Final Four Stray Observations

Here are a few things I learned/observed from watching this year's Final Four:

-Memphis' Chris Douglas-Roberts apparently has a short story tattooed on his right arm.

-Nothing makes a pep band lamer than matching Hawaiian shirts.

-The world belongs to Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, and some soccer player no one has heard of.

-UCLA's demise was due mostly to not enough scoring threats - especially on the perimeter. Josh Shipp and Darren Collison combined to go 4-for-18 against Memphis.

-Ben Howland is about to become crowned by the media as "the best coach never to have won a championship."

-There is no other tradition quite like the Masters - and Jim Nantz will defend that idea to the death.

-Roy Williams and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Tie!

-With 10:30 left in the first half of Kansas-UNC, Roy Williams looked dumbfounded, and it wasn't because of the tie he was wearing.

-With 9:30 left in the first half, Kansas freshman Cole Aldrich (who averaged 8 minutes this season), dominated player of the year Tyler Hansbrough for a rebound and then drew a foul. This was the point when I knew that it wasn't UNC's night and that they were going down.

-With 7:32 left before halftime, Billy Packer emphatically announced "this game is over." I don't think I've ever heard an announcer make such a claim so early in a game, especially one as important as a national semifinal.

-Budweiser + "Dude" = Funny. Brilliant. (Sarcasm)

tS' March Madness Pool - UPDATE!

Only one bracket had both Kansas and Memphis in the championship game, and not surprisingly it belongs to our current leader, Eric J. #3. Eric's got this pool wrapped up, as he also holds onto the second spot with Kansas winning it all. Second and third place are still up for grabs, assuming that there are no ties. Here are the current scores:

170 Eric J. #3 Memphis
162 Eric J. #1 Kansas
160 Sam D. #2 UNC
158 Eric J. #2 UNC
158 Sam D. #3 Memphis
156 Robert S. #5 Kansas
156 Joey W. #8 Lville
156 RGT 3 UNC
156 Krista R. #1 UNC
154 Jeremy N. #1 Memphis
154 Krista R. #2 UCLA
152 TS #7 UNC
152 Bob S. #2 Tenn
150 Donna K. Kansas
150 Jon P. Kansas
148 Joey W. #7 UCLA
148 Mike S. UNC
148 Austin R. Kansas
146 Kathy S. #1 WI
146 Ryan P. UCLA
146 Sam D. #1 UNC
144 TS #3 Kansas
144 Robert S. #3 UCLA
144 Steve P. Memphis
144 Daniel T. UCLA
144 Joe H. #2 UNC
142 TS #6 Texas
142 Joey W. #2 Lville
142 Connie R. #2 Duke
140 Robert S. #4 UNC
138 TS #8 Kansas
136 TS #1 WI
136 Bob S. #1 Kansas
134 Joey W. #1 Lville
132 TS #4 UCLA
132 Bob S. #8 Tenn
130 Robert S. #1 UCLA
128 Bob S. #4 UNC
128 Joey W. #6 Pitt
128 Ken R. #1 Duke
126 Ken R. #2 UCLA
124 Joey W. #5 Kansas
122 TS #2 UNC
122 TS #5 Lville
122 Joey W. #4 Lville
122 Jeremy N. #2 WI
118 Bob S. #3 Gtown
118 Bob S. #7 WI
116 Robert S. #2 UNC
114 Joey W. #3 UCLA
114 Brad S. UNC
110 Connie R. #1 UCLA
108 Bob S. #5 UNC
106 Bob S. #6 UCLA
102 Joe H. #3 WI
98 Kathy S. #2 WI
96 Kathy S. #4 UNC
96 Joe H. #1 UCLA
76 Kathy S. #5 UCLA
72 Erin H. WI
18 Kathy S. #3 SD

Final Four

UCLA vs. Memphis, 5:07 pm

Kansas vs. UNC, 7:47 pm

The four remaining teams face a tremendous amount of pressure tonight. Not only are they playing for a spot in the national championship game (Monday night), but they also need to live up to the hype that has been surrounding these matchups.

This is of course the first time that four #1 seeds have reached this stage of the Tournament, and these four teams have arguably been the best four schools throughout the season. It's hard to pick one of these teams to cheer for, as all four of them are deserving of a chance at the national title.

