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Welcome to March. Tournaments, Chaos.. Chaos and Tournaments
23 Plays2 months ago
TJ and Pat go over, what they can, in this beginning period of March. The Madness has already begun. The PAC-South Conference for basketball is really taking shape. The contenders have pulled away, and the cellar dwellers are very apparent. They talk UCONN WBB, Miami (OH) MBB, and make predictions on the Power Five Conference Tournament Championships.
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Transcript
Tournament Madness Overview
00:00:01
Travis White
everyone, welcome back to the PacSouth podcast. Pat, it is officially March. We are getting into the tournament madness. The women's having wrapped up in most cases last weekend. Men's tournaments in full swing and some of the women's still finishing up middle of this week as well.
Can Anyone Beat UConn?
00:00:19
Travis White
um First things first, women's tournament last week. The Big East wrapped up. UConn finishes an undefeated regular season and conference tournament. Can anyone beat this UConn team?
00:00:32
Travis White
Like, I feel like we are just going to have a runaway, like kind of similar to like a decade ago, those seasons. Is is there anything stopping them?
00:00:38
Pat Q
Yeah. I think barring injury or anything kind of crazy like that, I would say no. I think this UConn team is obviously super talented, super deep. They returned a decent amount of players from last year's squad, obviously losing Paige Beckers um to the WMEA draft, but it's still a really good team. And kind of from what we've seen,
00:01:06
Pat Q
In other conferences this year, there's not really like... I'll say another truly dominant team, you know, UCLA has looked sort of so-and-so at times. South Carolina has had rebounding issues the past few games that almost got them against LSU.
00:01:23
Pat Q
Definitely got them against Texas. um Texas has been inconsistent too. i mean, the second half of that game, it looked like they were in control. And then the next thing you knew, South Carolina was only down like seven points after being down 17.
00:01:37
Pat Q
Um,
00:01:37
Travis White
Yeah,
00:01:38
Pat Q
So I feel like the challengers or the field um maybe isn't as strong as it had been the past few years. And because of that, I feel like it's not going to be a cakewalk to the title, but I feel like UConn is definitely the odds on favorite and should be such because I do think they are kind of like a cut above the rest of these teams.
Geno Auriemma's Future Speculations
00:02:02
Travis White
no, I totally agree. I think this is kind of UConn's year, more so than last, the way that they finished last year. But I mean, just from start to finish, I feel like this is going to be one of those fairytale seasons again for the Huskies out of the many they've had over the last three decades. i think the question starts to become, and if I brought this up in the podcast before, um you know, how much longer will Gino be there? Will he want to finish on a national title? I mean,
00:02:33
Travis White
the legacy he's had, I would assume that he would. And also, there's some other coaching jobs that could come up that UConn would be fighting against. So definitely, they would want a clean cycle to make sure that they get the person they want and that doesn't turn into a bidding war with say, like a South Carolina or a Texas.
00:02:50
Pat Q
Mm-hmm.
00:02:51
Travis White
um So that could be something to watch this offseason as well.
Miami, Ohio's Tournament Prospects
00:02:56
Travis White
Moving over to the men's side of things. Today's Thursday, the 12th. Miami, Ohio loses in the MAAC tournament to UMass.
00:03:07
Travis White
They were ranked. They had an undefeated regular season. Is that enough? I mean, people were talking that this is then a bubble team or probably missing with one loss and not a conference championship.
00:03:20
Travis White
I don't think the Red Hawks should miss out on a tournament. You finish a college basketball season undefeated. um And whether or not those emails were true of him trying to schedule tougher non-conference games and then people just ghosting him,
00:03:35
Pat Q
or yeah
00:03:37
Travis White
i You know, don't know 100% sure if he was just trying to make a point or whatever. um Nonetheless, they finish undefeated. Yes, you have a bad loss, really, to UMass. Like, you at least want to win one or two games in the tournament.
00:03:55
Travis White
I think they still got to be in. Kills are seeding. They're not a four or five seed by any means anymore. But, i mean, they got to be a nine or a ten. How do you look at it? Are the Redhawks seriously in trouble?
00:04:08
Pat Q
I would say yes, they're seriously in trouble because of, let's say, like the narrative that the committee has already put out there and the narrative that I think a lot of bracketologists, a lot of the mainstream media sort of run with a little bit.
