Paraguay to Big East?

[gobulls83]

What is the point of this tournament? It's a joke!

I love Stan Heath and this team has improved immensely under his guidance, but USF is far from the best college basketball team in the U.S. ... and yet USF is *destroying* these other teams, save for Brazil. It's good practice and hopefully the players have had a great experience, but as a competition this is a waste of time. Or at least it appears to be based on the scores.

The games are probably the least important aspect of the whole trip ...

I get it, it's beneficial to USF. I already acknowledged that, and I'm not saying it's bad that USF is there. Hell, I think it's great. This is like the Rays and Yankees playing a tournament against a couple of single-A teams during spring training. I just don't get why anyone aside from the Yankees and Rays would think such a tournament would be worthwhile as anything other than exhibition.

First of all, Brazil is a very good international team. Just beating them TWICE on their home court is quite a feat.

Besides, we aren't just playing for USF. This is for the  :USFflag

If the USF team is fortunate enough to beat Brazil and they are standing on the podium with gold medals around their necks and the US National Anthem is being played, you will understand.

That's why I listed the Rays and Yankees in the analogy - based on the scores (and I think scores and poorly translated recaps are all we have to go by), this was a two-team tournament. I don't know about the quality of players Brazil sent, but the fact that USF is representing the U.S. makes it clear how much this tournament actually means. There are certainly better teams that could have been chosen.

I want to stress, I'm not criticizing the players, they should be enjoying this and I'm sure it's paying dividends. Plus, they get a trip to freaking Brazil, that's great. What I'm trying to say is, what did whoever organized this have in mind? If the goal was a competitive tournament, they failed, and I'm not sure how that ever could have been a realistic expectation. It appears to be two teams that are roughly equal and then a bunch of crappy teams. I think USF's players probably face tougher competition against each other in practice than they have in all but one game of this tournament thus far.

[Brad]

I'm thinking had Costa Rica been included, it would have been a whole 'nother story.

[Mama_Bull]

I'm thinking had Costa Rica been included, it would have been a whole 'nother story.

\

That's because we didn't invite THEM to join the Big East.   

[DELdaBull]

15 more practices than anyone else in the NCAA. This team NEEDS that.

[Triple B]

What is the point of this tournament? It's a joke!

I love Stan Heath and this team has improved immensely under his guidance, but USF is far from the best college basketball team in the U.S. ... and yet USF is *destroying* these other teams, save for Brazil. It's good practice and hopefully the players have had a great experience, but as a competition this is a waste of time. Or at least it appears to be based on the scores.

The games are probably the least important aspect of the whole trip ...

I get it, it's beneficial to USF. I already acknowledged that, and I'm not saying it's bad that USF is there. Hell, I think it's great. This is like the Rays and Yankees playing a tournament against a couple of single-A teams during spring training. I just don't get why anyone aside from the Yankees and Rays would think such a tournament would be worthwhile as anything other than exhibition.

First of all, Brazil is a very good international team. Just beating them TWICE on their home court is quite a feat.

Besides, we aren't just playing for USF. This is for the  :USFflag

If the USF team is fortunate enough to beat Brazil and they are standing on the podium with gold medals around their necks and the US National Anthem is being played, you will understand.

That's why I listed the Rays and Yankees in the analogy - based on the scores (and I think scores and poorly translated recaps are all we have to go by), this was a two-team tournament. I don't know about the quality of players Brazil sent, but the fact that USF is representing the U.S. makes it clear how much this tournament actually means. There are certainly better teams that could have been chosen.

I want to stress, I'm not criticizing the players, they should be enjoying this and I'm sure it's paying dividends. Plus, they get a trip to freaking Brazil, that's great. What I'm trying to say is, what did whoever organized this have in mind? If the goal was a competitive tournament, they failed, and I'm not sure how that ever could have been a realistic expectation. It appears to be two teams that are roughly equal and then a bunch of crappy teams. I think USF's players probably face tougher competition against each other in practice than they have in all but one game of this tournament thus far.

Here's the organization putting this together, for whatever it's worth, http://www.basketballtravelers.com/pages/college.htm .... and really it's not that much different than a lot of early season tourneys. They're usually designed for two specific teams to meet in the Final ... although the ones here usually don't have that big of a spread in the early games.

[Guest nybullsfan]

Here's the organization putting this together, for whatever it's worth, http://www.basketballtravelers.com/pages/college.htm .... and really it's not that much different than a lot of early season tourneys. They're usually designed for two specific teams to meet in the Final ... although the ones here usually don't have that big of a spread in the early games.

Really?

Call me naive, but I never thought they were fixed. Looking at the list of teams at that link, it's hard (for me) to guess which two they're expecting to see in the final. (Not that I know much about teams outside of the BE and ACC, though)

But back to the topic...

I'm very proud of our Bulls for repping USF and the USA so well in this tourney!

GO BULLS!

[Triple B]

Here's the organization putting this together, for whatever it's worth, http://www.basketballtravelers.com/pages/college.htm .... and really it's not that much different than a lot of early season tourneys. They're usually designed for two specific teams to meet in the Final ... although the ones here usually don't have that big of a spread in the early games.

Really?

Call me naive, but I never thought they were fixed. Looking at the list of teams at that link, it's hard (for me) to guess which two they're expecting to see in the final. (Not that I know much about teams outside of the BE and ACC, though)

Naw .... not talking about those kind ... Somewhere in the depths of my memory I recall 2 day, 4 team tourneys, hosted by one school, where they invited one other legit/name program and two other, lower quality teams .... where the home team and other good team were not paired against each other the first night, and assumed to be meeting for the championship on the second night

[Mama_Bull]

Final: USF 63 Brazil 69. 

[Vega]

Final: USF 63 Brazil 69. 

Disappointing. It's like the first game when we barely beat them and I said that when forced to play halfcourt this team is going to struggle badly. Last season we weren't a great halfcourt team but Howard and Jones would make plays out of sets. We really don't have anyone like those two yet. They used a 24sec shot clock over there and to only score 63 points is awful.

[crambone]

After seeing USF tear up these teams, I'd hate to see what UK, Cuse or Georgetown would've done to them.  I bet their benches would've hung half a hundred on these teams.

Good for USF, but it's like playing middle school teams or something.