Day 3

1:59 - Mississippi State manhandles LSU. Sick, way to go Kentucky, could have been you.

1:47 - They haven't been on the last 4 or 8 out yet because they haven't done anything to warrant a bid, Jimmy.

1:43 - I remember when someone wrote an article about Florida getting a 2 seed in January. This was under the assumption that they ran the table in the SEC and the SEC tournament. Great call.

1:37 - Florida State turns it over 15.7 times a game, a rate of 22.5% of their possessions - never a good sign for a team who can look so good. Sounds like a bad match-up could send them home early.

1:36 - Thornton has body control that Meeks needs, Meeks has the quicks that Thornton needs. Thornton will be a solid NBA player - reminds me of Mario Chalmers actually.

1:35 - Garrett Temple is the most underrated defender in this conference.

1:33 - Thoughts on Marcus Thornton's NBA prospects?

1:31 - Mississippi State looking to put this game away, and can't say I'm all that surprised. They've had some bad breaks this year and deserve a few good ones. On that note, think this is the first time ESPN has ever had any SEC tournament games (outside of the next 15 years).

1:18 - Thank you Lunardi for actually putting Auburn up there. How many times do you have to deny Auburn before backtracking hardcore? After the regular season it was "no chance Auburn fans have no hope" now after one win it's looking likely? Come on.

1:15 - As I said, Mississippi State should not have been as bad as they were this year. There's no question about it.

1:13 - UNC is still a very good team without Lawson, but not great. It's clear the difference he makes to this team.

1:12 - In order to win championships you have to have swagger in the same way Toney Douglas does.

1:11 - Oh and USC. Tim Floyd did yet another brilliant coaching job this year with the talent he has.

1:06 - And I'm awake. No real reason to wake up unless you wanted to see Memphis take care of business for the 13346th time in the Conference USA. Who are we rooting for today? The underdogs. Miss. State, Baylor, Maryland. Love to see, now that Kentucky is nowhere near the bubble, teams come out of nowhere and steal bids. Should be a fun day.

8:11 - I'll be back later, but Maryland just brought it...one of the few bubble teams to really stand up and say they actually want a bid. Congrats to them.

7:42 - I'll never understand why teams as talented as Wake, yet inexperienced have so much difficulty having consistency. Don't give me the "senior leadership" argument either.

7:40 - Gary Williams can coach, there's no question about that. The guy is going through a Tubby Smith faze unfortunately. Not playing the AAU game will get you way behind. It's too bad because I respect the guy more than most, but afraid he's going to be gone someday because of his inability to adapt to modern age.

7:31 - Louisville outscored Villanova by 15 in the first 5 minutes. Who wants to play this team?

7:28 - Maryland making the committee know they want into the tournament...haven't really seen the game much, but I imagine it's classic Wake Forest inconsistency. 

7:22 - Good win by Illinois, basic domination from start to finish - play the winner of Penn State/Purdue, a team they got swept by and a team they swept. I'd like to see Penn State win so they can solidify their bid and also so we can see another 38-33 showdown.

7:19 - Poor Legion. 

7:14 - Key word Louisville - patience!

7:12 - 13-0 run as Michigan has begun to play loosely and Illinois contracted the McCamey sleep disease.

7:03 - On that note, anyone who was claiming Weber a bad coach in his down years are eating their words now. College basketball is all about recruiting, that's it, and Weber hadn't done it well - that should have been where the criticism started and ended. Now? It's not a problem. Jerrance Howard is to thank.

7:01 - Funny how after '05 Weber has gone from offensive genius to defensive genius. 

7:00 - Michigan is so not passing the "eye" test right now. Just sayin'.

6:57 - Jamal Crawford still has eligibility right?

6:55 - I may not watch enough, but does anyone think Beilein's system doesn't allow Harris enough room to do what he can? Of course he still gets it done, but he's talented enough to do it in any system, and if there's anything I've learned it's that coaches have issues forming a system around their players. Something to think about.

6:51 - Michigan is a pretty sad team when they get behind, they're just letting Illinois walk all over them...it hurts that they don't have a legitimate PG. I say they have Harris bring the ball up, decision making aside. Get something going.

