THE BIG12 IS THE PLACE TO BE!!!

[arxpert]

Let me start this small post off by saying Congratulations to Houston. That was one of the better Final Four games I have seen in a long time. Usually you get to this point in the Big Dance and are a big worn out from all the storylines like Sister Jean (still alive at 105!) or some Cinderella that has knocked out a bunch of "contenders" and softened up the field... created "free lunch" so to speak for the 1s and 2s that did make it to the Final Four.

This year, both games did not disappoint. They both had their ebbs and flows in their own way.

I was shocked to see Tony "On The Take" Paidilla reffing in that first game for the All SEC affair.

But then again, I am not. He really is one of the best refs in the business. We just get angry when he does something that doesn't go our way.

Like I said, a SMALL post.

I believe Florida is the best team left, but something I have personally been observing for a while is the fact that it is not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight of the dog.

I sincerely hope that Tommy takes a long look at the why's and how's Houston has a Chance to cut down the nets on Monday Night.

When you have a bunch of 7'1", 7'2", 6'11" guys on your roster, you are thought to be Supersized and hard to defend.

However, Houston has shown why Arizona was one of the top 6 teams in the Nation this season. We did a lot with a little by comparison to some of these other teams. March Madness Bracket's are very difficult to navigate and the truth is, if you strip it down, Duke went up against 3 of the 4 best Big 12 Teams this year. They took care of a season long short handed Baylor.

They played their 2nd toughest game of the year vs Arizona where they needed to put up 100 points to win 100-93. A score which almost everyone has forgotten by now, but I want to point it out one last time for the year. It took Duke everything they had to defeat us. They threw the kitchen sink at us. Everything not bolted down to the floor and we used our LENGTH and TENACITY against them. We were not Bigger. We were not Stronger. We were not Deeper. And for sure we were not better Coached.

I happen to think that Duke would have lost to BYU had they faced off and without Kon Knueppel, Duke was realistically a Ro32 or s16 level team at best. Maybe Flagg could have "willed" them to the Elite 8, but I think that BYU got caught up in one of those disgusting, hellacious games where there was nothing that could be done on that night.

So in the end, I truly have to say that the BIG12 is the place to be if you appreciate Toughness and a wide range of Basketball Styles that all clash in a very Healthy way.

I will even say that there was absolutely no reason that Kansas couldn't have made a Final 4 Run. They were not the team the pundits thought pre-season and never lived up to their expectations, but Bill Self got beat by John Calipari. Both Coaches could have navigated to that Texas Tech game I beleive.. another Big12 school...

The BIG12 really flew under the radar in this Dance and it has 1 last chance to step up and leave with a Champion. I am not sure how it works, but it would stand to reason that if Houston wins, then there may be a Check written out to all of the Big12 schools to some extent.

Now for a few sentences shifting of gears ----> The ACC is NOT the place to be. I don't care if Duke had their run. I don't care if they have recruits coming in (Boozer's Twins) or if UNC has Henri and a McDonalds All American. The Paradigm has shifted.

Houston showed that a bunch of older, tougher 6'7" to 6'8" MEN with WINGSPANS of 7'5", 7'6", 7'7" could shut down what Duke was doing and really apply the pressure and turn up the heat in the crunch.

Almost every game if not ever game Duke lost, Cooper Flagg just didn't seem ready for the moment and he either fumbled a possession away, missed a FT, or missed a shot when it mattered. You can't coach nor teach the Clutch Gene. Maybe Scheyer should have known that and drew it up so Flagg garnered the attention with Malauch closing into the rim and then looked for a kick out to Kon Knueppel for "the win".

Who knows really.

The fact is Arizona was Houston's toughest matchup 2 times this year. Duke merely got adjusted to and shat the bed. I am inspired that Tommy was able to hang with Sampson in a way.

YES. THAT IS A TOMMY LLOYD COMPLIMENT. READ IT AND WEEP.

We have a lot of work to do in order to get back into the lab and manufacture the right type of team this season.

My hope is Tommy took those notes and is on the hunt for 2 or 3 Wings that can play a tall SG, SF, PF (3, 3, and 4) where their DEFENSE can shine with LONG arms (Carter Bryant) and they can really shoot the ball when needed. Houston has Cryer, Sharp, Uzon --- Tuggler, Francis, and Roberts.

In the past they were missing the 3pt shooting. They had the D, but not the 3.

I want Arizona to have the 3 and D. The length to not need to be 7 feet tall, but to play like we are 7'5" at any point.

Florida has a kid along with Condon... their Twin Tower.. Rueben Chinyelu who is 6'10", 255 lbs, but is said to have a 7'8" Wingspan.

He was the player who secured the victory tonight basically strategically placed on the line for the token "Long Miss". No one can out jump him. He is strong as can be.

Guess what? He was a transfer from Washington State.

Tommy should be looking for guys like this. Not so much Awaka, but we have what we have to work with.

