2024 NCAA Tourney thread. One of the most unusual seasons?

[big5explorer]

Didn't see a thread started yet.

Am I the only one thinking that 30-40 teams have a legit shot at winning the entire thing this year?

While there are a few teams who are really good (Houston, Purdue), these teams have their flaws, and can certainly drop a game.

Beyond those first few teams, it seems the "second tier" this year is more bunched than normal. How many teams are 22-9 "ish" right now? 40? The bell curve of teams making this tournament is thin and high. I don't recall ever seeing a season like this one.

Even teams on the bubble, and teams that will fall off the bubble, are nearly as good as teams with a NET of 10. Teams like Nova, and UCF may not make the tournament, but if they played BYU or Duke or Kentucky today on a neutral court the point spread might be 3 or 4, at most.

The tournament committee has quite the task of properly seeding these teams this year, and I completely expect more teams than ever complaining on Sunday night that they deserved a better seed, or deserved to make it in the first place.

[JoeFedorowicz]

Not 30 or 40. Maybe 12.

[MisterD]

Make that 12 team list, Joe! Put it on the line!

[GlitterBro #2]

Mar 13, 2024 8:44:50 GMT -5 MisterD said:

Make that 12 team list, Joe! Put it on the line!

Joe will pick the teams that shoot the most 3s

[coqui900]

Does anyone trust Purdue even though they have been the number one team this year? Their track record the past few years is very much not good. FDU last year in the biggest upset of all-time — and a really absurd one considering FDU’s average height was 6’1”. St. Peter’s was at least the Sweet 16 but come on. North Texas the season before.

I would not be surprised if UConn repeats.

But this tournament has become even more wild with the turnover in college hoops and of course the shooting. All it takes is one really big first round upset and someone like Florida Atlantic has a clear path to the Final Four.

I really like Seton Hall to cause some black eyes, assuming they get in. Shaheen can coach and that team has tough dudes. They can’t shoot, but they rebound and defend like crazy.

I really like Princeton to make a scalp or two this year. At-large quality team with only three losses — the one was OT against St. Joe’s and then they had the expected slip-up in the very good Ivy this year.

Grand Canyon is also a good mid-major. Bryce Drew is a good coach — he had a really bad injury bug at Vandy and he could never get it going. Very easy to see The Lopes knocking off some random SEC team and Kevin Harlan waxing poetic about Bryce’s miracle shot that one year.

[JoeFedorowicz]

UConn
Houston
Purdue
Tennessee
Arizona
North Carolina
Kentucky
Auburn
Marquette
Duke
Iowa State
Creighton

[MisterD]

I appreciate you accepting the no-win challenge.

[JoeFedorowicz]

Mar 13, 2024 10:00:22 GMT -5 MisterD said:

I appreciate you accepting the no-win challenge.

Listing the top 12 teams by odds is no hard feat

[big5explorer]

Mar 13, 2024 9:57:11 GMT -5 JoeFedorowicz said:

UConn
Houston
Purdue
Tennessee
Arizona
North Carolina
Kentucky
Auburn
Marquette
Duke
Iowa State
Creighton

I'd take the rest of the field at 2:1 odds

[kinesiology]

Mar 13, 2024 8:59:21 GMT -5 GlitterBro #2 said:

Mar 13, 2024 8:44:50 GMT -5 MisterD said:

Make that 12 team list, Joe! Put it on the line!

Joe will pick the teams that shoot the most 3s

For a guy on double secret probation you’re really pushing your luck.

[MisterD]

Can't bounce someone who is absolutely peppering the board with original one-liners.

[MisterD]

Mar 13, 2024 9:57:11 GMT -5 JoeFedorowicz said:

UConn
Houston
Purdue
Tennessee
Arizona
North Carolina
Kentucky
Auburn
Marquette
Duke
Iowa State
Creighton

Alabama +1,600
NC State +1,600

Dream is alive (but not really)!