Opening round snapshot

[Zagceo]

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2019/mar/17/know-gonzagas-foes-taking-a-look-at-the-teams-the-/

[CDC84]

I hate to pick on such an innocent article, but all references to how a team has done in their last 10 games should be eradicated. The Sporting News, ESPN and other entities have proven that it makes ZERO statistical difference in how teams do in the tourney. Even more so in these days of unbalanced league schedules. It's why the committee eliminated it as a criteria several years ago. The problem is that the vast majority of people who tune into March Madness don't watch college basketball during the regular season, and are not aware of these kind of facts. So when a news group puts a thing in about how a team has done in their last 10 games, casual fans think they should take it seriously. Granted, the city of Spokane might have less casual fans than some other area, but it's just a useless stat. It has never been shown to make a difference when it comes to tournament performance.

[bartruff1]

Thanks...I didn't know much of anything about these teams so it was very informative...and appreciate their last ten games records as that tells me who is playing well in March including in their Conference Tournaments........who is hot and who is not...

[IdahoTJR]

Gonzaga is 31-21 21 years

How can Syracuse have 38 losses in 38 tournaments when they won the whole thing one year?
How can Baylor have 13 losses in 11 tournaments?

[bartruff1]

Gee...Gonzaga has only lost one game per year..... for over 20 years.....that is amazing....

[gonzagafan62]

Gonzaga is 31-21 21 years

How can Syracuse have 38 losses in 38 tournaments when they won the whole thing one year?
How can Baylor have 13 losses in 11 tournaments?

Wasn’t there a third place game at some point?

[Birddog]

Gee...Gonzaga has only lost one game per year..... for over 20 years.....that is amazing....

Good one Bart!!!

[gueastcoast]

Wasn’t there a third place game at some point?

Until 1981 (had to look it up but did remember the concept!)

[bartruff1]

Good one Bart!!!

Bird, it will be even more amazing if they only lose 21 games in 22 years.....this is going to be fun...

[DZ]

I hate to pick on such an innocent article, but all references to how a team has done in their last 10 games should be eradicated. The Sporting News, ESPN and other entities have proven that it makes ZERO statistical difference in how teams do in the tourney. Even more so in these days of unbalanced league schedules. It's why the committee eliminated it as a criteria several years ago. The problem is that the vast majority of people who tune into March Madness don't watch college basketball during the regular season, and are not aware of these kind of facts. So when a news group puts a thing in about how a team has done in their last 10 games, casual fans think they should take it seriously. Granted, the city of Spokane might have less casual fans than some other area, but it's just a useless stat. It has never been shown to make a difference when it comes to tournament performance.

This may be anecdotal but it seems to me that over the years, mid-seeded teams (3-6 seeds) in their conference tournament, who go on to the championship, surprising people by overachieving, often come into the tournament physically and emotionally more worn out.

It seems to be we've seen many P6 teams over the years coming into the tournament as a "hot" team bc of the run through conference tourney, only to have them lay an egg in the first or second round.

Again, no stats, just my recall.

[irishzag_09]

I'm more of a scouting report guy, what composition are the teams made up of (size and how old and deep your rotation is)...I'll give you the KenPom stats and as well as the makeup of team from what I've seen:

208 - Fairleigh Dickinson (NEC) - slow tempo and relay on Mike Holloway to score inside to open up 3's for Darnell Edge, Xzavier Malone-Key, and Jahil Jenkins...run these undersized guards off the 3-point line and make Mike Holloway beat Rui and Brandon and Killian inside...in fact, I would place Killian on Mike Holloway and put Brandon on Elyjah Williams and Rui on Xzavier Malone-Key...they do not match up well with any of our players at the 1-2-3 poisition size wise...if Zags force them to penetrate a tough perimeter defense, I don't believe they can make enough 2 point buckets to win the game. Very low experience from bench.

