Five Minutes to Basketballukah (i.e. The March Madness Thread)

[Dr. Sak]

Someone needs to tell the Orange team that tip off was at 927pm EST

[Radii]

First Half thoughts....

The best thng about this right now is that Carolina played nowhere near a perfect half... they have lots of room to improve themselves.

Manual has somehow become worthless in this tournament. Let him fly around the court bothering Head til he fouls out, wear him down a little perhaps.

UNC has done a good job in that point zone getting just close enough to Illinois' 3 point shooters to bother them. Not enough to stop them if they were hot, but enough to make it difficult.

Is Augistine this important to Illinos' defense normally?

I don't expect UNC to run away with this, though I can dream. Head, Brown, Williams or Powell will step up I am sure. A couple of 3s or some more solid play by May down low to keep Illinois from going on a run to start the 2nd half is critical. I'd like to see UNC stay in this point zone. Don't go back to man, Felton will just pick up his 3rd foul right away... perhaps zone for the first 5 minutes(assuming they can prevent a big Illini run) and then mix back in some man.

[TroyF]

Wow, I can't believe how horrible Illinois looks.

I think NC got a few calls in the first half, but Illinois must have made five or six idiotic plays in the half. From 3 on 1 fast break three pointers to not paying attention to the shot clock to not paying attention on any in bounds pass near their basket, they've pretty much gifted the Tar Heels their lead.

I expect Illinios is going to be a different team this next half. Carolina usually hasa dry spell and they could easily go could for a few minutes. Even if the Illini come back, will they have enough left in the tank to finish it?

[HerRealName]

Illinois will shoot NC out of that zone if they bring it back out. C'mon Illini.

[Radii]

Originally Posted by HerRealName

Illinois will shoot NC out of that zone if they bring it back out. C'mon Illini.

Very possible, and if Illinois comes out hot UNC would need to go right back to man to man, but Felton staying out of foul trouble is more important than anything illinois can do, even a 9-0 run on 3 straight 3s to open the half

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by HerRealName

Illinois will shoot NC out of that zone if they bring it back out. C'mon Illini.

No need to come out in the zone. Only reason NC was playing teh zone was to protect Felton. If Felton picks up an early foul, NC will go back to the zone. My guess is that even if they are forced to go into the zone again, they'll change up the style of it a bit.

Illinois needs to make their run from the defensive end first and foremost.

[Radii]

UNC in the zone, May scores the first bucket. So far so good.

[Radii]

Wow. Not a smart little slap at all there. Manual is out of control when he does that every time.

[JeeberD]

And now Illinois is finally hitting their threes..

[Radii]

illinois has come out hot, until those last couple of posessions UNC was matching them fine... need to get it inside, make sure May touches it every posession instead of jacking up the first shot you see for carolina.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

And now Illinois is finally hitting their threes..

They look like the best team in the country again. Th last five points were all set up by quick NC shots and transition. Illinios needs to keep that up. They started off just trading buckets and that won't cut it.

They are expening a ton of energy just to keep this thing close though. I know they are well conditioned, but will they be shooting this well in the final five?

It's going to be fun to see what happens.

A side note. . . first it was Spring BreakShark Attack, now it's Locusts. . . is CBS trying to cornerthe market on garbage movies?

[Radii]

jesus christ

[TroyF]

Well, Illinois got one of their calls back.

[Radii]

big 3 point play chance for May there. stay in that god damn zone UNC.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by TroyF

A side note. . . first it was Spring BreakShark Attack, now it's Locusts. . . is CBS trying to cornerthe market on garbage movies?

Don't forget the 1,575th Elvis movie.

I thinnk they're bringing back the 70's movies as a "new" genre.

[Radii]

wow, illinois looks gassed. May can't keep up this pace either though.

[HerRealName]

As a post player and a huge fan of good offensive post play in general I have to admit that I have a mancrush on Sean May. He has that mix of power and finesse that is very rare.

