March Madness '26
- Thread starter Brute
- Start date
Coach Potter
Life of the Party
There isn’t another sporting event like the NCAA tournament. I’m a Gonzaga fan. They don’t have the horsepower (especially without Huff) to make a deep run this year but I’m still excited to see them play.
I met coach Few while waiting in line for a sandwich back in 2008. We struck up a conversation, about fishing of course, and we’ve been fishing together ever since. Few’s not a “recreational when I have time fisherman” or a “snobby destination” fisherman. He’d fish a drainage ditch if he thought there might be a fish in it. The proximity to good fishing has played a big role in what has kept him in Spokane all these years.
I met coach Few while waiting in line for a sandwich back in 2008. We struck up a conversation, about fishing of course, and we’ve been fishing together ever since. Few’s not a “recreational when I have time fisherman” or a “snobby destination” fisherman. He’d fish a drainage ditch if he thought there might be a fish in it. The proximity to good fishing has played a big role in what has kept him in Spokane all these years.
Coach Potter
Life of the Party
You’re 100% correct…the tournament is about matchups and mismatches. It’s easier to get mismatches when you have “that guy” and they don’t have him this year.
Few loves the high/low game when he’s got a pair of good bigs. Most of Huff and Ike’s points come on assists from each other…that’s not super common for most teams. It’s especially important when you don’t shoot it well from 3…and they don’t shoot it well this year.
Coach Potter
Life of the Party
I like their pod! A potential BYU game in the second round. Purdue would be the sweet 16 matchup should they get there. Purdue looked really good today as they beat Michigan!
I love coaches who build programs and stick it out even when early on, they could easily bolt for “greener pastures” based on their success. Maybe because I grew up in CT and watched Jim Calhoun and Geno Auriemma turn toilet UConn programs into perennial powerhouses and now, legit college blue bloods. Love them or hate them personality wise, they were loyal to the school and state that gave them the opportunity. I have the same hope for Dan Hurley as well. With tons of opportunities thrown at him including some lucrative NBA opportunities, he has stayed loyal to Connecticut. Granted staying loyal to UConn now is nothing like staying loyal to UConn 20 years ago but he was offered 70 mil from the Lakers and had schools like Kentucky trying to hire him after that run.
Re: the tournament this year. Hoping the Huskies have a run in them. That said, even at 29-5, I am not super optimistic. There are some buzz saw players out there and some teams I don’t think they match up with well. Then there is always St. John’s…Pitino seems to have his number
.Barring disaster, I think the UConn women will likely get another banner this year. Crazy the success a school like that has had.
Coach Potter
Life of the Party
I love coaches who build programs and stick it out even when early on, they could easily bolt for “greener pastures” based on their success. Maybe because I grew up in CT and watched Jim Calhoun and Geno Auriemma turn toilet UConn programs into perennial powerhouses and now, legit college blue bloods. Love them or hate them personality wise, they were loyal to the school and state that gave them the opportunity. I have the same hope for Dan Hurley as well. With tons of opportunities thrown at him including some lucrative NBA opportunities, he has stayed loyal to Connecticut. Granted staying loyal to UConn now is nothing like staying loyal to UConn 20 years ago but he was offered 70 mil from the Lakers and had schools like Kentucky trying to hire him after that run.
Re: the tournament this year. Hoping the Huskies have a run in them. That said, even at 29-5, I am not super optimistic. There are some buzz saw players out there and some teams I don’t think they match up with well. Then there is always St. John’s…Pitino seems to have his number
Barring disaster, I think the UConn women will likely get another banner this year. Crazy the success a school like that has had.
Interesting note…St. John’s star PG ( Dylan Darling) is a local kid. My youngest sone played against many times when they were young. I played against his dad when we were young. His dad had a nice NFL career…WAY better athlete than me
Coach Potter
Life of the Party
Great draw! Gonzaga Nation better be happy about it. No excuses. As a fan from the late 80s, when the school was somehow staying afloat, I get tired of the spoiled Zag fans of late. A chip on the shoulder is fine, but the whining about bad draws and bad officiating gets so old. The 99 team would NOT approve of such whinedom.
Now that we know the bracket, anything less than a Sweet 16 would be a disappointment. And that's even without Huff.
And yes, they have to shoot the 3 better. The good news is they shot 40% from 3 last game. BUT...they also shot 56% from the charity stripe. That has been an issue this year as well.
They have shown they can win even with poor 3pt shooting, poor FTs and giving up size at the 4. To only have 3 losses is pretty crazy given all they gone through so I'd like to think they truly are a 3 seed and will wipe the floor with poor Kennesaw St and then destroy BYU. Sorry, I mean B Y Who????
Go Zags!
Coach Potter
Life of the Party
I think the kid from BYU might be the best player in the country but this is also the best defensive GU team they’ve had.
