This is Bound To Make Your Ribs Hurt

I didn't even know that Zeke was a candidate for the Hoosiers job. In case you thought he was (LOL!), he is not. Why? He has a job.

Also, Tony Bennett (who coaches WASU, not this one) said "Thanks, but no thanks" to the aforementioned Indiana head coaching position. This is fairly surprising as he is losing three starters, including his two best to graduation.

In news that no one other than me cares about, does a lateral move from Kent State to TCU puzzle your mind? If we were talking football, that's one thing, but Jim Christian coaches basketball (though, he has crossed paths with two NFL Pro Bowl players). Fun fact. Anyhow, give credit to TCU for getting a proven coach.

Lastly, in a no-brainer, Pitt's Jamie Dixon opted to stay with the Panthers after being offered the same post at Cal. Now that Bill Self has reached the Final Four (gasp!), do not be shocked if Dixon gets the Self treatment for being "the best coach not to reach the Final Four". In Dixon's case, it's the Elite 8. Of course, there's also that Bruce Pearl guy.

An Unbiased Elite Eight PREVIEW [Sunday Edition]

Pay and I have decided to stick with what works, revisiting last year’s Elite Eight format we enjoyed so much, as we deliver your Unofficial Unbiased Preview to the Elite Eight.

The Saturday matchups (UCLA/Xavier & UNC/Louisville) got their due yesterday.

Don’t worry. We aren’t afraid to tick off a few coaches, call out non-professional athletes, or let our gut reactions – not our corporate sponsors or contacts – decide our analysis and perhaps, a prediction or two.

Without further banter, let’s roll!

…games are in order of time- slot (2pm and 5pm respectively)…

South Regional Final: #1. Memphis vs. #3. Texas [aka “Free Throws Don’t Matter vs. Isn’t this game in TEXAS!?!?”]

Never underestimate the impact of a Naismith-finalist in games such as these.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Key Players
Memphis – Derrick Rose v. DJ Augustin will headline the night. In fact, I’m going to say that again just to give the phenomenal PGs (freshman and sophomore, respectively) enough credit. However, the key player on the Tigers roster I am targeting is All-American and Naismith finalist Chris Douglas-Roberts. The stabilizing force for Calipari’s bunch, CDR can get to the line at-will (11-for-12 against the Spartans) and his hot hand is the worst possible news for any opponent. His size and defensive prowess make him a force on both sides of the court as well.

Texas – Here’s my aforementioned promised second mentioning of the important of Rose v. Augustin (happy?). While Pay might justifiably bring up a guy named Atchley, I’m focusing on the best big man Texas has, Damion James. Arguably Texas’s most consistent player through three tournament games, James will have to earn rough baskets in the blocks and hit open jumpers for the Longhorns to withstand the force and fury of the Memphis attack. Might I also add that both Dorsey and Dozier can be prone to early foul trouble. Despite being a sophomore, James would be wise to exploit that early and often.

Moment of Truth
After AJ Abrams’s first five shots, whenever they take place, Texas will likely have a preview of the night their senior perimeter shooter is going to have. Whether he’s taking threes off of a screen or taking a runner near the free-throw line, it’s imperative how Abrams starts (and therefore finishes). Memphis locked Antonio Anderson on Drew Neitzel and gave him absolute fits; however, this matchup will be tougher on AA. I promise.

Key Stats
-Don’t worry, I’m not here to talk about Memphis and free throws, AGAIN. Let’s try this instead: 15-0 to close out the first-half en route to a 50-20 halftime lead, and 0-16 to allow Michigan State to claw the score back to a 17-point deficit. Embarrassing to say the least for Michigan State, an upset special against Memphis which a ton of the media embraced (good luck with that one). Just as important was Drew Neitzel not scoring until 1:47 left in the game. Good luck, AJ Abrams.

-Dexter Pittman (4, 6, & 2) and Clint Chapman (4, 2, 1), Texas’s big men reserves combined for 17 of the most stabilizing minutes Rick Barnes could have ever hoped for on Friday night. Both role players average six minutes per game, yet found new responsibilities once the Lopez twins surfaced in the opponent’s lineup. Job well done, men. Problem is: can they possibly do it again against such amazing athletic talent?

Interesting Facts
- Though Memphis’s struggles from the free throw line (59.8%) have been documented, Texas is not much better at 68.0%. In fact, among the regulars, only DJ Augustin and AJ Abrams shoot above that clip.

- Four of the five Texas starters shoot above 37% from 3-point range.

Pay’s Prediction: Texas wins 75-67
Clement’s Prediction: Texas wins 87-84 (OT)

Midwest Regional Final: #1. Kansas vs. #10. Davidson [aka “Bill Self: You can do this vs. Gus Johnson’s Praying to Scream Our Game-Winner as loud as he possible can”]

Any chance, win or lose, that Curry is already the MOP of the Midwest Region?
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Note from Clement: CBS commentator Gus Johnson needs to learn the difference between excitement for an incredible play or team effort AND going out of his way to root for the underdog and Cinderella story at the expense of calling a fair, accurate game. [Only HIS writing is more over-the-top, ego-inflated, and ridiculously biased.]

Key Players
Kansas – It’s not fair how good Kansas is. In a tournament that has long been dominated by guard play, they have one of the nation’s best defenders (Mario Chalmers) and a dynamic guard with a flair for the unselfish (Brandon Rush). Additionally, there’s the less-heralded Russell Robinson and Sherron Collins, who may be the only guard quick enough to defeat Darren Collison or Ty Lawson in a race. Perceived as their only “weakness” prior to this season, Darrell Arthur and Darnell Jackson have been dominant in the blocks when they’ve needed to be and Sasha Kaun can take big defenders out for a 15-foot jumper.

Davidson – Let’s just get the two key players out of the way. Jason Richards and Stephen Curry must not only have repeat performances of their last three games, but they might even have to play better if they want the last two minutes of this game to be significant. In the trenches, Andrew Lovedale will have to body up with the Jayhawk quartet of Darnell Jackson, Darrell Arthur, Sasha Kaun and Cole Aldridge. Keeping the Davidson Final Four dream alive also requires the selfless contributions from Sander, Meno, Paulhus Gosselin and Rossiter that are almost never seen in box scores.

Moment of Truth
After the first prolonged Jayhawks run, will Stephen Curry begin to force shots if Jason Richards and Co. are ineffective? If Davidson can hold Kansas to less than 45% and/or force 15+ turnovers, they have a chance to defeat the dominant Jayhawks in a close game. In the end, Bob McKillop’s team will be four to five plays short of making a miraculous trip to the Final Four.

Key Stats
- 27 to 4. That may be one of the runs that Kansas has had in this tournament. It’s also Jason Richards’s assist-to-turnover ratio. Sick.

- Kansas shot over 50% from the field for the season and has done so in each of its three tournament games.

Interesting Facts
- December 21, 2007. That’s the last time Davidson lost.

- Kansas has a 5-3 record this season in games decided by single digits.

Pay’s Prediction: Kansas wins 83-72
Clement’s Prediction: Kansas wins 81-65

Final Four coverage will come fast and furious this week.

Unless you enjoy spoon-fed answers from the “networks”.

An Unbiased Elite Eight PREVIEW [Saturday Edition]

Pay and I have decided to stick with what works, revisiting last year’s Elite Eight format we enjoyed so much, as we deliver your Unofficial Unbiased Preview to the Elite Eight.

The Sweet Sixteen got their pub the past two mornings. [I & II]

Don’t worry. We aren’t afraid to tick off a few coaches, call out non-professional athletes, or let our gut reactions – not our corporate sponsors or contacts – decide our analysis and perhaps, a prediction or two.

Without further banter, let’s roll!

…games are in order of tip-off (6:40pm and 9:05pm respectively)…

West Regional Final: #1. UCLA vs. #3. Xavier

Beware of the impact, and chest hair, of UCLA's role players.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Key Players
UCLA – When Darren Collison fouled out with over 5 minutes remaining in their Sweet Sixteen matchup against the Hilltoppers, the Bruins appeared to not break a sweat. It should’ve came as no surprise when the tandem of Westbrook/Shipp brought up the ball, thanks in large part to the brilliance of freshman Kevin Love. His passing has always been flaunted, his defense has arrived on the national scene, and now Love may be the one man whose team needs him more than any other. Josh Duncan is in for a nightmarish matchup.

Xavier – As important as Lavender’s poise, Burrell’s discipline and Raymond’s clutch-shooting has been to the Musketeers, anyone who has watched Xavier this tournament must realize the impact of PF Josh Duncan. Steadying them during a late WVU run, fouling out in the closing minutes was just as impactful for Alexander to WVU as Duncan was the Musketeers. In fact, if Duncan can play 30 minutes – battling with Love without fouling out first – then, he might be the West Regional MVP you never expected. Kevin Love is in for a nightmarish matchup.

Moment of Truth
It’s too hard for me to believe this game won’t be foul happy. The Bruins have shown in back-to-back games that they can overcome double-digit deficits (A&M) and nearly blow one of their own (WKU). The same can be said about the Musketeers actually (Georgia and WVU respectively). The real question I have is: who will be the first impact starter to foul out? Collison, Burrell, Lavender, Love or Duncan? In fact, it’s much more likely a few of these guys might be gone before the final buzzer, whether that’s after 40 minutes or not.

Key Stats
Without going too crazy, here’s two critical tourney statistics worth mentioning:
UCLA – Without going overboard, Kevin Love’s numbers have been astronomical throughout the season. However, his regular season numbers (17.6, 10.7, & 1.5) were pedestrian compared to his tournament averages (22.6, 11.3, & 5). While A&M offered up some beef, no opponent has had the talent that Josh Duncan has the attacking perimeter players the Musketeers offer a bounty of. Keep it up, Kev.

Xavier – Their opponents have shot respectively 6-13 (Georgia), 8-21 (Purdue), & West Virginia (1-11) for a total of 33.3%. While far from problematic as a whole, Xavier will rely heavily on limiting open shot opportunities from behind the arc from the Bruins and affording them a hot start early.

Interesting Facts
-UCLA is trying to be the first team to make 3 straight Final Fours. Who was the last to do it? Michigan State and Tom Izzo (sandwiching a Final Four-appearance in there). Of course, the Bruins did it with relative ease back in the 70s (aka The Wooden Years).

-Trying to remember the last time Xavier was in the Final Four? Good luck. Truth is: Xavier reached the Elite Eight in 2004 (Santos!) and was dispatched by top-seeded Duke. That’s as close as they’ve gotten to the final Saturday of the college basketball season. However, if you’re looking for a Cincinnati-based Final Four squad, check out the 91-92 Bearcats with a young Nick Van Exel at the point.

Pay’s Prediction: UCLA wins, 75-68
Clement’s Prediction: UCLA wins, 78-73

East Regional Final: #1. North Carolina vs. #3. Louisville

If Lawson is knocking down his shots early...good luck Cardinals.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Key Players
UNC – Early in the first half of their Sweet 16 battle versus Washington State, it was Danny Green who led the Tar Heels to an insurmountable 14-point halftime bulge. His aggressiveness and ability to finish is invaluable against Louisville’s pressure defense. That said, Ty Lawson and Quentin Thomas will have to continue making excellent decisions in breaking down the Cardinals. Of course, Tyler Hansbrough cannot have a first half like he did against the Cougars if he wants his legacy at Carolina to end in a national championship. Also, Wayne Ellington will need to continue hitting mid-range jumpers in transition.

Louisville – If the Cardinals are to extinguish the Tar Heels, it will come down to senior center David Padgett. He anchors the zone, is perhaps the nation’s best floor communicators and helped hold Tennessee to 34% field goal shooting. Do-everything forward Terrence Williams has struggled at times, but can take over a game at both ends of the floor and is never to take a big shot (and make it). However, Earl Clark and Andre McGee have elevated this team to the Elite Eight, and others (Jerry Smith, Juan Palacios, Derrick Character) are fully capable of contributing double-figure points.

Moment of Truth
Much like the first Elite Eight matchup, there will be fouls. Whomever can get the other into foul trouble first has a decided advantage and may force the opposition to veer away from their preferred style of play. Also, both outrebounded their opponents in the last round by more than ten. The squad that is most capable of securing the basketball will win this game and book their ticket to San Antonio.

Key Stats
-The Tar Heels have shot 57.7% including 42.6% from 3-point range in the NCAA Tournament. Sophomore point guard Ty Lawson carries a nearly 2.5 to 1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

-Meanwhile, the Cardinals surrender only 38.4% from the field and only 30.7% from behind the arc. Something has to give in that department. Also, the Cardinals must improve upon their 64.9% clip from the charity stripe should they wish to upend the favored Tar Heels.

Interesting Fact
- Roy Williams and Rick Pitino are second (behind Coach K) in Final Four appearances (5) with 5 different teams combined.

Pay’s Prediction: North Carolina wins, 76-72
Clement’s Prediction: North Carolina wins, 83-71

See you tomorrow with the OTHER half of the Elite Eight...

An Unbiased Sweet Sixteen Analysis…UNLEASHED!!! [Part Deux]

Pay and I have decided to stick with what works, revisiting last year’s Elite Eight format we enjoyed so much, as we deliver your Unofficial Unbiased Preview to the Sweet Sixteen.

Don’t worry. We aren’t afraid to tick off a few coaches, call out non-professional athletes, or let our gut reactions – not our corporate sponsors or contacts – decide our analysis and perhaps, a prediction or two.

Without further banter, let’s roll!

Thursday’s game get their pub yesterday, with Friday’s slate arriving today.

Midwest Region

Contrary to what some of the "majors" have failed to tell you, guys like Jason Richards (8 assists a click) are teammates of recent all-world baller Stephen Curry for the Davidson Wildcats.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

#3. Wisconsin vs. #10. Davidson [Pay]

Here is one of the biggest misnomers in the NCAA Tournament: Davidson is a one-man team. Why? It’s because Jason Richards is one of the best point guards in the country. PERIOD. Additionally, the Wildcats have a host of players who The Rock would love, because they know their damn role. On the other side of the scorer’s table, Wisconsin brings a suffocating brand of defense that many thought during the season was symptomatic of the anemic offenses in the Big Ten. They thought wrong. While the Badgers are capable of scoring points, they prefer to slow it down. Chances are that if they are successful in that pursuit, they will be deemed victorious.

Players to Watch: Hmm, let me check. Oh yeah, Stephen Curry. Not only is he a classic tournament player who was not recruited by the big schools, he is one of the nation’s best ten players … as a sophomore. For an undersized shooting guard, Curry finds ways to get open, score and involve teammates against taller, stronger guards. As always, Jason Richards (8.0 apg) will be a vital role in making certain that Curry gets his looks. Of course, Michael Flowers and Travon Hughes have the grand responsibility of not only gloving both players while staying out of foul trouble, but also forcing action at the other end. Brian Butch, Marcus Landry and Joel Krabbenhoft almost always present matchup problems for opponents and can be a source of frustration for Thomas Sander, Andrew Lovedale and Boris Meno. This battle of the boards can be a game-decider.

Moment of Truth: When the Wildcats are inevitably down by double digits in the second half, what coaching decisions will Bo Ryan to prevent his men from being a self-fulfilling prophecy? If and when Stephen Curry gets hot, what adjustments will the Badgers make if Michael Flowers is unable to control the sophomore stud?