00:04:22
Pat Q
um And it's the idea that, yes, Miami went 31-0. However, you know, and then they point to the non-conference schedule. They point to the weaknesses of the MAC, things like that. um And really, i think the one game that they couldn't lose to make it, let's say like a lock, even if they lost at the MAAC tournament, they're still in, was today against UMass.
00:04:43
Pat Q
Because UMass, I think, was like 203 or so in like the net ranking coming in. So it's now a Q4 loss on a neutral site.
00:04:51
Travis White
Thank you.
00:04:52
Pat Q
And that definitely hurts things. um Do I think they should be in? Absolutely. However, I do think it's going to be a little bit of a nervy selection Sunday for Miami, Ohio. And I wouldn't be surprised to see them in Dayton in the first four in one of those, you know, 11 seed, 10 seed playing games.
00:05:16
Pat Q
Do I think they deserve to be there? No, I think they probably should be a locked in, let's say 10 seed. But –
00:05:25
Pat Q
I don't know, ever since we brought in quad one wins, quad two wins, things like that, we've seen evaluation change a lot. And it gives a lot smaller margin of errors to mid-majors like Miami, Ohio, which fair or unfair has kind of been the precedent that we've seen set.
00:05:44
Pat Q
Of course, there's that whole narrative around Auburn. The wheels kind of came off the bus for them during the end of SEC play. However, they do have a chance at beating a ranked Tennessee goalkeeper.
00:05:55
Pat Q
team today. i believe that game's going on right now. um So i think that outcome can change things a little bit, right? Like if Auburn loses and it's a pretty convincing loss, I would feel more safe about Miami, Ohio.
00:06:08
Pat Q
But as of right now, it's a little bit nervy.
00:06:14
Travis White
Okay. You mentioned a game going on right now. i have a few other scores right here with me.
Big 12 Tournament Updates
00:06:20
Travis White
Washington, who very much needs to to get some work done in the Big Ten Championship tournament to have a chance at the March Madness. They're down 13 right now to Wisconsin. There's about eight and a half minutes left in that game. So Huskies within striking distance, but they really need to get busy here.
00:06:40
Travis White
UCF and Arizona in the Big 12 championship, or Big 12 tournament, I should say. Arizona has not scored a point in the last ah five minutes of the first half. They are now at halftime.
00:06:57
Travis White
UCF closed the gap from being down over 20 points, so now it is a 16-point game, 46-30. So still a lot of work for the Knights, but Arizona finishes out the half very poorly. If UCF has some momentum in the second half, we could see...
00:07:13
Travis White
An upset there, but I would still say that is a very large distance for a UCF team who has not looked the best at the end of the season to be able to make up.
00:07:16
Pat Q
Mm-hmm.
00:07:24
Travis White
Arizona, obviously, very good team this year. Probably of a one seed unless they do slip up in a game like this. um But we'll have to see. We're quarterfinals of most of these tournaments, so a lot, lot can happen in these conference tournaments.
00:07:42
Travis White
Speaking of conference, we'll head over to the
PAC South Baseball and Basketball Highlights
00:07:44
Travis White
PAC South. um Obviously, baseball, the biggest thing of note was that New Mexico was not only the only team in our conference to start undefeated.
00:07:54
Travis White
They were one of the three final remaining between them, Southern Cal, and Texas. So pretty good company for baseball. Since... that they are on a five game losing streak and getting swept by Tarleton state.
00:08:10
Travis White
So not a bad baseball program, but also if you're trying to have the season you want to have, you don't really want to get swept there.
00:08:17
Pat Q
Now what's he gonna say?
00:08:20
Travis White
So very unfortunate there. UNM has obviously lost their top spot in the conference. Just slightly, but then there is a three-way tie between ah Duke, Florida State, and Florida for the top of the Pac-South Conference. So three very good ball clubs right there.
00:08:41
Travis White
UF kind of stuttering a little bit, getting the benefit of the doubt with some of the matchups they've had. We'll see what UF really has and also other PACS, South member South Carolina. They play this weekend in the first SEC series for both of those teams. So we'll see what they have there and how ah the conference continues to evolve as all these teams are beginning their conference play.
00:09:07
Travis White
Women's basketball, that is down to a Two-horse race. It is South Carolina and Duke. South Carolina losing the SEC title game to Texas definitely hurts them a bit.
00:09:12
Pat Q
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:09:17
Travis White
They lost out on a lot of points there. Duke holding on somehow to Louisville. i really don't know how they were able to manage that game. I thought Louisville had them dead to rights, and they should have. They just could not close the deal in regulation over time.
