21 Years Later, Coach K vs Pitino Again

Last night, Louisville and Duke both won their Midwest Region games. For the Cardinals, they outgunned an Oregon team who gave them problems on defense, but had no answer for Louisville's athleticism and spacing. The Blue Devils completely shutdown Michigan State's offense enroute to their win. The Spartans only hit one basket during for about 15 minutes in the second half, at which Duke turned a tied game into a comfortable 10-point win. This means that the only matchup of 1 and 2 in a region will be played in Indianapolis on Easter Sunday. This also means the Rick Pitino and Mike Krzyzewski will face in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since March 28th 1992, when the greatest college basketball game of all-time took place at The Spectrum.

Are we in store for more theatrics at Lucas Oil Stadium tomorrow? Unlike that fateful game in 1992, Pitino's team will be expected to win as Louisville has run roughshod over everyone they faced. Even Oregon, who found a way trail by only single digits late in the second half, never made it more interesting than that as the Cardinals found something to exploit. Duke will be in the underdog role by definition, though to refer to Duke as an "underdog" is an exercise in futility. It's like referring to the Yankees and Lakers that way. Wait, that's a bad example of late? Well, then it's like referring to Manchester United in that way. Plus, Duke beat Louisville this season back in November, though the Cardinals were missing Gorgui Dieng in that one and seem to be playing at their highest-level at this point.

In a couple of years, Duke-Louisville will be an ACC matchup and Coach K and Pitino will see more of each other. Games like this one tomorrow will be needed to be thought of as precious before they become thought of as commonplace, and when either coach leaves, a letdown.

In the meantime, Florida ended the run for Florida Gulf Coast last night by putting the brakes on their uptempo game. It was superbly coached by Billy Donovan after the Eagles were ahead 15-4 early. Now, the Gators have a date with Michigan in an Elite 8 matchup better suited for the Sugar Bowl than the NCAA Tournament. Then again, both teams basketball programs are better than their football programs anyway (yes, I know Florida could have been in the title game, but they aren't the best team in the SEC in football like they are in basketball). That should also be a tremendous matchup tomorrow.

Trey's Trey Leads To Rock Choke

This was a game that appeared to be over. Kansas was dominating Michigan. Too many easy buckets inside for Ben McLemore and the rest of the Jayhawks. They were up by 10 with just under three minutes left when Trey Burke carried the Wolverines on his back. It helped that Elijah Johnson started turning the ball over like crazy and gave Michigan a chance when he missed his 1 and 1 with 12.6 seconds left. That set the stage for the best moment and game of March Madness thus far as Burke hit the NBA range three to tie the game and force OT.

We remained in Trey Burke's world as he scored Michigan's first five points in OT (he ended the night with 23 points, after not scoring at all in the first half). Then, Mitch McGary added four of his 25 points to put Michigan up 3. McGary outplayed Jeff Withey tonight as McGary had a 25-14 games, compared to Withey's 12-7 (though Withey didn't miss from the floor, aside from his one free throw). Johnson kept his Jerkyll and Hyde game going with a three and after a shot-clock violation, Johnson had a chance for redemption. Instead he passes up a good look for the tying layup and fires it to Naadir Tharpe, who wasn't ready to attempt a winning three and all he came up with was an awful looking runner. Somehow, Michigan came back from dead to pull this one out and will play in the Elite 8 for the first time since 1994. That's the last time I count out Michigan dead as long as Trey Burke plays there (though he's only playing at most 3 more games there).

Ross Is The Boss; Syracuse Knocks Off Indiana

This should have been on the blog last night, but I was having internet issues and unfortunately it's posting now. Arizona controlled the game for much of the first half, but Ohio State took advantage of a 7:21 scoring drought by the Wildcats to lead for much of the second half. A huge layup after a foul by Mark Lyons and free throw that followed tied the game at 70, setting the stage for LaQuinton Ross to hit this game-winning three with two seconds left. The Buckeyes move on to the Elite 8 and will face Wichita State as they battle to reach the Final Four. The Shockers barely broke a sweat in their win over La Salle.

The true Shocker from last night was Syracuse not just being Indiana, but manhandling them all over the court. Cody Zeller entered the night with lottery pick potential; now we saw him look very small against the Orange bigs. It didn't help that the Hoosiers looked like they never saw a zone defense in their lives.

Maybe it's from the many years of watching Big East basketball, but I know what to expect from a Jim Boeheim coached Syracuse team. I know that zone can frustrate teams, but if you can players who can drive the lane and wing players who can hit 3's, it can be beat. Plus, a slower pace is your friend in a game like this because trying to quicken the game only leads to mistakes. That's what Indiana did last night.

Syracuse now moves on to face Marquette in the East Region Final. So yes, this is the final, FINAL, Big East game. Marquette was able to comeback on the Orange in February in Milwaukee, but that was before Syracuse regained their confidence. One last bare-knuckeled, Big East slobberknocker for these clubs (and yes, I know Marquette is in the new-Big East as well as have only been in the league for less than ten years).

Finally, all the talk in the college basketball season has been how great the Big Ten was this season. Now, I'm not here to say the league was overrated (they could have three Elite 8 teams after tonight). All I'm here to say is that the Big Ten can't claim to be unquestionably the best conference in college basketball as the Big East in their swan song in current form is at the very least just as good (and boasts the best team in the country it seems in Louisville). Again, why is the Big East breaking up? Something about football? It's basketball's loss.

Domination By Marquette

There are times that if you look at a scoreboard, a game can look closer than it really was. The textbook example is Marquette-Miami. The final score was 71-61. It wasn't nearly that close. Marquette controlled this game from start to finish. 

Losing Reggie Johnson was a killer for the Hurricanes. It gave the Marquette plenty of easy points in the paint. It made it extremely difficult for Miami to hit shots from inside. That can be a major problem when you shoot as cold from outside as Miami did tonight. Yes, the Canes ended up shooting 35% (which isn't good), but they hovered below the 30% mark for much of the game. You'll be hard pressed to compete in games like that, especially when the other team is shooting over 50%.

