Opening Lines sweet 16 and my early leans in bold

[Sun Tzu]

Because there isnt a depth issue. I guess you will stretch for anything. If you think fatigue really matters that much in a game where there are 20 year old kids and there is is a timeout every 4 minutes that last 3-4 minutes and every trip to the line is another minute..........

Okie State goes deeper than that, Sutton has simply shortened his bench for the simple reason there isnt a fatigue issue.

I am pretty sure they played 14 guys when they beat Washington State 81-29. Arizonaq's depth factor didnt matter much when they played Wazzu did it - but I am sure it ahsnt even occurred to Sutton tht he might want to control the tempo of ther game.

 

[Sun Tzu]

I would add Az has all of 7 guys averaging double digits in minutes for the year. Considering the scrub time, saying Az is much more than 7 deep is a stretch unless you just mean somewhat warm bodies. In fact you only have 7 guys that have even played in 30 games this year - you have played 35.

Okie Stae with 8 guys playing 30+ games. Only Lucas averaging more than 30 minutes. Az only with Stoudamire.

The fact is there isnt much difference in overall depth, although Az certainly has a depth advanage in the pivot. How tight the game is called, and whether Az actually decides to explore aninside game will determine how much that matters.

 

[Nickelback]

Sun, no reason to come off as a smartass as you have your last two posts in this thread. . . I am merely pointing out something for everyone to consider. . . just because you don't think its a major factor doesn't mean that everyone will agree with you. Pac 10 and Big 12 conferences and style of play is completely different. . . I would love to see OSU get through the Pac 10 conference on top going seven deep with teams like Arizona and Washington that force teams to their bench.

I will stretch for anything? LOL Sun, this definitely isn't a stretch. . . depth is a big key for making a run in the big dance when unexpected situations come up. . . things don't just work out exactly how you expect them to over a six game stretch. Foul trouble for starters. This is specifically why Lute pulled Walters redshirt at the beginning of the Pac-10 conference season.

Looks like OSU went 8-9 deep during the beginning/middle of conference play (this is why I missed it as of late). . . so why only 7 deep during the tournaments? There must be a nice little dropoff after their first seven. . . they were damn lucky that Texas Tech only went seven deep in the conference championship as well or they might have been SOL.

 

[maverick2112]

I would add Az has all of 7 guys averaging double digits in minutes for the year. Considering the scrub time, saying Az is much more than 7 deep is a stretch unless you just mean somewhat warm bodies. In fact you only have 7 guys that have even played in 30 games this year - you have played 35.

Okie Stae with 8 guys playing 30+ games. Only Lucas averaging more than 30 minutes. Az only with Stoudamire.

The fact is there isnt much difference in overall depth, although Az certainly has a depth advanage in the pivot. How tight the game is called, and whether Az actually decides to explore aninside game will determine how much that matters.

Instead of talking about OSU's depth..........can you explain to me why OSU has struggled so bad in its last 8 games.........these teams they were playing were the kind of teams they were blowing out during the regular season. Heck they blew away colo and TT at boulder and lubbock but struggled badley with them on neutral sites.......also losing to a very average Nebraska team.

 

[Sun Tzu]

Which team thats left doesnt have a bad loss - a real bad loss, and recently, except arguably Illinois?

 

[Scott4USC]

Instead of talking about OSU's depth..........can you explain to me why OSU has struggled so bad in its last 8 games.........these teams they were playing were the kind of teams they were blowing out during the regular season. Heck they blew away colo and TT at boulder and lubbock but struggled badley with them on neutral sites.......also losing to a very average Nebraska team.

All OSU backers fail to answer that question.

02/22 at Nebraska L 74-67
02/27 at No. 7 Kansas L 81-79
03/2 Texas A&M W 69-63
03/5 Texas L 74-73
03/11 Colorado W 87-85
03/12 at No. 10 Kansas W 78-75

The win over Kansas was without KU starter Langford. They also lost to Kansas 13 days prior. Kansas was upset in round 1 of tourney. Lost to Texas @OSU March 5th, Texas was beaten in round 1 of tourney by Nevada. Then Illinois thumped Nevada winning by double digits.

This was an OSU team who was trying to earn a #1 seed in the NCAA tourney.

OSU did not looked good in round 2 of tourney.

MAYBE, just maybe this team is not playing well right now.