00:09:35
Travis White
Gives the title to the Blue Devils. closes the gap a little bit now so really only two teams left on the women's side of things on the men's side some of the same we still have conference tournaments to finish up so that could give a lot of points to these teams duke and florida definitely our two hottest teams in the second half of the season duke throughout the entire season um that's kind of our title race at the top there our third place though
00:09:45
Pat Q
Thank you.
00:10:02
Travis White
Well behind, but we have a three-horse race there. We have Iowa State, UCF, and St. Louis. Obviously, just mentioned UCF playing Arizona right now. St. Louis sputtered at the end of their season, still got a share of their regular season conference title, can get the whole conference title. And Iowa State looked really good against Texas Tech this morning.
00:10:25
Travis White
I will give myself a breather and ask you, Which of those three teams is going to be able to finish the end of the season and take that third place in the conference?
00:10:39
Pat Q
think I'm going to have to go with Iowa State here. Iowa State's kind of been a little inconsistent in some games in Big 12 play, but still they've been a top 10 team all season long.
00:10:53
Pat Q
um They blew out Texas Tech today. So assuming that results between Arizona and UCF stands, that'll give them the leg up on UCF there. And...
00:11:05
Pat Q
and I don't know. Wait, sorry. Are we counting conference championship games?
00:11:13
Travis White
For the men's tournament, we haven't gotten that into their points yet. But yeah, conference championship and then March Madness.
00:11:18
Pat Q
Okay.
00:11:19
Travis White
I mean, it's the whole season.
00:11:20
Pat Q
Okay, okay. I just want to make sure. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I like Iowa State. the best out of those three. um I think this Iowa state team is, I shouldn't say sneaky gigs. They're a top 10 team, but sneaky good. You know, they've kind of flown under the radar a little bit in the big 12 with obviously Arizona having a great year, Houston having a great year, Kansas with Darren Peterson, obviously gaining a lot of national media attention.
00:11:46
Pat Q
um And I think this is a team that could easily make a sweet 16, potential elite eight, where I don't really see that in the cards for a team like UCF.
00:11:57
Travis White
Okay. And then something I want to bring up to you, and then I'll let you play with it a bit more as well.
Coaching Changes and Implications
00:12:05
Travis White
So we kind of noticed in football that when you get down to the bottom bottom of our conference, i.e.
00:12:13
Travis White
Oregon State and Charlotte, you no longer really have a head coach.
00:12:17
Pat Q
Mm-hmm.
00:12:17
Travis White
um You look over at men's basketball, bottom three, South Carolina, Charlotte, and Central Michigan. Okay. I'm going to assume that these teams are probably losing their head coach. South Carolina sounds like they might retain, but that leaves the bottom two Charlotte and central Michigan. Do you think that those two coaches, if not quietly already announced, will be finding a new job come ah come next fall?
00:12:43
Pat Q
Yeah, I think so, especially with the case of Charlotte. This isn't like year one or year two um of this, let's say, coaching cycle or coaching experience. I believe it's year three. ah And they are not getting the results that they really, let's say, like want or are looking for in the American. don't really know.
00:13:04
Pat Q
Why that is Charlotte was a pretty good mid-major program when they were in the Atlantic 10. Um, so it's kind of intriguing or interesting a little bit. but,
00:13:15
Pat Q
To see that, ah like you said, South Carolina, though, has announced through the athletic department and Jeremiah Donati that Lamont Paris will be coming back for next season. They're not going to move on from him. They're not going to find a new coach. Allegedly, they're going more heavily invest, let's say, um in the men's team. So I don't know if that means taking funds away from the women's program or just raising more in NIL in general. um But they are committing to increasing that, especially after the data came out this week that they were pretty comfortably the lowest roster spend in the SEC this season. And then you wonder why they were the third or fourth worst team in the SEC.
00:13:59
Pat Q
Um, but kind of moving up, let's say like our chain a little bit, um, Providence has announced that Kim English is not going to be back next year. Uh, and that's a program that I am super plugged into growing up a Providence college fan in Rhode Island. Um, still have a lot of connections to the area, to the program, things like that. And,
00:14:22
Pat Q
I don't know. I'm excited for the direction of the program post Kim English. Uh, of course I really wanted Kim to succeed. Uh, caught the program at one of its highest points in recent history. Um, at the tail end of the Ed Cooley era, you know, you had consistent NCAA tournament appearances. You had the one deep run, um, where you lost in the sweet 16 to Kansas who eventually won the national championship that year. Um,
00:14:51
Pat Q
And i don't know, it just kind of felt like Kim never really capitalized on that momentum. He recruited super, super well, but never really got those on-court results that the school was looking for. So I think it'll be interesting to see um who Providence hires, because obviously the Big East is a good basketball conference, but...