#1. Kansas vs. #12. Villanova [Clement]

Role players interchange as stars and vice-versa for the Jayhawks (i.e. Russell Robinson).
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Is a 12-seed from a power conference truly a Cinderella? Whether or not they reached the Sweet Sixteen or not, Villanova isn’t a true Cinderella story. However, they will be the second after they defeat Kansas. Of course, that isn’t very likely to happen. Despite our problems with their coach being able to win the big games, Kansas’s rosters is LOADED with shooting, athleticism and clutch play. In fact, they probably have pound-for-pound the most talented roster in the entire country. Fortunately for the Wildcats, this game is in Detroit and not Kansas City. At least, that’s working for them.

Players to Watch: Despite losing his size, the injury to Casiem Drummond won’t decide this game. More important to the Villanova attack is the play of their three guards (Reynolds, Cunningham, and Fisher). While their frontcourt has plenty of work to do against the able-bodied Jayhawks, the Wildcats will only go as far as their slashing and shooting guards can carry them. As for Rock Chalk, the Jayhawks have a trio of guards of their own (Chalmers, Collins, and Robinson) who need to take care of the ball, attack the basket at will, and keep up with the intensity of the aforementioned Wildcats. It’d be too much to ask for Scottie Reynolds to put up a Herculean effort to carry his team to the Elite Eight, right? Right?

Moment of Truth: The first eight minutes of the game are always important. Duh. However, Kansas would be well-served to jump out early and put their feet on the throats of the Wildcats. If Villanova can keep it close early – or perhaps take a lead or two – Jay Wright will be able to push the buttons he wants to on offense, rather than try and keep up with the high-scoring Jayhawks.

South Region

AJ Abrams will need to offer more than a helping hand to the Longhorns offensive attack.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

#2. Texas vs. #3. Stanford [Pay]

Forget Texas’s perceived home court advantage. If Stanford wants to win it all, they will have to beat everyone. Everywhere. This is the furthest the Cardinal have gone in the NCAA Tournament since 2001 and head coach Trent Johnson isn’t about to make excuses. He only has two NBA-ready 7-footers who deny and/or alter all shots in the half-court set that are 12 feet and in. Not to mention, they can score the ball. For the “home” team, DJ Augustin paces the Longhorns and must lead the way in harassing opposing ball-handlers en route to disrupting the Cardinal’s lethal half-court offense. The question for me is wildly clear: Will someone please induce a full-court press against Stanford and force the Cardinal out of their comfort zone? Perhaps, this is a testament to what Mitch Johnson means to this team in terms of engineering the offense.

Players to Watch: If AJ Abrams gets hot from behind the arc early, then the Cardinal are in serious trouble. Despite having tall defenders in Fred Washington, Lawrence Hill and Taj Finger who can cover on the perimeter, Abrams can shoot over them. Since Texas is decidedly smaller than Stanford, expect the Longhorns to use the physical 6’10” 299-pound Dexter Pittman or wiry big man Alexis Wangmene at the same time as center Connor Atchley during brief spells for Damion James. Meanwhile, the Cardinal perimeter players must hit open shots created by collapses on the Lopez brothers if they want to keep the Texas defense honest.

Moment of Truth: In a one-possession game, Rick Barnes has the luxury of turning to his trusty point guard, DJ Augustin. Though Mitch Johnson has been spectacular at the point for the Cardinal, he has only faced one team with a guard tandem as talented as Texas’s. Rick Barnes and his staff have likely watched the Stanford-Marquette game tape at least five times, and dissected exactly how the Longhorns can exploit the Cardinal.

#1. Memphis vs. #5. Michigan State [Clement]

Coach Izzo's championship-experience and Morgan's stature are two reasons MANY people are lovin' the Spartans to be the first to bounce a 1-seed (Memphis).
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Never in the history of the Final Four have all four 1-seeds made the Final Four. While several analysts (notably Jay Bilas, Clark Kellogg and “America’s Bracket”) warmed up to the idea a few weeks back, popular theory has Memphis being the most vulnerable of the 1-seeds. Whether that’s due to their competition (a stacked bracket remains) or their own deficiencies (free throws and a 3-point obsession, of course) is up to you. If it’s up to me, I see a Spartans team that is easily playing its best basketball all season. That’s lethal when you have a seasoned coach (with a national title), a senior driven to overcome a disappointing year and a Big Ten pedigree that is in stark contrast to Memphis’s style of running and gunning with incredible depth, no less. Is this where the first, and potential only, 1-seed takes its bow before the Final Four? We know where history stands on that possibility.

Players to Watch: Most people think of Memphis and isolate their backcourt: Chris Douglas-Roberts and Derrick Rose. While they will have their impact for sure, I can’t help but target two Tiger big-men – Joey Dorsey and Robert Dozier (combined 16 points and 16 boards a game) – who may have just as much with the Tigers continuing their winning-ways. Their ability to control the boards, block shots and spark transition is key for the Tigers to dictate the pace of the game. As for the Spartans, you know they’re dead-set on forcing the Tigers to play Big Ten basketball. While Raymar Morgan is the team’s leading scorer, it’s the Spartans leading rebounder, Goran Suton, that needs to replicate his performance versus Pitt against the Tiger big men. His 14 points, 9 rebounds, and most importantly, 3 fouls were key in dealing with the plethora of Pitt bigs. He’ll need to take advantage of easy shot opportunities, crash the offensive glass and make smart passes to shooters behind the arc named Neitzel.

Moment of Truth: As soon as the game reaches the penalty, in either half, (which can be quite early in a Spartans game) the Tigers’ greatest weakness will be exposed: free-throw shooting. The worst in the nation and in the NCAA Tournament (remember, 15-32 against Mississippi State in Round 2), free throws may afford Memphis a lead before the half and the ability to put away Izzo’s crew. If they can’t, John Calipari’s consistent care-free attitude towards poor free-throw shooting may again bury the Tiger’s Final Four aspirations.

See you Saturday and Sunday with the treatment for the Elite Eight!

Until next time…

An Unbiased Sweet Sixteen Analysis…UNLEASHED!!!

Pay and I have decided to stick with what works, revisiting last year’s Elite Eight format we enjoyed so much, as we deliver your Unofficial Unbiased Preview to the Sweet Sixteen.

Don’t worry. We aren’t afraid to tick off a few coaches, call out non-professional athletes, or let our gut reactions – not our corporate sponsors or contacts – decide our analysis and perhaps, a prediction or two.

Without further banter, let’s roll!

Thursday’s game get their pub today, with Friday’s slate arriving tomorrow morning.

East Region

Their opening matchups were a little on the easy side, so Terrence Williams and his fellow Cardinals are in for a much tougher affair against the Volunteers.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

#1. North Carolina Tar Heels vs. #4. Washington State Cougars [Pay]

Perhaps, the most intriguing matchup of the Round of 16, UNC and WASU has the potential to be the second coming of Kansas and Southern Illinois (Kansas went on to win by the skin of their teeth). It all comes down to tempo and who sets it. If the Tar Heels own the tempo battle, then the score will be in the 70s or perhaps the 80s; however, if the Cougars have any say, the UNC scoreline may be closer to the 56.1 ppg that WASU has allowed this season under the tutelage of Tony Bennett. Over the last three halves of action, the Cougars have undeniably been the East Region’s second-best team after Carolina. They will need to trump their performance against Notre Dame (Luke Harangody wonders how that is possible) and frustrate the heck out of Tyler Hansbrough and obtain production from unexpected sources (e.g. Daven Harmeling, Caleb Forrest and Nikola Koprivica).

Players to Watch: Because he’s still not 100%, all eyes are always on Ty Lawson (who will be shadowed all night by either Derrick Low or Kyle Weaver), whose silky smooth moves split double teams in the backcourt on a regular basis allowing for easy Carolina points. Of course, there’s Wayne Ellington, who has quietly (don’t say that to Clemson) averaged 17 points per contest. Nevertheless, the key player for Carolina in this tournament run is none other than Danny Green (11.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 44 blk, 42 stl), who is the nation’s most influential 6^th-man and can change a game with his energy on both sides of the floor. He will likely be challenged by senior forward Robbie Cowgill who has had an up-and-down season. Meanwhile, the Tar Heels must be concerned with Taylor Rochestie’s ability to get on a hot streak from behind the arc. Though more than a few can light it up from three-point range, none can shoot at Rochestie’s 44% clip. What teams often forget is that Rochestie can make decisions with the best of them (146 assists to 54 turnovers) once defenses begin to overplay his deep shot.

Moment of Truth: If UNC finds itself down late in the first half due to a high turnover amount, what changes will Roy Williams make? On the flipside, if WASU is down by double digits entering the break, do they continue their deliberate style or go small to up the pace and maximize possessions? If the Cougars can punish the Tar Heels for liberal ball-handling, get three players in double figures and avoid foul trouble, then they have a chance. Of course, it’s important to know that the Cougars were 0-5 against UCLA and Stanford, teams who have dominant bigs who can be mentioned in the same breath as Psycho T.

#2. Tennessee Volunteers vs. #3. Louisville Cardinals [Clement]

As the only region to hold seed, one might think the East Region is the toughest out there. Not so fast. While the Tar Heels have been nothing but lights out their first 80 minutes of PT, the 2-seeded Vols have been far from impressive. Struggling against Jeff Jones and American was borderline embarrassing, especially considering how the Eagles were completely dominant on the glass. Transition to Sunday and the Vols nearly coughed up a second-half double-digit lead before narrowly escaping Butler (Mike Green, could you miss so many gimmies like that ever again?) in OT. Fortunately, the region regains its momentum with the phenomenal play of the Cardinals. Keep in mind that Rick Pitino is as savvy a coach remaining in the tournament field. With his team playing EXACTLY how Pitino knew they could, this is a lethal team that presses, passes, and hits deep threes at will.

Players to Watch: Chris Lofton’s injury may or may not end up being a big deal. Whether his “leg injury” limits his time or his range is extremely important for the Vols. There’s no better way to quiet a streaky three-point shooting team (like Louisville) than to knock down early shots and encourage them to force up rushed shots of their own. As for Pitino’s bunch, if you know anything about me – and my feelings towards Louisville – you’d know I have both of my eyes constantly, for better or worse, focused on Edgar Sosa. Whether he can play intelligent or not is pinnacle to his team’s ability to step up from above average to sublime.

Moment of Truth: When either team faces that early 19-11 deficit (and trust me, one of these teams undoubtedly will), will there reaction be panic or steely resolve? In a game likely to be filled with momentum shifts and runs, the team that can adjust in the half court and isolate the best shot opportunity for each possession will walk away the victors.

West Region

Westbrook's flair for the dramatics - on both sides of the ball - must be present for the Bruins to end Cinderella's run.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

#3. Xavier Musketeers vs. #7. West Virginia Mountaineers [Clement]

It’s no secret that I’ve been calling out nearly every major media pundit (ESPN, CNNSI, CBSportsline, etc.) for labeling the Musketeers as a potential “Cinderella” story. Obviously, no true upset occurs any earlier than a 6/11 matchup (and when teams like Villanova are a #12 seed, additional requirements must be filled). However, I can’t blame the media for not loving what Xavier brings to the table. Despite choking away the end of their season (two bubble-busting losses to St. Joe’s) in A-10 play, the Musketeers have senior leadership, tremendous guard play and tournament pedigree. It doesn’t take Bob Knight to realize that those are three vital components for a championship contender. Meanwhile, on the PHSports bubble for quite some time, WVU rode a wave of momentum through the Big East Tournament semi-finals (including an impressive W over UCONN) and were seemingly under the radar to an overrated Arizona squad and given far too little a chance against the Dookies [sic]. Meanwhile, despite lacking any sufficient depth, the Mountaineers have a tourney-tested coach (sans his thugs), a dynamic scorer in Joe Alexander and resolve after battling through arguably the nation’s most competitive conference.

Players to Watch: We all should know the big names (Alexander, Burrell, Lavender, Duncan, & Butler) by now. However, each team possesses vital role players – whether starters or reserves – that are key to each reaching the Elite Eight. For the Musketeers, Derrick Brown (11 & 7) might draw the unenviable task of Joe Alexander duty (good luck). Just as important as staying out of foul trouble for Brown is Xavier’s need for him to crash the boards on offense and add some garbage points to their scoring total. As for the Mountaineers, I’m remembering back to Xavier’s classic 2^nd-round matchup versus the Buckeyes. I’m remembering the clutch threes that ultimately blew Xavier’s late lead and buried the A-10 representatives. So, who is most likely to deliver that from Coach Huggins’ country boys? Alex Ruoff is that guy. Around 3 for 7 a game from behind the arc, he has the ability to hit those shots that cut deficits or break the backs of opponents. That’s a lethal combination when the Elite Eight is on the line.

Moment of Truth: My question for the Musketeers, my personal selection to win this game by double-digits, is how they’ll (Xavier) react in the final, not the first, ten minutes of the first half. While WVU has shown lights-out shooting in the second half, I want to see if Lavender (offensively) and Burrell (defensively) can completely suffocate the overachieving WVU guards. Adjusting against an unbalanced Duke is one thing; however, if Duncan stays out of foul trouble, Xavier’s balanced attack on both sides of the ball will be far too much for the Mountaineers to overcome in the second-half.

#1. UCLA Bruins vs. #12. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers [Pay]

The Hilltoppers enter Thursday are gunning for their 30^th victory. Enter UCLA. While conventional wisdom suggests that #12 seed Western Kentucky has little chance to advance, their perimeter shooting and ability to cause turnovers provides real hope. Additionally, Josh Shipp and Russell Westbrook have struggled mightily in their last three games. As a result, two players – Darren Collison and Kevin Love – scored 40 of their 51 points on Saturday night against Texas A&M. Though much credit goes to Mark Turgeon’s young men, if a repeat offensive performance occurs on Thursday night, UCLA’s exit will dominate water cooler conversations on Friday morning. That’s because the Hilltoppers can score (77.3 ppg and shoot it from behind the arc (six leading scorers shot 38% or better in the regular season).

Players to Watch: We all know to watch for Kevin Love when he winks for the camera going into every other media timeout. In all seriousness, Josh Shipp must regain his beloved mid-range jumper if UCLA wants to cut down nets in San Antonio. Even if Westbrook struggles offensively, he is too much of a defensive stud to let that get to him. For Western Kentucky, Courtney Lee will likely be gloved by Westbrook, so Tyrone Brazelton, who has been the Hilltoppers’ best player in the NCAA Tournament, must continue to be aggressive, but, at the same time, make good decisions.

Moment of Truth: When the ball is tipped, which Western Kentucky will we see? Will we see a team who feels fulfilled by simply making it to Phoenix or a team with a chip on its shoulder that is continuing to seek respect for its institution and conference? Many intangibles, including (dare I say) whistles must not go in UCLA’s favor for WKU to continue dancing. In all honesty, I see this as a three-possession game until the final three minutes.

See you Friday morning with the treatment for the Midwest and South regions!

Until next time…

(Sweet) Sixteen Candles: Part II

Don’t worry, I’m not here to reminisce about THIS (Anthony Michael Hall was a complete bad*** though).