It was just a balanced offensive attack by the Golden Eagles. Vander Blue scored 14 points. Jamil Wilson led with 16 points, including 3 for 4 from 3. Devante Gardner and Chris Otule added points inside, scoring 14 and 11, respectively. Once again, Buzz Williams found a way to coach every bit of talent out of Marquette and finally takes them to the Elite 8.

This is the Golden Eagles first Elite 8 appearance since 2003, when Dwyane Wade carried them there. Like '03, Marquette's a 3-seed. Indiana-Syracuse winner will have their hands full on Saturday. 

The Tourney Run Of FGCU

This tourney will be remembered as the one that put Florida Gulf Coast University on the map. They are now the first 15-seed to win two games in a single NCAA Tournament, beating Georgetown and San Diego State. These games weren't even close. The Eagles have pulled away in the second half of both games with their uptempo, high-flying style that's earned them the nickname "Dunk City"(I think that's a better name than Fort Myers).

Before winning any games, the biggest story about this team is that head coach Andy Enfield is married to Amanda Marcum, a former supermodel whom he met when driving to Boston for a college basketball game. Now they are truly America's Team as they move on to their matchup with Florida on Friday night. The Gators might have the offense to match up best with the Eagles that Georgetown and San Diego State don't have, which could spell doom for Florida Gulf Coast's run. Win of lose, FGCU has been a winner this month of March as now people know where they are. Now if only people knew how to spell the school's name correctly. Perhaps next March.

La Salle Explores Sweet 16; Tough Loss For Illinois

When La Salle and Ole Miss took the floor, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that both teams would play a close one. And wouldn't you know it, it was tied with a minute left at 74. The Rebels had the first chance, but Ladarius White missed a jumper. It appeared that La Salle had the ball, but it was called out on them and Mississippi kept it. Then, Marshall Henderson took a shot and was fouled, but no call was made and the Explorers took the ball after a shot clock violation. With the last shot, La Salle  ran it down and Tyrone Garland drove the lane and hit the layup to give La Salle the win. Ole Miss had a timeout left and 2.5 seconds to get Marshall Henderson the ball, but Andy Kennedy thinks he can carry it over into next year, so the Rebels are done. Here's the video:



Miami and Illinois also were tied down the stretch before Tracy Abrams split free throws to give the Fighting Illini the lead. The Hurricanes put it in the hands of their leader Shane Larkin, who drilled a 3 to give Miami a 57-55 lead. Illinois couldn't answer, then got on the wrong side of an out of bounds call, which was clearly off a Miami player. They then proceed to waste time not fouling a big man and letting Larkin ice the game at the line. Miami moves on, joining Florida and Florida Gulf Coast (I'll have more on them in another post) in the Sweet 16, most schools from one state to advance to that round this year. Here are some all-time gifs from Miami's win

Julian Gamble with an all-time photo bomb of Shane Larkin's interview

Jim Larranaga Dancing!!!!

Also, Duke beat Creighton. America loses again.

(gifs courtesy of @cjzone)

Final Four Picks

So a Final Four of Louisville, VCU, Indiana and New Mexico has been made after the South, Midwest, East and West tourney previews. Now to play out the championship.

When New Mexico takes on Louisville, they finally face a team who will force the tempo out of the Lobos comfort zone and are just too skilled in the backcourt, producing nightmares for Steve Alford's club. Too much Peyton Siva will help the Cardinals win in a blowout.

VCU will try to do the same to Indiana, but unlike New Mexico, Indiana is a superior offensive team and if/when the Rams havoc style fails them, the Hoosiers should supply a huge dose of Cody Zeller on the weak frontcourt of VCU. This won't be a blowout, but Indiana should hold off VCU at arms distance.

It's sets up a championship between Rick Pitino's Louisville Cardinals and Tom Crean's Indiana Hoosiers. This would be the second championship game that the Harbaugh family will be fervently interested in. The fact that Louisville plays a similar style to VCU, but better only makes this likely to be one of the best National Championship games in history. I have to go with the firepower of Indiana who are good enough defensively to match Louisville on that end, whereas I don't think Louisville can score like Indiana can if they have to.

Your National Champions: Indiana

West Region Preview

After looking at the South, Midwest and East Regions, we've finally reached the West. This region has a disputed 1-seed in Gonzaga, despite their 31-2 record. Of all the regions, this one is the most wide open as the potential is there for five different teams to realistically reach the Final Four. Let's look at the region.

THANKS FOR ATTENDING

Southern (16) is somewhere in the South. Iona (15) stole Seton Hall's tourney spot a year ago; now they will play Ohio State and lose big. Harvard (14) has been undergoing it's greatest run of basketball under Tommy Amaker. This team isn't as good as last year's team, and should be in trouble against New Mexico.

TALE OF TWO MID-MAJORS (AND TWO TEAMS WHO MAY AS WELL BE)

Wichita State (9) are good enough to win in the tourney, but I think they drew a bad matchup with Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, Belmont (11) is more than capable of winning in the first round. It probably isn't an upset if they were to beat Arizona (6), who's struggled to the finish line. That's a toss-up. Finally, we have Ole Miss (12) who had to play their way into the field by winning the SEC Tourney. If Marshall Henderson stays hot, the Rebels have a chance against Wisconsin. Problem is that Wisconsin's style will wear down Mississippi and they are pretty hot themselves.

RETURN OF THE EXPLORERS

Last night, La Salle (13) played very well in knocking off Boise State in the last First Four game. Now they have a date with Kansas State and the question will be if the Explorers can keep the hot hand that they did last night in Kansas City, the city where some the glory days of legendary basketball program occurred when they won a national title in 1954. I think the size that the Wildcats pose will be too much for La Salle's guard-heavy lineup, but let's hope that they won't be strangers from the tourney for another 21 years.

BIG EAST (SOON-TO-BE ACC) UNDERACHIEVERS

Notre Dame (7) once again gets to try to avoid another early loss in the tourney. They've only made it into the Sweet 16 once under Mike Brey. This year, being a 7 means avoiding a first round loss. That won't happen as Iowa State (10) will shoot on the Irish all day. Pittsburgh (8) also have a mixed tourney history, but at least they reached the Elite 8 under Jamie Dixon. Back in 2011, I swore off the Panthers after their loss to Butler, as controversial as it was (the loss, not my swearing them off), but I see that matchup with Gonzaga (1) and I just think that Pitt will have an answer for Kelly Olynyk and the defend the floor at the same time. My biggest upset: Pitt over Gonzaga.

