Well, we're in! 3 seed to face 6th Boise State on Tuesday night in the Huntsman Center. No risk of running into the Provo Cougs until Madison Square Gardens, which I think would actually be a pretty fun game at that point. Probability: low.
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or, the Not Invited Tournament...
Round 1
Syracuse -15 UNCG
Monmouth -2 Ole Miss
Indiana -10 Georgia Tech
Georgia -9 Belmont
----------
Iowa -11 South Dakota
TCU -11 Fresno State
Alabama -7 Richmond
Clemson -10 Oakland
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California -11 UCSB
Colorado St -4 Charleston
BYU -5 UT-SA
Houston -10 Akron
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Illinois St -11 UC Irvine
Central Florida -2 Colorado
Utah -10 Boise State
Illinois -6 Valparaiso
Round 2
Syracuse -9 Monmouth
Georgia -- Indiana
Iowa -- TCU
Clemson -6 Alabama
California -9 Colorado St
Houston -6 BYU
Illinois St -5 Central Florida
Utah -- Illinois
Round 3
Syracuse -5 Georgia or Indiana -1 Syracuse
California -2 Houston
Clemson -- Iowa or Clemson -- TCU
Illinois St -1 Utah or Illinois St -1 Illinois
Final 4
Syracuse -1 California or Indiana -2 California
Clemson -2 Illinois St or Illinois St -1 Iowa or TCU -2 Illinois St
FINALS
Syracuse -1 Clemson
Syracuse -2 Illinois St
Syracuse -1 TCU
Indiana -2 Clemson
Indiana -3 Illinois St
Indiana -2 TCU
So the way this works is my computer predicts the line, the first 3 rounds utilize the home advantage (higher seed gets home)
If the score prediction is less than 1 the line is --
The next round I predict either team vs the predicted other team. Got it?
Essentially Syracuse or Indiana are favored to come out of the one side.
Clemson, Illinois State and TCU are favored to come out of the other side.
If Utah didn't have to play at Illinois State in the third round I would have them favored, in fact, take out home court and my computer predicts Indiana -1 Utah in the championship game.
Anything can happen but the odds aren't against Utah.
I said at the start of the year that I would be happy if this team made the NIT, so I will be at the JMHC Tuesday night. Anyone else going?
I had the same thought. I was very uninterested in a first or second round game against BYU in either Provo or SLC, but....Originally Posted by Dwight Schr-Ute
playing them in MSG in the NIT final would be kind of fun and an interesting footnote in the rivalry.
(Do they still do the third place/consolation game at the NIT final four? I kind of think they don't do it anymore, but I remember Utah playing it in the early Majerus years when we got hosed against Notre Dame in the NIT semifinal. Anyway, I think it would be absolutely hysterical if Utah and BYU played in that consolation game and Larry started the walkons).
If Utah wants it bad enough there is nothing scary in their bracket. But you never know what you are going to get with this team. I think they're equally likely to wheeze out against Boise as they are to make it to New York.
Or if Larry just forfeited the game.
Perhaps while Boise is in town, we can get a game on the schedule for next season. While we're at it, give Boheim a call and see if we can get the 'Cuse on the docket as well.
Hopefully the team makes some kind of showing here, if for no other reason than it's a long time until fall camp starts for football.
“It only ends once. Anything that happens before that is just progress.”
Well, because he thought it was good sport. Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.
Fill it with baseball, preferably Utah baseball. The guy in your avatar plays the game and isn't half bad.
“Children and dogs are as necessary to the welfare of the country as Wall Street and the railroads.” -- Harry S. Truman
"You never soar so high as when you stoop down to help a child or an animal." -- Jewish Proverb
"Three-time Pro Bowler Eric Weddle the most versatile, and maybe most intelligent, safety in the game." -- SI, 9/7/15, p. 107.
Do they show the Ute games on the P12 Networks?
I've gotta figure something out to catch the Nats this year...the stupid sports pack that claims to give you any game at any time doesn't really do that. Might have to invest in extra-innings.
