So the first round is complete

[hdhntr1]

And the BIG is undefeated. Don't ever recall seeing that since the field went to 64/68. 8-0 I think. Pretty impressive for the conference. Hope a bunch can continue their march the next couple days

 

[Secho99]

And the BIG is undefeated. Don't ever recall seeing that since the field went to 64/68. 8-0 I think. Pretty impressive for the conference. Hope a bunch can continue their march the next couple days

To some extent impressive, but all 8 teams were favored to win so really just none of the 8 got tripped up. The test is the next round.

In general, I don’t think a single-elimination tournament tells us all that much about leagues, so many things can go right or wrong and so much is about the matchups and who gets hot or runs cold.

 

[TheC]

Meanwhile, the mighty SEC is only 8-6

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Meanwhile, the mighty SEC is only 8-6

Well the B1G hasn’t won a Natty in a quarter of a century and neither conference has won a Natty in over a decade. Conferences have been the King of good not great.

 

[prez77]

Well the B1G hasn’t won a Natty in a quarter of a century and neither conference has won a Natty in over a decade. Conferences have been the King of good not great.

If each expands enough, they are bound to win one eventually.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

If each expands enough, they are bound to win one eventually.

Yes, money invested in the programs makes a difference. Since the turn of the Century, the ACC and Big East have dominated. They have 16 of the 24 Natty’s. Of course, Duke, UConn, Villanova and NC have lead the charge and there isn’t a B1G program that comes close to them over this time period.

We have a major switch of power going on right before our eyes. The SEC was mainly just Kentucky and Florida and once in awhile Tennesee for years. The big was MSU and once in awhile Purdue, Illinois or Indiana. Now the rest of the conference has upped their game due to the investment of resources. It’s likely BOTH conferences get a Natty soon and the National power switches to the Big 2 conferences just like in football. There are rumblings of talks to merge the ACC and Big East after the next TV deal expires to make a super conference for basketball. Those calls will grow louder as the power shifts to the Big 2.

 

[hdhntr1]

Yes, money invested in the programs makes a difference. Since the turn of the Century, the ACC and Big East have dominated. They have 16 of the 24 Natty’s. Of course, Duke, UConn, Villanova and NC have lead the charge and there isn’t a B1G program that comes close to them over this time period.

We have a major switch of power going on right before our eyes. The SEC was mainly just Kentucky and Florida and once in awhile Tennesee for years. The big was MSU and once in awhile Purdue, Illinois or Indiana. Now the rest of the conference has upped their game due to the investment of resources. It’s likely BOTH conferences get a Natty soon and the National power switches to the Big 2 conferences just like in football. There are rumblings of talks to merge the ACC and Big East after the next TV deal expires to make a super conference for basketball. Those calls will grow louder as the power shifts to the Big 2.

I believe the Big 12 has made some waves during that period as well with 3 wins as well as SEC with 3. But as much as BIG is maligned, they have been in the Championship game 1/3 of the games (8/24) during that period. Conspicuously absent of the major conferences during the period was the PAC with only two appearances in Championship game

 

[hdhntr1]

To some extent impressive, but all 8 teams were favored to win so really just none of the 8 got tripped up. The test is the next round.

In general, I don’t think a single-elimination tournament tells us all that much about leagues, so many things can go right or wrong and so much is about the matchups and who gets hot or runs cold.

Maybe but there always seem to be upsets and in fact the 5-12 matchups that did not include BIG teams both went to the 12 teams. One thing that has happened is through the first round every seed 1-4 mad it through the first round. Don't remember that happening before either. And now the BIG is 10-0 with Mich beating A&M

 

[No Chores]

Well, the Big Ten still has not lost a game in March Madness. Purdue and Michigan already in the Sweet Sixteen. Just shows how competitive the Big Ten is. On Wisconsin and UCLA.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Well, the Big Ten still has not lost a game in March Madness. Purdue and Michigan already in the Sweet Sixteen. Just shows how competitive the Big Ten is. On Wisconsin and UCLA.

Jinx.

B1G 2-2 yesterday. SEC 4-1.

If SEC wins all 4 of their games Today( favored in 2) they would have half the sweet 16 field. Not likely, but not impossible with the match ups either. B1G also has 4 teams going today (favored in 3). The 2 conferences will likely combine for 10 or so of the sweet 16.

I don’t get this narrative that B1G is doing great and the SEC is floundering. The lower seeded SEC teams that have lost were supposed to lose for the most part. Flip in Indiana, OSU or next tier B1G that didn’t make it and they too would likely have been bounced. To me, both conferences are doing what they were supposed to do.

 

[EagerFan]

The narrative I see is that the SEC was significantly over-represented and the B1G probably earned one of the seeds given to the SEC. I expected Wisconsin would struggle in Denver at altitude, so the UCLA game was the surprise to me. We'll see how today goes, tho.