Pitt/Butler finish!

[Zippy Chippy]

So what do you think?

Its such a fine line for refs blowing whistles when games are on the line like this. Tough job for refs to swallow whistle when guys getting hacked 45 and 95 feet from basket

[cj]

Both calls were obvious fouls. I think the refs called it right and deserve praise.

If you want to see terrible end game officiating, watch the last few minutes of the Celtics/Hornets game.

[slew101]

Both calls were right. Both players made stupid mistakes. But the right team won. Butler executed perfectly down the stretch again. I'd expect them to beat Wisconsin in the next round as well.

[Valuist]

Butler executed perfectly EXCEPT for the one really, really stupid foul. Really surprised they would do that. They aren't going to out-athleticize teams, so they have to play smart.

[Dave Schwartz]

I totally agree with the calls. And the interview with the director of refs (or whatever he was) after the game was just plain stupid.

It was kind of like asking him if it was correct for the officials to make the right call.

[HuggingTheRail]

Definitely thought they were fouls, but I will admit surprise that they were called. So often it seems the whistle gets put away late in a game, in many sports.

Really enjoying the tourney so far....

[kingfin66]

I totally agree with the calls. And the interview with the director of refs (or whatever he was) after the game was just plain stupid.

It was kind of like asking him if it was correct for the officials to make the right call.

You have to it admit that it was kind of funny when he was asked what's the lesson to Pittsburgh fans and he replied, "don't commit dumb fouls when there isn't much time remaining."

[BetHorses!]

I thought Pitt coach should have taken players off the line for the 2nd foul shot....

[lamboguy]

who did it?


the BUTLER did it!

[PhantomOnTour]

Yet another high seed in the tourney and yet another premature exit. This is about 5yrs in a row now.

[slew101]

Good point, didn't hear anyone say that. He would give up the chance for an offensive rebound and putback on the miss, however.

The Pitt coach couldn't possible imagine his player would make such a stupid play on the rebound.

I thought Pitt coach should have taken players off the line for the 2nd foul shot....

[Valuist]

Yet another high seed in the tourney and yet another premature exit. This is about 5yrs in a row now.

Could Dixon be in trouble? It would be difficult to fire him based on his regular season results, however.

[slew101]

No way. I think he's an average coach, but he's a great recruiter and has excellent talent every year. He's got the best regular season record in the nation over the last five years. That means big money for the school because he sells out his building and makes the NCAA every year.

Could Dixon be in trouble? It would be difficult to fire him based on his regular season results, however.

[Robert Goren]

Back in the 90s Nebraska got couple of NCAA bids. The coach had a down year and was fired. One reason generally assumed was that he could not win an NCAA tourney game. We ain't had a sniff of the NCAA tourney since. To me it is a crap shoot once the tourney begins. Anybody can lose at anytime. all it takes is for couple of players to have bad nights. Pitt would be stupid to fire its coach. If you can get players, sooner or latter you going to go deep into the field. You got to have players to get very far most of the time.

[singletax]

because he is competitive in the Big East. Dixon designs the team to play the Big East drive-slam-jam-in the paint urban basketball of this era. When Pitt plays perimeter shooting schools that are the cream of the crop making the NCAA tourney they have trouble. Pitt for some reason will not adjust to defend the perimeter shooting.

[cj]

The Big East isn't looking so hot these days.

[slew101]

Two teams left and nine knocked out. And both teams left beat a Big East team in second round to advance to the Sweet 16.

The conference was not impressive. Notre Dame looked horrid tonight. They are another team that flames out early every year.

UConn has a big shot at making the final four. I see Marquette going out against UNC.

The Big East isn't looking so hot these days.

[Rapid Grey]

The Big East isn't looking so hot these days.

Doesn't help that they have to play each other in 2nd round.

[slew101]

What's the excuse for the other 7 teams bounced? Louisville, Pitt and Notre Dame were the top 3 teams in the league and all had bad losses, although Butler is a solid team.