“It only ends once. Anything that happens before that is just progress.”
Well, because he thought it was good sport. Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.
Espnu
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"Be a philosopher. A man can compromise to gain a point. It has become apparent that a man can, within limits, follow his inclinations within the arms of the Church if he does so discreetly." - The Walking Drum
"And here’s what life comes down to—not how many years you live, but how many of those years are filled with bullshit that doesn’t amount to anything to satisfy the requirements of some dickhead you’ll never get the pleasure of punching in the face." – Adam Carolla
Sorry, I meant the baseball games. Getting ready to give the Pac 12 Networks the heave-ho until August. We'll get back on track in this thread.
“It only ends once. Anything that happens before that is just progress.”
Well, because he thought it was good sport. Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.
My son has a game at the same time, so I'll be recording it.
Just to be clear, I'm recording the Utah game.
Utah Baseball games are fantastic to attend. One of my favorite spring time activities.
Aren't season passes like $25 for five? No brainer.
Illinois State head coach with an awesome tweet:
I'm glad LK is our coach. But I'm weary of this reasoning--which I don't get--that the season's a success if you beat low expectations. Isn't part of the job to avoid low expectations in the first place, especially after five years as coach?
One thing I have learned in a long life: that all our science, measured against reality, is primitive and childlike -- and yet it is the most precious thing we have.
--Albert Einstein
The fact that life evolved out of nearly nothing, some 10 billion years after the universe evolved out of literally nothing, is a fact so staggering that I would be mad to attempt words to do it justice.
--Richard Dawkins
Be kind to all, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle.
--Philo
That's awesome. Go for it Larry, get the Redbirds on the slate next year!
“It only ends once. Anything that happens before that is just progress.”
Well, because he thought it was good sport. Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.
You raise an interesting point here. I think that it is probably more about managing expectations than being satisfied that they beat low expectations. When the schedule came out, seems to me that it was a pretty clear sign that the coaching staff was trying to manage their expectations for this season. I mean, Larry has essentially said that everything Pre-Colette and Barefield pretty much doesn't count.
It seems that in any year when you lose the production that we did, just out of the graduates/NBA draft picks, you are going to take a step back, which is fine, but on top of that we saw a significant number of transfers out etc...which, that can be fine too, as we didn't lose a ton of production, but then you ask "Well why did we recruit so and so in the first place..." and so the cycle goes. That is where I think many placed the low expectations. You couple that with three programs being elite this year in the league, and the 4th seed was probably the ceiling given the grand canyon gap between the top 3 and the rest of the league.
Given all of that, do I think they exceeded the managed expectations? I do. But the 4th seed still sort of felt like "Co-South Champs" from a year ago in football. So I'm not sure where that leaves this team.
I do think they need to show something in the NIT. There is no reason that they can't come out of their little pod of 4 with Boise, Illinois (fired coach) and Valpo.
“It only ends once. Anything that happens before that is just progress.”
Well, because he thought it was good sport. Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.
I don't know how I feel about where I should put expectations on K. On the one hand, the program was a mess when he came, and this year was the first year he was a bonafide PAC-12 team, full of PAC-12 players and PAC-12 depth. BUT, part of that was his fault. He ran off some talented guys, which set him back a year or two.
I think this is where I stand:
I'm happy with K. I think he has done a good job. There are ways he needs to get better, but I feel good with him here. I do think Tournament is a must for next year.
I always find it puzzling that a coach doesn't make it to the tournament one year and we are making proclamations that next year is a 'must'. Majerus didn't make the tournament each year (and one might argue that some of the things he did like leaving the team for periods of time for health and personal concerns actually set the team back). Its gonna happen in college basketball.
Notable historically great teams that are in the NIT this year:
Indiana
Syracuse
Utah
Illinois
Among others...
Things swing a lot on very few players. Pick up Markanan (sp) and suddenly we are one of the top seeds this year.