BIG TEN TITLE GAME REMATCH?

Yes, Ohio State (2) and Wisconsin (5) can face each other again in the regional final. The question is will they? As well-coached and disciplined in their style that the Badgers are, there always comes a point in the tourney that it's not enough to outlast. I see that happening against Kansas State, who's only crime is not being able to beat Kansas. Problem with Ohio State is they are playing a New Mexico team who probably should be the 2-seed in this region (or at least some other region) and are perhaps stronger defensively as the Buckeyes are.

ELITE EIGHT

New Mexico (3) vs. Kansas State (4). The Lobos were put in a fortunate region, which isn't filled with teams that have an abundance of high caliber NBA talent. The Wildcats will play a slow style, just like New Mexico and want to keep the scoring down in the 40s-50s. The difference: New Mexico is outstanding at shooting free throws and not allowing opponents to shoot them, while Kansas State is awful in both. Yes, I said to avoid picking the Mountain West, but I'm making an exception for the Lobos.

West Region winner: New Mexico

East Region Preview

So far today, the South and Midwest Region were covered. Now that James Madison won their First Four matchup, it's time for the East Region preview. The East sees Indiana, who fell out of the Midwest Region which would have had their Sweet 16 games in Indianapolis. Instead they have to play in Washington D.C. where a potential matchup with Syracuse could be filled with Orange fans. Miami also might have been shortchanged as the winner of the ACC regular season and tournament titles to only get a 2-seed, but some head-scratching losses have the Hurricanes where they are. Can the Canes and Hoosiers end up in the Elite Eight. Is there a Cinderella lurking in this region. Let's find out.

THANKS FOR ATTENDING

James Madison (16) has made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1994 and tonight they defeated LIU. A date with Indiana is the result of their troubles. Pacific (15) found themselves up against a well-coached Miami team filled with upperclassmen.

DEFINITELY CAN PULL THE UPSET, EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT PICKING IT

Davidson (14) and Montana (13) are both easily capable of beating Syracuse and Marquette, respectively. I think Montana is facing Syracuse one week too late after they played well in New York, while Marquette has improved as the season goes along and Buzz Williams' teams usually avoids the early round letdown. Another won who could pull an upset is Bucknell (11) over Butler. My faith in Brad Stevens will hold true in this one. The Bison don't play fast enough to pull that upset.

WAIT, HAVEN'T WE MET BEFORE?

This is for UNLV (5) and California (12), who met back in December. The Runnin' Rebels beat Cal in Berkeley by 1, so their reward was a rematch in San Jose. No wonder a 12-seed beats a 5 every year. If the Golden Bears can avoid the pitfalls that spelled them in their last two games, they should win. Allen Crabbe is the best player on the floor and the Mountain West isn't to be trusted tournament time (usually).

NOT ONE, BUT TWO NIT GAMES IN THIS BRACKET

What could have been for N.C. State (8). They were thought to be a top-4 seed at the start of the year, but inconsistency puts them in this spot against Temple (9). Since a 9-seed usually wins, I have the Owls winning here. Colorado (10) won't get past Miami if they were to win, while Illinois (7) has a small chance to do so; only because they have some wins over top teams.

MIDWESTERN, SOON-TO-BE BIG EAST BATTLE

A battle in the second round between Butler (6) and Marquette (3) seems inevitable. The Bulldogs beat the Golden Eagles back in November by 1. While Marquette seemed to gel as the season wore on, Butler had to deal with a tough conference schedule for the first time and if they could have beaten Saint Louis, they would be in better shape. Even still, they move on to the Sweet 16.

THE ENIGMA

What to make of the Syracuse Orange? Are they the team that started 18-1 and went to the Big East Final? Or are they the team that were 5-7 down the stretch before the Big East Tourney? What's going to help Syracuse is they will play some teams that aren't used to playing their zone. One thing to remember, Tom Crean used to play Syracuse regularly back in his Marquette days, so he would be familiar with what the Orange do.

ELITE EIGHT

Indiana (1) vs. Miami (2). I have these two going to the final in D.C. The Hoosiers have too much talent (and too much Victor Olapido), while the Hurricanes have too much experience with their talent, plus I love Jim Larranaga in March. Big 10 slate is tougher than the ACC slate was last year and Indiana will find a way past this team who plays well defensively.

East Region winner: Indiana

Midwest Region Preview

Earlier we looked at the South region, now it's time for the other region that has all 16 teams set, the Midwest. One thing that I will say before we go in-depth; this is clearly the toughest region. Duke could have been a 1-seed, Michigan State might have been a 2 if they could have beaten Wisconsin and Saint Louis probably gets a higher seed if they aren't in the Atlantic 10. Here's the Midwest region:

THANKS FOR ATTENDING

North Carolina A&T (16) won last night against Liberty, getting their first NCAA Tourney win in the process. Their reward: the right to lose to Louisville by 35. Albany (15) is back in the tourney for the first time since 2007 when they gave a scare to UConn as a 16th seed. It's probably the one school in the tournament that I know the most alums. Too bad that Duke isn't going to allow another Lehigh to happen.

ONLY BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY WON NCAA TOURNEY GAMES BEFORE

Valparaiso (14) and New Mexico State (13) have been to the Sweet Sixteen in the past. Bryce Drew is coaching Valpo and was there when they reached the Sweet 16 in 1998. It's too bad both teams go against Michigan State and Saint Louis. Different region might have led to an upset.

MIGHT AS WELL BE A GAME FROM THE NIT

Colorado State (8) vs. Missouri (9). I hate to shortchange Colorado State here, but after they beat Missouri, the matchup against Louisville is a killer for Colorado State since the Cardinals will speed it up. They will have to settle for beating up the Tigers down low, led by Colton Iverson.

BIG EAST LEFTOVERS

Cincinnati (10) will have their hands full with Doug McDermott and Creighton will speed up tempo to get the win. Memphis (6) has yet to win a game in the NCAA's under Josh Pastner and if you look at their schedule, 3 of their 4 losses came against tourney teams. They will be fun together in the Conference Formally Known As Big East.

