[Austroturf]

Our conference champion, Washington, gets a #9 seed.

The Pac-12 tourney champion, Oregon, gets a #12 seed.

ASU has a play-in game against St. John's as a #11 seed.  

That is how bad the Pac-12 is this year.  The ACC has three #1 seeds (Duke, NC and Virginia), while the B1G gets two #2 seeds (Michigan and MSU).   Not much to crow about in 2019....

---

Here's the 2019 bracket.  http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketb...nt/bracket

[Austroturf]

Our conference champion, Washington, gets a #9 seed.

The Pac-12 tourney champion, Oregon, gets a #12 seed.

ASU has a play-in game against St. John's as a #11 seed.  

That is how bad the Pac-12 is this year.  The ACC has three #1 seeds (Duke, NC and Virginia), while the B1G gets two #2 seeds (Michigan and MSU).   Not much to crow about in 2019....

---

Here's the 2019 bracket.  http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketb...nt/bracket

[newguy]

what?
you mean we didn't get the invite to the big dance??

[newguy]

what?
you mean we didn't get the invite to the big dance??

[Spiny_Norman]

To my calculation, Stanford was 1-8 vs. NCAA tournament teams, defeating only ASU at Stanford. That and the near-upset of KU in Lawrence were the highlights of the season.

[Spiny_Norman]

To my calculation, Stanford was 1-8 vs. NCAA tournament teams, defeating only ASU at Stanford. That and the near-upset of KU in Lawrence were the highlights of the season.

[PVTree]

To my calculation, Stanford was 1-8 vs. NCAA tournament teams, defeating only ASU at Stanford. That and the near-upset of KU in Lawrence were the highlights of the season.

There were a lot of "could have been" moments in the sesson. To me, the highlight of the season was the win vs. UCLA. Glad I was at Maples to enjoy it. The OSU win comes second.

[PVTree]

To my calculation, Stanford was 1-8 vs. NCAA tournament teams, defeating only ASU at Stanford. That and the near-upset of KU in Lawrence were the highlights of the season.

There were a lot of "could have been" moments in the sesson. To me, the highlight of the season was the win vs. UCLA. Glad I was at Maples to enjoy it. The OSU win comes second.

[Austroturf]

When the team beat UCLA, they had just won 5 of their last 6, stood at 14-11 and were threatening to stake a claim to top 4 in the Pac-12 and get a first-round bye in the Pac-12 tournament.  That gave me hope, especially after the drubbing they gave to UCLA in Maples.  Then came the skid down the stretch, losing 5 out of 6 to end the season with a losing record.  And that included a loss to Cal at home.  

Yes, not a lot of highlights this season.

[Austroturf]

When the team beat UCLA, they had just won 5 of their last 6, stood at 14-11 and were threatening to stake a claim to top 4 in the Pac-12 and get a first-round bye in the Pac-12 tournament.  That gave me hope, especially after the drubbing they gave to UCLA in Maples.  Then came the skid down the stretch, losing 5 out of 6 to end the season with a losing record.  And that included a loss to Cal at home.  

Yes, not a lot of highlights this season.

[FarmBoy]

Sadly, I was relieved to see we got more than 1 bid. THAT is how bad it has gotten. I thought a worse case scenario would be ASU or UW winning the conference tourney and everyone else getting locked out. 3 bids only is embarrassing. But only 1 bid would be historically bad and perhaps put the Pac12 on a difficult to get out of negative feedback loop.

[FarmBoy]

Sadly, I was relieved to see we got more than 1 bid. THAT is how bad it has gotten. I thought a worse case scenario would be ASU or UW winning the conference tourney and everyone else getting locked out. 3 bids only is embarrassing. But only 1 bid would be historically bad and perhaps put the Pac12 on a difficult to get out of negative feedback loop.

[Austroturf]

Sadly, I was relieved to see we got more than 1 bid. THAT is how bad it has gotten. I thought a worse case scenario would be ASU or UW winning the conference tourney and everyone else getting locked out. 3 bids only is embarrassing. But only 1 bid would be historically bad and perhaps put the Pac12 on a difficult to get out of negative feedback loop.

Good point.  What is doubly embarrassing (even considering that the Pac-12 did manage to get three teams into the tournament) is the seeding: nothing higher than a #9.  If I take the top three of each Power 5 conference, here is how they compare:

ACC: #1, #1, #1
B1G: #2, #2, #3
SEC: #2, #2, #3
Big 12: #3, #4, #4
Pac 12: #9, #11, #12

And our top three constitute our only three.  Even the AAC fared better:
Houston #3, Cincinnati #7 and UCF #9 (Yes, that's Johnny Dawkins' team), with Temple getting a play-in game at #11.

[Austroturf]

Sadly, I was relieved to see we got more than 1 bid. THAT is how bad it has gotten. I thought a worse case scenario would be ASU or UW winning the conference tourney and everyone else getting locked out. 3 bids only is embarrassing. But only 1 bid would be historically bad and perhaps put the Pac12 on a difficult to get out of negative feedback loop.

Good point.  What is doubly embarrassing (even considering that the Pac-12 did manage to get three teams into the tournament) is the seeding: nothing higher than a #9.  If I take the top three of each Power 5 conference, here is how they compare:

ACC: #1, #1, #1
B1G: #2, #2, #3
SEC: #2, #2, #3
Big 12: #3, #4, #4
Pac 12: #9, #11, #12

And our top three constitute our only three.  Even the AAC fared better:
Houston #3, Cincinnati #7 and UCF #9 (Yes, that's Johnny Dawkins' team), with Temple getting a play-in game at #11.

[SamuelMcF]

Semi-related question: when did the SEC get good at basketball? Last I remember, it was the ACC football of college basketball: one excellent team (Kentucky) and a bunch of meh-to-pretty-good teams.

[SamuelMcF]

Semi-related question: when did the SEC get good at basketball? Last I remember, it was the ACC football of college basketball: one excellent team (Kentucky) and a bunch of meh-to-pretty-good teams.

[Papa John]

To my calculation, Stanford was 1-8 vs. NCAA tournament teams, defeating only ASU at Stanford. That and the near-upset of KU in Lawrence were the highlights of the season.

Don't forget the cancelled game vs. Wofford. IMO that makes us 1-8-1.

[Papa John]

To my calculation, Stanford was 1-8 vs. NCAA tournament teams, defeating only ASU at Stanford. That and the near-upset of KU in Lawrence were the highlights of the season.

Don't forget the cancelled game vs. Wofford. IMO that makes us 1-8-1.

[Spiny_Norman]

Semi-related question: when did the SEC get good at basketball? Last I remember, it was the ACC football of college basketball: one excellent team (Kentucky) and a bunch of meh-to-pretty-good teams.

Well Florida did win back to back NCs in 2006 and 2007. But more recently some schools have hired some very successful coaches who have raised the level of the conference - Rick Barnes at Tennessee, Ben Howland at Mississippi State, Bruce Pearl at Auburn. Those guys have been winners everywhere they have coached. Frank Martin took South Carolina to the Final Four two years ago. It's a tough conference. Perhaps this is a result of the SEC schools investing their football profits in the basketball program.

[Spiny_Norman]

Semi-related question: when did the SEC get good at basketball? Last I remember, it was the ACC football of college basketball: one excellent team (Kentucky) and a bunch of meh-to-pretty-good teams.

Well Florida did win back to back NCs in 2006 and 2007. But more recently some schools have hired some very successful coaches who have raised the level of the conference - Rick Barnes at Tennessee, Ben Howland at Mississippi State, Bruce Pearl at Auburn. Those guys have been winners everywhere they have coached. Frank Martin took South Carolina to the Final Four two years ago. It's a tough conference. Perhaps this is a result of the SEC schools investing their football profits in the basketball program.

[Austroturf]

Semi-related question: when did the SEC get good at basketball? Last I remember, it was the ACC football of college basketball: one excellent team (Kentucky) and a bunch of meh-to-pretty-good teams.

Well Florida did win back to back NCs in 2006 and 2007. But more recently some schools have hired some very successful coaches who have raised the level of the conference - Rick Barnes at Tennessee, Ben Howland at Mississippi State, Bruce Pearl at Auburn. Those guys have been winners everywhere they have coached. Frank Martin took South Carolina to the Final Four two years ago. It's a tough conference. Perhaps this is a result of the SEC schools investing their football profits in the basketball program.

