Off to Philadelphia: Hello Virginia Commonwealth
by Nestor on Mar 15, 2009 3:47 PM PDT
in Basketball
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PrintSo the Bruins will have to pack their bags for Philadelphia to meet the Rams from Virginia Commonwealth Rams, champions of the Colonial Athletic Conference (they crushed George Mason in their conference finals):
Photo Credit: AP Photo/Scott k. Brown
Our first round opponent in 2009 March Madness. For those who want to start right away to get to know this go here (official site), here (Sportsline.com) and here (WWL). But if you want a quick flashback here is a reminder: it's the same program that upset Duke in a first round game just two years ago.
In other words this is the toughest first round opponent UCLA has drawn since taking on Bobby Knight's Texas Tech team four years ago. Here is the full bracket. Our game is going to be on sometime on Thursday but the tipoff hasn't been scheduled yet.
It's a tough draw but that's what we get for coasting in the Pac-10 tournament (and at various points this season).
If you have seen VCU this season now is the time to share your takes. Discuss this game and rest of our bracket (and the whole field). Fire away.
GO BRUINS.
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VCU still has that really good point guard
Eric Maynor. He tore up Duke two years ago. Seth Davis wasted no time to predict that they would beat UCLA. I just heard him say it for the 3rd time.
time for our boys
to step up.
would still like to know the reasoning behind sending FSU to boise, U. Illinois to Portland, and sending us to Phili
More on Maynor
He was the guy against whom Greg Paulus committed that tremendous flop that got put on YouTube because Maynor didn’t even make contact with him.
In terms of his style as a guard, he’s not lightning quick, nor is he big. Even though he will have a height advantage on Collison, he does not strike me as the type of guard who will eat Collison alive.
I was going to write the same thing
Good matchup for DC if he’s anywhere at 90%+
And I agree with a lot of the people on the other thread—we deserve this. But I LOVE the fact that everyone’s already calling the upset. Hopefully CBH has these quotes in everyone’s face starting tonight.
by bruinhopeful on Mar 15, 2009 3:56 PM PDT up reply actions
I have faith that we'll get past vcu
Seth Davis needs to see coach howland’s record on Thursdays.
Seriously
I really want to kick his ass right now.
by bruinbabe2000 on Mar 15, 2009 3:54 PM PDT up reply actions
I agree with this.
I have a feeling that we will come out with major intensity on Thursday night, and you know that the scouting will be complete and give us an advantage. Still, it will probably be a tight game. I expect the crowd to be against us because the home guys will want Nova to play the perceived easier team VCU.
Oh, I guess that Guerrero wasn’t lying when he said he has no say on where UCLA goes. All those people who intimated that he gave us a favorable home draw as a #2 in the West in 2006 and 2007 were proven wrong.
VCU is a tough matchup
They have a legit PG and big man, which might be our bane this season, but they won’t be familiar playing against us
Plus, they haven’t exactly been world beaters this year
this will not be easy
at all. Not the matchup i wanted to see
but we can get it done. we just need to bring our A game and “want it” more than VCU
Different take one Maynor....
NBA caliber guard with the type of size that would eat Collison allive
Taylor Rochestie
But far more athletic, better ball handler, etc, etc, etc
Disagree
Maynor is alright, but he is mostly been living off of the hype from that Duke game two years ago. There is a reason that he didn’t leave for the NBA after that or even last year.
I don't know what to think of that
Getting love is good, but Dickie V?
by bruinbabe2000 on Mar 15, 2009 3:58 PM PDT up reply actions
VCU Efficiency Stats
IF we get past VCU...
…do you think we’ll beat a guard-heavy Villanova team? In Philly? I don’t think so.
Honestly, I don’t think we’ll get past the first round, and I think all of us should be getting ready for this, and for all the crappy articles that will follow bashing Coach Howland and the rest of the team.
Unfortunately, we are playing a team that is a champion. That is exactly the worst kind of matchup for us in terms of intensity. Those boys bring it. We’re playing a far-away team in a far-away place. I am not optimistic, especially with DC hurting.
It’s really despicable that UCLA gets punished for having had success the last three years, while Zona gets a freebie for their reputation. Then again, I remember UCLA winning the Pac-10, only to be seeded a 5 and losing to Princeton. Unless we have an undisputable resume, the committee will give it to us in the butt, and I can’t help but think that there is a latent hatred and jealousy there because of the success of Wooden’s teams…
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
Honestly, tesser
I would not be surprised if ucla blows the shit out of vcu. I can see JS lighting them up and AA dominating. Don’t forget who your team is.