All of my brackets are essentially kaput at this point, so instead of cheering for my picks, I can cheer for which teams I would like to see in the title game - Kansas and UCLA. UNC has recently won a national championship and I'm not a big fan of Memphis' style of play (or their coach). I've really enjoyed watching both Kansas and UCLA play this past season, and appreciate their commitment to teamwork on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court.

tS' March Madness Pool - UPDATE!

1+1+1+1=Final Four.

All #1 seeds advance to the Final Four for the first time ever, and there has been a lot of shifting at the top of the leader board in my pool. Here are the updated scores:

160 Sam D. #2 UNC
156 RGT 3 UNC
156 Krista R. #1 UNC
154 Krista R. #2 UCLA
152 Eric J. #1 Kansas
150 Eric J. #3 Memphis
148 Joey W. #7 UCLA
148 Eric J. #2 UNC
148 Mike S. UNC
148 Sam D. #3 Memphis
146 Robert S. #5 Kansas
146 Joey W. #8 Lville
146 Kathy S. #1 WI
146 Ryan P. UCLA
146 Sam D. #1 UNC
144 Robert S. #3 UCLA
144 Jeremy N. #1 Memphis
144 Joe H. #2 UNC
142 TS #6 Texas
142 TS #7 UNC
142 Bob S. #2 Tenn
142 Joey W. #2* Lville
140 Robert S. #4 UNC
140 Donna K. Kansas
140 Jon P. Kansas
138 Austin R. Kansas
136 TS #1 WI
134 TS #3 Kansas
134 Joey W. #1 Lville
134 Steve P. Memphis
134 Daniel T. UCLA
132 TS #4 UCLA
132 Bob S. #8 Tenn
132 Connie R. #2 Duke
130 Robert S. #1 UCLA
128 TS #8 Kansas
128 Bob S. #4 UNC
128 Joey W. #6 Pitt
128 Ken R. #1* Duke
126 Bob S. #1 Kansas
126 Ken R. #2 UCLA
122 TS #2 UNC
122 TS #5 Lville
122 Joey W. #4 Lville
122 Jeremy N. #2 WI
118 Bob S. #3* Gtown
116 Robert S. #2 UNC
114 Joey W. #3 UCLA
114 Joey W. #5 Kansas
114 Brad S. UNC
110 Connie R. #1 UCLA
108 Bob S. #5 UNC
108 Bob S. #7 WI
106 Bob S. #6 UCLA
102 Joe H. #3* WI
98 Kathy S. #2* WI
96 Kathy S. #4 UNC
96 Joe H. #1 UCLA
76 Kathy S. #5 UCLA
72 Erin H.* WI
18 Kathy S. #3* SD

tS' March Madness Pool - UPDATE!

Here are the updated scores through last night's games:

138 Joey W. #8 Lville
136 Sam D. #2 UNC
132 Joey W. #7 UCLA
132 RGT 3 UNC
130 Krista R. #2 UCLA
128 Eric J. #1 Kansas
126 TS #6 Texas
126 Joey W. #1 Lville
126 Joey W. #2 Lville
126 Eric J. #3 Memphis
124 Jon P. Kansas
124 Mike S. UNC
124 Sam D. #3 Memphis
124 Krista R. #1 UNC
122 Robert S. #5 Kansas
122 Kathy S. #1 WI
122 Sam D. #1 UNC
120 TS #1 WI
120 Robert S. #3 UCLA
120 Joe H. #2 UNC
120 Ken R. #1 Duke
118 TS #3 Kansas
118 TS #7 UNC
118 Bob S. #1 Kansas
118 Bob S. #2 Tenn
118 Daniel T. UCLA
116 TS #4 UCLA
116 Bob S. #8 Tenn
116 Robert S. #4 UNC
116 Donna K. Kansas
116 Eric J. #2 UNC
116 Connie R. #2 Duke
114 Joey W. #4 Lville
114 Ryan P. UCLA
114 Austin R. Kansas
112 TS #8 Kansas
112 Bob S. #4 UNC
112 Joey W. #6 Pitt
112 Jeremy N. #1 Memphis
110 Bob S. #3 Gtown
110 Steve P. Memphis
110 Ken R. #2 UCLA
106 TS #2 UNC
106 TS #5 Lville
106 Robert S. #1 UCLA
102 Joe H. #3 WI
102 Connie R. #1 UCLA
100 Bob S. #7 WI
100 Robert S. #2 UNC
98 Bob S. #6 UCLA
98 Joey W. #5 Kansas
98 Kathy S. #2 WI
98 Jeremy N. #2 WI
98 Brad S. UNC
92 Bob S. #5 UNC
90 Joey W. #3 UCLA
88 Kathy S. #4 UNC
88 Joe H. #1 UCLA
72 Erin H.* WI
68 Kathy S. #5 UCLA
18 Kathy S. #3* SD