FODDER FOR THE TOP SEEDS

St Mary's (11) won their First Four matchup last night and for the first two instances, this meant that one of those teams won the First Round game. They will against Memphis, but Matthew Dellavedova won't be enough to get past the size of Michigan State. Doug McDermott gets Creighton (7) past Cincinnati, but Duke will have multiple scorers who can do the job that Creighton can do. Oregon (12) was screwed with their seed and got stuck with a tough matchup against Oklahoma State (5). I think the Ducks win the rock fight between these teams who are great defensively. It won't really matter who wins since Saint Louis will be waiting.

REALLY WANTED TO PICK THEM FURTHER

Well, in the case of Duke (2), I'm not that upset that I'm picking them to be finished in the Sweet 16. Michigan State is too big for Duke and the Blue Devils get too dependent on the three-ball. Plus, Tom Izzo always extracts as much out of his team as possible once the tourney begins. Saint Louis (4) has the size to beat Louisville, but the Cards are better in the backcourt and uptempo doesn't work in the Billikens favor. Would be very interested to know if Rick Majerus would have been able to outwit Rick Pitino in this one.

ELITE EIGHT

Louisville (1) vs. Michigan State (3). Rematch from last year when the Spartans couldn't score much against the Cardinals. With Louisville more experienced and seemingly more explosive as the second half of the Big East title game showed. Louisville is looking to be the fourth straight Big East Champ to reach the Final Four and I (along with almost everyone it seems, something that makes me hesitant) believe this will happen.

Midwest Region: Louisville

South Region Preview

Tomorrow will be the true start of March Madness, so today, there will be looks at all four regions. I figured that once some of the First Four games were played, and a couple of days to think about the bracket would be wise before going ahead with this post. Since there was no play-in games in this region, let's start with the South, looking at grouping the teams based on chances on advancing.

THANKS FOR ATTENDING

Western Kentucky (16) and Northwestern State (14) have no shot of an upset. Thus, we get reminded how we have no idea what the Hilltoppers mascot is and that Northwestern State has made more NCAA appearances than Northwestern, who's in the Big 10.

SO YOU'RE SAYING THERE'S A CHANCE?

This is the group for Florida Gulf Coast (15), South Dakota State (13) and Akron (12). If everything broke right, an upset can occur. Akron's hurt by a suspension of PG Alex Abreu, which is a killer against VCU. I'm also pretty sure that Georgetown will be on guard for the upset by FGC. The Jackrabbits of SD State are on this list because they gave Baylor a scare last year; unfortunately I think Michigan won't allow another First Round loss (for the purposes of this and any other posts, I will, rightfully, refer to the Second Round as First Round), after the one Ohio gave them a year ago.

MAY AS WELL BE A GAME FROM THE NIT

San Diego State (7) vs. Oklahoma (10). Neither team is beating Georgetown and they are close enough competitively that seed doesn't matter. The rule of thumb is to pick against Steve Fisher-coached teams in the tourney, since they only won a game in the tourney once since 1994, right before Juwan Howard and Jalen Rose went to the NBA. Oklahoma is the pick by default.

ROCK(CHALK), PAPER, SCISSORS

For some reason, I think Villanova (9) has a shot to pull over Kansas. Problem is, North Carolina (8) looks like they will create matchup problems with the Wildcats. Which is too bad, because there's no way that the Tar Heels knock off the Jayhawks.

SHOULDN'T THESE SEEDS BE REVERSED?

UCLA (6) vs. Minnesota (11). I know why Minnesota is an 11-seed, but the Bruins are missing Jordan Adams and the Gophers will be happy to be freed from Big 10 play. They finished the year 5-11 after a 15-1 start. I think playing on neutral courts can get them back to a November-December rhythm. Don't be surprised if Minnesota can make their way to the Sweet 16; they rebound the ball very well.

DON'T FALL IN LOVE WITH THESE TEAMS

Kansas (1), Florida (3) and Michigan (4) all will be picked to go to the Final Four in a bunch of brackets. Florida, in fact, has the Nate Silver seal of approval. With the Gators, I really don't like how they have absolutely zero close wins. As for Kansas and Michigan, they seem to be bad matchups for VCU and Shaka Smart's Havoc.

ELITE EIGHT

VCU (5) vs. Georgetown (2). I'm relishing this matchup with Otto Porter and the Hoyas will try to slow down the Rams of VCU who will do all they can to rev up the tempo in this one. In the end, I don't think there's enough for Georgetown to pull through past the Rams.

South Region Winner: VCU

Photobomb Involving Bill Walton

Yes, Bill Walton was photobombed by Bill Walton. N.C. A&T and St. Mary's won First Four action tonight and Robert Morris upset Kentucky, but this is the biggest story in college hoops tonight. It doesn't even matter if Stanford or Stephen F. Austin wins.

Then, this happened...

God Bless Bill Walton.

(h/t to Awful Announcing and Amanda Rykoff)

Day Two: Zags Win and the Big East Starts

Last night began a daily look at how the NCAA Tournament field was taking shape. There was a clear omission by me in yesterday's post: the Sun Belt championship was last night. Congratulations to Western Kentucky for knocking off Florida International and clinch an auto bid. What's unfortunate is now Middle Tennessee State, who went 19-1 in the Sun Belt (and won the league by FIVE games) and 28-5 overall, now must see on that bubble and pray that the number of bid thieves are minimal. They're ranked 28th in RPI, yet they have a 135th ranked schedule and their best wins are UCF and Ole Miss. Everyone seems to think of them as this year's Drexel, who missed the tourney with a similar profile.

If Middle Tennessee State is now on the wrong side of the bubble, St. Mary's, who I thought were more in regardless of result yesterday, should be thought of being at least squarely on the bubble. Gonzaga's win over St. Mary's clinches a top seed for the Zags, yet might have put only one team in the West Coast Conference into the NCAA's. At least the Gaels beat Creighton. As for other action on Monday, James Madison, Davidson and Iona locked in auto bids as they won their conference tourneys. The James Madision Dukes in particular are heading back to the Big Dance for the first time since 1994, which is always good to see when a team returns to glory. Now let's look at Tuesday's slate, which has three more bids on the line and the start of the Big East tournament.