6:43 - Davis is a major defensive problem for Michigan, they don't have anyone with his size, length, or athleticism to guard him. And Weber is making Michigan pay for it. On that note, do Tisdale and Davis ever miss 12-footers?

6:40 - Louisville tends to give up on their game plan to easily when they get behind, relying on jump shots rather than what they do well with their length and athleticism. This is usually spearheaded by Williams, and he needs to stop it. He needs to do what he does well - be a playmaker.

6:37 - Why doesn't Manny Harris use his talent on a guy not nearly as talented (Brock)? It makes little sense. He shows flashes of being a stud and then disappears for long stretches that Michigan can't afford. His decision making must improve.

6:32 - They bring up a good point...Villanova really is a bunch of unknowns who are all extremely talented. Not flashy (outside of Fisher's streetball moments) but they all get the job done. Although I have to ask, has Scottie Reynolds progressed much, if at all, since Freshman year?

6:30 - Three fouls on James Johnson in 10 minutes. How can Gaudio leave him in after a quick two? It amazes me how young, big guys have such problems staying out of foul trouble.

6:27 - Who else thinks Vazquez and Devendorf would be great friends?

6:24 - Which Wake team will show up today? Think it'll be the one who dominated UNC from start to finish or the one who let Jack McClinton walk all over them? So far it's the latter, but this team has no reason they shouldn't be a consistent top 5 team. Only thing they're missing is consistent outside shooting, but right now they have 3 NBA first round players in their starting lineup, no excuses.

6:21 - Shane Clark just airballed a lay-up. Yeah, it just happened.

6:19 - Remember when Louisville got killed by Western Kentucky and lost to UNLV and Minnesota? Yeah, neither do I.

6:17 - 25-24 Illinois at half, both teams visibly lacking anyone to create, and Manny Harris not surprisingly settling for jumpers rather than using his NBA-type skills.

6:15 - Legion already benched. He's a pathetic defender.

6:13 - Alex Legion is a sad case. He knows what he's doing on the floor even less than McCamey, just with less talent. He needs to let the game come to him rather than shoot as much as possible in the minutes he actually does play.

6:10 - By the way, Allan Ray's eye is still rolling around MSG.

6:09 - Villanova is definitely taking over as "Guard U", there's a never ending supply for Jay Wright and that's why he has been able to maintain such consistency. Huge fan of him.

6:05 - Louisville/Villanova is about to be a massive game. Two high powered offenses for different reasons loaded with talent at every position. Williams is underrated in my book, but his statline is as impressive as they come. 

Louisville 87 Villanova 81

6:03 - I'm not a fan of McCamey running the point for more offense, he's not near smart enough to lead a team when he has no idea whath e's doing from play to play. He's a playmaker when he thinks, but it's rare.

6:01 - Everyone can learn from Davis's moves. His floaters and turn arounds are all money.

5:56 - We need to get a few "RISE AND FIRE!"s from Gus.

5:52 - Most improved player this year is definitely Mike Davis, a major reason this team won 6 more Big Ten games than last year.

5:49 - Nothing looks better than when Illinois runs their offense like they should. Weber offense is great.

5:46 - Should probably check the facts but I think Harris is the only player to have a triple-double with turnovers.

5:44 - McCamey isn't sleepwalking today, good to hear.

5:43 - 6,000 calories diet. 6,000

5:42 - Gus Johnson shout-out!

5:41 - Last year I stated - "Frazier after three years is still trying to be Dee Brown, poor form." I'm hear today to tell you I'm wrong.

5:39 - Key to the game "contain Meacham". I think I speak for most when I say huh?

5:35 - Illinois/Michigan upcoming...not having Frazier will be huge for Illinois, one of the best defenders in Big Ten and their undisputed leader. McCamey can't survive without constant guidance, let's see if his head is actually there today.

Prediction - Illinois 56 Michigan 52

4:35 - I'll be back soon...

4:30 - The possibility of two bids for the SEC is getting higher and higher, absolutely pathetic for a high major conference. Homers will say they beat each other up - yeah, bad teams beating on worse teams. None of these teams besides LSU and sometimes Tennessee deserve a bid. You know it's bad when a team goes 10-6 in their conference and has almost no chance of an at-large (Auburn).

