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| Username | Post: Tigers get #12 seed, to play Notre Dame | |
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TigerFan PhD Student Posts 1885 |
03-12-17 06:06 PM - Post#226579
Heading to balmy Buffalo! |
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TigerFan PhD Student Posts 1885 |
03-12-17 06:12 PM - Post#226584
CBS of course immediately jumped to a theoretical Gonzaga vs. ND round 3 game. I'd rather have that than a lot of hype about how tough Tigers will be in the first round I guess but jeez. |
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Go Green PhD Student Posts 1145 |
03-12-17 06:17 PM - Post#226586
Most predicted a #13 for Princeton at the end of the regular season. Ivy Tourney to thank? |
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Streamers Professor Posts 8220 
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03-12-17 06:26 PM - Post#226588
Best reasonable outcome for the Tigers. Only have to travel to Buffalo and draw a team that isn't all that deep and you matchup pretty well with. Good luck! |
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bradley PhD Student Posts 1842 |
03-12-17 06:39 PM - Post#226593
Really. Tigers would have gladly taken #13 seed and face WVU or Butler rather than risk not being in the tournament if you put the lie detector test on Mitch, AD and others. Think of CBS announcing Penn as a #16 seed against Kansas, UNC or Gonzaga. Notre Dame will be very challenging based on watching them in Brooklyn but Tigers were going to face a tough team no matter what. I would have preferred that they face a more talented but less disciplined team than ND. |
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TigerFan PhD Student Posts 1885 |
03-12-17 06:41 PM - Post#226595
Bracketologists had VT at a #12, Tigers at a #13. Quite possible the the $%^&#$* tournament made a one-seeding line difference. |
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TigerFan PhD Student Posts 1885 |
03-12-17 06:42 PM - Post#226596
I will say that those two games will likely make the Tigers stronger (that which doesn't kill you, right?) |
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palestra38 Professor Posts 32803 |
03-12-17 06:44 PM - Post#226597
Believe me, ND is a better matchup than West Virginia. Much better. Princeton has a real chance of beating ND. Good luck, and no more whining about the tournament. The basketball gods were on your side. |
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sparman PhD Student Posts 1345 
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03-12-17 06:50 PM - Post#226598
Early line 7.5 points. |
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TigerFan PhD Student Posts 1885 |
03-12-17 06:59 PM - Post#226601
ND not huge or deep. Starting line-up: 6-6 (202), 6-8 (201), 6-1 (178), 6-6 (212), 6-5 (225). In last game (against Duke) 4/5 Starters played 35+ minutes, a 5th played 27. 6th man played 14 minutes. 3 others played 4 minutes or less |
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bradley PhD Student Posts 1842 |
03-12-17 07:34 PM - Post#226611
Stephens will probably be guarding their best player, Colson, at 6'5". I am not sure if they will have Miller and Gldadson guard their second best player at 6'8" or try Cook on him and go with smaller line up. It will be interesting to see if Myles can match up with Colson who had some support earlier for ACC player of the year. I hope that people are not underestimating Notre Dame as they are experienced and play as a team plus they competed very well in the best conference in the country. We know that height is not everything after watching the Tigers play. |
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Go Green PhD Student Posts 1145 |
03-12-17 07:39 PM - Post#226615
Really. Tigers would have gladly taken #13 seed and face WVU or Butler rather than risk not being in the tournament if you put the lie detector test on Mitch, AD and others. Think of CBS announcing Penn as a #16 seed against Kansas, UNC or Gonzaga. . There's no gentle way to say this. But you make Princeton sound like yellow-bellied cowards. Penn probably would have gone to the play-in game like Holy Cross last year. Or maybe they would have been matched up against Kansas like Bucknell in 2006. Those worked out fine. |
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TigerFan PhD Student Posts 1885 |
03-12-17 07:53 PM - Post#226619
ND tied for 2nd in the ACC and had a nice run in their conference tournament, finishing 2nd. I love that at least some of their fans are 1) upset that they received a #5 seed and 2) celebrating their draw in the bracket with Gonzaga, however. Let's hope they dwell on both of these things for the next few days. |