We played Houston as hard as possible and they were 2 of the best games of the whole year across College Basketball. Maybe quietly to the Nation, but for Big12 Fans, it was very obvious to see.

TLDR; Congratulations Houston. Duke barely survived Arizona and was lucky to avoid BYU. Texas Tech did their best with an injured team vs Florida only losing by 5 points in FTs at the end.

THE BIG12 IS BY FAR THE PLACE TO BE IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR TOP TIER COMPETITION, NOTERIETY, AND BECAUSE OF A.J. DYBANTSA ESPECIALLY... CA$H.

Come on Burries. I know you want to be a part of this magic!

[arxpert]

PS - If anyone watched the McDonald's All American Game, especially the West team... it was almost ALL Big12 prospects besides maybe Alijah Arenas lonely with this bag "training" to get drafted in the Big Ten.

The East is a mix and match of SEC, ACC, Big East and such.

The best, REAL talent is coming to the Big12.

[Keithjacksontucson]

Certainly Duke was not prepared for the defensive tenacity of the big 12 having grown accustomed to to soft ACC. Houston did that last few minute defensive massacre thing to a lot of teams , including twice to Arizona , who led  by 5 at the half in both games. Arizona was certainly a better team than people gave them credit for at the end of the season

[arxpert]

HELL of a National Championship Game and Final Four all around.

I truly want to reiterate that it would behoove Tommy to recruit some 6'6", 6'7", and 6'8" guys with wingspans of 7'5", 7'6", and 7'7".

That is how you can actually play the style Tommy likes to play without needing 7'0" tall players or 7'2" slow guys.

Yes, you sacrifice some court vision, but a taller PG solves that issue all together. A guy like Carter and Koa also solve that issue as they can make the pass seeing over their 6'5" defenders and also hopefully snap some 3pt shots over their reaching closeouts.

I truly hope Carter returns. No funny business. Carter and Koa would be like Tatum and Jaylen Brown at the College Level. Bradley and if we can be lucky enough to land Burries would be Monsterous for a back court.

Back fill with guys who can utilize Wingspan to play Defensive basketball and I guess if Awaka and Del Taco are on board next year? Then we may have something to work with.

The Championship game was played basically 6 men deep and I actually feel for Sampson. He didn't get hosed, he just took the formula that got him to that big 2nd half lead and placed it on the bench playing scared.

Around 10-12min left with the tide potentially turning, Tuggler and Francis got their 4th fouls. I really would have just left one of them in there, probably Francis since he was a Senior and would have played the moment a little bit smarter than the Sophomore Tuggler... I think in that situation Sampson should have done anything possible to get from a 12 point lead to a 15 then fight and run a bit up and down trading some buckets at times as long as Houston was matching the scoring.

Taking what got you there off the floor turned out to be the death blow as it got Walt Clayton going with a couple And-1's in a row after being bottled up all game and 7 Assists as all the "Greats" do... they find a way to affect the game even when they are not shooting well. That is something Caleb Love never really learned as a basketball player/leader, but hopefully he sees it and can take that mentality with him to the next level.

Great season. Excited to see what happens next... remember Florida found that 6'10" kid Rueben Chinyelu in the Portal with his 7'8" Wingspan and created a super sized Twin Towers that enabled them to survive some rough games in a Houstonian type of way where toughness and being able to be athletic, JUMP, and get a hand/finger on all the loose balls leads to tap outs to your teammates (o-reb).

Tommy has a lot of recruiting and studying to do in the lab. I think the blueprint is out there and we will have the guys to get it done in a VERY ULTRA competitive Big 12 next season LOADED with "Diaper Dandies" as Dookie V would say.

Onward and Up!

Beardown!

[arxpert]

Certainly Duke was not prepared for the defensive tenacity of the big 12 having grown accustomed to to soft ACC. Houston did that last few minute defensive massacre thing to a lot of teams , including twice to Arizona , who led  by 5 at the half in both games. Arizona was certainly a better team than people gave them credit for at the end of the season

The whole Big 12 was legitimate. Texas Tech took Florida to OT. Duke needed 100pts to knock us off with our 93 points in a nail biter. Duke got lucky that Bama went hambone from 3 (the magic of the madness) because I think BYU had what it took to get to the Elite 8 at least otherwise and then the Final 4... It easily could have been Arizona vs BYU for the Final 4.

Then Houston with probably the quietest elite play in recent March Madness history with that Give and Go to take out a well deserving #4 Purdue Team in that Elite 8... Houston had to do their share of surviving just like Florida.

The Big12 was represented very well in this Dance except for Kansass who shat the bed, but Arkansas was no slouch of a first round game. In a different matchup like a 10 seeded New Mexico, Kansas may have made it to play Texas Tech instead and then who knows who would have went on to see about Florida...

Great Tournament for it being Chalky by large.

[arxpert]

Burries!!!!!