by harveyismyboy on Mar 15, 2009 8:46 PM PDT up reply actions
I'm just pessimistic
and particularly if DC is not healthy, we are in trouble. You can’t blame me after this team’s inconsistency and their mediocre record on the road. VCU gets to play with nothing to lose. We’ve been in games like that and haven’t fared very well. It is getting tough putting all my faith in a team that doesn’t bring it every game. I’ve been spoiled by the toughness of our last few teams.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
Eric Maynor
From Draftexpress.com…
"Clearly not a freakish athlete, Maynor can get to where he needs on the floor at this level thanks to his tremendous ability to change speeds with the ball and create his own shot going either left or right. He struggles finishing around the basket at times, but shows the useful ability to make floaters with either hand, shots that will benefit him greatly down the road. His perimeter shooting continues to show improvement as well—he’s already knocked down 15 more 3-pointers this season than last year, even if his percentages have dropped off from 39% to 36%. Maynor has NBA range on his jump-shot and is not afraid to show it, looking just as capable (possibly even more) of knocking down jump-shots off the dribble as he is on the catch and shoot.
Maynor at times has a tendency to force the issue a bit on the offensive end, trying to do a little too much with his dribble and taking some questionable shots. He takes quite a few shots for someone who shows such excellent potential as a playmaker, although a big part of this may have to do with the role he plays for his team—VCU obviously needs him to score if they want to win most games. He needs to do a better job cutting down on his turnovers, though, he has a tendency to penetrate too deep or take excessive risks with the ball.
Defensively, Maynor is definitely not a standout at the collegiate level, and you have to wonder about his potential on this end of the floor at the next level. He lacks great physical tools first and foremost, showing an average combination of size, strength, length and lateral quickness, and also doesn’t display great intensity either. His fundamentals are not great on top of that—as he tends to bites on pump-fakes, gamble excessively in the passing lanes, not fight through screens and just take too many risks rather than trying to be solid and effective. To really convince NBA decision makers that he has starting potential, he’ll have to show more defensive ability in private workouts."
No Matter Where We are Sent ...
no matter who we play, the only way to advance is to win, one game at a time.
So we meet tougher teams, sooner. We have to win one game at a time.
Yes, traveling to the East is harder than just staying home — but, hey, that’s what lots of teams do, and they win.
I’m going to separate my feelings that we’ve been disrespected from my feelings that we can win these games.
We can win these games. Period.
sjh
by Class of 66 on Mar 15, 2009 4:01 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs
+1
and whether the haters like it or not, we’re still “favorites” on thursday so we need to take care of business 1 game at a time.
by bruinhopeful on Mar 15, 2009 4:04 PM PDT up reply actions
Disrespected Conference
I think the basic issue here is that the Pac-10 was perceived as weak coming into the season, and any loss magnified the perception- it wound up being a self-fulfilling prophesy.
Regular season champs Washington as 4 seed is exactly what happened in 1996, when UCLA won the conference and got shipped off as a 4 seed to play Princeton. With the “best” team as a 4, everybody else moved down.
66- the following is not addressed to you, because you are a voice of reason. But for others who want to piss and moan about our seeding, this seems to me like complaining about crap calls at end of games by SPTR’s which cost us games which we should have won by 15 points. We didn’t take care of business during the season, which opened the door for the committee to screw us. At the end of the day, we put the committee in a position where they could screw us.
One final thought- wasn’t this the first year that DG was the head of the tourney committee? I wonder if the committee thought it should demonstrate that it was not biased in favor of the Bruins just because of DG’s position, and wound up going too far.
Go Bruins regardless !!
by islandbruin on Mar 15, 2009 4:09 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Guerrero wasn't the head of the committee
That was I think Mike Slive from the SEC. So maybe they still were showing they weren’t biased for the head’s conference.
Pac-10 Suffers
It looks like the Pac 10 was downgraded by the committee with UW a 4 seed and UCLA and ASU at 6 seeds.
But then they let Arizona in. Cone on!
I see your point
but I’m looking forward to seeing AZ in their last year in tournament for quite a while. IMO, this is the “last hurrah” for the Lute Olson era. They will definitely suck for at least a few years.
by bornagainbruin on Mar 15, 2009 8:39 PM PDT up reply actions
i honestly think
that AZ will upset Utah. When they’re focused they are a damn good team. And Utah has to travel just as far
by bucknellbruin on Mar 15, 2009 8:49 PM PDT up reply actions
Yeah, well uh . . .
Once the committee was forced to take USC, how could they not take Arizona? They have better wins.
I had to, sorry.
A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment. John Wooden
Wasn't UCLA a 5 seed in 1996?
And Arizona was seeded higher despite not winning the conference?
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
i think we can handle them
depending on which defense shows up. If the defense that shows up that took us through the middle of the Pac-10 season when we were dominating i think we’ll be fine.
