Final two spots filled for the Final Four today. Higher seeds listed first.
Louisville/Michigan State - Louisville
Michigan State 64, Louisville 52. 0-1 for Elite 8. Michigan State certainly proved me wrong, whom I had going out in the second round to USC. An amazing effort against arguably the best all-around team all season long.
North Carolina/Oklahoma - North Carolina
North Carolina 72, Oklahoma 60. 1-1 for Elite 8. 1-3 Total. And the Tar Heels are my lone correct selection for the Final Four. Thank goodness for them. Blake Griffin is going to make one NBA team very happy, despite being triple teamed most trips down the floor he literally kept his team in the game.
Note: North Carolina is the lone Final Four team that I selected from the beginning to still be alive after Pitt's loss last night. I selected the Tar Heels to win it all - so with my luck this year I am probably thinking a Sooners victory, but I went with my original selection.
Showing posts with label March Madness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label March Madness. Show all posts
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
March Madness Round 4.1
The Elite Eight gets underway today and will put two teams in the illustrious Final Four. My picks of the games are listed below - the higher seed is listed first.
Pittsburgh/Villanova - Pittsburgh
Villanova 78, Pittsburgh 76. 0-1 for Round 4. This game will probably go down as a classic, due to Scottie Reynolds near buzzer beater to send Villanova to the Final Four. Pittsburgh finally played closer to their potential, but is still a better team than Villanova is - especially to lose to them twice.
Connecticut/Missouri - Missouri
Connecticut 82, Missouri 75. 0-2 for Round 4. Missouri was in the game the entire time, but just couldn't get themselves over the hump. Two Big East teams in the Final Four - with another possibly heading there tonight.
Notes: Despite Pittsburgh playing horribly so far, and losing to Villanova already this season, I feel this is a great game for them to wake up and show their true colors. I selected Purdue to win the Connecticut region, but with them going out and Missouri showing just how good they can be - I am going with the upset.
Pittsburgh/Villanova - Pittsburgh
Villanova 78, Pittsburgh 76. 0-1 for Round 4. This game will probably go down as a classic, due to Scottie Reynolds near buzzer beater to send Villanova to the Final Four. Pittsburgh finally played closer to their potential, but is still a better team than Villanova is - especially to lose to them twice.
Connecticut/Missouri - Missouri
Connecticut 82, Missouri 75. 0-2 for Round 4. Missouri was in the game the entire time, but just couldn't get themselves over the hump. Two Big East teams in the Final Four - with another possibly heading there tonight.
Notes: Despite Pittsburgh playing horribly so far, and losing to Villanova already this season, I feel this is a great game for them to wake up and show their true colors. I selected Purdue to win the Connecticut region, but with them going out and Missouri showing just how good they can be - I am going with the upset.
March Madness Round 3.2
Round 3's Second Day games. Higher seed listed first.
Louisville/Arizona - Louisville
Louisville 103, Arizona 64. Round 3 Day 2 1-0. Once and for all I believe we can put to rest that Arizona truly belonged in this tournament. What a shellacking Louisville put on them - which makes 4 Big East teams into the Elite 8.
Michigan State/Kansas - Kansas
Michigan State 67, Kansas 62. Round 3 Day 2 1-1. In probably the only good game of round three's second day, the Spartans clawed their way back to knock off the defending champion Jayhawks.
Oklahoma/Syracuse - Oklahoma
Oklahoma 84, Syracuse 71. Round 3 Day 2 2-1. Too much Blake Griffin, not enough 3-point makes for the Orange. Syracuse lived and died by its outside shooting, and were 0-10 in the first half of the contest. Too hard to climb back from. (Note: This was the lone part of the bracket that I was near perfect in with my original picks - my only loss was selecting Temple over Arizona State in the first round).
North Carolina/Gonzaga - North Carolina
North Carolina 98, Gonzaga 77. Round 3 Day 2 3-1. A game of runs definitely went in favor of the Tar Heels as a huge run sealed the deal for North Carolina (my winner is still alive).
Louisville/Arizona - Louisville
Louisville 103, Arizona 64. Round 3 Day 2 1-0. Once and for all I believe we can put to rest that Arizona truly belonged in this tournament. What a shellacking Louisville put on them - which makes 4 Big East teams into the Elite 8.
Michigan State/Kansas - Kansas
Michigan State 67, Kansas 62. Round 3 Day 2 1-1. In probably the only good game of round three's second day, the Spartans clawed their way back to knock off the defending champion Jayhawks.
