Illinois Homecourt

[Irish Tiger]

Turned out to be a huge advantage for them.Towards the end of this game Arizona looked like the proverbial "deer in the headlights",they were absolutely shell shocked and that Rosemont crowd helped tremendously.
They had to execute but a crowd like that is not suppose to be a part of the NCAA tourney.They need to avoid this in the future.

 

[IntenseOperator]

for what it's worth.....

A very large number had left long before regulation had gone final, let alone overtime.

 

[Sun Tzu]

This has been a problem for a long time. It gave Syracuse a title (as a 4 seed no less), Michigan State a title, and allows Duke and UNC to get to the Sweet 16 almost every year. These games all sell out no mattter who is playing. There is no excuse for it.

 

[BobbyBlueChip]

With a regular season that borders on being meaningless, shouldn't the teams that excel in the regular season get "some" reward?

 

[Sun Tzu]

They get a reward - their seed. What kind of reward did 2 seed (nearly 1) Wake get - it wasnt a trip to Charlotte.

But even if you were right, it still doesnt explain Syracuse as 4 at home, or some of the other ones that have occurred over the years. If it is going to be your way then do like the lesbians and have all the games at home. Picking and choosing who gets home games is the worst of all.

 

[BobbyBlueChip]

Wake just had to show up in the ACC tourney and they'd have been in Charlotte.

There would be a home court advantage in Chicago for every Big 10 team and most of the Big XII teams due to the multitude of alumni in this city.

There's going to be problems, regardless, with scheduling as the games have to be played somewhere, but Illinois deserved to play in the midwest as the #1 ranked team.

 

[lowell]

This has been a problem for a long time. It gave Syracuse a title (as a 4 seed no less), Michigan State a title, and allows Duke and UNC to get to the Sweet 16 almost every year. These games all sell out no mattter who is playing. There is no excuse for it.

if you knew anything about north carolina and we all know you know alot about most things, charlotte has never been any advantage to duke. they have a very small fan base there. next you will say it is unfair for them to play in the meadowlands because there are duke grads in new york. you want to know why duke gets to sweet sixteen and often farther in tourney? they play teams like texas in early rounds and seldom lose.

 

[Sun Tzu]

Lowell why are you such an idiot? Find the post where I praised or bragged about Texas basketball? I am the one always ragging on the Big 12 and thus taking crap from Okie State and Kansas fans. You are too clueless to even know how to bash me properly.

As for Texas basketball the record will show they are 3-0 in the NCAA tournament v ACC teams. Duke hasnt played Texas. In fact Duke has refused to schedule a requested home and home with Texas - I guess because the wins would be too easy. They had been to 4 straight sweet 16s before this year - it is truly awful.

And Bobby, if Wake had "taken care of business" then either UNC or Duke dont play in Charlotte - which leaves the same predicament.

 

[Irish Tiger]

Didn't mean to get into a pissing match,but I feel strongly that this type of scenario can be avoided at the time the brackets are being set up.
Obviously it is not a perfect system but this could be remedied very easily if they want to.

 

[DIRTY Diapers]

It was a HUGE advantage for Illinois throughout the tournament. They havn't had to take a plane anywhere. Playing in Chicago shouldnt have been allowed - Arizona was the better team. They choked at the end - due in large part to the tremendous crowd advantage for the Illini. Dont tell me that most of the crowd left before the end of the regulation - I have never seen a tournament game as loud as that for one team.

 

[gman2]

Arizona was the better team. They choked at the end - due in large part to the tremendous crowd advantage for the Illini. Dont tell me that most of the crowd left before the end of the regulation - I have never seen a tournament game as loud as that for one team.

if arizona truly WAS the better team......would the better team allow themselves to lose their composure and blow a 15 point lead in the final 3:00. im not doubting that arizona is every bit as good as illinois. but i know one thing for certain -- i dont care who you are, you dont blow a 15 point lead in any environment in the final 3 minutes with a final four berth on the line.

very similar to my feelings on buffalo in the mac championship. theres no doubt theyre an overall better team than ohio. but there was no excuse for buffalo blowing a 19 point lead with 15:00 to play and a chance to earn your first ever ncaa tourney berth. if you fold that bad (like arizona did, and like buffalo did) you simply dont deserve to win and youre not mentally tough enough to advance.

 

[DIRTY Diapers]

Arizona was the better team on SATURDAY - how many times did Illinois get away with murdering people to come up with the steals at the end of the game? My argument was Illinois should be rewarded with some games close to home for being the best team in the regular season. But no way in Hell should they have a home court advantage throughout the entire tournament.