Autobids: Liberty, Florida Gulf Coast, Creighton, Belmont, Harvard, Western Kentucky, James Madison, Davidson, Iona, Gonzaga

Northeast: Mount St. Mary's have won their last nine games enroute to the Final in the Northeast conference. Now they get a chance to finish the job in Brooklyn as they take on LIU. My Brooklyn roots won't allow me to root against the Blackbirds, but the Mountaineers look to be destined to win this one.

Summit: It's going to be a battle of the Dakotas, as North Dakota State and South Dakota State will face off for the autobid. I still remember Ben Woodside from 2009 helped the Bison put a scare into then-defending champion Kansas. However, the SD State nickname is the Jackrabbits, so I'm rooting for the Jackrabbits to make it to two straight NCAA berths.

Horizon: With Butler joining the Atlantic 10, the Horizon is open for a bid and it's Valparaiso going against Wright State. Can you believe the last tourney appearance for Valpo was back in 2004? For Homer and Bryce Drew (who happens to be the current coach), for their Sweet 16 run in 1998, let's hope the Crusaders head back to March Madness.

Big East: For the final time, the Big East will begin it's tournament on a Tuesday as the league will officially split. I will have more of a preview on Wednesday, but the two games are Seton Hall going up against South Florida and DePaul-Rutgers in the nightcap. Of these four teams, I guess only Seton Hall could reach Thursday, simply because they love to shoot three's and if they're falling, an upset can occur.

What's Needed For The NCAA's

This week, the bracket for March Madness will finally be fully realized. So far, there have been five teams who clinched automatic bids into the NCAA's. As the week goes on, The Cycle will take a day-to-day look at who's moving in and out of the tournament. As the week progresses, will look at the bubble teams and see what's needed during this ever softening bubble to reach the tournament. This begins today as there are four games that will decide automatic bids, though not much to see in terms of bubbles.

Autobids: Harvard, Liberty, Creighton, Florida Gulf Coast, Belmont

West Coast Conference: Tonight, it's Gonzaga trying to finish this outstanding regular season as they look to defeat St. Mary's for the third time this year. I wasn't sure if the Gaels needed a win to clinch a spot, but looking at their resume, they have no losses vs +150 RPI teams, beat Creighton two weeks ago and are 26-5 with a 33 RPI. They're in win or lose. For the Zags though, this game is a must-win in order to lock up a #1 seed. They don't have the strongest schedule and even with a win, you could argue that they belong more on the two-line than the top-line. Thus, a win for Gonzaga tonight would clear any doubts to them getting a top seed in my eyes.

MAAC: Last year, Iona qualified as an at-large, becoming on the 2nd MAAC team to qualfiy as an at-large. This year, they try to head back to the NCAA's and will face Manhattan, who haven't been to the NCAA's since 2004, when PG Luis Flores and coach Bobby Gonzalez led the Jaspers to a win over Florida as a 13-seed. A Manhattan win would also make them the 2nd sub-.500 team to reach the tourney after Liberty won the Big South yesterday.

Southern: Davidson had a great year in the Southern conference, going 17-1 in the league and overall are 25-7. However, without a win tonight over Charleston, they are still heading to the NIT. No back door for the Wildcats. At least Charleston was second in the league, so if they were to win, they wouldn't have to worry about playing in Dayton in the first four.

CAA: With VCU gone, the Colonial has been a weaker league. It's title game will feature two teams looking to end long NCAA tourney droughts. Northeastern hasn't been to the Big Dance since 1991, while James Madison hasn't been in since 1994. Northeastern is guaranteed at least a berth in the NIT if they were to lose tonight.

Tomorrow, the Sun Belt will play its conference championship, and they'll be plenty of time to discuss Middle Tennessee State tomorrow, so let's focus on the other big loser from yesterday: Stony Brook. They dominated the America East conference, finishing 14-2 and three games clear of the rest of the league. Unfortunately, they lost to Albany yesterday and now are done in terms of the NCAA's, since they have no wins over the top-100 in RPI and a very weak schedule. A team like this who can run roughshod over an entire league over a full season, then have their season end on one fell swoop is particularly harsh. Yes, I know they will make the NIT, but that's not really the point when you easily win a league. Too bad for the Seawolves.

The Sins of Realignment

It was made official today that the Big East is splitting up, effective July 1st. The so-called Catholic 7 will retain the Big East name, history and MSG for the basketball tournament, while the football schools will have their own league, which looks like it will be called "America 12" (pardon me while I laugh). Even if the split was going to happen next year, this was still going to be the last year of the Big East as we once knew it. Rivalries and the Big East Tournament will never be the same again.

The next nine days will give a glimpse of what will be missed as the winds of college sports have ruined the greatest basketball league assembled. Two rivalries will no longer have scheduled games starting next season; sure they might have games post-split but it won't be the same when these games are being played in December instead of March. The first of these rivalries that are coming to an end is Rutgers-Seton Hall, who will finish their Big East series tonight at the Prudential Center. I'm certain there will be games against these two for years to come, but it will be once a year and losing the round robin nature of the series will hard to get used to. There is a bias when I speak of these two teams since I'm a Seton Hall alum and perhaps I overrate this rivalry (both of us aren't that good at playing basketball). However, I know I'll miss going into every season looking to finish ahead of Rutgers.

The rivalry everyone will miss is Syracuse-Georgetown, which will play it's last scheduled game tomorrow at noon in Washington D.C. Where Rutgers-Seton Hall is like Newcastle-Sunderland in terms of rivalry/derby; the Hoyas vs the Orange are the defining rivalry since the Big East was formed in 1979. Names like Patrick Ewing, Sherman Douglas, Alonzo Mourning, Pearl Washington, Sleepy Floyd and Gerry McNamara are part of Big East history. John Thompson and John Thompson III patrolling the Hoyas sidelines, while Jim Boeheim is Big East hoops since Day 1. Tomorrow, the Cuse have a chance to knock the Hoyas out of a number 1 seed in the Big East tournament and who knows, perhaps they will have another matchup next week in New York. If not, there's no plans right now of these two continuing their rivalry in the new conference.

