allowing the Illini to shoot 61%? Horrible.

Purdue didn't play in round 1. They had a bye.

I mean 1st round of NCAA in a 5/12 matchup

Are you sure they'll be a 5 after tonight's game? To lose to Illinois this season...not so good.

You can't stop Demetri McCamey. Best Freshman in the Big Ten. Damn! That Weber can recruit.

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You know me like that.

Purdue is a young team and it's obvious that they hit the wall that a lot of young teams do.

Illinois is a bad matchup for Purdue and was in the other two games. Purdue has trouble dealing with a player like Shaun Pruitt. It was a pretty poor defensive effort and some of our players are in need of some rest.

Things actually may have worked out for the best. In the first three games that Purdue could potentially play there is no dominant big man to deal with.

You could be right and they go out in the first round, but I don't expect a similar performance to the Illini game which Purdue still would have won if Dimetri McCamey doesn't catch fire from the three point line.

I think Purdue wins in the first round, and gives Xavier a very good game.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

That sounds like a loaded comment your waiting for someone to jump onto. So I'll leave it alone. But your Illini did play 3 good games!

Best Freshman in the... nevermind!

Too bad he didn't show up in the conference season.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Sean Pruitt is the same....

I dont think its that big of an upset pick. I have Purdue going out in round 1 too.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

I think there is too much thought into one bad loss to Illinois. I thought they would win, but I didn't think Illinois was going to be an easy game.

Most people wrote off the season for Purdue when they lost to Wofford and Iowa State. Now they are doing it with a loss to Illinois.

Keep in mind these things about the Purdue/Illinois game. Bruce Weber and Matt Painter can be very prepared for the other person's game plan since they were on the same coaching staff for years. Purdue beat Illinois twice this year and it's always more difficult to beat a team three times in a row since it's easier for them to make adjustments.

The biggest concern with Purdue is that they have some lingering injuries. A week of rest after a week where they only played one game may help this. Losing on Friday may have been the best thing to happen as they will be fresh for the NCAA tournament.

Baylor and Xavier are both favorable matchups for Purdue.

It would be an upset if Purdue were to lose. Baylor was the last team in the tournament and would have been knocked out if Illinois had won the championship game.

I try and stay as objective as I can and I like the position Purdue is in. Here is the type of team's that beat Purdue this year since new year's.
MSU:Good big men and lots of them
Indiana: DJ White is dominant
Ohio State: Hunter and Koufas are not dominant, but big and strong enough to control the boards
Illinois: Pruitt is a very good and experienced big man who can play very well when he wants to.

Baylor and Xavier do not have dominant big men.

Purdue goes to the sweet sixteen and plays Duke. I know that upsets happen in the NCAA and good teams can lose but I think Purdue isn't as down as it seems.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

I dont like really young teams in the tournament, unless they have a dominant frosh ala Carmelo taking over the tournament a couple years back. I just think they are one of those random victims of an upset.

Side note: Which double digit seed do you have going the farthest? My bracket is pretty chalky, but I have Kansas St. getting to the sweet 16, and I have Butler(7) upsetting Tenessee and making it to the Elite Eight.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Don't take this as me talking Purdue up too much, because I know they have flaws.

Flaws:
Live by the three, die by the three
Rebounding big man(see post above for who beat us and why)
Young
Lack of a true point guard.

Now that I've shown I don't have blinders on, here goes nothing.

Purdue is a little bit different of a young team because they don't rely on one player who is young. Pretty much the top 6 players all score between 6-12 points a game. This means that one player can have an off night and others will pick it up. That's the reason why Purdue hasn't been blown out this year.

This team hasn't played like freshman and sophomores all year. Even the Illinois game wasn't lost because of youth. It was lost because of lack of inside play and poor shooting in overtime. It also didn't help that McCamey went 6/6 from 3.

Obviously, any team from a 3rd seed and up is on upset watch and the 6/11 and 5/12 matchups seem to be where a lot of them happen. I wouldn't be shocked if Purdue lost in the first round, but I think they are in good shape.

Feel free to pick Purdue on the upset. It just helps my score.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

I haven't finished my final bracket yet. Butler is a good team who got screwed by seed. I don't know if I'm ready to put them over Tennessee but I think that's a good one.

I've liked Kansas State all year and Wisconsin has recently been a quick exit in the tournament. That will probably be my choice. I may even consider them to beat Georgetown.

Another intriguing team is Georgia to win it's first game. They have momentum right now, but I don't think they'll beat Xavier. Maybe it's just me hoping Purdue plays them in the second round.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

I need to do my bracket, but at first glance, I'd say a couple of teams that I'd think you'd have to consider in the Sweet 16 would be:

East:
George Mason - knocked off Dayton and Kansas State this year
South Alabama - beat Miss St and Western Kentucky this season High RPI for mid tier conference

Midwest:
Davidson - Stephen Curry should be in the ACC but Bobby Cremmins enjoys coaching him 10-0 last 10
Siena - had the 17th SOS in non conference slate that they finished 6-5. 8-2 last 10

South:
Oral Roberts: Big front line 6'8", 6'9", 6'10" will give other teams fits
Mississippi State: was the second best team in the SEC at the end of the year and have a great shotblocker that can give memphis fits in round 2

West:
Western Kentucky: Gave Tennessee a tussle earlier this year.

As much as I wish it wasn't true, Notre Dame is a very good team. The problem is that Mike Brey has a history of early round exits. I think they are primed to make a great run.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

I feel the same way... although it pains me to say so.