2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

[Derwin0]

Well, the tournament is underway, and #2 seed Kentucky lost in OT during the first round.

What happened to Kentucky against Saint Peter's, and what's next for the Wildcats?

The first No. 2 seed is off the board. ESPN's college basketball writers broke down what went wrong for Kentucky -- and right for Saint Peter's.

www.espn.com

 

[Yespage]

Always got to cheer for the MAAC entry. St. Peters wasn't supposed to be that team this year and kind of walked through an easy MAAC tournament. But, they knocked off a weakish Kentucky. Iona was the #1 seed, but lost to a mediocre Rider.

Iona went to the NIT and despite going into the half up by 7, lost in the end to Florida. St. Peters has Murray St, so at least one team is crashing The Sweet 16.

 

[SamCdbs]

If you watched the game, and the post game press conference, you understand UK’s problem. Not just this year, but this era.

In the game you had players, grossly lower in talent level but who had played together and been coached up together for four years. They knew each other’s styles, where they would be on the court, etc. Contrasted to UK, whose players have been on mix after mix after remix of AAU and fake HS teams since they were 12, most of whom had never played together until last November and who will never play together again. While going out in the first round is a huge upset, this always happens. Eventually teamwork and maturity beats skill.

 

[Yespage]

Peacocks to the Sweet 16! I think that might be the deepest a MAAC team has ever made it. Jaspers came close in 1995. That second half against Arizona State was tough to watch. Congrats to St. Peter's! They are doing much better than my bracket.

 

[Foxbat]

Peacocks to the Sweet 16! I think that might be the deepest a MAAC team has ever made it. Jaspers came close in 1995. That second half against Arizona State was tough to watch. Congrats to St. Peter's! They are doing much better than my bracket.

I watched the Texas and Purdue game Sunday night and it should be an interesting game to see if Saint Peter’s can disrupt Purdue’s key players. I’m running late this morning because I couldn’t leave my in-Laws’ house until it was over!

 

[Yespage]

Thank goodness Purdue won. My bracket has more red than La Tomatina.

I was uncertain about the MAAC claim, because I recall La Salle maybe being in the MAAC back when they had Lionel Simmons. They did and were, but like Manhattan College, they lost in a tight Round of 32 match up. St. Peter's manages due to their entire lineup being consistent in talent.

It is funny, because of all of the MAAC teams to do this, this St. Peters team isn't on par with the best the MAAC have had to offer, but again, if you are a 15 seed, that second round game is a lot easier to win. But you need to pull off a crazy upset. So, a little more red on my bracket won't matter. Go MAAC!

 

[Yespage]

Meanwhile, here is a name (Charlie Moore) to memorize for trivia games.

He has committed to Memphis (November 2015). He has decommitted from Memphis because the coaches left (April 2016). He has committed to California (May 2016). He has transferred from California because the coach left (April 2017). He has transferred to Kansas (April 2017). He has sat out a season (2017-18). He has transferred from Kansas to be closer to home (April 2019). He has transferred to DePaul (April 2019). He has transferred from DePaul because the coach got canned (April 2021).

He has transferred to Miami (April 2021) which, for those scoring at home, appeared on his shortlist of eight schools back in April 2016, weeks after he decommitted from Memphis and weeks before he committed to California.

Players that have won NCAA Tourney games with multiple schools is not common. He has only won with two schools (so it isn't as if he has won Tourney games at all 4) in the NCAA Tourney and has an NIT loss as well, but to play for four colleges?! Yipes!

For more trivia, Bob Bender played in the NCAA Finals for Indiana (won) and Duke (loss), not the same game.

 

[Yespage]

And now for a moment of silence regarding my bracket. It apparently never had a chance. *somber*

 

[Derwin0]

I learned long ago to always picks Dook to get into the Final 4.

So far Kentucky is my only pick to be eliminated (others were Dook, Villanova & Kansas).

 

[Jimbo]

Looks like St. Peters will WIN against Purdue tonight.

 

[Foxbat]

Looks like St. Peters will WIN against Purdue tonight.

St. Peters pretty much controlled the gameplay the whole time. Painter didn’t have an answer to the full-court pressure. Plus Edey and Williams aren’t used to having their shots in the paint blocked, let alone contested.

 

[Don in CT]

Looks like St. Peters will WIN against Purdue tonight.

I don’t rule them out against North Carolina.

 

[Yespage]

Man. I originally picked Villanova then swapped to Gonzaga v Kansas with Kansas winning. Then swapped to Gonzaga. Still wondering if Kansas in the final is enough to win the pool.

St. Peters to represent the MAAC today in the Elite Eight. Facing off against great coaching so this should end the ride. But there is a reason they play the games.

 

[Derwin0]

Due to getting 3 out of 4 into the final 4, I've pretty much locked up the win for my work pool.