# March Madness... brackets? Predictions?



## engineergurl (Feb 26, 2014)

Okay guys... most everyone knows I work at a University and this week is our big CIAA basketball tournament so everyone here has basketball on the brain.

With the first round in a few weeks, thought I would check and see if anyone is doing brackets, wanted to do predictions etc etc etc. We all know that basketball season is an entirely different attitude in my house than football season, so what's the interest around here?

Here are the dates for this years tournament... empty brackets are starting to show up around the web now.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/9258206/2014-ncaa-tournament-schedule-key-dates


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## Sapper PE LS (Feb 26, 2014)

How's your neighbor doing this year? Richmond loves their Rams. I'm not a Hoops guy, so I don't follow it, but I know that's big news back home... er, back where I used to live.


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## engineergurl (Feb 26, 2014)

Sapper said:


> How's your neighbor doing this year? Richmond loves their Rams. I'm not a Hoops guy, so I don't follow it, but I know that's big news back home... er, back where I used to live.




I think the only conference game they have lost is to George Washington... but I could be wrong since thy are 20-7, the Spiders seem to make the news more often... they are 18-9.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Feb 26, 2014)

I don't even think about basketball until selection sunday. Then I have no clue how good everyone is, then ultimately fill out a garbage bracket. I did see that UNC beat Duke not too long ago, so I'm happy.

&lt;---Carolina fan


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## Dark Knight (Feb 26, 2014)

A team from the SEC...again?

Wait....we are not talking about football...right?


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## roadwreck (Feb 26, 2014)

I'm willing to wager that a team with at least 5 players will win it all.


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## engineergurl (Feb 26, 2014)

Dexman PE said:


> I don't even think about basketball until selection sunday. Then I have no clue how good everyone is, then ultimately fill out a garbage bracket. I did see that UNC beat Duke not too long ago, so I'm happy.
> 
> &lt;---Carolina fan




SU beat Duke the first time but lost the second... we haven't been doing as good the last few weeks


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## MetsFan (Feb 26, 2014)

I am, just to try for the billion!

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2014/01/21/warren-buffett-offers-1-billion-for-perfect-march-madness-bracket/


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## willsee (Feb 27, 2014)

Louisville

back to back


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## goodal (Mar 17, 2014)

Ok, I've filled out my billion dollar bracket. Just gotta sit back and wait for the checks to start coming, baby!!


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## Dexman PE PMP (Mar 17, 2014)

Villanova over Wichata State.

I was feeling like an a$$hole when I filled my bracket out, so I found it fitting that I let the undefeated team make it all the way to the championship game before losing...


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## matt267 PE (Mar 17, 2014)

Providence College all the way!!!


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## NJmike PE (Mar 17, 2014)

VCU


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## Weavs33 (Mar 17, 2014)

Louisville vs MSU in the finals


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## goodal (Mar 17, 2014)

I think I have Florida and Louisville in one and Florida and Arizona in another with Florida taking it both times. Fingers crossed. What's the first thing you buy after you win a billion anyways?


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## Dexman PE PMP (Mar 17, 2014)

^^^ Hookers and blow


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## FLBuff PE (Mar 17, 2014)

Airplane and hanger. That's how you know you've really made it.


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## knight1fox3 (Mar 17, 2014)

^ exactly. Just as Flyer.


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## mudpuppy (Mar 17, 2014)

FLBuff PE said:


> Airplane Jet and hanger. That's how you know you've really made it.




I would modify this slightly. No offense, Flyer.


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## roadwreck (Mar 17, 2014)

mudpuppy said:


> FLBuff PE said:
> 
> 
> > Airplane Jet and hanger. That's how you know you've really made it.
> ...


I don't think rrpearso ever specified a jet. :dunno:


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## maryannette (Mar 17, 2014)

HOW MANY POSSIBILITIES FOR THE PERFECT BRACKET?


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## Dexman PE PMP (Mar 17, 2014)

Here's a neat tool to help fill out your bracket:

http://fivethirtyeight.com/interactives/march-madness-predictions/


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## maryannette (Mar 17, 2014)

We were talking about it at work. What would the calculation be for the number of possibilities? 68! ? or (2**68)! ?

I think it is a number with a lot of places.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Mar 17, 2014)

There are 64 possible outcomes for just the 1st round (2 options for 32 games). Then you have 4 options for each of the 16 2nd round games, and on...

I'm not a statistic guy, but I do know there a metric $hit - ton of possibilities.


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## wilheldp_PE (Mar 18, 2014)

Yeah, but for a Billion dollars, it is worth spending the time to make every single possibility in order to have a 100% chance of winning. I guess that is why they limited the perfect bracket competition to the first 15 million entries.


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## mudpuppy (Mar 18, 2014)

I hate probability so I had to look it up. The odds are 5.2 quintillion (5.2 billion billion) to one if the brackets are assigned randomly. To use wilheldp's strategy would take several million years.


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## ktulu (Mar 18, 2014)

Saw this on Twitter - "If 1 bracket was filled out per second, it would take 292 Billion years to fill out all possible brackets."


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## NJmike PE (Mar 20, 2014)

In honor of our late friend, I have selected #12 North Dakota St. to upset #5 Oklahoma in the second round.


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## knight1fox3 (Mar 20, 2014)

Found this to be pretty funny: http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/style-points/201403/fan-buys-suit-walmart-sneaks-court-acc-championship-celebration



> ust as unbelievable as Virginia's ascent from fifth place to its first conference championship since 1976 is the story of how one fan celebrated with the Cavaliers on the court after they beat Duke in the ACC tournament final.
> 
> The young man, a college sophomore named Danny, detailed his story on Barstool Sports. And while it sounds like an elaborate farce, he's got the pictures and video evidence to back up his story.
> 
> ...


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## goodal (Mar 20, 2014)

Great. Now there will be even more courtside security.


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## Weavs33 (Mar 20, 2014)

well I had Ohio State over Dayton..... so much for my perfect bracket


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## NJmike PE (Mar 20, 2014)

Weavs33 said:


> well I had Ohio State over Dayton..... so much for my perfect bracket


I'm still perfect, but I need Cinci to continue to climb back into this game


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## Weavs33 (Mar 20, 2014)

NJmike PE said:


> Weavs33 said:
> 
> 
> > well I had Ohio State over Dayton..... so much for my perfect bracket
> ...


That was my big upset pick in this round, Harvard over Cincy..... I don't care any more, Goooo Cal Poly!!!!!


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## Dexman PE PMP (Mar 20, 2014)

Most of my brackets lost the ability to claim perfection after that first game as well.

They will forever be known as THE Dayton University...


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## NJmike PE (Mar 20, 2014)

I was the only one in my office to pick Dayton, so I hold an early lead. Seeing how similar the final few rounds are amongst everyone here, I am hoping to really do well today and tomorrow


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## Supe (Mar 20, 2014)

I didn't fill out a bracket, but am not surprised in the least to hear that OSU lost first round. Aaron Craft was the only person playing for that team this year, with Thompson on rare occasion. They were just a shell of last year.

ND over OK is supposed to be the big bracket buster. If ND makes it past the first round, they may even win a few more based on the rest of their bracket.


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## MetsFan (Mar 20, 2014)

2 for 4. There go my dreams of being a billionaire...


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## Weavs33 (Mar 21, 2014)

NJmike PE said:


> In honor of our late friend, I have selected #12 North Dakota St. to upset #5 Oklahoma in the second round.


went 12-4 yesterday...... Mike, great call on this pick


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## NJmike PE (Mar 21, 2014)

Weavs33 said:


> NJmike PE said:
> 
> 
> > In honor of our late friend, I have selected #12 North Dakota St. to upset #5 Oklahoma in the second round.
> ...


I went 14-2. I didn't pick Harvard and Arizona St couldn't pull it out at the end, otherwise 16-0


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## envirotex (Mar 21, 2014)

Buzzer beater! Michigan is up next...


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## knight1fox3 (Mar 21, 2014)

On Wisconsin!!!


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## NJmike PE (Mar 21, 2014)

Mich St


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## Weavs33 (Mar 21, 2014)

Duke under performing in March yet again


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## Road Guy (Mar 21, 2014)

Hope nobody had the CU Buffs!


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## Dexman PE PMP (Mar 21, 2014)

Or Duke...


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## EM_PS (Mar 21, 2014)

Wtf! Mercer?! Seriously!!? Glad I had the fighting wolverines of MI taking Duke out of its misery anyways, all the easier now that Mercer did the job


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## Road Guy (Mar 21, 2014)

Holy Shit I bet 90% of the Planet had never heard of Mercer!

Small private school in Macon, GA LOL! or ROR


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## engineergurl (Mar 21, 2014)

Rawr.... lmbo and who hasn't heard of Mercer... kind of like Gonzaga... everybody knows them


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## Supe (Mar 21, 2014)

I wonder if everyone who was so high on Louisville is rethinking after a sub-par first round performance.


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## wilheldp_PE (Mar 21, 2014)

Pitino said (in a whiny bitch kinda way) that the L'ville-Manhattan matchup wasn't going to be good. The Manhattan coach is an ex-Pitino player, ex-Pitino assistant coach, and protege. They basically run exactly the same offense and defense as Louisville, so they knew what L'ville was going to do before they did it. I'm not terribly concerned with that performance. The St. Louis matchup should be fun. Ex CUSA rivals going at it.


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## matt267 PE (Mar 21, 2014)

Go PC!


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## NJmike PE (Mar 22, 2014)

Minus a loss by UCLA, I will have gone 27-5 in the first round. I pretty happy with that so far.


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## envirotex (Mar 22, 2014)

And then there was this guy...

View attachment 6312


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## NJmike PE (Mar 22, 2014)

While broadcasting the UNC game last night, this happened

http://deadspin.com/unc-fan-in-primo-seats-lifts-jersey-to-display-fuck-du-1549191637/+bubbaprog


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## Supe (Mar 22, 2014)

At least he can tell everyone it was legit.


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## wilheldp_PE (Mar 22, 2014)

envirotex said:


> And then there was this guy...




Is that actually Steven F. Austin? If not, who TF is he?


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## Dexman PE PMP (Mar 22, 2014)

Their mascot is the Lumberjack.


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## NJmike PE (Mar 23, 2014)

Shockers shocked! Another upset that I picked


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## goodal (Mar 24, 2014)

Two words: GO UK! What a game!! They haven't played that good all year. The Louisville/UK matchup should be another good one.


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## NJmike PE (Mar 24, 2014)

I'm torn at this point. I think the strategic move for me is to have Kentucky beat Louisville, to knock out of contention those who picked Louisville. Currently I lead to office pool, so it may be the best move for me. The problem is that I have Louisville in the finals again Michigan St., and MS winning.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Mar 24, 2014)

In one of the national pools that I'm in, there is a remote chance that I can still pull off the overall win ($4600 for 1st place). After seeing some of the games over the weekend, the chances of that scenario happening is not very good...


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## Weavs33 (Mar 24, 2014)

Still have my final 4 left.... but there is a lot of red X's on my bracket.


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## NJmike PE (Mar 28, 2014)

Really hoping mich St keeps moving through. Might be a tough game tonight.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Mar 28, 2014)

Teams I want to win tonight:

Mich St.

Louisville

UConn

Tennessee


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## NJmike PE (Mar 28, 2014)

Dexman PE said:


> Teams I want to win tonight:
> 
> Mich St.
> 
> ...


+1


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## knight1fox3 (Mar 28, 2014)

BADGERS!!!


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## NJmike PE (Mar 28, 2014)

Badgers! We don't need no stinking Badgers!


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## EM_PS (Mar 28, 2014)

Dexman PE said:


> Teams I want to win tonight:
> 
> Mich St.
> 
> ...




You have a f'n play-in team going to the Elite Eight?! Ummm, good for you! :lamo: :lmao:


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## Dexman PE PMP (Mar 28, 2014)

EM_PS said:


> Dexman PE said:
> 
> 
> > Teams I want to win tonight:
> ...


No. It's more like the competition in my pool has Michigan and Iowa State, so I don't want them getting any more points.


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## snickerd3 (Mar 28, 2014)

don't forget to claim any winnings on next year tax return


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## knight1fox3 (Mar 28, 2014)

snickerd3 said:


> don't forget to claim any winnings on next year tax return


Right! And any items you bought online that didn't include sales tax. :thumbs:


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## snickerd3 (Mar 28, 2014)

knight1fox3 said:


> snickerd3 said:
> 
> 
> > don't forget to claim any winnings on next year tax return
> ...


dude... IL has separate section on the state tax return for that. So yes we do pay it.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Mar 28, 2014)

snickerd3 said:


> don't forget to claim any winnings on next year tax return


You don't have to claim any winnings so long as the net is under $5k. :true:

Back in 2010 I won $5148 in a poker tournament in Vegas (Caesars palace), but because my buy-in was $150 the "net" was under $5k and was never reported.


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## NJmike PE (Mar 28, 2014)

Dexman PE said:


> snickerd3 said:
> 
> 
> > don't forget to claim any winnings on next year tax return
> ...


Good to know. For some reason I thought us was much lower amount.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Mar 28, 2014)

You are supposed to report it, but the Casinos won't report anything under $5k. If they don't report it, there's no record, so why would I create a record?


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## EM_PS (Mar 28, 2014)

Dexman PE said:


> EM_PS said:
> 
> 
> > Dexman PE said:
> ...


Holy friggin crap, Tenn gave it a helluva go!


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## NJmike PE (Mar 28, 2014)

I was sweating that one out. Go Spartans


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## EM_PS (Mar 28, 2014)

Yah, me too. I'll take a Sparty win &amp; Louisville win to round out my great 8!


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## NJmike PE (Mar 28, 2014)

Same.


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## EM_PS (Mar 29, 2014)

5 out of 8 :bananapowerslide: Now's where I stop being a 'homer' &amp; have the SEC &amp; Pac12 part ways from the Big 10'ers


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## NJmike PE (Mar 29, 2014)

Need wins from Dayton and Zona tonight and the Michigans tomorrow.


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## NJmike PE (Mar 30, 2014)

I'm out. Arizona cost me the pool.


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## Supe (Mar 31, 2014)

I hate Florida, I hate UConn, I would prefer Wisconsin, but have no problem pulling for KY to win it.


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## NJmike PE (Mar 31, 2014)

as it turns out, I am on life support with regards to my office bracket. I hold a two point lead going into the final four. I can still win if UCONN beats Florida. Go Huskies.


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## goodal (Mar 31, 2014)

For anybody that has not seen KY this year, they are playing lights out better than they have all year. Their defense for the last two games is lightyears better than it was 4 games ago. Not to mention Harrisons three point shots. Lee hasn't played all year but he stepped up and threw down for 10-12 impressive points. Very impressive. they are my team and I didn't have them getting past round 2.


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## NJmike PE (Mar 31, 2014)

goodal said:


> For anybody that has not seen KY this year, they are playing lights out better than they have all year. Their defense for the last two games is lightyears better than it was 4 games ago. Not to mention Harrisons three point shots. Lee hasn't played all year but he stepped up and threw down for 10-12 impressive points. Very impressive. they are my team and I didn't have them getting past round 2.


I picked them to beat Wich St. and was very conflicted regarding picking them over Louisville. Mainly because Calipari breads his teams for this torney. Sadly though, in the end I picked Louisville.


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## EM_PS (Mar 31, 2014)

KY was talked about as being in a 'rebuilding' year going into the tourney, lol, thus I had picked L-ville to beat em. Still got the Gators winning overall so, go Gators!


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## Dexman PE PMP (Mar 31, 2014)

Kentucky has the talent to be a #1, but they have the consistency of a #8. I just hope it carries for one more game.

Kentucy vs UConn in the final = Dex winning the neighborhood pool.


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## NJmike PE (Mar 31, 2014)

Dexman PE said:


> Kentucky has the talent to be a #1, but they have the consistency of a #8. I just hope it carries for one more game.
> 
> Kentucy vs UConn in the final = Dex winning the neighborhood pool.


I'm with Dex on this one.


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## goodal (Apr 1, 2014)

I would rather see that than vs Florida. They've lost 3 times to the Gators this year.


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## knight1fox3 (Apr 1, 2014)

Go Badgers!!!


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## NJmike PE (Apr 1, 2014)

As long as Florida loses, I'm with you Kfox


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## Dark Knight (Apr 1, 2014)

KY is a very young team playing like a seniors. If they can keep playing at that level they will be a tough match. If they have one more "freshmen like" game it will most like be the Championship game.


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## EM_PS (Apr 1, 2014)

Gator up!


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## MetsFan (Apr 3, 2014)

I hope these guys keep doing this. It's the Sweded version of the games!

[u2b]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsatY5WJdUk[/u2b]


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## NJmike PE (Apr 5, 2014)

Did I just see correctly? Did Florida lose to UCONN?


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## Dexman PE PMP (Apr 6, 2014)

Yep. Because both UConn and Kentucky won, I win the neighborhood pool. Neither of my championship teams survived the opening weekend, but both lost to the current champ teams (Wichita St lost to Kentucky and Nova lost to UConn).


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## NJmike PE (Apr 6, 2014)

Dexman PE said:


> Yep. Because both UConn and Kentucky won, I win the neighborhood pool. Neither of my championship teams survived the opening weekend, but both lost to the current champ teams (Wichita St lost to Kentucky and Nova lost to UConn).


Same here. I was sick in bed all day yesterday. Totally forgot about the games until about 9 last night. Only way I would win the office pool was if Uconn won. This guys is $300 richer. arty-smiley-048:


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## goodal (Apr 8, 2014)

Well, Dang it. There small guards where too much for us. Along with the fact that no one was hot and they couldn't get a rebound just makes for an ugly game. There's always next year...with a brand new team...


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## NJmike PE (Apr 8, 2014)

maybe even a new coach too. reports of coach cal going to the lakers


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## goodal (Apr 8, 2014)

I'm not too attached to him anyways, but I'm not worried either way. Stories like that always come out right after good and bad events.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Apr 8, 2014)

A coach who will screw one organization (Memphis) to chase money, will no doubt do it again. I really don't like Calipari.