Good points.  The SEC has always been decent.  Yes, not on the same level as their football prowess, but Florida and Kentucky have had quite a lot of success over the years.  Some other teams have shown flashes of brilliance.  And yes, there was that #8 seed team from Alabama that eliminated a #1 seed Stanford team (30-1) in the second round and went on to the regional finals back in 2004, only to lose to eventual champion Connecticut.  That loss really hurt.  Stanford's only other loss of the season had been to Washington in the final regular season game; and the Cardinal would get revenge on the Dawgs in the Pac-12 tournament championship game.  Fifteen years ago: we were a national power.

---

If you want to relive the pain of the game, here it is.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOVTsikxvEk

[Austroturf]

Semi-related question: when did the SEC get good at basketball? Last I remember, it was the ACC football of college basketball: one excellent team (Kentucky) and a bunch of meh-to-pretty-good teams.

Well Florida did win back to back NCs in 2006 and 2007. But more recently some schools have hired some very successful coaches who have raised the level of the conference - Rick Barnes at Tennessee, Ben Howland at Mississippi State, Bruce Pearl at Auburn. Those guys have been winners everywhere they have coached. Frank Martin took South Carolina to the Final Four two years ago. It's a tough conference. Perhaps this is a result of the SEC schools investing their football profits in the basketball program.

Good points.  The SEC has always been decent.  Yes, not on the same level as their football prowess, but Florida and Kentucky have had quite a lot of success over the years.  Some other teams have shown flashes of brilliance.  And yes, there was that #8 seed team from Alabama that eliminated a #1 seed Stanford team (30-1) in the second round and went on to the regional finals back in 2004, only to lose to eventual champion Connecticut.  That loss really hurt.  Stanford's only other loss of the season had been to Washington in the final regular season game; and the Cardinal would get revenge on the Dawgs in the Pac-12 tournament championship game.  Fifteen years ago: we were a national power.

---

If you want to relive the pain of the game, here it is.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOVTsikxvEk

[2006alum]

Semi-related question: when did the SEC get good at basketball? Last I remember, it was the ACC football of college basketball: one excellent team (Kentucky) and a bunch of meh-to-pretty-good teams.

Well Florida did win back to back NCs in 2006 and 2007. But more recently some schools have hired some very successful coaches who have raised the level of the conference - Rick Barnes at Tennessee, Ben Howland at Mississippi State, Bruce Pearl at Auburn. Those guys have been winners everywhere they have coached. Frank Martin took South Carolina to the Final Four two years ago. It's a tough conference. Perhaps this is a result of the SEC schools investing their football profits in the basketball program.

Good points.  The SEC has always been decent.  Yes, not on the same level as their football prowess, but Florida and Kentucky have had quite a lot of success over the years.  Some other teams have shown flashes of brilliance.  And yes, there was that #8 seed team from Alabama that eliminated a #1 seed Stanford team (30-1) in the second round and went on to the regional finals back in 2004, only to lose to eventual champion Connecticut.  That loss really hurt.  Stanford's only other loss of the season had been to Washington in the final regular season game; and the Cardinal would get revenge on the Dawgs in the Pac-12 tournament championship game.  Fifteen years ago: we were a national power.

---

If you want to relive the pain of the game, here it is.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOVTsikxvEk

Thanks for the PTSD, Austrosturf... It felt like we literally tossed that game away in the second half. That game, the Jayne Appel broken ankle national championship loss vs. UConn in 2010, and the WBB Final Four buzzer-beater layup loss vs. Texas A&M in 2011, are my three most painful Stanford losses in the past 15 years. Each brutal in its own unique way. Ugh...

[2006alum]

Semi-related question: when did the SEC get good at basketball? Last I remember, it was the ACC football of college basketball: one excellent team (Kentucky) and a bunch of meh-to-pretty-good teams.

Well Florida did win back to back NCs in 2006 and 2007. But more recently some schools have hired some very successful coaches who have raised the level of the conference - Rick Barnes at Tennessee, Ben Howland at Mississippi State, Bruce Pearl at Auburn. Those guys have been winners everywhere they have coached. Frank Martin took South Carolina to the Final Four two years ago. It's a tough conference. Perhaps this is a result of the SEC schools investing their football profits in the basketball program.