00:15:16
Pat Q
Big East schools don't exactly have the money of, let's say, ah Kansas State or a Syracuse, right? Two bigger jobs that are open this coaching cycle. So i don't know. I wouldn't be surprised to see, like, let's say Josh Shirts or a big name like that go to Syracuse.
00:15:35
Pat Q
I believe Jerry... um
00:15:39
Pat Q
Jared Calhoun. Jared Calhoun at Utah State is the top candidate or the preferred candidate for the Kansas State job. What I've kind of heard a decent amount regarding Providence College um is that they're going to do, you know, their due diligence, check in at least with Josh Schertz, check in with Jared Calhoun.
00:16:00
Pat Q
If those names are available, obviously that'd be you know, a perfect outcome, but I wouldn't be surprised if USF's coach, Brian Hodgson, has his name thrown around for the Providence College job. I wouldn't be surprised if the Merrimack coach, Joe Gallo, has his name thrown around a little bit for the job.
00:16:18
Pat Q
um And one I heard the other day that did surprise me a little bit, because it would be a really interesting transition from the West Coast to the East Coast, is Santa Clara's head coach.
00:16:30
Pat Q
And, I mean, Santa Clara's having a great season, right? her ah
00:16:34
Travis White
very good season right now.
00:16:35
Pat Q
Herb Sendik's done a really, really nice job with them. But i was like, huh. You know, like, usually... Providence College hires regional guys who have connections recruiting wise in the Northeast or within the Big East footprint, let's say in general. But, i you know, it just goes to show that in this NIL era, so much is changing in the shape shape of coaching. And if you can get a guy who's had success at a fellow mid-major, although I would say Providence is more of like a high major um with the Big East membership,
00:17:10
Pat Q
Still, he can bring some guys who have had success at Santa Clara, and that helps with roster building and things like that. So I think it'll be really interesting to see the Providence job. Like we kind of mentioned in our conference, them, Charlotte, I anticipate Central Michigan will all be open moving forward.
00:17:29
Pat Q
Like I kind of mentioned, obviously Syracuse and Kansas State are going to be open as well. And those are two really big jobs. Pitt will probably also open up. um Cincinnati probably will also open up so it should be a really interesting coaching cycle uh oh Bobby Hurley got fired yesterday well was not rehired or retained um yesterday by Arizona State so i don't know a lot of moving pieces um the Arizona State job in particular one name I would keep an eye on I don't know how likely it is to happen but because he has connections in the area because he's had success at a fairly local school, Phoenix and Tempe aren't super far away, is Grand Canyon's Bryce Drew.
00:17:49
Travis White
Yeah.
00:18:14
Pat Q
He had success at Valparaiso. He's having success at Grand Canyon. He's made two, three tournament trips there. And yes, Vanderbilt was a total disaster, but you would think that Arizona State would make sure the right pieces are in place for it to not go that way for Bryce Drew.
00:18:32
Travis White
Yeah, very interesting
Impact of NIL Era on Coaching
00:18:36
Travis White
there. It'll be something to keep an eye on as well for any participants in the Pac-South Conference, kind of where that like death line it comes in for coaches because
00:18:44
Pat Q
Yeah. Yeah.
00:18:49
Travis White
There's definitely in the NIL era different circumstances as well. So South Carolina, bottom three of basketball. Providence, as it stands currently, is fifth. But of course, teams can move quads. So wins that they already had could move them up, move them a little further down. So currently they're fifth. They're right above Notre Dame, who's bottom four there as well. So should be interesting where it all shakes out. And then as we get...
00:19:18
Travis White
more and more seasons under our belt where these lines really are because then we can kind of already begin to point before we even hit the end of the season or hit the cycle who's going to really be in the market or who probably will be in the market.
00:19:22
Pat Q
Yeah.
00:19:31
Travis White
So that will be interesting to see. What else is interesting to see? How these tournaments are going to finish up. um Great segue, TJ. are on to the ACC first, and I feel like this – to me is the most clear cut answer.
