It is no longer a championship.

[The_Catfather]

It’s unlikely a Michigan State/duke game would be close enough for a call to matter. Just check out izzo’s record versus coach K. K is izzo’s daddy. It’s why Michigan State was put in that bracket. By far the least threatening to them of the 2 seeds.

Izzo can't beat K, and while LSU has the horses to do it, they're on the NCAA shit list in such a way it wouldn't be allowed to happen. I can't imagine the officiating that would happen in that matchup. It would make tonight look on the up and up.

Virginia Tech beat them in Blacksburg. That's our only hope until the championship game.

 

[ChicagoCat1990]

I’ve always been a huge fan of college sports because it was so different then the pros. It wasn’t about paychecks. It was just guys playing their hearts out win or lose. I’ve always hated the NBA in the way rookies have to earn the right to start getting certain foul calls. All stars are protected and given different whistles. Now college ball is turning into this. Certain players get a favorable whistle while others get the middle finger and some lube from the refs. The tourney is so staged for headline matchups. Son vs dads former team. Couch vs former player. Team vs every team that beat them in season. Etc. always something for the ones up top to make more money. The bias from commentators have made games unbearable to watch. They openly cheer for a team and make it unwatchable for fans of the other team.

Okay I’m stepping off of my soapbox.

 

[katkraze]

Dook fouled 2-3 times in the last minute with no calls -- K has the refs in his pocket

 

[Grumpyolddawg]

It gets the eyeballs of the casual fans at the expense of alienating the fans who care about the sport and its integrity. It is the product of marketing and advertising types who care no more for college basketball than they do the roller derby.

College basketball lost its intergrity with the shoe/agent scandal and assistant coaches headed to prison for various charges. Why would it be a surprise if officials were told who was to win?

 

[anon_q409idbs5m40a]

More fake than the WWE.

Funny you should say that because I thought the exact same thing after the Duke game.

 

[KatforLife56]

You are clueless. Keep living in your fantasy world

You are the clueless one, keep living in your world where everything is a conspiracy, jerk.

 

[UKWildcatT]

This has been the entire purpose of the tournament for years now. It's how it's marketed to the masses and sold to/by the networks. Notice how the branding logo on the court, sidelines, network desks is "MARCH MADNESS" instead of "NCAA TOURNAMENT".

Interesting theory that has legs

 

[83Cat]

Guys, all Central Florida had to do was make one more shot and the conspiracies don't exist. Also, all they had to do was box out on a free throw and they most likely win as well. However, they did not.

Exactly. If it’s made for TV or fake, the ball would need to be on remote control to roll off like it did on that last tip. If this is the Truman show, then the directors of that matrix must have been ready to fire a bunch of people.

 

[bigbluedon]

83, they did box out and Barrett pushed the guy in the back with both hands. No call.

 

[wkycatfan]

I'm prolly naive to some degree, but I still think these are real games, but somewhat tainted by some human error and subconscious bias.

Don't think it's fixed, predetermined, or a conspiracy.

 

[WildcatDJ]

Nothing has changed...just our awareness.

 

[TheDude73]

Whether or not you hate them or love them, dook and the Zion storyline get eyeballs on TV sets, which is the ultimate goal of all this entertainment

Duke and Zion have failed to get my eyeballs on the set. I can admit that I've never seen Zion play outside of ESPN highlights when I'm watching just to see UK game highlights from the same day.

 

[Kai Slater]

Duke and Zion have failed to get my eyeballs on the set. I can admit that I've never seen Zion play outside of ESPN highlights when I'm watching just to see UK game highlights from the same day.

This is a ditto for me also. I will not be a sheep to the big agenda.

 

[docholiday51]

I'm prolly naive to some degree, but I still think these are real games, but somewhat tainted by some human error and subconscious bias.

Don't think it's fixed, predetermined, or a conspiracy.

I believe Duke gets 80% of the 50/50 call during any given game,that percentage probably goes up 10 % in a close game during the last 5 minutes of play.Maybe it is premeditated,human error or subconscious because the officials are afraid of Coach K.Whatever the reason the bias exists like no other bias in sports

The thing that gets me is at every time out one or more of the officials run over to the Duke bench to have a conversation with K,what do they have to talk about that much? We don't see that with other coaches,he spends more time talking with officials than he does with his team.

In the remaining games all the other fan bases in attendance should do their best to boo Duke out of the gym from start to finish of their game

 

[UKCATSFREAK]

UCF missed an uncontested layup with 90 seconds left and another one at the buzzer. Simply can’t miss those. Then they can’t rebound a missed free throw. They lost cuz the moment got too big and they choked, really.

They lost from a combination of things, just like you win by a combination of things. A bunch of things happen during a game that effect the outcome. So, to say they lost because of the missed alley oop is true. It is also true that they lost because of ALL the no calls that went against them late in that game.

 

[UKCATSFREAK]

I'm not watching any more Duke games the rest of the tournament. The fix is clearly in. When Rafferty complained about Zion assaulting a guy, saying it should've been a no-call, I turned the volume down for the last few minutes. The Zion charge, Barrett pushoff and DeLaurier hook sealed it. Whoever compared it to WWE is spot on.

The hook and hold is the worst of them all. He literally hooked him as soon as the ball left his hands and held it for the entire possession until Barrett's shot went through the net. If he doesnt hook him, that UCF player easily gets the rebound. He also had a good chance to block or heavily contest Barrett's shot.

 

[minjo]

Why don't they make NCAA a part of Hollywood?
College basketball has become Duke Productions Inc.
They are candidates for academy awards, even if they lose 20 games.

 

[HCaulfield]

it is simply a made for tv drama.

Don't you know that a Kentucky / Duke final is what the NCAA is praying for? I'm cheering for the Cats to be there, don't care who they play.

 

[UKGrad93]

It is so fake that some of it has already been filmed.

 

[seccats04]

Don't you know that a Kentucky / Duke final is what the NCAA is praying for? I'm cheering for the Cats to be there, don't care who they play.

We would need a rape whistle for that game. No way we would be allowed to win. But if PJ doesn't come back we won't make it that far anyway.

 

[seccats04]

UCF missed an uncontested layup with 90 seconds left and another one at the buzzer. Simply can’t miss those. Then they can’t rebound a missed free throw. They lost cuz the moment got too big and they choked, really.

https://larrybrownsports.com/colleg...calls-rj-barrett-zion-williamson-plays/488982

 

[fisherscatfan]

Don't you know that a Kentucky / Duke final is what the NCAA is praying for? I'm cheering for the Cats to be there, don't care who they play.

And if they influenced it for UK, my opinion would still be the same. However, I think the preference would be UNC but my opinion.

I don't think the games are "fixed" in the classic sense but I do think the big money influence driven by ratings impacts the game and Duke is the number 1 benefactor. In my opinion, it was not a great big design by the NCAA. I don't think they are that smart quite honestly. I think Duke was the in the right place at the right time when the tournament was really blowing up and had the image of squeaky clean academic school that the NCAA so craved as opposed to UNLV etc. I think Duke EARNED their way to that status but it has evolved into what we have today. A program that is protected when it comes to violations (Maggette, Thomas etc.) and protected because they generate ratings and dollars. I just don't think it is a level playing field the way the NCAA has looked the other way for Duke.

 

[Super Herro]

Sometimes we are more obsessed with Duke then our own team.

They will lose. Just wait.