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SRP Postdoc Posts 4910 |
03-12-17 08:07 PM - Post#226623
ND has some nasty scorers. A couple of athletic guys but mostly just well-conditioned, skilled, and very cohesive. Used to lining up against bruisers and leapers, they play with great confidence all the time, a reflection of coach Bray's attitude IMO. Interesting matchup because they are a lot better on offense (16th) than defense (58th). Tigers will probably need to score well to pull this out--I don't think even their tough D will keep ND to one point per possession,, though I'd love to be wrong. |
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penn nation Professor Posts 21193 |
03-12-17 08:32 PM - Post#226629
Perhaps Princeton's greatest strength is its intensity in a game's late stages. Notre Dame is similarly constructed and well coached. Princeton is not going to sneak up on this team. |
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Old Bear Postdoc Posts 3992 |
03-12-17 08:33 PM - Post#226630
Colson is from New Bedford, Ma, son of a former URI player and played at St. Andrews in RI with Cedrick Kuakumensah. Small world. |
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gokinsmen Postdoc Posts 3665 |
03-12-17 08:35 PM - Post#226631
No complaints here. - 12th seed - In Buffalo - ND doesn't have a towering center to punish our main weakness. Colson is fantastic but he's 6-5. Our guys have a chance to figure something out. It's upset-or-bust. Win or lose, this is as fair a chance as they could have gotten. |
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penn nation Professor Posts 21193 |
03-12-17 08:42 PM - Post#226633
Although given the winter storm hitting the Northeast the longer they wait to get to Buffalo the tougher it will be to get there. Especially significant in that this game is slotted for the first one on the schedule on Thursday at 12:15 pm.
Best reasonable outcome for the Tigers. Only have to travel to Buffalo and draw a team that isn't all that deep and you matchup pretty well with. Good luck! |
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umbrellaman Masters Student Posts 475 
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03-12-17 10:06 PM - Post#226664
The winter storm warning right now is Monday 8pm to Wednesday 8pm. Normally, practice at home Monday, Tuesday, fly Wednesday am? Bus tomorrow makes the most sense. |
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umbrellaman Masters Student Posts 475
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03-12-17 10:10 PM - Post#226666
The winter storm warning right now is Monday 8pm to Wednesday 8pm. Normally, practice at home Monday, Tuesday, fly Wednesday am? Bus tomorrow might make the most sense. |
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1LotteryPick1969 Postdoc Posts 2272 
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03-13-17 06:34 AM - Post#226689
Colson is fantastic but he's 6-5. Our guys have a chance to figure something out. I looked at some recent highlight videos of Colson. He's an absolute beast. He has an inside/outside game, over 7 foot wingspan, and tremendous upper body strength. Looks like he should be in the NBA next year. I don't think even Stephens matches up well with him. Also, the new Princeton offense of exploiting matchups, rather than a system, becomes problematic if there are no matchups to exploit. The team has its work cut out for it. Which is of course, all they wanted. |
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Coloradotiger Freshman Posts 31 |
03-13-17 07:11 AM - Post#226694
Also, the new Princeton offense of exploiting matchups, rather than a system, becomes problematic if there are no matchups to exploit. Because of this, I wonder if we will see more of the "system" than we have previously this year. |
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sparman PhD Student Posts 1345
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03-13-17 08:22 AM - Post#226697
Question, not a claim - I would have thought it's very difficult to alter style of play in just a few days. |
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Bruno PhD Student Posts 1419 |
03-13-17 08:37 AM - Post#226700
Having watched a lot of ACC this season I don't see ND being particularly susceptible to heavy system. They are disciplined. They don't turn the ball over. They hit FTs. They mix up defenses. They don't make dumb fouls. But all else being equal I like this Tiger team in this matchup better than I would a more system-focused team.