4:27 - You know Kentucky is still relevant when the major headline of the day thus far is "KENTUCKY STRUGGLES". I guess any pub is good pub, but it's worthless to say they're "irrelevant" as a program. All great programs go through lulls (sup UNC 8-20).

4:25 - Why don't teams foul more before the ball gets into play? Sure you play for a steal, but that is very, very rare. Besides, half these teams even forget to foul when they need to and allow way too much time run off.

4:22 - Downey just, and I quote, "dribble drived". Thanks for the plug guys!

4:22 - Here comes a free throw shooting contest. It's 4:22 now, 1:29 to go. Let's see how long this takes.

4:18 - I don't know what it is, but Miss. State makes USC look like they don't know how to play basketball. They just wait for a defensive breakdown and hope it happens before the shot clock runs out, it's a sad offense. They're doing a great job not allowing Downey to dictate the game like he has done so many times this year. Again, Downey makes this team look much more talented and better coached than they are.

4:13 - Darrin Horn is a good coach, but I'm not exactly excited about the talk of him being "great" because of this turnaround. When you're left with a guard like Downey and a wing like Frederick it makes the transition much easier - besides, Dave Odom was senile by the time he left.

Also, Dennis Felton did far better at WKU than Darrin Horn did and look what happened to him. It's not always a sure thing, never is.

4:07 - If South Carolina loses here and Florida wins tonight, USC is done. Just my opinion, but when your best win in non-conference play is Baylor and you are 0-3 against the top 2 teams in the SEC, you're not deserving. I won't bother to lay any more numbers on you, although against Kentucky they did pass the "eye" test!

4:05 - Raycom can't think of a better nickname for Varnado than "Swat". That's why ESPN bought them out for a 15 year SEC deal.

4:04 - Am I the only one who immediately assumes that a guy with an arm sleeve is a good shooter? 

4:01 - How can you have a team full of 3 point shooters (with NBA range), one of the best big men in the country, and a very solid freshman PG, yet not even be on the bubble for the Tournament? I realize they had some bad breaks, but that's still no excuse for this team. I guess Stansbury is still wondering why all his great players have left to go pro way too early. (Jamont Gordon, Mario Austin anyone?)

3:58 - Read my posts from last year regarding Devan Downey. Same points still apply, this guy is fantastic and is a classic case of why guards are most valuable than big men in college.

3:50 - "When a reported suggest that any UK basketball coach is a public figure with public responsibilities, Gillispie said, 'That wasn't on the job description'". Look, I know you have personality issues and whatever else may be wrong with you, but if you don't believe you need to be a public face for the most moronic fanbase on this planet, you have no clue what you're getting into.

3:48 - Not that I really care to watch, but the Ghosts of Szatko is playing America. Nice.

3:44 - The infamous "eye" test. I don't like it. If a team looks like a tournament team, but never performs like it, they're not a tournament team. It doesn't matter if you look good, it matters if you win games. That's why I get a laugh out of people discounting all the numbers used to determine the 34 at-large teams. There's a strong correlation between winning and making the tournament - figure it out.

3:42 - Losing Lighty crushed this OSU team, but let's be real. Are wins over Notre Dame, Miami, and Butler really wins to hang your hat on? Eh, I just think this team benefitted from the Big Ten beating each other up. Overrated conference in all reality, way below the ACC and Big East, yet still the third best conference. Sums up college basketball this year though.

3:40 - Kai looks like Thad Matta.

3:39 - Who's the better version of PJ Hill? Football or basketball?

3:38 - Let's get one of those whites to hit a three here, Wisconsin.

3:37 - And the dream dies. Shumpert thought there was like 30 seconds left. YOU GOTTA GO DUDE.

3:35 - And Hamilton draws up a nice play, shocking. Terrible defense though, they teach you to cut off baseline in 3rd grade man.

3:34 - Running a weave at the top of the key and running to the corner is what I'd do too Leonard.

3:34 - Leonard Hamilton timeout - using that NBA experience to draw up a nasty play.