UW's Season Comes to an End

The Badgers struggled offensively and were not able to contain Stephen Curry, and the end result was a deflating 73-56 loss. While the loss was certainly a disappointing end for Badger fans, I'm trying to keep things in perspective - remember that few people picked UW to finish anywhere near the top in the Big Ten, yet the Badgers won the conference title and tournament. It's also good to keep in mind that until Bo Ryan arrived, just getting to the NCAA Tournament was considered to be a great achievement, and now the Badgers have completed back-to-back 30-win seasons.

Here are a few of my observations from tonight's loss:

-The Badgers were never able to establish a post game. They had an advantage inside and were never able to exploit it. Credit some of that to the quick and pesky defense that Davidson played all game. They fell in love with the three-point shot early, but those shots stopped falling when they needed them the most.

-The injury and limited playing time of Trevon Hughes hurt the Badgers. Early in the game he showed an ability to drive to the hoop with ease, which later in the game could have led to easy baskets or assists. Yet one more case to support the idea that point guards are the most important piece for any tournament team.

-Davidson shot lights out, and even when a UW player was there to contest the shot, the shooter was somehow able to make the basket. It was one of those games where it seemed like the other team was getting all the breaks.

Quick Links

A story from the New York Times on Wisconsin basketball.
(Thanks to BS for the link)

A free trip to Detroit for Davidson students.

What's unique about the games in Detroit and Houston this weekend?

What happened to Tennessee?

The Journal Sentinel looks at Bo Ryan's teachings and the even matchup tonight.

tS' March Madness Pool - UPDATE!

Current scores after Thursday's games, plus the champion pick for each bracket:

120 Joey W. #8 Lville
118 Sam D. #2 UNC
114 Joey W. #1 Lville
114 Joey W. #7 UCLA
114 RGT 3 UNC
112 Mike S. UNC
112 Krista R. #2 UCLA
110 Eric J. #1 Kansas
108 TS #6 Texas
108 Robert S. #3 UCLA
108 Joey W. #2 Lville
108 Eric J. #3 Memphis
108 Ken R. #1 Duke
106 TS #3 Kansas
106 TS #7 UNC
106 Bob S. #1 Kansas
106 Jon P. Kansas
106 Sam D. #3 Memphis
106 Krista R. #1 UNC
104 Bob S. #3 Gtown
104 Bob S. #8 Tenn
104 Robert S. #4 UNC
104 Robert S. #5 Kansas
104 Kathy S. #1 WI
104 Sam D. #1 UNC
102 TS #1 WI
102 Joey W. #4 Lville
102 Joe H. #2 UNC
102 Austin R. Kansas
100 TS #8 Kansas
100 Bob S. #2 Tenn
100 Bob S. #4 UNC
100 Robert S. #1 UCLA
100 Joey W. #6 Pitt
100 Daniel T. UCLA
98 TS #4 UCLA
98 Kathy S. #2 WI
98 Donna K. Kansas
98 Eric J. #2 UNC
98 Connie R. #2 Duke
98 Ken R. #2 UCLA
96 Ryan P. UCLA
94 TS #2 UNC
94 TS #5 Lville
94 Jeremy N. #1 Memphis
92 Bob S. #6 UCLA
92 Steve P. Memphis
92 Brad S. UNC
90 Joe H. #3 WI
88 Bob S. #7 WI
88 Robert S. #2 UNC
88 Kathy S. #4 UNC
86 Bob S. #5 UNC
86 Joey W. #5 Kansas
86 Jeremy N. #2 WI
84 Joey W. #3 UCLA
84 Connie R. #1 UCLA
82 Joe H. #1 UCLA
68 Kathy S. #5 UCLA
66 Erin H. WI
18 Kathy S. #3* SD

For The Record

Instead of picking who I think will win (which is obviously a futile exercise), I thought I'd share who I would like to win this weekend. Here are a few matchups I'd like to see later in the Tournament:

1. Final Four - Wisconsin vs. Washington St.

Two similar teams, a wealth of intriguing storylines, and a big "stick-it-to-'em" to all of the college basketball analysts that dump on these two teams.

