VCU

[shockem]

Shox didn't need to beat UCONN. A win against MSU and VCU probably would have been enough. Coulda would shoulda

[iSASO]

Also, think about the difference in free throws shot in the WSU/UCONN game (something like 44-13). WSU lost by 4 after having around a 9-point with 2 minutes to go.

[snoopj]

Here's what KU needs to start doing.

Scheduling mid-majors in it's own backyard so they can learn to not blow it in the NCAA's. I've never understood why KU and KSU never seem to bother scheduling WSU. However, KU can schedule guarantee games against those same teams we get reamed about scheduling that bring the Valley conference SoS down big time.

[iSASO]

Here's what KU needs to start doing.

Scheduling mid-majors in it's own backyard so they can learn to not blow it in the NCAA's. I've never understood why KU and KSU never seem to bother scheduling WSU. However, KU can schedule guarantee games against those same teams we get reamed about scheduling that bring the Valley conference SoS down big time.

Bill Self said it himself. They don't schedule "because we would probably lose". It might be the best thing for them long-term, but the alums and fans would be so irate after a WSU win that it's simply not worth the risk.

Turgeon himself couldn't make it happen with KU. He was given specific conditions under which KU would play WSU:

*One game at Allen Field House
*National TV had to be involved
*Dates KU provided

He promptly went out and made the TV deal happen and went to the KU administration and laid it out for them. They still refused to play and then promptly denied ever talking about it with Turgeon. He was sooo flippin' mad as he told the story you could almost feel a little hate for his beloved alma mater creep into his brain. He often said that scheduling was the toughest thing for him and was one of the reasons he went to A&M. You know that experience with KU fueled his desire to get out of mid-major coaching. He stared into the eyes of the beast and walked away in surrender.

[bigdawg]

Who would have guessed that the same VCU team that needed a miracle whistle to win at Koch would be playing in the Final Four. Wow - just wow.

Unfortunately this will be Elgin's excuse to keep us in bracket busters for another decade. "Did you see what it did for VCU?". Bleh.

[WSUbballer]

It helps winning those BB games too. If the Valley would win in the games, you wouldn't have to worry about hating it.

How bad does it look to get out of a Midmajor event because you can't win in it? This conference or anybody in it is certainly no Butler or Gonzaga. Hell, we aren't even Mason or VCU.

[unipanther99]

Have VCU, Butler (x2), and George Mason "raised the bar" as to what is considered post-season success for mid-major programs? It used to be that just making the Sweet Sixteen was a huge deal and pretty much as far as any team could expect to get. Will fans now be unsatisfied by just making it past the first weekend?

I remember being only slightly dissapointed after the Michigan State loss last year. Beating #1 Kansas made the run feel like more than just your average Sweet Sixteen run. But the further we get away from that game, the more I feel like there was a missed opportunity there. Especially in light of the success of the three teams I mentioned.

[uniftw]

Have VCU, Butler (x2), and George Mason "raised the bar" as to what is considered post-season success for mid-major programs? It used to be that just making the Sweet Sixteen was a huge deal and pretty much as far as any team could expect to get. Will fans now be unsatisfied by just making it past the first weekend?

I remember being only slightly dissapointed after the Michigan State loss last year. Beating #1 Kansas made the run feel like more than just your average Sweet Sixteen run. But the further we get away from that game, the more I feel like there was a missed opportunity there. Especially in light of the success of the three teams I mentioned.

I felt so sick after the Michigan State game I forgot we beat Kansas for awhile. The fact is that last years UNI team very easily could have been a final 4 team (smack me if you want). UNI gave that game to MSU in the second half.

[Red]

Have VCU, Butler (x2), and George Mason "raised the bar" as to what is considered post-season success for mid-major programs? It used to be that just making the Sweet Sixteen was a huge deal and pretty much as far as any team could expect to get. Will fans now be unsatisfied by just making it past the first weekend?

I remember being only slightly dissapointed after the Michigan State loss last year. Beating #1 Kansas made the run feel like more than just your average Sweet Sixteen run. But the further we get away from that game, the more I feel like there was a missed opportunity there. Especially in light of the success of the three teams I mentioned.

I felt so sick after the Michigan State game I forgot we beat Kansas for awhile. The fact is that last years UNI team very easily could have been a final 4 team (smack me if you want). UNI gave that game to MSU in the second half.

In my opinion, the opportunity that WSU had to play Mason in the S16 was golden and while it was great to get to the S16, the fact is they blew an amazing chance to get to the final 4 that year.

[valleychamp]

I don't think that "the bar has been raised". They have just proven that it is more possible than ever to make a run like this.

Fact is, UNI should have been in the elite 8 last year and had a great shot at making the final 4. WSU should have beaten Mason in '06 to go the the elite 8 as well. SIU had a shot to get to the elite against KU in '07. In all cases, we should be extremely disappointed that we didn't finish the job.

Couple good bounces here and there, and we could have been the conference that sent a team to the final four.