Selection Sunday

[GumbyDamnit!]

I’m guessing B Hopkins feels this is a VERY big game. Cal played him all of 6 mins / game last year. I can’t imagine he’s anything but salty and surely has this one circled (on top of the normal excitement of just being in the tourney). This for the guy that for much of the season was prob leading for POY in the BE. I’m also guessing his teammates want to have his back and make a statement. The committee often finds those matchups that have some extra intrigue. Not sure if done purposefully but it sure makes for an interesting story-line. Not unlike Tex A&M getting underseeded just so a potential UT matchup in R32 could happen.

Also anyone surprised Duke gets matched up (in R32) with a team limping into the tourney with an injured PG?

[jfan]

The women also got 5 teams into the tournament. (Creighton, UConn, Marquette, St Johns and Nova) I'm too lazy to check, but this might be the first time that has happened since the reconfiguration in 2013!

[Jasper67]

I’m guessing B Hopkins feels this is a VERY big game. Cal played him all of 6 mins / game last year. I can’t imagine he’s anything but salty and surely has this one circled (on top of the normal excitement of just being in the tourney). This for the guy that for much of the season was prob leading for POY in the BE. I’m also guessing his teammates want to have his back and make a statement. The committee often finds those matchups that have some extra intrigue. Not sure if done purposefully but it sure makes for an interesting story-line. Not unlike Tex A&M getting underseeded just so a potential UT matchup in R32 could happen.

Thanks, Gumby.

[Jasper67]

Plus this is probably Calipari's last season at Kentucky. And his fanbase has spent time this year screaming about his non-use of Hopkins last year.

Great point about Cal, the coach we all love to hate. He had a great 5-year run 2011-15. But with all of the built-in advantages at Kentucky he hasn’t made it past the Elite 8 in the past 7 years, and has gotten that far only twice. All of the self-promotion in the world won’t cover up the fact that his tenure at UK can only be described as disappointing from the POV of UK fans.

[adoraz]

Cal has the #1 recruiting class in the country next year, he's not being let go. The Hopkins stuff is a good storyline, though.