NCAA Team Tournament Predictions
- Thread starter Satsuma Florida
- Start date
i think unc will rep the acc well tomorrow:
i see them taking dubs and 1 singles (if hernandez is playing anything like he was at the end of the regular season a few weeks ago)
illinois may have better depth, but i don't think they'll win 4 of the 5 #2-#6 matches
Satsuma Florida
Rookie
Miss State, UNC and Texas are my picks for those three.
oklahoma goes down 4-2
i think miss st and texas are both going to have their hands full - think i'm picking GT and Tulsa, partially just for the fun of disagreeing with you haha
Fedace
Banned
MR. HO......NEW star is born at Stanford. Can he make top 50 in the ATP tour ?? Looks like a talented volleyer just like Pat Rafter.
http://www.streamingtennis.com/Cardinal/livescoreboard3.html#
http://www.streamingtennis.com/Cardinal/livescoreboard3.html#
you're alway good for a good laugh .. HO HO HO ...
Satsuma Florida
Rookie
Well, I missed 8 picks in the first round but the teams I chose for the Elite Eight is still possible if Florida gets thru Miami tomorrow. Stanford vs Texas A&M should be interesting. Virginia suddenly looks vulnerable but Illinois doesn't have a prayer. Ohio St. should win easy. Baylor should get thru UCLA too. Duke and Georgia is another one I would want to go see. Tennesse shouldn't have much trouble either. Kentucky had trouble with Louisville but they will be tough for Florida. USC shouldn's have any trouble with GT.
Clemson_tennis
Legend
Virginia does suddenly look less invicible. In fact Texas A&M might be playing the best out of anyone in the country right now.
Tennessee seems to have found their groove once again. Cal will be tough though, they had a tough fight with Fresno State but are still dangerous.
Duke and Georgia is one of the highlight matches. Very interesting and unique matchup. 50/50
Also I think Florida should beat Kentucky.
I have a feeling UCLA will edge Baylor as well.
Tennessee seems to have found their groove once again. Cal will be tough though, they had a tough fight with Fresno State but are still dangerous.
Duke and Georgia is one of the highlight matches. Very interesting and unique matchup. 50/50
Also I think Florida should beat Kentucky.
I have a feeling UCLA will edge Baylor as well.
Fedace
Banned
Texas A&M and Virginia scared out of their wits and running away
12 match WINNING streak intact. SCARY momentum for stanford boys. I think Tommy HO can be the next great star. He reminds me of Jonas Bjorkman with is FIght and great volleys. Headline reads:
STANFORD, Calif.- No. 7 Stanford chalked up a 4-1 victory over No. 25 Washington on Saturday afternoon at the Taube Family Tennis Stadium, earning a berth in next weekend's NCAA Championships round of 16.
The Cardinal (20-5, 5-1 Pac-10) extended its winning streak to 12 matches, its longest run since an 18-match stretch back in 2001. Stanford also posted its third consecutive 20-win campaign.
Ranked No. 7 in the latest edition of the ITA national rankings but seeded No. 8 in the postseason draw, Stanford anticipated a tough match against conference rival Washington (18-9, 3-3 Pac-10). The Cardinal won the regular season meeting 4-3 in Seattle back on April 8.
Stanford locked up the doubles point to take a 1-0 lead. After Bradley Klahn and Ryan Thacher posted an 8-4 win at the No. 1 spot for their 39th victory of the year, the No. 3 duo of Jamin Ball and Alex Clayton clinched the point with an 8-6 triumph on court three.
Playing in his first career dual and fourth match of the season overall, freshman Daniel Ho contributed a 6-2, 6-1 victory at the No. 6 position to put Stanford in front 2-0.
Klahn followed with a 6-4, 6-4 victory at the top spot of the lineup, placing Stanford on the brink of clinching the match.
The Huskies received their only point from Kyle McMorrow, who delivered a 7-6 (6), 6-4 result over Ryan Thacher at No. 2.
With Stanford holding convincing leads in the three remaining matches, Alex Clayton provided the clincher on court three in the form of a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 triumph.