Good points.  The SEC has always been decent.  Yes, not on the same level as their football prowess, but Florida and Kentucky have had quite a lot of success over the years.  Some other teams have shown flashes of brilliance.  And yes, there was that #8 seed team from Alabama that eliminated a #1 seed Stanford team (30-1) in the second round and went on to the regional finals back in 2004, only to lose to eventual champion Connecticut.  That loss really hurt.  Stanford's only other loss of the season had been to Washington in the final regular season game; and the Cardinal would get revenge on the Dawgs in the Pac-12 tournament championship game.  Fifteen years ago: we were a national power.

---

If you want to relive the pain of the game, here it is.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOVTsikxvEk

Thanks for the PTSD, Austrosturf... It felt like we literally tossed that game away in the second half. That game, the Jayne Appel broken ankle national championship loss vs. UConn in 2010, and the WBB Final Four buzzer-beater layup loss vs. Texas A&M in 2011, are my three most painful Stanford losses in the past 15 years. Each brutal in its own unique way. Ugh...

[burger]

Thanks for the PTSD, Austrosturf... It felt like we literally tossed that game away in the second half. That game, the Jayne Appel broken ankle national championship loss vs. UConn in 2010, and the WBB Final Four buzzer-beater layup loss vs. Texas A&M in 2011, are my three most painful Stanford losses in the past 15 years. Each brutal in its own unique way. Ugh...

The Alabama MBB loss is my fault.  I was at the game, and I remember turning to my friend when we were up 13 (I think) with 6 minutes to go and speculating about what opponents would be the best matchup for us in the sweet 16 and elite 8.  I jinxed us.  Sorry.

[burger]

Thanks for the PTSD, Austrosturf... It felt like we literally tossed that game away in the second half. That game, the Jayne Appel broken ankle national championship loss vs. UConn in 2010, and the WBB Final Four buzzer-beater layup loss vs. Texas A&M in 2011, are my three most painful Stanford losses in the past 15 years. Each brutal in its own unique way. Ugh...

The Alabama MBB loss is my fault.  I was at the game, and I remember turning to my friend when we were up 13 (I think) with 6 minutes to go and speculating about what opponents would be the best matchup for us in the sweet 16 and elite 8.  I jinxed us.  Sorry.

[Nan3cy]

Thanks for the PTSD, Austrosturf... It felt like we literally tossed that game away in the second half. That game, the Jayne Appel broken ankle national championship loss vs. UConn in 2010, and the WBB Final Four buzzer-beater layup loss vs. Texas A&M in 2011, are my three most painful Stanford losses in the past 15 years. Each brutal in its own unique way. Ugh...

The Alabama MBB loss is my fault.  I was at the game, and I remember turning to my friend when we were up 13 (I think) with 6 minutes to go and speculating about what opponents would be the best matchup for us in the sweet 16 and elite 8.  I jinxed us.  Sorry.

Burger, if you had to sit through that meltdown in person, I think your debt to us all has been paid in full. I still get chills when I think about that game, and I had the advantage of a comfortable seat and lots of beer and comfort food at a friend's house. Barely slept that night. I can't even imagine being there for it.

[Nan3cy]

Thanks for the PTSD, Austrosturf... It felt like we literally tossed that game away in the second half. That game, the Jayne Appel broken ankle national championship loss vs. UConn in 2010, and the WBB Final Four buzzer-beater layup loss vs. Texas A&M in 2011, are my three most painful Stanford losses in the past 15 years. Each brutal in its own unique way. Ugh...

The Alabama MBB loss is my fault.  I was at the game, and I remember turning to my friend when we were up 13 (I think) with 6 minutes to go and speculating about what opponents would be the best matchup for us in the sweet 16 and elite 8.  I jinxed us.  Sorry.

Burger, if you had to sit through that meltdown in person, I think your debt to us all has been paid in full. I still get chills when I think about that game, and I had the advantage of a comfortable seat and lots of beer and comfort food at a friend's house. Barely slept that night. I can't even imagine being there for it.

[Papa John]

The Alabama MBB loss happened on my birthday. Gave me a migraine.