But if the defense that showed up against $C, WSU, etc etc, we might be in for a shocker
Tough match-up
We all know about Maynor but don’t forget Sanders (11.3 pts, 8.5 rbs and 2.7 blks). He is a presence inside and is a double-double waiting to happen. Rodriguez is a solid guard as well. VCU is a solid/smart team as well. They lack depth which is where we’ll have the advantage.
I wish we had more of a cupcake game in the first round...
…which we certainly do not – so that Howland can prep for Nova as well. It’s well documented that we’re dominant on Thursday games but tend to fall off over the weekend. Let’s see how Howland handles it – he’s obviously had to do it in the tournament before though we haven’t had as tough as a draw as we do now.
It's essentially they're home court though...
…I live in Philly and have already gotten a few calls from Nova folks who are buying tickets. Definite homecourt advantage
Wachovia center not "the pavilion"
So it’s nearby but not a “home game”. It’s like us playing at Staples basically.
by bruinhopeful on Mar 15, 2009 4:11 PM PDT up reply actions
Looking over their schedule...
Should UCLA play Villanova, it would be Villanova’s 5th game there this season.
vs. Louisville: 60-61 L
vs. Syracuse: 102-85 W
vs. Georgetown: 54-56 L
by SuperBruinMan on Mar 15, 2009 4:59 PM PDT up reply actions
"Technically" no, in that Nova is not the host school for the weekend
But ‘Nova does play the majority of its home games at the arena. Awesome for us, ain’t it?
i am amazed
at the doom and gloom here…
we got what we deserved. the tournament committee did do some jacked up things but what is the difference, really? If you’re not a top 16 team you don’t get any preference. The Pac-10 is not viewed favorably by anyone, and the only way to prove differently is on the court.
we can beat VCU. we should expect to beat VCU. we can play with Villanova. we can beat Duke. we can play with Pitt.
will we? who the heck knows? we need defensive intensity and a little bit of luck on the offensive side of things.
WHO IS OUR COACH? He rocks in the early rounds of the tournament. Have some faith, and embrace being an underdog!
pac 10 view unfavorably
amen. if i have to hear one more time about “how weak this conference is” i dont no what ill do. ive already had to listen to it all year (every year actually even when i can cite that it is one of the top conferences of the year) and now the big 10 got all those teams in and thats all ill be hearing until selection sunday next year….
by millikinbruin on Mar 15, 2009 4:13 PM PDT up reply actions
Agree
I have us losing to Pitt in the elite eight (out of pure optimism of course) but Villanova is in no way a better team than us when we play well and Duke has been very streaky in previous tournaments so it’s do-able. Our team just has to make sure it plays up to its potential each and every game.
P.S. wouldn’t CBH vs Jamie Dixon part II be fun…two identical styles
They just talked to Shipp
He said that the team knows what it’s capable of, and they know what each are capable of and they just need to show the world. They don’t know much about VCU right now, but the coaching staff does a great job scouting and they’ll be prepared by gametime. He said they’re all excited about the tournament.
He was quietly confident
I sure hope that switch is there somewhere….
by bruinhopeful on Mar 15, 2009 4:13 PM PDT up reply actions
CBH just said:
disappointed to lose to USC, good for Pac Ten to have six teams in, but bad for UCLA to get sent to East, he says he has 16 VCU films and they’re already looking at them.
Team is leaving early afternoon Tuesday after practice, to be there for media obligations wed.,
Players have finals that they have to take on the road.
DC has “definitely been affected” by injury but should be a lot better.
He sounds ready to work but he didn’t look very happy.
Ya I am less upset
about our seed, vs. how disrespected we were as a conference in general…but as noted i guess we personally cant complain too much considering the favorable seeding we’ve gotten in the last few years, and because of our showing against SUC
O.A.
Pomeroy Rankings vs. Seeds - Hmm.....
1 Memphis – 2
2 North Carolina – 1
3 Connecticut – 1
4 Louisville – 1
5 Gonzaga – 4
6 Pittsburgh – 1
7 Duke – 2
8 West Virginia – 6
9 UCLA – 6
10 Missouri – 3
11 Kansas – 3
12 Arizona St. – 6
13 Michigan St. – 2
14 Purdue – 5
15 Syracuse – 3
16 Washington – 4
17 Oklahoma – 2
18 Brigham Young – 8
19 Villanova – 3
20 Marquette – 6
Bias vs. Pac-10
Is much more clearly seen there…
what gives you so much confidence in ken pom?
washington is behind asu (and ucla) despite winning the conference
Because all we can objectively go on are statistics and tempo-free stats are the best thing out there...
I don’t think Pomeroy’s rankings are perfect but they are the best predictive tool freely out there – FAR superior to something like RPI.
And with regards to your example, I sincerely think that UCLA and Az St. ARE the two best teams in the Pac-10. If the season were played 100 times, I think they would be 1/2 most. But that’s just my opinion (and Pomeroy’s stats’ opinion).
