[Mr. HookShotParticipant]

After reading the analysis of the Sweet Sixteen for the Midwest, I would like to hear your opinions on this. Louisville will an extremely talented and big Kentucky team, who just knocked off the one seed. Will Louisville’s experience be enough to beat the young Wildcats?

Than the other match-up is losing finalist Michigan against Tennessee. The success of Michigan is basically build on its wingplayers (3pt shooters like Stauskas), and the undersize 4 Robinson III. Will that be enough to withstand the bruising front line of Tennessee? 

Who do you guys think will come out victorious? For my bracket, this region is pretty important considering I have Louisville as winners and Tennessee in the Elite 8 (which is something not a lot of other brackets would have). 

[drice4life1753Participant]

 I’m sorry I just do not see Tennessee beating Michigan.  People love to pick the under dog and ESPECIALLY when the other team relies on 3’s, for some reason people feel safer choosing against that team.  It sounds nice that the big team will give Michigan fits, and yes some big teams have been a pain in the ass for them, but NO team in a very long time can spread the floor like this team and make quick (dangerous) cross court passes resulting in not just good 3’s, but literally wide open shots for everyone not named Stauskas, and he has proved he hardly needs to be open.  Despite size every player on Michigan hustles harder than any other team for offensive boards, besides Florida and Louisville and half of Louisville’s hustle is due to Russ Smith being straight out of control half the time….but that’s besides the point. I think there will be a point in this game similiar to Michigan vs. Texas where Michigan just pulls away.  Also, I do know this is the NCAA tournament and literally anything can happen, but I watched probably 5 Tennessee games this season when I was forced to, b/c they were on TV.  It literally saddened me to remember how filthy they used to be w/ Chris Lofton and Bruce Pearl.  There was one game, no lie, they looked the worst team I had ever seen play this season.  I forget if it was vs. Florida or KEntucky, and I know both are good teams and a lot has changed, but they were down like 25 at one point in 1st half and looked their guards were as capable of shooting as an elementary team.  That is just my take on the UM vs. Tenn.  game, and honestly I won’t be surprised if it’s a tight game, I mean it’s March Madness, but I would be surprised w/ a Tennesse victory.

 

Kentucky vs. Louisville in my opinion is a little more difficult to gauge an outcome, because if you tell me you know what kind of performance either team will show on the court tomorrow I do not believe you.  For some reason I just like Kentucky in this game.  They are clicking at the right time, and players like Randle and Young could cause some fits.  Not to say Russ Smith or Dieng cant as well there is just something about the hecticness of Louisville this last 2 games that worries me, and honestly they have displayed absolutely horrific basketball to watch, which I think most are shocked by.  I mean that Manhattan game was literally fast break w/ every player getting blocked then taking back the length, getting blocked, etc.  Or so it seemed for a while at the start.  I do think it will come down to experience, and in that case I would love to say Louisville ahs the edge.  But wouldn’t Wichita State of had an experience edge against Kentucky and it was a prime game for experience to translate to late/tight game win…and it didn’t Kentucky knocked down the big shot.  I am really starting to believe less and less in experience, and more in coach experience and players just coming into their own during the tourney.  I am taking Kentucky in this one, and to say I feel confident would be a complete lie, but that is the point of March Madness is it not?

One last thing on Michigan is Stauskas is their best player, and the dude has ice in his veins, but they are a COMPLETELY different team when GRIII is knocking down his mid range game (which idk why he loves so much), and when he actually attacks the basket like he should.  He really has a similiar problem as Tim Hardaway Jr. last year (not comparing player skills), where he is the most athletic player on the court but refuses to drive half the time….but he is no Tim Hardaway Jr. sadly.

Anyways that is my little pre-class analysis for the morning, and I am damn excited to get March Madness going again.  