Oklahoma/Syracuse - Oklahoma
Oklahoma 84, Syracuse 71. Round 3 Day 2 2-1. Too much Blake Griffin, not enough 3-point makes for the Orange. Syracuse lived and died by its outside shooting, and were 0-10 in the first half of the contest. Too hard to climb back from. (Note: This was the lone part of the bracket that I was near perfect in with my original picks - my only loss was selecting Temple over Arizona State in the first round).
North Carolina/Gonzaga - North Carolina
North Carolina 98, Gonzaga 77. Round 3 Day 2 3-1. A game of runs definitely went in favor of the Tar Heels as a huge run sealed the deal for North Carolina (my winner is still alive).
Thursday, March 26, 2009
March Madness Round 3.1
We have reached the second weekend of March Madness - and tonight begins Round 3.
Here are my selections for tonight's games, with the higher seed being listed first. Synopsis and results should be listed tomorrow.
Connecticut/Purdue - Purdue
Connecticut 72, Purdue 60. 0-1 for Round 3. Purdue had a shot in this game, but were limited in their 3-point shooting - against a team like Connecticut you have to continue to do what you do best. The Boilermakers just didn't have enough.
Pittsburgh/Xavier - Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh 60, Xavier 55. 1-1 in Round 3. A huge run to open the second half helped Pittsburgh get back into the game. For some reason the Panthers just do not like to blow out their opponents, but luckily they are clutch down the stretch.
Memphis/Missouri - Missouri
Missouri 102, Memphis 91. 2-1 in Round 3. Wow, an extremely lucky pick for me - I knew that Missouri was talented, but I had no idea that Memphis was being overrated. Memphis had no answer for Missouri's spread offense - and despite giving up 91 points, Missouri's defense was much better than Memphis'.
Duke/Villanova - Villanova
Villanova 77, Duke 54. 3-1 in Round 4. And Villanova makes it three Big East teams to make the Elite 8. For all the naysayers who thought the ACC was better than the Big East - you better look again. Anyway, the Wildcats completely dominated the Blue Devils. Duke's lack of a true ball handler really came back to haunt them in this game.
Note: I have also seen three movies over the weekend, but have not had time to put anything down yet - hopefully things will be less chaotic next week.
Here are my selections for tonight's games, with the higher seed being listed first. Synopsis and results should be listed tomorrow.
Connecticut/Purdue - Purdue
Connecticut 72, Purdue 60. 0-1 for Round 3. Purdue had a shot in this game, but were limited in their 3-point shooting - against a team like Connecticut you have to continue to do what you do best. The Boilermakers just didn't have enough.
Pittsburgh/Xavier - Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh 60, Xavier 55. 1-1 in Round 3. A huge run to open the second half helped Pittsburgh get back into the game. For some reason the Panthers just do not like to blow out their opponents, but luckily they are clutch down the stretch.
Memphis/Missouri - Missouri
Missouri 102, Memphis 91. 2-1 in Round 3. Wow, an extremely lucky pick for me - I knew that Missouri was talented, but I had no idea that Memphis was being overrated. Memphis had no answer for Missouri's spread offense - and despite giving up 91 points, Missouri's defense was much better than Memphis'.
Duke/Villanova - Villanova
Villanova 77, Duke 54. 3-1 in Round 4. And Villanova makes it three Big East teams to make the Elite 8. For all the naysayers who thought the ACC was better than the Big East - you better look again. Anyway, the Wildcats completely dominated the Blue Devils. Duke's lack of a true ball handler really came back to haunt them in this game.
Note: I have also seen three movies over the weekend, but have not had time to put anything down yet - hopefully things will be less chaotic next week.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
March Madness Round 2-2
Picks for Second Round, Day Two. Higher Seeds listed first.
Syracuse/Arizona State - Syracuse
Syracuse 78, Arizona State 67. 1-0 for Round 2 Day 2. Syracuse had too much on both the inside and the outside for Arizona State. The Sun Devils were superb this season from beyond the arc - but couldn't seem to find the range. Losing your star inside presence to fouls at the 10-minute mark of the second half also didn't help.
Xavier/Wisconsin - Xavier
Xavier 60, Wisconsin 49. 2-0 Round 2 Day 2. I didn't originally select Xavier to win this game on my bracket - as I had Florida State defeating Wisconsin in the first round, and also being able to move past Xavier - got that one wrong.
Kansas/Dayton - Kansas
Kansas 60, Dayton 43. 3-0 Round 2 Day 2. The defending champs appear to be hitting their stride - it also helps to have one of the few triple-doubles ever in the history of the NCAA Tournament to propel you into the round of 16.
Arizona/Cleveland State - Arizona
Arizona 71, Cleveland State 57. 4-0 Round 2 Day 2. I had this one selected another way as well, as I had Wake Forest beating Arizona in my original bracket. Arizona probably shouldn't even have made the tournament, but a nice draw in round one and Cleveland State's upset of Wake Forest has them moving on.
Pittsburgh/Oklahoma State - Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh 84, Oklahoma State 76. 5-0 Round 2 Day 2. I don't think Pittsburgh has played to its full capability yet in this tournament - so if they do they could be a major factor. Oklahoma State was unconscious from 3-point land in the first half, but only managed to be tied a 49 at halftime. The Panthers showed their true grit in the final moments - and Sam Young tallied 32 points.
Missouri/Marquette - Missouri
Missouri 83, Marquette 79. 6-0 Round 2 Day 2. I have to admit I got scared when I noticed Dominic James was cleared to play Marquette after being thought to be lost for the season - not from a playing standpoint, but for an emotional boost. But, huge foul shooting in the final moments helped Missouri sneak past Marquette.
Michigan State/USC - USC
Michigan State 74, USC 69. 6-1 Round 2 Day 2. I have not been very high on Michigan State all season long, and after seeing USC finally come together as a team I thought for sure they would get by the Spartans. But, a late missed layup knocked the Trojans out and completely messed up that side of my bracket.
Louisville/Siena - Louisville
Louisville 79, Siena 72. Round Two: 14-2. Siena was almost this year's Davidson, and how great it would have been. Siena is only 2 1/2 hours from me, so it would have been nice to see them make a run in the tournament. They played against the best very well, even holding a lead with seven minutes remaining. And - this would have messed up everyone's bracket in the Midwest - which would have put me back in the mix.
NOTE: In my original selections I had teams that had already lost moving on here as well, I make those in my notes as the games conclude.
Syracuse/Arizona State - Syracuse
Syracuse 78, Arizona State 67. 1-0 for Round 2 Day 2. Syracuse had too much on both the inside and the outside for Arizona State. The Sun Devils were superb this season from beyond the arc - but couldn't seem to find the range. Losing your star inside presence to fouls at the 10-minute mark of the second half also didn't help.
Xavier/Wisconsin - Xavier
Xavier 60, Wisconsin 49. 2-0 Round 2 Day 2. I didn't originally select Xavier to win this game on my bracket - as I had Florida State defeating Wisconsin in the first round, and also being able to move past Xavier - got that one wrong.
Kansas/Dayton - Kansas
Kansas 60, Dayton 43. 3-0 Round 2 Day 2. The defending champs appear to be hitting their stride - it also helps to have one of the few triple-doubles ever in the history of the NCAA Tournament to propel you into the round of 16.
Arizona/Cleveland State - Arizona
Arizona 71, Cleveland State 57. 4-0 Round 2 Day 2. I had this one selected another way as well, as I had Wake Forest beating Arizona in my original bracket. Arizona probably shouldn't even have made the tournament, but a nice draw in round one and Cleveland State's upset of Wake Forest has them moving on.
Pittsburgh/Oklahoma State - Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh 84, Oklahoma State 76. 5-0 Round 2 Day 2. I don't think Pittsburgh has played to its full capability yet in this tournament - so if they do they could be a major factor. Oklahoma State was unconscious from 3-point land in the first half, but only managed to be tied a 49 at halftime. The Panthers showed their true grit in the final moments - and Sam Young tallied 32 points.
Missouri/Marquette - Missouri
Missouri 83, Marquette 79. 6-0 Round 2 Day 2. I have to admit I got scared when I noticed Dominic James was cleared to play Marquette after being thought to be lost for the season - not from a playing standpoint, but for an emotional boost. But, huge foul shooting in the final moments helped Missouri sneak past Marquette.
Michigan State/USC - USC
Michigan State 74, USC 69. 6-1 Round 2 Day 2. I have not been very high on Michigan State all season long, and after seeing USC finally come together as a team I thought for sure they would get by the Spartans. But, a late missed layup knocked the Trojans out and completely messed up that side of my bracket.
Louisville/Siena - Louisville
Louisville 79, Siena 72. Round Two: 14-2. Siena was almost this year's Davidson, and how great it would have been. Siena is only 2 1/2 hours from me, so it would have been nice to see them make a run in the tournament. They played against the best very well, even holding a lead with seven minutes remaining. And - this would have messed up everyone's bracket in the Midwest - which would have put me back in the mix.