The fact is: Washington won the conference and UCLA or Az St. didn’t – so congratulations to Washington – they deserve it. Pomeroy’s rankings are predictive; they do not necessarily represent who had the best season.
Objective, sabermetric stats are hugely popular in baseball and are starting to become mainstream (see Moneyball) – they’re finding their way in basketball and it’ll only be a matter of time before the committee uses another method than RPI. The human element is of course always important, but the computers used in the selection process can be vastly improved.
i agree rpi has flaws like u get more points for losing to a good team on the
road, and we actually dropped several spots the week we destroyed lowly oregon, osu at home.
however, just cause we were very efficient versus the likes of wyoming or louisiana tech in the non-conference shouldn’t really give us too much of a bump as in other ranking based systems.
i think this is the first year that pomeroy has gone with his own rankings on his site as opposed to the rpi that he was using last year.
Pomeroy has always used his own rankings on his site
This is the first year that he has not calculated an RPI estimate in addition to his ranking.
Pomeroy's rankings...
…are adjusted such that our efficiencies against Wyoming and Louisiana Tech are weighted against their average efficiencies against. In other words, our efficiencies against those teams aren’t the raw efficiencies we would get by calculating pure points per possession (offense and defense), but rather they are normalized against what those teams would expect to score/give up. Not only that but Pomeroy weights recent games more. Basically, Wyoming and Louisiana Tech don’t mean much at all to our overall ranking
Like I said, it’s not a perfect system. Maybe I’ll come out with my own perfect system someday. :) But for now, statistically, it’s in my opinion the best we have short of in depth statistical analyses.
cool.. i like pomeroy
and sabermetrics (i recently read a book called wages of wins by a couple of economists) there seems to be flaws in most methods i’ve seen, but he definitely puts more thought into than the typical cbs analyst or even selection committee i think.
i agree we might be one of the best teams when its all said in done, but if we went purely by his rankings- do you think we deserve a 3 seed? we’ve lost 8 games and haven’t had that tough a schedule. I agree when we’re on we can be dominating and the pac 10 in terms of seeding wasn’t given enough credit. washington should have been a 3, we should have been a 5 or so, but if you think about it 6 might be better cause we play a 2 instead of a 1 to get to the elite eight. I think we were dealt a raw deal having to travel to philly where a local team is the 3 seed. but none of that means anything if we bring our A game.
Sagarin Rankings > seeds
1 North Carolina – 1
2 Pittsburgh – 1
3 Connecticut – 1
4 Duke – 2
5 Louisville – 1
6 Memphis – 2
7 Michigan State – 2
8 Gonzaga – 4
9 Oklahoma – 2
10 Missouri – 3
11 Wake Forest – 4
12 Purdue – 5
13 Syracuse – 3
14 West Virginia – 6
15 Kansas – 3
16 Villanova – 3
17 UCLA – 6
18 Washington – 4
19 Clemson – 7
20 Arizona State – 6
For those of you in exile:
JS just said they have something to prove and they “all believe in each other and what they can do,” and they just have to “go out there and show the world”
Hope you guys over there on the east coast have strong voices – CBH said we are playing on what is Nova’s (occasional) home floor if we get past VCU
No favors, but
I’m sure ‘Nova sees a possible 2nd round vs. UCLA (3 time final four program) and thinks, they got no favors as well. Now would be a good time to flip the switch. Is it on campus? Near Janss Steps, maybe in the Royce Hall foyer? Under the faux bridge leading to the quad? Someone find it and tell CBH! Maybe it’s a key in an ice chamber under the island in LOST! Regardless, it Madness time and Bruin Time! LET’S GO!!!
That's a good point
I was thinking the same thing
In hindsight, we actually didn't coast enough
I love Cal’s draw as a 7 seed- Maryland then Memphis; and then going to Glendale/Phx to play either one of the Huskies or Purdue. I’d gladly change places with them.
Having said that, while things won’t be easy for us, we aren’t done yet. Yes, playing VCU is going to be a popular sleeper pick. Yes, playing Villanova in Philadelphia will be a challenge. However if we win that game, I love our chances against Duke or Texas in Boston. I wouldn’t be too shocked if Pitt gets upset prior to the elite 8, but if not, I at least like the poetry of Howland and Dixon against each other for another trip to the Final Four.
by insomniacslounge on Mar 15, 2009 4:31 PM PDT reply actions
How often do those sleeper picks pan out?
The upsets almost always come from the unexpected source. The so-called experts tend not to fare too much better than the average fan in picking the brackets.
by Give me a B... on Mar 15, 2009 4:54 PM PDT up reply actions
Typically, but not always
VCU’s upset over Duke 2 years ago was (to me, at least) the most obvious upset pick of that year.
East Coast Bruin Fans
You have to make your way to Philly. We had an advantage the last 3 years playing in CA and AZ for the early rounds and regionals. This team does thrive on crowd support. I’m sure we can get several hundred or thousand Bruin fans to Philly & Boston.
BTW, I understand CBH’s scheduling philosophy, but this year, with Notre Dame and Texas spiraling, it hurt our non-conference showing. The lost to Michigan hurt, and we also lost a potential matchup with Duke. I think CBH needs to schedule a couple strong non-conference teams to come to Pauley.
We only had one victory over a ranked team. I think this really hurt us in the long run.
by UCLA Championships Made Here on Mar 15, 2009 4:38 PM PDT reply actions
Well...
Texas was preseason #7 and ND was preseason #9, so it’s hard to fault Howland that those games didn’t end up looking great on the Bruins’ final resume.
But I will get back on my soapbox and say that the Wooden Classic needs to be a marquee game once again for many reasons, one of which is to bolster our overall SOS.
by insomniacslounge on Mar 15, 2009 4:44 PM PDT up reply actions
agree re Wooden Classic
We should exert whatever influence we have to make sure that the games are played on a weekend that works for the team (this year the game was during finals, so we lightened up re opponent), or we should skip the tourney. Playing a lightweight isn’t good for the fans and clearly doesn’t help when it comes to seeding teams for tourney.
My favorite non-final 4 memory in recent years was the 1st Wooden Classic, when the doubleheader was Kansas- UMass in the 1st game, followed by UCLA beating Kentucky thanks to JR Henderson free throws at the end of the game. Now that was a great day of basketball !!
I agree
I was there for the Wooden Classic, we ended up winning the National Championship that year. It will be hard to get midwest or east coast teams to come to CA for one game. We need to make it a mini-tournament weekend affair or invite west team powers like Gonzaga, BYU, or teams from the Big 12.
The media’s low perception of the PAC-10 also hurt us.
by UCLA Championships Made Here on Mar 15, 2009 5:04 PM PDT up reply actions
I see our seeding and placement as a glass half-full scenario
We have seen what happens when this team goes into games against what it perceives to be inferior opponents (at UofA, vs WSU, vs USC) home or away. Now we feel a little disrespected, us against the world, backs against the wall, whatever analogy you like. If this team can focus on the defensive end, it shouldn’t matter who we play or where. The offense will be inconsistent, but the defense is all about swagger and mental toughness. I like this scenario, and hopefully some teams will look past us this year.
I've seen inconsistent comments...
…from quotes or other sources, anybody know what the real deal with DC is? Is he going to be healthy on Thursday?
I Predict.....
We will be the oddsmaker’s favorites out of Philly to advance to the Sweet 16.
Actually...
I think Nova will get the nod simply because of homecourt advantage. Vegas tends to be pretty statistically inclined so they won’t take UCLA too lightly but I think homecourt advantage means a tremendous amount in college basketball, especially for a team traveling across the country. For kicks, if I had to guess, I see Villanova at -3.5 against UCLA straight up.
spread sounds about right
Sagarin, for example, currently places Villanova as a 4.2 point favorite over UCLA, factoring in Wachovia Center as Villanova’s home court.
That Michigan game
seemed to really set the tone for the season. We took them a little lightly, didn’t give our best effort, thought it was okay because we would “grow” from it but that was still a bad loss. I doubt Michigan would have even made the tournament if they didn’t beat us but it seems like we still haven’t learned from our mistakes from all the way back in November.
With the brackets done
All we can plan ahead for now is that we need to focus on VCU and winning first. We should win this game, but with the way we play, I have no idea which team will show up.
I do have beef with the tournament selection process though. The committee has put WAY too much into conference tourneys. The Pac-10 has a true round robin conference schedule, and yet UW winning the pac-10 isn’t seen as a big deal, and ASU gets a #6 seed vs. Temple just because they got to the Pac-10 championship game.
None of this would’ve mattered if we won out, but it’s just plain ridiculous
In World Cup Soccer Terms ...
the NCAA East Bracket is the bracket of death — it’s going to be a real battle of attrition and our toughest test in four years. That said, I have a quiet confidence that our Bruins as well as some of our PAC-10 brethren will step up and prove the naysayers wrong.
All we need is six one-game winning streaks
I don’t really care about seeds and locations and all that. Sure playing closer to home would be better, but it really doesn’t matter in the long run. We have to win six more games, one at a time. Unheralded teams and unranked teams have beaten us in other seasons and this year as well. We are not a top seed, so in many respects were now the underdog taking on the big team. As I have said many times, every team in D-1 is good and has good players. We are in D-1 and we are a good team and we have good players and we have a good coach. I like our chances as much as any team’s chances, whether we’re playing in LA or Phoenix or Philly. We can win any game anywhere any time. We just need to play with intensity and intelligence for 40 minutes, not 38 minutes or some other number.
