***Official 2026 NCAA Tournament Thread***

Flemings, Uzan, Sharp all done at Houston.
I think we understand Tugler's game but Cenac can be unpredictable at times, 2026 for Houston will be interesting.
Cenac is a 1st rounder in most mock drafts. It’s a complete reload in Houston.
 
Cenac is a 1st rounder in most mock drafts. It’s a complete reload in Houston.
Yeah which makes me wonder if Tugler stays for a reset.
I wouldnt be shocked if Will Wade throws a bag at him, which he could do before it was "legal."
 
I think Houston is going to be just fine. Kellen isn't the same as other Nepo hires. He's running a lot of their practices and he's the guy filtering the assistant's scouts before they get to Kelvin. This isn't a Stephen Pearl situation where he was just another assistant on the staff with the right last name.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: Acer88
Exactly how Ben Jacobson has won 400 games without recruiting more than 4 hours outside of Cedar Falls.

The fewer possessions, the more coaching matters.

I get it but that recipe is a lot tougher in P5, especially in the NIL era.
 
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Reactions: 1SEIACLONE
Yes, because grown men, waxing poetic, and/or spouting vitriol all night because they didn’t want a certain team or conference to win is definitely normal behavior.

:rolleyes: Did you mention self-importance? In no way have I positioned myself as more important or my thoughts more important than anyone else on here. They may be contrary, they may be things you didn’t want to hear, but in no way where they self-important. Just different…

self-important
/ˌselfəmˈpôrtnt/
Self-important describes
someone who acts with an exaggerated sense of their own value or importance, usually in a pompous, arrogant, or condescending manner. It often implies a disapproving attitude towards people who are arrogant or overconfident.
A lot of the attitude towards you comes from when an ISU fan goes on an Iowa board, and just says I think Illinois is the better team and they will beat Iowa, the board mods will hit a ban for that. So, you are getting better treatment here than ISU fans in reverse.
 
With returning players and getting their path, it makes total sense and I figure they'll get the next one too.

They're not real good but solid and the little bit I watched last night looked really confident.
The had to play defending champ Florida in Tampa, that wasn’t an easy path. Got a break with Nebraska sweet 16 I suppose but I wouldn’t say it was cake.
 
I think I'm happy about Illinois winning. They can beat Iowa. I am not sure Houston could, at least not with how Iowa is playing right now. Illinois is proving right now that they can win the style of game Iowa likes to play

Iowa could have sucked Houston into a 3 point shooting contest but Underwood is a good coach, they will absolutely pound Iowa inside. Hawks are gonna have to shoot it really really well again to even have a shot.
 
If Illinois plays D like they did tonight, it probably won't be that close. That was the difference in the Houston game. Illinois' D has been suspect through much of the conference slate, but they're really cranking it up in the Tourney.

I don't see Underwood selling out on Stirtz, I expect to see them playing more straight up man with some occasional traps.
 
At this point it all comes does to matchups and shooting the ball well. EIU has had favorable matchups except for the Florida game, which they overcome by rebounding the ball well and hitting shots from the outside. Houston struggled last night shooting the ball, and that ended their season. If ISU can continue to play defense and make 10 3 pointers or so, we will be fine tonight, go 4 of 25 from behind the arc and ISU will be going home. Tennessee does not protect the ball well, let's hope that trend continues and we can turn them over 15 ro 20 times.
 
I think Houston is going to be just fine. Kellen isn't the same as other Nepo hires. He's running a lot of their practices and he's the guy filtering the assistant's scouts before they get to Kelvin. This isn't a Stephen Pearl situation where he was just another assistant on the staff with the right last name.

I don't know, he's been pretty vocal about Houston's NIL situation.
 
It'll be interesting to see if it translates i to season tkt sales next fall.
That is pure Iowa. Lots of people who pretend they are experts and fans, who suddenly disappear. The University of Iowa Hospital workers are insufferable. I absolutely hate to schedule a specialist during NCAA tourney. Most times it doesn’t matter because of their history but this year they came out of the woodwork and remind me not to wear my cyclone hoodie to an appointment. Not jokingly but serious. And then the nurses waste all your appointment trying to impress you with all the players they watched on TV. I wish the state would close the U of I hospitals and move it to Broadlawns.
 
At this point it all comes does to matchups and shooting the ball well. EIU has had favorable matchups except for the Florida game, which they overcome by rebounding the ball well and hitting shots from the outside. Houston struggled last night shooting the ball, and that ended their season. If ISU can continue to play defense and make 10 3 pointers or so, we will be fine tonight, go 4 of 25 from behind the arc and ISU will be going home. Tennessee does not protect the ball well, let's hope that trend continues and we can turn them over 15 ro 20 times.

Iowa really benefited by Florida not having a game plan whatsoever too. Kudos for bating the 1 seed but that game was a colossal coaching failure.