NOTE: In my original selections I had teams that had already lost moving on here as well, I make those in my notes as the games conclude.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
March Madness Round 2-1
My selections for Round 2. Higher Seed listed first.
Villanova/UCLA - Villanova
Villanova 89, UCLA 69. 1-0 for Round 2. After getting a huge scare from American in the first round, Villanova has awoken for round two as it destroyed UCLA to move into the Sweet 16.
Memphis/Maryland - Memphis
Memphis 89, Maryland 70. 2-0 Round 2. Memphis came out on fire, unlike its previous game against Cal-State Northridge. Maryland tried to rally back, but the Tigers wouldn't flinch.
Connecticut/Texas A&M - Connecticut
Connecticut 92, Texas A&M 66. 3-0 Round 2. Texas A&M hit its first 10 shots in the first round, but had trouble connecting against the No. 1 seeded Huskies. Too much all-around talent for Connecticut for the Aggies to handle.
Washington/Purdue - Purdue
Purdue 76, Washington 74. 4-0 Round 2. Purdue had a handle on this game for most of the contest, but a rally from Washington left the game in peril. Luckily some good defense and free thrown shooting propelled the Boilermakers to the win.
North Carolina/LSU - North Carolina
North Carolina 84, LSU 70. 5-0 Round 2. The Bengals gave the Tar Heels a huge scare as they held the lead midway through the second half, and never truly fell behind until late. Thank goodness for the return of Ty Lawson for North Carolina, or they could have been the first No. 1 seed out.
Oklahoma/Michigan - Oklahoma
Oklahoma 73, Michigan 63. 6-0 Round 2. The Wolverines were hanging with the Sooners for nearly the entire night, but too much Blake Griffin. Although, Oklahoma revealed a huge chink in its armor - free throw shooting.
Gonzaga/Western Kentucky - Gonzaga
Gonzaga 83, Western Kentucky 81. 7-0 Round 2. Another Cinderella goes down, but not without a fight. Western Kentucky battled Gonzaga until the very end - but it's the former Cinderella that moves on.
Duke/Texas - Texas
Duke 74, Texas 69. Round 2: 7-1. And the lone chink in my armor on Saturday was the Dukies. I thought a tougher Texas team would slide past them, but Duke proved to have a little more hustle in them than the Longhorns did - as they narrowly edged into the Sweet 16.
Villanova/UCLA - Villanova
Villanova 89, UCLA 69. 1-0 for Round 2. After getting a huge scare from American in the first round, Villanova has awoken for round two as it destroyed UCLA to move into the Sweet 16.
Memphis/Maryland - Memphis
Memphis 89, Maryland 70. 2-0 Round 2. Memphis came out on fire, unlike its previous game against Cal-State Northridge. Maryland tried to rally back, but the Tigers wouldn't flinch.
Connecticut/Texas A&M - Connecticut
Connecticut 92, Texas A&M 66. 3-0 Round 2. Texas A&M hit its first 10 shots in the first round, but had trouble connecting against the No. 1 seeded Huskies. Too much all-around talent for Connecticut for the Aggies to handle.
Washington/Purdue - Purdue
Purdue 76, Washington 74. 4-0 Round 2. Purdue had a handle on this game for most of the contest, but a rally from Washington left the game in peril. Luckily some good defense and free thrown shooting propelled the Boilermakers to the win.
North Carolina/LSU - North Carolina
North Carolina 84, LSU 70. 5-0 Round 2. The Bengals gave the Tar Heels a huge scare as they held the lead midway through the second half, and never truly fell behind until late. Thank goodness for the return of Ty Lawson for North Carolina, or they could have been the first No. 1 seed out.
Oklahoma/Michigan - Oklahoma
Oklahoma 73, Michigan 63. 6-0 Round 2. The Wolverines were hanging with the Sooners for nearly the entire night, but too much Blake Griffin. Although, Oklahoma revealed a huge chink in its armor - free throw shooting.
Gonzaga/Western Kentucky - Gonzaga
Gonzaga 83, Western Kentucky 81. 7-0 Round 2. Another Cinderella goes down, but not without a fight. Western Kentucky battled Gonzaga until the very end - but it's the former Cinderella that moves on.
Duke/Texas - Texas
Duke 74, Texas 69. Round 2: 7-1. And the lone chink in my armor on Saturday was the Dukies. I thought a tougher Texas team would slide past them, but Duke proved to have a little more hustle in them than the Longhorns did - as they narrowly edged into the Sweet 16.