Instead, there’s 1 thing each of the remaining tournament teams is just DYING for (or is that just me?).

What might those things be?

Lucky for you…I KNOW!!! (If only I could grant a wish or two…)

The East and Midwest got there pub already, so now let’s move on to the South and West.

South Region

Memphis wishes their depth would be simply too much for the Spartans to handle. One of the major reasons Drew Neitzel was finally able to get his shot going was the extreme fatigue on Ronald Ramon’s legs from chasing him. Fortunately for the Tigers, their rotation is athletic from top to bottom. They’ll be able to run and run … and run as the Big Ten’s Spartans try their best to slow the game down.
Translation: Run, run and run some more!

Michigan State wishes Memphis would continue their terrible performance from the free throw line (15-for-32 against Mississippi State). While it may not be enough to single-handedly take out the Tigers, missing front ends of 1-and-1s in both halves can afford the Spartans an opportunity to further milk the clock and reduce possessions for both teams.
Translation: FOUL FOUL FOUL...whenever necessary.

Stanford wishes the Lopez twins could duplicate their efforts against Marquette for the next
40 minutes of playing time. Despite Texas’s guard-play advantage, the Longhorns don’t have
the bigs up front, much like Marquette, to take away the advantages that the Lopez twins give the Cardinal. Feed them down low early and often and hope their combined 14+-feet can detract Longhorn slashers from attacking the hoop.

West Region

UCLA wishes Kevin Love enjoyed blocking 7 shots against Texas A&M, as they need him to continue his dominance for their interior defense. Due to the incredible proficiency from behind the arc, Western Kentucky can’t be allowed to accumulate easy buckets and second-chance points off of offensive rebounds (long and short). Without Love avoiding ticky-tack fouls and clogging the paint with his long arms, the Bruins might be in for a long night inside and outside of the 3-point line.

Western Kentucky wishes Courtney Lee would have one of those nights that could propel him into the NBA Lottery. A likely first-rounder, Lee would be well off to have a near-40 point night for a variety of reasons. The Hilltoppers need their star to be as good as he can be, if only to open up high-percentage opportunities for his teammates (as well as himself). It’s time for a star to shine out of the Sun Belt.

Xavier wishes they’ll be able to find a lockdown defender to toil with West Virginia’s Joe Alexander. While Xavier’s Stanley Burrell may be the best perimeter defender in the tournament, he isn’t likely to draw Alexander (who can be found all over the court). This means that guys like Josh Duncan and Derrick Brown better have fresh legs and short memories when drawing a scoring talent like Alexander .

West Virginia wishes it could see phenomenal play out of more of its bench. While the Mountaineers relied on 4 of their 5 starters to carry them against Arizona in the first round (68 of their 75 points), without the play of Joe Mazzulla (13, 11, and 8), WVU would’ve had little chance of upsetting the 2-seeded Blue Devils. Problem is, outside of Mazzulla, is there a reliable Mountaineer reserve? That’s why they’re wishing.

And there we have it.

Of course, you may have a wish or two of your own for March Madness. Or an answer or two.

Either way, LET US KNOW!

Until next time…

---

(Sweet) Sixteen Candles

Don’t worry, I’m not here to reminisce about THIS (Anthony Michael Hall was a complete bad*** though).

Instead, there’s 1 thing each of the remaining tournament teams is just DYING for (or is that just me?).

What might those things be?

Lucky for you…I KNOW!!! (If only I could grant a wish or two…)

I’ll give the East and Midwest their just-due late tonight, while the South and West will get theirs in 24 hours or so.

East Region

North Carolina wishes they could dictate the pace, up tempo and basket-to-basket running, right from the start. While a replay of their Arkansas game is unlikely, it’s essential that Ty Lawson gets going as early as possible on the offensive side of the ball (especially his jumper).
Translation: Ty Lawson making shots early.

Washington State wishes Wayne Ellington wouldn’t be able to consistently knock down his outside shot. It’d be put more pressure on Green, Lawson, and Ginyard to make the big play outside the paint. Ellington also might then struggle to get to the hoop and effectively aid in breaking down the Cougar attack.
Translation: Don’t let Wayne Ellington bury you from behind the arc.

Louisville wishes Edgar Sosa could play heady-basketball 100% of his on-court playing time. Rather than having to sit him after a few early mistakes (i.e. Oklahoma game), Coach Pitino needs his most talented shotmaker to remain both consistent and careful with the basketball.
Translation: Edgar Sosa…BEHAVE!

Tennessee wishes senior shooting guard Chris Lofton would put on a shooting exhibition. Rather than let the game come to Lofton, the Vols need their senior leader to take charge and knock down early shots. Without it, they will struggle mightily, especially down the stretch matching 3s with the Cardinals.
Translation: Chris Lofton needs to be a better Chris Lofton.

Midwest Region

Kansas wishes they’d realize early in their game that Villanova was a 12-seed for a reason and run them out of the gym before halftime. Exploiting Villanova’s lack of depth and their complete dependence on Scottie Reynolds should allow the Jayhawks to run'n'gun for 40 minutes.
Translation: Run, Chalk, Open Shot, Three is Good, Jayhawk.

Villanova wishes they’d push Kansas to the brink by making their free throws, limiting transition buckets for the Jayhawks, and forcing Kansas into tough decisions with little time on the shot and game clock.
Translation: Make Kansas out-coach and out-execute you in the final minutes.

Wisconsin wishes they would continue to allow the 3-point shot to be an effective part of their offensive arsenal. An above-average 3-point shooting team most of the season, the Badgers were lights out in both halves against the Beasleys. It’s essential the Badgers use this shot – alongside their interior game and the slashing ability of their guards – to have an effective three-pronged attack against resilient Davidson.
Translation: It isn’t just Stephen Curry who needs to make threes early and often.

Davidson wishes Wisconsin would keep the game close throughout the first half. The Wildcats have shown time and time again in this tournament (okay, it’s only been two games) that they aren’t scared of their opponent or any second-half deficit they might face. With that being said, it’s not a good idea to fall behind big to the Badgers. Especially with their suffocating defensive attack and slow-down offense pace being Bo Ryan stalwarts.
Translation: The halftime score better not be approaching double-digits.

See you soon with the South and West regions.
Maybe this post should've been called Eight Candles.

John Hughes would not be happy.

Until next time…

Sweet Sixteen…Thoughts

While analysis can continue, now that the Sweet Sixteen is set, from tonight until Thursday afternoon…I figured it’d only be fair to speak out, even if it was just a thought or two or SIXTEEN.

Be sure to check out a few pictures of some "regional x-factors" below.

East Region

Tennessee's Chism may be playing defense much further away from the paint than he's accustomed to.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

North Carolina – Scoring around 110 points in each of their two opening games, will the Heels struggle at all against the suffocating defensive attack of the Cougars? Or will their torrid fast-breaking pace be too much for the sudden Pac-10 threat?

Washington State – How on Earth does Tony Bennett plan on game-planning for the ridiculously high-octane Heels offense? HOW!?!?

Louisville – Will Rick Pitino’s boys stick to what has worked (3/4 press on defense and outside shooting on offense) the majority of the season or will a new gameplan be required to take out the East Region’s 2-seeded Vols?

Tennessee - Will Tennessee be able to use their blended style of agility and interior strength against the suffocating pressure, terrific passing, and outside shooting prowess of the Cardinals?

Midwest Region

Hughes must have a substantial impact on both sides of the ball, regardless of his age, for Wisconsin to survive a tough Midwest Bracket.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Kansas – Will a Bill Self-coached team not overlook a dangerous 12^th-seeded team from the nation’s most competitive conference?

Villanova – Are the Wildcats playing with company money at this point OR are they legitimately viewing themselves as Final Four material?

Wisconsin – Will the Badgers be able to dictate tempo, specifically out of the halftime gates when Stephen Curry becomes superhuman?

Davidson – Will the Wildcats be able to eliminate the tremendous boost the three-ball has given the Badgers in their opening two matchups?

South Region

Kemp's impact off the bench is vital towards the Tigers have a consistent, balanced attack.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Memphis – Does the Tigers history of missing free throws really matter until the Final Four?

Michigan State – Can the Spartans maintain their incredible first weekend momentum and continue to play 40 minutes of basketball a game?

Stanford – Will the Lopez twins be able to keep up with the pace of DJ Augustin and the run’n’gun Longhorn attack?

Texas – Can Texas stay out of foul trouble against the Lopez twins in the blocks?

West Region

Both Lee and Brazelton may need the games of their lives to take out the heavily-favored, yet vulnerable, Bruins.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

UCLA – Can UCLA give Kevin Love 20-30 touches in the paint and finally run their offense consistently through their incredibly talent post-player?

Western Kentucky – Can they shoot the 3-ball well enough to turn their game against UCLA into a shootout?

Xavier – Does Xavier have the depth to handle the incredible mismatches on the perimeter and in the paint West Virginia has caused its early opponents?

West Virginia – Can the Mountaineers, and their coach, continue to make all the right moves and all the big shots?

Interesting questions, indeed.

But the real question is: can YOU answer any of them???

Until next time…

March Madness: 8 Questions to Pose…in Advance…on Sunday

It’s a spin on our typical 5-NFL Questions columns you saw for nearly 6 straight months worth of Sunday mornings.

However, it just HAS to be March Madness-style.

In case you’ve missed our work due to tourney-fever, check out the lineup:
Thursday Streaming
Thursday Analysis
Friday Streaming
Friday Analysis
Saturday Streaming

As for today…can you answer THESE 8 questions???

...games are ordered by region and by order of start time...

After wowing the majority of the country Friday afternoon with his 40-point effort v. Gonzaga, what does the son of Dell Curry have in store for us this Easter Sunday?
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Midwest Region

#12. Villanova vs. #13. Siena
-Will Siena again be able to dictate the tempo of the game, start to finish, due to the incredible ability to isolate mismatches all over the court (mainly through their insane athleticism)?

#2. Georgetown vs. #10. Davidson

-Can Stephen Curry take a beating? While he can keep the scoreboard close, you better believe the G-Town defenders will be battering and bruising the 40-point opening round phenom.

West Region

#12. Western Kentucky vs. #13 San Diego
-Simply put, which one is better fit as Cinderella of the opening weekend?

East Region

#2. Tennessee vs. #10. Butler
-If the Bulldogs can play half as well as they did Friday, can the Volunteers rebound from such a putrid performance of their own and knock out one of the few remaining mid-major powers?

#3. Louisville vs. #6. Oklahoma
-Can Oklahoma continue to quiet the naysayers by taking care of the ball, staying out of foul trouble, and limited the impact of Louisville’s 3-point attack?

#1. North Carolina vs. #9. Arkansas
-All I can ask is, how does Arkansas plan to stop the Tar Heels from pushing it to triple digits for the second straight game?

South Region

#2. Texas vs. #7. Miami [FL]
-Can the Hurricanes ditch chucking the 1^st half and put up a 40-minute upset bid effort?

#1. Memphis vs. #8. Mississippi State
-Can the Bulldogs stay in this game by Memphis struggling from either behind the arc or at the charity stripe?

If YOU have the answers…then by all means, let us know!

See you Sunday afternoon!

March Madness: Saturday Live Blogging & Streaming Updates

Back for Day Three of Live Blogging and Updates!!!

[Thursday]
[Friday]

It should be an entertaining day throughout; with Duke and WVU tipping off early and plenty of action continuing well past midnight.

Drew Neitzel and the Spartans are official 'dangerous' after an impressive W over Pitt.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

...Completed Games...

East Region

The Cougars had every answer for Big East Player of the Year Harangody, who did have 22 rebounds.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

#4. Washington State 61
#5. Notre Dame 41 [Final Score]
Holding the Irish to 41 points!? These Cougars are a legit threat in Charlotte.

Midwest Region

Is their a more talented duo OUT of this tournament than Beasley & Walker?
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

#3. Wisconsin 72
#111. Kansas State 55 [Final Score]
Trevon Hughes, not Michael Beasley, was the story on Saturday afternoon.

#1. Kansas 75
#8. UNLV 56 [Final Score]
Jayhawks were just too much. Is their path to the Elite Eight the bracket's easiest?

South Region

Both Lopez twins had big-time performances Saturday evening.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

#3. Stanford 82
#6. Marquette 81 (OT) [Final Score]
A battle of wills took place at the Honda Center that went into OT. What a game! What an ending! (Especially when you win AFTER your coach is tossed before halftime!)

#4. Pittsburgh 54
#5. Michigan State 65 [Final Score]
A team with senior leadership, impact big-men, wing scorers, and a proven coach will be a brutal out in the second weekend.

West Region

John Flowers and WVU are Sweet Sixteen bound after being last season's NIT Champs.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

#2. Duke 67
#7. West Virginia 73 [Final Score]
The Mountaineers dominated the second-half (+11) behind double-doubles from Joe Alexander (22 & 11) and Joe Mazzulla (13, 13, & 8).

#3. Xavier 85
#6. Purdue 78 [Final Score]
Watching Xavier's Stanley Burrell play defense is a work of art.

#1. UCLA 51
#9. Texas A&M 49 [Final Score]
Questionable officiating plagued this game in my opinion. Collison was very clutch late.

Drew Lavender's health definitely has held up through the first two rounds of tournament play.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Hope you enjoyed it!!!!

10 Friday Night Thoughts: Clement-Style

Last night was so much fun…let’s do it again!!!

{Check out Thursday night's reactions HERE}

Perhaps a few of us here at PHSports were a little too rough on the over-seeded Sooners. Perhaps.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

1) Ladies and Gentlemen…we have our buzzer beater!
It might not be a clip of “the shot”, but it’s hilarious nevertheless. As for “the shot”, you had to see it live to truly enjoy it. (I was teaching Economic Systems to 8^th graders, lucky me!) Either way, we got our buzzer beater and we all but automatically have our Cinderella-story out of the West Region (more below).

2) UCONN’t beat the Toreros.
Call me a hater, but I LOVE when opening nights respectively have Arizona and UCONN losing. Especially when the Huskies – who had lost team-MVP AJ Price to injury – lose as a 4-seed to arguably the WCC’s 3^rd team. Yeah, I’m hatin!

3) Bracketbusting.
You might’ve had Drake or UCONN in the Sweet Sixteen (likely taking on UCLA); however, I doubt many of you had Western Kentucky or San Diego in that spot. Ahhh, the beauty of the tournament. 4 and 5 seeds are often the most vulnerable teams out there. Not to mention, I LOVE when UCONN loses. I LOVE IT! Meanwhile, in the night caps, Vanderbilt trailed throughout (brilliant idea picking them to go to the Sweet 16, Clement) to high-flying Siena and ended up being the second 4-seed of the day to bow out early (far too early in my opinion).

4) 1-Seeds hold serve. No surprise.
Mount St. Mary’s might’ve kept pace with the Heels for the first ten minutes; yet, they clearly proved why they were contestants in the play-in game and why the Heels are the #1 overall seed. Ditto for Memphis and TX-Arlington, a game I didn't watch one second of.

5) Those pesky 8/9 games.
You get Oregon, who is nowhere near a 9-seed, matched up against an erratic 8^th-seeded Mississippi State. Good luck. Next up, you have an overhyped Indiana-team going against an under-the-radar Arkansas-squad. Good luck, again. We know who won. Question is: did you get BOTH games right?