Earlier in the day, the Stanford women blanked Illinois-Chicago 4-0 in a first round match. The Cardinal now hosts Pepperdine on Sunday at 11 a.m. Originally scheduled for 12 p.m., the match has been moved up one hour due to impending rain in the forecast. A berth in next weekend's NCAA Championships is on the line.
No. 7 Stanford 4, No. 25 Washington 1
DOUBLES
(1) No. 3 Klahn/Thacher (STAN) d. No. 28 McMorrow/Nedunchezhiyan (WASH) 8-4
(2) Kildahl/Obenaus (WASH) led Kandath/Lin (STAN) 5-4, aban.
(3) Jamin Ball/Clayton (STAN) d. Bots/Schmidt (WASH) 8-6
Order of Finish: 1, 3
SINGLES
(1) No. 9 Bradley Klahn (STAN) d. No. 66 Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan (WASH) 6-4, 6-4
(2) No. 49 Kyle McMorrow (WASH) d. No. 46 Ryan Thacher (STAN) 7-6 (6), 6-4
(3) No. 71 Alex Clayton (STAN) d. No. 117 Martin Kildahl (WASH) 4-6, 6-3, 6-1
(4) Denis Lin (STAN) led Tobi Obenaus (WASH) 6-1, 5-7, 5-1, aban.
(5) Matt Kandath (STAN) led Marton Bots (WASH) 7-6 (3), 4-1, aban.
(6) Daniel Ho (STAN) d. Max Manthou (WASH) 6-2, 6-1
Order of Finish: 6, 1, 2, 3
12 match WINNING streak intact. SCARY momentum for stanford boys. I think Tommy HO can be the next great star. He reminds me of Jonas Bjorkman with is FIght and great volleys. Headline reads:
STANFORD, Calif.- No. 7 Stanford chalked up a 4-1 victory over No. 25 Washington on Saturday afternoon at the Taube Family Tennis Stadium, earning a berth in next weekend's NCAA Championships round of 16.
The Cardinal (20-5, 5-1 Pac-10) extended its winning streak to 12 matches, its longest run since an 18-match stretch back in 2001. Stanford also posted its third consecutive 20-win campaign.
Ranked No. 7 in the latest edition of the ITA national rankings but seeded No. 8 in the postseason draw, Stanford anticipated a tough match against conference rival Washington (18-9, 3-3 Pac-10). The Cardinal won the regular season meeting 4-3 in Seattle back on April 8.
Stanford locked up the doubles point to take a 1-0 lead. After Bradley Klahn and Ryan Thacher posted an 8-4 win at the No. 1 spot for their 39th victory of the year, the No. 3 duo of Jamin Ball and Alex Clayton clinched the point with an 8-6 triumph on court three.
Playing in his first career dual and fourth match of the season overall, freshman Daniel Ho contributed a 6-2, 6-1 victory at the No. 6 position to put Stanford in front 2-0.
Klahn followed with a 6-4, 6-4 victory at the top spot of the lineup, placing Stanford on the brink of clinching the match.
The Huskies received their only point from Kyle McMorrow, who delivered a 7-6 (6), 6-4 result over Ryan Thacher at No. 2.
With Stanford holding convincing leads in the three remaining matches, Alex Clayton provided the clincher on court three in the form of a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 triumph.
Earlier in the day, the Stanford women blanked Illinois-Chicago 4-0 in a first round match. The Cardinal now hosts Pepperdine on Sunday at 11 a.m. Originally scheduled for 12 p.m., the match has been moved up one hour due to impending rain in the forecast. A berth in next weekend's NCAA Championships is on the line.
No. 7 Stanford 4, No. 25 Washington 1
DOUBLES
(1) No. 3 Klahn/Thacher (STAN) d. No. 28 McMorrow/Nedunchezhiyan (WASH) 8-4
(2) Kildahl/Obenaus (WASH) led Kandath/Lin (STAN) 5-4, aban.
