Re: 1st round NCAA/NIT sides and totals
 

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Also, this is a 12:30 game in New Orleans. Not sure if early start might result in lower scoring.
Also expect a big-time Memphis contingent there whereas I don't expect nearly as much UNT support.

Is UNT used to playing in big arenas in front of large crowds?
I did find one box-score where their home crowd was over 3k.


finally, I think you might be underestimating Memphis' defense. They are athletic, they get after the ball, they block shots...etc etc.

Recent wins for them include 71-49 over Tulane and 71-59 over Houston.
64-61 at SMU, 99-63 over Rice, 69-52 at Tulsa, 95-51 vs. Tulane, 88-52 vs. SMU, 79-54 vs. UAB and 70-56 at UAB.

They are averaging 10 steals and 6 blocks per game.

I really think it's possible that Memphis over-runs UNT right from the start and races out to a 20-4 lead or something.

Granted, most of their blow-out wins are at home.
But they keep teams from scoring and that's the point.

The New Orleans arena is going to be a similar place to play as their home Fed-Ex Forum and a LOT of fans are basically planning on heading down there and turning New Orleans into Memphis-South.

Not quite a home-game for Memphis, but much more so for them than for UNT.

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Here in NOLA, we have a little football game every year called the New Orleans Bowl. UNT has played in it three of the last four years and I have always been impressed with their turnout.

Memphis brings some folks to Tulane but not a ton. I haven't been to a Memphis TU hoops game in a few years, but I don't think the crowd in favor of Memphis will be a factor in this game. Plus if it is close, everyone not associated with the favorite roots for the dog anyway.

Re: 1st round NCAA/NIT sides and totals
 

I was in the New Orleans area for a conference when Memphis played UNT in the New Orleans bowl. Think it was Dec, 2004.

There were Memphis fans all over the freaking place.
Lots and lots of Memphis blue.
Not much of a turn-out from UNT that I noticed (and I was looking for them) which really surprised me because playing in a bowl is a big deal to them too and it really isn't that far.

This bowl game was a big deal to Memphis at the time because it was their first bowl-game since 1971 or something.


Getting to play in 1st round action so close to home is a big enough deal for Memphis fans who frequently travel to the New Orleans area for spring-break anyway.

Lots of Gator fans should be there too.
But I expect a really good Memphis turnout.


edit - I really don't think a Memphis/Tulane reg-season game should be compared to the kind of turnout one should expect for the NCAA-tourney.

Re: 1st round NCAA/NIT sides and totals
 

I was at march madness last year in dallas at american airlines where memphis and texas both played their first 2 roudns, ncstate was there and penn was there also.... but there was just as many memphis fans as there was longhorn fans, and AAC is in dallas... i was amazed

Re: 1st round NCAA/NIT sides and totals
 

Yes.
my rec-soccer league in Memphis had lots of teams using their 'mulligan' to re-schedule. Almost every soccer team had several players who said they couldn't make it because they were going to follow the Tigers.

Re: 1st round NCAA/NIT sides and totals
 

Memphis as a #2 seed in NCAA tourney game >>>>>>>>>>> meaningless regular season Memphis St-Tulane game from a few years ago

Memphis as a #2 seed only >>>>>>>> than bowl game vs. N Texas Dec '04.

This one will generate a little more fan interest. See comment by someone who was in Dallas for Memphis/Texas bracket last year.

Re: 1st round NCAA/NIT sides and totals
 

Agree for the most part...except, as I mentioned before, the 2004 Bowl game actually was a pretty big deal for Memphis because they hadn't been to one since 1971.

Lots of Memphis fans made that trip as did a ton of Memphis TV and radio for live tailgate parties, etc.
Memphis fans completely took over a bar or three that I just happened to be walking past. Lots of Tenn plates all over the place with Memphis stickers and banners, etc.

So I would say that the Memphis hoops 2 seed is only >> or maybe >>> over their bowl-game appearance.
Not quite >>>>>>>>>>>>&g t;.

Memphis had gone so long without having any football success at all that this bowl-game really was a big deal for them and their fans.

Re: 1st round NCAA/NIT sides and totals
 

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I was at march madness last year in dallas at american airlines where memphis and texas both played their first 2 roudns, ncstate was there and penn was there also.... but there was just as many memphis fans as there was longhorn fans, and AAC is in dallas... i was amazed

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Texas basketball fans don't exist. Witness the Big 12 championship game.

Re: 1st round NCAA/NIT sides and totals
 

Alright... so your telling me 6,000+ students isnt a big deal?

Re: 1st round NCAA/NIT sides and totals
 

It was December 2003.

I live in the French Quarter. Prior to the storm, NOLA had to be one of the top travel destinations for sports fans. I see fans of pretty much every team come here for events. I can tell you that if you are capping the Memphis/N. Texas game based on it being a home game for Memphis you are making a huge mistake.

Memphis may bring some people but it will not be like UNC in Winston Salem or Louisville in Lexington.

First, tickets are floating around town for this thing like cigarettes in prison. I have turned down several. Second, it is the noon game on Friday. The turnout for these afternoon games is usually horrnedous.

NOLA is not a hoops town. If the arena is 1/3 full for the afternoon session, I'll be shocked.

Re: 1st round NCAA/NIT sides and totals
 

Really good discussion going.

NIT plays for tonight:

Utah St. +8 (1 unit)
Marist +10 (1 unit)
Drexel -5 (1 unit)

Be back with more of the NCAA write-ups later tonight