Next week, for one last time, you will see Syracuse, Pitt, St. John's, Villanova, Louisville and Rick Pitino among others share the Madison Square Garden stage for the last time. One prominent absence will be UConn, who if Georgetown was the representation of the Big East during the glory years of the 80s and Syracuse being the best team throughout the entire history, the Huskies have been the dominant power of the last twenty years. It's already a lesser tournament next week without UConn and retired coach Jim Calhoun. Teams like Notre Dame and Cincinnati know that this is the last time they will get this March trip to NYC for great basketball. As good as Xavier and Butler are, teams like Villanova and St. John's know that not playing Syracuse and Pitt in March makes a Big East title a little hallow.

If you grew up with the Big East, you grow up with basketball in your bones. You knew that how you did in the NCAA Tournament was second to how you did in the Big East Tournament; great to be national champion, but losing in the first or second round doesn't ruin the year if you won it all at MSG.  There will be a version that still will have great basketball, with some history, but a lesser version it will be nonetheless. And who knows if Syracuse and Pitt can avoid the pitfalls that happened to Boston College when they left for the ACC. For one more week, let's enjoy what made the Big East great before the reality sets in on what makes college sports infuriating.

March Madness Day 1 Recap

The first day of March Madness came and went and it went by with only one game that was worth watching, and one game that should have been if not for some awful officiating. The best game of the day was easily VCU-Wichita State which saw both teams trade baskets late. It also was the only game to go down to the last second, as Garrett Stutz of Wichita St missed a game-tying three. In other words, Shaka beat the Shockers. And while VCU might not go back to the Final Four, winning today will only make people believe that they are going back on that same run.

Something Stinks In Pittsburgh

Syracuse survived their matchup against UNC-Asheville and they can thank the men in stripes for that. The Bulldogs had a goaltending call and a lane violation go against them, but those are judgement calls. The worst came with 38.5 seconds left. Syracuse inbounds the ball and it goes out of bounds off Brandon Triche's hands. So, UNC-Asheville ball, right? Wrong, it goes back to the Orange. It's one thing if a foul was called, which could have been. If so, everyone would whine about UNC-Asheville getting a tough whistle and no one would care. By not call it a foul, and blatantly getting that call wrong, then the entire legitimacy of your officiating crew can be questioned and that's not something that should occur in a game like this. UNC-Asheville may not have won today, but they deserved a fair chance to go for it and they didn't get it. Disgraceful.

Defending Champs Bounced

UConn fell to Iowa State, ending their reign as National Champions. Expectations weren't high since this Huskies team overlooks opponents and did so tonight. Iowa State made a bunch of three's and though UConn fought back, they couldn't make it a game. Now, the future of the program is anyone's guess now that they are banned for the tourney in 2013.

Rest of the action:

The Big East had the worst day among the major conferences as West Virginia limp home after getting crushed by Gonzaga. The conference did get wins by Louisville and Marquette, joining Syracuse's win. The Mountain West also looked bad today as Colorado State and UNLV both lost, while New Mexico survived a scare against Long Beach State. UNLV was particularly dreadful as they chucked three's all night and allowed Colorado from the awful Pac-12 score a win. No other upsets occurred as Kentucky and Ohio State took care of business as 1 and 2 seeds respectively. Wisconsin and Vanderbilt set up their matchup with little fuss, while Baylor and Indiana didn't allow their games to get away from them. The other close game was Kansas State's win over Southern Miss, and that was because the Wildcats only had three guys score for them. They will need more to beat Syracuse, but I do think they are up for the task.

Just a reminder, I will be back to live blog the afternoon games once again tomorrow. Hopefully, we will have some better finishes (and the trend is Friday has good games after bad ones on Thursday). Although, without Gus Johnson, I can see the basketball gods as an angry sort and will dull the tourney so we can call it March Yawness.

March Madness Live Blog

Instead of a preview, I decided to live blog the first two days of the tournament. Especially as long as we're looking for great finishes. I will update my blog whenever anything interesting goes on, especially if there's a great finish brewing. Enjoy the best weekend in sports.

12:10 PM: For the record, my Final Four is Kentucky, Missouri, FSU and UNC. No true Cinderella's unfortunately.

12:15 PM: Bill Raftery says Murray State starts in the mantaman. March Madness officially begun. This means I should grab my first beer.

12:22 PM: First commercial break, Colorado State with a good start early, up 7-3. Murray State looks out of synch offensively.

12:26 PM: Murray State down 10-8. Meanwhile, it looks like Mario Williams will be heading to Buffalo. I can't wait to see how much money Williams will get to go there. I'm thinking Haynesworth money.

12:31 PM: Also, it looks like Dwight Howard is going to waive his ETO and remain with Orlando until the end of 2013. This officially the dumbest free agent situation in sports history.

12:38 PM: Murray State has finally arrived, ahead by 3 and we hear the Racers fans for the first time. Kansas St/So Miss is about to begin.

12:54 PM: So Miss and Kansas State has become a horrible rock fight. I thought I left those behind in the Big East Tournament.

1:02 PM: Halftime in Louisville, Colorado State is up 1. Get greeted by the first Napa commercial of the tourney. At least they aren't singing the song anymore (aside from a quick 3 second clip).

1:13 PM: Souther Miss is staying close to Kansas State. In more NBA news, Gerald Wallace will go to the Nets for Mehmet Okur, Shawne Williams and a top-3 protected first rounder. Wallace adds a scorer for the Nets, while the Blazers could be ready to rebuild with multiple lottery picks. Like it more for Portland.

1:23 PM: Is that Isaish Caanan steal and jam and omen for the second half?

1:30 PM: Southern Miss is somehow only down 3 at halftime. Murray starts the second half with a 7-0 run.

1:37 PM: Pierce Hornung has a beast of a name and is a beast among men today. 13 rebounds already. Too bad it's not translating for CSU.

1:41 PM: The Lakers trade a 1st round pick for Ramon Sessions. He's the missing point guard that will put the Lakers over the top, says no one.