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bradley PhD Student Posts 1842 |
03-13-17 10:10 AM - Post#226714
There are reasons why several analysts have ND going to the Final Four including the coach, Colson, 79% FT shooting etc. After finally watching this weekends' games on replay, the Tigers need to execute much much better offensively to beat ND than this past weekend. They played tight plus Penn and Yale was obviously familiar with the Tiger's offense. Fortunately, their defense dug in at critical moments with few exceptions. Stephens has the athleticism and fortitude to compete and playing against Colson will be the ultimate test. Let's see how good he is plus Cook is another alternative. Yesterday, Weisz finally came alive with his passing early in the second half with really good set up passes for 3 pointers by Cook, Stephens and Cannady. He had a wide open 3 pt shot with a 3 pt lead and then held the ball to pass to Cook in the corner for a wide open 3 -- key point in the game. His passing and their shooting broke open the game. Weisz did have a tough weekend. |
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Streamers Professor Posts 8220
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03-13-17 10:16 AM - Post#226715
Aside from Colson, who is all that, the rest of the top 7 is no more athletic than Yale is. The decision will likely be do you let Colson get his, try to get him in foul trouble, and shut down everyone else. Bray is an excellent coach who will make sure they are ready and will make defensive adjustments in-game of the sort that frustrated Duke the other night. Hitting a bunch of those baseline 3's will help a lot. It should be fun to watch. |
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Tiger69 Postdoc Posts 2814 |
03-13-17 10:47 AM - Post#226727
Having read some of the "reactions" of ND fans to Its seeding and opponents (they are at best dismissive of opponents to Final 4, or completely overlook them), I'm hoping that the ND players become infected with hubris. Unfortunately, as we see on these boards, the players appear to be a lot smarter than some of their fans (self included)  Go ND! Good luck in the Final Four! 
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umbrellaman Masters Student Posts 475
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03-13-17 10:51 AM - Post#226729
Looking at a few minutes of ND's extended highlights against Duke, can't feel too great about the matchup. They have undersized bigs but conversely they don't look they would be too uncomfortable chasing Princeton around the perimeter. They have 3 guys who are good 3pt shooters who look like they key off Colson. Tempted to rotate the bigs on Colson, keep the key guys out of foul trouble and stay at home on the 3 point shooters. On offense, as mentioned those natural mismatches don't look to be there - our mids posting up small guards or driving past bigs. |
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1LotteryPick1969 Postdoc Posts 2272
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03-13-17 10:58 AM - Post#226733
because of this, I wonder if we will see more of the "system" than we have previously this year. I kinda wondered this myself. Of course as Sparman notes, hard to change this late, but one wonders if in an atavistic sense, our guys all know "the system" a bit. Late in games when ahead I see them go to 5 guys above the foul line and weave. |
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bradley PhD Student Posts 1842 |
03-13-17 12:32 PM - Post#226750
As the Tigers evolved during the course of the season, more players are involved in defensive rebounding. Cannady and Bell were significant contributors over the weekend on the defensive boards. Everyone of the 7 players who get minutes now rebound which helps to offset the loss of Brase in case Mitch needed two bigs on the floor at the same time in the tournament. One issue on defensive rebounding has been the long rebound although Cook had a key one on Sunday when Dallier fouled him on a possible breakaway. Yale had Sears, Sherrod and Downey and it really helped them against the big boys. |
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whitakk Masters Student Posts 523 |
03-13-17 01:53 PM - Post#226763
Having read some of the "reactions" of ND fans to Its seeding and opponents (they are at best dismissive of opponents to Final 4, or completely overlook them), I'm hoping that the ND players become infected with hubris. Unfortunately, as we see on these boards, the players appear to be a lot smarter than some of their fans (self included) Friends who were covering Harvard in 2013 like to tell the story of how the New Mexico players didn't seem to know anything about the Crimson during media day before the game. That became clear when they kept leaving Laurent Rivard wide open for threes somehow. They asked the same questions to Arizona the next day, and right away Solomon Hill starts going through Harvard's entire rotation, rattling off everyone's stats, strengths, plays, etc. That's when they knew Harvard was screwed in the second round. It depends on the team, I guess is the point. |
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SRP Postdoc Posts 4910 |
03-13-17 02:29 PM - Post#226768
