NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Thread - 2018 Edition

[jbcarol]

[jbcarol]

ESPN Stats & Info
‏Verified account @ESPNStatsInfo
1h1 hour ago

Virginia's 20-point loss to UMBC was tied for the 3rd-worst loss by a 1-seed in NCAA Tournament history, regardless of opponent's seed.

[jbcarol]

Jeff Goodman
‏Verified account @GoodmanESPN
55m55 minutes ago

Here's a crazy stat: UMBC had failed to crack double-digit wins in the previous seven seasons before Ryan Odom arrived. Won 21 in his first year, 25 this season ... and counting.

[jbcarol]

Jeff Goodman
‏Verified account @GoodmanESPN

UMBC star Jairus Lyles had a chance to leave this past offseason, but remained with Ryan Odom and the Retrievers and wound up making history ... and knocked out his parents alma mater in the process:

[jbcarol]

March Madness TV
‏Verified account @MarchMadnessTV
20m20 minutes ago

The First Round is in the books

Second Round action of #MarchMadness is coming your way on @TBSNetwork, @CBSSports, @tntdrama and @truTV with a full slate of 8 games!

[jbcarol]

Michael Carvell
‏ @Michael_Carvell

Lane Kififn claims to have picked UMBC over Virginia upset in the 2018 NCAA Tournament


Lane Kiffin
✔
@Lane_Kiffin

Owls up for the Retrievers!! Come to #thefaU picked you to win it all! @espn
11:51 PM - Mar 16, 2018 · Boca Raton, FL

[jbcarol]

Bama and Nova have tipped off on CBS

[jbcarol]

Crimson Tide faces Villanova, No. 2 in the final AP poll

No. 3 in field goal percentage at 50.7 and No. 3 in 3-pointers per game with 11.5.

-- The national scoring leader is ... Villanova. It averages 87.1 points a game.

-- Turnovers are an issue for Alabama but not the Wildcats. Their +2.7 margin is No. 37.

-- The Wildcats were 10-3 in Quadrant 1 games including two wins over No. 3 Xavier.

-- The worst loss of the season came against No. 96 St. John's, 79-75 on Feb. 7.

-- Alabama and Villanova shared one common opponent: Tennessee. Both teams beat the Vols. The Wildcats had an 85-76 win over Tennessee in November.

-- The Wildcats have six players averaging double figures. Jalen Brunson leads the way with 19.3 points a game, followed by Mikal Bridges' 17.9.

[jbcarol]

Chuck Culpepper
‏Verified account @ChuckCulpepper1
12h12 hours ago

In 2015, I asked a wise voice of thousands of college basketball days and nights if he thought the Bennett/Virginia construct would reach a Final Four someday. "No," he said. "There's no Plan B." That second half tonight was a no-Plan-B epitome.

[jbcarol]

Bama 3  Nova 5  15:35

Nova shot clock violation going into the 1st media time out

[jbcarol]

[jbcarol]

Kevin Brockway
‏ @gatorhoops

Texas Tussle: sixth-seed Gators will need to deal with crowd, talented 3 seed Texas Tech in today's Round of 32 matchup http://www.gatorsports.com/2018/03/texas-tussle/ ... via @GatorSports.com

By tipoff Saturday night, sixth-seed Florida will be in for a Texas-sized challenge when it faces third-seeded Texas Tech. Not only will the Gators need to contend with a talented Texas Tech backourt led by senior All-American guard Keenan Evans, but will need to do so with close to 20,000 frenzied Red Raider fans jeering their every move.

Last year, as a four seed, Florida rode the momentum of a partisan crowd in Orlando to a 65-39 win over five seed Virginia in the Round of 32. This time around, UF finds itself as the pseudo road team.

"There's no advantage to it for us, obviously," Florida coach Mike White said. "But we've got to deal with it and we've done it before. I don't think any team in the country is more battle-tested than we are over the last two years, considering what we've had to go through last year with the renovations to Exactech Arena. We've played a ton of games away from home."