(3) Jamin Ball/Clayton (STAN) d. Bots/Schmidt (WASH) 8-6
Order of Finish: 1, 3
SINGLES
(1) No. 9 Bradley Klahn (STAN) d. No. 66 Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan (WASH) 6-4, 6-4
(2) No. 49 Kyle McMorrow (WASH) d. No. 46 Ryan Thacher (STAN) 7-6 (6), 6-4
(3) No. 71 Alex Clayton (STAN) d. No. 117 Martin Kildahl (WASH) 4-6, 6-3, 6-1
(4) Denis Lin (STAN) led Tobi Obenaus (WASH) 6-1, 5-7, 5-1, aban.
(5) Matt Kandath (STAN) led Marton Bots (WASH) 7-6 (3), 4-1, aban.
(6) Daniel Ho (STAN) d. Max Manthou (WASH) 6-2, 6-1
Order of Finish: 6, 1, 2, 3
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That makes Ryan Thacher 11-10 at the #2 position. Is that the weakest record at #2 of any of the final 16 teams?
If only he hadn't chosen Stanford over Duke, he might still be good at tennis.
I kid...kind of...
Fedace
Banned
He will be back. but we are going all the way with or without Hirshman. This is the year we start the dynasty of championships.
darrinbaker00
Professional
W-R-O-N-G. The California Golden Bears are going to win BOTH team titles this year, and there are two things Stanford can do about it: NOTHING, AND LIKE IT!!
Whats wrong with him?
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woodrow1029
Guest
Thacher was up a break twice in the first set and was up 6-4 in the tiebreak.
bluetrain4
G.O.A.T.
What's the highest a player at a top D1 school has climbed over the course of his 4 years?
I mean, usually a player's skills fits in a certain place in the lineup - at least at the top schools. Other schools may have to make do with whatever they get, so one year, they have a guy who really would be better suited to No. 5 or 6, playing No. 3.
But, for these elite programs that usually (with a few exceptions) reload every year, has there ever been a player who, for example, played No. 6 as a freshman but by the time he was as senior he was playing No. 1 or No. 2.
It seems more common that a player may move one spot, sometimes two spots, but not that much more (again, I'm talking about the top programs). So, a freshman No. 6 might make it to 4 or 5, but No. 1-3, as those players when they graduate are simply replaced with players who are better than the current No. 6.
I guess I can think of one example. Didn't Chase Buchanan play No. 6 his freshman year and is already playing No. 1 or No. 2 for OSU?
I mean, usually a player's skills fits in a certain place in the lineup - at least at the top schools. Other schools may have to make do with whatever they get, so one year, they have a guy who really would be better suited to No. 5 or 6, playing No. 3.
But, for these elite programs that usually (with a few exceptions) reload every year, has there ever been a player who, for example, played No. 6 as a freshman but by the time he was as senior he was playing No. 1 or No. 2.
It seems more common that a player may move one spot, sometimes two spots, but not that much more (again, I'm talking about the top programs). So, a freshman No. 6 might make it to 4 or 5, but No. 1-3, as those players when they graduate are simply replaced with players who are better than the current No. 6.
I guess I can think of one example. Didn't Chase Buchanan play No. 6 his freshman year and is already playing No. 1 or No. 2 for OSU?
Fedace
Banned
I think there is some issue with confidence where thacher is concerned.
Buchanan was an unusual case. He was a high school senior who graduated early, enrolled at Ohio State for the third trimester (middle of the spring season), was slightly injured and did not get into the lineup the instant he enrolled, and then got in at #6. He was young enough to still be in high school.
Michael Shabaz was #5 as a freshman and was #1 by his junior year and is top 5 in the nation now. He was also not in great shape as a freshman. He lost to Javier Garrapiz of Georgia in the NCAA team semis at the #5 position. Garrapiz also reached #1 in the lineup by junior year. Nate Schnugg and Jamie Hunt started at 5 and 6 as freshmen for Georgia because Georgia was loaded at the time. Schnugg reached #1 by junior year.
I think there are probably a lot of these examples around.