Yeah, this will not be a "smart take from the strong" game. ND seems a fairly heady team. But it could be a game where getting the 50-50 balls and boxing out are key. Irish seem to have a knack for coming up with those in the clutch but so can Princeton. The Tigers will need to play physically. I would like to see Miller get some minutes out there because he can guard pretty far out if he has to and get back to bother a layup attempt if his man turns the corner. As for mismatches, they give up dribble penetration and I see no reason why the Tigers won't be fine driving, other than possible big-school officiating bias. This is not a great defensive team, but they have tons of big-game experience, probably won't commit dumb fouls, etc. I don't think they'll be able to prevent open outside looks from the whole array of Princeton shooters, but they will be able to pick their poison, which I think means Weisz may need to recover his form. |
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1LotteryPick1969 Postdoc Posts 2272
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03-13-17 02:45 PM - Post#226775
Weisz may need to recover his form. Please please please. |
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T.P.F.K.A.D.W. PhD Student Posts 1171 |
03-13-17 04:03 PM - Post#226802
Friends who were covering Harvard in 2013 like to tell the story of how the New Mexico players didn't seem to know anything about the Crimson during media day before the game ... It depends on the team, I guess is the point. It depends on the coach. Steve Alford's a m0ron. |
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TigerFan PhD Student Posts 1885 |
03-13-17 06:33 PM - Post#226836
Here's another difference between Ivies and the powers: Princeton players prepping for mid-terms while Nova, WV, Va Tech traveling today to Buffalo. Princeton heading straight into the storm tomorrow. http://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/wireStory/w inter-s... |
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penn nation Professor Posts 21193 |
03-13-17 06:45 PM - Post#226837
It's really more about Princeton's particular academic calendar, which schedules its midterms this week and does not have its break until later. Most other schools, including other Ivy schools, either already had their break or are currently on it. |
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SRP Postdoc Posts 4910 |
03-13-17 07:02 PM - Post#226838
Just for completeness, with all pre-tournament games completed, Princeton is now 59th on KenPom overall, 85th on offense and 46th on defense. Notre Dame is 25th overall, 16th on offense and 58th on defense. His model gives the Tigers a 31.3% chance of winning the game (and a 7.7% chance of making the Sweet Sixteen). But at the beginning of the season I mentioned my fan fantasy of going undefeated all the way to the national championship. After some OOC stumbles, it started to come into focus with 19 straight wins. What's a mere six more, even if there's only a .02% chance according to KenPom? Never tell me the odds! |
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westcoast Senior Posts 302 |
03-13-17 07:57 PM - Post#226857
Princeton decided to leave on Monday also. They will arrive in Buffalo tonight - https://twitter.com/Princeton_Hoops/statu s/8414300... |
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Old Bear Postdoc Posts 3992 |
03-13-17 08:22 PM - Post#226860
Nothing like getting early to Buffalo in winter. Tigers earned that? |
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sparman PhD Student Posts 1345
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03-13-17 08:36 PM - Post#226864
One assessment of the odds: https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/?nid=menu_na... |
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bradley PhD Student Posts 1842 |
03-13-17 09:13 PM - Post#226869
Smart to get there early and avoid any risk regarding travel and the weather. It was interesting to watch the highlights of the Yale game on GoPrincetonTigers.com. It showed some of the key passes that Weisz made in the 2nd half and hopefully, he can make those unusual cross court line drive overhead passes to open 3 pt shooters. I doubt that ND has seen a bunch of those type passes even in the ACC. It has been interesting to watch Weisz sharing the leadership role with Cook more and more during the course of the season. They bring two different styles of play and leadership to the table, cerebal vs. phyical/intense. One only has to see Cook at the end of regulation and OT against Penn to witness his intensity. They are clearly joined at the hip. You never know if the team will play well and particularly shoot well but I do see them being mentally strong with no quit at all in them if they get off to a slow start. I believe/hope that they will do a good job in representing the league but time will tell. |
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gokinsmen Postdoc Posts 3665 |
03-13-17 10:36 PM - Post#226879
