy dunk.

Lusty crowd.

Awesome game to watch!

[G R E Y]

WOW Burke with the Wade/Rose-like acrobatics for the +1.

[G R E Y]

Such quick punch - counter-punch in this game. Very exciting that neither team is giving an inch in the most important game. So entertaining to watch. I'd forgotten what a meaningful bball game looks like.

[smith2373]

Great game in the 1st half.

Hancock & SPIKE with great starts. Hoping to see a great 2nd half to close it out.

Smith I use to see you a lot on GB, what happened? Banned like me?

Yeah I got banned in like January.

[G R E Y]

Hate love that kid. Misses so many close under the bucket shots, but is a beast in cleaning up his mistakes by getting rebounds and put backs.

Woa scary foul fall there...

I can't take this...my heart!...

[spudwebb]

Makes NBA refereeing seem good.

[G R E Y]

^ lol yeah the block 'foul' and NBA-level travel non-calls come to mind.

I agree with the commentators that Pitino was a key factor. Smart coaching, and really good, brave execution by the players.

Congratulations to Louisville for the tournament win, and to Pitino for a historic achievement