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I'm surprised it took this long for a 16 seed to beat a #1.
I was worried in 2015 Wisconsin would lose in the 1st round when they had a #1 seed in 2015, because they run a similar slow tempo heavy defense strategy that sometimes gets them in trouble in the tournament.
"For those unfamiliar with the initials of the giant killer, because they have never before been relevant from a basketball standpoint, that is the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Their nickname is the Retrievers, and late in the first round of this Big Dance they fetched the dead carcass of BennettBall and left it on the doorstep".
I'm surprised it took this long for a 16 seed to beat a #1.
I was worried in 2015 Wisconsin could lose in the 1st round when they had a #1 seed in 2015, because they run a similar slow tempo heavy defense strategy that sometimes gets them in trouble in the tournament.
Those Wisconsin teams since the days of ironically, Bennett's dad coaching there played with more poise, but generally had better players than this particular Virginia team. And Bo Ryan's teams a few years ago even more so. No question, the poise has been awful last night and late in the Elite 8 choke against Syracuse in 2016. It has been more defense I think. The breakdowns defensively in the second half last night were shocking. We knew either way UVA would struggle to score, especially without its best talent, Hunter.
I wrote this morning on FB but thought might make sense here
NCAA update. I was texting with my mother and we talked about the UVA game and it just got me thinking. What a great event the NCAA tourney is every year. Say what you will about seedlings and bubble the event just gets it right
Fast forward 16 vs the 1 overall.
The game was amazing drama so many emotions both ways. The questions like had UVA not had the injury. Had Baltimore not played out of their mind etc
Some reflections UVA had an amazing year and sadly and seeing the emotions most will frame the whole season on this game, again unfair but is the case. UMBC came from no where with a bunch of players that didn’t find their way to top Conferance’s and teams. The juxtaposition of the emotions was amazing. I didn’t have a horse in the game but I guess was drawn to the underdog. Unless against my team right.
But the emotions and drama were great.
With 35 seconds to go and a twenty point difference I could not take my eyes off the game. But the teams and kids didn’t disappoint. It was great to see the class of two consecutive dribble outs. Well the second a hold and sadness and disbelief from UVA but drama and class. Tears of disappointment and tears of join commingled. But amazing
Also watching the teams exchange hand shakes and it had to be hard for UVA I also saw some embraces of kids that played a game. A hug to 5 foot whatever point guard It was real and kids playing out a national sports drama in Oscar winning form
The NCAA Tourney (not always the NCAA) always finds a way to surprise me and touch me even on a personal level. This is the greatest sports event in the world. It’s kids not World Cup premadonnas
Thanks again to college hoops. This is as right as any sports even can be
My bracket is in pretty good shape actually. But a huge one for me today is Houston needing to beat Michigan. I really think who ever wins that game today will come out of the west bracket. If you didn't have UVA in the Final Four or better, last night's loss probably wound up helping you in the contests. This is still far and away the best sporting event in the world, nothing else is close. I loved regular season college basketball too in the 90's. Unfortunately that has mostly been ruined thanks to players not sticking around and many top teams toying around and just trying to gain chemistry before the tourney, the conference affiliations changing and not being so regional any longer with unbalanced schedules, and poor NCAA selection processes that don't encourage regular season play to matter (this year for example, Arizona St getting in over USC).
A 16 was going to beat a 1. The parity is so overwhelming this day and age. And its become a habit for these type of games to be undecided in the last four minutes. You use to be able to point out games like Princeton-G'Town in 1989, Oklahoma-ETSU in 1990 , and West Carolina-Purdue in 1996 and they stand out because they were so rare. Now we've forgotten so many close calls, such as Syracuse-NC Ashville a few years back, UConn-Albany, etc... because they are commonplace. Maybe a blowout was what finally was going to get us to that moment, so that small school didn't have to alas feel all that pressure in the waning minutes. Like I stated, UMBC probably should have been a 15 and Virginia was vulnerable without Deandre Hunter. Great upset, but most shocking outcome in the tournament? I'd have to think about that answer.
In terms of all of sports, I'm still going for shock value, Buster Douglas knocking out Tyson and "The Miracle on Ice.". And I guess if it counts, (not a game) Wayne Gretzky being traded.
I wrote this morning on FB but thought might make sense here
NCAA update. I was texting with my mother and we talked about the UVA game and it just got me thinking. What a great event the NCAA tourney is every year. Say what you will about seedlings and bubble the event just gets it right
Some reflections UVA had an amazing year and sadly and seeing the emotions most will frame the whole season on this game, again unfair but is the case. UMBC came from no where with a bunch of players that didn’t find their way to top Conferance’s and teams. The juxtaposition of the emotions was amazing. I didn’t have a horse in the game but I guess was drawn to the underdog. Unless against my team right.
But the emotions and drama were great.
The NCAA Tourney (not always the NCAA) always finds a way to surprise me and touch me even on a personal level. This is the greatest sports event in the world. It’s kids not World Cup premadonnas
Thanks again to college hoops. This is as right as any sports even can be
Very well said. Not to be lost in this, I'd rather not be Virginia be the victim of this history. Class fans and very nice people- even the students- the times I've spent in and around that campus. Bennett is a class act also, especially to be able to respond and answer calmly all those reporters' questions. They do it the right way from everything I can tell, but unfortunately tough to win in March with that style.
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