[Papa John]

The Alabama MBB loss happened on my birthday. Gave me a migraine.

[Austroturf]

Semi-related question: when did the SEC get good at basketball? Last I remember, it was the ACC football of college basketball: one excellent team (Kentucky) and a bunch of meh-to-pretty-good teams.

Well Florida did win back to back NCs in 2006 and 2007. But more recently some schools have hired some very successful coaches who have raised the level of the conference - Rick Barnes at Tennessee, Ben Howland at Mississippi State, Bruce Pearl at Auburn. Those guys have been winners everywhere they have coached. Frank Martin took South Carolina to the Final Four two years ago. It's a tough conference. Perhaps this is a result of the SEC schools investing their football profits in the basketball program.

Good points.  The SEC has always been decent.  Yes, not on the same level as their football prowess, but Florida and Kentucky have had quite a lot of success over the years.  Some other teams have shown flashes of brilliance.  And yes, there was that #8 seed team from Alabama that eliminated a #1 seed Stanford team (30-1) in the second round and went on to the regional finals back in 2004, only to lose to eventual champion Connecticut.  That loss really hurt.  Stanford's only other loss of the season had been to Washington in the final regular season game; and the Cardinal would get revenge on the Dawgs in the Pac-12 tournament championship game.  Fifteen years ago: we were a national power.

---

If you want to relive the pain of the game, here it is.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOVTsikxvEk

Thanks for the PTSD, Austrosturf... It felt like we literally tossed that game away in the second half. That game, the Jayne Appel broken ankle national championship loss vs. UConn in 2010, and the WBB Final Four buzzer-beater layup loss vs. Texas A&M in 2011, are my three most painful Stanford losses in the past 15 years. Each brutal in its own unique way. Ugh...

Sorry.  Perhaps I was just checking to see if others recollected this horrible, horrible loss in a year when Stanford basketball was at its zenith.  After the game, one journalist wrote: "And once again, Stanford gets to spend another off-season wondering 'what if?'"

[Austroturf]

Semi-related question: when did the SEC get good at basketball? Last I remember, it was the ACC football of college basketball: one excellent team (Kentucky) and a bunch of meh-to-pretty-good teams.

Well Florida did win back to back NCs in 2006 and 2007. But more recently some schools have hired some very successful coaches who have raised the level of the conference - Rick Barnes at Tennessee, Ben Howland at Mississippi State, Bruce Pearl at Auburn. Those guys have been winners everywhere they have coached. Frank Martin took South Carolina to the Final Four two years ago. It's a tough conference. Perhaps this is a result of the SEC schools investing their football profits in the basketball program.

Good points.  The SEC has always been decent.  Yes, not on the same level as their football prowess, but Florida and Kentucky have had quite a lot of success over the years.  Some other teams have shown flashes of brilliance.  And yes, there was that #8 seed team from Alabama that eliminated a #1 seed Stanford team (30-1) in the second round and went on to the regional finals back in 2004, only to lose to eventual champion Connecticut.  That loss really hurt.  Stanford's only other loss of the season had been to Washington in the final regular season game; and the Cardinal would get revenge on the Dawgs in the Pac-12 tournament championship game.  Fifteen years ago: we were a national power.

---

If you want to relive the pain of the game, here it is.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOVTsikxvEk

Thanks for the PTSD, Austrosturf... It felt like we literally tossed that game away in the second half. That game, the Jayne Appel broken ankle national championship loss vs. UConn in 2010, and the WBB Final Four buzzer-beater layup loss vs. Texas A&M in 2011, are my three most painful Stanford losses in the past 15 years. Each brutal in its own unique way. Ugh...

Sorry.  Perhaps I was just checking to see if others recollected this horrible, horrible loss in a year when Stanford basketball was at its zenith.  After the game, one journalist wrote: "And once again, Stanford gets to spend another off-season wondering 'what if?'"

[SamuelMcF]

ASU beat St. John's by 9 in their play-in game. Apparently the game was a masterclass in bad basketball, but that's according to reddit - I didn't watch.

[SamuelMcF]

ASU beat St. John's by 9 in their play-in game. Apparently the game was a masterclass in bad basketball, but that's according to reddit - I didn't watch.