OT: D1

[Ship69]

UCONN about to go 12-0 over the last two tourneys barely breaking a sweat is probably not great for the popularity of the men’s tournament. At least this year you can’t say the bracket just fell apart in their favor. If Purdue can’t challenge them I’m not sure who could have.

I didn't even give the men's game much of a look. For one thing, the 9:20 starting time on a Monday night was ridiculous. And I figured that, like the women's game, it would be the case of the stronger team overcoming a single dominant player. I've never been as impressed by Smith and Loyer of Purdue as some of the commentators appear to be. Northwestern's guards shredded them when the Cats played them.

[IUP24]

UCONN about to go 12-0 over the last two tourneys barely breaking a sweat is probably not great for the popularity of the men’s tournament. At least this year you can’t say the bracket just fell apart in their favor. If Purdue can’t challenge them I’m not sure who could have.

I think dominance and dynasties are good for sports, in general. I recognize that's probably not the popular opinion. But the reality is that you either root for the dynasty to keep rolling, or you root against it. There's no middle ground. People hate Hurley because he's the opposite of what people think coaches should be nowadays. He's not soft, he is a throwback, no nonsense type. His team is really good. There's nothing unlikable about them otherwise, in my opinion - and I don't even dislike them. I was pulling for UCONN. Give me the story. Sports need a villain.

Sports are at their best when people have passionate reasons to root for or against something. Often times that doesn't involve their own team.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

If I were placing a bet I’d say Nate Oats will be their guy. Hurley has now reached God status at UCONN and I would think they could get close enough to what UK would offer money wise that everything else that comes with the job wouldn’t be worth leaving the well oiled machine he’s built.

There would be no better 'bad boy' coach for UK than him.

Hurley in the SEC would almost be WWE worthy.

Kentucky is an arrogant program and he's as arrogant and flamboyant as they come.

It's almost a match made in heaven.

He said all the right things last night. The dollar signs will start flying today, however.

I don't think he'll leave. But, coaches are about as trustworthy as crackheads these days when they start talking about loyalty, dream jobs, etc.

I'm not big on Oates for that job. It takes a special character, ego-maniac type to survive in Lexington. Hurley would be perfect. They will toss more money at him than he's probably ever imagined. I think Oates would get swallowed in that pressure-cooker.

[Chuck Norris]

Will Hurley follow the mega coin to Lexington?

If I were placing a bet I’d say Nate Oats will be their guy. Hurley has now reached God status at UCONN and I would think they could get close enough to what UK would offer money wise that everything else that comes with the job wouldn’t be worth leaving the well oiled machine he’s built.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

UCONN about to go 12-0 over the last two tourneys barely breaking a sweat is probably not great for the popularity of the men’s tournament. At least this year you can’t say the bracket just fell apart in their favor. If Purdue can’t challenge them I’m not sure who could have.

Will Hurley follow the mega coin to Lexington?

[Chuck Norris]

If you missed it, the cold open on SNL was about the women's game and how America is paying (paid) more attention to it than the men's tournament.

It's pretty funny and worth the watch.

UCONN about to go 12-0 over the last two tourneys barely breaking a sweat is probably not great for the popularity of the men’s tournament. At least this year you can’t say the bracket just fell apart in their favor. If Purdue can’t challenge them I’m not sure who could have.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

If you missed it, the cold open on SNL was about the women's game and how America is paying (paid) more attention to it than the men's tournament.

It's pretty funny and worth the watch.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

One of the better jobs, but also one that brings tremendous scrutiny and pressure. Basketball to Kentucky is what football is to Bama and Georgia. Calipari largely initiated the "one and done" strategy, but the transfer portal and NIL have turned D1 into a sea of one and done schools, so the novelty has worn off.

That Kentucky job isn't for everybody.

That said, another domino is coming. You'd think they'll go after Hurley hardcore. Now, will he leave UCONN is the question (where he may win his second title tonight). Kentucky will come out swinging with the checkbook.

Cal may do well at Arkansas. They have some newfound mega coin flowing in with Walmart and Tyson. They also don't have any pro teams so Cal will be the biggest celebrity in the state (he likes that).

His run at Kentucky was up. It was time for both sides to move along.

[Ship69]

Calipari is leaving UK and taking the job at Arkansas.

Shocking move.

It obviously now opens up perhaps the best job in the country.

One of the better jobs, but also one that brings tremendous scrutiny and pressure. Basketball to Kentucky is what football is to Bama and Georgia. Calipari largely initiated the "one and done" strategy, but the transfer portal and NIL have turned D1 into a sea of one and done schools, so the novelty has worn off.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Calipari is leaving UK and taking the job at Arkansas.

Shocking move.

It obviously now opens up perhaps the best job in the country.

[Chuck Norris]

SC up at half. I think they're just too big and too deep for Iowa. Only way Iowa has a chance is to shoot an extremely high percentage.

Yeah the momentum really started turning at the end of the first quarter and it was a matter of time before Iowa just couldn’t fight off all that size. I would’ve like to see Clark finish the deal, but what a career.

Hopefully we get a good men’s game to cap off the college hoops season.

[Ship69]

It’s like a home game for Iowa. Off to a fast start.

SC up at half. I think they're just too big and too deep for Iowa. Only way Iowa has a chance is to shoot an extremely high percentage.

[Ship69]

Not sure who gets more golden treatment between her and the Purdue center.


I won't even watch the Purdue game tonight. They'll win and he'll shoot 35 FTs.

You can cherry-pick foul calls in almost every basketball game and make it read how you want. Sure there are a lot of bad calls in some basketball games, but it's usually called that way at both ends. I'm sure Clark gets some calls. What superstar ever hasn't? The announcer in the game today said Clark pushed off once in the first half, which she did, but what he didn't say was that she got clobbered on the arm at least 2-3 times before she pushed off. Basketball is not a non-contact sport, but it's not wrestling, either. Whining about officiating is as old as basketball, but it seems to be a constant go-to move in the last few years, and it's getting old. Paige Bueckers has enough maturity in college to realize that you can't let a game come down to one play if you want to be sure victory.

[Chuck Norris]

It’s like a home game for Iowa. Off to a fast start.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Okay, moving screen or not? The basketball universe seems to be blowing up over the moving screen call that gave the ball back to Iowa with less than four seconds left. Essentially what I’m seeing is UConn fans and everyone who hates Kaitlin Clark say it wasn’t a foul and “they just want Iowa to win.” Basketball fans generally with no horse in the race say it was a foul and should have been called. Then there’s the crowd that says “It’s a foul but you can’t call it in that spot.”

To that last point I say nonsense. A foul is a foul regardless of when it happens. To me it was a clear moving screen and appropriately called by the official. For what it’s worth though, I thought Clark should have been called for an offensive foul a few moments earlier but instead she ended up getting a big basket. Just curious about the board’s opinion on what went down. I thought Paige Bueckers showed total class when asked about it in the post-game interview. She basically said they shouldn’t have let it come down to that and that she should have done more because a game isn’t decided on one play.

Not sure who gets more golden treatment between her and the Purdue center.


I won't even watch the Purdue game tonight. They'll win and he'll shoot 35 FTs.