It's been 6 years since our last NCAA appearance, so I choose to be bullish on our chances. Stephens leading the charge this past weekend was a big deal to me. It solidified his status as the go-to guy when our offense grinds to a halt. Against marquee opponents, long scoring droughts are par for the course and we inevitably come up a bit short. But now we have a go-to scorer to keep us in the game when the 3s stop falling. Take care of the ball. Defend the 3pt line (close out or run them off). And let Stephens go to work in the paint (especially post-ups). |
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HARVARDDADGRAD Postdoc Posts 2691 |
03-13-17 10:46 PM - Post#226880
Students in the Ivy League usually have to midterms and papers immediately before spring break. Word last weekend was that some Harvard players persevered through all nighters the days before the tournament due to exam/paper right before spring break - and the tournament. Looks like Yale had a similar schedule. Penn had the week off and as noted Princeton is now heading into their pre-spring break exam and paper period. |
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bradley PhD Student Posts 1842 |
03-14-17 08:17 AM - Post#226896
Henderson, Princeton and IL are getting coverage as a result of their winning streak. Stephens has a lot to do with their results. Hard to believe that at 6'4", he plays so much taller due to his jumping ability, motor and inside/out skill set. It is not like he has a super long wing span. Henderson and his Princeton system also has a lot to do with the results. Henderson is going to get targeted after the Tiger's final game this season. He has grown into the job over time with some hiccups along the way but Princeton should do their very best to keep him. There will be a learning curve for the next coach. I believe that any success in the NCAA Tournament will increase the odds that he will be leaving but that is for another day. |
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Tiger81 Masters Student Posts 411 
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03-14-17 09:30 AM - Post#226903
Myles is indeed a force of nature and it is amazing how much he has grown this year with a very confident 3-point shot, the knack for consistently getting to the rim off the dribble and an array of post-up moves. None of that was evident last year when he was mainly known for his defensive impact and ability to convert put-backs when Caruso, Cook and Weisz missed. I agree with much of the ND pre-game commentary: the Tigers' success will likely hinge on their 3-point accuracy, which was MIA over the weekend until the second half of the Yale game. If Princeton can't force ND to extend their D then I don't think our O will be good enough to upset the ACC runners-up. Will Gladson might be an unexpected x-factor: he knocked down a few shots in the Crapshoot at the Palestra and if he can force the ND center to the perimeter that would open up the court for Princeton. As for Mitch, I really hope he stays but he may get some interest. There is definitely more $$ available to him elsewhere, although the experience of Sydney Johnson shows that the grass is not always greener when it comes to recruiting and winning (and job security). I am thrilled for Coach H and the seniors, what a fun way to end their hoops careers at Princeton. I am confident that they will play with great intensity and poise on Thursday. Penn liked to say they were "playing with house money" at the Crapshoot, I hope the Tigers also play loose and have fun at the Big Dance. |
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Go Green PhD Student Posts 1145 |
03-14-17 11:17 AM - Post#226931
Princeton should do their very best to keep him. People said the same thing about Carmody, JTIII, and Johnson. Is there any reason why Princeton should make greater efforts to keep Henderson than they did some of his predecessors? |
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sparman PhD Student Posts 1345
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03-14-17 12:12 PM - Post#226945
And yet we still see the IL trot out the patently absurd excuse of exams as justification for not participating in football playoffs. |
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TigerFan PhD Student Posts 1885 |
03-14-17 12:43 PM - Post#226949
I hope the administration understands that there are implications of not providing competitive salaries: 7-year NCAA drought after JTIII left and 6-year drought after SJ left. Those droughts are no more palatable at Princeton than the... hmmn, not sure I can count that high.. drought at Penn. Carmody jumping to Big Ten Northwestern after a very long and successful run here and JTIII heading off to GTown to take his legendary father's old gig were pretty easy to understand. But losing SJ to a rather mediocre mid-major in Fairfield after only four years here really stung. |
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Dial Lodge Sophomore Posts 170 |
03-14-17 12:48 PM - Post#226951
"Students in the Ivy League usually have to midterms and papers immediately before spring break. Word last weekend was that some Harvard players persevered through all nighters the days before the tournament due to exam/paper right before spring break - and the tournament. Looks like Yale had a similar schedule. Penn had the week off and as noted Princeton is now heading into their pre-spring break exam and paper period." Just another reason not to have a tournament at the end of the season a day after mid-term exams (yes, I've always been anti-tournament, and would be even if Princeton was fourth in the league). For comparison, I'll bet more than a few of the Power conference players aren't concentrating or even thinking about studying or exams around now. In The Blind Side, Michael Lewis '82 wrote that some of the Mississippi players would simply pack up and leave school after the final football game of their senior year. No chance of graduating, so why stay? |