 

 

 

 

 

[drice4life1753Participant]

 I’m sorry I just do not see Tennessee beating Michigan.  People love to pick the under dog and ESPECIALLY when the other team relies on 3’s, for some reason people feel safer choosing against that team.  It sounds nice that the big team will give Michigan fits, and yes some big teams have been a pain in the ass for them, but NO team in a very long time can spread the floor like this team and make quick (dangerous) cross court passes resulting in not just good 3’s, but literally wide open shots for everyone not named Stauskas, and he has proved he hardly needs to be open.  Despite size every player on Michigan hustles harder than any other team for offensive boards, besides Florida and Louisville and half of Louisville’s hustle is due to Russ Smith being straight out of control half the time….but that’s besides the point. I think there will be a point in this game similiar to Michigan vs. Texas where Michigan just pulls away.  Also, I do know this is the NCAA tournament and literally anything can happen, but I watched probably 5 Tennessee games this season when I was forced to, b/c they were on TV.  It literally saddened me to remember how filthy they used to be w/ Chris Lofton and Bruce Pearl.  There was one game, no lie, they looked the worst team I had ever seen play this season.  I forget if it was vs. Florida or KEntucky, and I know both are good teams and a lot has changed, but they were down like 25 at one point in 1st half and looked their guards were as capable of shooting as an elementary team.  That is just my take on the UM vs. Tenn.  game, and honestly I won’t be surprised if it’s a tight game, I mean it’s March Madness, but I would be surprised w/ a Tennesse victory.

 

Kentucky vs. Louisville in my opinion is a little more difficult to gauge an outcome, because if you tell me you know what kind of performance either team will show on the court tomorrow I do not believe you.  For some reason I just like Kentucky in this game.  They are clicking at the right time, and players like Randle and Young could cause some fits.  Not to say Russ Smith or Dieng cant as well there is just something about the hecticness of Louisville this last 2 games that worries me, and honestly they have displayed absolutely horrific basketball to watch, which I think most are shocked by.  I mean that Manhattan game was literally fast break w/ every player getting blocked then taking back the length, getting blocked, etc.  Or so it seemed for a while at the start.  I do think it will come down to experience, and in that case I would love to say Louisville ahs the edge.  But wouldn’t Wichita State of had an experience edge against Kentucky and it was a prime game for experience to translate to late/tight game win…and it didn’t Kentucky knocked down the big shot.  I am really starting to believe less and less in experience, and more in coach experience and players just coming into their own during the tourney.  I am taking Kentucky in this one, and to say I feel confident would be a complete lie, but that is the point of March Madness is it not?

One last thing on Michigan is Stauskas is their best player, and the dude has ice in his veins, but they are a COMPLETELY different team when GRIII is knocking down his mid range game (which idk why he loves so much), and when he actually attacks the basket like he should.  He really has a similiar problem as Tim Hardaway Jr. last year (not comparing player skills), where he is the most athletic player on the court but refuses to drive half the time….but he is no Tim Hardaway Jr. sadly.

Anyways that is my little pre-class analysis for the morning, and I am damn excited to get March Madness going again.  

 

 

 

 

 

[samosasParticipant]

(prefaced with I’m a Kentucky fan)

Louisville’s guards have trouble shooting over Kentucky’s guards and launch too many threes.  Harrel of Van Treese get into early foul trouble trying to stop Johnson and Randle.  Louisville has trouble rebounding out of their zone, and Kentucky takes is 71 – 64.  Look for Kentucky to limit the number of possessions and go deeper into the shot clock than normal.  

Tennessee realizes they are Tennessee and can’t buy a bucket and Michigan wins one where the scorer is closer than the game actually was 78-66.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[samosasParticipant]

(prefaced with I’m a Kentucky fan)

Louisville’s guards have trouble shooting over Kentucky’s guards and launch too many threes.  Harrel of Van Treese get into early foul trouble trying to stop Johnson and Randle.  Louisville has trouble rebounding out of their zone, and Kentucky takes is 71 – 64.  Look for Kentucky to limit the number of possessions and go deeper into the shot clock than normal.  

Tennessee realizes they are Tennessee and can’t buy a bucket and Michigan wins one where the scorer is closer than the game actually was 78-66.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[RUN TMCParticipant]

 I could see either one of these guys giving UK fits, but I don’t think that UK is going to have to worry about Dieng like drice mentioned, as he will be in minnesota playing the lakers.

[RUN TMCParticipant]

 I could see either one of these guys giving UK fits, but I don’t think that UK is going to have to worry about Dieng like drice mentioned, as he will be in minnesota playing the lakers.

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