Final Four: Gonzaga v Baylor & Illinois v Auburn

Final: Baylor (w) over Auburn

Don't ask me why...I couldn't tell ya!

And down goes Kentucky.  This is why if they blow up the Tourney and only keep Power 5. Ratings and dollars will fall apart.

Along with Richmond,but especially St. Peters,a good example of how team play and solid coaching can beat athleticism and pedigrees of far higher ranked players.

GW73 wrote:

The remarkable Spiders and maybe it's time to stop listening to the Mountain West complaining that it gets no respect.

Thanks to Kendall Baker of Axios --

• The Spider special: No. 12 Richmond's victory over Iowa was the Spiders' ninth win as a 12-seed or lower, five more than any other team since seeding began in 1979.
• 0-4: All four Mountain West teams are out (No. 12 Wyoming, No. 6 Colorado State, No. 8 Boise State, No. 8 San Diego State). The conference is now 0-8 since Nevada reached the Sweet 16 in 2018.

Unfortunately, this sounds a lot like the Atlantic Ten, with its history of multiple bids, complaints that it gets no respect, then early exits from the tourny.

GW73 wrote:

The remarkable Spiders and maybe it's time to stop listening to the Mountain West complaining that it gets no respect.

Thanks to Kendall Baker of Axios --

• The Spider special: No. 12 Richmond's victory over Iowa was the Spiders' ninth win as a 12-seed or lower, five more than any other team since seeding began in 1979.
• 0-4: All four Mountain West teams are out (No. 12 Wyoming, No. 6 Colorado State, No. 8 Boise State, No. 8 San Diego State). The conference is now 0-8 since Nevada reached the Sweet 16 in 2018.

First, TV ought to be writing Richmond's AD a thank you note.  Thank you for the extra money.  We can really use it.  Paying for two men's basketball coaches at the same time  going on what will be 5 years over a 10 year period (give or take) is really not so easy.

Next, I hope those responsible for organizing and paying for a FireMooney highway sign feel like absolute shit right now.  I only wish there was a way to identify these individuals and ban them from attending all UR games for as long as Mooney remains the coach.  Iowa has failed to reach the Sweet 16 in the 12 years that Fran McCaffrey has been their coach.  That's not good.

The Mountain West went 0-4, and not exactly against a murderer's row.  Colorado State lost to one of the last teams in the field in Michigan.  Boise State fell to a 10 loss Memphis team who has been playing better of late.  SD State had an 11 loss Creighton team beat practically all night but could not close the deal.  Wyoming could not get past an Indiana team that was blown away last night by St. Mary's.  Two big 10 teams, a big east team and an AAC team.  This helps illustrate why all of the blathering about midmajors getting screwed more often than not results in just that, blathering.  Yes, upsets do occur, like Richmond, St. Peter's and New Mexico State.  The point though is that there is nothing definitive which suggests that more midmajors ought to be getting into this tournament, as much as we as fans of the A10 would like to see, and that this is not going to change until we see midmajor wins over power conference teams being the rule and not the exception.

As long as Tanya is in charge, won't happen. Once she is "relieved" of her duties, it will take another 3-4 years to get past her bad decisions.

Mentzinger wrote:

Quick poll:
Who thinks the Colonials will be back in the tournament this decade? (2029)

No reason not to, with the right coach.   With the new transfer rules and the swollen transfer portal, rebuilidng need not take as long as it used to.   There is available, proven talent out there without a new coach needing to take 3 years to recruit and develop his recruits.  Personally, I think the new rule stinks, but that is from a fans perspective rather than a player's perspective.

GW0509 wrote:

Yep. If the only goal is to make a tournament we can probably Miami Marlins it some year in the next 8 seasons.

Might not be very fulfilling but it would meet the criteria of making a tournament.

Any tournament would be fulfilling if they made it.