Friday, March 20, 2009
March Madness Day 2
Day Two Picks: Synopsis and Scores to Follow. Higher Seed listed first.
Syracuse/Stephen F. Austin - Syracuse
Syracuse 59, Stephen F. Austin 44. 1-0 for Day 2. No surprise here. The Orange were on a large role coming out of the Big East and this game as never in doubt.
Oklahoma State/Tennessee - Tennessee
Oklahoma State 77, Tennessee 75. 1-1 Day 2. A rough loss for the Vols who played very well, but came up just short. Oklahoma State, however, proved to be the only eight seed to move on during this tournament.
Marquette/Utah State - Marquette
Marquette 58, Utah State 57. 2-1 for Day 2. Marquette struggled down the stretch in the Big East, but I figured they had enough power to get through the first round. And the did - barely. Utah State was a strong team and gave Marquette all they could handle.
Kansas/North Dakota State - Kansas
Kansas 84, North Dakota State 74. 3-1 for Day 2. I very good showing for North Dakota State who just moved into Division I this season. They put a small scare into the defending champions, but in the end the Jayhawks pulled it out.
Arizona State/Temple - Temple
Arizona State 66, Temple 57. 3-2 for Day 2. I thought it would be another Christmas showing in the first round. I watched Dionte Christmas put on a show in the A-10 championship game, but he alone couldn't get the Owls past Arizona State.
Pittsburgh/East Tennessee State - Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh 72, East Tennessee State 62. 4-2 for Day 2. Horrible. That is all I can say for my Panthers' performance. A team that prides itself in taking care of the basketball had 13 turnovers in the first half, compared to just eight field goals. They snuck by upset minded East Tennessee State, and hopefully this scare wakes them up.
Missouri/Cornell - Missouri
Missouri 78, Cornell 59. 5-2 for Day 2. I am putting a lot of my eggs in Missouri's basket, so this was a good showing and held my faith with them.
West Virginia/Dayton - Dayton
Dayton 68, West Virginia 60. 6-2 for Day 2. This was a gut pick for me. For some reason I felt the Flyers could get past West Virginia - despite how great West Virginia looked in the Big East tournament. And I was glad my gut was correct for once.
Louisville/Morehead State - Louisville
Louisville 74, Morehead State 54. 7-2 for Day 2. Louisville also received a scare as a number one seed, but not as big of one as Pittsburgh. The winner of the play-in-game, Morehead State, played very well in the first half and even held a few leads before the Cardinals pulled awau in the second half.
Utah/Arizona - Arizona
Arizona 84, Utah 71. 8-2 for Day 2. Arizona had no right even making this tournament, as St. Mary's, Creighton and Penn State had better resumes - but they did receive a favorable matchup in the first round so I felt they could get the upset.
Boston College/USC - USC
USC 72, Boston College 55. 9-2 for Day 2. This game scared me because I had USC going pretty far in the tournament. I thought they had finally matured and woken up in the Pac-10 tournament - but the Eagles held close for most of the contest.
Xavier/Portland State - Xavier
Xavier 77, Portland State 59. 10-2 for Day 2. Another pretty easy game for the higher seed. They got the lead early and never relinquished it.
Ohio State/Siena - Siena
Siena 74, Ohio State 72. 11-2 for Day 2. It took two overtimes and multiple comebacks but the Saints managed to pull off another upset in the first round - their second in as many years. This game was great to watch - and even better as I picked Siena.
Wake Forest/Cleveland State - Wake Forest
Cleveland State 84, Wake Forest 69. 11-3 for Day 2. If you thought Pittsburgh played horribly - no one laid a bigger egg than Wake Forest in the first round. I had the Demon Deacons making it all the way to the finals this year - so that side of my bracket is destroyed. Wake Forest was the lowest (No. 4) seed to lose in the first round.
Michigan State/Robert Morris - Michigan State
Michigan State 77, Robert Morris 62. 12-3 for Day 2. Robert Morris pulled North Dakota State or a Binghamton and got off to a good start against Michigan State. However, the Spartans proved to be too much and pulled away for a 15-point win in the end.
Florida State/Wisconsin - Florida State
Wisconsin 61, Florida State 59. Day Two: 12-4. First Round: 25-7. In another overtime contest the Badgers and Seminoles played a pheomenal contest that came down to a spinning layup and free throw to give Wisconsin the victory.
Syracuse/Stephen F. Austin - Syracuse
Syracuse 59, Stephen F. Austin 44. 1-0 for Day 2. No surprise here. The Orange were on a large role coming out of the Big East and this game as never in doubt.