00:19:51
Travis White
I'm going with Duke to win the conference. Duke has just looked so good throughout the entire year. They've been battle tested time in and time out. One of their few losses came to a very good team on the road.
00:20:06
Travis White
And it's also their rival. So like when you have that having to be your losses, like, yes, it hurts from like a fan standpoint, but like, the stars are aligning for them to lose. I mean, they are winning all the big games. They are looking good in these games. ah They're coming into this with still really good momentum. I literally drafted up last podcast how Duke could lose to the T and they still won. So I, I love the blue devils. They are terrorizing the PAC South conference in every sport.
00:20:40
Travis White
And I think that the ACC is, Well, women's basketball as well, but men's basketball is going to go to the Blue Devils.
00:20:50
Pat Q
Yeah. Um, I agree with you there. I think Duke is pretty comfortably the favorite in the ACC. Um, especially with Caleb Wilson's injury, granted they have Caleb Foster who's injured himself, but I still think that the depth and the talent on this team's enough to overcome that. Um, and I won't say super comfortably, but fairly comfortably when the ACC this year,
00:21:15
Pat Q
um I don't know, look out, I guess, for Virginia. I feel like they could be maybe like that sneaky team um that has a chance at a deeper run, right? Especially if they draw North Carolina um instead of drawing Duke.
00:21:32
Pat Q
But I do think, like you said, Duke is pretty comfortably the top dog in this conference, both in women's and men's basketball, it seems.
00:21:42
Travis White
Yeah. Okay. On to the Big Ten then. um i almost have a feeling that the Big Ten, this is the conference that will produce the national champion this year.
Big Ten and National Championship Predictions
00:21:55
Travis White
um
00:21:55
Pat Q
Old.
00:21:56
Travis White
There are so many good teams in it.
00:21:56
Pat Q
Hmm.
00:21:59
Travis White
I feel that top to bottom, this is probably the deepest conference. I think ACC has very good teams. I think the SEC has some very good teams.
00:22:10
Travis White
Big 12 well. I just think as a whole Big Ten, everyone coming out is going to be battle tested that make the dance. That being said, i like Illinois to take this tournament. I think the Illini are very strong.
00:22:27
Travis White
um I think this is also going to have to take a little bit of luck on whoever comes out of the Big Ten.
00:22:34
Pat Q
Yeah.
00:22:35
Travis White
um Just catching one or two of these teams on a bad weekend. i mean,
00:22:43
Travis White
really anyone could have a really good game have a really bad game that's kind of the beauty of march i think the big 10 as a conference is really going to embody that this year i mean i truly think that you have four teams in this conference that could win the national title when you look at other conferences there's maybe one or two but i like illinois to get this tournament done
00:23:07
Pat Q
Interesting. I'm kind of glad that you brought up that you think the big 10 can win the nanny this year. Cause it seems like every year we talk about the big 10 curse, um, with March madness, the fact that it's been at this point, if they don't win, uh, 26 years, right. Since we saw a big 10 team win the national championship, Michigan state being the last one in 2000. Um,
00:23:29
Pat Q
um But yeah, they're a super deep conference. There's a ton of teams that are super quality. Obviously, Purdue's kind of dropped off a little bit this year without Zach Eadie.
00:23:40
Pat Q
Year two, I guess, without Zach Eadie, but They're still a really good basketball team. Illinois, as you mentioned, is a phenomenal team. Nebraska's really talented. Michigan State's really talented. And we know how good Michigan is after really succeeding, I'll say, in the transfer market this past offseason.
00:24:03
Travis White
update Big Ten tournament as we're going, just in case this changes anything.
00:24:07
Pat Q
Yeah.
00:24:07
Travis White
Washington has now brought it to six points. A little over three minutes left, so windows really really closing, but it's there.
00:24:11
Pat Q
Against Wisconsin.
00:24:16
Pat Q
Okay.
00:24:18
Travis White
So we could have an upset Wisconsin in this game as the 23rd ranked team in the country.
00:24:18
Pat Q
Yeah.
00:24:23
Travis White
You can continue.
00:24:24
Pat Q
I'm going to go...
00:24:29
Pat Q
know. My heart wants to say Michigan State, but they've been shaky at points this year, and they've lost to some teams that they should not have. um Also...
00:24:40
Pat Q
They were getting blown out in that Michigan game. ah Made a huge run. Things like that. Four points now. Dang.
00:24:47
Travis White
Four point game.
