2026 NCAA Tournament Thread \ ALL Games-ALL Rounds

Knight Shift

Heisman
May 19, 2011
88,565
86,582
113
Channeling Bruce Springsteen's all the Way Home:

I know what it's like to have failed baby
With the whole world lookin' on
I know what it's like to have soared
And come crashin' like a drunk on a bar room floor

And now you got no reason to trust me
My confidence is a little rusty


Fits the narrative, though, doesn't it?
Could be Pikiell talking to some fans on this board.

The two lines that follow the "rusty" line:

But if you don't feel like bein' alone
Baby I could walk you all the way home


Hopefully will be:
But if you are sad about watching this year's Big Dance
I will have Rutgers in the Sweet 15 if you give me the chance.
 

Knight Shift

Heisman
May 19, 2011
88,565
86,582
113


 
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KnightTerrors

All-Conference
Dec 23, 2015
1,025
2,958
82
No one will ever remember this but I thought Hurley got a little bailed out. Their second to last possession was atrocious. Down three and wasted almost 15 seconds before driving leaving only 10 on the clock. Duke wouldve been shooting 1 & 1 and Reed was unstoppable. Thought for sure they were going for quick two. No matter what they wanted to run, the clock management was terrible.

Luckily for him boozer just didn’t hold onto the ball which likely ends the game.
 

knight82

All-American
Nov 4, 2002
8,470
9,067
113
I never really watched Duke before the tournament. All the hype over Boozer being the best player in the country. Had some atrocious turnovers during the stretch when Duke choked the game away. Now granted I've only seen Boozer play the past couple weeks, but I've seen a number of players in the Big Ten who look just as good. And I don't go by stats, I go by the eye test
 
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biazza38

Heisman
Nov 18, 2012
14,425
17,471
81
No one will ever remember this but I thought Hurley got a little bailed out. Their second to last possession was atrocious. Down three and wasted almost 15 seconds before driving leaving only 10 on the clock. Duke wouldve been shooting 1 & 1 and Reed was unstoppable. Thought for sure they were going for quick two. No matter what they wanted to run, the clock management was terrible.

Luckily for him boozer just didn’t hold onto the ball which likely ends the game.
Sorta agree, but Duke played great defense there. UConn threw a ton of great screen action all game and Duke anticipated all of it on that last possession prior to committing a foul
 
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NiTeKnight

Senior
Nov 28, 2003
737
767
93
Who had the possession arrow? Holding the ball creates risk of tie up.

I wonder if the Duke players were aware that they didn't have to get it across half court. I got the feeling that they weren't.
Connecticut had the possession arrow.
 

biazza38

Heisman
Nov 18, 2012
14,425
17,471
81
Hate to see UConn win this.

And absolutely brutal loss by Duke who was by far the better team on the court for 99% of that game.

Still shaking my head over that collapse.
This is who UConn is. They are 17-1 in the last 4 tournaments with their only loss being to National champion Florida. They play a full game. Doesn’t matter what the score is, they don’t take a possession off. Duke was sorta dragging *** a bit on defense late in the game. Meanwhile, UConn was going full throttle all game. They’ve been doing this since their first tournament run. You can’t coast to victory against them. I didn’t see the full game, but Duke was terrible the last 8 minutes. Can’t win that way
 
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Rutgers25

All-American
Jul 29, 2001
7,749
6,154
83
I never really watched Duke before the tournament. All the hype over Boozer being the best player in the country. Had some atrocious turnovers during the stretch when Duke choked the game away. Now granted I've only seen Boozer play the past couple weeks, but I've seen a number of players in the Big Ten who look just as good. And I don't go by stats, I go by the eye test

Boozer is high floor medium ceiling. I’m sure he will have a long nba career at a borderline all star level (just like his dad).
 

RedTeamUpstream94

All-American
Jan 15, 2021
3,372
6,304
113
Oh i would take him and Hobbs was a buffoon for not giving him 7 years.

Revisionist history.

He was a candidate for the ru job after a number of relatively mediocre seasons at Rhode Island . I distinctly remember there being VERY MIXED opinions on him…. particularly when his ask (7 years and a boatload of $) didnt match the results on the court (at that time). Thus I don’t remember too many people on this board being too upset when he pulled himself out of consideration.

THEN, after that, he had two great seasons at rhode island and went to UConn.

hindsight is a miraculous thing
 
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Sep 17, 2025
233
272
63
man look at the space. dribbled right into them.

not their fault but wonder if the TWO deep guys gave him an angle for that pass

 

bac2therac

Hall of Famer
Jul 30, 2001
247,182
176,826
113
Revisionist history.

He was a candidate for the ru job after a number of relatively mediocre seasons at Rhode Island . I distinctly remember there being VERY MIXED opinions on him…. particularly when his ask (7 years and a boatload of $) didnt match the results on the court (at that time). Thus I don’t remember too many people on this board being too upset when he pulled himself out of consideration.

THEN, after that, he had two great seasons at rhode island and went to UConn.

hindsight is a miraculous thing
No some of us really wanted him. Others hated the name and his demands.

Rutgers was coming off a horrific 3 years of Jordan. Some wanted Jordan to get a 4th year
 

ScarletDave

Heisman
Oct 7, 2010
34,595
15,346
85
While yes it was an epic chokejob by Duke to even give UConn a chance, UConn hit 2 ridiculous 3s in the last minute. Duke had the ball, up 4, with like a minute. Game over. UConn fans are dreaming saying, what if we steal it, nail a long 3, then steal it AGAIN and nail a halfcourt 3, then we win. Hahaha. Except that’s exactly what happened. 2 unreal shots by Uconn
 

RedTeamUpstream94

All-American
Jan 15, 2021
3,372
6,304
113
No some of us really wanted him. Others hated the name and his demands.

Rutgers was coming off a horrific 3 years of Jordan. Some wanted Jordan to get a 4th year

i don’t disagree

but my point is that - at the time - Hobbs not hiring Hurley was not a bonehead move …. At the time
 

RedTeamUpstream94

All-American
Jan 15, 2021
3,372
6,304
113
you can see the disappointment in grant hills face and body language but he did a respectable job not letting that come through on his verbal commentary
 
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newell138

Heisman
Aug 1, 2001
36,877
47,315
112
Has anyone seen Bobby Hurley at any of these games? Don’t recall him being shown anywhere near mom or dad

UConn’s athletic department is pretty elite overall. Underrated I think
 
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Mholinko

All-Conference
Apr 25, 2023
1,385
2,136
77
This seasons UConn team lack the scoring prowess of the 2023 and 2024 NCAA Championship teams.
Seems to not matter since they are 40 minutes from a title

worth nothing their season avg is 77.5

it was 81.3 in 2024 and 78.5 in 2023… not much of a difference
 
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Anon1774390042

Redshirt
Mar 24, 2026
10
9
3
Has anyone seen Bobby Hurley at any of these games? Don’t recall him being shown anywhere near mom or dad

UConn’s athletic department is pretty elite overall. Underrated I think
Yes, UCONN overall as school is excellent and their athletic department is also excellent.
Bluebloods Men & Women Basketball, excellent hockey, baseball, field hockey, soccer.
 
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