Pontificating and prognosticating over. It’s time for other teams to start shaking because they have to play us.
I was mad at seth davis first, but now i think he just gave us
bulletin board material. howland is good at respecting non-major teams and getting us motivated especially on thursday nights.
i’d like to hear less complaining about location and start hearing quotes about getting ready to play anyone anywhere. win or go home.. seniors need to make sure they leave it all out there. GO BRUINS!
We don't have to play other teams...
other teams have to play us! Keep picking against us. Pandora’s Box has just been opened…
One good thing
is that we can’t have Pac-10 refs right? I feel sorry for any of the Big East teams that draw SPTRs. They may foul out by halftime! :)
Now that we're a lower seed...
…you guys think we’ll still get a “west coast time?” In other words, think our game will be a late game or earlier in the day? No idea how that works.
Hmmmmmmmm
One might think that CBS will try to maximize ratings therefore it could be a late game for the East Coast audience so that it can be shown closer to prime time on the West Coast since UCLA is a big draw and Los Angeles is one of the biggest media markets. But who knows.
by UCLAClassof05 on Mar 15, 2009 5:55 PM PDT up reply actions
Exactly
UCLA is the big basketball draw in the LA market, which is #2 in the nation – and money talks. There’s no way CBS will let our game be scheduled at a non-prime-time period for the west coast.
the problem is...
They can’t schedule it too late because the game is on the east coast. I feel like we can expect at 9PM EST start time
by UCLAClassof05 on Mar 15, 2009 6:02 PM PDT up reply actions
For the believers out there
Flights from Long Beach to Boston next Wed night, returning the following Monday are running at 269.20 round trip on Jetblue
by insomniacslounge on Mar 15, 2009 6:00 PM PDT reply actions
I meant a week from Wed
for the Regional Finals
by insomniacslounge on Mar 15, 2009 6:03 PM PDT up reply actions
regional semifinals/finals
I’m having trouble typing today.
I’m thinking about going, but I’m not sure I could handle being around Celtics/Sox/Pats fans for four days.
by insomniacslounge on Mar 15, 2009 6:09 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
That's a good price
Booking for Philly with 3 days notice is brutal! I just got my tickets from UCLA and I’m pumped. GO BRUINS!!!
what did the tix run?
do you know where your seats will be yet?
by insomniacslounge on Mar 15, 2009 6:10 PM PDT up reply actions
Hey 11
which hotel UCLA fans are staying at?
We can’t make Thursday’s game but def. want to come up (train ride for us) for Sat.
Nestor
How are you getting your tickets for Saturday? I’d like to go to that game as well but don’t have any other options other than the big ticket agencies, etc… Any other ideas? Deals for alums?
I have no clue yet
I will keep an eye on my email re. DC alum group.
We’d like to take the train up for Sat game after we take care of VCU on Thursday. :-)
I am getting a little fired up about the idea of watching our warriors in person on Sat.
Definitely...
…If there is any alum pre-party or the like, let please let us know. Unfortunately, there is no organized UCLA alum group here in Philly that I know of. I can’t wait – there’s always a silver lining, I guess.
Congrats
On actually finding a silver lining to living in Philly.
:P
by insomniacslounge on Mar 15, 2009 6:37 PM PDT up reply actions
Haha
I should say – and I’m only here relatively temporarily (maybe a few more years – born and raised in socal) for work – that I thoroughly enjoy the city. In fact, I like it a whole lot more than I thought I would and I think it definitely gets a bad wrap. I’ve gotten a whole lot tougher I guess – that’s for sure. ;)
In that case, even more congratulations are in order
Not for the Philly part, but for actually having a job in this economy.
by insomniacslounge on Mar 15, 2009 6:41 PM PDT up reply actions
Student?
IF you are a student they have to give you the best seats offered to the school.
by lil eg not cs on Mar 15, 2009 6:21 PM PDT up reply actions
I actually live in Philly...
…anybody know of cheaper way to get tickets (preferably in some sort of UCLA section) other than spending large amounts on stubhub or something similar?
Won't be in UCLA section
But often a good way to go is to call the ticket offices of one of the other schools that have a long way to travel to Philly. If it’s a smaller school, they’ll often have some tickets remaining that they’ll sell to the public. They won’t be great seats most likely, but you’ll be in the arena at face value.
by insomniacslounge on Mar 15, 2009 6:15 PM PDT up reply actions
Nice idea...
I might try that.. VCU? :)
How about UCLA? Any tournament deals for alums? Do they always sell-out their share of tickets, especially having to travel so far?