3:33 - PEACOCK!

3:30 - I don't think we fully gave credit for how unbelievable Georgia's run in the SEC tournament was last year. Remember, they won 2 games in one day against two legitimate teams in Kentucky and Mississippi State (although Stansbury is TERRIBLE). Still unbelievable, something I'll never forget.

3:28 - How was a team (FSU) with so much talent picked to finish 10th in the ACC? Even Leonard Hamilton can't stop Douglas and crew.

3:25 - John Feinstein claims the Big Ten deserves two bids. Thanks for that, guy.

3:20 - I guess LSU. But still, come on. The recruiting advantage you get from making a Final Four should be enough to be a contender for awhile, not a complete joke. But congrats on Derrick Favors, Paul Hewitt. You've got work to do in one year to keep your job.

3:20 - Has any program that made a Final Four ever bottomed-out faster than Georgia Tech?

3:19 - Hm. I thought Bohannon graduated in '04. Pulling what is called a "Paul Davis".

3:17 - If anyone's listening, Lavin says "that's a bad 'straturgy'".

3:14 - Leonard Hamilton recruiting tip - recruit positions, not like 6 big guys and a walk-on PG. He finally got it these past two years. Must be that NBA experience! (19-63 career)

3:11 - Bo Ryan, you're a great coach, but are you ever going to try to make a Final Four? Example - stop recruiting big stiff white guys and no name guards who hit three's all day. It's not going to work. You're great, but try somethin' different for your sake and the fans. We hate watching you play.

3:09 - Georgia Tech channeling their inner Sundiata Gaines...

3:08 - It's been a few minutes since Jimmy Dykes said "violent cuts" and "hoss". Alert the media.

3:04 - Toney Douglas transferred from Auburn after his freshman year because they wouldn't let him play PG...good choice, Jeff Lebo. (Who did a great job with Auburn this year, for what it's worth)

3:01 - Why is the Big Ten consistently so boring? Over the past 3-4 years they've consistently been the slowest (possessions/game) in the country. A high major conference at that, get with it dudes.

2:59 - By the way, thanks for the season Kentucky, it was great, really. Meeks has his worst game of the year, Patterson continues his getting blocked party. Good luck on testing the waters guys, they're not going to tell you want you want.

2:52 - And we're back. Get ready for another Seth Greenberg meltdown about missing the tournament, folks, should be a good one. On another ACC note, it's pretty hilarious that Leonard Hamilton might get CoTY. I mean seriously, dude's brought in more talent than almost anyone in the country in the past years and has done even less with it than Mark Gottfried had. Two dynamic coaches there, hope you're having fun at home, Mark.

All right here we go...

Last spring was a test run on this blog, but now I'm going to start the real deal. To all my few loyal readers out there, I appreciate the time. Any requests on anything you want me to write/talk about let me know, I should start updating sometime this week.

The Showdown

Apologies to my loyal 4-5 readers out there who have been missing my updates. I've been gone on Spring Break with no computer to post from and realistically, no desire.

Well, here it is, the game we've all been waiting for. For once, it's clear that these are the two best teams in the nation, (okay, not clear, but you can make arguments that they are) and they both managed to win 5 straight on their way to the title game. They are both two of the best defensive teams in the country and both possess size, athleticism, depth, future NBA players, and on and on.

Seeing Rose and CDR match-up against Kansas' stud defensive perimeter players (albeit short) will be a great match-up, as well as seeing the 4 horsemen take on Taggart/Dozier/Dorsey. It's gonna be a great one folks, I'll have a full write-up on it after. Enjoy.

Prediction - Memphis 83 Kansas 78

Syracuse Meltdown - Again

First off, I'd like to mention that no one cares about the NIT. No one cares whether you're the 66th best team in the country - no, really. It helps teams get experience I guess, but watching reject teams beat up on each other in a reject tournament is pretty lame.

