NCAA Matchups to Watch

[bballnut90]

Looking at the tournament, here are some potential matchups that look really intriguing:

Greenville 1:
Notre Dame/Creighton in 2nd Round. By the looks of it, Notre Dame is not very good without Miles. Creighton pulled off a great Cinderella run last year, I think they could do the same again. Plus they likely have Maryland waiting for them in the Sweet 16, and Maryland has consistently choked in that round the past 7-8 years.

South Carolina/UCLA in Sweet 16. UCLA gave them a tough game in SC earlier this year. I'm not sure they can replicate this but worth noting.

Greenville 2:
Washington State/Villanova in 2nd Round. Washington State is red hot coming into the tournament, game will be on the road though.

Michigan/LSU in 2nd Round. I'd be on Michigan pulling this one out even though they've struggled a lot this year. LSU is so untested, I think this is a tough game for them.

Seattle 3:
Iowa State/Tennessee. Both teams have underwhelmed most of the year but are playing well as of late. Ashley Joens/Rickea Jackson will be a great battle.

North Carolina/Ohio State in the 2nd Round. This could be a great battle. North Carolina has serious grit and can hang with anyone. Ohio State is a huge wild card. When they've played well, they look really good. When they don't, they're really bad. Sheldon's health is a major factor, they're a completely different team with her in the lineup and healthy.


Seattle 4:
Texas/Louisville in the 2nd Round. Two preseason top 5 squads that have largely struggled this year but seem to be turning things around entering the tournament. Coaching rematch from the epic 2018 Final Four game.

Stanford/Texas in the Sweet 16. Coaches aren't best of friends after Tara made some harsh comments in the tournament last year. Stanford is uber talented but also very streaky. I could see Vic pulling off an upset if they match up. I think if it's Louisville/Stanford, Stanford rolls.

Iowa/Stanford in the Elite 8. Shame these 2 are in the same regional IMO. I would've much preferred to see Iowa/Virginia Tech and UCONN/Stanford, but if both teams advance this should be a heck of a matchup.

 

[triaddukefan]

First round matchup. VPI vs Chattanooga. The Moc's are lead by a 1st year coach Shawn Poppie. Poppie came over from VPI so he knows the team's style of play and most of their players very well.

 

[undersized]

Looking at the tournament, here are some potential matchups that look really intriguing:

Greenville 1:
Notre Dame/Creighton in 2nd Round. By the looks of it, Notre Dame is not very good without Miles. Creighton pulled off a great Cinderella run last year, I think they could do the same again. Plus they likely have Maryland waiting for them in the Sweet 16, and Maryland has consistently choked in that round the past 7-8 years.

If Creighton and MD were to matchup, it's a fascinating matchup because neither plays a true center. MD wayyyy more athletic but less disciplined and fundamentally sound on defense.

 

[GamecockFam]

I want to tune in for the OSU/UConn game if it happens. I think that'll be a fun one with a lot of twists, turns and lead changes.

But, just looking at the first round, my Spidey senses started tingling when I saw that NC State/Princeton matchup. I have only watched one Princeton game, so take this with a grain of salt, but with the NC State struggles as of late, I'm feeling an upset brewing. I think they can win.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

The UCLA/South Carolina game is interesting. UCLA didn’t have their best player last time they played. They play very different styles of basketball which can lead to unpredictable results and UCLA doesn’t play like other SEC teams. I expect a close first half with South Carolina making it a blow out in the 3rd quarter but if UCLA gets hot it could be interesting throughout.

Iowa Duke I think could be a good game. Duke plays excellent defense and Iowa… does not. I don’t see Iowa getting to the elite eight and see Duke as one of the biggest obstacles in their way.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

. . . Iowa Duke I think could be a good game. Duke plays excellent defense and Iowa… does not. I don’t see Iowa getting to the elite eight and see Duke as one of the biggest obstacles in their way.

I'm not sure if it will be a good game, but it could be an intriguing game if it happens. Duke with good defense
and questionable offense and Iowa just the opposite.

 

[TerpWomenFan]

If Creighton and MD were to matchup, it's a fascinating matchup because neither plays a true center. MD wayyyy more athletic but less disciplined and fundamentally sound on defense.

That would be an interesting matchup. Creighton will have no one who can guard Diamond Miller. So, the Blue Jays will have to hope Diamond gets in foul trouble which has happened way too often.

 

[GCKSFN4L]

The UCLA/South Carolina game is interesting. UCLA didn’t have their best player last time they played. They play very different styles of basketball which can lead to unpredictable results and UCLA doesn’t play like other SEC teams. I expect a close first half with South Carolina making it a blow out in the 3rd quarter but if UCLA gets hot it could be interesting throughout.

Iowa Duke I think could be a good game. Duke plays excellent defense and Iowa… does not. I don’t see Iowa getting to the elite eight and see Duke as one of the biggest obstacles in their way.