1:42 PM: Zay Jackson with the interception and the trey. 16-2 to start the half by the Racers. Rams are falling apart.

1:52 PM: Louisville-Davidson has tipped. Now, how does Rick Pitino use his success in NYC to bust NCAA brackets this year?

1:55 PM: Caanan hasn't played well today. And Murray State is still up 11. I'd be afraid if I'm facing them in the future.

2:02PM: Missed FT's could comeback to haunt Murray State, as Colorado State is slowly starting to find offensive rhythm. Still up 12, so it's not time to worry.

2:10PM: You know, I always enjoy it when Nets fans are spoon fed how they will get star players and take over New York and buy it; then when the time comes to make a move, the Nets get guys like Travis Outlaw and Gerald Wallace. Deron Williams will look great in a Mavs uniform next season.

2:18PM: Murray State is about to advance. Wisconsin-Montana has tipped off and the Badgers have scored 14 points in 6 minutes. Didn't think they can do it.

2:23PM: Rodney McGruder and Jordan Henriquez are carrying Kansas State. Can two guys win this game against So Miss? Will a third KSU player step up?

2:26 PM: These two trades involve guys who continue to be bongs which NBA teams pass around. Marcus Camby goes to the Rockets; Stephen Jackson goes from Golden State (days after the Warriors acquired him) to San Antonio for Richard Jefferson. I have no clue what the Warriors are thinking, but they have made some horrible deals in the last couple of years when the new ownership took over.

2:31 PM: Louisville took control late in the half, despite no Dieng. Up 8 at the break. Apparently, Jonny Flynn and Hasheem Thabeet are going to Portland for Camby. So now 2 of the first six picks in the 2009 NBA Draft have become throw-ins to make the cap work. In just three years.

2:42 PM: KSU up 62-59 with 2:25 left. First chance at a classic finish.

2:50 PM: Dodson's missed 3 means the Wildcats can wrap this up. As long as they make their FT's.

2:55 PM: K State wins by 6. Marquette with a quick start on BYU, just like Iona did. Don't think BYU will win if they go down 25 this time. Just a thought.

3:05 PM: Marquette up 18-5 now on BYU, while Louisville is up by 7. Derek Fisher has been traded to the Rockets, ending an era where PG's licked their chops when facing the Lakers. Still, will Sessions hit those backbreaking three's that Fisher can? And do so while leaving the same incredulous feeling of "how does he make this shot" that Fisher exuded.

3:14 PM: Won't you love how ESPN will treat today's NBA trade deadline like some major moves happened, when it really was just like the NHL's deadline?

3:22 PM: Louisville seem to be suffocating the life out of Davidson. They're up 12, but it feels like 22. Where Steph Curry when you need him? The Warriors ask themselves that same question.

3:40 PM: There is absolutely no close games right now. So it's time for a peak at Syracuse to see how long UNC-Asheville will last. Meanwhile, the Clippers acquired Nick Young from the Wizards in a three-way trade, which sees JaVale McGee go to Denver and Nene go to Washington.

3:43 PM: Some day in Portland; now the Blazers are firing coach Nate McMillan. Stealing all the thunder on NCAA games going on in the city. Time to build around LaMarcus Aldridge and I happen to like this decision.

3:59 PM: Louisville wins. Wisconsin's up 16 with 4:37 left. Marquette up 15 at halftime. Syracuse is the only game worth watch, trailing Asheville by 3. Too soon for upset talk, though.

4:09 PM: Asheville's guard Keith Hornsby is the son of singer Bruce Hornsby, singer of The Way It Is. That's fascinating.

4:20PM: Brandon Triche couldn't get the shot off before the clock expired. Instead of 2 and a possible foul, the Cuse will be down 4 at the half. Still too early to talk about 16 over 1 possibility. Let's wait until the 10 minute mark, or a double digit Asheville lead. Whichever comes first.

4:24 PM: I need to pay attention better. Read this tweet.

4:29PM: LBSU and New Mexico are underway. Meanwhile, BYU is once again rallying in the second half. If they win this game, I'll be afraid of BYU for the rest of the way.

4:38PM: Marquette starting to show that they won't allow BYU back in it. Starting to clamp down on defense.

4:47 PM: Darius Johnson-Odom does what Devante Gardner should have; kick out to open man for three. Marquette back up 13.

4:57 PM: Asheville won't go away yet. Harvard vs Harvard of the South is underway. I really want good things for Tommy Amaker's team, but Vanderbilt is a team I'm all-in on.

5:02 PM: UNC-Asheville up 1, J.P. Primm leads all with 14 points.

5:11 PM: Jaron Lane ties it again for Asheville. 54-54 with 6:21 left. Now we can start to picture the upset as possible.

5:20 PM: 3 for James Southerland. That has to be the dagger. Puts the Cuse up 8 with 2:24 left. UNC-Asheville gave it a good try.

5:23 PM: Syracuse fouls a 3-point shooter. Too bad it didn't fall or the lead would have been cut in half.

5:26 PM: Bulldogs don't quit, make 2 FT's, miss layup, but get the loose ball and timeout. Down 6 with 1:56 left.

5:29 PM: Great feed by Dickey to Atkinson. Asheville down 4.

5:32 PM: I can't believe they called a lane violation on Asheville. The fix is in.

5:33 PM: LANE FOR 3!!!!!!!!!! Bulldogs down 3 with a minute left. Unbelievable.

5:34 PM: This might be it. Though, Triche missed the FT after the layup. Asheville fouled with 38.2 left.

5:37 PM: I was kidding before about the fix. Now, I'm not after that missed out of bounds call. These refs today should be investigated and I'm serious.

5:42 PM: Syracuse barely, despite playing this game 8-on-5. This was a disgrace how UNC-Asheville wasn't allowed a chance to try to win.

5:53 PM: I'm trying to get more excited about New Mexico-Long Beach State, but the stink from Pittsburgh is still strong. I'll put an end to the live blog right here (especially with New Mexico opening things up). I'll be back for the night games.