 

[gman2]

again scott, you are trying to be on both sides of the fence.

one or the other.

youre talking about oklahoma state's last 8 games.

yet youre sitting on a carolina future ticket (whose last impressive win before the tournament was around valentines day)

and youre sitting on (and added to) a future ticket on illinois, who has had one impressive win the entire month of march.

brilliant

 

[Scott4USC]

again scott, you are trying to be on both sides of the fence.

one or the other.

youre talking about oklahoma state's last 8 games.

yet youre sitting on a carolina future ticket (whose last impressive win before the tournament was around valentines day)

and youre sitting on (and added to) a future ticket on illinois, who has had one impressive win the entire month of march.

brilliant

I already explained to you WHY UNC is a different situation. I justified my reasonings. You don't necessarily have to agree with me but I gave solid reasons to support my opinion.

(whose last impressive win before the tournament was around valentines day)

Beating DUKE without your best player isn't impressive? Isn't Duke a #1 seed AND currently playing in the Sweet 16? How about beating NC ST. without your best player. Isn't NC St. currently in the sweet 16? As I said above, I clearly laid out why you cannot compare UNC to OSU.

Sun Tzu

Which team thats left doesnt have a bad loss - a real bad loss, and recently, except arguably Illinois?

How about NORTH CAROLINA! West Virginia?

 

[Sun Tzu]

Strange how North Carolina down the stretch doesnt deter you Scott but somehow OSU is in deep trouble. No hypocrisy there.

Botom line is we can all find arguments and stats and reasons to support whatever we think. Scott (all the time without question) poses "questions" which arent questions at all - it isnt like any answer is going to make you say "golly gee i sure missed the boat." Of course Scott I guess you have learned all about college hoops since you came on here 2 months ago looking or guidance on how to bet it. We could maybe use your logic and discuss how Okie State beat Wash St - that beat Arizona on it shome court - by 52 points. Or how Arizona late in the rgular season lost to Stanford without its best player. How did Stanford do in the tournament? How did Wake Forest and Washington State and Virginia -all of whom beat Arizona - do in the tournament? Oh yeah, 2 of them didnt even make the NIT. But thats the thing - it doesnt matter.

At least Nickel, while clearly supporting his team, actually is interested in the ins and outs and is interested in discussion rather than pounding his chest. I probably dont give him enough deference in that regard and should.

Fact is we will find out on Friday. But even then, we will just know who was better on one night under those conditions, how the game was reffed, etc. Wont mean any of us no moe or less than anyone else. When the tournament becomes a best of 7 each round we will know. No one really thinks overall Bucknell is better than Kansas, or Vermont than Cuse, or even Tech than Gonzaga or WVa than Wake because of that one game do they?

 

[gman2]

gimmie a fu.ckin break scott. if vegas didnt think carolina was far superior to duke without mccants, they wouldnt have made them a 7 or 8 point favorite. this team has 5 guys that will be playing in the nba...and were supposed to be impressed with home wins against a team they were expected to beat handily?

...and when you need an 11-0 run in the final 2:00 to win the game.....NO, its not impressive.

 

[Sun Tzu]

You mean North Carolina that lost to georgia Tech 10 days ago? How did they look yesterday?

 

[Sun Tzu]

By your logic Scott that West Virginia loss to Syracuse must be pretty bad too.

 

[gman2]

... and nevermind that dockery didnt play for duke in the carolina game.

 

[maverick2112]

gimmie a fu.ckin break scott. if vegas didnt think carolina was far superior to duke without mccants, they wouldnt have made them a 7 or 8 point favorite. this team has 5 guys that will be playing in the nba...and were supposed to be impressed with home wins against a team they were expected to beat handily?

...and when you need an 11-0 run in the final 2:00 to win the game.....NO, its not impressive.

Especially when you(UNC) have taken the ass......and I mean ASSBEATING Duke have given UNC the past 6 odd years.......No excuses.........UNC had everything pointing to a blowout and they could barely luckely pull out a win.......that game still stands out in my mind......

 

[gjn23]

but sun...you've been using az loss to wsu and uva as reasons that arizona doesn't impress you.

uva was so long ago i dont even remember it...plus this arizona team is so different now (do you realize ua fans were wondering how this team could score 65 points a game?)

losing to wsu was probably a good thing in the end as it was a wake-up call.

it's all about recent performance and other than uw, the cats have been playing well.

one team may win big, but going in, the game is about as even as it can get

 

[Sun Tzu]

No I am not. I am using those to respond to these silly arguments of "but they lost to nebraska a month ago" and Scotts oothers Six degrees of Kevin Bacon like arguments.