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SRP Postdoc Posts 4910 |
03-14-17 12:54 PM - Post#226953
There is also the fact of Earl going to Cornell making a replacement look dicier than before, plus MH's recent recruiting successes in a league where that's becoming a lot more competitive. A transition now would be high-risk even more than when Johnson took off. |
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joe nassau Sophomore Posts 150 |
03-14-17 01:05 PM - Post#226960
Don't know if his form is going to matter? He's going to get eaten alive on defense and will have trouble getting his shot off in traffic? Colson will be a handful and if the ND guards are hot that'll be all she wrote? |
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SRP Postdoc Posts 4910 |
03-14-17 01:27 PM - Post#226963
I see that Jonah Bronstein of the Sports Xchange is picking Princeton for the upset. His rationale is thin, basically that ND is worn out after its ACC tourney run. But I did learn that Cannady has played summer pickup games with and against the ND players and he professes familiarity with them and their coaching staff. |
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bradley PhD Student Posts 1842 |
03-14-17 01:47 PM - Post#226968
I would not be surprised if Mitch gets an offer to coach at a significantly higher level school than Sydney but not to JT or Carmody level. What he brings to the table is an updated version of the Princeton offense with a track record of success. I suspect that he will interview well. Perfect fit is a good academic school that does not go the one and done route. Hopefully, he goes nowhere. |
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sparman PhD Student Posts 1345
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03-14-17 01:51 PM - Post#226969
Not just football and basketball, either: Coach salaries escalating across the board |
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Tiger69 Postdoc Posts 2814 |
03-14-17 02:41 PM - Post#226985
Princeton has plenty to offer the right match. But, if $ is the sole deciding factor, candidates need not apply. We shouldn't get into bidding wars. |
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1LotteryPick1969 Postdoc Posts 2272
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03-14-17 04:44 PM - Post#227004
Don't know if his form is going to matter? He's going to get eaten alive on defense and will have trouble getting his shot off in traffic? Colson will be a handful and if the ND guards are hot that'll be all she wrote? He certainly had trouble defending in the tournament, resulting in his high foul rate. |
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bradley PhD Student Posts 1842 |
03-14-17 07:04 PM - Post#227027
I agree with you that Miller should get some minutes although ND does not have the size of some of the other NCAA teams. He may get some additional minutes if, big if, they get by ND. There are a couple things about Miller -- some more important than others. Most importantly, I believe that he allows the least amount of points per minute playing head to head than any other IL Center. Very few centers score on him due to his positioning, wing span and misunderstood strength. He is very good at jumping out and disrupting the opposition's guards due to his wing span and aggressiveness. He is not as good on giving help defense at the rim. Less importantly, he is deadly on jump balls which helped in the Penn OT game -- over the past 2 years, he has probably won 90% of the opening taps -- IL and non-conference combined. His obvious weakness is that he has little to no instincts on offense and he is way to passive when he gets the ball near the basket. Hopefully, he gets a chance to showcase his defensive skills in the tournament. I remember B. Connolly against Kentucky and he played very good defense against their bigs. |
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1LotteryPick1969 Postdoc Posts 2272
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03-14-17 08:01 PM - Post#227029
I am a big Miller fan, for all the reasons you have described so well. And I was very pleasantly surprised by Brendan Connolly in the last tournament appearance. If only Kareem Maddox had used his left hand to try to block that last shot instead of reaching across with his right hand. But I digress..... In my fantasy win over Notre Dame, a tight game is broken wide open when Gladson comes in and makes three 3-pointers in a row. |
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SRP Postdoc Posts 4910 |
03-14-17 10:08 PM - Post#227036