However, I found myself paying attention Syracuse tonight, as they underachieved all year even with a dynamic trio of Flynn/Greene/Harris, who had been known for blowing leads quite frequently. (See 7 point lead on Georgetown under 4 to play. See up 9 on Pitt with 3 to play, somehow managing to lose by 5. See first round of Big East Tournament up 9 with minute left in first half, getting outscored 55-35 in second half.) Well, up 22 with 14 minutes left to play they somehow, someway, manage to totally beat themselves and allow UMass to come back in a hurry and lose by 4. Quite a fitting end to the season for a team as erratic as they have been all year, when it should have never been that way.

I understand that they have little depth and little scoring outside of their top 4, and were unfortunate to have Devendorf go down, but there is no reason why this team shouldn't have been in the NCAA Tournament.

Jonny Flynn, a freshman, was impressive all year as he could hurt you from outside, creating off the dribble, and has great court vision in finding his teammates.

Paul Harris is a guy with incredible athleticism who was put back at his natural spot this year (Small Forward), where he could use his versatility and uncanny rebounding sense to hurt you. A guy with his athleticism and ability to hit mid-range jumpers, there's no reason why he shouldn't be getting more shots than he has, like he did near the end of the season. I love Harris and all the things he can do, and see little limitations in his game.

Donte Greene is a future lottery pick if he sticks around another year, and a first rounder most likely if he heads out this year. That's about all that needs to be said, but Boeheim was never able to or didn't realize how to control Greene. He often settled for outside shots, rather than using his size, his length, and his superior athleticism to create big time mismatches for opposing teams. It was frustrating watching a guy with his talent seemingly never knowing what he's doing out on the court and watching Boeheim never adjusting to Greene's strengths.

Arinze Onuaku is a guy who I'll admit I don't enough or much about. I do know that he thrived off of his teammates ability to get him the ball around the rim for easy lay-ins or garbage points. He plays mostly with his back to the basket and loves the hook shot. Even with his limited size of 6'9" at the 5, he seemed to be Syracuse's unsung hero for the season, and their most consistent performer, putting up 12.5 and 8.1 a game along with 64% from the field. Look out for this guy in the coming years, as he had to bounce back quickly after missing all of last season due to rehab for surgery he had on his left knee.

This team, in my opinion, probably had top 5 talent in the Big East, yet somehow Boeheim could never get them all on the same page and to perform consistently. This seems to have been a pattern with Boeheim's teams though, as a year almost never goes by without hearing about Syracuse's bubble hopes. I've always been a believer that Jim Boeheim is an overrated coach. The 2-3 zone in itself is overrated, and believe it's way past its time - basically an excuse to run a lazy man-to-man (except when used to throw different looks at offenses at various times). There's a reason he didn't have a great amount of success until Carmelo Anthony put the team on his back and single-handedly won the title for his team (apologies to McNamara and Warrick, but it's the truth).

Every year Boeheim's teams are plagued by inconsistency and a failure to get the most out of players as talented as he gets year in and year out. Ironically though, he's been lauded for his ability to get the most out of his teams - when they're less talented. These types of coaches are interesting to watch, because you never quite know what they're doing or why they can't get it done with higher talents (ie Tubby Smith). Maybe it's his stubbornness with the outdated 2-3 zone. Maybe it's his stubbornness in his entire system and the fact that he won't willingly change anything to adjust to guys like Harris. I don't know what it is, but it's mind-boggling.

The guy is a very good coach, no doubt. He's consistently produced solid teams and has won big many times, especially his '03 team (who not surprisingly was the most talented team of his time at Syracuse). But if I'm a Syracuse fan, I'm frustrated at how similar and monotonous his teams have gotten over recent years, and am concerned as to when it will change. Will he just wait for his next Carmelo to really get something done? Who knows, but for now, he has to convince Greene, Flynn, and Harris to come back next year in order to have a shot next year.

Round 2, Day 1

Seems to be the most consistently exciting day every year...not sure why, but it has been for awhile now, and today didn't disappoint. My bracket is an absolute wreck at this point, but by now I just want to see some good basketball regardless of the outcome.

Xavier/Purdue - Well, Xavier proved something to me. I thought Purdue's size, along with the amount of shooters they possess, would be able to handle Xavier. The Musketeers used their quickness and ability to get out in transition off of forced turnovers to keep Purdue in check. Although Xavier has never been known for their frontline, they were even able to take advantage of Purdue with their dominance in size relative to both teams. Not having an interior post presence was heavily missed on Purdue's defensive sets, as Xavier continued to pound it inside for easy baskets without much of a contest. I'm sure Painter will have this problem covered.