Who is their best player? The whole starting lineup played in the last matchup.

 

[LETTERL]

I want to tune in for the OSU/UConn game if it happens. I think that'll be a fun one with a lot of twists, turns and lead changes.

But, just looking at the first round, my Spidey senses started tingling when I saw that NC State/Princeton matchup. I have only watched one Princeton game, so take this with a grain of salt, but with the NC State struggles as of late, I'm feeling an upset brewing. I think they can win.

I am hoping Diamond Johnson will be back for the NCAAT. She has sat out our last six games with an ankle injury. But yeah...I wonder if NC State can keep up the scoring pace with the way they shot the ball over the last month of the season. If Johnson is healed, she can be lethal from THREE when she can settle her feet without pain. Otherwise, NC State is likely to be a one-and-done.

Coach Moore called out his team in his final ACCT press conference, saying his team didn't always play with heart and largely just was going through the motions. Maybe that will motivate them to give it their all against Princeton.

 

[cancontent]

Looking at the tournament, here are some potential matchups that look really intriguing:

Greenville 1:
Notre Dame/Creighton in 2nd Round. By the looks of it, Notre Dame is not very good without Miles. Creighton pulled off a great Cinderella run last year, I think they could do the same again. Plus they likely have Maryland waiting for them in the Sweet 16, and Maryland has consistently choked in that round the past 7-8 years.

South Carolina/UCLA in Sweet 16. UCLA gave them a tough game in SC earlier this year. I'm not sure they can replicate this but worth noting.

Greenville 2:
Washington State/Villanova in 2nd Round. Washington State is red hot coming into the tournament, game will be on the road though.

Michigan/LSU in 2nd Round. I'd be on Michigan pulling this one out even though they've struggled a lot this year. LSU is so untested, I think this is a tough game for them.

Seattle 3:
Iowa State/Tennessee. Both teams have underwhelmed most of the year but are playing well as of late. Ashley Joens/Rickea Jackson will be a great battle.

North Carolina/Ohio State in the 2nd Round. This could be a great battle. North Carolina has serious grit and can hang with anyone. Ohio State is a huge wild card. When they've played well, they look really good. When they don't, they're really bad. Sheldon's health is a major factor, they're a completely different team with her in the lineup and healthy.


Seattle 4:
Texas/Louisville in the 2nd Round. Two preseason top 5 squads that have largely struggled this year but seem to be turning things around entering the tournament. Coaching rematch from the epic 2018 Final Four game.

Stanford/Texas in the Sweet 16. Coaches aren't best of friends after Tara made some harsh comments in the tournament last year. Stanford is uber talented but also very streaky. I could see Vic pulling off an upset if they match up. I think if it's Louisville/Stanford, Stanford rolls.

Iowa/Stanford in the Elite 8. Shame these 2 are in the same regional IMO. I would've much preferred to see Iowa/Virginia Tech and UCONN/Stanford, but if both teams advance this should be a heck of a matchup.

I think it's a tough game for both teams, but I'm leaning towards LSU on this one. The question is which Michigan is going to show up? The one that has looked listless the last few weeks of the season or the team that looked very impressive before conference play started?

If LSU is able to take advantage of Michigan's turnover tendencies, this could get messy. Brown, like Reese needs to keep her emotions in check, avoid turnovers and try doing everything herself. Will Kiser or Williams be able to defend Reese? Williams plays barely 15 minutes as a starter and can be foul prone. And bench points will be key for Michigan. Their depth has been very underwhelming overall this season to me. Hobbie needs to show up big time during the tournament.

 

[Bjbod]

Drake vs Louisville in a 12/5 match-up.

I watched Drake's last 2 games in the MVC tourney and was impressed. Two long-armed 6'3" women and everyone can shoot 3's; good rebounding on the defensive end. Played Iowa to an OT game early in the year.

Can be sloppy with the ball, and that could be a real problem vs the most athletic team they've seen all year.

If they can limit TO's and match their season average on 3's it could get interesting.

 

[UConnCat]

Last year 3 host teams lost on their home court and failed to advance to the Sweet 16: Iowa, Arizona and LSU.

Which host teams won't reach the Sweet 16 this year?

I'm not certain we'll see similar results this year but my top picks to be upset at home are Duke, Tennessee and Notre Dame (if Miles doesn't play). I keep going back and forth on Villanova but ultimately I think they'll beat Washington State.

 

[GamecockFam]

The UCLA/South Carolina game is interesting. UCLA didn’t have their best player last time they played. They play very different styles of basketball which can lead to unpredictable results and UCLA doesn’t play like other SEC teams. I expect a close first half with South Carolina making it a blow out in the 3rd quarter but if UCLA gets hot it could be interesting throughout.