6) Bruce Pearl…isn’t happy. Brad Stevens is ecstatic!
Win a game by 15 points and the majority of the media and nation are thoroughly disgusted with your performance. Bruce Pearl will light up like a firecracker (or a Mentos in Diet Coke) over the next 24-hours enough to make sure the Vols are more focused and more physical, especially since Butler looked THAT good. South Alabama wasn’t bad, it’s just the Bulldogs were again THAT good. Their three-point shooting was phenomenal (specifically Pete Campbell’s torching 8-10 from behind the arc performance) and Butler reminded quite a few of us of their potential. How they earned a 7-seed still baffles me. However, I know I’ll be in front of a TV for this matchup Sunday afternoon.

7) OK-lahoma!
They were obviously an overrated 6-seed, but was it fair to completely disrespect the Sooners? Probably not. Was it also a mistake to completely overrate a St. Joe’s team who got in by beating Xavier twice? Definitely. The Sooners, led by former VCU head coach Jeff Capel (plug!) shot nearly 60% the entire game as they throttled the second-to-last remaining A-10 squad. Boomer Sooner 72-64!

8) Oregon Trail
Oregon didn’t deserve to be in the tournament. They don’t deserve analysis. Thankfully, Mississippi State overcame an early deficit and won. Thank you, Starkville. Bye bye, Quack Attack.

9) Which Indiana team showed up?
CBS was asking it over and over and over…and over. In the end, Indiana will most likely be left asking themselves, “What might’ve happened if Sampson was never dismissed from the team?” Of course, a more fair question might be, “What if Sampson never violated any of the NCAA rules, again”. Nevertheless, Sonny Weems and a somewhat underrated Arkansas squad (their 9-seed was mainly a result of the SEC Final loss to Georgia) took out the Hooisers and pitted themselves against white-hot UNC. Not much of a reward, huh?

10) Late night…FEAST???
To be honest, Memphis/TX-Arlington & Louisville/Boise State seemed like snorers two days before they began. In the end, both games lacked drama. Both cruised to victories in the late night hours. However, there was definite intrigue on viewing the likes of Eric Gordon/DJ White/Patrick Beverly in one matchup and the wide-open 5/12 matchup of Clemson v. Villanova. While the aforementioned Razorback victory wasn’t filled with too much intrigue, there was more than enough reasons to view Villanova’s impressive 18-point comeback against the Clemson Tigers (the only one of four ACC teams to lose in the opening round). With more victories than any other 12-seed in nearly 30 years, Jay Wright’s crew reminded the nation of their talent and their grit. With Vanderbilt’s loss to Siena, we now have two brackets in which a 12 or 13 will advance to the Sweet Sixteen (Siena/Villanova in the Midwest and Western Kentucky/San Diego out West). The real question soon becomes: is Villanova capable of being a legit Cinderella?

I just can’t help myself. Time for numero 11!

11) Saturday…Saturday…Saturday Saturday Saturday
Tons of matchups I want to see tomorrow. TONS! Wisconsin/Kansas State (who dictates the pace early and often), Notre Dame/WASU (arguably Thursday’s top two performers), Marquette/Stanford (speed vs. size), and Pittsburgh/Michigan State (who’s hotter than Pitt or more schizo than MSU?). WOW. Not to mention, A&M has the talent (I said talent) to keep its game with UCLA more than interesting and Xavier remains the wild-card the entire media seems to be rooting for (even a #3-seed) out West.

A&M has tons of talent, like Josh Carter, but are they disciplined enough to maintain focus under a suffocating Bruins defensive attack?
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

See you later today!!!

Enjoy the day.

Friday Afternoon Streaming Updates...

Welcome to the Friday edition of Streaming Updates!

If you were here yesterday, you know how the deal works.
{10 Opening Day Thoughts}

If you're new today, be sure to check in as often as you can for in-game analysis and plenty of reactions.

Unfortunately, Pitino didn't don the Colonel Sanders-suit last night.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

...Completed Games...

East Region

The Vols should be far from pleased from their effort today, especially on the boards.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

#2. Tennessee 72
#15. American 57 [Final Score]
Tennessee looked BAD. Bruce Pearl is gonna light up like a firecracker in the locker room following this performance.

#7. Butler 81
#10. South Alabama 61 [Final Score]
Butler may have put on the best performance on Day One of any of the field of 64.

#6. Oklahoma 72
#11. St. Joseph's 64 [Final Score]
Red Hawks tried to claw their way back late in the second-half. In the words of JoJo, "Too Little Too Late".

#3. Louisville 79
#14. Boise State 61
Louisville manhandled the Broncos from beginning to end, to nobody's surprise.

#8. Indiana 72
#9. Arkansas 86
Sonny Weems, not Eric Gordon nor DJ White, was the story to be told last night.

#1. UNC 113
#16. Mount St. Mary's 74 [Final Score]
Was UNC making a statement tonight or was it just that easy for them?

Roy's boys to Mount St. Mary's to the woodshed in both halves Friday night.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Midwest Region

Stephen Curry put on a SHOW with the tourney's first 40-point performance.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

#7. Gonzaga 76
#10. Davidson 82 [Final Score]
Stephen Curry is a force of nature. How awful do Tech fans feel seeing this guy be THIS good?

#2. Georgetown 66
#15. MD-Baltimore City 47 [Final Score]
Typical Georgetown ugly win.

4. Vanderbilt 62
13. Sienna 83 [Final Score]
Memo to Stallings: no matter how tough things seem...you can't get a technical foul if you are a head coach of a tournament team. Sienna was ridiculously athletic all night long.

#5. Clemson 69
#12. Villanova 75
Coming back from an 18-point deficit proves this Wildcat team is no mere 12-seed.

South Region

Can DJ Augustin travel the road to Houston and the second weekend successfully?
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

#7. Miami 78 [FL]
#10. St. Mary's 64 [Final Score]
Miami's halftime adjustment was pure perfection. I'm shocked.

#2. Texas 74
#15. Austin Peay 54 [Final Score]
The road continues to Houston for the Longhorns.

#8. Mississippi State 76
#9. Oregon 69 [Final Score]
I'm still baffled how Oregon was a 9-seed. Not on how they blew a second half-lead of as much as 13-points (missing 15 straight 3-point attempts).

#1. Memphis 87
#16. TX-Arlington 63
With Memphis's incredible athleticism and skill, this one was U-G-L-Y!

West Region [aka "OT Region"]

I'm not sure how else one could react to losing in OT to a buzzer beater.

Credit: Yahoo! Sports

#5. Drake 99
#12. Western Kentucky 101 (OT) [Final Score]
Finally, our buzzer-beater. It should come as no shock in a 5-12 mid-major game.

#4. UCONN 69
#13. San Diego 70 (OT) [Final Score]
Everyday is a GOOD day when UCONN loses (especially as the highest-seed thus far)!!!

Be sure to check out:

-Thursday Re-Caps
-10 Thoughts about Thursday Night

See you all weekend long!

10 Opening Day Thoughts: Thursday-Style in March Madness

Note: If you’re feeling a little down in-between games, feel free to check out:
Thursday's Streaming Updates & Bracket Re-Caps

Sorry folks, no Cinderella-slipper for George Mason this season.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

…in relative order of occurrence…

1) Dionte Christmas scores only 3 points in Temple’s loss to Michigan State.

The Temple star carried his team through the final month of the season, including the A-10 Tournament. In fact, many people felt the inconstancy of Michigan State would bite the Spartans hard enough to spark the tournament’s typical 12 over 5-upset. Not so fast. While Temple kept it close for the first eight minutes, Michigan State relied on a team effort predicated on second chances on offense and eliminating extra shots on defense. While the recent run from the Owls was fun while it lasted, nobody should be upset with a phenomenal Saturday-matchup in the Midwest pitting 4-seeded Pittsburgh (who manhandled Oral Roberts) against the aforementioned 5-seeded Spartans.

2) How many of you were 7 of 8 (or better) after the afternoon’s slate of games?

Unless you were upset-heavy with your sheets of integrity, the only real toughie might’ve been overreaching on Kent State (guilty) or perhaps not trusting the likes or Purdue (with Baylor as an opponent though?). Fortunately, most people didn’t have Kent State going too far (whew); however, any Sweet Sixteen runs for Temple may come back to haunt you.

3) How many of you were sweating out the second-half of the Xavier/Georgia game big-time?

Xavier has been the “sleeper” of nearly every major-media pundit I could listen to over the past few weeks. Despite two hiccups late in the season against the Red Hawks of St. Joe’s, the Musketeers netted a 3-seed and an enticing road that led to a potential Sweet 16-matchup against the Dookies. Things seemed a little bleak (except for UGA) when the Bulldogs took a 12-point second-half lead. Yet, as I predicted during my live streaming, Georgia went sour in the second-half and Xavier (unlike Mississippi State or Arkansas in the SEC Tourney) turned on the gas and throttled the Bulldogs in the second-half. Xavier’s complete dominance at the free-throw line, specifically attempts (which Pay, who saw the game in person, was skeptical about), was the nail in the coffin of the feel-good-SEC-story.

4) How many Masters commercials have you seen today?

“A Tradition Unlike Any Other…”. Even as a golf fan, I had more than enough of these ads at 2:30 pm (and I was teaching at the time!). Which vintage Masters-moment do you expect to see more: Tiger hugging his dad after his first Masters victory or Phil Mickelson’s “fatty-jump” after his infamous-putt on 18 to win his first Masters? I think I just used the words “vintage” and “infamous” when referring to golf on this blog (Pay is gonna KILL me!).

5) Which non-upset bit you the most?

If you took Portland State over Kansas or Miss. Valley State over UCLA…sit down and don’t open your mouth again. However, I saw a bracket or two that actually took Cornell over Stanford (ouch), countless Mason supporters were prophesizing gloom and doom for the Irish, UNLV & A&M weren’t given too much love, and PLENTY experts and fans alike liked the potential of upstart conference tourney champs Georgia and Temple continuing their runs. Either way, it hurts. If you lost an Elite Eight team tonight though…you’re likely in trouble.

6) Brook Lopez scores 4 points and Trent Johnson couldn’t he happier. Seriously?

Stanford went up 22-11 in the first half and cruised the entire way. Sinking their threes at nearly 50%, the Cardinal only required 4 points from their All-America center. Why is this such a good thing? Because Brook Lopez’s stature, as well as his ability, can be an intimidating presence with or without putting the ball in the basket. Saturday offers a real treat when the size and strength of Stanford is pitted against the team speed and penetration of Marquette. Me likey very much.

7) Mayo v. Beasley I. What’d you think?

After Beasley netted two fouls before the under-16 timeout, it became the Bill Walker show. With 9 early points, the red shirt freshmen reminded more than a few of us his amazing potential (and likely 1^st-round status, if healthy come draft-time). Meanwhile, foul trouble hit the Trojans; however, it was Taj Gibson, not OJ Mayo, who it engulfed early in the second half. Mayo and USC weathered a few runs, made one or two of their own, yet KSU seemed to hold a 4-5 point lead for the majority of the game. Admittedly, as pumped as I was for this game, the Belmont/Duke-affair took my attention for quite some time (remember, the final 30 seconds in a college basketball game takes 57 minutes). In the final ten minutes of this particular game, thanks to DVR enlightening me, the Wildcats overcame anything and everything the Trojans could throw at them (they were stone cold from the field, in all fairness), as Beasley notched his typical double-double (23 and 11) and the Wildcats further proved their 11-seed was one of the selection’s committees most grievous errors (Illinois State, anyone?).

8) NIT Scheduling?

Isn’t it odd the NIT has games going on tonight? As a ‘Cuse fan (ugh), I was surprised to see we: a) beat Maryland b) were in fact, playing tonight. I understand the logistics of traveling and formatting this tournament around the NCAAs, but why schedule 2^nd-round games the same night as opening night for March Madness? It’s almost as perplexing as ABC putting out the final Lost, for over a month, tonight. (Plug!)

9) Belmont Tigers are from ???

It wasn’t until an idiotic “hustle-foul” from Kyle Singer – and the two resulting free throws from a 91% free-throw shooter – that I started to wonder if the Atlantic Sun champions could become the media’s next tournament darlings. No better way for Belmont to achieve such a feat than to be the 5^th 15-seed to win a game in tournament history (then CAA-Richmond over Syracuse in ’91 being the first)…over the Dookies no less! Belmont had a lead as late as 15 seconds to go; however, you’ve probably seen the highlight of Gerald Henderson (who scored the last eight points for the Blue Devils) going coast to coast to give Duke a 1-point lead. Shades of last season galore! Unfortunately, for the Duke-haters, Belmont fumbled a possession away on an errant inbound and then missed a half-court heave by mere inches. It was oh so close. It also proved just how hard it is for a 15-seed to take out a 2-seed, especially Duke. While I enjoyed hearing Eric Maynor’s name throughout the game, I was ready for some new history to be written by one of the Tigers. Oh well. Oh yeah, in case you didn’t know, Belmont is in Tennessee. In fact, it’s the largest Catholic university in the state.

10) Late Night Thoughts…

Admit it, you’re gonna say you dozed off in the recliner at work tomorrow. Trying to prop up your fanhood (or whatever the four-letter network calls it). Truth is: you went to bed at 10pm. You didn’t expect any late night fireworks. You were tired and wanted to save your energy for surviving Friday at work and then feasting on the final 32-teams all weekend. Wimp. So what did you miss?

-Arizona and WVU battled back and forth and back and forth. None of the impact stars did much before the half; however, the story of the second half was WVU maintaining a 7-point lead nearly throughout (despite their star-player not having a strong night). Leading 69-61 near the 2-minute mark, the Mountaineers executed in the clutch hitting shot after shot on their way to the W.
-Notre Dame came out lighting up three after three against Mason. At one point, Patriot fans were faced with the best and worst of scenarios: Will Thomas had 25 of their 41 points and Folarin Campbell was 1-12 from the field (0-4 3-point). With a 16-point lead near the 10 minute-mark, Mason needed more than fairy dust to maintain Cinderella-status. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t arrive tonight, as the CAA’s lone representative bowed out far too early for this blog.
-UCLA annihilated and all but destroyed their 16^th-seed opponent Mississippi Valley State. The good news is that Jerry Rice is still an alum of the university, no matter how much they lost by.
-#3-seed Wisconsin was far from impressive as they failed to break away from Cal State-Fullerton in the first half, nor the second. Both teams shot around 35% for the majority of the game, until a 15-3 run keyed Wisconsin to a baker’s dozen-point lead and entrance into an interesting showdown against Beasley (and Walker) of Kansas State on Saturday. Some of us might be regretting picking a Final Four-appearance for the Badgers (just maybe).

And there you have it. 10 thoughts/illuminations/rants/raves/whine sessions…etc.
It’s now time to drift off to sleep, at 1 am, and return to the madness tomorrow.
After work for me.

Thanks again to Armin for all the help with streaming today.
We’ll be at it again tomorrow!

Until then…

Thursday NCAA Tournament Streaming Updates & Re-Caps

Welcome to our live streaming updates at PHSports, beginning Thursday afternoon and concluding Sunday evening as we go from 64 to a Sweet 16.

Check in throughout the day for score updates, reactions, insights, and potential reactions to an upset or two. (Or so we hope.)