[Radii]

hmmm, I just scared both of the cats and they ran upstairs after that shot by may + foul

[digamma]

Did Packer just say: "They got to the Final Four in 1989, the first year that four teams got to the final four."?

I think he meant the first time that four teams who had never won the championship got to the final four (or something like that), but I'm just going to pretend he's stupid.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Don't forget the 1,575th Elvis movie.

I thinnk they're bringing back the 70's movies as a "new" genre.

Maybe they are going for the retro look. I feel sorry for the PBP guys having to pimp the damned movie three times a game.

As for the game itself, Illinois is shooting lights out this half. Drilling three after three after three. Yet with about 10 minutes gone, if May hits the FT after the TO they've cut a whopping 5 points off the 13 point halftime lead and they've wasted a ton of energy in doing it.

They'd better keep sticking the threes because it's very apparent they don't have an answer for May on the inside.

[Radii]

Illlinois' ball movement is really impressive to watch. If UNC wasn't a deep team and not used to playing at such an insane pace Illinois would just wear them out by moving the ball around 20 seconds every possesion.

[Radii]

dammit. important steal for illinois. UNC could have put a little dagger in there pushing it back up to 12+

[kingfc22]

Big possession coming up for Illinois. Can cut it to 3 or 4.

[HerRealName]

Every time UNC gets a little bit of a comfortable lead they go away from May and lose their lead.

Is there a more clutch player in college than Deron Williams?

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by Radii

dammit. important steal for illinois. UNC could have put a little dagger in there pushing it back up to 12+

Just face it, Illinois isn't going away.

NC needs to get a perimeter player involved to help out May now. A little two man game with McCants maybe.

I still have the same question I've had all half. Will Illinois be able to keep the pace up to finish off the comeback?

[Radii]

Originally Posted by HerRealName

Every time UNC gets a little bit of a comfortable lead they go away from May and lose their lead.

my thoughts exactly

Big big posession coming out of this time out.

[JeeberD]

Pretty weak call...

[TroyF]

Wow, that's just a tough call to take. I think it was a foul, but that's just rough. Really rough. I feel bad for the kid and for Illinois.

[Radii]

jesus christ free throws.

[Crapshoot]

What a game.. what a game.

[kingfc22]

Marvin Williams is not making himself look like a #1 overall pick this Final Four. I'll take Bogut over him by far.

[kingfc22]

Yes!

[JeeberD]

Wow, what a game!

[Radii]

things falling apart. 4 on felton, this is looking really really bad, UNC needs a good solid posesssion(read: MAY)

[VPI97]

Clutch

[Radii]

scared the cats again. 3ptr. herat beating again i think.

[JeeberD]

Killer shot by Felton..

[kingfc22]

double down damnit

[JeeberD]

Come on, it's gotta be at least a little physical in the post...

[Radii]

8/14 FTs... cannot miss FTs. cannot miss FTs at all here.

[Crapshoot]

Seriously- Sean May has impressed me big time. What a performance. What a game.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by kingfc22

Marvin Williams is not making himself look like a #1 overall pick this Final Four. I'll take Bogut over him by far.

Bogut has a few years on Williams. I think I go Bogut too, but Williams is a player, don't let tonight fool you into thinking otherwise.

[Radii]

god, rebound. get the freshman off the floor, no matter how good he's been all year.

[Marmel]

Not slowing up on that fast break could be the turning point. 3 the other way......

Roy's tear ducts are starting to swell.

[kingfc22]

3-Ball!!!

[JeeberD]

TIED UP!!!

[HerRealName]

Terrible shot selection by NC again. They're giving this game away.

[TroyF]

Horrible shot by Scott there. Wow, what a horrible shot.

Gotta be smarter than that.

[kingfc22]

Originally Posted by Radii

scared the cats again.

sounds like my house

[Crapshoot]

damn - this game has everything. Illinois- wow.