[washingtonismoney]

In St. Louis. Should Stanford win, it would presumably face #2 Kansas (which will be deprived of the services of big man terror Joel Embiid).

EDIT: Drukarev with an incredible factoid:

"This is the first time since 2000-2001 that @StanfordFball made a bowl game and @stanfordbball made the NCAA Tournament in the same year."

https://twitter.com/StanfordRivals/statu...8691411968

[washingtonismoney]

In St. Louis. Should Stanford win, it would presumably face #2 Kansas (which will be deprived of the services of big man terror Joel Embiid).

EDIT: Drukarev with an incredible factoid:

"This is the first time since 2000-2001 that @StanfordFball made a bowl game and @stanfordbball made the NCAA Tournament in the same year."

https://twitter.com/StanfordRivals/statu...8691411968

[burger]

Not bad.  I don't know anything about New Mexico, but St. Louis is a much closer flight than Buffalo or Raleigh and only a 2 hour time change.

Odd that they put 3 Pac-12 teams in the South region.

[burger]

Not bad.  I don't know anything about New Mexico, but St. Louis is a much closer flight than Buffalo or Raleigh and only a 2 hour time change.

Odd that they put 3 Pac-12 teams in the South region.

[Spiny_Norman]

St. Louis - Stanford has a history on that court.  The famous regional final vs. Rhode Island in 1998 was in St. Louis.

Note that the St Louis games are Friday-Sunday, ensuring that Stanford does not get the dreaded early game on Thursday.  In 2007, Stanford played Louisville in the 1st game on Thursday.  Louisville was up by 28 within 15 minutes and the post-season was effectively over.

[Spiny_Norman]

St. Louis - Stanford has a history on that court.  The famous regional final vs. Rhode Island in 1998 was in St. Louis.

Note that the St Louis games are Friday-Sunday, ensuring that Stanford does not get the dreaded early game on Thursday.  In 2007, Stanford played Louisville in the 1st game on Thursday.  Louisville was up by 28 within 15 minutes and the post-season was effectively over.

[StanFan88]

All comes down to which Stanford team shows up.  If it isn't the team that beat ASU on Thursday they are going to lose.  UNM is no slouch.

I do like the winner of that game to upset Kansas.  Without their big man they are a good, but not great, team.

[StanFan88]

All comes down to which Stanford team shows up.  If it isn't the team that beat ASU on Thursday they are going to lose.  UNM is no slouch.

I do like the winner of that game to upset Kansas.  Without their big man they are a good, but not great, team.

[burger]

The game is at 1:40pm eastern time (you westerners can do the math) on Friday and airs on TBS.

About 2 minutes of googling suggests that UNM has a senior PF (Bairstow) and a senior guard (Williams) who are both good scorers.  More than one commentator suggested they were under-seeded at 7--they were ranked 20th in the most recent editions of both polls and were #12 in RPI. 

On the plus side, Sagarin has them just 1 spot ahead of us, 31 vs. 32, and suggests they should be a <1 point favorite.

[burger]

The game is at 1:40pm eastern time (you westerners can do the math) on Friday and airs on TBS.

About 2 minutes of googling suggests that UNM has a senior PF (Bairstow) and a senior guard (Williams) who are both good scorers.  More than one commentator suggested they were under-seeded at 7--they were ranked 20th in the most recent editions of both polls and were #12 in RPI. 

On the plus side, Sagarin has them just 1 spot ahead of us, 31 vs. 32, and suggests they should be a <1 point favorite.

[Spiny_Norman]

Announcers will be Jim Nantz/Greg Anthony//Tracy Wolfson

http://ht.ly/uE8ob

[Spiny_Norman]

Announcers will be Jim Nantz/Greg Anthony//Tracy Wolfson

http://ht.ly/uE8ob

[OutsiderFan]

I watched the last 10 minutes or so of Arizona pissing away the Pac-12 CG game against UCLA (seriously, they shot 6-16 from the FT line while holding UCLA to 25% shooting in 2nd half), CBS had the MWC CG, so I watched between commercials.

It sure looked like New Mexico, who won the MW CG, was one tough team, the type that will be aggressive and get Dwight Powell in foul trouble early if he isn't ready to go right away.  NM's best player is a big guy. This is exactly the type of match-up I couldn't see Stanford getting passed, before the bids were announced.

[OutsiderFan]

I watched the last 10 minutes or so of Arizona pissing away the Pac-12 CG game against UCLA (seriously, they shot 6-16 from the FT line while holding UCLA to 25% shooting in 2nd half), CBS had the MWC CG, so I watched between commercials.

