2024 NCAA Tournament Thread

Pharmacy99

Well-Known Member
Feb 7, 2013
1,474
1,571
113
You always knew it was going to happen, but this actually sucks watching this happen to West Virginia. They played incredibly hard - holding Iowa to under 60 is just WOW. Kudos to the Mountaineers.
This game was rigged.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cy$

ISUCY23

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Nov 16, 2008
6,454
3,290
113
Ames
I’d have to look back but I think the refs gave Iowa 10 of their last 12 points.
 

peatyscotch

Well-Known Member
Feb 16, 2022
164
406
63
72
I see on Iowa boards they're all celebrating that Audi had a bad game (I guess Audi winning isn't good for the state like we've been preached/yelled at) and all you have to do is throw two All American post players at her (as if hardly any team has that). Kind of ignoring if this is the #2 pick in the WNBA draft she actually had a worse game than Audi head to head and those two were directly matched up more often than Audi and Iriafen. Brink couldn't even stay on the floor against Audi, they could have called 15 fouls on her. They kind of bothered each other and cancelled each other out, and Audi had to deal with both of them where we didn't have a second threat down low.

It was crazy to see Audi respond with smiles and the Brink girl basically having a psychotic breakdown on national tv over it.
Totally agree. Audi is a freshman that many thought at the start of the season would see limited playing time. And here we are in the Round of 32 as a starter. And as a freshman, she was up against two Mcdonald All American's (Brink and Iriafen) who are now a senior and junior, respectively. And while Brinks was First Team AP All American, Audi joined Iriafen as an Honorable Mention All-American. But more than anything, compared to Brinks, Audi looks like she enjoys the game and loves her team. She is also a great ambassador for ISU and Iowa. Personally, I put those personal items above everything else she has accomplished. As a final point, if we had had home court advantage rather than Stanford, we would have won!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cyclone Pfan

jctisu

Well-Known Member
Jun 11, 2017
7,644
9,467
113
36
It’s just so painfully obvious the directive is to make sure the stars and teams that will bring the eyeballs keep moving forward. I understand why too because it’s just trying to strike while the iron is hot, but they make it so obvious. And nobody can convince me otherwise that there is zero chance it’s not Iowa/LSU in the Elite 8. Only way is if one just plays so bad the officials can’t save them.
 

NWICY

Well-Known Member
Sep 2, 2012
29,361
24,763
113
Most Hawk fans are miserable douchebags or fair-weather followers of whatever sport seems to be peaking.

While incredibly unfair, there's no hiding the fact that Audi will always draw haters and doubters because of her unique size and skill set. There are very few successful basketball players with that combination and she's probably the best I've ever seen with it. Add in their tendency to hate minorities or people perceived to be different and you have a toxic mess spewing out of Iowa City. They like their pretty, skinny, white players and anything else is considered a thug or second-rate wanna be.

Pretty is a stretch.
 

Cyched

CF Influencer
May 8, 2009
30,968
51,682
113
Denver, CO
It’s just so painfully obvious the directive is to make sure the stars and teams that will bring the eyeballs keep moving forward. I understand why too because it’s just trying to strike while the iron is hot, but they make it so obvious. And nobody can convince me otherwise that there is zero chance it’s not Iowa/LSU in the Elite 8. Only way is if one just plays so bad the officials can’t save them.

Which hurts in the long run, because WV winning a game like that is the type of upset that can gin up interest - it’s what we love about the mens tournament.

It does seem like second round upsets are happening more often in the women’s tournament, so it’s headed the right way. But that story would’ve done wonders for WV’s program, and is the kind of upset that dispels the ‘lack of parity’ knock against WBB. That gets people to keep watching.
 

theshadow

Well-Known Member
Apr 19, 2006
17,404
15,587
113
Mostly chalk (no surprise).

