# March Madness thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 19, 2014, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045 "2014-03-19T00:49:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2014, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/81 "2014-03-30T23:45:56Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > And two of them in the Final Four! > > A Kentucky v Florida championship game would be the best of all possible outcomes. Oh, that’s what we’re looking at. And I’m looking for Kentucky win it. Go Wildcats! ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2014, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/82 "2014-03-30T23:50:03Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Oh, that’s what we’re looking at. And I’m looking for Kentucky win it. Go Wildcats! I just still can’t believe UK went from where they were two months ago to here. They just weren’t playing well at all. They went from losing nail biters to crappy teams to winning them against good ones in the last two weeks! Two years ago: National Championship Last year: bounced in first round of NIT by Robert Morris (???) This year: Final Four and ? ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2014, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/83 "2014-03-30T23:58:38Z")
I see a Florida-Wisconsin rematch. Wisconsin should beat Kentucky. They are the better team. They haven’t lost to a non-Big 10 team all year. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/84 "2014-03-31T00:30:12Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > I see a Florida-Wisconsin rematch. Wisconsin should beat Kentucky. They are the better team. They haven’t lost to a non-Big 10 team all year. Possibly, but Wichita State didn’t lose to anyone! 🙂 One of the biggest (natch) advantages UK has had this tournament is their size. They don’t start anyone under 6’6" tall. Looking at UW’s roster they have some size as well, but I am not sure what their starting five is like. I do know they are an excellent team and they like to pound the boards and play physical inside, which is exactly what UK likes to do as well so I think it’ll be a grinding affair. Like every game UK has played except the first round one, it should be a close game. UK has played from behind in every game since Wichita State, so I don’t know how much longer they can do that but we’ll see. ---
**Author:** ![KittenKat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kittenkat/32/306_2.png) [@KittenKat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KittenKat)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/85 "2014-03-31T00:31:49Z")
**Go Huskies!** ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/86 "2014-03-31T01:29:37Z")
Kind of Florida weird on the final four. Florida has beaten Kentucky three times this year. Florida’s only two losses are to Wisconsin and UConn. That is your final four. On a side question: with all of the hoopla of the Billion Dollar challenge, did anybody have these four teams as their final four? ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/87 "2014-03-31T01:44:15Z")
If it ends up being Kentucky-Florida – even speaking as a big UK fan – they shouldn’t even have to play that game again. It should just be OK, this is already settled. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/88 "2014-03-31T02:46:11Z")
I was very happy to see Marcus Lee – the member of this year’s huge Kentucky recruiting class who has been almost completely invisible thus far – able to step up with a near double-double when the team really needed it in the absence of Willie Cauley-Stein. Assuming Lee is sticking around for another year, he’ll be a nice bit of “veteran” talent to have. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/89 "2014-03-31T03:21:15Z")
> [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](#): > > If it ends up being Kentucky-Florida – even speaking as a big UK fan – they shouldn’t even have to play that game again. It should just be OK, this is already settled. Hell no, no way! We OWE them! It’s a whole 'nuther cuppa cheese now! 🙂 > [@Snooooopy](#): > > I was very happy to see Marcus Lee – the member of this year’s huge Kentucky recruiting class who has been almost completely invisible thus far – able to step up with a near double-double when the team really needed it in the absence of Willie Cauley-Stein. Assuming Lee is sticking around for another year, he’ll be a nice bit of “veteran” talent to have. I agree. He played amazing and Poythress played well too. Hopefully Cauley-Stein can play in the next one though…he’s a big time shot blocker and defender. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/90 "2014-03-31T03:44:31Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > I just still can’t believe UK went from where they were two months ago to here. They just weren’t playing well at all. They went from losing nail biters to crappy teams to winning them against good ones in the last two weeks! > > Two years ago: National Championship > Last year: bounced in first round of NIT by Robert Morris (???) > This year: Final Four and ? Kentucky has been amazing to watch, as has UConn. But UK? I know they are loaded with McDonald All-American freshmen, but they still had to get their act together to pull this off. I didn’t see this happening at all. I don’t think they will win, but I can’t say i’d be shocked any more. I am so impressed with how they’ve turned everything around at just the right time. I am also happy that UConn beat MSU. Nothing against MSU, but I just got weary of listening to both MSU and Louisville being the darlings of the tourney. I was also tired of hearing Tom Izzo’s raspy voice, and his rumpled, "I’ve been up for two weeks straight " look. I picked Florida at the beginning, so I will root for them, I guess. They are my only team left in my brackets, so I don’t have much of a choice. But at this point, I don’t care who wins it. Just as long as the games are fun, that’s all that matters. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2014, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/91 "2014-04-01T02:35:38Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > I agree. He played amazing and Poythress played well too. Hopefully Cauley-Stein can play in the next one though…he’s a big time shot blocker and defender. Unfortunately, Calipari is saying that he doesn’t expect to see Willie Cauley-Stein hit the court for the duration of the tournament. As much as I would like to think that this is one of those cases where a coach intentionally overestimates how injured one of his players is in order to pull a fast one on the next opponent, I’m not holding my breath. I guess that Marcus Lee is going to have to just keep impressing the hell out of us. ---
**Author:** ![KittenKat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kittenkat/32/306_2.png) [@KittenKat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KittenKat)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2014, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/92 "2014-04-06T00:27:57Z")
Go Huskies! ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2014, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/93 "2014-04-06T00:32:12Z")
> [@KittenKat](#): > > Go Huskies! Heck, yeah! ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2014, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/94 "2014-04-06T00:33:17Z")
No doubt about it, UConn just had Florida’s number this season. Any other combination of any other 5 guys, and Florida wins… but not against UConn. Good job, Huskies! In another 15 minutes: Go Wildcats! ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2014, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/95 "2014-04-06T00:39:19Z")
OK, this has been bugging me for a while. The Final Four is being played in Cowboys Stadium, right? So why do they keep saying the Final Four is in “North Texas”, instead of Dallas, or Arlington, or wherever? ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2014, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/96 "2014-04-06T00:53:42Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > No doubt about it, UConn just had Florida’s number this season. Any other combination of any other 5 guys, and Florida wins… but not against UConn. Good job, Huskies! > > In another 15 minutes: Go Wildcats! Ok, I just asked my hubby this: if Kentucky wins, it’ll be a seed 7 vs 8 final game. What’s the lowest seed combination before in the final game, and will this be the lowest? We did some searching, but couldn’t find any years that had two lower seeded teams playing for the championship. Anybody know? ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2014, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/97 "2014-04-06T01:22:20Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > Ok, I just asked my hubby this: if Kentucky wins, it’ll be a seed 7 vs 8 final game. What’s the lowest seed combination before in the final game, and will this be the lowest? > > We did some searching, but couldn’t find any years that had two lower seeded teams playing for the championship. Anybody know? There hasn’t been. A number 8 has only won it once (Villanova in 1985) and a 7 has never won it. UK has won it all only as a 1 or 2 seed and UCONN’s lowest seed where they won it was as a 3. Wisconsin’s only national title was in 1941. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2014, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/98 "2014-04-06T01:48:33Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > There hasn’t been. A number 8 has only won it once (Villanova in 1985) and a 7 has never won it. UK has won it all only as a 1 or 2 seed and UCONN’s lowest seed where they won it was as a 3. Wisconsin’s only national title was in 1941. I like Kentucky anyway, but I doubly want them to win to have this 7 vs 8 match up. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2014, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/99 "2014-04-06T02:21:42Z")
The first half of the UConn-FL game was some of the most unwatchable basketball I’ve ever seen. I _hate_ the 35 second shot clock. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2014, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045/100 "2014-04-06T02:58:43Z")
> [@KittenKat](#): > > Go Huskies! Congrats to UConn! I have to say, I never saw this coming. I thought UConn’s run to the final 4 was impressive, but it was as far as they’d go. Good for them for beating the number 1 team in the country. Wow. What a great win for the program and the new AAC. I have to say, i am excited for the final game, regardless who wins UK and Wisc. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-thread/684045.md?page=6)