Duke/West Virginia - It never gets old seeing Duke go out early in the tournament. 2 years ago they go out as the #1 overall seed to a much more athletic team in LSU. A year ago they go out as a 5 seed in the first round to a much quicker, athletic team in VCU. This year they go out as a 2 seed in the second round to a team who again exploited the total lack of anything resembling a post presence on both sides of the floor. Joe Alexander is a tough match for anyone, as he has the skills of a guard in the body of a power forward, and he used this to his advantage wisely. Duke relied heavily on the perimeter shot all year long, and the saying "live and die by the three" had never been truer than it was in this game, as they missed shot after shot after shot, leading to WVU transition points and long droughts of scoring. You would think after awhile you would get the ball to the two players who West Virginia would easily have the toughest time matching up with - Henderson and Nelson - yet he stuck with the game plan; not much of one. It was only fitting to see yet another overrated Duke team go out early, as Coach K's teams are becoming known for their reputation for flaming out in February and on full burn out in March. It never gets old.

Marquette/Stanford - After an odd sequence in which Trent Johnson was given a double technical and thrown out of the game, Stanford struggled heavily. Marquette used their quickness in the backcourt to try to run the Lopez twins out of the game, and for awhile it worked. They were hitting outside shots (not you of course, Dominic James) and were able to use this ability to counteract whatever Stanford threw at them. Brook Lopez had early foul trouble in the first half, and was held to 2 points, allowing Marquette to jump out to an early 11 point lead, but once he got started it never stopped. Scoring 28 of his 30 points in the second half and overtime, he presented a problem Marquette couldn't fix. No one could guard him, but how many can? Barro tried. Hayward tried. Burke tried. But nothing worked. The only thing that worked was backup coach Doug Oliver taking out the Lopez twins for a 4 minute stretch in the second half that allowed Marquette right back into the game when it looked like they had it put away. Stanford's game plan to get it to the Lopez twins works, and they run it to perfection every game. It's simple really, and Mitch Johnson surely understands it (16 assists).

Kansas State/Wisconsin - Bo Ryan is a great coach. His teams never look like they're very good, but I challenge you to find a team who is as efficient as they are on both ends of the floor game in and game out. They may not have the most talent, but a guy like Bo Ryan has the rare ability to get the absolute most out of it. I also challenge you to find a team who hits more big shots at key moments in the game than this team does. It astounds me, as they consistently hit these big time shots and every time it's a different guy. Whether it's Hughes, Flowers, Butch, Bohannon and etc. someone can do it. Their ability to stop Beasley from doing whatever he wanted down low and allowing Kansas State (a poor 3 point shooting team) to take as many three's as they wanted was what won this game. As boring as his teams may be to watch, it's fascinating to watch a team as well-coached as they are.

Notre Dame/Washington State - The fact that Harangody shot 3/17 from the floor, a guy as consistent as he has been all year, is the only thing that needs to be said about this game. Washington State, who lacks a true force down low, was able to force Harangody out of his comfort zone - whether it was double teaming him, forcing him away from the basket, or making him play as a face-up forward, it worked. He's the anchor for Notre Dame, and once he stopped going, so did Notre Dame. This allowed Wazzu to dominate from beginning to end. I will be the first to tell you I underestimated WSU's defense.

UNLV/Kansas - Not much to say about this game really. Kansas rolls, as is expected, and will continue to roll as they face the winner of Villanova/Siena, neither of which presents any sort of match-up problem or anything resembling an issue. The only thing to mention is that when fully healthy, Sherron Collins is highly underrated.

