Big loses in conference tourneys today

[Gator2753]

#3 UCLA goes down in OT to Cal giving them their 5th loss of the season. UCLA has not been sharp as of late, losing their final season game at unranked Washington. (If UF can make it to the SEC finals they should take UCLA's place for a #1 seed)

Also the "Dook" blue devils lost in OT to NC State today. I actually dont consider this an upset as Duke has lost 7 of their last 11 games,

And if you consider this an upset, Miami knocked off #16 Maryland, one of the hottest teams in college basketball.


This is why I love March!

[gatorunvrsty]

I definitely consider that ThugU game an upset. Maryland had won like 7 or 8 in a row coming in, and Miami was 11-19, or something like that. I watched the Maryland game, and they were lost. I mean awful. At one point DURING the game they only had 4 players on the court, and none of the coaches or players noticed for about a minute or two. That's unbelievable and unacceptable at this point in the season. Hell, I was watching the game on T.V., and kept saying why do they only have 4 guys on the floor? UCLA might just cough up a #1 seed for us. We just need to do our part. The door's been flung wide open.

[BamaFanNKy]

And LSU beat UT. Which most (including me) thought UT was one of the hottest teams coming out of reg. season.

[BamaDude06]

Also the "Dook" blue devils lost in OT to NC State today. I actually dont consider this an upset as Duke has lost 7 of their last 11 games,



Duke started the season 13-1 in OOC play and were ranked top 5. They went 8-8 in conference play and lost in the first round of the ACC tourney.

Alabama started the season 13-1 in OOC play and were ranked top 5. They went 7-9 in conference play and lost in the forst round in the SEC tourney.

Duke *still* isn't even considered a bubble team (ESPN had them a SEVEN seed yesterday) yet Alabama, according to the experts, needed to make the SEC finals to get an at large bid.


People say what you did in the past doesn't matter in sports? Yes it does.

[Chivas]

Duke's OOC schedule > Alabama's

[BamaFanNKy]

DUKE PLAYED NO ONE ON THE ROAD!!!! Their best Neutral site win? Air Force. Yes they play a better schedule...... AT HOME. Duke has played 1 non-conf games in 3 years on the road. AT IU! Duke's schedule is weak.
I am not saying Bama is great.... but Duke does not deserve it either.

[Gator2753]

Dike will be exposed in the NCAAT this year. I dont think they will make it to the sweet 16

[uscrebel]

Duke lost in the first round with a starting post player suspended. He will be back for the tournament.

Alabama lost in the first round with a more or less crippled Steele who will not be better until next year.

I'm not saying that I like Dook, but their resume IS a bit different than Bama's.

[BamaFanNKy]

The point is more Duke is equally deserving of an NIT bid. Not Bama deserves NCAA.

[gatorunvrsty]

Duke is also ranked in the Top 20.

[BamaFanNKy]

Are they ranked 20 because of talent or name?

[gatorunvrsty]

Are they ranked 20 because of talent or name?

They're actually 21, and it's because of schedule.

[BamaFanNKy]

What tough game did they play on the road?

[uscrebel]

The point is more Duke is equally deserving of an NIT bid. Not Bama deserves NCAA.

No. The point is that Duke's player will be back creating the possibility that they might actually win a game in the tournament. Alabama's player will still be injured.

Of these two undeserving teams, Duke is less undeserving.

[gatorunvrsty]

What tough game did they play on the road?

You sure have got a thing for road games; football and basketball.:happy: You bring that up in almost every post or thread. Who cares? I don't follow ACC basketball that much, but I'm sure they had to play road games in their conference, just like Bama. The reason they'll go before Bama is because they're starting out ranked higher in the polls. Simple as that. Whether it's deserved or not is irrelevant. I know fans of the West teams are disappointed by having such poor road records, but that's the teams' faults; not the voters'. All right; I'll play along. Duke played: Marquette, Air Force, Gonzaga, GT, N.C. State, Virginia, Miami, Maryland, BC, Clemson, St. John's, and North Carolina on the road. 9 of those teams spent time in the Top 25 this year. 4 are still in it. Happy?:happy:

[BamaFanNKy]

True road games OOC..... zero.

[gatorunvrsty]

True road games OOC..... zero.

Air Force just fell out of the Top 25 this week, and Marquette is #18.

EDIT: I just looked at Bama's OOC road schedule, and they only played one decent team. Notre Dame. Combine that with only a few in-conference opponents in the Top 25, and I don't even see why there's an argument. Compared to Duke, Bama didn't have a tough schedule at all. Bama only had to play the tough SEC teams once, because they were in the East division. Duke had to play their tough opponents twice in most cases.

[BamaFanNKy]

Air Force and Marquette..... Neutral site. Not road.

[gatorunvrsty]

Air Force and Marquette..... Neutral site. Not road.

Of course they're on neutral sites. Almost all OOC games are on neutral sites because they're at preseason tournaments. That's why we have conferences. To play teams in our region. OOC games are what happens in bowl games for football; and the NCAA and NIT tournaments for basketball. That's the whole point. You get to see how your team and conference stack up against the others at the end of the seasons. If your team doesn't do well enough in your own conference, you don't get to find out how well they'd do against teams from another conference. You have to take care of your own back yard business to get the opportunity to challenge other conferences.

[BamaDude06]

Of course they're on neutral sites. Almost all OOC games are on neutral sites because they're at preseason tournaments. That's why we have conferences. To play teams in our region. OOC games are what happens in bowl games for football; and the NCAA and NIT tournaments for basketball. That's the whole point. You get to see how your team and conference stack up against the others at the end of the seasons. If your team doesn't do well enough in your own conference, you don't get to find out how well they'd do against teams from another conference. You have to take care of your own back yard business to get the opportunity to challenge other conferences.

Duke played 15 OOC games. 12 were played at home, 3 Neutral site. Bama played 14 OOC games. 8 were home, 4 Neutral Site, 2 away. Duke is top 25 on name alone right now. I'm not arguing for Bama to be in the NCAA, but Duke doesn't belong there this season.