Can anyone remember a year with so many huge upsets? Oral roberts just beat florida. Loyola beats illinois. Two sweet sixteen teams that no one other than their fans would pick them to win.
The year of the upset
- Thread starter hawkedoff
- Start date
It's insanity!
Like Fran said. The seed doesn't matter. This year it's more evident than ever!
Like Fran said. The seed doesn't matter. This year it's more evident than ever!
This year is definitely a whacky tournament with upsets. I love it!
Go Hawks!
Go Hawks!
This probably explains the B1G issues more tgan anything. Waiting 2 years for this seems to make some of the teams play with more stress.
There's so much more parity now in bball than there was in the 80s/90s. The best teams from these smaller conferences are hard to seed properly anymore. Then you have teams like Loyola who are ranked #17 and from MVC (which has proven to be the best of small conferences), but still end up as an 8 when they should really be a 5.
I think the proliferation of the one-and-dones in that time has made it more difficult to gauge good teams. Plus, more future NBA players go wherever they want because they know they don't have to go to blue bloods to get to the NBA any more. So many high school players getting as much or more attention than college basketball players.
The NBA set this up decades ago by featuring players instead of teams. Now everyone follows the best players in basketball and mostly ignores teams except for fans of schools in college. It's created a really weird dynamic in college basketball that is unlike any other college sport.
Just look at Iowa's Murray twins. No one wanted them. They were late bloomers. There are players like that all over the country. If you have players that can shoot the 3 and you defend you have a chance . All these players play year round on traveling teams sharpening their skills.
If oregon state wins this game tonight there will have been 14 upsets through 40 games. That is 35 percent so far. Four teams seeded three or above have lost. That is a fill third of the top 12
I think some of it is the lack of an off-season, in the traditional sense. Teams that would have gotten together and lifted all summer or played in local leagues like the PTL here didn't get to do that in '20-'21, and that leveled the playing field.
Furthermore, the nutrition and workout difficulties with COVID, virtual classes, virtual meetings, not as much hands-on coaching with players, etc. all brought this field together. All the major advantages that big programs have aren't as prominent this year and is IMO a large reason why this year's tournament is playing out like it is
Furthermore, the nutrition and workout difficulties with COVID, virtual classes, virtual meetings, not as much hands-on coaching with players, etc. all brought this field together. All the major advantages that big programs have aren't as prominent this year and is IMO a large reason why this year's tournament is playing out like it is