Doesn't help that they have to play each other in 2nd round.

[Rapid Grey]

What's the excuse for the other 7 teams bounced? Louisville, Pitt and Notre Dame were the top 3 teams in the league and all had bad losses, although Butler is a solid team.

G-Town just got their point guard (Wright) back after losing him late in the season, hard to expect him to be 100% first game back in a tournament.

St. Johns lost DJ Kennedy to injury just prior to the tournament, He was probably their 2nd or 3rd best player.

Louisville lost their best player to injury with 8:30 minutes to go in the game, Morehead still needed a horrible no call to win.

Nova losing was no surprise they finished bad but their overall season warranted a NCAA bid.

West Virginia lost to a good Kentucky team.

Notre Dame ran into a buzz-saw...it happens.

Slobs like Barkley love it but let Arizona lose a top player and watch him stutter and slur about how much it costs them.

[cj]

Doesn't help that they have to play each other in 2nd round.

One could also say they were lucky they did play each other or they might all be gone.

[OTM Al]

Pretty much the only thing I had right this year

http://www.paceadvantage.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1055999&postcount=26

[slew101]

First, I'm the biggest Big East fan out there. Been watching that league since its early days in the 1980s. I'll always root for the Big East in the tournament.

I'll buy some of those excuses (St. John's especially) but don't make any excuses for Georgetown and Louisville.

G'Town got smoked in the Big East tourney and didn't win a game in the last month. Plus, they got drilled last year by 14-seeded Ohio in the first round and were embarrassed by VCU this year.

Louisville came out and played like crap two straight years in the first round. Last year against Cal, they were down 20-2, and this year against Moorhead, they were down 13-4 and didn't score a point in the first 5 minutes of the game.

Maybe Pitino was auditioning for a studio job after the first round. It looks like he has lost his enthusiasm for coaching by his post-game comments.

G-Town just got their point guard (Wright) back after losing him late in the season, hard to expect him to be 100% first game back in a tournament.

St. Johns lost DJ Kennedy to injury just prior to the tournament, He was probably their 2nd or 3rd best player.

Louisville lost their best player to injury with 8:30 minutes to go in the game, Morehead still needed a horrible no call to win.

Nova losing was no surprise they finished bad but their overall season warranted a NCAA bid.

West Virginia lost to a good Kentucky team.

Notre Dame ran into a buzz-saw...it happens.

Slobs like Barkley love it but let Arizona lose a top player and watch him stutter and slur about how much it costs them.

[Rapid Grey]

First, I'm the biggest Big East fan out there. Been watching that league since its early days in the 1980s. I'll always root for the Big East in the tournament.

I'll buy some of those excuses (St. John's especially) but don't make any excuses for Georgetown and Louisville.

G'Town got smoked in the Big East tourney and didn't win a game in the last month. Plus, they got drilled last year by 14-seeded Ohio in the first round and were embarrassed by VCU this year.

Louisville came out and played like crap two straight years in the first round. Last year against Cal, they were down 20-2, and this year against Moorhead, they were down 13-4 and didn't score a point in the first 5 minutes of the game.

Maybe Pitino was auditioning for a studio job after the first round. It looks like he has lost his enthusiasm for coaching by his post-game comments.


Let Duke lose Nolan Smith or Kentucky lose Brandon Knight and let's see how they finish the season.

Louisville came back and was leading in the 2nd half when Preston Knowles went down, he's the heart and soul of that team. But I don't guess that had any effect on the outcome. :rolleyes:

[slew101]

Every team has injuries and foul trouble in these games. Louisville was playing a 14-seed that got drilled by 20 by Richmond in their next game. They were up 7 in the second half and should have won the game regardless of who was on the court. Louisville has better reserves than Morehead's starters.

Louisville came back and was leading in the 2nd half when Preston Knowles went down, he's the heart and soul of that team. But I don't guess that had any effect on the outcome. :rolleyes: