If you watched today, it's clear...

I love it. This is perhaps my favorite week of the year from a sports perspective.

No doubt.

I agree big time.

The teams are closer matched in conference tourneys and there are no 1-16, 2-15, and 3-14 matchups. You have 3-6, 7-2, and 4-5s playing. Plus, there are built in rivals already playing in the conference tourneys as opposed to Duke/Indianapolis JayCees or Kansas/Pablam State

 

I agree.

The teams are closer matched in conference tourneys and there are no 1-16, 2-15, and 3-14 matchups. You have 3-6, 7-2, and 4-5s playing. Plus, there are built in rivals already playing in the conference tourneys as opposed to Duke/Indianapolis JayCees or Kansas/Pablam State

 

I agree.

 

Don't get me wrong. I love the drama of the first NCAA weekend. But as a basketball junkie, this is the best to watch...

I agree

I wonder sometimes if there is a way to make this weekend a part of the NCAA.

Conference tourny week has so much more riding on it.

Don't get me wrong. I love the drama of the first NCAA weekend. But as a basketball junkie, this is the best to watch...

 

:thumb:

I think the reason it is better is usually the matchups are better and make for closer games. Many of the first round matchups in the NCAA have a team that is favored by low double digit numbers. Those do not make for very exciting games many times. The conference tourneys have typically closer games in the level of teams playing each other.

The teams are closer matched in conference tourneys and there are no 1-16, 2-15, and 3-14 matchups. You have 3-6, 7-2, and 4-5s playing. Plus, there are built in rivals already playing in the conference tourneys as opposed to Duke/Indianapolis JayCees or Kansas/Pablam State

 

I agree.

 

In addition, conference teams are very familiar with one another as they have already faced each other twice during the regular season. This makes for more excitement unlike the NCAA first rounds.

I have to disagree. You think UL is really upset this morning? UConn? No, because they know they're going to play another day. I love watching basketball on Thursday and Friday afternoons, but the sense of urgency you get during the first weekend of the NCAAs is unparalleled.

 

Bottom line- this weekend they're playing for seeds, next weekend they play for their lives.

I disagree... I love this week, but to me the first round of the NCAA's takes the cake.

 

Here's why:

1. Brackets- We all have our brackets filled out playing for pride and you have a vested interest (and usually money) riding on the outcome of every game.I could care less who got beat out of the Big 10 tournament yesterday, but if I pick Michigan State to beat Western Kentucky in the First Round and WKU pulls the upset then I care.

 

2 Upsets- Using the same WKU/MSU game from above... upsets are amplified on a larger scale. If Penn State knocks out Michigan State in the Big 10 tournament, it's not as suprising, nor has the finality of WKU knocking out Michigan State. If you are a Duke, UNC, Memphis, etc... you lose in your conference tourney and the season still goes on, but you get upset in the NCAA's and it's over.

 

3. TV Coverage- For those of us without ESPN Fullcourt, the wall to wall, constantly updating action of the the first round of the NCAA's is as good as it gets.

Conference tourny week has so much more riding on it.

 

Not for the teams who are already NCAA locks...