Starting 5:

PG - 3 - Jahil Jenkins - 6'0" 160 - Sophmore - 40/115 (34.8%) 3's for the year, 88.7%
SG - 1 - Darnell Edge - 6'2" 185 - Senior - 79/170 (46.5%) 3's for the year, 89.4% FT
SF - 5 - Xzavier Malone-Key - 6'4" 180 - Sophmore - 44/125 3's for the year, 62.5% FT
PF - 21 - Elyjah Williams - 6'7" 220 - Sophmore - 9/17 3's for the year, 59.4% FT
C - 34 - Mike Holloway - 6'8" 245 - Senior - 8/23 3's for the year, 67.2% FT

Bench:

SF - 12 - Kaleb Bishop - 6'8" 195 - Junior - 36/81 (44.4%) 3's for the year, 75.8%
PG - 11 - Tyler Jones - 5'11" 165 - Sophmore - 8/15 3/s for the year, 50% FT shooter (2/4 on the year)
SF - 33 - Pat McNamara - 6'5" 190 - Junior - 4/10 3's for the year, 0% FT shooter (0/1 on the year)
C - 15 - Oscar Okeke - 6'11" 225 - Sophmore - 0/0 3's for the year, 50% FT shooter (1/2 on the year)

209 - Prairie View A&M (SWAC) - fast paced tempo looking for turnovers and transition break buckets...don't shoot the 3 particularly well. No. 2 in the nation at forcing turnovers, so these guys gamble all pacing lanes for steals. Gary Blackstone, Devonte Patterson, Dennis Jones and Taishaun Johnson make up this team...basically all players attempt to steal the ball and pass ahead for layups...these guys won't shoot the lights out from three, just annoy you with defensive pressure...an undersized team that when caught gambling for steals unsuccessfully, will get burned on the back end.

Starting 5:

PG - 11 - Dennis Jones - 6'1" 170 - Senior - 24/82 3's for the year, 52.4% FT
SG - 2 - Darius Williams - 6'0" 176 - Junior - 43/131 (32.8%) 3's for the year, 79.1% FT
SF - 3 - Gary Blackston - 6'2" 185 - Senior - 41/125 (32.8%) 3's for the year, 65.3% FT
PF - 15 - Gerard Andrus - 6'5" 192 - Junior - 4/11 3's for the year, 70.5% FT
C - 23- Devonte Patterson - 6'7" 205 - Junior - 10/58 3's for the year, 72.5% FT

Bench:

PG - 1 - Taishaun Johnson - 6'0" 176 - Senior - 14/58 (24.1%) 3's for the year, 77% FT
SG - 4 - Antione Lister - 6'3" 165 - Junior - 22/54 (40.7%) 3's for the year, 80% FT
SF - 0 - Chancelllor Ellis - 6'4" 185 - Sophmore - 45/124 (36.3%) 3's for the year, 80% FT
C - 13 - Irwin Ellis - 6'7" 205 - Senior - 0/0 3's for the year, 42.9% FT

If Farleigh-Dickinson doesn't turn the ball over, which they have been prone to do...they will out shoot Prairie-View A&M and win...if Prairie-View A&M gets the fast break points off steals...they will advance to get the Zags.

[Zagceo]

Zags are listed as 26.5 point favorites even though no opponent yet

http://www.vegasinsider.com/college%2Dbasketball/odds/las%2Dvegas/

[raise the zag]

This may be anecdotal but it seems to me that over the years, mid-seeded teams (3-6 seeds) in their conference tournament, who go on to the championship, surprising people by overachieving, often come into the tournament physically and emotionally more worn out.

It seems to be we've seen many P6 teams over the years coming into the tournament as a "hot" team bc of the run through conference tourney, only to have them lay an egg in the first or second round.

Again, no stats, just my recall.

I'm telling this to myself too, Dixie.

