Kansas vs Memphis

Kansas 75 Memphis 68 in OT -- Non-story of night: Memphis couldn't make free throws when it counted. Their piss-poor free throwing shooting was going to do them in at some point in the Tournament, they were just athletic enough to get to the Championship game until it did.

Great game though, all the way through.

Dick Enberg Makes AIDS Look Healthy

Don't forget the Final Four begins today at 6:00 with UCLA vs Memphis facing off first, to be followed by UNC vs Kansas. Both promise to be great games.

If you hurry you can still catch CBS's pre-game coverage that as all kinds of exciting things like footage of UCLA eating breakfast, and Dick Enberg talking about the time he met James Naismith.

NCAA

Ton of great games going on right now. #15 seed Belmont is exposing how weak Duke is again this year in the tournament, keeping the game within a couple points. My Winthrop picking is holding true to form for a Rob pick, with Winthrop down by 20 with 5 min left in the 2nd half.

The USC game is giving me fits. Come on Mayo, step up, close Kansas St out and make this blogger happy.

UPDATE: Great night of basketball. Duke holds Belmont, but Belmont gave them a hell of a ride. USC loses to Kansas St, sending some of my brackets onto life support. Good stuff

Any one else get douche chills when coaches allow cameras in for the locker room talk? George Manson's coach was talking about magic carpet rides and leprechauns. Enough.

Picks for the late games:

Notre Dame over George Washington
UCLA over Miss Valley St
Arizona over West Virginia
and if you want a Radley style upset...Cal St Fullerton over Wisconsin

Let's see what happens.

UPDATE: I hate Wisconsin and all things Big Ten. I shouldn't say all things; I've had some incredible sexual encounters with Wisconsin girls, but even their promiscuity and limitless sexual boundaries don't make up for how much I hate Wisconsin basketball. Yuck. Save me Fullerton and make a comeback.

UCLA or UNC?

Tournament tips today at 12:20. Look for the live blogging tradition to continue over the next few days as time with booze in front of the TV permit. Or time in front of my desk at work. CBS offers streaming video of the games here.

Picks to follow before the Georgia-Xavier game at 12:20.

Upset Locks:

1) #7 Davidson over #10 Gonzaga, Round of 64 Midwest Region -- Davidson has been itching for a NCAA tournament win since about, oh...1969. They return the same team of shooters -- full of seniors now -- that played Maryland down to the wire last year in the tournament. Sophomore Stephen Curry gets as hot as he can get scoring 30 points and leading Davidson to a win over the forgetful 'Zags.

2) #13 Winthrop over #4 Washington St, Round of 64 East Region -- OK, I admit. This isn't a lock; but I like this pick. So what if Winthrop has losses to UNC-Ashville (home of the world's tallest man), and my alma-mater, Coastal Carolina (better known for as a hotbed for STDs, not basketball); while Washington St has been a top 25 team the entire season and was predicted at the beginning of conference play to challenge for the Pac 10 title. I still like Winthrop. Washington St is a blah team with past tournament failures. Winthrop wins on the back of guard Michael Jenkins.

More to come...

Sweet 16 Locks

I have these 9 teams in the Sweet 16 for all my brackets: 1)UNC, 2)Louisville, 3)Kansas, 4)Clemson, 5)Memphis, 6)Pittsburgh, 7)Texas, 8)UCLA, 9)UCONN

UPDATE: Pretty standard results so far. That Xaiver-Georgia game was a good one from what I saw; but fortunate for me and my bracket Xavier held them off.

What I really wanted to comment on was the Kent St-UNLV game...Are those really 10 points that I see on the board for Kent St after an entire first half? Is ther a scoreboard error? Or just another case of a mid-major flop? 10 points could be a record of sorts, and its not even two Big Ten teams playing.

Saturday Basketball Blogging

My games for the day:

Xaiver-Ohio State...I'm rooting for Xaiver and it should be a good game. CBS is eating up the rivalry that pits OSU coach Thad Matta against his former team. So far, like every other game I've seen OSU play, I'm unimpressed with their performance, esp with the 47 year old father of Lebron James. When will the media shut up about Oden? HE IS NOT GOOD. If I was 7ft and semi-coordinated I could be a mediocre college basketball player too. Unfortunately I'm 5'2" and have trouble urinating in the toilet...Not sure what I'm suppose to do with those attributes. Have you noticed an anti-Big Ten bias in me yet? I give it to Xavier in my upset pick.