Yet, we didn't.
I think if K doesn't make the tournament next year, brining back everyone from the #4 PAC-12 team, with future NBA player Kuzma, etc, then he deserves any criticism he gets.
So, yeah, proclamations of we "must" make a tournament are justified. I'd be shocked if we didn't make a tourney next year.
It's funny what you pick up out of my post.
If Kuzma bolts, the odds might be pretty good that we dont make it. Hope I am wrong, but I would be very surprised if he comes back. I just dont see a reason for him to return; it wont improve his draft stock.
If Kuzma bolts, then things change and expectations would change. I don't think Kuzma would bolt, nor do I think it would be a good idea. He can get drafted in the first round if he comes back and improves on this year. If he leaves early, he is a second rounder, borderline making a roster guy. He could easily be a late first round pick if comes back better. If he comes back and hits 40% of his threes, he could make it as a lottery pick. There are MILLIONS of reasons for him to come back. Especially with how good of a big man coach K is. Million of guaranteed reasons. If he bolts this year, there is nothing guaranteed.
It would not be a smart move to leave this year, and if he left and we had more transfers, then I would be ok with a lot of heat on K.
BUT, I don't think that happens. I think K is a great coach. I like what he is building here. This was a down year. No one thought we'd make the tournament, yet we finished fourth in the PAC-12.
We overachieved. It's fantastic.
Going forward, this is what I think: The NIT is irrelevant. I don't care if Utah loses game one or wins its all. It would be nice to add another kid, preferably a PG.
Keep this team together. If we can do those things, we will be a top 4 PAC-12 team, a top 8 NCAA tournament seed, and everyone will be happy again.
I think K should back off the 5 star kids a little and go after some more highly talented 3 and 4 star kids. After he gets to where we are consistently putting kids in the NBA (which he should already be there. Kuzma will go and Johnson and Daniels have potential to go) and making the tournament and win the PAC-12, then the 5 star kids will come.
I wasn't responding to just you, others have said similar things over the season.
I agree that Kuzma has lots of reasons to stay, but unless there is massive improvement across the board I don't see Kuzma ever being a lottery pick. Poeltl was as 9 pick and his skill as a soph, let alone his upside isn't even on the same scale as Kuz. Hey, I'd love for that to happen, but just don't see it in the realm of possibility.
Over the last two seasons, we have played the combo of Arizona/ASU and USC/UCLA both just once. Given that we probably add H/H games with all of those schools next year, that provides Kuzma with a number of in-conference showcase type games, where, you could easily see his stock go up. Add to that some of the other games on the schedule we know of (Butler, Xavier, Ole Miss, BYU) and I think Kuz has every reason to come back.
As for the NIT, I believe that it matters for the young guys. Daniels has been on a milk carton for the better part of a month, so it would be nice to see him regroup a little bit, and, IF we get this whole squad back next year, I'll take as much live work for them as possible.
“It only ends once. Anything that happens before that is just progress.”
Well, because he thought it was good sport. Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.
excellent point.
I'll give Krysko a mulligan this year, simply because he's never been a head coach this long at the same place and he did deal with the big C in the off-season.
BTW...Ole Miss has already answered this challenge.
“It only ends once. Anything that happens before that is just progress.”
Well, because he thought it was good sport. Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.
Seniors generally don't improve their stock, certainly not anywhere close to the lottery.
There isn't one senior in Draft Express's latest mock draft, which has Kuzma at 51, and the highest senior as the first pick in the second round:
http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-mock-draft/2017/
This nba draft mock has Kuzma at 32 this year, higher than any senior (first senior at 37).
http://www.nbadraft.net/2017mock_draft
If Kuzma isnt a first rounder this year, he most likely wont be next year.
That is pretty amazing. What would college b-ball be like if everyone played 4 years...
Buddy Hield went 6 last year as a senior, and somebody else went in the 20's. Kaminsky was a first rounder as a senior, but not lottery. They are the exceptions.
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