Pittsburgh/Michigan State - I know Michigan State is fairly athletic and Izzo's teams have always been known for how well they perform on the glass, but how in the world did Pittsburgh allow themselves to be outrebounded 33-20? No one was in foul trouble or anything. Sam Young grabbed just 1 rebound, as this set the tone for the entire game. It seemed out of reach for Pittsburgh almost the entire second half, as Michigan State rode Kalin Lucas' and Drew Neitzel's shooting to victory. Not to pinpoint anything, but Ronald Ramon's shot selection has been and was a problem for Pittsburgh, as he took three's way out of his range at times when they were not needed. Also, it didn't help that they had just 4 assists on a mere 17 field goals made. With guys as big as Young and Blair down low, it shouldn't be very tough to get them the ball - but Michigan State's quickness was able to shut down this area of their offense. And it worked.

Texas A&M/UCLA - Yes, UCLA won this game, but for a team most have coined a team meant to win it, they sure didn't look like it. All game long they struggled to score in long stretches, and luckily for them A&M was just as bad. Why did Josh Shipp only get 4 shots? For a guy who is a very capable scorer and has been all year long, presenting a match-up problem with someone who possesses his size and his athleticism, they sure looked like they didn't know how to use him. That's not going to work when they get deeper into the tournament and play teams who have actually proven themselves to be a very good team (no offense A&M, but you've been horrible all year). UCLA's defense is still outstanding, as Ben Howland's teams are known for this, and their talent can win plenty of games by itself, but their continued trend of playing to the level of their opponent is something I would be worried about if I were a Bruin fan. I have them winning it all and don't see that changing, but I would not be surprised at all if they fall earlier than expected.

Day 2

Day two is officially over, and in general it was much more exciting than Day 1. There weren't nearly the amount of blowouts, actual contested games, upsets, and buzzer beats - something March Madness is made of.

The day started off with one of most entertaining games we'd seen thus far of the tournament in Davidson/Gonzaga. Now it wasn't exactly a secret that Stephen Curry was a very good player and one of the best shooters in the country, but I'm not sure anyone knew he was this good. He was impressive in the first half with a nice 10 points, but in the second half he took over, scoring 30 of Davidson's 46. Every single time he touched the ball you just knew he was going to score. It was that type of game for this kid - he was unconscious. Clearly one of the purest strokes around, it amazes me that no other big time D-I school discovered this kid, especially given that his dad, Dell, was one of the better shooters the NBA has ever seen. He was smooth, he was calm, and he lulled Gonzaga to sleep with his seemingly lackadaisical attitude before hitting shot after shot after shot. At the 14:50 mark in the second half, with Davidson down just 11 with the ball, Billy Packer was quoted as saying "this is a dangerous time for Davidson, they can't let it slip away too fast!". First off, there was way too much time to say that, and second, when you have a shooter like Stephen who is liable to go off at any time, you can never put them to rest. And he proved exactly that.

By the way Gonzaga, would you stop losing so early in the tournament? I mean, I don't mind it, and there was a reason you were slept on this year unlike in years past, but stop trying to make a claim as being one of the top programs in the country when you struggle so heavily so often in the tournament. You're a cut above a high level mid-major team, but nothing else until proven otherwise.

Western Kentucky-Drake was the game of the tournament, no question. It was a blowout for much of the way. Down 16 with 11 minutes left, Drake started hitting shots and clawed their way back slowly. Western Kentucky was careless with the ball and tried everything to give the game away, allowing Drake to force overtime. In overtime it looked like Drake had finally taken control of the game and was ready to put it away until a few big shots by Tyrone Brazelton (who was on fire all game, putting up 33) and the final play run to perfection to Ty Rogers, of all people, who connected from way, way out to win it. An unbelievable game, involving a record 30 combined 3 pointers made, by 2 of the top mid-majors in the country all year long. Although I dislike how the committee pairs up mid-majors in the first round every year, this certainly made for an epic battle, and was well worth it.

Butler was clearly pissed about their seeding. They embarrassed a team who was a trendy upset pick and who many even had advancing over Tennessee...well so much for that. This team is a scary match-up for Tennessee, who has struggled so badly all year long both defending and scoring in half-court sets. Butler thrives at both of these. It will be interesting to watch the talent and athleticism of Tennessee face up with the smarts and patience of the Bulldogs. An upset here wouldn't be surprising in the least.

