Southeast Region

[ZoomSlowik]

That last foul by Pitt ranks right up there with the Webber timeout for dumbest basketball plays I've ever seen, especially since Butler had just made a similarly stupid foul.

[WilliamTell]

That last foul by Pitt ranks right up there with the Webber timeout for dumbest basketball plays I've ever seen, especially since Butler had just made a similarly stupid foul.

 

Yeah what was that guy doing? Obviously he wasn't trying to foul on purpose but just let it go and go into overtime. On the flip side I cannot stand Howard. Really hate the guy with a passion now haha.

[Buehrle>Wood]

Jamie Dixon has to be one of the dumbest coaches out there.

[zenryan]

f*** my luck.

 

 

At halftime I took Pitt at -8. So all they've got to do is win.

 

Then with about 5 minutes left, I took the in-game play of over 142.

 

 

 

 

Speechless.

[southsider2k5]

Its not often you see Wisconsons defense get lit up the way Pullen is going.

[danman31]

I really couldn't care less about the seeds, that's not what I was talking about. To say they're both "terrible" teams is crazy talk. Low major, mid major or high major, ODU and Butler are both very good basketball teams.

Ehh, whatever. From reading your other posts over the years we have very different definitions of very good.

[whitesoxfan101]

Sorry to bash your beloved mid-major teams, but ODU and Butler were both very mediocre this year. ODU had 4 good wins with 2-3 bad losses. Butler went 15-5 in an ok Horizon League and their only win over a tourney team is Florida State. I guess in Butler's case it's fair that they got a higher seed after getting screwed in the past, but that's not an 8 seed resume to me.

 

Good call! Maybe if Butler makes the Final Four for the second straight year (which they very well could in this region), you'll finally admit his "beloved mid-major teams" can actually be good sometimes. Or I guess maybe if BYU makes it for that matter since they're a Mountain West team.

Edited March 20, 2011 by whitesoxfan101

[ZoomSlowik]

Taylor with a couple of AWFUL plays down the stretch, brutal shot on their last possession and just fouled Pullen shooting a 3.

 

They get bailed out on both though, Pullen with a turnover and a missed FT.

[whitesoxfan101]

Pullen was great all night. But when the money was on the table, he couldn't make all 3 free throws. Sad way for his career to end. Impressive win for Wisconsin with Taylor playing so poorly. First to 40 wins when they play Butler. Could this be Bo Ryan's time to finally make the Final Four? Does Jimmer have a shot? Could Butler do it again? Florida is the best seed, but I still do not buy them at all to be quite honest. I hope Butler wins the region because that'd be such a great story, and BYU to the Final Four without one of their best players and with Jimmer would be something. But I'm starting to wonder if maybe it's Bo Ryan's time. They are actually scoring points, and the bracket just looks great for them.

Edited March 20, 2011 by whitesoxfan101

[Soxbadger]

I really liked Wisconsin's draw from the beginning. Pitt losing really opens up their chance at a final 4.

 

As much love as Taylor gets, Leuer is the guy who needs to step up and take Wisconsin to the next level.

[LittleHurt05]

Pullen was great all night. But when the money was on the table, he couldn't make all 3 free throws. Sad way for his career to end. Impressive win for Wisconsin with Taylor playing so poorly. First to 40 wins when they play Butler. Could this be Bo Ryan's time to finally make the Final Four? Does Jimmer have a shot? Could Butler do it again? Florida is the best seed, but I still do not buy them at all to be quite honest. I hope Butler wins the region because that'd be such a great story, and BYU to the Final Four without one of their best players and with Jimmer would be something. But I'm starting to wonder if maybe it's Bo Ryan's time. They are actually scoring points, and the bracket just looks great for them.

 

It is pretty funny that all the experts called Pitt's region the easiest yet they were the only top 4 seed to not advance to the Sweet 16.

[IlliniKrush]

You can't make that foul call with under a second left. Let them play OT. No one was going anywhere with the ball or making any sort of shot from there. I know it was stupid to even be down there in a position to foul, but use some judgment and don't call that. What a joke.

[southsider2k5]

You can't make that foul call with under a second left. Let them play OT. No one was going anywhere with the ball or making any sort of shot from there. I know it was stupid to even be down there in a position to foul, but use some judgment and don't call that. What a joke.

 

I was explaining to the wife that I wouldn't have made either call in the last two seconds. I know there is the call it by the rules people out there, but for my two cents, why change the game in a material way, when both of those plays involved players that had no chance at scoring, and putting them into situations where they could win or lose the game? I hated those calls. The kids were 50 and 90 feet away from the basket. They had no chance at scoring. Let it go.

[southsider2k5]

It is pretty funny that all the experts called Pitt's region the easiest yet they were the only top 4 seed to not advance to the Sweet 16.