You can find "10 reactions to Opening Thursday" HERE tonight after the final games end.

...Completed Games...

East Region

Mike Brey doesn't wear a tie. He also has a Duke-pedigree.
Translation: His team shoots a TON of threes and flops on defense extremely well.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

#4. Washington State 71
#13. Winthrop 40 [Final Score]
The game was tied at halftime; however, the Cougars annihilated Winthrop in the second-half 42-11. OUCH.

#5. Notre Dame 68
#12. George Mason 50 [Final Score]
Will Thomas was a MAN; however, Notre Dame was extremely prepared for this matchup. Interesting Saturday matchup vs. WASU, indeed for the Irish.

Midwest Region

UNLV's Curtis Terry helped lead the effort against Kent State for the W.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

#1. Kansas 85
#16. Portland State 61 [Final Score]
Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk. Nothing else left to say as the winner of Kent St./UNLV has a nightmarish matchup awaiting them. Good luck to that team!

#8. UNLV 71
#9. Kent State 58 [Final Score]
Kent State's performance (tying a tourney record with only 10 first-half points) is embarassing. I underestimated Coach Kruger a little too much.

#6. USC 67
#11. Kansas State 80 [Final Score]
Beasley wins the scoring battle and earns the W. How again was KSU an 11-seed?

#3. Wisconsin 71
#14. Cal-State Fullerton 55 [Final Score]
Wisconsin didn't exactly put away last year's first-round opponent until late either.

South Region

Jerel McNeal and the Golden Eagles were willing to force Kentucky to milk possessions and take difficult shots at the end of the shot clock.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

#5. Michigan State 72
#12. Temple 61 [Final Score]
When your star player can't buy a bucket...bye bye tourney run. Michigan State vs. Pitt (if they beat Oral Roberts) is an official bracketbuster.

#6. Marquette 74
#11. Kentucky 66 [Final Score]
Crawford (35 points) and Bradley (played with 4 fouls the final 10+minutes) tried their best, but Marquette was the better team - especially on the defensive front - today. No first-round loss for Marquette this season.

#4. Pittsburgh 82
#13. Oral Roberts 63 [Final Score]
Nothing like an 18-0 run first-half run to blow open your first-round matchup. If Field plays like this, Pitt may be Final Four-bound.

#3. Stanford 77
#14. Cornell 53 [Final Score]
Stanford's size will match up quite nicely with Marquette's phenomenal team-speed.

West Region

Henderson's coast-to-coast layup with under 12 seconds to play allowed Duke to escape the MAJOR upset.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

#3. Xavier 73
#14. Georgia 61 [Final Score]
Throughout their SEC Tournament-run, Georgia slipped up in the second-half. They weren't able to survive such a defensive slip-up against the Musketeers, who were lights out, especially at the free throw-line, in the second half rally.

#6. Purdue 90
#11. Baylor 79 [Final Score]
Purdue just squashed any chance of a Baylor-run in the second half. Baylor did not deserve to be in this field. I said it Selection Sunday evening. I meant it.

#2. Duke 71
#15. Belmont 70 [Final Score]
I honestly thought that half-court prayer might fall. If only...

#8. BYU 62
#9. Texas A&M 67 [Final Score]
BYU's can blame themselves for this loss: make your free throws (7-14 FTs)!

#7. West Virginia 75
#10. Arizona 65 [Final Score]
Is there anything better than ANOTHER 1st-round exit for the Wildcats? NO!!!

#1. UCLA 70
#16. Mississippi Valley State 29 [Final Score]
UCLA should allow people in the stands to walk-on and play tonight for them in the second half. (Sorry MVS.)

Arizona & WVU provided some late-game theatrics, at least inbetween the under-8 and under-4 timeouts for insomniacs.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Big props to Armin for helping with these posts this afternoon. Amazing work, bro.

Stick with us all day and night Friday, and this weekend, for enhanced updates, analysis, and one-liners!!!!

Note: If you’re feeling a little down in-between games, feel free to check out:
-Players we LOVE in March Madness
-Upsets we LOVE in March Madness
-Games we LOVE in March Madness
-A Dozen Thoughts on the Bracket and Selection Sunday

Until next time...

Streaming Updates Begin Thursday Afternoon!!!

Be sure to check in as early as Thursday afternoon for streaming updates, analysis, pictures, and brief reflections on the early Thursday tip-offs. Stick around all weekend long for much of the same as the field shrinks in less than four days from 64 to a Sweet 16.

Be sure to check in at PHSports all weekend, early and often!

PHSports Staff Picks & Predictions: NCAA Tournament

Here they are (just in time)…the PHSports Staff Picks for March Madness!!!!

Before you start laughing, or hyperventilating if you remembered to actually fill out the $5-million bracket, I have to admit that we here at PHSports have been on a a bit of roll as of late (except for that whole Super Bowl-ordeal) predicting key games. Not to mention, several of us at least ½, if not ¾ of last year's Final Four squads (including a Florida pick or two to repeat in '07).

So sit back and relax…and watch us pick either UNC or UCLA to cut down the nets. JUST like EVERYBODY else!!!!

Do YOU trust this man with your team's Final Four aspirations?
Credit: CollegeInsider.com

Note: If you’re feeling a little down in-between games, feel free to check out:
-Players we LOVE in March Madness
-Upsets we LOVE in March Madness
-Games we LOVE in March Madness
-A Dozen Thoughts on the Bracket and Selection Sunday

Paymon’s Picks:
Final Four: UNC (East), Kansas (Midwest), Texas (South), & UCLA (West)
National Champions: UCLA (preseason pick)
MOP: Darren Collison

Top Sleeper: Oral Roberts
Under the Radar: Michigan State
Underrated: Davidson
Overrated: Oklahoma

1^st -Round Upset I Love : St. Joseph's over Oklahoma
2^nd -Round Matchup I'm Craving : Tennessee v. Butler/South Alabama
Final Comment : I'm not terribly enthused about this tournament field. I expect upsets to be few and far between in the 1st round, allowing for more upsets to occur in the later rounds. Though history deems it unlikely, this will be a tournament dominated by the elite teams. If that is the case, UCLA - a team with Final Four pedigree - finally has a dominant interior force to balance their fantastic guard play.

Clement’s Picks
Final Four: UNC (East), Wisconsin (Midwest), Texas (South), & UCLA (West)
National Champions: North Carolina
MOP: Ty Lawson

Top Sleeper: George Mason (duh)
Under the Radar: Kent State
Underrated: Michigan State
Overrated: Clemson

1^st-Round Upset I Love: Boise State over Louisville
2^nd-Round Matchup I’m Craving: Pittsburgh v. Michigan State
Final Comment: This is a boring boring boring bracket. Note to the committee: stop servicing the ratings and big-wigs and STOP pairing mid-majors early in order to eliminate as many as possible before the second weekend.

Note: This is the first year in the nearly a decade I haven't taken my pre-season pick (this year it was Kansas) to cut down the nets in April. Honestly, I can't take a Bill Self-coached team in April (I still don't know how I did it back in October). I just can't!

Armin’s Picks
Final Four: UNC (East), Vanderbilt (Midwest), Memphis (South), & UCLA (West)
National Champions: UCLA
MOP: Kevin Love

Top Sleeper: St. Joseph’s
Under the Radar: Butler
Underrated: Western Kentucky
Overrated: Georgetown

1st-Round Upset I Love: George Mason over Notre Dame
2nd-Round Matchup I’m Craving: Duke v. Arizona
Final Comment: This tournament is RIPE with potential upsets, but the top seeds will prevail.

Sum’s Picks
Final Four: Tennessee (East), Kansas (Midwest), Texas (South), & UCLA (West)
National Champions: UCLA
MOP: Luc Richard Mbah a Moute

Top Sleeper: St. Joseph’s
Under the Radar: Mississippi State
Underrated: Arkansas
Overrated: Duke

1st-Round Upset I Love: Mason over Notre Dame (What can I say? I'm a homer!)
2nd-Round Matchup I'm Craving: St. Joe's vs. Louisville
Final Comment: With such a top-heavy tourney, if anyone other than a 1 or 2 seed wins it all, that'll be an upset.

The majority of our staff is CAA-biased. Obviously.
However, we're also steadfast in taking Mason over the Harongodys.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Want to chime in your own opinions??? Well GO FOR IT!!!! COMMENT!

Streaming updates will begin minutes after tip-off begins.

Check in all day and ALL WEEKEND LONG!

See you later today for streaming updates!!!

Upsets…of the Non #3 Seed Variety

News flash! Picking #3 seed Xavier to go to the Elite Eight is NOT an upset or Cinderella story. Neither is picking a 10 over a 7. I’m not even sure the majority of the 6s are that much better than 11s (St. Joe’s is favored on the Vegas line over Oklahoma, for example).

Fear not though…sanctity for your last-second bracket analysis can be found here. We aren’t linking trivial national brackets, aren’t servicing the teams we love (trust me, I’m not!), or promoting picks we’ve had all season. We’re even willing to tackle some of the hardest teams to analyze: Michigan State, Purdue, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Oregon and Arizona.

Pay and I are offering up a sleeper in each region. We may or may not be picking them outright. However, we’ve locked in on their potential to make deep runs (ala, the second weekend) into March Madness. In the very least, they may pull a 2007 VCU-esque run (shameless plug, I know).

Clement’s Sleepers

East Region
#7 seed Butler
-Wait, didn’t we have them rated as a #5 seed, thus no sleeper? While the committee obviously couldn’t find the wins to place the Bulldogs where we might have speculated, they’re a lethal #7 seed. Sweet Sixteen visitors last season, they return with the same five starters, and now, a chip on their shoulder. Unfortunately, USA (i.e. South Alabama) is a brutal #10 seed (in Birmingham, no less); however, if they can survive the lethal 7-10 matchup, Butler has enough athleticism and outside shooting to keep up with #2 seed Tennessee. Past that, the Bulldogs will be playing with company money and the passion to be the next Gonzaga/Kent State into the Elite Eight.

Midwest Region
#10 seed Davidson
-I could rant and rave about how they almost beat North Carolina early in the season, but then I’d be the national media. Instead, I’ll plug what really matters: Davidson finished 23-0 in the Southern Conference, played UNC/UCLA/Duke to closer-than-expected outcomes, and are home to the son of Virginia Tech’s most renowned basketball alum, Dell Curry: Stephen Curry. Gonzaga, meanwhile, will be traveling all the way from Spokane, Washington to a gym that is a stone’s throw from Davidson’s campus (well, maybe two throws). Look out in the Midwest, Davidson is also loving the NC locations.

South Region
#8 seed Mississippi State
-The majority of America has either the #1 seeds all in the Elite Eight or all in the Final Four (note: the latter has NEVER happened). If you’re looking for a legit #8/#9 upset of a #1, Memphis is your best bet. They’re nightmarish from the free-throw line, fall in love way too quickly with the three and have been shown in tournament’s past that they can run with anyone. But, can they bang and grind it out with anyone? Enter the Bulldogs, classic underachievers in the SEC Tournament (who wasn’t outside of Georgia though?), who possess everything needed to knock off the Tigers: a star player with a chip on his shoulder (Jamont Gordon), solid interior rebounding, and a coach in Rick Stansbury that is on the rise. While Memphis could run them out of the gym before the under-8 timeout in the first half, the Bulldogs might bust open a few brackets…except yours.

West Region
#12 seed Western Kentucky
-Could I honestly have a column about upsets WITHOUT mentioning a #12 seed? The answer is: no. While I personally see big things potentially for “The Drake”, the Hilltoppers (the automatic qualifier out of the Sun Belt) and NBA-ready star Courtney Lee have a tournament pedigree in their past and the ability to win the big game. Their #5 seed opponent, Drake, has a TON to prove and their #4 seed and likely opponent in Round 2 (should they progress), UConn, is extremely unpredictable in my opinion. Need something else to sway you? They’ve won 17 of 18, including that aforementioned Sun Belt Tournament. Sign me up…maybe.

Pay’s taking over later in the day…

Pay's Sleepers

East Region
None
- Because Indiana cannot truly hold "sleeper" status since they were ranked all season and were regularly in the public eye, I am going with no sleepers. No Mason? No Winthrop? Nope. Both are established mid-majors and absolutely no one is sleeping on them. South Alabama? Considering they play in Birmingham for their first games (where's Jim Calhoun to raise a stink?) and three SEC teams in close games, no one is sleeping on the Jaguars either. St. Joe's? Nope.

Midwest Region
# 8 seed UNLV
- Though I am picking Kent State to defeat UNLV, the Runnin' Rebels have drawn ire for receiving an undeserved #8 seed (best win: BYU twice at home) and that's just enough for UNLV, who were expected to have a rebuilding year, but have a Final Four coach in Lon Kruger and outstanding ball handlers in Curtis Terry and Wink Adams. Run-on sentences aside, teams that can handle the ball effectively have a puncher's chance against the Jayhawks.

South Region
#7 seed Miami-FL
- Considered Clement's team most likely not to make it out of the first round, the 'Canes ended the season on a sour note. Picked to go 12th in the ACC, Miami is paced by guards Jack McClinton and James Dews, yet have the bench to go 10-deep. With the sheer number of bodies who can contribute, Miami, depending on which team comes to the game, has the juice to defeat elite teams (defeated Duke in February). Once again, the factor of being largely overlooked by the national media and other coaches weighs heavily in Miami's favor. That said, St. Mary's is one tough customer with a balanced attack.

West Region
#6 seed Purdue
- Last season, Purdue surprised many by not only being competitive, but earning an at-large bid and making the Round of 32 prior to bowing out against eventual champions, Florida. This season, Purdue have exceeded expectations with a talented, young core of players that have alternated between brilliance and mediocrity. With athleticism, leadership and depth, the Boilermakers have the tools to overcome Baylor, Xavier and even Duke. If they do this, then people other than Brent Musburger will never forget who Robbie Hummel is.

Four Players We Love

Four GAMES we LOVE in this tournament.
Six Thoughts on the Tourney Field.

Who doesn't love hustle-players from Cameroon who can impact
the tournament when you least expect it?
Credit: ViewImages

Clement Edition

East Region
St . Joseph’s F Pat Calathes

There is a power forward in the East region not named Hansbrough (of UNC), White (of Indiana), Griffin (of Oklahoma), and Thomas (of George Mason) that the entire region should fear. That man is Red Hawks forward Pat Calathes (17.8 ppg, 7.5 rpg). The fourth-year senior has steadily improved throughout his A-10 career and is a major reason why St. Joe’s is tournament bound. They have a savvy Elite Eight-reputable coach and a roster that will rely early and often on their big man to produce (especially since he’ll be paired up against Pay’s man-crush Blake Griffin).

West Region
UCONN’s SG Jerome Dyson

It’s hard to beat the story of San Diego’s Rob Jones (whose grandfather was Jim Jones, of the infamous Guyana mass suicide); however, my eyes are intently focused on UCONN Husky Jerome Dyson. Reports out of Storrs this season have linked the oft-suspended Dyson with multiple citations for alcohol possession, failing at least two drug tests and countless violations of school and university policies. But because he can put the ball in the hoop so effectively, Jim Calhoun continues his policy of giving ninth, tenth and eighteenth chances (cheap shot). Be sure to check your laptop cases, too (cheaper shot). Nevertheless, UCONN overcame Dyson’s suspension and rode an impressive 10-game winning stream before losing at Villanova on February 23rd. Since Dyson’s return (in which he’s averaged right around 20 minutes per click), the Huskies have appeared at times out of sync and unable to put lesser opponents away with Dyson on the court. With a #4 seed in the consensus weakest bracket, the Huskies had better use this week to get one of their stars better acclimated to their current style of play…and out of trouble.