If you have Zags vs Arizona that's an Elite 8. I have them there in one of my brackets, getting beat by Arizona. In another bracket I have them getting beat by Purdue in the Sweet 16.
I have Duke beating Arizona for the championship in both my brackets. But I'd love to be wrong! Go Zags!
I have Duke beating Arizona for the championship in both my brackets. But I'd love to be wrong! Go Zags!
End of a Era:
I have been watching Gonzaga basketball for as long as I can remember. It has been true pleasure and enjoyment doing so... With a great coach and ability to recruit players season after season, I know they always have a chance. They have been in the WCC championship game so many times and every season since Few took over the head coaching job 29 years ago... They have won the WCC 23 times and been in March Madness almost 30 times.
Coaches come and go except the rarity associated with Few.
Now, Gonzaga will be leaving the WCC and joining the (new) PAC-12. End of an Era.
Or just starting a new era? I hope so... All I know, I will continue to watch Gonzaga play as often as I can with the hope they can continue the streak they are on; and improve on it.
I have been watching Gonzaga basketball for as long as I can remember. It has been true pleasure and enjoyment doing so... With a great coach and ability to recruit players season after season, I know they always have a chance. They have been in the WCC championship game so many times and every season since Few took over the head coaching job 29 years ago... They have won the WCC 23 times and been in March Madness almost 30 times.
Coaches come and go except the rarity associated with Few.
Now, Gonzaga will be leaving the WCC and joining the (new) PAC-12. End of an Era.
Or just starting a new era? I hope so... All I know, I will continue to watch Gonzaga play as often as I can with the hope they can continue the streak they are on; and improve on it.
Same. I only did a single bracket with a work group. Duke over AZ
BlakeHerrington
Steelhead
Love to read this and see all the GU discussions!
This might be among their very best on-ball or perimeter defense teams, but isn't their best overall defense team. That was likely the first national runner up team (2017) with a much better interior size and defense (Zach Collins the 7' lottery pick, Karnowski, JWIII).
This team can't reliably make 3s or FTs and they lost 1/2 their interior scoring when Huff dislocated his kneecap.
I think their R32 game against BYU will be awesome.
BYU is injured too and plays that kind of defense GU traditionally did (AKA little-no-none) but has the best player in the game in AJ Dybantsa. It'll be Jalen Warley and crew trying to contain Dybantsa - hold him under 30 and GU wins. Give him 35+ and BYU wins.
Nobody's beating Arizona from that quadrant though. (Same with Michigan).
Wouldn't be surprised to see Houston take out Florida (rematch of last year's title game, but played in Houston) and either way, the real national title game will be the F4 game of Arizona dn Michigan, the winner of which will easily beat the best from the other side of the bracket.
@Coach Potter - Tell Few that if he ever wants a tour of some beautiful alpine lakes in the center or north center part of the state, he should consider himself invited to come fish with me! I hope he can stick around a few years in the New PAC12 before retiring. Keep the program strong, even if it does seem like their window for a championship has ended.
This might be among their very best on-ball or perimeter defense teams, but isn't their best overall defense team. That was likely the first national runner up team (2017) with a much better interior size and defense (Zach Collins the 7' lottery pick, Karnowski, JWIII).
This team can't reliably make 3s or FTs and they lost 1/2 their interior scoring when Huff dislocated his kneecap.
I think their R32 game against BYU will be awesome.
BYU is injured too and plays that kind of defense GU traditionally did (AKA little-no-none) but has the best player in the game in AJ Dybantsa. It'll be Jalen Warley and crew trying to contain Dybantsa - hold him under 30 and GU wins. Give him 35+ and BYU wins.
Nobody's beating Arizona from that quadrant though. (Same with Michigan).
Wouldn't be surprised to see Houston take out Florida (rematch of last year's title game, but played in Houston) and either way, the real national title game will be the F4 game of Arizona dn Michigan, the winner of which will easily beat the best from the other side of the bracket.
@Coach Potter - Tell Few that if he ever wants a tour of some beautiful alpine lakes in the center or north center part of the state, he should consider himself invited to come fish with me! I hope he can stick around a few years in the New PAC12 before retiring. Keep the program strong, even if it does seem like their window for a championship has ended.
Nate Oats didn't suspend Brandon Miller for bringing his buddy's gun to him, that would ultimately be used to kill a woman. So Holloway is probably going to play. Sounds like he was dealing weed, but who knows. Maybe he keeps his cash stash to buy more weed with his weed.
So glad I'm not a college coach.
Bruce Baker
Life of the Party
According to ESPN, "Alabama's Aden Holloway is no longer with the team, as the university announced that the star guard has been 'removed from campus' in the wake of his drug arrest Monday morning."