Virginia's 31-match winning streak is also intact. I am trying to recall the last 21-match winning streak for Stanford, much less a 31-match streak. Was Gould coach back then?
I followed his play when he was in SoCal JR.s he was the country's top recruit and rightfully so... I saw him play this past Ojai tourney and he looks so lethargic ,slow and the serve doesn't have that extra zap that he usually has,he's playing way too defensive .. maybe it's the coaching at ""Standford"". it seems like the top recruits going in just keeps getting worse as they get older..
Fedace
Banned
I followed his play when he was in SoCal JR.s he was the country's top recruit and rightfully so... I saw him play this past Ojai tourney and he looks so lethargic ,slow and the serve doesn't have that extra zap that he usually has,he's playing way too defensive .. maybe it's the coaching at ""Standford"". it seems like the top recruits going in just keeps getting worse as they get older..
YOu have no business saying that. but as far as thacher, he went thru a back injury issue in the past and has never been the same player since. this is a well known fact.
Fedace
Banned
winning streak is meaningless as far as Virginia is concerned because they have a tradition of losing or choking in big tournaments like NCAA championships..
winning streak is meaningless as far as Virginia is concerned because they have a tradition of losing or choking in big tournaments like NCAA championships..
Virginia may not have won a title yet but they've been a legitimate contender the last 6-7 years. Standford can't even say that. You can, but we all know about that. When was the last time Standford won one?
Automator
Semi-Pro
2000. They haven't made a final since.
I followed his play when he was in SoCal JR.s he was the country's top recruit and rightfully so... I saw him play this past Ojai tourney and he looks so lethargic ,slow and the serve doesn't have that extra zap that he usually has,he's playing way too defensive .. . it seems like the top recruits going in just keeps getting worse as they get older..
OK better ?
is it not true? Ryan Thacher is one of my favorite players from SoCal ,but his tennis in recent years have not lived up to his billing .. I truly thought he could have made his way into the pros by now,with all his talent.. he's THE perfect man to do it.. tall,lefty,smart, excelled in multiple sports,(had)a big serve,grew up winning(knew how to win),good with his hands(doubles player),ect.. so what happened ??
as Steve Johnson keeps getting better at USC ,Thacher is not doing so well.. WHY ? -- dedication ? injuries ? coaching? what is it about that PALO ALTO air that kills tennis players in recent years .. ?
does anyone know when fedace began stalki...um, i mean following, the stanford teams?
maybe the weight of his expectations is just too great for these young men to handle
"in the past" is kind of vague even if it's supposedly such a "well known fact"
certainly could be true i guess, but when exactly?
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woodrow1029
Guest
I think it was during his freshman year. I remember there was something bugging him then.
Thacher obviously has talent. That is not his problem. He loses a lot of matches that he really should win. He gets up early in a lot of matches, but he really has difficulty closing them out. There have been a lot of matches that he has lost 7-5 or 7-6 in the third set. I can remember at least 2-3 times that the dual match score has been 3-3 and he was the deciding match. He can't close out a lot of tight matches.
For instance, on Saturday, for most of the match, he was definitely the better player than McMorrow. Thacher was up in the first set tiebreak. There was a line call that McMorrow made on the far sideline, calling it out. Thacher appealed to me. I saw it out as well, but it was on the far sideline, so it's a tough call for me. Thacher let it get to his head, and lost the tiebreak.
The second set was pretty even. Thacher got frustrated because McMorrow hit about 3-4 shots that clipped the net and won those points. Thacher, just didn't seem like he was focusing.
yes this is true.. he had a back injury the summer before he got into Stanford and had to withdraw from a Kalamazoo match.. but then again,every body gets injuries... its part of the business ..
the focus is what killing him.. I think he just wants to play it too cool,like "surfer boy cool" doesn't really want to show that he's working hard.. and doesn't bear down.. sometimes he walks around like he's a movie star or something ,talking to himself and then it just gets ugly.. he's not a ''blue collar" kind of tennis player that he needs to be to pull out those matches.. it might be that he thinks his every hit has to be magic or something,then he gets too backed up in playing defensive tennis ..after that he'll try coming in on crazy shots ,just to get beat up.. too bad because I really wanted to see him do well..