Doesn't hurt to call UCLA either
Hi level donors get first priority, and UCLA has sold out in the 1st/2nd rd in past years. But the Bruins were on the west coast all of those times.
by insomniacslounge on Mar 15, 2009 6:19 PM PDT up reply actions
Buy tickets
from other teams that get knocked out early. You can buy them directly from the fans as the leave the arena or from the “scalpers” outside the arena.
You might pay face value or higher for the first game, but it can be cheaper in the later rounds.
A friend of mind got an elite 8 game ticket last year in AZ for $20.
It might be different if we meet Villanova because they are in Philly.
by UCLA Championships Made Here on Mar 15, 2009 6:32 PM PDT up reply actions
Back in the darker UCLA years
I went to San Jose on a Friday to watch the Bruins play Kareem Rush’s Missouri team. After the Bruins were bounced, I was so pissed that I just handed my tickets for the Sunday games to some Mizzou fans nearby, took a cab to the airport, and flew back home.
So yeah, getting tix from fans of losing teams should work.
by insomniacslounge on Mar 15, 2009 6:35 PM PDT up reply actions
just fyi
UCLA is traveling the furthest of any team to it’s first weekend sight – just over 2700 miles. Don’t remember who the 2nd longest trip was but i think it might the Arizona schools both headed to Miami.
But our trip was the longest by over 100 miles
Utah is 2500 from Miami
Slightly farther than UA or ASU
by SuperBruinMan on Mar 15, 2009 6:21 PM PDT up reply actions
Villanova in Philly
As a Missouri grad, why does #3 seed Villanova get to stay in Philly while Mizzou and Kansas – both #2 seeds – can’t play in Kansas City.
That gives Villanova the biggest break in the first 2 rounds, which means the Bruins got hosed the most.
Good luck on Thursday!
there was a lot of east coast love this year
more so than other years it seems
Just think it is pay back
for UCLA being in CA for most of the last 3 years.
by UCLA Championships Made Here on Mar 15, 2009 6:33 PM PDT up reply actions
silver lining about possible matchup with Nova
One thing that Nestor pointed out the other day is how teams with big guards pose bad matchups with us. Well the good thing about possibly playing Nova is that they are small both at the guard and forward positions.Of their top players, their forward/center Cunningham is 6-8, Fisher is 6-1, Reynolds is 6-2, Redding is 6-5, Stokes is 6-5. So even though that (potentially) they will have the home court advantage, at least we should have the size advantage which bodes well for a CBH team.
This is really unacceptable
Giving 3 teams from the same conference a #1 seed is just plain wrong, particularly when they don’t play each other twice and don’t play every team in the conference.
UCLA earned its seeding in previous years, there were no freebies. No one could have said that UCLA got a beneficial seeding any of the last 3 years. I can accept a #6 seed, but I can’t accept being sent all the way to the East Coast while Cal gets to stay on the west coast. I’ll gladly take their #7 seed and stay closer to home.
The Big 10 gets 7 teams in the tourney? Are you effin’ kidding me?
It’s pretty telling: the conferences with the best TV contracts get the most invites and best seeding. And if you think it’s the other way around, then you’re just plain naive.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
i think the 3 Big East teams earned the #1 seeds
because really, who did they lose to, besides each other? They have the best records in the country, and they clearly pass the all important “eye test”. Sure, Louisville had that ugly loss to Notre Dame. But I think they’re the clear #1 overall seed. They won the Big East regular season AND tournament crown. And UConn basically had no blemishes other than to Pitt. And since PItt beat UConn twice, you can’t leave them off the 1-line
by bucknellbruin on Mar 15, 2009 7:28 PM PDT up reply actions
I disagree
It’s a circular argument that got started with the preconceived notion that the Big East is the toughest conference, and when you factor in the preseason rankings (which are based on just about nothing), it’s completely unfair. If you came out and said the Sun Belt is the best conference, rank their top 3 teams in the top 5 in the preseason, then watch them beat each other and say “the Sun Belt is the toughest conference”. Furthermore, you can’t possibly know that those are the best teams in that conference when they haven’t played every team in the conference. You have to see how rigged this system is for the big programs.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
That doesn't work
because neither Pitt or UConn lost to anyone outside of their conference. Louisville started the year off badly, but they ended up winning the Big East AND the tournament. I don’t think you can have an issue with the Cardinals being a #1 seed. Because the fact is that the Big East IS the toughest conference – at least at the top. It’s one thing to compare stats and records and another thing entirely just watching teams play. I would argue against anyone here that right now, Louisville is the best team in the country.
And since Pitt and UConn were undefeated outside of conference including wins over Wisconsin, Gonzaga, Siena, Miami FL and OH, Florida State, and Washington State, it’s not like they didn’t play any games OOC. Sure those aren’t top 10 wins, but you can’t exactly punish a team for running the table out of their conference.