2. Final Four - Wisconsin vs. Tennessee

Bruce Pearl vs. Bo Ryan, in a matchup of two former UW-Milwaukee head coaches.

3. Final Four - Texas vs. UCLA

I would love to watch the nation's two best point guards play against each other (D.J. Augustin vs. Darren Collison), especially because I missed the game back in December when Texas won by 2 points.

4. National Championship - Wisconsin vs. UCLA

What better way for the Badgers to win their first national title since 1941, than against the fabled program of UCLA? Not to mention the fact that this would be one of the greatest defensive matchups in recent history.

March Madness Continues Tonight

The third round of the Tournament kicks off tonight with four games. Friday will feature four more games, and Saturday and Sunday will both feature two regional finals.

March Madness is such a great time of the year, but there are still some things that I'm not looking forward to in the next few days (more commercials, shots of Stephen Curry's mother on TV, watching all of my brackets get busted). Hopefully all of the things that I am looking forward to will not disappoint:

1. Badgers, Badgers, Badgers

There's a very good chance that UW fans will get to watch the Badgers twice this weekend. They play Davidson on Friday, 6:10 pm, and should the Badgers advance they would meet the winner of Kansas/Villanova on Sunday. The last time UW was playing for a shot at the Final Four was in 2005 (a team featuring someone I recently interviewed). Badger fans are also lucky in that Gus Johnson will be announcing UW's games on TV for CBS.

2. Michael Flowers vs. Stephen Curry

In his four years at UW, Flowers has had the opportunity to guard some of the nation's best guards. He will no doubt be tested once again tomorrow night by Curry, who collected 70 points in Davidson's first two Tournament games. It will be interesting to see how Flowers and the rest of the Badgers do against Curry and how it will impact the result of the game. Even if Curry collects 30 or 40 points, he's going to need help from the rest of his teammates in order for Davidson to advance.

3. Offense vs. Defense

Whether it's fair or not, North Carolina and Washington St. are both teams that have been criticized for being too focused on one aspect of the game. Some analysts have called the defense of UNC uninspiring, and some analysts have said the same about Washington St.'s offense. Even though it's a cliche, this game will be one of tempo. If Washington St. is able to disrupt and disturb the UNC offense this game could be a lot closer than a lot of experts are predicting.

4. Small vs. Big

Texas has been one of my favorite teams to watch this year, and it's mostly because of the stellar backcourt of D.J. Augustin and A.J. Abrams. Texas depends heavily on the play of these two, while Stanford will depend heavily on the inside game of the Lopez twins. Just like the Marquette/Stanford contest, this is a game that features many unique matchups. Hopefully when Texas and Stanford clash, it will be just as exciting.

5. UCLA

UCLA has not looked as dominant as UNC and Kansas have so far in the Tournament, and came close to an early exit against Texas A&M. It will be interesting to see how they respond against Western Kentucky, the Tournament's real Cinderella (a No. 12 seed). W. Kentucky has nothing to lose at this point, which could be dangerous for UCLA. The best case-scenario for UCLA would be to jump out to an early 20-point lead in the first half, which would allow them, their fans, and everyone who picked them to win it all, to breath a little easier.

6. Watching Memphis Shoot Free Throws

Do you remember a few years ago when Memphis guard Darius Washington missed a free throw to send the Tigers into the NCAA Tournament? That was a truly gut-wrenching scene. This year, Memphis' woes at the free throw line have been more comical. But as the stakes get higher and the opponents get tougher, someone from Memphis' team will likely be in that same situation as Washington was in a few years ago - except with the stakes a tad higher.