Albany 11 SCAR2 ND3 ORST4 IND
Albany 21 IOWA2 UCLA3 LSU5 COLO
Portland 31 USC7 DUKE3 CONN5 BAY
Portland 41 TEX2 STAN3 NCST4 GONZ
 

HFCS

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2010
67,761
54,946
113
LA LA Land
Yvonne Ejim is a great player for Gonzaga. Melvin is her brother. Does anyone know if ISU recruited her out of Canada?

I read an article a few days ago that ISU was one of her top choices so I'm sure they did recruit her. I just saw the name and assumed they must be related, 11 years younger.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NWICY and Tpups21

jcf817

Well-Known Member
Mar 2, 2023
1,095
1,183
113
North Carolina
Which hurts in the long run, because WV winning a game like that is the type of upset that can gin up interest - it’s what we love about the mens tournament.

It does seem like second round upsets are happening more often in the women’s tournament, so it’s headed the right way. But that story would’ve done wonders for WV’s program, and is the kind of upset that dispels the ‘lack of parity’ knock against WBB. That gets people to keep watching.
They need to kick the first two rounds out of the home arenas if they want more parity in the tournament.
 

Clonefan32

Well-Known Member
Nov 19, 2008
21,830
22,864
113
Mostly chalk (no surprise).

Albany 11 SCAR2 ND3 ORST4 IND
Albany 21 IOWA2 UCLA3 LSU5 COLO
Portland 31 USC7 DUKE3 CONN5 BAY
Portland 41 TEX2 STAN3 NCST4 GONZ

In large part a byproduct of not playing the first 2 rounds on a neutral court, which is totally ridiculous.
 

BoxsterCy

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 14, 2009
43,871
40,492
113
Minnesota
22-10 fouls and 22-5 Ft disparity. Terrible lol

When WVU played in Ames it was 21 free-throws for ISU and 6 for WVU and fouls were 23-8. The Mountain Momma's foul a lot (if the refs call it) and both ISU and Iowa stress NOT fouling. WVU gets away with more at home and against lesser opponents who they sort of feasted on this year. We still had the edge @WSU 23/17 but lost the game with 24 TO and giving up 84 points.
 

BoxsterCy

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 14, 2009
43,871
40,492
113
Minnesota
They need to kick the first two rounds out of the home arenas if they want more parity in the tournament.

We'll be playing a different tune next season where WE will be vying for hosting the opening games in Hilton. We should be looking to host the next three seasons just like Iowa has been.

Loving the hosting when Cyclones host and hating it when we don't is pretty hypocritical. Additionally, it ain't changing and we are setup to take advantage.
 

ZorkClone

Well-Known Member
Nov 12, 2019
276
399
63
27
We'll be playing a different tune next season where WE will be vying for hosting the opening games in Hilton. We should be looking to host the next three seasons just like Iowa has been.
I was just thinking this. We have a team that can get top 4 seeds.

On that note: is it going to be harder to get a top 4 seed with Texas and OU gone?
 

Three4Cy

Well-Known Member
Jan 19, 2010
3,988
2,493
113
West Des Moines
They need to kick the first two rounds out of the home arenas if they want more parity in the tournament.
They tried this (2003-2008), and it was a massive flop. The attendance was terrible other than the host sites where the host team played, so they moved back to the sub-regionals. In 2008, we hosted at Wells Fargo at the # 7 seed.

Heck, there was a year Ames/ISU was a host, and we didn't even make the tourney.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: NWICY and StClone

jctisu

Well-Known Member
Jun 11, 2017
7,644
9,467
113
36
We'll be playing a different tune next season where WE will be vying for hosting the opening games in Hilton. We should be looking to host the next three seasons just like Iowa has been.
Yeah I actually like the home games for the top 4 seeds. Even some of the men's games are absolutely horrible atmospheres in the NCAA Tournament neutral sites. Games should be played in front of a crowd, and women's basketball outside of a handful of schools still needs help with getting crowds.
 
  • Like
Reactions: riceville98