 

I had Wisco coming out of that bracket. It really was set up for them.

[IlliniKrush]

I was explaining to the wife that I wouldn't have made either call in the last two seconds. I know there is the call it by the rules people out there, but for my two cents, why change the game in a material way, when both of those plays involved players that had no chance at scoring, and putting them into situations where they could win or lose the game? I hated those calls. The kids were 50 and 90 feet away from the basket. They had no chance at scoring. Let it go.

See I think you could and should call the first one. Pitt had a chance to catch the ball and at least get an attempt at the basket from just over half court. It's not likely it goes in, but it's a chance.

 

On the second one, there was a 0% chance his effort was going anywhere near the rim. It's not like he had time to dribble, or was trying to pass that up quickly. He felt a hand on him and just flailed the ball hoping a ref would see a foul, and it worked.

 

Honestly even if Illinois won in that fashion I'd be happy they won but I'd kind of have this weird feeling that we got away with one and should still be playing.

[Texsox]

If there wasn't a chance, why was anyone close enough to foul? The problem, IMHO, is different refs call it different and some defensive players will take advantage of the belief that a foul should not be called. If every ref called it, then the defensive players would have backed off. He gambled on a no call and lost.

 

And yes, I'd rather that call have not been made.

[LittleHurt05]

If it's a foul with 19 minutes left, then it's a foul with 1 second left. I think you need to call that every time. The Pitt player just made a mistake and got caught in the heat of the moment and should not have touched him. In fact, Dixon probably should have pulled his players off the line to prevent that from happening. It sucks to lose like that, but just don't blatantly foul the opponent in that situation.

[Soxbadger]

Once the refs called the foul on Mack, they had to call the rebounding fall.

 

Id rather that they let them both play, but they set the precedent on the first call.

 

I think OT would have been the fair result, but the Pitt player was just so stupid. It wasnt even close, it was a legitimate foul.

[whitesoxfan99]

Once the refs called the foul on Mack, they had to call the rebounding fall.

 

Id rather that they let them both play, but they set the precedent on the first call.

 

I think OT would have been the fair result, but the Pitt player was just so stupid. It wasnt even close, it was a legitimate foul.

 

You absolutely have to call the first foul. With 2 seconds left and where he was going to catch that you can get a makeable shot. And the second one was a clear foul but one that refs often would let go.

[Soxbadger]

You dont have to call the first foul as it was a pretty small foul and one that often goes uncalled (body checking a guy near the the half court line), it wasnt nearly as bad as it looked because the Pitt's guy momentum was going out of bounds, so even a light touch looks far worse.

 

The Butler guy should have never come close to him, but I could have easily seen them not call the foul, as they have done on numerous other late game shots.

[IlliniKrush]

If it's a foul with 19 minutes left, then it's a foul with 1 second left.

You're actually taught differently as a ref/umpire. Use judgment, don't be a robot.

[whitesoxfan101]

See I think you could and should call the first one. Pitt had a chance to catch the ball and at least get an attempt at the basket from just over half court. It's not likely it goes in, but it's a chance.

 

On the second one, there was a 0% chance his effort was going anywhere near the rim. It's not like he had time to dribble, or was trying to pass that up quickly. He felt a hand on him and just flailed the ball hoping a ref would see a foul, and it worked.

 

Honestly even if Illinois won in that fashion I'd be happy they won but I'd kind of have this weird feeling that we got away with one and should still be playing.

 

I mostly agree with you, but I think they have to both be called. The one against Butler stopped a better chance at the rim, and was an obvious call. The call against Pittsburgh was less obvious, but it was a clear foul and did stop Howard from getting a heavy, even if it was going to be an 85 foot heave. I think it would be inconsistent to call one and not the other, even if the plays were different. But I can see why some disagree. I just think they were both clearly fouls and had to be called as such.

 

This region had an interesting dynamic all along in that it was the easiest region, but Pittsburgh is pretty clearly the worst #1 seed. Wasn't shocked to see them out so soon since they usually do that. Not smart by me at all to pick them to go to the Final Four.

[Rowand44]

Ya, I completely disagree with you Kenny. Both calls were the right ones.

[LittleHurt05]

You're actually taught differently as a ref/umpire. Use judgment, don't be a robot.

 

The director of officiating they had on TV said that a point of emphasis this year was to call the whole game by the same rules, no matter what the situation or time of the game. If it's a foul, then it's a foul no matter what.

[Balta1701]

I really have difficulty understanding an argument that either of those shouldn't have been called. Both in realtime and on the replay, they were fouls.

 

I understand that at some level you might call things different with under a few seconds remaining, but if they're blatant enough you have to blow the whistle.