7. The Final Four

At the end of the weekend, the Sweet Sixteen will be whittled down to the Final Four. There are so many talented teams still alive right now that won't be playing next weekend, and it will be very interesting to see how it all shakes out. A lot of people think this could be the first year that all #1 seeds advance, but I don't see that happening, especially with the tough road ahead for Memphis. It will also be interesting to see what conferences are represented in the Final Four. I know a lot of people in this area of the country are hoping for two Big Ten teams to advance, which would be a nightmare for a lot of the so-called expert analysts.

Quick Links - Badger Edition

UWBadgers.com has posted a few interesting videos, including some behind-the-scenes stuff.

ESPN1070.com has some audio from interviews with Kirk Penney, Jay Bilas, and Steve Lavin; plus Bo Ryan, Brian Butch, and Michael Flowers from Monday's press conference.

Mark Stewart on Michael Flowers.

ESPN.com has a story on UW.

Finally, if you haven't seen Bo Ryan's "soulja boy" yet, here that is; plus an old favorite.

tS' March Madness Pool

Wondering how many people picked San Diego to win the National Championship? Well, it was one. Wondering how many people picked all of the other teams? If yes, then you're in luck. If not, then check out my interview with Sharif Chambliss!

Champion Picks (teams eliminated are in italics):

UNC – 15
UCLA – 13
Kansas – 9
Wisconsin – 7
Louisville – 5
Memphis – 4
Tennessee – 2
Duke – 2
Texas – 1
Georgetown – 1
Pittsburgh – 1
San Diego – 1

Quick Links

UW playing the role of Goliath.

Mark Stewart looks at Davidson.

Haven't heard about Stephen Curry yet?

Andy Katz examines the 16 teams remaining.

Meet Joey Dorsey from Memphis.

Stewart Mandel also looks at the remaining contenders.

tS' March Madness Pool - UPDATE!

Here are the current scores for my pool:

Sam D. #2 100
TS #6 96
Joey W. #8 96
RGT 3 96
Eric J. #3 96
Ken R. #1 96
TS #7 94
Krista R. #2 94
Robert S. #4 92
Kathy S. #1 92
Kathy S. #2 92
Eric J. #1 92
Robert S. #3 90
Joey W. #1 90
Joey W. #7 90
Joe H. #2 90
TS #3 88
Bob S. #1 88
Bob S. #2 88
Daniel T. 88
Jon P. 88
Mike S. 88
Sam D. #3 88
Krista R. #1 88
Bob S. #3 86
Bob S. #8 86
Donna K. 86
Sam D. #1 86
Connie R. #2 86
TS #1 84
Joey W. #2 84
Joey W. #4 84
Ryan P. 84
TS #2 82
TS #5 82
TS #8 82
Bob S. #4 82
Bob S. #7 82
Robert S. #1 82
Robert S. #2 82
Joey W. #6 82
Jeremy N. #1 82
TS #4 80
Bob S. #6 80
Robert S. #5 80
Steve P. 80
Eric J. #2 80
Brad S. 80
Ken R. #2 80
Joe H. #3 78
Austin R. 78
Kathy S. #4 76
Bob S. #5 74
Joey W. #5 74
Jeremy N. #2 74
Joey W. #3 72
Connie R. #1 72
Joe H. #1 70
Erin H. 66
Kathy S. #5 62
Kathy S. #3* 18

*Indicates a finished bracket

Interview: SHARIF CHAMBLISS

Though he only played one season for the University of Wisconsin, Sharif Chambliss had a tremendous impact on the men’s basketball program. In the 2004-05 season, Chambliss averaged 7.5 points per game, and led the team with 95 assists. The senior team captain, who transferred from Penn State, helped lead the Badgers to a 25-9 overall record, 11-5 in the Big Ten. In the 2005 NCAA Tournament, he and the Badgers came within one game of the Final Four, losing 88-82 to the eventual national champions, North Carolina. Chambliss averaged 9 points in UW’s four tournament games, including a 15-point performance against Northern Iowa in the first round, hitting 5 three-pointers. I recently was able to ask Sharif some questions about the 2005 Tournament and his thoughts on this year’s UW team.

TS: What are your favorite memories from the 2005 NCAA Tournament?

Sharif Chambliss: The whole experience overall was just amazing. Having a chance to end my career the way I wanted, and leaving it all out on the floor was awesome. Also, being able to share it with my family and close friends was more than I could ask for.