00:24:49
Pat Q
Washington coming out on fire. But I'm going go with Michigan. i think they've been right there with Duke and Arizona as the three best teams in the country all year long.
00:24:59
Travis White
Indeed.
00:25:00
Pat Q
So I'm going to go with the Wolverines to take care of it.
00:25:05
Travis White
Okay. You mentioned Arizona. We're going to the Big 12. And that is who I have
Big 12 Tournament Favorites
00:25:12
Travis White
in the Big 12. I think Arizona, this team, or this conference, I should say, has a lot of good teams, don't get me wrong, but they have a lot of Jekyll and Hyde teams.
00:25:18
Pat Q
Definitely.
00:25:21
Travis White
You have someone like Texas Tech, who has been good throughout most of the year, but then they take a random loss to a UCF team, you have a UCF team who beats a really good Texas Tech and then turns around and loses to a Cincinnati. um You know, that was kind of the story for almost the entire conference play of the Big 12 outside of Arizona. And it's one of those cases where it's like, yeah, it seems like it's the obvious pick. And then, well, the answer is it is in my opinion. So I think the Wildcats get it done in the Big 12 tournament.
00:25:58
Pat Q
I'm going to not go chalk here. I've gone with the two top teams in the conference so far. So I'm going
00:26:10
Travis White
I am now realizing picked I tried to pick as a and yeah, that's exactly what I'm doing that too. Well, Illinois, except Illinois.
00:26:15
Pat Q
to... You picked Illinois. You picked Illinois. You got that.
00:26:17
Travis White
Illinois.
00:26:18
Pat Q
Yeah. Yeah.
00:26:18
Travis White
Yeah, well, like wait until my other picks.
00:26:21
Pat Q
I'm going to go out on a limb here and I'm going to go with Iowa state. So I think this Iowa state team is obviously really talented.
00:26:25
Travis White
Okay.
00:26:30
Pat Q
i think they're up to seventh in the latest poll. Um,
00:26:35
Travis White
How huge was that Texas Tech game this morning?
00:26:37
Pat Q
Yeah, that was massive. You know, big, big win against a quality opponent. They blew the doors off of Arizona State yesterday as well. So I think that they're playing confident, aggressive basketball right now.
00:26:49
Pat Q
And that's why I think that they've got a shot against any team in this conference. And I'm backing them to take it home. Let's go go with the Cyclones here. Coach Otts gets it done. um And Tommy Lloyd comes up short once again.
00:27:05
Travis White
Okay. Before we move on to our next conference, there is two minutes remaining in the Washington-Wisconsin game, and it is now a two-point – wow, that was a big jump. Excuse me. One minute, 20 seconds remaining.
00:27:17
Travis White
It is seventy nine eighty one Wisconsin.
00:27:17
Pat Q
It's
00:27:20
Travis White
um So we're going to have ourselves a finish there in the Big Ten tournament.
00:27:23
Pat Q
nail biter, yeah.
00:27:25
Travis White
um On to the Big East as that continues play. Yeah.
Big East Tournament Predictions
00:27:31
Travis White
I'm not really sold on this conference as a whole. I find that the top teams are quite inconsistent for what you want. i mean, UConn is very good.
00:27:41
Travis White
But as I mentioned in the podcast earlier in the season, this is not the UConn that we've seen the past couple years. And that kind of, I don't know, I feel like that really draws it away.
00:27:54
Travis White
Like you have the recency bias of just how dominant that team has been. so much so that hu ah yeah Hurley does not leave for the Lakers job because he wants to go for a 3P because he knew how good his team was.
00:28:05
Pat Q
you
00:28:09
Travis White
So like when you factor that stuff in, It's a different UConn team. St. John's, I really want them to be there, but I just still don't think that they're there. I think that we're going to have a big case of like the upsets in this tournament, and I think the team that's going to come out of that is going to be Villanova.
00:28:26
Travis White
I just don't think UConn or St. John's are going to get it done. feel like part of them might know that in a way and it's like all right this is the last chance that we can tune stuff up we're going to lose the game this is when you lose it because they're both getting into the tournament and that's where you really need to shine um so i think villanova wins by survival
00:28:48
Pat Q
interesting interesting um i am gonna go with the top team here the technically not shock because they didn't win the conference in the regular season But I'm going to go with UConn to win the Big East. I think they are, from an on-paper standpoint, the most talented team in the conference. Obviously, St. John's, when they're rolling with Zuby Ejafor and Bryce Hopkins, are extremely talented. But UConn did almost 30-piece them.
