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Void
Tom IzzoTom Izzo

Winning the weekend is the key to NCAA tournament success

Then I learned the Mike Krzyzewski rule, you gotta win the weekend. And once you gotta win the weekend, 'cause the game isn't good enough anymore. Nobody cares. If you win one game, then you gotta start preparing ahead of time for the weekend.

This is a philosophical coaching stance validated by Izzo's own record of reaching 8 Final Fours.

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Void
Mar 29, 2024
#20660
Big CatBig Cat

Hubert Davis made a major mistake pulling Armando Bacot for foul trouble against Alabama

Kott was an absolute monster on the boards. And he gets his third foul with like 14 minutes left. Hubert Davis pulls him for four or five minutes... what Kott was doing on the offensive glass, defensive glass, like they could not guard him, pick and roll. It just completely changed the complexion of the game. And I don't know why you don't say, 'Hey look, you're a 10th year senior, you can stay out there and not foul and just do, you know, still be a positive for us.'

North Carolina lost 89-87; many analysts agreed that Bacot's benching during his dominant stretch was a turning point.
Push
Mar 29, 2024
#2353
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Alabama will score 120 points and smoke Clemson in the Elite Eight

I think Alabama's gonna run 'em out of the gym. It was a cute little win that Clemson had. You ran up against a team that couldn't make a three point shot. Alabama's gonna just score 120 points on you.

Alabama beat Clemson 89-82. They won, but didn't reach 120 points or 'run them out of the gym' by a significant margin.
Loss
Mar 29, 2024
#2354
Big CatBig Cat

Terrence Shannon Jr. is the only player who can potentially stop UConn

If there's only one person who could possibly stop UConn, it's the way that Terrence Shannon is playing basketball right now. He's out of, it's like insane.

UConn beat Illinois by 25 points and held Terrence Shannon Jr. to just 8 points, proving he was not the answer to stopping them.

More from Tom Izzo

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Tom IzzoTom Izzo

Expanding the NCAA tournament too much will hurt the TV product in the second round because Cinderellas often get blown out after the first day

I worry if they expand it too much. You know, we have already, it's tough because we have Cinderella... the more you expand it, the more those kind of things happen. Which you guys all like the first day, right? But TV doesn't like it the second round. No. So it's always fun and exciting for you guys. And meanwhile I'm sitting home ready to, you know, whatever.

Subjective opinion on tournament structure and broadcast quality.
Win
Tom IzzoTom Izzo

Purdue is the hardest team to prepare for in the tournament because of Zach Edey

Purdue would be a different harder team to play for. They got a monster in there. He is not even human. I mean, he's guy, Zach [Edey] is, he's an incredible size, but he's a very good athlete in that. And Matt Painter does such a good job of getting him the ball 9,000 different ways that it's a tough prep.

Purdue reached the National Championship game, largely behind Edey's dominant performance.
Void
Tom IzzoTom Izzo

Kelvin Sampson's Houston teams are the toughest in college basketball

Kelvin is, his teams are, might be the toughest teams in, in college basketball right now... I don't know what he does every day. But it's hard to make teams tougher. 'cause our society is so soft... they used to say we were a football team on hardwood. I always took that as a compliment.

Houston was ranked #1 in many defensive and efficiency metrics, widely regarded as the most physical team in 2024.

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