TS: From a player’s perspective, what is the Tournament experience like? Is it hectic? Are you able to step back and enjoy it, or is it mostly business as usual?

SC: The Tournament is a lot of fun, but it always seems like you have something going on. Nothing wrong with it at all. We did a lot of media stuff with us being seniors. You are definitely able to enjoy it. You try hard and stay focused, because the goal is not just to get to the Tournament, but to win it all; and that goes game by game.


TS: What do you think are some of the important qualities a team must possess in order to make a run in the Tournament?

SC: I believe obviously you have to great team chemistry, know what your strengths and weaknesses are, and be able to feed positively off of each other. You need great guards and solid big men, and to top all of that off, a great leader that everyone believes in as a coach.


TS: What are your thoughts on this year’s Badger team? How do they compare to the team you played on at UW?

SC: The team this year has defied the media’s odds and a lot of people’s thoughts on them. They go out and win the Big Ten outright, and take the Big Ten Tournament…and now are on their way to the Sweet Sixteen by beating a good Kansas State team, with arguably the most dominate player in Michael Beasley. What more do you want?


TS: A common criticism that a lot of basketball analysts direct at UW teams, is that they play “ugly.” What are your thoughts on this?

SC: If winning is ugly, let me sign up for it! Call it what you want to call it, but I have never played on a team that has won and we call that win ugly.


TS: What makes Bo Ryan such a successful coach? What were the most important lessons you learned from your time at UW?

SC: Coach Ryan is a great communicator and he knows the game of basketball. A lot of his coaching theories are based around the early fundamentals of the game, and keeping the game simple. He is a great leader and coach, but an even better person.


TS: What are you doing now at UWM? Do you think coaching at any level will be in your future?

SC: I am now working at UWM as an Academic Mentor for mainly the men’s basketball team, and would like to start working my way into coaching.


TS: Who do you like in the Tournament this year? What are your Final Four picks? Who do you think will win the championship?

SC: After this first weekend of the Tournament, I like the Badgers obviously, because they are fundamentally solid. They have a LOT of size and guards with tournament experience. I am not quite sure what to think as far as the Final Four is concerned, but I am excited to follow the rest of the Tournament as it goes on.

Exclusive Interview

Tomorrow I will be posting an interview with former UW basketball star Sharif Chambliss, who was kind enough to answer some questions. So be sure to check back tomorrow for his thoughts on the Tournament and this year's Badgers!

SWEETNESS!

So who wants to take a road trip to Detroit?

UW defeats Kansas St. 72-55 to advance to the Sweet 16, and will play the winner of Davidson/Georgetown next Friday in the Motor City.

The Badgers played great team defense - only two Kansas St. players scored more than 4 points. Trevon Hughes shot lights out (8-14), and Greg Stiemsma had a career day offensively to lead the Badgers to the next round.

I'm sure all Badger fans are satisfied with this win, especially with the 17-point margin of victory.

tS' March Madness Pool - UPDATE!

I have the scores for my pool posted below, so check them out and see where you rank.

Last year’s winner, Krista R., posted a score of 186 (highest score possible is 243), and second place went to Zach C. with a score of 183. Krista won $34.00 and Zach collected $15.00. I dubbed last year as the “worst NCAA Tournament of all-time” on my website last year – the Badgers lost in the second round, I hated watching the national championship game between Florida and Ohio State, and for the first time ever, I failed to finish in the top ten in the pool (my best scores were 11th, 12th, and 13th place).

Last year was also the lowest amount of money that had ever been collected for my pool since the very first pool. That was when I was in the sixth grade, and three friends and I each put in a dollar and “drafted” 16 teams. If your team won the national title, you won the big prize (all $4.00!).

This year, the pool has $61.00 in the pot. The payout situation is this:

-Assuming there are no ties, first place will win $50.00, second place will win $10.00, and third place will win $1.00.

-If there is a tie for first place, those brackets will split the whole pot.

-If there is a single first place winner, but a tie for second place, I will draw a name from a hat to determine the second place prize.

If you have any questions, contact me at tssanders@gmail.com.