[jbcarol]

Oscar Combs
‏ @wildcatnews

The latest from Vegas oddsmakers as of 8:50 am Saturday @marchmadness @SECNetwork @CBSSports #BBN

[jbcarol]

Bama 12  Nova 13  11:52   CBS

[jbcarol]

Biggest NCAA tournament upsets of the 64-team era

1. March 16, 2012 -- round of 64
No. 15 Norfolk State Spartans vs. No. 2 Missouri Tigers
Closing line: Missouri -21.5
The biggest tournament upset win in the 64-team era belongs to Norfolk State, which defied the 21.5-point spread and shocked Missouri. The Spartans were led by Kyle O'Quinn, who scored a game-high 26 points to go along with 14 rebounds. Up two with 3.8 seconds left, O'Quinn, despite his great game, missed two free throws and opened the door for the Tigers. Phil Pressey, however, missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer, and Norfolk State had officially shocked the college basketball world.

It turned out to be one of two wins by a 15-seed over a 2-seed that day --

2. March 16, 2018 -- round of 64
No. 16 UMBC Retrievers vs. No. 1 Virginia Cavaliers

[jbcarol]

The last perfect bracket had Virginia going to the finals.

[jbcarol]

Bama 13  Nova 13  10:44  CBS

[jbcarol]

Jon Rothstein
‏Verified account @JonRothstein
3h3 hours ago

UMBC, Tony Bennett, and why Villanova is in a familiar spot against Alabama. The Rothstein Files @FanRagSports:

Three of the last four NCAA Tournaments have seen the Wildcats knocked out in the Round of 32 against a quality opponent and that's what Jay Wright's squad will have to deal with on Saturday against Alabama.

The Crimson Tide will boast the best NBA prospect on the floor in freshman point guard Collin Sexton as well as the type of overall versatility and athleticism that would give any opposing coaching staff nightmares.

[jbcarol]

Nova is up 22-15

[jbcarol]

Bama 22  Nova 26 under 4:00  CBS

[jbcarol]

Bama 25  Nova 26  2:00

[jbcarol]

Ben Jones
‏ @BW_Jones
4m4 minutes ago

The Villanova band has a guy who looks like a young Meat Loaf. Whenever Alabama shoots FTs the rest of the band sits down and he just stands and screams. (Collin Sexton missed 1 of 2 there).


The 300 lb Loaf is a successor to Roxie Chalifoxie

[99toLife]

32-27 Nova at half

[jbcarol]

Ben Jones
‏ @BW_Jones
2m2 minutes ago

DiVincenzo drains his fifth 3-pointer on Villanova's last possession before half. 18 points off the bench now.
Villanova takes a 32-27 lead to the locker room.

[jbcarol]

Ben Jones
‏ @BW_Jones
2m2 minutes ago

Ben Jones Retweeted ONLY 1 THING LEFT TO DO...

Alabama was 3-8 at the line in the first half. Also had 8 turnovers in the half.

[jbcarol]

FIRST HALF

Villanova 32, Alabama 27 (halftime): DiVincenzo is the difference. His fifth 3-pointer with :04 left supplied the five-point deficit. He's 5-for-9 from deep for a team that's shooting just 33.3 percent. Sexton has 9 points. John Petty is scoreless with two missed perimeter jumpers. Neither was close. Tide is 47.8 percent from the field but 3-for-8 from the FT line.

[jbcarol]

2018 NCAA Tournament odds

The latest update on national title odds reflect that, as Kentucky has shot up from +2800 before the tournament to now +1250, per Odds Shark.

    Villanova: +475
    Duke: +575
    Michigan State: +825
    Kansas: +900
    Purdue: +1050
    Cincinnati: +1250
    Kentucky: +1250
    North Carolina: +1250
    Xavier: +1450
    Michigan: +1450
    Gonzaga: +1650
    Tennessee: +2650
    West Virginia: +2950
    Texas Tech: +4250
    Auburn: +5500
    UMBC: +55000

[jbcarol]

Kentucky Kernel
‏ @KyKernel

'UK Band Guy' reflects on the 24 hours after his moment of fame: http://bit.ly/2tVoGSn

I am Hayden Hooper.