Oklahoma State/Tennessee - Tennessee
Oklahoma State 77, Tennessee 75. 1-1 Day 2. A rough loss for the Vols who played very well, but came up just short. Oklahoma State, however, proved to be the only eight seed to move on during this tournament.
Marquette/Utah State - Marquette
Marquette 58, Utah State 57. 2-1 for Day 2. Marquette struggled down the stretch in the Big East, but I figured they had enough power to get through the first round. And the did - barely. Utah State was a strong team and gave Marquette all they could handle.
Kansas/North Dakota State - Kansas
Kansas 84, North Dakota State 74. 3-1 for Day 2. I very good showing for North Dakota State who just moved into Division I this season. They put a small scare into the defending champions, but in the end the Jayhawks pulled it out.
Arizona State/Temple - Temple
Arizona State 66, Temple 57. 3-2 for Day 2. I thought it would be another Christmas showing in the first round. I watched Dionte Christmas put on a show in the A-10 championship game, but he alone couldn't get the Owls past Arizona State.
Pittsburgh/East Tennessee State - Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh 72, East Tennessee State 62. 4-2 for Day 2. Horrible. That is all I can say for my Panthers' performance. A team that prides itself in taking care of the basketball had 13 turnovers in the first half, compared to just eight field goals. They snuck by upset minded East Tennessee State, and hopefully this scare wakes them up.
Missouri/Cornell - Missouri
Missouri 78, Cornell 59. 5-2 for Day 2. I am putting a lot of my eggs in Missouri's basket, so this was a good showing and held my faith with them.
West Virginia/Dayton - Dayton
Dayton 68, West Virginia 60. 6-2 for Day 2. This was a gut pick for me. For some reason I felt the Flyers could get past West Virginia - despite how great West Virginia looked in the Big East tournament. And I was glad my gut was correct for once.
Louisville/Morehead State - Louisville
Louisville 74, Morehead State 54. 7-2 for Day 2. Louisville also received a scare as a number one seed, but not as big of one as Pittsburgh. The winner of the play-in-game, Morehead State, played very well in the first half and even held a few leads before the Cardinals pulled awau in the second half.
Utah/Arizona - Arizona
Arizona 84, Utah 71. 8-2 for Day 2. Arizona had no right even making this tournament, as St. Mary's, Creighton and Penn State had better resumes - but they did receive a favorable matchup in the first round so I felt they could get the upset.
Boston College/USC - USC
USC 72, Boston College 55. 9-2 for Day 2. This game scared me because I had USC going pretty far in the tournament. I thought they had finally matured and woken up in the Pac-10 tournament - but the Eagles held close for most of the contest.
Xavier/Portland State - Xavier
Xavier 77, Portland State 59. 10-2 for Day 2. Another pretty easy game for the higher seed. They got the lead early and never relinquished it.
Ohio State/Siena - Siena
Siena 74, Ohio State 72. 11-2 for Day 2. It took two overtimes and multiple comebacks but the Saints managed to pull off another upset in the first round - their second in as many years. This game was great to watch - and even better as I picked Siena.
Wake Forest/Cleveland State - Wake Forest
Cleveland State 84, Wake Forest 69. 11-3 for Day 2. If you thought Pittsburgh played horribly - no one laid a bigger egg than Wake Forest in the first round. I had the Demon Deacons making it all the way to the finals this year - so that side of my bracket is destroyed. Wake Forest was the lowest (No. 4) seed to lose in the first round.
Michigan State/Robert Morris - Michigan State
Michigan State 77, Robert Morris 62. 12-3 for Day 2. Robert Morris pulled North Dakota State or a Binghamton and got off to a good start against Michigan State. However, the Spartans proved to be too much and pulled away for a 15-point win in the end.
Florida State/Wisconsin - Florida State
Wisconsin 61, Florida State 59. Day Two: 12-4. First Round: 25-7. In another overtime contest the Badgers and Seminoles played a pheomenal contest that came down to a spinning layup and free throw to give Wisconsin the victory.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
March Madness Begins
March Madness got underway today, so I thought I would toss out my selections for today's games.
I will update later with a brief synopsis and the winner. The higher seed is listed first.
LSU/Butler - Butler.
LSU 75, Butler 71. And I am 0-1 to start the tournament, a nice start. Butler was actually down a lot in this game, including falling behind 9-0 to start the game. They came back to take the lead on a few occasions, but couldn't hold that lead at all.