Midwest Region
Kent State’s PG Al Fisher

The junior college transfer (who interestingly enough began his career at #13 seed Siena) dropped 29 points in a late-night national coming out party at then-ranked St. Mary’s during BracketBuster weekend (a useless endeavor according to the Selection Committee on all accounts possible). The MAC Champs, and their respective player of the year, were touted as a #7 seed here at PHSports. Instead, they are relegated to garbage duty as an underrated #9 seed. Look out Runnin’ Rebels, who mind you don’t even go 7-deep in most games, as this Kent State squad matches up extremely well against you. While long forgotten are the Elite Eight days of 2001 (Antonio Gates was their PF, you know), the Golden Flashes may end up the region’s top X-factor. Problem is: they turn over the ball WAY too much. Fisher is as guilty as any (a negative assist to turnover ratio is never flattering), yet also possesses instant offense whenever on the court...for either squad. Look out.

South Region
Kentucky’s SG Joe Crawford

I’m going to leave any Texas talk, specifically a kid named Atchley, for Pay to embark on (hopefully). Instead, I’m staring intently at Kentucky’s now #1 man, Joe Crawford. While P-Mills of St. Mary’s, Texas’s DJ Augustin, Pitt’s LeVance Fields, Memphis’s Derrick Rose and Tajuan Porter of Oregon are the marquee guards, I can’t get enough of what Crawford and company have done since losing to the likes of Gardner Webb. To be honest, I’m still not sure if they honestly deserve a tournament bid (I may honestly need more than 12-4 in the SEC). Nevertheless, the second Patrick Patterson went down for the season, I had the Wildcats flatlined. Not so fast apparently. Forget the SEC tournament, Kentucky has zippie to lose right now in the dangerous 6/11 matchup vs. Tom Crean and a potential second-round matchup with #3 seed Stanford. Crawford quietly has put together a productive four-year career at UK. Upping his FG% to 46% this season, his stoic charisma on the court paces the Wildcats and delivers on some of his early top-10 high school recruit rankings. The problem is that Marquette has a bevy of athletes that they can toss at Crawford on the perimeter and plenty of tall bodies to cut off penetration. More for Joe Crawford (can you remember a time when Kentucky seemed so “starless”?) to overcome, I suppose.

Take it away Pay…

Paymon Edition

East Region
Oklahoma’s PF Blake Griffin

When it comes to power forwards who will battle for 40 minutes and the extra session if needed, Oklahoma’s Blake Griffin (15.0 ppg, 9.4 rpg) takes the proverbial cake (sure, there’s Psycho T, but he gets enough love). With a steady face-up game and a 12-14 foot jump shot to boot, Griffin has defied injuries and buoyed the Sooners to their 1st tournament appearance in what seems like forever. Along with Longar Longar, Griffin anchors a defense that gave up only 63.4 ppg and allowed opponents to shoot 40.6 % from the field. To keep playing after Friday’s game against St. Joseph’s, Griffin will need to make smart decisions and play with fluidity in order to wear down the forward trio of Pat Calathes, Rob Ferguson and Ahmad Nivins.

West Region
UCLA’s SF Luc Richard Mbah a Moute

Though the accolades for UCLA’s success will first go to Kevin “I wink for the camera at every opportunity” Love and Darren Collison and then second to Josh Shipp and Russell Westbrook, “The Prince” is the reason why the Bruins have gone to two straight Final Fours. Though averaging only 8.8 ppg and 5.4 rpg, his contributions cannot be captured on a stat sheet. Mbah a Moute’s ability to D it up makes him an invaluable asset even when he’s not clicking offensively. Though hampered by an injury suffered in the PAC-10 tournament, expect one to two hustle plays per game from Mbah a Moute.

Midwest Region
Gonzaga’s PG Jeremy Pargo
Jeremy Pargo loves big games and he welcomes the competition. The competition will be Davidson’s Stephan Curry in Round 1. The size of Pargo (6’2” 219-pound) makes it difficult for most guards and some forwards to cover. Also, the wider frame allows for Pargo to penetrate early and often, while taking it to the hoop (Pargo shot almost 50% from the field). Though Pargo averaged a meager 11.9 points per game, he is far from afraid of taking the big shot. Against the ‘Zags toughest opponents this season, Pargo scored 23 at Connecticut, 28 at Oklahoma, 25 at Memphis and 27 at St. Mary’s. Beware, Davidson (yes, even in Raleigh).

South Region
Mississippi State’s F/C Jarvis Varnado

To Clement’s dismay, I won’t be talking about either Texas’s DJ Augustin or Connor Atchley. Nothing says sustained tournament run like a dominant shot blocker who makes his presence felt with every minute he plays. Unfortunately, even if they overcome the mighty Ducks of Oregon, the Bulldogs will be congratulated by getting an opportunity to play the Memphis Tigers. If the Bulldogs book an unlikely ticket to Houston, it will be because of Varnado’s block party (144 blocks this season). Though not a prolific scorer (7.8 ppg), Varnado shot 63.6% and averaged slightly less than eight caroms per game. Just to put Varnado’s block total in perspective, seven SEC teams had fewer blocks. Good luck to teams who want to score in the paint. And here’s a note to Memphis: practice those jump shots.

Tomorrow: Upsets Just Waiting to Happen...
Thursday: Staff Picks, Predictions, and Final Comments

Four Games We Love

Four Games I Love - Clement Edition

Pay is going to take over the reigns with his own four matchups in an evening post.

Xavier is on tons of media "hot-lists" as a Final Four sleeper.
Question is: are the healthy enough???
Credit: MP3.com

Here we go…

East Region
#7. Butler vs. #10. South Alabama
-It’s only fair to let Pay have Mason vs. Notre Dame. Fortunately, I have tons of interest in this mid-major battle between the WCC’s Zags and the Sun Belt’s Jags. Both teams have strong depth, playmakers at multiple positions and a TON to prove. Even more interesting is that South Alabama wound up in a pod being played in Birmingham (yes, Alabama).

Midwest Region
#6. USC vs. #11. Kansas State
-Mayo v. Beasley. Need I say more? Honestly, I don’t.

South Region
#5. Michigan State vs. #12. Temple
-Nicknamed Team Schizophrenia by several media outlets, Michigan State may be the most difficult team to read in this entire bracket. In years past, they’ve proved doubters wrong, and rode momentum and great coaching to the Final Four (2005 rings a bell). Other years, they’ve folded out early to seemingly lesser competition (2006 rang a bell, at first). Enter the A-10 Tourney champs and this might be the 5/12 matchup that several people are eyeing intently.

West Region
#3. Xavier vs. #14. Georgia
-Everyone is jocking the Musketeers as their "sleeper" team. Yeah, as if a #3 seed is a real sleeper. Nevertheless, if Drew Lavender is healthy, I like Xavier to make a real run in this tournament. The problem is: he isn’t. Suddenly, you enter in that pod the remarkable SEC Tourney Champion Georgia Bulldogs (rest!), the last announced team (Baylor) and another schizophrenic Big Ten team (Purdue). Call me crazy, but Xavier is just as likely to make a legit Elite Eight run as they are to not survive the opening weekend.

Pay will check in shortly with his four...

Four Games I Love - Paymon Edition

East Region
#5 Notre Dame vs. #12 George Mason
- Thanks for letting me tackle the alma mater's battle versus "Da-da-da-da-da ol' Notre Dame". That was for Sum. Since Notre Dame has been consistent this season (great on offense, average on defense), this matchup will come down to how Mason plays defense. Why? That's because Mason will have to stick with what worked in Richmond, and cover the perimeter (ND averages 8.5 made threes per game and shoots 41% from behind the arc). These teams are very similar statistically despite the Irish holding a distinct height advantage, though the Irish are a better perimeter shooting squad. The battle between Will Thomas and Luke Harangody will be intriguing. All of this said, guard play wins this one.

Midwest Region
#8 UNLV vs. #9 Kent State
- The real media will provide you every detail possible on Gonzaga and Davidson (did you know the game was in Raleigh and that Gonzaga may be jet-lagged???). It's like that team has never traveled before. Moving onto this game, if UNLV wins, it will be because of ball security (+4.3 turnover margin and averaging only 10 TOs per contest). Keeping the ball won't be easy, as the Golden Flashes force in excess of 16 turnovers per game. On the opposite of the ball, Haminn Quaintance's long frame presents matchup problems and disrupt the free-flowing Runnin' Rebels. Once again, all eyes are on the guards -- more specifically, Wink Adams versus Al Fisher.

South Region
#6 Marquette vs. #11 Kentucky
- Without a doubt, this is my least favorite region. I hope Billy Gillispie and his assistants have surrounded Rupp Arena with the newspaper and web clippings clamoring over Kentucky's inclusion in the tournament field. For those just joining us, this tournament is about guard play and the last time I checked, Ramel Bradley and Joe Crawford were awfully good seniors. Of course, they must be on their 'A' game if they want to progress past the backcourt trio of Jerel McNeal (73 steals), Dominic James (60 steals) and Wesley Matthews, all of whom average double figures in scoring.

West Region
#5 Drake vs. #12 Western Kentucky
- You gotta love it when the tournament selection committee pits one mid-major against another. I don't. According to some experts, Drake is considered the best shooting team in the field. Led by Missouri Valley Conference POY Adam Emmenecker, Drake has four double-digit average scorers (of which Emmenecker is not one) who made at least 40 three-pointers. The latent facts are that "The Drake" has underrated athleticism and has a penchant for playing stiff defense (opponents averaging less than 61 ppg). As for the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky, Courtney Lee (20.4 ppg in 29.4 mpg!) is the man; however, WKU has ten players who average more than ten minutes of action per game. In its two losses to South Alabama, the Hilltoppers were held to 28.6 and 22.7 percent three-point shooting. Drake knows what it needs to accomplish.

Thursday and Friday Game Times

Thursday

Friday

Six Thoughts on the Field of 65: Pay & Clement Vent

Here were our final bracket projections
We were proud of our work (63 out of 65), but less than enthused with several unfair major-biased outcomes and several odd-seedings.

Chris Wright might be the most talented player NOT in the field,
but his injuries were not a reason Dayton should have been allowed in the field.
Credit: ViewImages

1) Mid-Majors Get the Rawest of Deals

34 at-large bids. 28 go to “Majors” and 6 go to “Mid-Majors”. How sweet! Sadly, ESPN’s Jay Bilas (picking the four #1 seeds, pansy) openly stated during ESPN's watered-down Bracketology 101 that mid-majors get a break on their schedules (please, who will schedule 95% of them?) while CBS’s brilliant duo of Nantz/Packer (hah!) believe the mid-majors are going to continue to lose steam as conferences continue to expand. I'm asking this to all parties involved: explain to me how Illinois State isn’t getting half the pub of half-runs like Dayton, UMASS, Virginia Tech, and even UAB (since when was Conference USA reputable in the least bit?) as being snubbed? Point is: ESPN needs to cancel Bracketbusters. They don’t matter. It just excites those of us who support the little guys and boosts established mid-majors in that particular season (i.e. Kent State, Gonzaga, Drake, and Butler.) VCU’s win at Akron (or winning the CAA by 3-games) was useless and the MVC (8-2 in Bracketbusters) couldn’t land a second team in the field while the Sun Belt got 2 and the WCC 3 (Illinois State again, anyone?)

2) Sheet of Integrity: Who Cares!

I’m not going to hide my emotions. I’m far from excited about this bracket. It’s going to be #1-team heavy in most Final Four predictions, experts and novices (not me though!). UNC, Kansas, and UCLA will be in at least 75% of most bracketeer’s Final Fours. Is Memphis, as a #1 seed, truly a wild-card? At least Bob Knight picked Pittsburgh to win the while thing. With so few mid-majors present (go Mason!), Oregon a 9-seed, several rather ludicrous seedings (Kansas State all the way down to #11, Kent State a 9-seed, and USC only a 6-spot?) and plenty of undeserving teams (nearly every seed 10 through 12)…how can I be excited??? Nice try tournament committee matching up UNC/Indiana potentially and offering up Beasley/Mayo in the opening round. Pay and I instantly realized that both were simply TV-based matchups. Those typically don’t work out, either. I have to fairly admit though, a small portion of my skepticism is rooted in the fact that my childhood team is the Orange and I am an alum of VCU.

3) Last Two Out?

I’m ecstatic Ohio State (2-10 vs. the RPI Top 50) and Virginia Tech (1-7 against the RPI Top 50) didn’t ride overrated final weeks to get in. As inspiring as Seth Greenberg (who I love) tried to be following Tech’s 2-point last-second loss to the Heels, Greenberg yelled and screamed because his team didn’t have the credentials to lay out for anyone. You don't get into the tournament for "almost-beating" anyone either. No matter how close it seems or where the game is played. As for the Buckeyes, two home wins against Big Ten squads just ain’t enough. My frustration with Oregon’s #9 seed is only quenched minimally with the exclusion of the Buckeyes and Hokies.

4) Switching Around a Few Things…

Interesting, to say the least, to see Georgetown acquiesced so much (first for not being able to play in DC and for Texas not being able to be grouped in the same region as Texas). In fact, they might’ve moved down two full rankings and allowed Kansas a much easier pass to the Final Four (remember who coaches them though) and an easier path for them to the Elite Eight against Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk. Tennessee was arguably the 5^th or 6^th overall seed and is now in the same bracket as overall #1 UNC. Is this fair? Probably not.

5) An Arizona Argument Not Involving John McCain

Arizona proved how mighty a fantastic (#2 overall) SOS is. While the RPI had to matter behind closed doors, it’s clear conferences and conference marks didn’t (according to the tourney chairman, at least). That’s the only reason I can conceive ASU (who swept Arizona and owns a win versus Stanford which Zona doesn’t) was the first Pac-10 team out and Arizona was the last Pac-10 team in (again, don’t get me STARTED on Oregon). Arizona State had a putrid out-of-conference schedule. Then again, it is their fault LSU and Illinois stunk up the joint? ASU also won against #3-seed Xavier by 22 points! I knew Arizona would be in, but I don’t like it at the expense of ASU, no matter how many RPI Top 100 opponents they had. (I also HATE Arizona. Yeah, I said it.)

6) Predictions and Projections

For the last eight years, I have taken my pre-season champion pick immediately after I first see the field of 64/65. At least when it’s humanely possible. At the beginning of the season, here was my Final Four: North Carolina, UCLA, Kansas, and Michigan State (whoops). I won’t reveal who I picked as my pre-season champs; however, it’s fair to say they will be a popular pick to cut down the nets in San Antonio. Oh yeah, MJ didn’t play there. There’s one clue.

Note: The four-letter network has angered me a lot over the past few weeks. However, their special 'Black Magic' (Documentary about athletes who attended black colleges and universities, specifically during the Civil Rights Movement) is powerful and moving. It should be mandatory viewing in ALL classrooms (and will be in my own).

