March Madness
NCAA Tournament-related posts, stories.
File this one under unlikely, but interesting enough to talk about.
ESPN says it’d be open in bidding for the rights to March Madness if the NCAA opts out of its 11-year, $6 billion contract with CBS this July.
So that’s out there. But it seems unlikely for this reason: Money.
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It seems wrong to borrow a baseball metaphor for college basketball, but it can’t be helped: Just read five “where are they now?” stories that knocked it out of the park.
There’s something for everyone in this batch of former NCAA tournament heroes.
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Talent vs. experience. That’s the eternal question. Do you want a roster of experienced players or a team full of talented, young ballers?
OK, you want both. That’s easy. And if you can’t have experienced, talented players, you want a mix.
But when it’s crunch time in late March, what kind of player is on the floor? The most talented bunch or a group you can trust to make the right decision because they’ve been there before?
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LeBron James’ magnificent game-winner against the Magic (and because I’m at work on a long weekend) just makes me want to watch more buzzer-beaters.
That’s normal, right? One good buzzer-beater deserves another – even if it isn’t March…
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Jack Wooten, take a bow.
The North Carolina senior spent the last two seasons as a little-known reserve on the men’s roster. In 37 career games, he played 70 minutes, scored a total of 15 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished five assists. The Burlington, N.C. senior got his championship ring like the rest of the squad when the Heels beat Michigan State in April.
Yet, it was his role during a scrimmage last spring that will forever immortalize Wooten’s playing career.
Wooten decided to guard Barack Obama. And I mean guard.
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Michigan State’s impressive win against Louisville gives Tom Izzo a chance at the ultimate prize: Coaching at Kentucky.
OK, there’s a little sarcasm in there.
Izzo’s going to be focused beating Connecticut and trying to win a second NCA tournament title. But rest assured you’ll hear Izzo’s name mentioned as possibly the next coach in Lexington more than once this week.
Billy Gillispie’s ouster in Lexington has the rumor mill in full swing. Nearly every big-name coach – except for Billy Donovan – seems to be a candidate. Izzo, Villanova’s Jay Wright, Pitt’s Jamie Dixon, Texas’ Rick Barnes and Memphis’ John Calipari are chief among them.
So what's it all mean?
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If you could design the perfect finish to an NCAA tournament game, it’d probably feature Tyus Edney – or Danny Ainge, depending on your generation – making a mad dash the length of the floor, or Bryce Drew and Valparaiso, winning off an in-bounds play that had a little trickery.
Or, it could have a little of both. Just like Villanova’s classic 78-76 victory against No. 1 Pittsburgh in the East Regional final.
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By nearly any measure, Memphis had one of the nation’s top defenses.
Key word: had. Missouri ran by that defense, and then some.
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Time to start a tradition. Isn't that what March is about?
Instead of me tossing more predictions out there for the Sweet 16, I'll turn to two tried and tested prognosticators: Las Vegas and Ken Pomeroy's computer.
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Pick a Sweet 16 game, any game. It’ll have an elite coach on the sidelines.
Seven of the 16 have already won NCAA tournament titles. Six have been to multiple Final Fours. Ten are among the winningest active coaches. Four are already in the basketball Hall of Fame. All but three have been to the Sweet 16 before.
No wonder Cinderella couldn't stay long this year.
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