I am a UK journalism student, and an opinions editor for the Kentucky Kernel.

Now, thanks to Twitter and the UK versus Davidson game, I am a meme.

I am "UK Band Guy."

I have been a UK fan for a long time before my one shining moment on TV.

If you haven't seen it yet, I am the guy who Chris Webber pointed out after the nasty dunk from Sacha Killeya-Jones early in the second half.

[jbcarol]

Ben Jones
‏ @BW_Jones
3m3 minutes ago

Alabama with the same starting 5 in the second half. Herbert Jones out there with 3 fouls.

[jbcarol]

Steve Forbes
‏Verified account @ForbesETSUhoops

That moment in the 2nd half when you are scouting the 1 vs 16 game & you realize the 16 seed is going to win & you don't have any film clipped or a written scouting report prepared #AssistantCoachProblems


UMBC was gracious to give him plenty of time.

[jbcarol]

Bama 27  Nova 41  under 18

[jbcarol]

Wes Rucker
‏Verified account @wesrucker247
12h12 hours ago

#Vols' Lamonte Turner on the key to defending a team with an offense as intricate and precise as Loyola-Chicago's: "Keep it simple. Guard your yard."


Big Dog

[jbcarol]

Nova up 50-28

[jbcarol]

Bama does not have a FG in the second half

[PonderinHog]

Call timeout, Avery!  18-1 run

[jbcarol]

Wes Rucker
‏Verified account @wesrucker247
13h13 hours ago

You know who wouldn't be playing in front of an empty Bridgestone Arena right now?

Tennessee.

Good call there, NCAA...

[jbcarol]

Call timeout, Avery!  18-1 run

Did he take a 30 second time out?

[jbcarol]

Bama playing D like Virginia now.

March 16, 2018-era Virginia.

[jbcarol]

Wes Rucker
‏Verified account @wesrucker247
19h19 hours ago

Cue all the Rick Barnes/Shaka Smart hot takes.



Wes Rucker
‏Verified account @wesrucker247


Five years since Shaka Smart's most recent NCAA Tournament win.

Wow.

[jbcarol]

Bama 33  Nova 56  13:30

[jbcarol]

Kyle Tucker
‏ @KyleTucker_SEC
5m5 minutes ago

Kyle Tucker Retweeted Ben Jones

That'll about do it on the Collin Sexton era.

[jbcarol]

Ben Jones
‏ @BW_Jones
2m2 minutes ago

Going back to the first half, Villanova had a 27-4 run there until those free throws from Sexton.

[jbcarol]

Brent Zwerneman
‏ @BrentZwerneman
3h3 hours ago

Roy Williams considers Billy Kennedy of his 'big heroes,' Texas A&M and North Carolina to meet Sunday in NCAA Tournament for first time since 1980: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/aggies/article/Texas-A-M-answers-doubters-with-win-over-12760279.php ... via @HoustonChron

[PonderinHog]

Did he take a 30 second time out?

I think so.  Does it matter?  Nova is on cruise control now.

[jbcarol]

I think so.  Does it matter?  Nova is on cruise control now.

Old Dallas Maverick habits

[jbcarol]

Nova up 25 with 10:15 to go

[jbcarol]

Jeff Goodman
‏Verified account @GoodmanESPN
Herb Jones just picked up his fourth foul. That's HUGE for Alabama.

[jbcarol]

Jeff Goodman
‏Verified account @GoodmanESPN
50m50 minutes ago

Donte Divincenzo "The Big Ragu", as Gus Johnson dubbed him, with 18 points (5-9 from 3) in the first half. Nova leads Alabama ...


Miss Gus Johnson and having another game to watch

[jbcarol]

Ben Jones
‏ @BW_Jones
4m4 minutes ago

Villanova now shooting 7-9 from deep in the second half. Shooting 14-29 on the game.

[jbcarol]

Bama 40  Nova 64  8:24 CBS