Sounds like he needs a good coach who can develop the mental aspect of the game.
well 3rd year year at Stanford,why hasn't coach Whit fixed it? Whitlinger ,the player ,was a "blue collar' kind of guy and a very smart player,he pulled out wins all the time.. so why can't he teach that to his players now?
socaltennnis
Rookie
maybe its cause he doesn't want to win badly enough and his opponents want it more.
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Well said.
Fedace
Banned
What's killing him ?? What will happen is nothing will be killing him since he will Clinch the match that WINS the NCAA championships on final day. He will just need to find out how he is going to celebrate the win.
Fedace
Banned
Weather causing havoc with practice times
This is going to be real interesting. Weather forecast is RAIN for next 3 days. Won't be sunny til Thursday.
so with ALL the teams arriving in to get some practice time in, WHERE are they going to find courts to get all these teams practice time ?
This is going to be real interesting. Weather forecast is RAIN for next 3 days. Won't be sunny til Thursday. so with ALL the teams arriving in to get some practice time in, WHERE are they going to find courts to get all these teams practice time ?
Bash and Crash
Semi-Pro
so with ALL the teams arriving in to get some practice time in, WHERE are they going to find courts to get all these teams practice time ?
Probably will use Courtside club in Los Gatos, and worse case scenario ClubSport Fremont, Pleasanton....
so with ALL the teams arriving in to get some practice time in, WHERE are they going to find courts to get all these teams practice time ?
Maybe Stanford should build some decent indoor facilities.
Bash and Crash
Semi-Pro
They have two indoor courts, under the stadium, neither a great court to play matches on, Fedace should know.
bluetrain4
G.O.A.T.
16-20 indoor courts near Champaign?? Where and how far?
The actual Atkins Tennis Center/Khan Tennis Complex where the NCAAs will be held has 6 indoor courts.
Champaign Park District (about 6 miles from Atkins) has 6 indoor courts. Decent, though not a fancy facility and the courts are pretty close together.
What else? Are you including the rest of east central and central Illinois?
Danville Tennis Club (35 minutes) - 4 indoor courts.
Decatur Athletic Club (45-55 minutes) - 4 indoor courts.
Bloomington Evergreen Racquet Club (45-50 minutes) - 8 indoor courts
Well I guess that's 28 courts. But, I sort of assumed you were talking about courts in Champaign-Urbana. Also, don't know if you could assume that a club would turn over their courts for NCAA practice.
For some reason I always think of these distances as being far because you're driving on the highway for empty stretches between cities. If I were in a metro area, I'd think nothing of these distances/times.
There's also 6 indoor courts in Springfield and 12 in Peoria, both within 1.5 hours.
Fedace
Banned
Its not worth the money. Weather is usually good enough and is not a issue. This year, it should be ok once the tournament gets under way.