It sure looked like New Mexico, who won the MW CG, was one tough team, the type that will be aggressive and get Dwight Powell in foul trouble early if he isn't ready to go right away.  NM's best player is a big guy. This is exactly the type of match-up I couldn't see Stanford getting passed, before the bids were announced.

[Treebound]

I think you nailed the key point with Powell.  Can he stay out of foul trouble and contribute major minutes and points.  Randall must have a good to great game from beyond the arc and Huestis needs to score and board big time (we know he will rebound).  These players have never been to the Dance, but many were recruited when Stanford was a basketball power.    Do they get blinded by the light or do they step up and come together as a team to make a strong run.  Some of them took part in the NIT run - I know that's not a strong comparison, but it showed some heart.  "One and done," will have most of us feeling like the team underperformed it's talent in the tourney, just as it did in conference play.  Do the upperclassmen step up, or do they foul and fold? 

It's good to be back in March Madness again! 

[Treebound]

I think you nailed the key point with Powell.  Can he stay out of foul trouble and contribute major minutes and points.  Randall must have a good to great game from beyond the arc and Huestis needs to score and board big time (we know he will rebound).  These players have never been to the Dance, but many were recruited when Stanford was a basketball power.    Do they get blinded by the light or do they step up and come together as a team to make a strong run.  Some of them took part in the NIT run - I know that's not a strong comparison, but it showed some heart.  "One and done," will have most of us feeling like the team underperformed it's talent in the tourney, just as it did in conference play.  Do the upperclassmen step up, or do they foul and fold? 

It's good to be back in March Madness again! 

[Spiny_Norman]

Let's take a look at some recent games that Stanford has lost in the NCAA tournament.  I see common threads.

2004 vs. Alabama - Stanford shoots 36%, 7 of 24 from the 3 point line
2005 vs. Mississippi State - Stanford shoots 38% from the field, 4 of 18 from the 3 point line
2007 vs. Louisville - Stanford shoots 41% from the field, 3 of 12 from the 3 point line
2008 vs. Texas - Stanford shoots 34% from the field, 6 of 17 from the 3 point line

From the numbers and from my recollections from watching these games, Stanford has struggled to execute its offense and make shots under tournament pressure.  As we have observed with this squad, there can be a tendency for the offense to stagnate.  No movement on offense, lots of dribbling, the shot clock winds down and someone takes a bad shot.  If that is the pattern when Stanford has the ball on Friday, they will be one and done.

[Spiny_Norman]

Let's take a look at some recent games that Stanford has lost in the NCAA tournament.  I see common threads.

2004 vs. Alabama - Stanford shoots 36%, 7 of 24 from the 3 point line
2005 vs. Mississippi State - Stanford shoots 38% from the field, 4 of 18 from the 3 point line
2007 vs. Louisville - Stanford shoots 41% from the field, 3 of 12 from the 3 point line
2008 vs. Texas - Stanford shoots 34% from the field, 6 of 17 from the 3 point line

From the numbers and from my recollections from watching these games, Stanford has struggled to execute its offense and make shots under tournament pressure.  As we have observed with this squad, there can be a tendency for the offense to stagnate.  No movement on offense, lots of dribbling, the shot clock winds down and someone takes a bad shot.  If that is the pattern when Stanford has the ball on Friday, they will be one and done.

[DC]

New Mexico's PF is 6'9", 250 and a good scorer.  Do we have anyone who can match up with him defensively so that Powell won't get into foul trouble - and it is highly likely he will if he guards him.

On another issue, will Muir still be happy in the event we lose by 20?

[DC]

New Mexico's PF is 6'9", 250 and a good scorer.  Do we have anyone who can match up with him defensively so that Powell won't get into foul trouble - and it is highly likely he will if he guards him.

On another issue, will Muir still be happy in the event we lose by 20?

[Treebound]

I think it's highly likely that Powell winds up in foul trouble.  Nastic is going to need to have a game like he had with UCLA and bring both defense and scoring to the table.  Since I'm asking for things here, let's see the team shoot well from the free throw line.  That is one thing I dearly miss from the Monty years.  You need to make free throws to win games in the tourney.  Now if Chasson can really light up from 3 point land, then we might have a good shot at moving on.  New Mexico is a very good team.  Kansas can be taken, if we get there.

[Treebound]

I think it's highly likely that Powell winds up in foul trouble.  Nastic is going to need to have a game like he had with UCLA and bring both defense and scoring to the table.  Since I'm asking for things here, let's see the team shoot well from the free throw line.  That is one thing I dearly miss from the Monty years.  You need to make free throws to win games in the tourney.  Now if Chasson can really light up from 3 point land, then we might have a good shot at moving on.  New Mexico is a very good team.  Kansas can be taken, if we get there.