Because the thing is that:
1 – Louisville won the conference reg. season and tournament, so they deserve a 1 seed.
2 – UConn had the fewest number of losses (tied with UNC with 3) of anyone (not counting Utah St as a potential #1 because they haven’t played a real team all year)
but 3 – Pitt beat UConn head to head twice and only has 4 losses
so who gets left off? And besides that…who “earned” a 1-seed this year if these three teams didn’t. I’m no fan of the Big East, but I know good basketball when I see it. And that conference plays damn good basketball.
And if a Sun Belt team beat 4 or 5 major schools, some on the road, and only lost 3 games to other Sun Belt schools who also beat 4-5 major schools in various venues, then maybe the Sun Belt team would be considered. But that doesn’t happen. The top of the Big East is the best BY FAR of any conference in America. The stats and the “eye test” back it up
And again…who else deserved a #1 seed? The only argument would be for Memphis, but just look at comparative out of conference games. I could see giving Memphis a 1 over UConn…but barely. And there’s NO ONE else
Is the system rigged for big programs? Yes. But the Big East does play every other team in the conference. They just play most only once. But it’s rigged for big programs because the majority of the time, the big programs are better. Not every year, but most years. And this is one of those years.
by bucknellbruin on Mar 16, 2009 9:43 AM PDT up reply actions
Oh, the eye test
like the one Seth Davis uses? :)
Look, there’s no doubt that those teams are very good, but there is an inherent bias when a team like Villanova can play in its semi-home court, or when Syracuse gets a 3 seed! Saying things like the Big East is the best conference, or the Pac-10 has a down year, only reinforces a perception that is not necessarily supported by reality. Unfortunately, we’re all human, and there is no fail-proof method.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
of course there's no fail proof method
otherwise we couldn’t have arguments like this one :)
But since there isn’t, everyone sees it differently. I just watch top level Big East basketball and see the best basketball being played anywhere.
Now, Syracuse getting a 3 seed was a bit strange. I think they put too much into that 6 OT game – a great win, but still just one win.
by bucknellbruin on Mar 16, 2009 1:48 PM PDT up reply actions
I've got an idea to resolve this problem.
We can have a tournament, and invite 65 or so teams to play. We should probably have a committee to select those teams and to try to figure out a seeding system. then the winner of the tournament would be able to say it’s the champion. The seeding business will basically mean nothing, because eventually, one team is going to have to win six straight games, no matter where it’s seeded.
Oh, wait.
Never mind.
Don't necessarily agree about the Big East
They should have had two, but switching UConn and Memphis wouldn’t have made much difference to the bracket.
However, I did the first half of the Big-10 final today, and it was awful. I can’t believe they got 7 either, and we should definitely have had Illinois’ spot.
by SuperBruinMan on Mar 15, 2009 7:33 PM PDT up reply actions
Agree re Big 10
How that conference got 7 teams in is beyond me. I have watched a few of their horrible games this year and am picking nearly all of them for early exits. Mich St is the only team that can compete athletically with other top teams. How Purdue and Illinois got higher seeds then us is even more ridiculous.
RIGHT
I was stunned when I saw analysts saying they would get 7 in. I thought they were wrong. I can’t see too many of them going very far.
A 39-33 final score?
that should answer any questions
by lil eg not cs on Mar 15, 2009 7:56 PM PDT up reply actions
My very early bracket - Michigan State losing to West Va in the sweet 16
= the end of the run for the Big 10 in the tourney.
Had the same thing in mine...
Speaking of which, is there a Bruins Nation bracket group somewhere? If not, there really should be.
Nestor
You seem a lot more optimistic then you’ve been the last few days (understandably). It’ll be nice to have the old Nestor back.
Hubert
He said Villanova would come out of our bracket to go to the final four. He also picked Az last year at Pauley and Cal this year during gameday. Let’s hope hes wrong again
VCU will not live up to hype
Yes, VCU did win the championship but the details tell a lot. They only gained the lead with 2nd round ODU after ODU’s star player twisted his ankle and was out. ODU was managing to beat them despite the HOME CROWD. VCU’s tournament is always played every night in their home town. I wonder how the Rams would have done if they had to go up to Boston and stay in Northeastern’s back yard. Also, VCU has lost against some might weak teams this year including UNC-Wilmington and Delaware. Try to find them on the RPI. They managed to grab the 1st place season title by 1 game and the CAA is not the Big East. Once again, VCU gets the home court advantage with UCLA travelling an entire coast. If VCU does succeed because of that, they will fall to Villanova easily, But as one who has watched the real season play of VCU, they are NOT what the commentators are making them out to be. Eric and co. have lost many a game against some weak, weak teams. I predict UCLA will squash them despite the bad airplane food and 3,000 miles.
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