Memphis/Cal State-Northridge - Memphis
Memphis 81, Cal State-Northridge 70. I am back to .500 for the tournament, although this game had to have had many people scratching their heads and hyperventilating. Cal-State Northridge put up a heck of a fight against the No. 2 seeded Tigers from Memphis - which some believed to have been good enough for a No. 1 seed.
BYU/Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Texas A&M 79, BYU 66. 2-1 for the tournament. There wasn't much doubt in this one as Texas A&M hit their first 10 shots of the game and got out to an 18 point lead at one point. BYU did its best to post a comeback, but the damage had been done. It's the second consecutive year the Aggies have bounced BYU from the tournament.
Purdue/Northern Iowa - Purdue
Purdue 61, Norhtern Iowa 56. 3-1 for the tournament. This one had me scared as Purdue got out to a good sized lead in the first half, but Northern Iowa hung around the entire contest. I have the Boilermakers making a long run in this tournament, so a loss here could have hurt my bracket a lot.
North Carolina/Raford - North Carolina
North Carolina 101, Radford 58. 4-1 for the tournament. This one was never close. Despite the fact that the Tar Heels played the game without possibly its best all-around player in Ty Lawson.
California/Maryland - Maryland
Maryland 84, California 71. 5-1 for the tournament. A small upset as Maryland was a No. 10 seed to California's No. 7. Maryland held the lead for most of the game and never relinquished it despite a close contest near the middle of the second half.
Connecticut/Chatanooga - Connecticut
Connecticut 103, Chatanooga 47. 6-1 for the tournament. The most lop-sided first day game goes to the Huskies. Connecticut was without its coach for this game as he was stricken ill. So the Huskies unleashed a 'win one for the Gipper' type game against the poor Mocs.
Washington/Mississippi State - Mississippi State
Washington 71, Mississippi State 58. 6-2 for the tournament. This was one of my large upset picks. I felt Mississippi State was rolling after winning the SEC tournament while Washington fell early in the Pac-10 tournament. I guess the SEC truly is as down as it looks.
Texas/Minnesota - Texas
Texas 76, Minnesota 62. 7-2 for the tournament. This was another game I had to keep a close eye on as I have felt Texas could do some damage in the tournament, but was worried with a Minnesota team led by Tubby Smith, but the Longhorns prevailed.
Clemson/Michigan - Michigan
Michigan 62, Clemson 59. 8-2 for the tournament. Another 10 over a 7 which I was unaware I actually selected. I was back-and-forth on this game and in the end wasn't aware who I took. But, I am happy I went with the Wolverines who got their first tournament victory in 11 years.
Villanova/American - Villanova
Villanova 80, American 67. 9-2 for the tournament. Much like the Memphis game this one had to have many scratching their heads. A lot of people have Villanova going far in this tournament, and for American to not only play them well, but hold a 10-point lead at the half was phenomenal. In the end, the Wildcats just had too much depth and fire-power for the Eagles to hold on.
Gonzaga/Akron - Gonzaga
Gonzaga 77, Akron 64. 10-2 for the tournament. I was actually up in the air with this pick as I felt Akron could give Gonzaga a very good game - and they did. But, the Bulldogs proved their worth and their tournament experience in the end to hold of the Zips.
Duke/Binghamton - Duke
Duke 86, Binghamton 62. 11-2 for the tournament. Binghamton came out like gangbusters, but it was only a matter of time before the Dukies took control of the game. I am not a huge fan of this Blue Devils team, but no way Coach K goes out to Binghamton.
Oklahoma/Morgan State - Oklahoma
Oklahoma 82, Morgan State 54. 12-2 for the tournament. Too much Blake Griffen (28 points, 13 rebounds) for Morgan State to handle. The Sooners coast past the Bears.
UCLA/VCU - VCU
UCLA 65, VCU 64. 12-3 for the tournament. This was many people's glaring upset bid for the first round as VCU had knocked out Duke two years prior - and returned a very mature senior point guard in Eric Maynor. It almost came to fruition, but a Maynor jumper at the buzzer fell short and the Bruins live another day.
Illinois/Western Kentucky - Western Kentucky
Western Kentucky 76, Illinois 72. First day record: 13-3. This was another upset with the No. 12 seed knocking off the No. 5. Most people were seeing this as well, but were still thinking Illinois could pull it off - even with an important injured player. But, I felt Western Kentucky had enough to get by and they were just able to pull it off.
Second Day picks sometime afternoon.
I will update later with a brief synopsis and the winner. The higher seed is listed first.
LSU/Butler - Butler.
LSU 75, Butler 71. And I am 0-1 to start the tournament, a nice start. Butler was actually down a lot in this game, including falling behind 9-0 to start the game. They came back to take the lead on a few occasions, but couldn't hold that lead at all.