[raise the zag]

I'm more of a scouting report guy, what composition are the teams made up of (size and how old and deep your rotation is)...I'll give you the KenPom stats and as well as the makeup of team from what I've seen:

208 - Fairleigh Dickinson (NEC) - slow tempo and relay on Mike Holloway to score inside to open up 3's for Darnell Edge, Xzavier Malone-Key, and Jahil Jenkins...run these undersized guards off the 3-point line and make Mike Holloway beat Rui and Brandon and Killian inside...in fact, I would place Killian on Mike Holloway and put Brandon on Elyjah Williams and Rui on Xzavier Malone-Key...they do not match up well with any of our players at the 1-2-3 poisition size wise...if Zags force them to penetrate a tough perimeter defense, I don't believe they can make enough 2 point buckets to win the game. Very low experience from bench.

Starting 5:

PG - 3 - Jahil Jenkins - 6'0" 160 - Sophmore - 40/115 (34.8%) 3's for the year, 88.7%
SG - 1 - Darnell Edge - 6'2" 185 - Senior - 79/170 (46.5%) 3's for the year, 89.4% FT
SF - 5 - Xzavier Malone-Key - 6'4" 180 - Sophmore - 44/125 3's for the year, 62.5% FT
PF - 21 - Elyjah Williams - 6'7" 220 - Sophmore - 9/17 3's for the year, 59.4% FT
C - 34 - Mike Holloway - 6'8" 245 - Senior - 8/23 3's for the year, 67.2% FT

Bench:

SF - 12 - Kaleb Bishop - 6'8" 195 - Junior - 36/81 (44.4%) 3's for the year, 75.8%
PG - 11 - Tyler Jones - 5'11" 165 - Sophmore - 8/15 3/s for the year, 50% FT shooter (2/4 on the year)
SF - 33 - Pat McNamara - 6'5" 190 - Junior - 4/10 3's for the year, 0% FT shooter (0/1 on the year)
C - 15 - Oscar Okeke - 6'11" 225 - Sophmore - 0/0 3's for the year, 50% FT shooter (1/2 on the year)

209 - Prairie View A&M (SWAC) - fast paced tempo looking for turnovers and transition break buckets...don't shoot the 3 particularly well. No. 2 in the nation at forcing turnovers, so these guys gamble all pacing lanes for steals. Gary Blackstone, Devonte Patterson, Dennis Jones and Taishaun Johnson make up this team...basically all players attempt to steal the ball and pass ahead for layups...these guys won't shoot the lights out from three, just annoy you with defensive pressure...an undersized team that when caught gambling for steals unsuccessfully, will get burned on the back end.

Starting 5:

PG - 11 - Dennis Jones - 6'1" 170 - Senior - 24/82 3's for the year, 52.4% FT
SG - 2 - Darius Williams - 6'0" 176 - Junior - 43/131 (32.8%) 3's for the year, 79.1% FT
SF - 3 - Gary Blackston - 6'2" 185 - Senior - 41/125 (32.8%) 3's for the year, 65.3% FT
PF - 15 - Gerard Andrus - 6'5" 192 - Junior - 4/11 3's for the year, 70.5% FT
C - 23- Devonte Patterson - 6'7" 205 - Junior - 10/58 3's for the year, 72.5% FT

Bench:

PG - 1 - Taishaun Johnson - 6'0" 176 - Senior - 14/58 (24.1%) 3's for the year, 77% FT
SG - 4 - Antione Lister - 6'3" 165 - Junior - 22/54 (40.7%) 3's for the year, 80% FT
SF - 0 - Chancelllor Ellis - 6'4" 185 - Sophmore - 45/124 (36.3%) 3's for the year, 80% FT
C - 13 - Irwin Ellis - 6'7" 205 - Senior - 0/0 3's for the year, 42.9% FT

If Farleigh-Dickinson doesn't turn the ball over, which they have been prone to do...they will out shoot Prairie-View A&M and win...if Prairie-View A&M gets the fast break points off steals...they will advance to get the Zags.

Great report! Well done. Thanks.

Gonna be fun to watch these teams battle it out tomorrow. To see who we play. Have we ever awaited a play-in game before? Not that I recall...

[Zagceo]

I don’t ever recall waiting for play in game. Anyone else?