And also lets get our facts straight- I never said I wasnt impressed with Arizona. I simply said they wouldnt beat Okie State.

 

[Scott4USC]

You mean North Carolina that lost to georgia Tech 10 days ago? How did they look yesterday?

North Carolina lost to G-Tech by 3pts with Bynam having a CAREER DAY scoring 35pts. I think G-Tech is a good/talented team and they were playing with urgency against UNC. UNC was not playing with passion/urgency AND they had an off game. UNC is beatable, especially if they don't play with passion and some player off the bench for the opposing team scores 35pts. UNC in the meaningful tourney has played with passion and has dominated their opponents. Big difference. UNC is now on a mission, mission to win the title. Who cares about the ACC Tourney when you have the #1 seed locked up.

Strange how North Carolina down the stretch doesnt deter you Scott but somehow OSU is in deep trouble. No hypocrisy there.

UNC HAD A UNIQUE SITUATION.

Scott (all the time without question) poses "questions" which arent questions at all - it isnt like any answer is going to make you say "golly gee i sure missed the boat." Of course Scott I guess you have learned all about college hoops since you came on here 2 months ago looking or guidance on how to bet it.

Why does this anger you? Vyrus appreciated the discussion in his thread and didn't mind me questioning him and his play. I did it respectfully. It is your choice if you value my opinion and reasonings or take it with a grain of salt. I don't post my picks on everyday basis, in fact I hardly ever posted any of my NCAA hoop picks. I may not have credibility but doesn't really matter because I always support my opinion so you know why I feel a certain way. So I don't need credibility and don't really care about it. All I care about is winning $$$ and educating myself. Asking questions and debating allows you to educate yourself. If Vyrus or some OSU fan gives me detailed or great reasonings, and OSU kicks Arizona's a$$, then I will put that in my memory bank and look for those angles and try to use them. See who's reasonings held up. Not sure why you take offense to debating an issue.

Where am I pounding my chest? Is confidence in your opinion pounding your chest?

I could understand your logic or anger towards me if I said, "UNC wins it all. OSU sucks. Arizona wins by 20." And offered no explanation.

By your logic Scott that West Virginia loss to Syracuse must be pretty bad too.

WVU played Syracuse after winning 3 straight games. Is losing to Syracuse after playing 3 straight games a "bad loss?" "really bad loss?"

 

[Sun Tzu]

Especially when you(UNC) have taken the ass......and I mean ASSBEATING Duke have given UNC the past 6 odd years.......No excuses.........UNC had everything pointing to a blowout and they could barely luckely pull out a win.......that game still stands out in my mind......

Well with that in mind arent you disturbed that Arizona couldnt close the deal against the Huskies, a team that owned them last year and is thretening to become a perennial challenger?

 

[maverick2112]

Even if UNC wins big this weekend I still will have a few doubts because in reality they have had the biggest joke of 4 games to the final four I have ever seen.......

Played nobody in rd 1.......understandable
Played a bad Iowa St in rd 2....say what you want about Iowa St. but they were fortunate to even be selected for the tourney and on the road this year they were terrible...both games basically on a home court

Round 3 ........Would have been a good game had Villanova had Sumpter who is arguably they best player......now he is out......

Round 4........the winner of Wisconsin and NC State.......a game to go to the final four is suppose to be a challenge.........NC State was talking about not even making the tourney a few weeks before the end of the season and Wisconsin is decent but no way final eight material......they had a much better team last year

Now this is not UNC's fault because they cant choose who they play but it sure has been set up to be easy city for them ....They have had probably the easiest draw seen in a long time.......I think Villanova would have given them a game with Sumpter.....without him I am not so sure......

 

[Sun Tzu]

Uhh Scott Syracuse lost in the first round of the tournament to Vermont. Didnt I read a bunch of nonsense about how OSU is in trouble - just look at what Kansas and Texas did and they both beat Okie State?

Your "questions" dont anger me. It is just annoying because they arent real questions and I would think you would have enough integrity to not act otherwise. Just like the ones you submitted to OU fans - as if the right answers were going to have you come in and tout the Sooners to beat the Trojenz.