Iowa Duke I think could be a good game. Duke plays excellent defense and Iowa… does not. I don’t see Iowa getting to the elite eight and see Duke as one of the biggest obstacles in their way.

I haven't kept up with UCLA but South Carolina is a vastly different team since that matchup. In November our new PGs were still finding their legs while they were returning from injury and Cardoso was still figuring out her role.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

I haven't kept up with UCLA but South Carolina is a vastly different team since that matchup. In November our new PGs were still finding their legs while they were returning from injury and Cardoso was still figuring out her role. Also if memory serves me, Amihere had just flown back from playing for Canada in Australia.

UCLA is quite a bit better as well. They rely on freshman who have all gotten better as their season has gone on, London Jones especially has made a big difference since November. They can be very inconsistent from game to game or even throughout the game and I don't think they are especially well coached. However, when they are on they can be explosive offensively. They erased a 15 point deficit against Stanford in 2-3 minutes during the regular season on the road. They were one of the 4-5 teams I didn't want in UConn's bracket because the get up for big games and have a very high ceiling which are the teams I want to avoid this time of the year. They can also have a lot of diversity in how they can score with combinations of drivers, slashers, and shooters. They don't rely on paint points either.

I don't think South Carolina will lose to UCLA, but if Rice, Jones, Osborne and Bessoir all play well a the same time they can make it competitive against any team in the country.

 

[triaddukefan]

 

[HuskyNan]

 

[ISUnorth]

Didn't know where to post this so maybe it fits here. Iowa, Georgia, SE Louisiana and Florida State will all be playing in front of a full house of 15,000. Pretty impressive tickets sell. Got tip my hat to the Hawk fans on this one.

 

[visitingcock]

Didn't know where to post this so maybe it fits here. Iowa, Georgia, SE Louisiana and Florida State will all be playing in front of a full house of 15,000. Pretty impressive tickets sell. Got tip my hat to the Hawk fans on this one.

Congrats to Iowa.

South Carolina will not sell out their first two (18,000)

 

[saywho]

The UCLA/South Carolina game is interesting. UCLA didn’t have their best player last time they played. They play very different styles of basketball which can lead to unpredictable results and UCLA doesn’t play like other SEC teams. I expect a close first half with South Carolina making it a blow out in the 3rd quarter but if UCLA gets hot it could be interesting throughout.

Iowa Duke I think could be a good game. Duke plays excellent defense and Iowa… does not. I don’t see Iowa getting to the elite eight and see Duke as one of the biggest obstacles in their way.

I actually think Duke is going to have a tough time with Colorado and their stifling defense. I expect a very low scoring game, which means it can certainly go either way.

 

[Ladeeeeda]

I actually think Duke is going to have a tough time with Colorado and their stifling defense. I expect a very low scoring game, which means it can certainly go either way.

I agree. I don't love this match up for Duke.

 

[visitingcock]

Play- in Games:

Purdue vs. St Johns

Illinois v. Miss St.

Looks like a Big Ten Sweep to me.

 

[KY Card Fan]

Drake vs Louisville in a 12/5 match-up.

I watched Drake's last 2 games in the MVC tourney and was impressed. Two long-armed 6'3" women and everyone can shoot 3's; good rebounding on the defensive end. Played Iowa to an OT game early in the year.

Can be sloppy with the ball, and that could be a real problem vs the most athletic team they've seen all year.

If they can limit TO's and match their season average on 3's it could get interesting.

Louisville fan here. Posters on the Louisville boards are totally overlooking Drake and are going right to a rematch with Texas. I'm impressed with what I've seen from Drake. Doesn't look like a gimmee to me...not even close.

 

[cancontent]

Louisville fan here. Posters on the Louisville boards are totally overlooking Drake and are going right to a rematch with Texas. I'm impressed with what I've seen from Drake. Doesn't look like a gimmee to me...not even close.

That's a dangerous approach to take, especially with a team like Drake. They forced Iowa to OT this season and are well coached. Heck, Texas may not be a good match up for the Cards either.

 

[YoDore]

Drake vs Louisville in a 12/5 match-up.

I watched Drake's last 2 games in the MVC tourney and was impressed. Two long-armed 6'3" women and everyone can shoot 3's; good rebounding on the defensive end. Played Iowa to an OT game early in the year.

Can be sloppy with the ball, and that could be a real problem vs the most athletic team they've seen all year.

If they can limit TO's and match their season average on 3's it could get interesting.

When they're shooting the ball the way they're capable of, Drake is a problem. Just ask my Belmont Bruins, who came into the MVC tournament finals with a 16-game win streak and got spanked from the beginning. On top of that, Drake is just fun to watch. Still, I think a good defensive team can shut down the three-point line. Is that Louisville, though?

 

[Iluvacc2]

Stanford/Texas in the Sweet 16. Coaches aren't best of friends after Tara made some harsh comments in the tournament last year.

What did she say?