The rest of my games have local interest:

Georgetown-BC...I'm conflicted on this one. I'm a big-time ACC supporter, but I have a special place in my heart for this Georgetown team. I'll go ahead and admit I have them advancing to the Final Four and the Championship Game. Too big and too fast. Not real deep, I know, but every guy on the court is a big time athlete. Advantage Georgetown.

Maryland-Butler..Huge game for us. And by us I mean me. I feel more confident playing Butler than I did Davidson, not to say it couldn't be close. Nothing objective to say here, Maryland wins by 12.

I'll try and do another update before I lose consciousness, but no promises.

UPDATE: Wow. Xaivier up by 9 6:00 left in the game. What a game. Shooting like maniacs, and they still have the option of taking it inside; Oden having 3 fouls.

UPDATE II: Holy Shit...What a fucking game. Wow, what a last minute, big-time ending for OSU. Let me first say that, yes, Oden is not a great player, but he is still a big, strong player for OSU and losing him for OT has to hurt OSU. No way around it. We shall see what happens.

UPDATE III: I can't take this Maryland game. Intense. Looks like (hopefully) Butler shooters are beginning to tire out a bit. Big men for MD are not in foul trouble for once, so if they just keep working it inside and making that outside shot open once and while I feel good. I'm slightly worried that Mike Jones might be hurt. Saw him grab his hamstring and he has been out for some time now. Praying for his health. Someone close to Vasquez needs to tell him to shave that beard. Disgusting.

LAST UPDATE: So much for the MD game. I'm not sure about that last offense call against Strawberry, but what can you do. I'm gonna go get severly fucked up. Been fun. Enjoy the holiday folks.

Basketball Blogging

I was waiting for Wisconsin to get into double-digits to make my first NCAA post of the day....It was quickly becoming apparent that it may not happen. Seriously, anything more disgusting then Big Ten basketball??

Looks like Winthrop is following through nicely on another popular upset, currently leading by 20 points. Anyone else seeing them taking Oregon in the round of 32? I would feel mildly confident.

I'm doing as well as good be expected for it being a Billy Packard Day...As well as could be expected...

My Sports Guy quote for the afternoon:

10:22: North Texas leads by five. Meanwhile, we just spent the last few minutes trying to figure out where else in life the possession arrow could work. JackO thinks they should use it in the Middle East. "The possession arrow for the Gaza Strip points to ... Israel!"

UPDATE: Notre Dame made it close, but Winthrop held them off, what a game. Treated to lines from Ian Eagle (play-by-play guy) like, "THAT'S a Man's JAM!!." I'll say it again, Winthrop looks like a scary team to face. Also, Wisconsin has made a run, (can you call going 6-0 a run? With a Big Ten team you can.) but they still only had 19 points at half-time. What a poop team.

NCAA Round-Up

Greatest week of the year. Beats out opening week of World Cup only because it carries St. Patrick's Day with it.

We have Maryland winning in what might have been the best first round game so far. Duke loses to VCU in what had to be the most obvious upset to anyone who has seen Duke play more than 2 games this year. Currently Eastern Kentucky is on a 30 point rampage to bring their 1 to 16 match-up against UNC to within 6; in what may cause my two Chapel Hill alumni roomates to pull a Richard Jeni. Let's not forget Xavier and BYU taking it to the wire, currently with no winner, making a go at the Maryland Davidson best-opening-round game so far title.[ed-Xaiver just pulled it out]

Check out Bill Simmons live-blogging the tournament, see this updated bracket, and enjoy your beer and basketball.

UPDATE: OK, so I got a little ahead of myself with the UNC game. Sorry, I was imagining a house to myself for the weekend. I also need to encourage you readers to check out the Sports Guy live-blogging this thing, so I'll leave you with a sample.

10:58: Best exchange of the day …

Wenzel (after a controversial travelling call in the Maryland game): "Instantaneous decisions are a lot harder than ones you can see on replay."

JackO: "… and that's why I've been married three times."

House: "… and that's why I drive a PT Cruiser."

JackO: "… and that's why I woke up this morning next to a 240-pound woman."

(Note: This went on for the next three minutes.)

It gets better.