NCAA tournament

[shocky]

That was tough to watch UNI get beat at their own game. Hats off to Izzo for some great coaching. I was really rooting for the Panthers tonight. They did MVC proud.

We need to get some new blood is the final rounds of this tourney. I'm so sick of all BCS finals. I really thought things would shake up this year. It sucks big time. I don't even dare watch ESPN and Digger (I love the BCS) Phelps talk about UNI, St Mary's losing.

I guess go Butler!!!!!!

[WSUwatcher]

MSU

Unfortunately, the win by Michigan State will probably just feed the prejudice of the "eye test" gang of power conference lovers who work for CBS and ESPN.

Still, what can you say? Michigan State just moved on, without their best player, against the team that had KO'd the top overall seed in a game that was no fluke. To put that in perspective, can you imagine what WSU's 25-10 would have turned into this past season without Hannah? We got a few glimpses -- between the NCAA and fouls, a few too many, unfortunately. And with all due respect for Clevin and his great year, he's not Kalin Lucas.

The Spartans are one deep, strong, talented team, and as mentally tough as you'll ever find -- a real personification of MTXE. No one has been more consistently excellent so far this century. Izzo has done a remarkable job with his program.

[XManCometh]

Re: MSU

Unfortunately, the win by Michigan State will probably just feed the prejudice of the "eye test" gang of power conference lovers who work for CBS and ESPN.

Something like this???

From the front page of espn.com's men's college basketball page:

Familiar Territory
Northern Iowa had never been in this spot. Michigan State had. The end result? The Spartans are Elite again.

This could be taken one of two ways:

1) This is what everyone expected to happen. Power conferences always win out.

2) Mich St was just the better team due to experience.

[WSUwatcher]

Experience

Tournament experience is a nice story line, but it isn't everything.

In 2006, when George Mason reached the Final Four (going through WSU in the round of 16), their first-round NCAA opponent was, of all teams, Michigan State. Then came North Carolina, and after WSU it was Connecticut. Set aside WSU and then ask yourself who had more tournament experience in the rest of those games -- Mason or the opponent?

Sometimes it's just about who steps up on a given day, and last night when the game was on the line, it was -- as it often is -- Michigan State. That game wasn't so much the big boys vs. the "mid-sized" ones as it was a case of a particular program that just really knows how to win getting it done yet again.

[forevershockerfan]

The phrase to consider is "so close yet so far away." It has been quite awhile since a Valley Team has made the Elite 8. Certainly, NIU missed open shots and free-throws that they have been making all year. "So close but so far away." They could have won that game!!!!!!! Valley Teams have been in the Sweet 16 ala 2006. WSU played a vey hot George Mason that year and a win would have landed us in the Elite 8. GM made it to the final 4 and that was very impressive for a smaller Program but it proves what can happen.

Next, K-State is benefiting at the Dance with upsets on their side of the bracket that paves their way deeper into the Dance. I can't forget before this regular Season started, a happening that was alleged. It was said that WSU played and we beat K-State? Is this true? If so, could it be implied that we are knocking on the "Dancing with the Stars door?" It is too early to tell and we have some key recruiting happening as we speak. Even so, all along, many on here were predicting this coming Season will be the "Season Of Shock :shock: !!!!!!!" The Shocks have been knocking, and have come so close. Now it comes high time to pry the dance door open and enter next Season.

[ShockTalk]

Re: MSU

Unfortunately, the win by Michigan State will probably just feed the prejudice of the "eye test" gang of power conference lovers who work for CBS and ESPN.

Still, what can you say? Michigan State just moved on, without their best player, against the team that had KO'd the top overall seed in a game that was no fluke. To put that in perspective, can you imagine what WSU's 25-10 would have turned into this past season without Hannah? We got a few glimpses -- between the NCAA and fouls, a few too many, unfortunately. And with all due respect for Clevin and his great year, he's not Kalin Lucas.

The Spartans are one deep, strong, talented team, and as mentally tough as you'll ever find -- a real personification of MTXE. No one has been more consistently excellent so far this century. Izzo has done a remarkable job with his program.

The "eye test" phrase has no place here. UNI more than proved it belonged. No one said that UNI, despite not being a BCS school, was one of the top 8 programs in the country.

The "eye test" phrase applies to whether a BCS or non-BCS school should get an invite to dance. The general assumption being an assumed tougher overall schedule and conference should give the BCS the nod over an equally deserving non-BCS team. This year, non-BCS teams are coining a new phrase -- "things are not always what you think they appear to be".

[ISASO]

The MID-MAJOR Butler Bulldogs have the Wildcats up a tree right now...18-10...and whipping them on the offensive glass for easy buckets.

[WSUShokker]

"things are not always what you think they appear to be"

Well I dont work for Coke Zero or any other major name brand...but I gotta think we can do much better than that for a catch phrase...as we exit this year and go into next year. I would hope we could have something that rolls off the tongue and past the lips a little better than that does. As catch phrases go....it doesent pass the eye test

[forevershockerfan]

Young Butler--18---They start 4-Sophs and 1-Junior

K-State--------10

[newshock1234]

Go Butler!!!!

[forevershockerfan]

Halftime Update

Young Hungry Butlers---------27

Curtis Kelly (He came to play) 20

[ShockTalk]

"things are not always what you think they appear to be"

Well I dont work for Coke Zero or any other major name brand...but I gotta think we can do much better than that for a catch phrase...as we exit this year and go into next year. I would hope we could have something that rolls off the tongue and past the lips a little better than that does. As catch phrases go....it doesent pass the eye test

Must admit that I wrote that without actually thinking that that was a good catch phrase, but more to make a point.

Please! Feel free to come up with that new catchy phrase!

[wsushox1]

LOL AT BOB LUTZ

[wsushox1]

Gus Johnson "K-State doing a little bit of cryin' and Butler making them pay for it".

Haha!! I love it.

[forevershockerfan]

Young Energetic Wildcat Hungry Butler---37

K-State---------------------------------------28

Thus far, Butler is dictating the tempo and holding the solid K-State guards to a mild roar.