The thing people don't seem to realize about Miller is that he's a mobile, quick-footed athletic guy. He has not quite the strength at holding his ground of somebody like Connolly, but he's still pretty tough and can move around a post man to reach in on the entry pass, as well as zip around the court on hedges and recoveries. (Good point about his jump ball prowess, too.) I feel that his offensive confidence has been stifled by all the better scoring options he knows he has surrounding him. After the first minute, only in the most desperate circumstances does it seem reasonable to him to use a possession offensively. It's hard to be fluid when you play with that mindset. If you stuck him on some of the other teams in the league he probably would have scored a lot more and developed his offensive game more. But he still shows tantalizing flashes of ability, like that perfect trey he dropped in in the tourney, his improved FT shooting, and a couple of fast moves down the lane. Plus he is a good passer, usually good for an inside assist or two if he gets extended minutes. |
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Tiger69 Postdoc Posts 2814 |
03-14-17 10:44 PM - Post#227038
Miller: Quiet, dependable, hard-working, complete team player. Fine Tiger 
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bradley PhD Student Posts 1842 |
03-15-17 10:20 AM - Post#227072
In fairness, there are good reasons why Vegas has ND as a 7 pt favorite. ND's stat line is slightly better or comparable than the Tigers stats across the board playing far more difficult competition. The largest differential is their FT shooting. ND takes a lot of 3 pt shots and shoot at a similar % than the Tigers. They are a Junior/Senior laden team and you can see that they play as a unit -- very impressive long accurate passing after driving to the hoop. They do a tremendous amount of pick and roll on offense and I am surprised how many of their guys are quick in driving to the basket. Defensively, they play tenaciously with good team defense. Their one weakness appears to be interior defense and preventing offensive rebounding. The real challenge may be stopping their offense as the Tigers have not played anyone this good to date and their skill level is higher than any IL competitor. With that all being said, the Tigers should be able to compete and score. Both are 3 pt shooting teams so anything can happen. Stephens somehow needs to give Colson a very hard time defensively. Appears to be a very tough match up for the Tigers but they are good and now, they are the hunter vs. being the hunted. |
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palestra38 Professor Posts 32803 |
03-15-17 10:29 AM - Post#227077
Any time Vegas has an Ivy team as less than a 10 point dog, you know they have a chance. |
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mbaprof Senior Posts 345 |
03-15-17 01:03 PM - Post#227107
I took the points as I expect Pton to make a good game of it. Classy team, classy coach, great season. |
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SRP Postdoc Posts 4910 |
03-15-17 01:18 PM - Post#227111
Sure, ND is favored by any analytics system and they look very tough via the eye test. Plus they have a ton of tournament experience and are a psychologically strong group. Even if Princeton keeps it close they won't get tight or anything--ask Stephen F. Austin from last year (who are probably still miffed about how the Irish pulled that game out last year). The only pre-game factors tilting toward Princeton are less wear and tear from their conference tournament, a good chance at outrebounding the Irish, being good at defending ball screens, and the upward trajectory of their play over the season--I genuinely feel they still have one more half-level of improvement in them to discover in the heat of competition. |
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Tiger69 Postdoc Posts 2814 |
03-15-17 01:24 PM - Post#227112
They are the 5 seed and we are 12 -- why shouldn't they be be a significant favorite? |
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SRP Postdoc Posts 4910 |
03-15-17 01:31 PM - Post#227115
They should be a favorite and they are. But I'm a fan thinking about how an upset could occur and what factors might work in my team's favor. (These particular seeds do seem about right, but others in the field are screwy, notably Wichita State where ESPN's BPI has them strongly favored as a ten seed.) |
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palestra38 Professor Posts 32803 |
03-15-17 01:35 PM - Post#227117
Princeton is a good bet, not only due to the analytics of the matchup, but because of the historical context of the 5-12 rivalry: http://www.oddsshark.com/ncaab/march-madness-s eeds... |
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bradley PhD Student Posts 1842 |
03-15-17 01:38 PM - Post#227118
I am curious as to where do you think that next 1/2 level comes from? It may be Cook or Cannady against big time competition but I am not sure or perhaps, it comes from the entire group to play at another intensity level, if possible? |
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Streamers Professor Posts 8220
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03-15-17 02:35 PM - Post#227126
