2022 NCAA Basketball Discussion Thread

[muon2]

As busted as the brackets are after the first round, there are surprisingly few upsets. By an upset I mean a lower seed defeating a higher seed, except when they are adjacent seed which are statistically tossups. I've been tracking upset rates since the early 1990's and I've found most years have around a 25% upset rate. The first round had only 5 upsets in 28 games (8 vs 9 games don't count). That's 2 less than last year which was right on average with 7 upsets in the first round, before jumping up to 5 upsets out of 14 second round games.

The second round had 3 upsets in 14 relevant games that could have an upset. The typical 25% would be 3.5, so 3 upsets is a statistically likely result. Combining both rounds there have been 8 upsets in 42 games for a rate of 19% - below historical averages but less so than after the first round.

[Sol]

Duke Eliminated ha

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

KY doesn't have Anthony Davis and he was overrated as I lived in Los Angeles, he only helped win one title LeBron wanted multiple titles when he came to LA they are just like the Rams whom gave away Ramsey and Dodgers whom gave away everyone

DUBS with Curry are still the best CA team

As I said my best bracket was MICH ST V ALA AND ZAGS V TX AND THIS YR YR ZAGS, ALA OR HOUSTON CAN WIN

[NewYorkExpress]

Georgetown is expected to announce the hire of Providence Head Coach Ed Cooley to fill their Head Coaching vacancy.

This is a fantastic hire for the Hoyas, especially since Cooley doesn't have ties to the John Thompson era. Change was needed at Georgetown, and it looks like they will get it.

Best guesses for the next Head Coach at Providence

Vermont Head Coach John Becker
Princeton Head Coach Mitch Henderson
Florida Atlantic Head Coach Dusty May
Penn State Head Coach Micah Shrewsberry
Farliegh Dickinson Head Coach Tobin Anderson

[Orwell]

Anyone have a prediction for MSU vs KSU battle of the land grant universities. MSU has struggled badly with shooting the 3, but has dominated some really good guards in the tournament Tyler Kolek (Big East POTY) and Boogie Ellis (1st team all-PAC12). Nowell is a hell of a point guard and Kansas State is a helluva team.

[NewYorkExpress]

Anyone have a prediction for MSU vs KSU battle of the land grant universities. MSU has struggled badly with shooting the 3, but has dominated some really good guards in the tournament Tyler Kolek (Big East POTY) and Boogie Ellis (1st team all-PAC12). Nowell is a hell of a point guard and Kansas State is a helluva team.

I try to avoid betting against Tom Izzo in March.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

St. Francis Brooklyn has cut its athletic department after selling the campus building with the gym. I am positively heartbroken as their endeavor to finally get an invite to the dance has kept me going all these years.

Glad I got to go to a half dozen games there which I will never forget. I always dreamed that they would make a conference championship that would result in a family road trip in the next 10-25 years to cement my finest basketball memory, but finances got them first and the school may not be far behind.

The 2015 NEC title game shall be the farthest they ever reach.

I think I may have a new Saddest Day of My Life

[NewYorkExpress]

Iona Head Coach Rick Pitino has officially agreed to a deal with St. John's.

Fantastic hire, and should keep Madison Square Garden/Carnesecca Arena packed every home game, no matter how well the team's doing next season.

[NewYorkExpress]

https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/1637846164119883778

Interesting spot for Brey to end up if true. I think he has family attending USF, which would explain the move, but I'm not sure why he'd want to go to one of the worst programs in AAC currently (though, I suppose, Charlotte and Rice, which are joining next year are worse).

There probably were better options available for Brey if he wanted to continue coaching (Texas Tech, Providence, plausibly Penn State if Micah Shrewsbury leaves. Hell, Iona's arguably a better option than USF!)

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/1637846164119883778
Interesting spot for Brey to end up if true. I think he has family attending USF, which would explain the move, but I'm not sure why he'd want to go to one of the worst programs in AAC currently (though, I suppose, Charlotte and Rice, which are joining next year are worse).

There probably were better options available for Brey if he wanted to continue coaching (Texas Tech, Providence, plausibly Penn State if Micah Shrewsbury leaves. Hell, Iona's arguably a better option than USF!)

