Who Are Your Number 1 Seeds?

Thoughts? Fuck it, I trust you know me than I do, so I’m laying it all on the line with your picks.

No. 1 seed?
easy
the one which makes the most ethanol

Sean Miller could shoot a few treys and when he couldn’t, Jason Matthews was good for a few. Too bad after Miller’s frosh year both Smith and Lane were gone – Bobby Martin and Brian Shorter just weren’t the same. {By the way – big props to you for the references to the ’87 Panthers}

We’ll see Sean with his Xavier squad in the tourney too – he’s a heck of a great coach who almost took out Ohio State and Oden in the NCAA.

From a Big East perspective, I like Pitt, UConn, Villanova and Louisville for the Sweet 16 and Pittino & Calhoun in the Final 4. Marquette feels like an early upset. Syracuse should be good for a first round win. I’d like to see Providence sneak into the dance as well.

Pitt hasn’t made Final 4 since the inception of the Big East – the only original member not to do so. My misery from this fact may not end this year if they face a great pressing, full court team that can create turnovers.

I’m pretty sure Miller dropped the dime for Lane’s shattered non-breakaway backboard. Brian Shorter makes me nostalgic for my blue and gold Converse Weapons.

Parker Posey
Fairuza Balk
Christine Taylor
Chloe Sevigny

Oh, those are the one seeds in my B movie chicks I would like to bang tournament. Posey in the conventional brunette division, Balk in the exotic brunette division, taylor in the conventional blondes, and sevigny in the exotic blondes.

I think Memphis is a little overrated right now. Their defense is outstanding, but even with Evans playing PG I think they still have too much trouble scoring to make the Final Four. Their current win streak has come against a ridiculously easy schedule with the exception of an ugly 54-52 win over Tennessee and a good win over Gonzaga. In fact, those are their only two legit wins all year, which is why I doubt the committee will reward them with a number 1 seed.

Anyway, UNC, UConn, and Pitt look like locks for three of the number 1s. OU, Louisville, Michigan State, and Duke are in the running for the fourth.

Duke and Louisville both have the potential to win some really big games in the ACC and Big East tourneys (plus Duke has UNC to finish the regular season), so they could both make big moves.

Michigan State probably has to hope the other teams lose early, because nobody is really going to get excited if they beat Purdue and Minnesota to win the Big 10 tourney.

As much as it pains me to say it, I think OU probably gets the 4th 1 seed. The Big 12 tourney is in Oklahoma City, and I think they will probably win it. I think Duke and Louisville probably won’t win the ACC and Big East tourneys.

Trips, what’s your take on Memphis? I think they’re really tough and as good or better than anyone defensively. But watching them on offense is painful in every way. Probably pretty matchup dependent…

Oklahoma
UNC
Pitt
UConn

Taggert and Dozier are experienced players that can score off of trash and dimes. Plus, they’ve been through the wars. Anderson is their glue guy, Evans is a super star, and they go about 8 deep. When you get in the tourney, it’s all about guard play and defense and they have that in spades.

Who has Oklahoma beaten?

I don’t think Oklahoma is better. I just think they get the number 1 seed after they make the conference tournament final. Who is a #1 seed and who goes to the final four are really different questions.

There are a few teams in my final four

UNC
Pitt
Louisville
Wake
Memphis
Duke

UConn and Oklahoma would need a very good draw to get there and get blown out by one of the real teams.

I sure like OU’s chances in the conference tourney at full strength and in OKC. They win out next weekend and they’re a legit one seed. They’re gonna need Willie and/or AJ to pull their heads out of each other’s asses, though.

Trips, the General hit the nail on the head:

“I don’t think Oklahoma is better. I just think they get the number 1 seed after they make the conference tournament final. Who is a #1 seed and who goes to the final four are really different questions.”

As much as you may not like it, right now everyone has an asterisk next to the UT and Kansas losses for OU. OU didn’t get credit for winning, but no one is faulting them for losing, either. No one thinks highly of UT for beating OU at home with Blake Griffin out for half of the game. KU gets a bit more credit for beating OU at home, but, again, no Griffin.

Should OU make the conference tournament final and win it, which I think they will since it’s in Oklahoma City, all will be forgiven. Then OU will end up in the Sweet 16 or Elite 8 and, unless they can get everyone on the same page, promptly get run out of the gym.

Nate, your best win is against Purdue. The Boilers are borderline top 25 right now. Why will ou get the nod over Memphis who will cruise through their tourney? And if that happens then who do the sooners nudge out? UNC, Pitt, UCONN?

And sorry, but Texas beats ou even if Griffin plays the entire game. I doubt Willie Warren goes off the way he does if Blake plays. As I posted earlier in the year, those two cannibalize one another, they don’t complement each other.

Trips, did you have another burnt-orange blinders induced moment of insanity? I haven’t seen one of these since the “McFarland incident” where it turned out both you (alleging OU wrongdoing) and the NY Times (alleging UT wrongdoing) were completely full of shit.

READ AGAIN CAREFULLY:
“As much as you may not like it, right now everyone has an asterisk next to the UT and Kansas losses for OU. OU didn’t get credit for winning, but no one is faulting them for losing, either. No one thinks highly of UT for beating OU at home with Blake Griffin out for half of the game. KU gets a bit more credit for beating OU at home, but, again, no Griffin.”

Unlike you, no one else thinks that the probably national player of the year’s absence would’ve been a non-factor. Think Cole Aldrich goes off for 15 points and 20 rebounds against Blake Griffin? I don’t.

“Why will ou get the nod over Memphis who will cruise through their tourney? And if that happens then who do the sooners nudge out? UNC, Pitt, UCONN?”
SEE ABOVE and the following qualifier which was in my first post:
Should OU make the conference tournament final and win it, which I think they will since it’s in Oklahoma City, all will be forgiven.

What’s more, Memphis is currently the ONLY team from Conference USA projected to make the NCAA tournament. You said OU hasn’t beaten anyone. Who has Memphis beaten? Tennessee? WOW! Memphis has 4 wins against RPI top 50 teams. OU has 8.

Here’s an interesting tidbit. Take a look at Utah (seriously) in the RPI. That’s right, they’re in the TOP 10. Think the selection committee won’t notice that?

UNC, Pitt and UConn are guarantees at this point. But along with OU and Memphis, I’d throw Lousiville in that argument, especially with a good week at MSG.

Personally, I’m not that enthralled with any of the 3, but all have an argument. And I added another because it’s interesting.

Team A: 25-5
RPI: 9
SOS: 21
RPI top 50: 7-4
 
Team B: 28-3
RPI: 7
SOS: 52
RPI top 50: 4-2

Team C: 27-4
RPI: 4
SOS: 22
RPI top 50:8-3

Team D: 25-6
RPI: 8
SOS: 15
RPI top 50: 9-4

Who gives a shit. This is all a long slow hike to football season.

hiphop,

I don’t think the committee will give the Big East three #1’s, so that leaves Memphis and Oklahoma.

While I personally believe that Memphis is the better basketball team, I think OU gets the nod because of Memphis poor conference and lack of quality wins.