…Pay will be up shortly to rant and rave much more effectively…

Clement has cited many of the bones that I was to pick, so to avoid being redundant, I will mention some other things on my mind following the Tournament Selection Show.

1) Bracket Results

As Clement stated, we successfully picked 63 of 65 teams in correct fashion. Here are the unofficial bracket metrics:

Correct Teams: 63/65

Exact Seeds: 32/65

Within One Seed: 52/65

In sum, I am not too happy with the results given the amazing work that both Clement and I put in. Did I mention humility was among my strongest attributes? While I am not surprised by the inclusion of either South Alabama or Oregon (they were our last two out), their seedings remain curious. This leads us to ...

2) What On Earth Were You Thinking?

As a fan, I love that George Mason (my alma mater) is in a pod with Notre Dame (i.e. the team that every mid-major wants to play) and Washington State. As someone who projects brackets, I was shocked. Up until Arkansas choked, WASU was our top #7 seed and was immediately ousted from the conversation for a #4 seed. Why? Try 0-5 against the conference brass. If you don't buy that one because UCLA and Stanford are really superb, why don't you consider their 4-7 mark against the RPI Top 50? Were the road wins versus Boise State, Baylor and Gonzaga in non-conference play more important than a 10-8 finish?

3) Do Vanderbilt's Wins at Memorial Gymnasium Count As Neutral Court Victories?

That's the only way they deserve a #4 seed. Yes, I understand that they defeated mighty Tennessee. So did the team that forgot how to play basketball, Arkansas - not to mention, they did it on an actual neutral court. Oh wait. They also defeated the Commodores twice. I laud Kevin Stallings for his amazing coaching job the last two seasons and his ability to craft a schedule that largely avoids facing off against the lower-third of Division I college basketball. With that said, the bulk of Vandy's results were within the friendly confines of Memorial Gymnasium (a very underrated home court advantage). They sustained 3 losses of 16 points or more away from home, two of which were against non-tournament teams. I apologize if I sound hostile. I just provide the facts, rather than some distorted, politically correct hogwash.

4) While I Love Blake Griffin, I Am Not In Love With Oklahoma's #6 Seed

Since January 27, you have had floor seats to my somewhat unhealthy man crush on Blake Griffin. Though the Sooners sustained injury after injury (by the way, their medical team deserves an award) this season, they had 11 losses, went 6-8 against the RPI Top 50 and were a meager 8-8 on road and neutral settings. Oklahoma had zero signature victories and had its best victory (by the seedings) in Charleston against West Virginia. Meanwhile, Phil Martelli has to be licking his chops with this favorable matchup and a veteran team led by Pat Calathes. If the team that beat Xavier twice comes out, then this may be decided by the third media timeout.

5) Let's Not Fake The Funk

Over the course of a few months in which you become familiar with team resumes, it's comical to think that conference affiliation is not brought up. It's irrelevant. Why? Because if you actually know the resumes of teams, then you know their credentials. If you still have a few brain cells remaining, you can extrapolate the conference in which the team plays. Since everyone knows exactly who is being discussed, let's talk about conference affiliation. Let's bring up the records of double-digit seeds from major conferences in years past. Let's just be honest and lay it all out there. Then, we can all have our ice cream celebrating your informed decisions.

6) Penalize Conferences That Play Their Tournaments on Home Courts Of Non #1 seeds

I'm talking to you, Mountain West and West Coast Conferences. UNLV earned a #8 seed with two home wins against BYU (only wins against the RPI Top 50), the second leading to an automatic bid. Mind you, the Runnin' Rebels required late-game heroics against basketball giants Texas Christian and benefited immensely from the home crowd against a determined yet considerably weak Utah squad. In the West Coast Conference, we all know about San Diego. If you watched the tournament, you could not have scripted better choke jobs from St. Mary's (15-2 run to end regulation forcing overtime) and Gonzaga (they fell two seed lines for not showing up entirely). As a result, the tournament selection committee made an unprecedented decision to include three teams from the 14th-rated conference in what was a perfect storm scenario - both Gonzaga and St. Mary's are legit. In addition to punishing conferences that play tournaments on the home court of a team that did not win the regular season, let us punish teams that lose their conference tournament on their home floor (South Alabama), especially when it's not to the team that wins the automatic bid.

NCAA Tournament Projections -- March 16, 2008 (FINAL)

LAST FOUR IN: St. Joseph's, Arizona State, Villanova, Illinois State
LAST FOUR OUT: South Alabama, Oregon, VCU, Ohio State
NEXT FOUR OUT: Virginia Tech , Ole Miss, Syracuse, UMass

The Seedings
1: North Carolina (ACC), UCLA (PAC-10), Memphis (C-USA), Kansas (Big XII)
2: Texas, Tennessee, Wisconsin (Big Ten), Georgetown
3: Duke, Stanford, Pittsburgh (Big East), Louisville
4: Xavier, Drake (MVC), Michigan State, USC
5: UConn, Clemson, Butler (Horizon), Purdue
6: Vanderbilt, Marquette, Notre Dame, Washington State
7: Indiana, Arkansas, Kent State (MAC), Gonzaga
8: BYU, Davidson (Southern), Miami-FL, Texas A&M
9: West Virginia, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Mississippi State
10: St. Mary's, Kentucky, Arizona, UNLV (MWC)
11: Temple (A-10), Baylor, St. Joseph's, Arizona State
12: Villanova, Illinois State, George Mason (CAA), Western Kentucky (Sun Belt)
13: Oral Roberts (Summit), Georgia (SEC), San Diego (WCC), Siena (Metro Atlantic)
14: Boise State (WAC), Cornell (Ivy), Winthrop (Big South), American (Patriot)
15: Belmont (Atlantic Sun), Cal State Fullerton (Big West), UM-Baltimore County (America East), Portland State (Big Sky)
16: Austin Peay (Ohio Valley), UT-Arlington (Southland), Mississippi Valley State (SWAC), Mount St. Mary’s (Northeast), Coppin State (MEAC)

Note of Interest: Coppin State is the first 20-loss team ever to make the field. Andy Katz of ESPN is reporting that Coppin State will face Mount St. Mary's in the play-in game; thus, avoiding a battle between the two teams with the lowest RPI, both of whom are Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

Let's see how much things differ from our early Sunday Morning Bracket Projections.

NCAA Tournament Projections - March 16, 2008 (Morning)

Here’s our seeding schedule …

To appease your bubble fix, here is our Last Four In, Last Four Out and the Next Four Out.

Last Four In: Arizona State, Villanova, Illinois State, South Alabama
Last Four Out: VCU, Oregon, Virginia Tech, Ohio State
Next Four Out: Ole Miss, UMass, Syracuse, Stephen F. Austin

Herb Sendek won't be upset with our inclusion of the Sun Devils

Credit: CNN/SI

Tonight, Temple took home the A-14 crown. Speaking of Temple, their surge is part of a prevailing theme at PHSports this year. Be it Temple, Kentucky or staying with George Mason as long as we possibly could, we have been able to spot trends or teams on the rise before everyone else. Not to mention, we had Pittsburgh as the top #4 seed prior to tonight’s home win at the Garden.

Quickly, Arkansas is a #5 seed on the expectation that they defeat Georgia by 15 or more points. That’s ambitious, but legs have to give at some point, no? How many more games can Georgia pull out when their best player (Sundiata Gaines) fouls out?

On the 7th seed line, we know it’s harsh to put Indiana there with a dynamic duo of Gordon and White. If Indiana can get a consistent 3rd guy, then #2 seeds had better start praying. They may be a #6 seed for us tomorrow.

That’s all for now. If you have any questions, comments, or just wish to send a shout, shoot me a line at phashemi@gmail.com.

The UNADULTERATED Seedings
1: North Carolina (ACC), UCLA (PAC-10), Memphis (C-USA), Kansas (Big XII)
2: Texas, Tennessee, Wisconsin (Big Ten), Georgetown
3: Duke, Stanford, Pittsburgh (Big East), Louisville
4: Xavier, Drake (MVC), Michigan State, USC
5: UConn, Arkansas (SEC), Purdue, Butler (Horizon)
6: Vanderbilt, Marquette, Clemson, Notre Dame
7: Washington State, Indiana, Kent State (MAC), Gonzaga
8: BYU, Davidson (Southern), Miami-FL, Texas A&M
9: West Virginia, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Kentucky
10: Mississippi State, St. Mary’s, Arizona, UNLV (MWC)
11: Temple (A-10), Baylor, St. Joseph’s, Arizona State
12: Villanova, Illinois State, South Alabama, George Mason (CAA)
13: Western Kentucky (Sun Belt), Oral Roberts (Summit), San Diego (WCC), Siena (Metro Atlantic)

14: Cornell (Ivy), American (Patriot), Boise State (WAC), Belmont (Atlantic Sun)
15: Cal State Fullerton (Big West), Winthrop (Big South), UM-Baltimore County (America East), Portland State (Big Sky)
16: Austin Peay (Ohio Valley), UT-Arlington (Southland), Mount St. Mary’s (Northeast), Mississippi Valley State (SWAC), Coppin State (MEAC)

IN: Boise State, Coppin State
OUT: New Mexico State, Morgan State


Seeding Summary (Multi-Bid Conferences Only in Order of Percentage)

Pac-10: 6/10
Big East: 8/16
Big XII: 6/12
SEC: 5/12
West Coast: 3/8
Big Ten: 4/11
ACC: 4/12
Mountain West: 2/9
A-10: 3/14
Missouri Valley: 2/10
Sun Belt: 2/12

PHSports Selection Sunday Bracket Schedule

All times are subject to change. Except the final bracket projections. We aren't Joe Lunardi.

(ALL TIMES EASTERN)

1:00 PM #14-16 seed lines

2:30 PM #1-4 seed lines (subject to change)

3:30 PM #5-10 seed lines

4:30 PM #11-13 seed lines

5:30 PM Final Bracket Projection

2008 NCAA Tournament Projections - March 15, 2008

With one more night of basketball, it’s business as usual for the elite teams. Excluding Tennessee, all of the top teams played well en route to victories. In the Big XII, we have projected Kansas to gain retribution for a regular season loss in Austin versus Texas. If Texas sweeps Kansas, then the Longhorns immediately become a #1 seed due to what would be four wins against our current top five teams. Meanwhile, Georgetown is playing its best basketball of the season, especially on the offensive side (they are already #1 in defensive FG%), and that makes them more dangerous than originally perceived. Here are some non-bubble talking points …

• Clement and I had a heated discussion on who should be the #12 overall team. We really want Pittsburgh to show us a little more tomorrow night before we put them there. Mind you, this is the same team that had lost 4 of 7 following the return of Levance Fields prior to the Big East Tournament at Pitt’s home away from home (MSG). We also have not forgotten about Pitt’s home loss to Rutgers.
• In the words of Clement, “We are pulling a ‘Jay Mariotti’” and switching our Mountain West allegiance to BYU (prior to the UNLV/Utah game). UNLV’s utter lack of perimeter defense scares us.

The other theme involved potential bid stealers trying to make their mark. However, they largely fell short. Here are some quick bubble talking points …

• In our humble opinion, the field should just end after the loser of the A-14 championship game.
• Among the successful, St. Joe’s handled Xavier for the second time in two weeks. With that victory, the Red Hawks and their annoying mascot punched their ticket. Meanwhile, they will play Temple, who we project to win the A-14 tournament since Xavier is out. If St. Joe’s takes the automatic bid, we still like Temple (Paymon more than Clement) to make the field.
• How could Arizona State (RPI: 81) and Arizona (19-14, 9-11) be in and Oregon (RPI: 56; 18-13, 9-10) be out of the mix? In evaluating these teams, Arizona State has the best set of wins (versus Stanford, USC, Xavier); Arizona is 3-5 against the top four teams in the conference (won twice versus Washington State and had an away split with USC) and has their standard outstanding non-conference schedule; Oregon is 1-7 against the top four teams with its best wins being versus Stanford and at Kansas State. All things considered, the Arizona schools won more games that mattered.
• Virginia Tech earned its first victory over a RPI Top 50 team on Friday (Miami-FL). Though some are ready to crown them due to the ineptitude of fellow bubble teams, we are not. Keep a close eye on their game with UNC. If they keep it close, they will gain credibility if nothing else, and frankly, that may be enough.
• In C-USA Final tomorrow morning, Tulsa will need a Herculean effort to overcome Memphis, who themselves are clinging onto a #1 seed.
• The MAC Final will be a rematch of last week’s showdown between Kent State and Akron. With Al Fisher’s game-winning shot on the mind, Akron may steal a bid, as Kent State possesses the makings of an at-large bid resume.
• Either Minnesota or Illinois will be in the Big Ten Final. If you’re a shrink, you have a market among our Last Four In and Last Out.

That’s all for now. If you have any questions, comments, or just wish to send a shout, shoot me a line at phashemi@gmail.com.

The Seedings
1: North Carolina (ACC), Tennessee (SEC), UCLA (PAC-10), Memphis (C-USA)
2: Kansas (Big XII), Texas, Georgetown (Big East), Duke
3: Wisconsin (Big Ten), Stanford, Louisville, Drake (MVC)
4: Pittsburgh, Michigan State, USC, Marquette
5: Xavier, UConn, Vanderbilt, Washington State
6: Butler (Horizon), Purdue, Notre Dame, Indiana
7: Gonzaga, Clemson, BYU (MWC), Arkansas
8: Kansas State, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Oklahoma
9: West Virginia, Kent State (MAC), Miami-FL, Davidson (Southern)
10: Texas A&M, Arizona State, St. Mary’s, St. Joseph’s
11: Arizona, Temple (A-10), Baylor, UNLV
12: Villanova, South Alabama, Illinois State, George Mason (CAA)
13: Western Kentucky (Sun Belt), Oral Roberts (Summit), Siena (Metro Atlantic), San Diego (WCC)

14: Cornell (Ivy), American (Patriot), Cal State Fullerton (Big West), New Mexico State (WAC)
15: Belmont (Atlantic Sun), UM-Baltimore County (America East), Winthrop (Big South), Portland State (Big Sky)
16: Austin Peay (Ohio Valley), UT-Arlington (Southland), Mount St. Mary’s (Northeast), Morgan State (MEAC), Mississippi Valley State (SWAC)

Last Four In: UNLV, Villanova, South Alabama, Illinois State
Last Four Out: Oregon, VCU, Ohio State, Virginia Tech
Next Four Out: Ole Miss, Syracuse, Stephen F. Austin, UMass

IN: St. Joseph’s, South Alabama, UT-Arlington, Cal State Fullerton, Mount St. Mary’s, Mississippi Valley State
OUT: Ohio State, VCU, Stephen F. Austin, UC-Santa Barbara, Sacred Heart, Alabama State

Seeding Summary (Multi-Bid Conferences Only in Order of Percentage)
Pac-10: 6/10
Big East: 8/16
Big XII: 6/12
SEC: 5/12
West Coast: 3/8
Big Ten: 4/11
ACC: 4/12
Mountain West: 2/9
A-10: 3/14
Missouri Valley: 2/10
Sun Belt: 2/12

Friday FourCast: Bubble Talk Continues...