Maybe he just wants the warm weather.

[NewYorkExpress]

https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/1637846164119883778
Interesting spot for Brey to end up if true. I think he has family attending USF, which would explain the move, but I'm not sure why he'd want to go to one of the worst programs in AAC currently (though, I suppose, Charlotte and Rice, which are joining next year are worse).

There probably were better options available for Brey if he wanted to continue coaching (Texas Tech, Providence, plausibly Penn State if Micah Shrewsbury leaves. Hell, Iona's arguably a better option than USF!)

Maybe he just wants the warm weather.

He could go to Texas Tech if he wants warm weather.

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/1637846164119883778
Interesting spot for Brey to end up if true. I think he has family attending USF, which would explain the move, but I'm not sure why he'd want to go to one of the worst programs in AAC currently (though, I suppose, Charlotte and Rice, which are joining next year are worse).

There probably were better options available for Brey if he wanted to continue coaching (Texas Tech, Providence, plausibly Penn State if Micah Shrewsbury leaves. Hell, Iona's arguably a better option than USF!)

Maybe he just wants the warm weather.

He could go to Texas Tech if he wants warm weather.

https://weatherspark.com/m/4735/1/Average-Weather-in-January-in-Lubbock-Texas-United-States

[NewYorkExpress]

https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/1637846164119883778
Interesting spot for Brey to end up if true. I think he has family attending USF, which would explain the move, but I'm not sure why he'd want to go to one of the worst programs in AAC currently (though, I suppose, Charlotte and Rice, which are joining next year are worse).

There probably were better options available for Brey if he wanted to continue coaching (Texas Tech, Providence, plausibly Penn State if Micah Shrewsbury leaves. Hell, Iona's arguably a better option than USF!)

Maybe he just wants the warm weather.

He could go to Texas Tech if he wants warm weather.

https://weatherspark.com/m/4735/1/Average-Weather-in-January-in-Lubbock-Texas-United-States

Still warmer than South Bend in January.

[Orwell]

https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/1637846164119883778
Interesting spot for Brey to end up if true. I think he has family attending USF, which would explain the move, but I'm not sure why he'd want to go to one of the worst programs in AAC currently (though, I suppose, Charlotte and Rice, which are joining next year are worse).

There probably were better options available for Brey if he wanted to continue coaching (Texas Tech, Providence, plausibly Penn State if Micah Shrewsbury leaves. Hell, Iona's arguably a better option than USF!)

Maybe he just wants the warm weather.

He could go to Texas Tech if he wants warm weather.

https://weatherspark.com/m/4735/1/Average-Weather-in-January-in-Lubbock-Texas-United-States

Still warmer than South Bend in January.

Yea but you still have to live in Lubbock

[NewYorkExpress]

Iona moves quickly to replace Rick Pitino, is hiring Fairleigh Dickinson Head Coach Tobin Anderson.

Anderson is the coaching darling of the country right now, and might well have been able to get an even better job than Iona if he'd waited a bit longer (Penn State if Micah Shrewsbury left, for instance, wouldn't have been implausible). That said, Iona is one of the best jobs available at the mid-major level, and it would be a disappointment if Anderson isn't able to turn this into a major conference job in a couple of years.

[Orwell]

Iona moves quickly to replace Rick Pitino, is hiring Fairleigh Dickinson Head Coach Tobin Anderson.

Anderson is the coaching darling of the country right now, and might well have been able to get an even better job than Iona if he'd waited a bit longer (Penn State if Micah Shrewsbury left, for instance, wouldn't have been implausible). That said, Iona is one of the best jobs available at the mid-major level, and it would be a disappointment if Anderson isn't able to turn this into a major conference job in a couple of years.

This is also not just an overreaction by Iona for 1 win, Anderson turned FDU from winning 4 games last season to 22 this season. He also had like a .780 winning % at the Division 2 level.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Iona moves quickly to replace Rick Pitino, is hiring Fairleigh Dickinson Head Coach Tobin Anderson.