I have been comparing point spreads with seeds for many years (I use this to guide my bracket picks.) The normal spread for a 12-5 game is about 6. This year the average is 5 because of Middle Tenn is only a 1 point dog as a 12. Princeton is 6.5 now and will likely be bet down to 6 by game time. If I were to bet this, I would put at least some of my money on Princeton on the money (odds) line where I can get +250 (win $250 on a $100 wager) on the theory that if Princeton keeps it close, they have an even chance of pulling the upset. |
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SRP Postdoc Posts 4910 |
03-15-17 03:24 PM - Post#227140
Where the extra half-level could come from: Cannady going off at the same time that two or three other players have good scoring games. More assisted buckets at the rim. We get tantalizing glimpses of interior passes and backdoors but I think there is room for more plays like that replacing some of the lower-percentage isos we get out of the driving game and some of the forced treys. Two or three more transition baskets a game. I love the slower, grinding style that carried the Tigers to a 19-game winning streak but I think they could run out a few more times off a steal or DR if they are alert for it. More offense from the bigs. When they are in there I think Miller, Gladson, and Brennan (remember him?) could be more involved as cutters, passers, and scorers, not simply screening and handing off. More steals without fouling. In an MH podcast interview with Pete Carril before the conference season, Carril used as an example of his coaching philosophy of teaching intelligent discretion rather than fixed rules that he wanted his players to know how and when to reach in for the ball. This team has a lot of guys with long arms and quick hands and they often have a help defender in the vicinity of the ball. They do OK at forcing turnovers but I think they could get a couple more per game without sacrificing other aspects of their D. For sure, no single thing seems to guarantee Princeton gaining ground during a game as well as forcing turnovers. |
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JadwinGeorge Senior Posts 357 |
03-15-17 04:32 PM - Post#227151
I agree on the "half level" need and I agree that it's there. I think the most likely boost can come from Cannady, who has had some otherworldly shooting nights. He enjoys the spotlight. Gladson made some big contributions this weekend, which might get him over the top in terms of confidence. Brey MUST game plan for Stephens, but if they take him out of the game someone else will have more opportunities. On destiny's team, those opps get cashed in!! |
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bradley PhD Student Posts 1842 |
03-15-17 05:14 PM - Post#227153
I like the inside passing concept. Cook is looking more and more for guys when he drives to the basket leaps in the air and passes to an open player -- Stephens for 2 pt dunk and Cannady for open 3 pt shot. It adds a dimension besides Weisz's deadly across court passes plus Cook can get off acrobatic shots at the rim. |
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Old Bear Postdoc Posts 3992 |
03-15-17 08:48 PM - Post#227173
WTF is a "fine tiger"? I've never seen one. |
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bradley PhD Student Posts 1842 |
03-15-17 10:10 PM - Post#227180
If the Tigers get off to a slow start,they hopefully will rely on their experience and mental toughness to overcome. The other challenge will be to withstand strong runs made by the Irish during the course of the game if the Tigers start well. Sears, Sherrod and Mason were down by 25+ to Duke last year and got it down to 3 pts with 30 seconds to go but a blown lay up by Sears sealed the deal. Weisz and Cook will need to keep the guys focused and mentally strong. Coach Henderson has always claimed that it is an upper classmen's league. |
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SRP Postdoc Posts 4910 |
03-15-17 10:34 PM - Post#227182
Forget the stage, forget the stakes, just ball out. Easier said than done. |
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Tiger69 Postdoc Posts 2814 |
03-16-17 01:17 AM - Post#227191
Our version of a fine old bear. |
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H78 PhD Student Posts 1458 
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03-16-17 02:55 AM - Post#227193
Forget the stage, forget the stakes, just ball out. Easier said than done. Yes. P.S. Wearing Orange & Black tomorrow, and dealing with a 9:15 PDT start time... #GoTigers |
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bradley PhD Student Posts 1842 |
03-16-17 08:46 AM - Post#227198
Unfortunately, I could not make the trip to Buffalo but will be heading to a tavern near the Palestra for good luck. Mitch is doing a great job showing the Princeton brand. Let's go Tigers!!! |
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palestra38 Professor Posts 32803 |
03-16-17 10:08 AM - Post#227205
Lunch at Misconduct on JFK---sandwich and Princeton-ND. Let's win one (actually, I picked Princeton to the Sweet 16, which on the basis of recent Ivy performance, is not a stretch). |
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TheLine Professor Posts 5597 |
03-16-17 10:31 AM - Post#227209
Best of luck. The only way the league will get more respect is to win games this this one. |
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