Memphis/Cal State-Northridge - Memphis
Memphis 81, Cal State-Northridge 70. I am back to .500 for the tournament, although this game had to have had many people scratching their heads and hyperventilating. Cal-State Northridge put up a heck of a fight against the No. 2 seeded Tigers from Memphis - which some believed to have been good enough for a No. 1 seed.
BYU/Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Texas A&M 79, BYU 66. 2-1 for the tournament. There wasn't much doubt in this one as Texas A&M hit their first 10 shots of the game and got out to an 18 point lead at one point. BYU did its best to post a comeback, but the damage had been done. It's the second consecutive year the Aggies have bounced BYU from the tournament.
Purdue/Northern Iowa - Purdue
Purdue 61, Norhtern Iowa 56. 3-1 for the tournament. This one had me scared as Purdue got out to a good sized lead in the first half, but Northern Iowa hung around the entire contest. I have the Boilermakers making a long run in this tournament, so a loss here could have hurt my bracket a lot.
North Carolina/Raford - North Carolina
North Carolina 101, Radford 58. 4-1 for the tournament. This one was never close. Despite the fact that the Tar Heels played the game without possibly its best all-around player in Ty Lawson.
California/Maryland - Maryland
Maryland 84, California 71. 5-1 for the tournament. A small upset as Maryland was a No. 10 seed to California's No. 7. Maryland held the lead for most of the game and never relinquished it despite a close contest near the middle of the second half.
Connecticut/Chatanooga - Connecticut
Connecticut 103, Chatanooga 47. 6-1 for the tournament. The most lop-sided first day game goes to the Huskies. Connecticut was without its coach for this game as he was stricken ill. So the Huskies unleashed a 'win one for the Gipper' type game against the poor Mocs.
Washington/Mississippi State - Mississippi State
Washington 71, Mississippi State 58. 6-2 for the tournament. This was one of my large upset picks. I felt Mississippi State was rolling after winning the SEC tournament while Washington fell early in the Pac-10 tournament. I guess the SEC truly is as down as it looks.
Texas/Minnesota - Texas
Texas 76, Minnesota 62. 7-2 for the tournament. This was another game I had to keep a close eye on as I have felt Texas could do some damage in the tournament, but was worried with a Minnesota team led by Tubby Smith, but the Longhorns prevailed.
Clemson/Michigan - Michigan
Michigan 62, Clemson 59. 8-2 for the tournament. Another 10 over a 7 which I was unaware I actually selected. I was back-and-forth on this game and in the end wasn't aware who I took. But, I am happy I went with the Wolverines who got their first tournament victory in 11 years.
Villanova/American - Villanova
Villanova 80, American 67. 9-2 for the tournament. Much like the Memphis game this one had to have many scratching their heads. A lot of people have Villanova going far in this tournament, and for American to not only play them well, but hold a 10-point lead at the half was phenomenal. In the end, the Wildcats just had too much depth and fire-power for the Eagles to hold on.
Gonzaga/Akron - Gonzaga
Gonzaga 77, Akron 64. 10-2 for the tournament. I was actually up in the air with this pick as I felt Akron could give Gonzaga a very good game - and they did. But, the Bulldogs proved their worth and their tournament experience in the end to hold of the Zips.
Duke/Binghamton - Duke
Duke 86, Binghamton 62. 11-2 for the tournament. Binghamton came out like gangbusters, but it was only a matter of time before the Dukies took control of the game. I am not a huge fan of this Blue Devils team, but no way Coach K goes out to Binghamton.
Oklahoma/Morgan State - Oklahoma
Oklahoma 82, Morgan State 54. 12-2 for the tournament. Too much Blake Griffen (28 points, 13 rebounds) for Morgan State to handle. The Sooners coast past the Bears.
UCLA/VCU - VCU
UCLA 65, VCU 64. 12-3 for the tournament. This was many people's glaring upset bid for the first round as VCU had knocked out Duke two years prior - and returned a very mature senior point guard in Eric Maynor. It almost came to fruition, but a Maynor jumper at the buzzer fell short and the Bruins live another day.
Illinois/Western Kentucky - Western Kentucky
Western Kentucky 76, Illinois 72. First day record: 13-3. This was another upset with the No. 12 seed knocking off the No. 5. Most people were seeing this as well, but were still thinking Illinois could pull it off - even with an important injured player. But, I felt Western Kentucky had enough to get by and they were just able to pull it off.
Second Day picks sometime afternoon.
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