The Road to Madness! (was Illini)

[Mark]

Illinois was No. 1 in The Associated Press college basketball poll Monday, the Illini's 13th straight week on top and their fifth consecutive poll as a unanimous choice.

We really need a single NCAA March Madness thread for all of this before it takes over the whole forum...

 

[Crothian]

I think they can finish the season undefeated having games agins Purdue and at Ohio State. Going through the tournment could be tough for them, the Big Ten has a few tough match ups for them namely Iowa.

Without knowing who they play, its hard to say how far they will make it as a number one seed in the tournement, but I expect them to get at least to the final four.

 

[francisca]

Yeah, though I hate to see Keady going out the way he is, it's a small consolation to see Bruce Weber having the success he is enjoying.

 

[Evilhalfling]

somebody S'plain to me how KU beat # 4 Oklahoma state, and failed to move up in the polls?
we finally break that dm loosing streak and still get nothin? sigh. anyone wanna run a March madness Enworld bracket?

 

[Mark]

we finally break that dm loosing streak and still get nothin? sigh. anyone wanna run a March madness Enworld bracket?

You brought it up. You now have the honor of putting it together...

 

[drothgery]

Though I'd certainly enter; my bracket should be easy to identify, as there aren't too many shameless Orange partisans here. The safe thing to do is to pick the Orange to go one round beyond their seeding, but of course I'll have them winning the whole thing.

 

[Crothian]

Interesting year since I can't have the Buckeyes screw up my bracket.

 

[LightPhoenix]

Though I'd certainly enter; my bracket should be easy to identify, as there aren't too many shameless Orange partisans here. The safe thing to do is to pick the Orange to go one round beyond their seeding, but of course I'll have them winning the whole thing.

Orange as in Syracuse? Or Orange as in some California team I don't know about?

Either way, SU's biggest problem is that they have no stamina, both in single games or in the season as a whole. They always start out strong and end weak. While they have a pretty good team this year, I really don't see them going past the Sweet Sixteen. Especially considering that according to http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/bracketology, their position just stinks. Not only are they ranked fourth in their division (and why isn't Syracuse in the Syracuse division?!?) but they'll have to face Illinois, and while I don't see the Illini winning it, they'll certainly plow over SU, if SU managed to get that far.

 

[drothgery]

Orange as in Syracuse? Or Orange as in some California team I don't know about?

Syracuse. Like everyone else in California, I'm not a native.

Either way, SU's biggest problem is that they have no stamina, both in single games or in the season as a whole. They always start out strong and end weak.

Err... Rutgers.

While they have a pretty good team this year, I really don't see them going past the Sweet Sixteen. Especially considering that according to http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/bracketology, their position just stinks. Not only are they ranked fourth in their division (and why isn't Syracuse in the Syracuse division?!?) but they'll have to face Illinois, and while I don't see the Illini winning it, they'll certainly plow over SU, if SU managed to get that far.

I really don't know why sportswriters try to fill out the regionals, instead of just saying who they think will get at-large bids and guesses at seedings. Nobody knows who will end up in what regional. Besides, the one time I had SU underperforming their seed, they won the whole thing.

FYI - I'm pretty sure you're not allowed to play in your own building, so the Orange can't go in the Syracuse regional.

 

[Mark]

... while I don't see the Illini winning it...

I'll be happy if they make it to the final eight or better.