Fedace
Banned
Preliminary schedule is out:
WEDNESDAY, MAY 18
Men's and Women's Team Welcome Banquet
Student-athletes and coaches from the participating men's and women's teams will gather for a pre-tournament welcome banquet to be held at Maples Pavilion. Included in the festivities will be the presentation of the NCAA Elite 88 Awards, given to two student-athletes (one male, one female) with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's 88 championships. Last year's winners were Stanford's Greg Hirshman and Notre Dame's Colleen Rielley. This event is not open to the public.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
THURSDAY, MAY 19
Men's Team Round of 16
9 a.m. - Taube South - No. 6 Georgia vs. No. 11 Duke
9 a.m. - Taube Stadium - No. 3 Tennessee vs. No. 14 California
12 p.m. - Taube South - No. 7 Florida vs. No. 10 Kentucky
12 p.m. - Taube Stadium - No. 2 USC vs. No. 15 Georgia Tech
3 p.m. - Taube South - No. 5 Baylor vs. No. 12 UCLA
3 p.m. - Taube Stadium - No. 4 Ohio State vs. Tulsa
6 p.m. - Taube South - No. 1 Virginia vs. Illinois
6 p.m. - Taube Stadium - No. 8 Stanford vs. No. 9 Texas A&M
Live Music and VIP Tent
Live music (Daniel Maya - Flamenco guitar) from 4:30-6:30 p.m. along the main entrance walkway along Campus Drive, next to the Track Heritage pillars. The VIP Tent located is open from 4:30-8 p.m.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
FRIDAY, MAY 20
Women's Team Round of 16
9 a.m. - Taube South - No. 6 UCLA vs. No. 11 Virginia
9 a.m. - Taube Stadium - No. 3 Duke vs. No. 14 Georgia Tech
12 p.m. - Taube South - No. 7 Miami vs. No. 10 Michigan
12 p.m. - Taube Stadium - No. 2 Florida vs. No. 15 Clemson
3 p.m. - Taube South - No. 5 Baylor vs. SMU
3 p.m. - Taube Stadium - No. 4 North Carolina vs. Vanderbilt
6 p.m. - Taube South - No. 8 Georgia vs. No. 9 California
6 p.m. - Taube Stadium - No. 1 Stanford vs. No. 16 Northwestern
WEDNESDAY, MAY 18
Men's and Women's Team Welcome Banquet
Student-athletes and coaches from the participating men's and women's teams will gather for a pre-tournament welcome banquet to be held at Maples Pavilion. Included in the festivities will be the presentation of the NCAA Elite 88 Awards, given to two student-athletes (one male, one female) with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's 88 championships. Last year's winners were Stanford's Greg Hirshman and Notre Dame's Colleen Rielley. This event is not open to the public.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
THURSDAY, MAY 19
Men's Team Round of 16
9 a.m. - Taube South - No. 6 Georgia vs. No. 11 Duke
9 a.m. - Taube Stadium - No. 3 Tennessee vs. No. 14 California
12 p.m. - Taube South - No. 7 Florida vs. No. 10 Kentucky
12 p.m. - Taube Stadium - No. 2 USC vs. No. 15 Georgia Tech
3 p.m. - Taube South - No. 5 Baylor vs. No. 12 UCLA
3 p.m. - Taube Stadium - No. 4 Ohio State vs. Tulsa
6 p.m. - Taube South - No. 1 Virginia vs. Illinois
6 p.m. - Taube Stadium - No. 8 Stanford vs. No. 9 Texas A&M
Live Music and VIP Tent
Live music (Daniel Maya - Flamenco guitar) from 4:30-6:30 p.m. along the main entrance walkway along Campus Drive, next to the Track Heritage pillars. The VIP Tent located is open from 4:30-8 p.m.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
FRIDAY, MAY 20
Women's Team Round of 16
9 a.m. - Taube South - No. 6 UCLA vs. No. 11 Virginia
9 a.m. - Taube Stadium - No. 3 Duke vs. No. 14 Georgia Tech
12 p.m. - Taube South - No. 7 Miami vs. No. 10 Michigan
12 p.m. - Taube Stadium - No. 2 Florida vs. No. 15 Clemson
3 p.m. - Taube South - No. 5 Baylor vs. SMU
3 p.m. - Taube Stadium - No. 4 North Carolina vs. Vanderbilt
6 p.m. - Taube South - No. 8 Georgia vs. No. 9 California
6 p.m. - Taube Stadium - No. 1 Stanford vs. No. 16 Northwestern
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woodrow1029
Guest
One court can't be used for matches. The sidelines are right up against the wall and the ceiling is very low. It's only for practice.
The other one can be used for matches, but the lighting is really bad and they don't use it unless it is really really necessary.
darrinbaker00
Professional
Don't forget San Francisco Tennis Club.
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woodrow1029
Guest
I worked the first and second rounds last weekend. Unfortunately, I cannot get the time off of my real job to work the rest of the event. Although, if they have a lot of rain trouble and need to open up a third site at some point, I may make an appearance in the chair.
We went on a cruise in December and have 2 trips planned this year, so my vacation time is all eaten up this year.