An awful showing by Connecticut. Props to San Diego for the upset, who has been a rather underrated team ever since their abysmal start in the non-conference, but this was bad. I understand AJ Price is their leader, their front man, their point guard, and the guy who creates the opportunities for everyone, but guys like Austrie and Wiggins needed to step up in his place. San Diego is a solid team, no doubt, but there's no way Thabeet and Adrien should have been relatively shut down by guys like Pomare and Jones. Those guys are decent talents, but it was clear when Adrien and Thabeet got the ball, they couldn't be stopped. UConn looked heartless once Price went down. Rather than giving themselves a chance to win it for him, to prove it's not all about Price, they widdled away slowly. They let the game slip away as San Diego seemed to care so much more than Connecticut did. I don't know what the problem was, but it was ugly, and Calhoun can't be very happen - AJ Price or not.

I'd like to again express my disdain for Vanderbilt. They proved the point I've been trying to make all year: away from Memorial Gymnasium this team is worthless. They can't shoot, they can't defend, and they play afraid. They play so passive, let the other team determine the tempo and they go along with it. It's quite entertaining to watch, as it is so predictable to watch Stallings team look so unprepared for what's to come. Siena completely and utterly dominated this game. Vanderbilt did not lead one time. Wonderful Vanderbilt. Props to Siena for the win, as Hasbrouck and Fisher presented two problems that couldn't be stopped. Vanderbilt never seemed to even give an effort. Congrats Vandy.

Speaking of teams who barely seemed to give forth an effort, heres to Indiana for looking asleep and to Eric Gordon for regressing more and more as it got further and further into the season. Gordon looked awfully content taking unnecessary 35 foot three's when he can step forward a good 2 or 3 full steps, being passive when he needed to be aggressive, and still having no clue how to get his teammates involved. He's eventually going to be a very good player, no doubt, but for what he was billed to be he was by far the most disappointing player all year.

Indiana followed Gordon's path as they coasted their way to a lose, allowing Arkansas to dictate the tempo all game long and never figuring out how to handle Arkansas' athleticism and penetration. 33 FT attempts to Indiana's 12 sounds like your typical Big Ten officiated game, but this was more a case of Arkansas knowing how to exploit Indiana's lazy defense. I feel bad for DJ White who went down fighting, along with Bassett who you felt would never miss a shot, but this team was not supposed to win. Half of them reeked of a team with no heart, no passion, and didn't seem to care one bit about whether they won or lost. Once Sampson was given the axe and Dakich took over, they felt they had nothing to play for. No pride, no dignity. I feel for Indiana fans, as Kentucky fans had felt this for the last 2 years. It's pathetic, and I hope for them they get a coach who will bring back the fire and pride that Indiana is made of.

Good win by Villanova, but my lord how bad are Oliver Purnell and Terence Oglesby? Villanova's weakness is in their frontcourt, yet they don't attack it at all. Mays and Booker, who combined for 34 and 11 in a big win over Duke last weekend (who also lacks anything resembling a frontcourt, apologies to Brian Zoubek) combined for 10 and 7 on a total of 6 shots. Yeah, you heard that right. Purnell decided to rely on his own backcourt, which isn't quite as quick or as talented as Villanova's, and his lame trapping attempts to beat them. It worked at the beginning, but Villanova fought back, and once it was apparent to Clemson that Nova wasn't going away, they folded - not surprising however, as this has been a common theme for the Tigers all year. Purnell just never knew how to tap into this teams potential. Sure, they got a 5 seed, but this team is talented at every position and is incredibly versatile.

And about Oglesby? He had the classic case of "let's see how far I can make this three from" that has plagued guys like Chris Lofton and Eric Gordon. It was hilarious to see him take shot after shot early in the shot clock, contested, and never running any sort of offense before attempting. In 19 minutes he fired up 11 shots, making just 1-8 from 3. Wonderful. The saying is "shooters keep shooting", but once it starts killing your team, it needs to stop. Bad decisions plagued this Clemson team, as they did all year.

It was an entertaining round 1. Not one of the best, that's for sure, but it had its moments - but I'm ready for round 2. The Saturday of the second round seems to be the most consistently fun day of the tournament. Don't ask why, but it does. A bunch of great games tomorrow, and I know I'm ready. Hope you are too.