The Cycle Bracketology

Today was a day that had more encouraging news for those on the bubble. Memphis beat Marshall and Long Beach St beat UC Santa Barbara to avoid bid thieves taking two spots away. Also, N.C. State lost to North Carolina and Ole Miss lost to Vanderbilt ending auto bid dreams for these two bubbles. Colorado won the Pac-12 title and it will be interesting if the selection committee treats the conference like it's a Power Six one or the way it should be treated, which is slightly better than the MAC.

For the first time, I'm going to try out creating my own rough bracket. It's going to be a little tough, since I'm also in process of moving just before the selection show, but here's it is.

1 seeds: Kentucky, Syracuse, North Carolina, Michigan State

2 seeds: Missouri, Kansas, Ohio State, Duke

3 seeds: Baylor, Louisville, Michigan, Marquette

4 seeds: Florida State, Georgetown, Wisconsin, Indiana

5 seeds: New Mexico, Murray State, Florida, UNLV

6 seeds: Cincinnati, San Diego State, Memphis, Vanderbilt

7 seeds: Creighton, Notre Dame, Wichita State, St. Mary's

8 seeds: Temple, Saint Louis, Iowa State, Gonzaga

9 seeds: UConn, Alabama, Purdue, Kansas State

10 seeds: Xavier, Harvard, Southern Miss, Long Beach State

11 seeds: Texas, BYU, Colorado State, West Virginia

12 seeds: Virginia, VCU, Seton Hall, Drexel*, N.C. State*

13 seeds: Ohio, Colorado, Davidson, California*, Iona*

14 seeds: Belmont, South Dakota State, New Mexico State, Montana

15 seeds: Detroit, Loyola, LIU, Lehigh

16 seeds: Western Kentucky*, Norfolk St*, Mississippi Valley St.*, Vermont*, Lamar, UNC-Asheville

*play-in game

(if St. Bonaventure beats Xavier in A-10 title game, they're a 13 seed and Iona is out)

(Ohio State win over Michigan State means Missouri's a number 1)

(Florida State moves to a 3 if they beat UNC)

(Vandy moves to a 5 w/win over Kentucky)

(bracket not adjusted for NCAA rules)

Conference USA Title Game

That was the result of the Big East Semifinals, as Cincinnati held off Syracuse; handing the Orange their second loss of the year, while Louisville romped Notre Dame in the other. For the Bearcats, this is their first Big East title game, while Louisville is in it's third in four years. We'll see for sure if the Cardinals will maintain their dominance of MSG tomorrow night, or if Yancy Gates, Sean Kilpatrick and Cashmere Wright lead Cincinnati to their first title.

Mixed Day In The Bubble

Today was also a chance to see if bubble teams would take advantage of opportunities or fail at them like Thursday. Xavier probably locked up a bid and eliminated Dayton in the process with their comeback win over the Flyers. N.C. State, while maybe not locked in a berth, put themselves in good shape after defeating Virginia. Meanwhile, you saw bubble teams Miami-FL, Tennessee and St. Joseph's go into shaky ground (in the case of St. Joes, they are probably out) with losses.

The bigger story was the number of high seeds losing, opening up potential bubble thieves. Temple lost to UMass, setting up a matchup with St. Bonaventure; neither of whom will make it unless they win the A-10 tourney. That makes the winner of Saint Louis-Xavier a team the bubble world will be strongly pulling for. America's favorite conference, the Pac-12, saw California go down to Colorado, which now essentially guaranteeing a second bid for either the Buffaloes or Arizona. Finally, in Conference USA, their real title game features Memphis against Marshall, a game in Memphis which the Tigers must win for all bubble teams. Will any of these teams lose? A better question; will Nevada still be in line for an at-large bid after losing today? And lastly, is Long Beach St in the tourney as of right now, win or lose tomorrow? These are questions to be answered Saturday and you will see me put together a bracket for the first time.

Rock Fights Galore

This year's Big East Tournament has devolved into a bunch of low-scoring defensive performances that are offensive to most basketball fans (but likely thrillers for Big Ten fans). While these games are exciting toward the end, they are also sloppy. This year's tourney has me wondering if any Big East teams will make it past the first weekend of the Big Dance.

UConn and Syracuse was the best of these games as each team took turns going on runs and countering them. Turns out that UConn couldn't find someone to put the ball in the basket late, while James Southerland continuously made shots late to give the Orange the W. Cincinnati and Georgetown was a little uglier as the Hoyas made one shot in the last 10 minutes of the second half, until Otto Porter hit the tying jumper to force OT. It then became a battle between Yancy Gates and Henry Sims, trading buckets in both overtimes, until Cashemere Wright hit the winning shot late in double OT and Sims missed a 3. The worst of these games was South Florida-Notre Dame who's display of basketball harkened back to the George Mikan days. But someone had to win and the Irish prevailed. South Florida is back on the bubble, but if anyone watches the Bulls play, I wouldn't let them in.

Pitino's Garden Magic

The one game which saw some scoring was Louisville-Marquette, as the Cardinals won handily 84-71. The Golden Eagles were in trouble once Jae Crowder was in foul trouble and it didn't help that Kyle Kuric and Peyton Siva played very well. Rick Pitino once again outcoached his opponent (tough to do against Buzz Williams) and has Louisville a game from their third Big East final in the last 4 years. And to think, if Louisville had any consistent perimeter shooting, they'd be a real contender to win the whole thing this year. They may have to settle for winning at MSG.

The Incredible Expanding Bubble

Great day for West Virginia and Seton Hall as bubble teams had their chances either popped or put on life support. This year's Pac-12 was horrible and Washington couldn't just rest on its laurels as regular season conference champ if they wanted to make the Dance. So what do they do; blow a six point lead with 3:22 left against Oregon St, giving the committee a test case. Do they pick the Huskies because their Pac-12 champs or treat them like they would the MAC in this situation. Other bubbles losing; Mississippi State finishes their collapse as they fall to lowly Georgia; Oregon torpedoes their chances by dropping their first round game with Colorado and Northwestern doesn't appear to be breaking their 0-fer in NCAA Tourney play, losing to Minnesota in OT. Congrats to Southern Miss, Colorado State and Texas for winning yesterday and likely playing their way in. Today, we watch if Tennessee, Miami, NC State and Arizona can keep at large chances alive, while a proverbial play-in game for Xavier and Dayton takes place tonight.