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## Dark Knight (Apr 8, 2014)

Dexman PE said:


> A coach who will screw one organization (Memphis) to chase money, will no doubt do it again. I really don't like Calipari.




That makes two of us.


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## wilheldp_PE (Apr 8, 2014)

goodal said:


> Well, Dang it. There small guards where too much for us. Along with the fact that no one was hot and they couldn't get a rebound just makes for an ugly game. There's always next year...with a brand new team...




Uh, no mention of the free throws? You live by the FT, you die by the FT. If Louisville hits all their free throws in the game against Kentucky, UK isn't in the finals. If UK hits all their free throws in the finals, they are National Champions.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Apr 8, 2014)

Wisconsin was damn near perfect with FT's in their final 4 game..... and lost.


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## wilheldp_PE (Apr 8, 2014)

UConn was perfect in the championship game...and won.


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## goodal (Apr 9, 2014)

I checked the stats and Randal had a pretty bad night (for him). Not even close to the double double that he has averaged. Yes, freethrows would have helped, but UConn was just the better team that night.


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## NJmike PE (Apr 9, 2014)

so, sad story. I heard that the 8 year old girl, Lacey Halsworth, that Michigan State star Adreian Payne had paid tribute to and spent all that time with, lost her battle with cancer early this morning. Sad.

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/254543161.html?_osource=SocialFlowFB_NYBrand


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## thekzieg (Mar 17, 2016)

So I guess we all don't really care about basketball?


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## P-E (Mar 17, 2016)

thekzieg PE said:


> So I guess we all don't really care about basketball?


I have Kansas this year.


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## thekzieg (Mar 17, 2016)

I made a couple brackets...Kansas over UNC in one and Michigan State over Kansas in the other


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## matt267 PE (Mar 17, 2016)

Providence college all the way.


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## P-E (Mar 17, 2016)

matt267 PE said:


> Providence college all the way.


Have PC over Yale?


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## matt267 PE (Mar 17, 2016)

Yes?


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## Road Guy (Mar 17, 2016)

I have been watching this for an hour, I don't see how people get into this?


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## Dexman PE PMP (Mar 17, 2016)

UNC over Villanova in one

UNC over Oklahoma in the other.


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## Audi Driver P.E. (Mar 17, 2016)

Well, I appear to be hitting 50% this year.  Much like half of my teams are.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Mar 17, 2016)

Yep, Baylor was my first Elite 8 team eliminated.


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## akwooly (Mar 17, 2016)

i could never get into basketball.  watching or playing.


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## wilheldp_PE (Mar 17, 2016)

I implemented a self-imposed post-season basketball ban because of hookers.


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## P-E (Mar 17, 2016)

Road Guy said:


> I have been watching this for an hour, I don't see how people get into this?


Beer helps.


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## Road Guy (Mar 17, 2016)

This is like the only month that Kentucky is in the news. For something positive


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## willsee (Mar 17, 2016)

I thought the tournament was cancelled

#SaltyLouisvilleFan


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## knight1fox3 (Mar 18, 2016)

Road Guy said:


> I have been watching this for an hour, I don't see how people get into this?


Is it football season yet?


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## NJmike PE (Mar 18, 2016)




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## thekzieg (Mar 18, 2016)

Michigan State forgot how to play basketball.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Mar 18, 2016)

Middle Tennessee also learned how to shoot free throws.


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## P-E (Mar 19, 2016)

Bracket busted.


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## envirotex (Mar 19, 2016)

Well.  Shoot.  Peaked too soon, I guess.


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## wilheldp_PE (Mar 19, 2016)

Thank God Kentucky got bounced.  I would have to move if Louisville missed the tourney and UK went deep, or god forbid, won the thing.


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## envirotex (Mar 20, 2016)

Charles Barkley should do the play by play all the time.


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## goodal (Mar 21, 2016)

I don't think any rational person had UK getting past Indiana.  They just were not the team they have been in the past this year.  I had Mich St going all the way in one an Oregon in another.  The Texas A&amp;M game was pretty good last night.


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## Supe (Mar 21, 2016)

That TX A&amp;M win was ridiculous.  Down what, a dozen with 40 something seconds to go?

I'm thinking UNC over Villanova in the final based on the way they've looked over the past week or so.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Mar 21, 2016)

This is probably the least amount of Basketball I've seen during the tourney in several years. Just really not into much this year despite my favorite team getting a #1 seed (North Carolina).


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## kevo_55 (Mar 21, 2016)




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