00:29:18
Pat Q
just a few weeks ago. so I've kind of got that in the back of my mind. Yes. St. John's beat UConn in the first matchup. So, you know, it's not like it's totally swayed in the Huskies favor. But I do think that UConn, when it comes down to things, is the best team in the conference. I will say though, Um, one team to keep an eye on is going to be Seton Hall because they have to play aggressive. They have to play hungry. Um, if they want to make the NCAA tournament, right? Like, I mean, realistically their best shot is to win the conference.
00:29:55
Pat Q
Maybe there's an outside chance if they beat, um, their Friday night opponent and make it to Saturday in the Big East championship. They could have an outside chance at a bubble spot, but I mean, really they kind of have to be a bid stealer to get in. So watch out for Seton Hall. um It's a scrappy team. They've played pretty well against decent competition this year. They kept it close with UConn just a few weeks ago. um But ultimately I do like the Huskies.
00:30:26
Travis White
Okay. UConn for the Big East with Pat. We are down to the final minute of play. Washington was shooting free throws. I believe they've only shot one.
00:30:38
Travis White
No, they shot both. um It does appear. it is 80 to 81. We have resumed play out of a Wisconsin timeout. So a basket for the Badgers is huge here.
00:30:51
Travis White
um otherwise Washington with the chance to take the lead and we have a nine foot jump shot. Um, so three point game Huskies have 49
SEC Tournament Forecast
00:31:04
Travis White
seconds. We go to the sec now.
00:31:07
Travis White
Um, This conference, i again, kind of like the ACC, I think the top is really good. The bottom is the bottom. And there's one team that really throughout the entire conference play really stood out to me.
00:31:17
Pat Q
Yeah.
00:31:22
Travis White
And that was Florida. I mean, since Christmas, that team has been unconscious. You probably argue even a little bit before then. I think that that is one of the top four teams in the country. I think that we will see them in the final four.
00:31:36
Travis White
Um, But I like the Gators. I think that they're going to continue their winning ways. They're going to get this tournament done, and they're going to have a deep run into March.
00:31:46
Pat Q
Yeah, I definitely think Florida, from a talent standpoint, from who's feeling right, who's feeling good standpoint, is kind of like the team in the SEC.
00:31:58
Pat Q
Although... I don't know. I think they should watch match up well and win, but playing against a scrappy and hungry Kentucky team could be a little bit nervy um for them coming off just about a week's worth of rest, you know, tomorrow night.
00:32:15
Pat Q
Granted, they did just beat that Kentucky team last Saturday at Rupp by i think like seven or eight. um but still you never know i am gonna deviate here as well not go with florida i am actually going out on a bit of a risky pick here given how poorly they played against florida two weeks ago um and almost losing by 40 points but I believe, or I guess closer to 30, but still, I believe in this team when they're clicking right. I think Darius Acuff is one of the, I'll say best players definitely in the SEC, but also one of the most fun players in the SEC to watch. I think Cal is a fantastic coach, hasn't really lost the fastball, and they do rebound quite well.
00:33:08
Pat Q
So I'm going with Arkansas to win the SEC.
00:33:13
Travis White
Okay.
00:33:14
Pat Q
WPS over here.
00:33:17
Travis White
nice Nice little change and transition there. um So yeah, we have a different champion in every conference except the ACC.
Overall Tournament Predictions and Excitement
00:33:28
Travis White
um I think that really goes to show how good Duke is this year. Virginia definitely kind of that like They shouldn't be a dark horse team, but how good Duke is, it kind of makes everyone else that you could pick a dark horse.
00:33:40
Travis White
And the and injuries that has hit UNC has definitely hurt them as well. um So, yeah, it should be interesting. We have that wrapping up over the next couple days, and then we'll have Selection Sunday. And we'll be fully into the madness of March.
00:33:56
Travis White
Speaking of madness of March, it is a one-point game again. 83-82 Huskies. They are fouling Wisconsin ah to take them to the line.
00:34:10
Travis White
And we have a timeout on the floor. So we will not see the end of this on the podcast. We will definitely follow it. And we hope that whoever is listening to this show, you also follow this game because it looks like it wound up being a great finish in the Big Ten tournament.
00:34:26
Travis White
We'll be back next week to discuss kind of our Selection Sunday fallout, our champions, and then once again, our PAX South standings. So for Pat, I am TJ. Thank you all so much for watching and listening.