Anderson is the coaching darling of the country right now, and might well have been able to get an even better job than Iona if he'd waited a bit longer (Penn State if Micah Shrewsbury left, for instance, wouldn't have been implausible). That said, Iona is one of the best jobs available at the mid-major level, and it would be a disappointment if Anderson isn't able to turn this into a major conference job in a couple of years.

This is also not just an overreaction by Iona for 1 win, Anderson turned FDU from winning 4 games last season to 22 this season. He also had like a .780 winning % at the Division 2 level.

I appreciate the context. I knew about the turnaround but still felt Iona could do more. The NEC is really, really unimpressive so it does not take too much for that feat alone. I tried research how tournament darling coaches have performed at their next schools, but I was only able to find the names of those who didn't take a new opportunity. I guess Andy Enfield and Ryan Odom are the best examples of recent comps, and they turned into pretty solid gets, though jury is still out.


Greg Paulus, Baker Dunleavy and John Dunne will all be entering their pivotal make-or-break years at their schools and may prove tough competition at inferior programs. But maybe Iona has a down year and one of these guys take the title (and another fired for not meeting expectations), allowing Tobin Anderson to lead a resurgent Iona in 2-3 years. Very good opportunity for him.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Wichita State has reportedly hired Oral Roberts coach Paul Mills.  Good hire.

[NewYorkExpress]

Wichita State has reportedly hired Oral Roberts coach Paul Mills.  Good hire.

Yeah, this is a good hire, but Wichita State probably could have done better than a coach with only two appearances in any postseason tournament to his name. They are supposed to be one the best mid-major programs (yes, the AAC is a mid-major conference, especially with Houston leaving), and they could have gotten a bigger name, possibly a Chris Mack (he's been out of coaching for a while, and he really should have gotten an offer from someone) or possibly a Mike Rhodes.

[NewYorkExpress]

Wofford has removed the interim tag from Dwight Perry.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Yeah College isn't the same like Professional Ball Dubs have Curry whom had Curry and Klay Thompson the Splash Bros and Bulls with MJ he did shoot the three and Bulls had Pippen, Paxon, Kerr and Rodman and Horace Grant but Grant deserted the Bulls when Jordan retired.

Kentucky had Anthony Davis he is a disappointed because Westbrook didn't work out and Warriors are still winning and had Kevin Durant

The zags may indeed win the NCAA Tournament, but so can Houston, Alabama, Miami and Mich St as I said my best bracket was Zags bracket Duke is not the same team as Coach K in the Tournament I will remember that from now on, eventhough they appear to be in regular season

That's why Ohio State hasn't won a title since 2015 with Zeke Elliott and Zeke Elliott era is over in Dallas I won't be rooting for Dallas anymore but part of it is Dak Prescott too

How many 3s does Westbrook or Anthony Davis shoot compared to Curry, Klay, Jordan, Pippen, Paxon, and Kerr very few and Curry is close to Reggie Miller

[NewYorkExpress]

Notre Dame is hiring Penn State Head Coach Micah Shrewsbury to fill their vacancy.

On some level, Shrewsbury is also one of the darlings of the NCAA Tournament this season, as before he got to Penn State the Nittany Lions were usually at the bottom of the Big Ten (except in Pat Chambers's final season in 2019-20). This is a very good hire for the Fighting Irish.

My best guesses as to who will be the next head coach of the Nittany Lions:

Princeton Head Coach Mitch Henderson
Florida Atlantic Head Coach Dusty May
Colgate Head Coach Matt Langel
Toledo Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk
Kent State Head Coach Rob Senderoff

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

College Basketball is extremely weak even College Football where are the Curry, Anthony Davis, stars out there we have stars but no MJ or Drew Brees

That's why NC, Duke and KY are weak no Jordans and Anthony Davis was overrated he did win 1 just like Mookie Betts was overrated what I mean by overrated is H of fame not All Star and certainly not a scrub

Lebron and Curry can retire mow they are Billionaire athletes

[GeorgiaModerate]

Repicking the Sweet Sixteen, since my original bracket looks like the Hindenburg:

Michigan State over Kansas State
UConn over Arkansas
Tennessee over FAU
Gonzaga over UCLA

Alabama over San Diego State
Houston over Miami
Creighton over Princeton
Texas over Xavier

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

I predict Houston or Alabama goes down this weekend