Here are the scores through the first round:

Robert S. #3 54
Robert S. #4 52
Bob S. #7 50
Joe H. #2 50
Joey W. #6 50
Krista R. #2 50
TS #7 50
Bob S. #1 48
Bob S. #6 48
Connie R. #2 48
Eric J. #1 48
Eric J. #3 48
Joey W. #2 48
Joey W. #4 48
Joey W. #8 48
Jon P. 48
Kathy S. #1 48
Kathy S. #2 48
Kathy S. #4 48
Ken R. #1 48
Krista R. #1 48
Mike S. 48
Robert S. #5 48
Ryan P. 48
Sam D. #2 48
Sam D. #3 48
Steve P. 48
TS #3 48
TS #4 48
TS #6 48
Bob S. #3 46
Bob S. #4 46
Bob S. #8 46
Donna K. 46
Joe H. #3 46
Joey W. #1 46
Joey W. #7 46
Robert S. #1 46
Robert S. #2 46
TS #8 46
Bob S. #2 44
Brad S. 44
Daniel T. 44
Eric J. #2 44
RGT 3 44
TS #1 44
Bob S. #5 42
Jeremy N. #1 42
Jeremy N. #2 42
Joe H. #1 42
Joey W. #5 42
Sam D. #1 42
TS #2 42
TS #5 42
Connie R. #1 40
Joey W. #3 40
Ken R. #2 40
Austin R. 38
Erin H. 38
Kathy S. #5 38
Kathy S. #3 18

March Madness - Second Round, Saturday

For those of you looking for a pool update, I will try to post the scores before the Badger game starts today. Also, for anyone interested in seeing my own picks, I will be scanning my brackets and posting those online. On to the preview of today's action:

Best Matchups

No. 6 Marquette vs. No. 3 Stanford

I'm looking forward to watching this game because of the matchup problems both teams present to each other. Stanford has the Lopez twins, two 7-footers who dominate the post area, while Marquette features a trio of very good guards. It will be interesting to see which team is able to emphasize their strengths and prevail.

No. 5 Michigan St. vs. No. 4 Pittsburgh

Both of these teams are on a roll right now and playing some of their best basketball of the season. Tonight's game will most likely be a very physical contest, and whoever emerges as the winner will have a great shot at potentially upsetting Memphis in the Sweet Sixteen.


My Picks (3-7 overall)

Yesterday was a pretty rough one for picking games, and I went 0-5. I guarantee at least one of these will be right today:

No. 2 Duke beats No. 7 West Virginia
No. 5 Notre Dame beats No. 4 Washington St.
No. 3 Stanford beats No. 6 Marquette
No. 4 Pittsburgh beats No. 5 Michigan St.
No. 1 UCLA beats No. 9 Texas A&M


Quick Links

A preview of today's UW-Kansas St. game.

Michael Hunt discusses issues surrounding Michael Beasley.

A look at Washington St.'s defense.

Friday Recap

What a weird and wild day Friday was! Two No. 12 seeds and two No. 13 seeds advanced, and all four of those teams played their games in Tampa. Two games went into overtime and both produced thrilling results - Western Kentucky over Drake and San Diego over UConn. 32 teams are left standing as we head into the second round.

Best Win

No. 12 Villanova, against No. 5 Clemson

There are a lot of choices for Friday's best win, but Villanova was down by 18 points at one time, and managed to come back despite being undersized and relying on basically two players for offense. Scottie Reynolds showed incredible poise for a sophomore and took his team on his back to carry them to the next round.


Worst Loss

No. 4 Vanderbilt, to No. 13 Siena

The fact that Vanderbilt lost wasn't as shocking as how much they lost by. Siena shot 56.5 % from the field, and hit 22 of 25 free throws to defeat Vanderbilt, 83-62.


Best Individual Performance

Stephen Curry, Davidson

There were a lot of great individual performances to choose from today, but Curry scored 40 points, and hit 8 of the 10 three-pointers he attempted to lead Davidson to the upset of Gonzaga. The only thing that dampened his performance, was having to watch his mom's performance in the stands.


Seth Davis Smugness Watch

5/10

Before the first game started today, Davis confidently announced that 5 upsets would happen: Davidson, Siena, St. Joe's, St. Mary's, and South Alabama. Two of those came true. At the end of the day, it seemed like Davis took credit for predicting all of the day's upsets. Smugness level rising quickly.