March 28th, 2005

Joel’s Monday Mailbag

Each Monday, Joel Welser will be bringing you his Monday Mailbag.  If you have a question which you'd like Joel to answer, email jwelser_chn@ameritech.net.  He’ll post and answer as many questions as possible.  Please include your first name and home state when contacting Joel. 

One question each week is chosen as the "Question of the Week", and is answered by a few CHN staffers.  At the end of each Monday Mailbag, Joel presents his "Team of the Week" and his "Thoughts of the Week."  Visit the Mailbag Archive for past installments.

Joel,

Which conference/league has never had one of its teams post an NCAA Tournament game victory?

From Kris,

Minneapolis, Minnesota

The only current conference to not have a win in the NCAA Tournament heading into this season was the Patriot League.  The Patriot League had 13 appearances and zero wins since the conference’s inception in 1992.  Bucknell ended that streak by knocking off Kansas in the first round of the 2005 NCAA Tournament.  There are three now non-existent D1 conferences that have never won an NCAA Tournament game.  The Kentucky Intercollegiate (1940), Little Three (1955) and Florida Intercollegiate (1960) all existed for only one year as D1 conferences and lost their lone tournament appearance. 

Joel,

How the heck did the Badgers score 82 points and lose?

From Kasey,

California

Good question.  Wisconsin has only scored over 80 points twice all year and those were blow out victories over UNC Greensboro and Western Carolina.  You would think scoring over 80 against another Carolina team would give Bo Ryan another big victory.  Well, there is a big difference between Western Carolina and North Carolina.  The bottom line is Wisconsin was forced to play UNC’s style of play and that spells trouble for Bucky Badger. 

The real question is how in the world was Wisconsin able to give up 88 points and stay close.  The answer is making 11 three-pointers.  The most points Wisconsin had given up all year was 77 to Michigan State and they lost quite convincingly.  The Badgers were outshot from the floor and the charity stripe, outrebounded and committed more turnovers than UNC.  If the three ball wasn’t falling at 46%, this wouldn’t have been a close game at all. 

Have a question?  Email Joel at jwelser_chn@ameritech.net, and please include your first name and home state. We’ll post and answer as many as possible.  All questions may be published or edited unless requested otherwise.

Question of the Week

 - The question of the week is answered by multiple CHN staffers -

Joel,

What is your biggest surprise of the four teams left in the NCAA Tournament?

From Eddie,

South Carolina

Kristi Chartrand

Out of the 4 teams remaining to me the only surprise is Carolina’s lack of dominance and lack of defense. I think they played two teams (Wisconsin and Villanova) that slow the tempo a bit and it clearly affected them. However, I just don’t believe it’s a good sign when a team gives up 82 points to Wisconsin. They’ll have to play better defense against Michigan State if they want to advance to the final. I’m looking forward to a possible Carolina-Illinois final. The other surprise indirectly involves the 4 teams – what a great weekend for college basketball! I mean it doesn’t get any better then that!

Jon Teitel

My biggest surprise is the role that the three-point shot played in the ability of the 4 surviving team to make it to St. Louis.   West Virginia made an amazing 18 three-pointers, but Louisville was able to overcome this by pounding the boards (a 15 to 4 advantage on the offensive glass).  Even though Arizona out-shot Illinois from the field (52.5% to 45.1%) and had the nation’s best long-range shooter in its lineup (Salim Stoudamire), the Illini were able to stage a miraculous comeback by letting fly from behind the arc (making 16 threes to only 7 for the Wildcats).  In an eerily opposite scenario, defensive stalwart Wisconsin made over twice as many three-point shots (11) as North Carolina made (5), but the Tar Heels superior shooting from the field (53.1%) was simply too much.  The one game that was pretty even from the three-point line was consequently the closest game of the weekend: a double-overtime win by Michigan State over Kentucky with one of the most dramatic three-pointers of the season (Patrick Sparks’ game-tying, replay-defying, rim-rocking, jaw-dropping shot at the end of regulation).  In conclusion, there is no conclusion that can be drawn.  The three-point shot is known as an equalizer, a desperate measure, a dagger, etc., but the essence is that it means different things to different teams, and the result was the most exciting regional finals ever.

Joel Welser

I’m not too surprised that Illinois made the Final Four, but I am very surprised that the Illini were able to come back from being down 15 to Arizona.  Remember, this is a

 team that has NEVER been down by double digits all season long, which is just a ridiculous statistic.  There is no question about the teams’ explosive offense and scoring abilities, but they proved, to all those who doubted, that they have tons of heart and guts to go along with all of that talent. 

Have a question?  Email Joel at jwelser_chn@ameritech.net, and please include your first name and home state. We’ll post and answer as many as possible.  All questions may be published or edited unless requested otherwise.

Joel’s Team of the Week

Michigan State Spartans

Many pegged the Spartans as a team that could be upset in the first round by Old Dominion, but four games later Tom Izzo’s squad is headed to St. Louis.  The lack of a quality power forward to accompany Paul Davis created problems in the mind of most, but Michigan State’s depth, athleticism and senior leadership is a championship formula.  The Austin Regional started this week with the Spartans hosting top ranked Duke.  Davis led all scorers with 20 points en route to a 78-68 victory.  In the end, it was Duke’s lack of depth that clinched the trip to the Elite Eight for the Spartans.  The Blue Devil’s short bench couldn’t keep up with MSU down the stretch. 

The deep bench would be neutralized in the next match-up against Kentucky.  The Wildcats ran with the Spartans and substituted freely to keep up with Tom Izzo’s up-tempo attitude.  The Spartans came up with a thrilling double overtime victory in what is heralded as an instant classic.  Shannon Brown and Maurice Ager led MSU with 24 and 21 points, respectively. 

Joel’s Thoughts of the Week

That was the most amazing Regional Finals weekend.  I just hope the last three games before the seven month hiatus are just as exhilarating.  Well, six games if you count the NIT.  Speaking of the NIT, there are a couple of interesting games in the semifinals in Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.  Maryland takes on South Carolina and Memphis plays St. Joe’s.  The Hawks have had an impressive run in the NIT and could give Memphis some trouble.  The Terps and Tigers in the final is expected and should provide a stellar match-up of arguably the two best teams not in the NCAAs (sorry IU).  I know it’s only the NIT, but what else are we going to do while waiting until Saturday for the Final Four to begin.  It still is March after all. 

Kudos

-Kyle Lowry…for keeping Villanova in the game against the Tarheels with his scrappy performance.  The freshman put up 18 points and grabbed seven boards, but it was his hustle and determination that doesn’t show up in the box score that makes this performance so memorable.

-Joah Tucker…for scoring 32 points against the Illini.  Unfortunately for the Wisconsin Milwaukee forward, none of his teammates could share his success.  The rest of the Panthers scored only 31 points.

-Kevin Pittsnogle…for having the best few weeks of his life.  The good news for Mountaineer fans is that Pitts will have another year in Morgantown to be even more impressive.

 For Shame

-J.J. Redick…for disappearing during March.  Although kudos are deserving for the opposing defenses.

-Bill Raferty…for thinking that somebody not picking up a check at dinner is funny enough to mention ten times per broadcast.

-Cardiologists everywhere…for making way too much money this weekend thanks to so many heart wrenching overtime games.

Have a question?  Email Joel at jwelser_chn@ameritech.net, and please include your first name and home state. We’ll post and answer as many as possible.  All questions may be published or edited unless requested otherwise.