Butler vs VCU - Bulldogs to the NCAA Finals

[AZ BU Fan]

Is it just me, or, was yesterday's Butler-VCU game really ugly to watch?

This was the first VCU game I had a chance to watch in the NCAA's this year.
VCU threw up (pardon the pun) so many bad shots inside, and launched some questionable 3's, I had to wonder how they got as far as they did...

The only thing I could think of was VCU' stifling half court press and the incredibly rugged inside defense the officials let VCU get away with for most of the game. Thought I was watching a vintage SIU home game in the Valley, or, an indoor football contest.

VCU's bigs looked athletic, but not exceptionally basketball skilled.

In all fairness, Butler didn't look especially good either, except for the stretch of the game in the 2H when they pulled away from VCU.

Can Butler hang with U Conn in the Championship game?

 

[tornado]

and those who were worried that this year's Final Four matchups would result in terrible ratings...
they can rest easy...
the ratings were fine....


the Butler-VCU game -- even though it was on quite early for all the viewers out west...and no teams from the west were in the Final Four..
was still within 3% of the ratings from last year...

the 2nd game, UConn-UK was up from last year!

http://content.usatoday.com/communi...v-ratings-for-butler-vcu-and-uconn-kentucky/1

 

[Bravesfan]

Is it just me, or, was yesterday's Butler-VCU game really ugly to watch?

I'm not sure that it was that bad. But I know it wasn't as close to as ugly as that Kentucky/UConn game! 56-55???

And the pundits complain that the Valley games have no offense. Yikes! :roll: Butler has a great chance to beat UConn tomorrow night.

 

[Bravesfan]

and those who were worried that this year's Final Four matchups would result in terrible ratings...
they can rest easy...
the ratings were fine


the Butler-VCU game -- even though it was on quite early for all the viewers out west...and no teams from the west were in the Final Four..
was still within 3% of the ratings from last year...

the 2nd game, UConn-UK was up from last year!

http://content.usatoday.com/communi...v-ratings-for-butler-vcu-and-uconn-kentucky/1

As has been eluded to by a couple of people, the ratings overall have been up due to the four network coverage of all the early round games by default. However, I was thinking for comparison sakes that it would be interesting to isolate the ratings from the Elite Eight games onward as those games were all exclusively on CBS. And I think tornado you just answered that.

For people to keep "crying wolf" everytime a smaller school makes the Final Four after all that has happened in recent years just rieks of desparation by some. As you cited tornado, the ratings are just fine, but it's the commissioners from the big conferences that are crying as they are not receiving as much of the Final Four payout had all four teams come from the BCS conferences.

Now why Digger and Bilas amongst others keep complaining about the mid-majors making deep runs in the tournament is beyond me. They are not affiliated with the big conference directly, but I guess since their network pumps these BCS teams up, they feel their ratings will go down. I couldn't disagree more as I'm sure the Bracketbuster weekend and all the Gonzaga games they show do very well for ESPN too.

 

[tornado]

VCU fans get a little rowdy..
http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/2011/4/3/2088315/vcu-basketball-party-celebration-RIOT-rally

 

[jasonpeoria911]

While some of VCU's shots were ill advised, I think a lot of it had to do with the environment. A majority of the previous Tourney games only had 10-15,000 people, then they go to Houston and play in a football stadium with 75+ thousand. For a team that shoots a lot of 3 pointers, I imagine the backdrop is hard to adjust to. Not just for VCU but I noticed quite a few shots that rimmed short from all teams early in the games.

Jason

 

[tornado]

as more stats and figures come in...
we now see that Saturday's semi-finals were the highest rated since 2005...
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/04/sports/ncaabasketball/04quad.html?src=twrhp

and that the numbers are roughly tied with 2005 -- but still higher or as high as any year since 1999
http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/20...-finals-ratings-historical-ratings-poll/88034

and some markets were near-record...
http://www.courier-journal.com/arti...other-ratings-hit-Louisville?odyssey=nav|head


...so the past two years have contained a mid-major -- and yet the ratings were at a decade long high! Hopefully those jerks will shut up soon.....


"Scandal-scarred NCAA needs Butler to beat corrupt Jim Calhoun, UConn"
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sp...butler-to-beat-corrupt-jim-calhoun-uconn.html

 

[Bravesfan]

as more stats and figures come in...
we now see that Saturday's semi-finals were the highest rated since 2005...
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/04/sports/ncaabasketball/04quad.html?src=twrhp

and that the numbers are roughly tied with 2005 -- but still higher or as high as any year since 1999
http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/20...-finals-ratings-historical-ratings-poll/88034

and some markets were near-record...
http://www.courier-journal.com/arti...other-ratings-hit-Louisville?odyssey=nav|head

...so the past two years have contained a mid-major -- and yet the ratings were at a decade long high! Hopefully those jerks will shut up soon.....


"Scandal-scarred NCAA needs Butler to beat corrupt Jim Calhoun, UConn"
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sp...butler-to-beat-corrupt-jim-calhoun-uconn.html

I definitely agree with the Orlando Sentinel on Calhoun! Not only is he almost as dirty as John Calipari, he is also one of the LEAST inspiring speakers I have seen in awhile. Did anyone just see his locker pregame speech?! Zzzzzzzzzz! :roll: