Sometimes analysts rely so heavily on their analytic takes, they will go to the grave with them no matter what happens on the field of play.
Remember Bill Connelly back in 2019 unable to bridge the gap between his analytics and Clemson’s 44-16 trouncing of Alabama?
Because of the season-long results, and because this was more like a 5-point game on paper than 28, I’d have maybe still picked Bama to win in 6 or 7 in a best-of-7 series.
ugh, why do I do this to myself delete tweet delete tweet
— Bill Connelly (@ESPN_BillC) June 4, 2019
Connelly now has a partner – the formerly insightful Joe Lunardi doubling down on his failed analytics and apparently even basic player evaluation.
The ACC is the best college basketball conference ever, but it’s nowhere close to that right now. Its last three Players of the Year: Moses Wright, Alondes Williams, Isaiah Wong. Before the pandemic: Malcolm Brogdon, Marvin Bagley, Zion Williamson.
— Joe Lunardi (@ESPNLunardi) March 25, 2023
Moses Wright and Alondes Williams were fine players in their own right, and how far could have Georgia Tech went in the 2021 NCAAs if Wright hadn’t missed the opening round with covid?
ACC observers know that Miami’s Isaiah Wong is one of the smoothest ACC players we’ve ever seen, and Sunday with 12 second-half points helped lead Miami to the Final Four over a feisty well coached Texas team. By the way, Texas hire Rodney Terry.
So in a couple of tweets, Lunardi took an unnecessary shot at Wong, Miami, and the ACC.
The fact is the ACC is 21-9 in the NCAA Tournament the last two years, at an incredible 70% winning clip.
Three different ACC teams have made the Final 4 (UNC, Duke, and Miami) for an even more impressive 38% of Final Four representatives in the last two years. All other Power 5 Conferences combined? 13%.
The math is easy if you have Big 10 and SEC Final Four representatives in the last two because it’s ZERO.
Congrats to Jim Larranaga, Miami’s team, and Isaiah Wong for getting the last laugh.
