Kansas Crimson

Tennessee has some swagger.

Haven't watched UVA, because good lord that'd be boring, but they're always dangerous in the regular season.

Agree. Wide open tourney. Probably 10-15 teams that could get hot an win it all. We are 1 of those teams. As always.

15 is too many but I'd agree with like 6-8. Right now Marquette is ranked 15th and they're not good enough to win it all.

UTenn is great, but there is of course some comfort knowing we already beat them basically without Udoka.

This is the type of year I'd probably let you pick 6 teams and I'd take the field.

Loyola-Chi made it to the final 4 last year and this year is even more insane. Especially now that Duke is without Jones there is no team that seems significantly better than the rest.

Going to be a super fun March madness this year. Tons of upsets.

Loyola Chicago did not win it all, though. Made it 67% of the way there.

Lots of teams can make a Final Four, but almost always a powerhouse program and/or school wins it all.

CrimsonNBlue wrote: ↑Wed Jan 16, 2019 9:07 am So, I think the best looking team in the country so far has been Virginia. Which is pretty great news for the rest of those teams, like us, that are grouped together right below UVA. Wide open tournament.

Agreed. The only thing that worries me about Virginia is that we dont play anyone all year similar to them. But I trust Self to figure out how to score enough against them to win.

Besides, we wouldn't face them in the tourney until at the earliest the Elite Eight, which they have only made it to once under Bennett and they lost to a 10 seed in that game.

Virginia has been a #1 seed under Bennett 3 times and have lost to a #4, a #10 and a #16 seed in those 3 seasons. Not ideal.

Only similar team to UVA is duke with Tre Jones. Maybe Tech on a hot shooting night. UK also has balance when they can score.

But, yes, we wouldn't see them until a Final Four, and LOL on that notion.

CrimsonNBlue wrote: ↑Wed Jan 16, 2019 9:26 am 15 is too many but I'd agree with like 6-8. Right now Marquette is ranked 15th and they're not good enough to win it all.

UTenn is great, but there is of course some comfort knowing we already beat them basically without Udoka.

Yep. There's 7 teams in the Kenpom Top 25 of both AdjO and AdjD; Virginia, Duke, Michigan State, Tennessee, Michigan, Kansas and North Carolina. I'd eliminate Carolina, take the other 6 and happily give the field and feel confident that the national champ is in my group.

CrimsonNBlue wrote: ↑Wed Jan 16, 2019 9:38 am Only similar team to UVA is duke with Tre Jones. Maybe Tech on a hot shooting night. UK also has balance when they can score.

But, yes, we wouldn't see them until a Final Four, and LOL on that notion.

Kenpom agrees with you. Virginia and Duke are the only 2 teams in the Top 5 of both AdjO and AdjD.

Michigan State the only other team Top 10 in both.

IllinoisJayhawk wrote: ↑Wed Jan 16, 2019 9:32 am This is the type of year I'd probably let you pick 6 teams and I'd take the field.

Loyola-Chi made it to the final 4 last year and this year is even more insane. Especially now that Duke is without Jones there is no team that seems significantly better than the rest.

Going to be a super fun March madness this year. Tons of upsets.

The field to make the Final Four? Yes. To win it all? No.

Virginia
Duke
Tennessee
Michigan
Michigan State
Kansas

That's the 6 for sure....

I'd still take the field in a year like this.

That'd leave me with UNC, Gonzaga, Texas Tech, Virginia Tech, Nevada, UK, Florida State, Auburn, Buffalo, Houston, Nova(?).....as teams that are probably/maybe good enough to get hot and win 6 if their bracket breaks down in a favorable way for them.

I don't think those teams are as good as any of the top 6 listed....but it's possible they'd only have to beat 1 or 2 of those teams on their way to winning it all.

http://www.vegasinsider.com/college-bas ... s/futures/

Odds

IllinoisJayhawk wrote: ↑Wed Jan 16, 2019 9:32 am This is the type of year I'd probably let you pick 6 teams and I'd take the field.

Loyola-Chi made it to the final 4 last year and this year is even more insane. Especially now that Duke is without Jones there is no team that seems significantly better than the rest.

Going to be a super fun March madness this year. Tons of upsets.

Jones is only going to miss 4-6 games. It's not like he's out for the season and Duke is going to be scrapping.

As far as better than the rest, I think right now Michigan has a pretty good lead on that claim right now.

CrimsonNBlue wrote: ↑Wed Jan 16, 2019 9:26 am 15 is too many but I'd agree with like 6-8. Right now Marquette is ranked 15th and they're not good enough to win it all.

UTenn is great, but there is of course some comfort knowing we already beat them basically without Udoka.

Basically without Udoka, and 100% without Garrett.

NDballer13 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 16, 2019 10:07 am

IllinoisJayhawk wrote: ↑Wed Jan 16, 2019 9:32 am This is the type of year I'd probably let you pick 6 teams and I'd take the field.

Loyola-Chi made it to the final 4 last year and this year is even more insane. Especially now that Duke is without Jones there is no team that seems significantly better than the rest.

Going to be a super fun March madness this year. Tons of upsets.

Jones is only going to miss 4-6 games. It's not like he's out for the season and Duke is going to be scrapping.

Thought I saw something like 6 weeks minimum? And as many as 12 weeks.

Last year in week 11 5 of the eventual elite 8 teams were not ranked in the top 20.
50% of the teams that played in the Final Four were not ranked in the top 20 in week 11.
FWTW

Where was Villanova ranked?

IllinoisJayhawk wrote: ↑Wed Jan 16, 2019 10:10 am

NDballer13 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 16, 2019 10:07 am

IllinoisJayhawk wrote: ↑Wed Jan 16, 2019 9:32 am This is the type of year I'd probably let you pick 6 teams and I'd take the field.

Loyola-Chi made it to the final 4 last year and this year is even more insane. Especially now that Duke is without Jones there is no team that seems significantly better than the rest.

Going to be a super fun March madness this year. Tons of upsets.

Jones is only going to miss 4-6 games. It's not like he's out for the season and Duke is going to be scrapping.

Thought I saw something like 6 weeks minimum? And as many as 12 weeks.

Did they come out and say it was a more severe separation? Most AC joint separations are 2-4 weeks is what I've seen.

Gonzaga is the best chance of the "field" group...currently with the 2nd best odds to win it all.

NDballer13 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 16, 2019 10:32 am

IllinoisJayhawk wrote: ↑Wed Jan 16, 2019 10:10 am

NDballer13 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 16, 2019 10:07 am

Jones is only going to miss 4-6 games. It's not like he's out for the season and Duke is going to be scrapping.

Thought I saw something like 6 weeks minimum? And as many as 12 weeks.

Did they come out and say it was a more severe separation? Most AC joint separations are 2-4 weeks is what I've seen.

Nothing official from Duke, but they won't say anything anyway most likely.

I always wonder with someone who is expected to be 1 and done if they consider shutting it down to preserve health for the draft physicals...but maybe that's just Embiid induced paranoia from his camps decision to sort of shut him down (iirc).

We'd need a doctor to tell us how big of a risk re-injury and/or scar tissue buildup will be if he pushes it too quickly..

Gutter wrote: ↑Wed Jan 16, 2019 10:26 am Last year in week 11 5 of the eventual elite 8 teams were not ranked in the top 20.
50% of the teams that played in the Final Four were not ranked in the top 20 in week 11.
FWTW

Last year's national title winner was one of just 4 teams that finished the season Top 25 in Kenpom AdjO and AdjD. None of the other 3 Final Four teams did. It proves out year after year to be the best predictor of the pool of most likely title winners. I dont really care about rankings at all.