**OFFICIAL** pyonir-endorsed ATOT NCAA Tourney Pick'em!!

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Oct 19, 2000
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From watching UK play all season and being a sane die-hard UK fan, Wall definitely had some inconsistencies. I think he gets a fair nod for being the player of the year in college basketball, but I have no issues with him not winning it.

His biggest problem was turnovers and he doesn't impress as much in a half-court set offense than he does when they push they ball down the court, either after a turnover or defensive rebound. That's really where he shined, taking it to the basket and finishing a high percentage. Sometimes he's showed insane control of the ball even when he looked out of control, but he still made a lot of freshman mistakes that fortunately never really hurt us during the season. He's always seemed to be solid when he needed to be, late in games that were close.
 

Fingolfin269

Lifer
Feb 28, 2003
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That was a terrible last play by Tennessee.

Yeah he just bobbled the ball. %'s of actually hitting the shot were so low all it did was reduce the drama.....

GREAT game. Spartans, I'm rooting for you now. Anyone but Duke. :p As a UT fan I'm sad that we didn't make it to the Final Four but at the same time I thought the season was over on New Year's Day when all of that madness happened and our best player got kicked off the team. This turned out to be the best season we've had since I've been alive. Go Vols!
 

Engineer

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
39,230
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Go Spartans baby! Back to the Final Four!

Izzo has to be one of the best (if not the best) coaches in the last 15 years at getting his teams, both good and bad, to the final four. It's really amazing and I would not mind him winning another one. Actually, I wouldn't mind if WVU, Butler, MSU or Baylor won. Duke can suck it...I hope they go down. Duck Fuke.
 

Via

Diamond Member
Jan 14, 2009
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For any non-Duke fan, Duke games (especially in the toruney) are almost impossible to watch.

And I don't care about the official stats. Duke gets away with bumps, grabs, holds, and shoves all game long while the other teams gets called for touch fouls.
 

redgtxdi

Diamond Member
Jun 23, 2004
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Anybody know the song they played at one of the breaks???

Lyrics went something like, "We'll be the last ones standing.....etc.,etc."


It was before they played "hero" by skillet but can't find anything saying what music cbs used.

TIA

(P.S. Yes, I, too am a Duke hater. Always have been. Always will be.)
 

HopJokey

Platinum Member
May 6, 2005
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I will balance out the ledger here, I'm a lifelong Duke basketball fan. The team really overachieved this year and they really have a chance to win the whole thing. Any team does now, even Butler with home court advantage. Of course they got some breaks along the way, but they made the big shots when it counted and played consist, exceptional defense throughout the season. Their rebounding is a key as well; the past two years they lacked depth and size in the front court and were manhandled by bigger teams. Nolan Smith is really stepping up and becoming a star.

The biggest break that Duke has gotten (along with all the remaining teams left) is that this really is a down year in college basketball talent wise. The last two years the heavyweights dominated and won the tourney. This year I thought was going to be a rebuilding year for Duke and next year would be their year (when they get top recruit PG Kyle Irving) to make it to the Final Four and compete for a title.

WVU should be a tough game; Da'Sean Butler is a beast.
 

SpecialEd

Platinum Member
Jul 18, 2001
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wow! I just checked my bracket and I'm #1 in the ATOT group after week 2! Probably won't last.
 

SP33Demon

Lifer
Jun 22, 2001
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I will balance out the ledger here, I'm a lifelong Duke basketball fan. The team really overachieved this year and they really have a chance to win the whole thing. Any team does now, even Butler with home court advantage. Of course they got some breaks along the way, but they made the big shots when it counted and played consist, exceptional defense throughout the season. Their rebounding is a key as well; the past two years they lacked depth and size in the front court and were manhandled by bigger teams. Nolan Smith is really stepping up and becoming a star.

The biggest break that Duke has gotten (along with all the remaining teams left) is that this really is a down year in college basketball talent wise. The last two years the heavyweights dominated and won the tourney. This year I thought was going to be a rebuilding year for Duke and next year would be their year (when they get top recruit PG Kyle Irving) to make it to the Final Four and compete for a title.

WVU should be a tough game; Da'Sean Butler is a beast.

Yep, Duke certainly overachieved and were handed a gift of a #1 seed when the only top 25 team they beat all year was UMD. WVU should have easily gotten it over them (4 top 25 wins, some of the twice!) but we know how much the committee loves to suck coach K's %$## just like CBS did with Kentucky all day Saturday. Granted, Duke HAD never been tested by a truly good team aside from UMD. They were given a cupcake of a bracket until Baylor and stood up to the challenge, despite getting dominated in the paint. They have a good shot at winning if they can crack the 1-3-1 underneath b/c WVU isn't giving them free passes at the arc like they did with Kentucky b/c Duke has bonafide hustlers from behind the arc.

Yep for WVU Butler is a beast and may go to the NBA as a late pick. Devin Ebanks is a stud who can do it all: score from anywhere, run the court, rebound and block shots. Look for him to go in the first round next year once he develops a little more. Kevin Jones is extremely underrated and is their 2nd best scorer and rebounder (and can block shots too). Truck Bryant and Joe Mazzulla are both solid guards who are perimeter threats and have good passing/court vision. Kilicli gives them great size with agility in conjunction with smarts at Center/Forward to clog the lane off the bench. Wellington Smith is a solid defender off the bench and can pop the 3. Jonathan Flowers gives them good D with size off the bench, can score within the arc (although popped a rare 3 vs UK) and dish the rock.

It will pretty much come down to offensive rebounding and 3 point shooting in my opinion. Both teams excel at interior defense and both teams rebound well. The only team that outrebounded WVU in the past 10 wins were Georgetown and Kentucky and WVU still won both. Most of the close games WVU lost, they were either outrebounded or about even. The only team in Duke's past 10 was GT and Duke still won that. Whoever holds the rebounding edge will be a telling indicator of which team will most likely win.

All in all a great matchup that will probably be the game to watch of the tourney.
 
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ghost recon88

Diamond Member
Oct 2, 2005
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Less than 24 hours till tip off
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