The FourCast, barely two days old in its college basketball format, is already undergoing several radical changes.

First off, we’re going to target the eight best matchups of the day (because 4 +4 is 8!). Fortunately for your eyes, we’re only giving each game ONE sentence.

We’re also projecting four thoughts from the past day (in this case, Thursday). Finally, I’m asking our “Bracket expert” Paymon (who I assure you won’t change his picks at 5:52pm Sunday evening) four questions that are clawing me deep into my bone marrow.

Yes, I said bone marrow.

Some of us "experts" need to take quantum physics to explain how VCU and the "Dagger" will return to the tourney in 2008.
Credit: NY Times.com

FourCast Four Thoughts:

1) West Virginia not only pushed itself into “lock” status, but might start climbing up the big board with its impressive victory over (my pick to cut down the nets in MSG) the UCONN Huskies. Joe Alexander poured in 34 and the Mountaineers might have exposed UCONN’s questionable perimeter defense.

2) Houston said bye-bye to a desperately-needed Conference USA tourney run with a rather embarrassing loss to UTEP. Does this affect a certain Richmond-based team who needs Houston to look as good (but not too good)?

3) Apparently, UCLA doesn’t need all the calls. Often, teams like this can be discounted or even swept under the radar. What appears clear is that UCLA should earn the West’s #1 seed and even if they do not, they may be just as dangerous as they were last as the #2 seed out of their preferred region.

4) Teams who are livin’ on a bubble prayer (hello VCU!) better hope that teams like New Mexico, UNLV and Texas A&M are bit by the upset bug. Of course, that’s highly unlikely. HIGHLY.

FourCast Four Questions:
1) How damaging was Baylor’s 2-overtime loss to (12-19) Colorado?

It’s damaging enough to place them firmly onto the bubble, rather than near “lock” status. I think their early season neutral court wins will get them over the hump. I’ll take 9 wins in a top 3 conference and a neutral court victory over ‘Gody over most of the bubble boys any day.

2) Is Villanova truly “in” with their victory over Syracuse? Or was their drubbing from Georgetown (combined with a 3-6 record against the RPI Top 50 and several BAD losses – DePaul & Rutgers notably) enough to put them as one of the last four teams out?

Anyone familiar with Villanova knows exactly how aggravating it is to follow the team. Because of the criteria set before you, Villanova will be among the teams that Clement and I will be discussing at length on Sunday afternoon.

3) Arizona State’s standing has been far more pessimistic in brackets outside of yours. How damaging was their 4-point loss to OJ Mayo and the Trojans?

According to the Bracket Matrix, 41 of 53 bracket projectionists have Arizona State in the field of 65, but the average seed is 11. On their loss, I didn’t see it as damaging at all, except for it meaning that Arizona State has a losing conference record and an ugly RPI. They played tough defense against a stout USC team and fell short of forcing overtime, no thanks to PAC-10 officials.

4) Why is everyone so in love as of late with New Mexico?

I’ve been absent from this love party for New Mexico. There’s this bizarre belief that the Mountain West will be a two-bid conference, even if BYU wins the conference tournament. The 24 wins are impressive, but they are due in large part to fattening up on weak teams and at home. Of their 31 games, the Lobos played 18 on their home court. Their best win outside of Albuquerque was at San Diego State.

8 Games to Watch on Friday (or as WJFK’s Don & Mike say…Fri-dee!):

Michigan vs. Wisconsin
-Alright UM fans, this is your shot to make a 9-21 season end on as high a note as possible for a 9-21 team.

Texas vs. Oklahoma State
-A #1 seed for Texas is still far from out of the question.

Miami (FL) vs. Virginia Tech
-Hokie fans were crying to me how much they wanted to avoid the ‘Canes. Tough break.

Xavier vs. St. Joseph’s
-The Red Hawks need this win if they want to keep their legit tourney hopes alive.

Georgetown vs. West Virginia

A) Who underrated Georgetown a month ago (ME!)

B) Who underrated WVU’s 11-win conference performance (Pay!)

Temple vs. UMass Charlotte
-With UMASS coughing up an 18-point lead, will Pay’s brilliance of sticking with Temple be rewarded with an A-10 Championship Game birth?

USC vs. UCLA
-This should clinch a #1 seed, in my opinion, for UCLA…if they win, of course.

Washington State vs. Stanford
-Forget this matchup, what about the Thursday night losers and their bubble fates (Arizona does seem safer than Oregon, right?)?

Hope you enjoyed the new format! It’s gonna be around for another 12 hours or so…

Eureka!

Today and tomorrow represent two of the most exciting days of the college basketball calendar, because teams on the bubble tend to show their true colors. As of Wednesday, we had a conservative estimate of 18 at-large bids for the taking. Here's a synopsis (will be updated through the night) of who's earned a bid, who's out of consideration, who's done playing but firmly on the bubble, who's one step closer to earning an at-large bid.

IN: West Virginia, BYU, Miami (FL)
OUT: UAB, Houston, Florida, Dayton, Maryland, UMass, Ole Miss

Bubble: Villanova, Baylor, Oregon
Stock Up: Texas A&M, Temple, St. Joseph's

Here are some quick hits on the day's events.

• Though Villanova fought hard, two factors may crush them on Selection Sunday. First, they lost by 19 to Georgetown, who uncharacteristically made only 17 trifectas and shot a paltry 63% from behind the arc. Second, West Virginia effectively scored their biggest victory of the season and secured an at-large bid. UConn is not only the best team they've defeated all season, but they won on a neutral floor.
• Barring a Memphis collapse, C-USA will be a one-bid league this season.
• This season, I've been an avid supporter of Dayton, but that support for an at-large bid ended today. Though the Flyers played well today, their resume was built largely on results gained with Chris Wright (14-1 record), who did not play a single minute in the Atlantic 14 tournament. Staying in Atlantic City, Temple took care of business while UMass blew an 18-point lead in a stunning defeat to Charlotte. If Temple wins tomorrow, then we look pretty darn prophetic.
• Florida was never in it against Alabama. Experience is what this young team requires, so the NIT may not be as worthless as it sounds. Staying in the SEC, nothing says "I want to watch the NCAA tournament" at home like letting Georgia shoot 54% from the field.
• Baylor played its way back onto the bubble. They will likely remain in the field because they have some quality wins (Notre Dame on a neutral floor, versus Kansas State and at Texas A&M).
• Arizona State not only played a scorching-hot USC team tight, they had a basket [unjustly] waved off in the final 17 seconds that would have tied the game. Oregon played well for the final 25 minutes in a defeat to Washington State (which the Cougars led from wire-to-wire), but I'm not in love with their prospects. On the subjective side, I saw too many easy baskets by WASU to take Oregon too seriously.
• Losses for Houston and Maryland are crushing blows to VCU's resume.

Thursday FourCast: Bracket & Bubble Banter

by Chris Clement

Since I enjoyed adding “talking points” so much to Pay’s work last night, let’s do it again!

Here’s the Thursday edition. Oh yeah, here’s yesterday’s bracket projections.

1) A-10 Quarterfinals: Dayton/Xavier & Big East Quarterfinals: Villanova/Georgetown
-So maybe both don’t deserve to share the top spot; however, they both face tall mountains to climb against their conference’s regular season champions. While the Wildcats seem a much safer bubble-in squad (a 19-point brutalization over the ‘Cuse) than the Flyers, both might seal their ticket with wins early-Saturday afternoon. This could also mean relax, relief, or pure terror from the likes of Temple, UMass and St. Joe’s.

2) PAC-10 Quarterfinals: Arizona State vs. USC
-Though we have Arizona State in the field, they are not a lock to have their name called on Selection Sunday. This is not an ideal that is shared by all bracketologists. In fact, as often one of the last four in/last four out wins games they are not expected to win, the room for error for the PAC-10's #5 seed may be thinning by the day. Enter O.J. Mayo and the streaking Trojans who have the juice to drive a buzzsaw through the PAC-10 Tournament. While a loss to the Trojans might not throw them on the wrong side of the bubble, might a terrible one combined with Arizona and Oregon booking trips to the semis?

3) PAC-10 Quarterfinals, Take 2: Oregon vs. Washington State
-Could the Ducks become the first PAC-10 squad with a losing record to enter March Madness? With a recent sweep of ASU/Arizona, the Quack Attack (admit it, you like it) might seem as close to a bubble-lock as possible with a win over the Cougars. Lose the game and suddenly bubble-bound Arizona surpasses you for good and potentially 60%, rather than 70%, of the conference is tourney-bound.

4) Bubbly Bubblitis: UNLV/TCU & Miami(FL)/NC State & Florida/Alabama & Georgia/Ole Miss
-Okay, I could go on for hours. Perhaps, I could talk about the entire A-10 tournament. Instead, I selected these four games to break down the situations (or plights) of four types of bubble squads.
UNLV: Take the lead from San Diego and defend home court all the way into March Madness. Without a conference tournament title, you and New Mexico may bump each other into the last four out column.
Miami (FL): You appear more than safe after finishing 5th in the ACC and owning a win over Duke: An embarrassing loss to last year’s ACC Tournament runner-up NC State.
Florida: You now know reaching the SEC Tournament Finals may be the worst you can do. With such a young squad, does Billy “the Kid” have any magic left for the two-time defending champions to cling to?
Ole Miss: You’ve been called out by Pay as a potential sleeper. Who is my team to watch come conference tournament time? Anybody say…Nebraska??? ME!

See you Friday morning…hopefully with a little clarity.

2008 NCAA Projections - March 12, 2008

Last night, the committee arrived in Indianapolis. Tomorrow, they will submit their list of “lock teams”. As of the end of play on Tuesday night, we estimate that the teams listed in seed lines #1-7 are considered to be “locks” for the NCAA Tournament. While I love what Kentucky has done, they are truly one injury away from being on the outside looking in despite an impressive 12-4 record in the SEC and having crushed the subjective eye test since the Vanderbilt debacle.

That leaves 18 bids for the taking. What does that mean? In brief, the next four days of basketball will go a long way in determining who is in and out (Sunday is not a big moving day for tournament seedings, unless your name is Joe Lunardi and the clock has just struck 5:50pm ET). In other words, no team beyond Mississippi State excluding automatic bids are safe.

Here are Paymon’s early thoughts …

• If teams are considered by team and not WCC #3, it will be hard to unseat St. Mary’s.
• Davidson deserves a massive jump in the seedings because they took care of business. Because some bubble teams will win unexpectedly, they will likely become a #10 seed.
• The fate of VCU and South Alabama from here on out may be determined by their opponents who have games yet to play. The decider is multifactorial. First, VCU won its conference by 3 games. Second, they won three neutral/away games in non-conference play.
• I’m having a difficult time understanding why Arizona State is out of Joe Lunardi’s bracket. They earned the #5 seed in the nation’s best conference; a conference which uses a round-robin scheduling mechanism. In doing so, they defeated the conference’s #2, #4, #6 and #7 (sweep) teams in addition to the A-14’s #1 team. In a field with such a dearth of good wins, the Sun Devils don’t have enough bad losses to counteract their good wins.
• If Florida and Ole Miss BOTH make the SEC semifinals, it will be a play-in/elimination game.
• While results are important, scorelines on the neutral court play a role as well. If a team such as Ohio State loses badly against Michigan State, then their recent home resume-padders are diluted. This may result in an invitation to the Not Important Tournament.

Looking ahead to Wednesday, which is highlighted by over ten hours of opening round coverage of the Big East Tournament, Clement tackles four games that are on his mind. To no one’s surprise who reads this blog religiously, we start with …

1) Big East Tournament: Syracuse vs. Villanova
-Far from fans of South Alabama and Gonzaga after Monday Night, the Orange and the Wildcats both sit at 9-9 in the Big East. Both own a win on the other’s homecourt, both have underachieved quite a bit this season and both are in just about every media pundits “last four out”. This game obviously appears to be an elimination game. The loser stands little to no chance of securing anything but a 2-seed in the NIT. In fact, the winner may simply be the Big East team first left out. A win over Georgetown would be vital for either to stake a truly legitimate claim. The problem is: if all these at-large bids keep closing up, is a semi-final appearance truly enough for either Big East .500 squad?

2) Big East Tournament Opening Round: West Virginia vs. Providence
-A home win against Pitt this past week almost assuredly locked the Mountaineers into the last “safe bid” in the Big East. Right? Not so fast, especially when you consider how strong the media has been pushing them onto the bubble and their somewhat hidden #5 seed in the Big East Tournament. Not to mention that 10+-win in the Big East is nice, but not as nice considering they now play an 18 game schedule (thank you, Doug Gottlieb). Providence knocked off UCONN within recent memory and is a rather dangerous #12 seed. Providence knocked off UCONN within recent memory and is a rather dangerous #12 seed. If WVU loses, and perhaps Syracuse, Villanova or a surprise team makes a Big East run, could WVU be entrenched in bubble fever come 6pm on Sunday night? My inside sources tell me yes (thank you, Peter Vecsey).

3) Pac-10 Tournament Opening Round: Arizona vs. Oregon State
-Typically, there wouldn’t be any consideration given to a team as terrible as the Beavers this season. However, with their loss to Oregon this past Saturday night, #2 SOS Wildcats (come on, that’s their motto these days), opened the door for potentially two Pac-10 teams with losing conference records getting in (it’s never happened to one Pac-10 team before). The one thing Arizona can do to help itself most is crush OSU and take out the “are-they-struggling” Cardinal. The worst: lose to Oregon State and any SOS may have to go straight out the window.

4) A-10 Tournament Opening Round: Charlotte vs. Rhode Island
-In A-10 play, Xavier is easily a sure-fire tournament team. However, the rest of the conference appears much murkier than it did only six weeks ago. In fact, this matchup of #6 Charlotte vs. #11 Rhode Island may lead to an interesting quarterfinal matchup against #3 UMass. The Minutemen appear the safest bet to acquire an at-large bid, for now. In truth, eyes will be focused intently on potential upsets that could prevent a tricky A-10 final four: Xavier/St. Joe’s & UMass/Temple could. A nightmarish scenario unfolds if Dayton upsets top-seed Xavier in the quarterfinals. Don’t even get me started on that…

That’s all for now. If you have any questions, comments, or just wish to send a shout, shoot me a line at phashemi@gmail.com.

The Seedings
1: North Carolina (ACC), Tennessee (SEC), Memphis (C-USA), UCLA (PAC-10)
2: Kansas (Big XII), Texas, Duke, Georgetown (Big East)
3: Wisconsin (Big Ten), Louisville, Xavier (A-10), Stanford
4: UConn, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Drake (MVC)
5: Purdue, USC, Vanderbilt, Butler (Horizon)
6: Washington State, Indiana, Pittsburgh, Marquette
7: Clemson, Kansas State, Gonzaga, Mississippi State
8: Kentucky, BYU, Kent State (MAC), Miami-FL
9: Arizona State, Oklahoma, Davidson (Southern), Arkansas
10: Baylor, Arizona, UNLV (MWC), St. Mary’s
11: Texas A&M, Villanova, West Virginia, Illinois State
12: Ohio State, Temple, VCU, George Mason (CAA)
13: Western Kentucky (Sun Belt), Stephen F. Austin (Southland), Oral Roberts (Summit), Siena (Metro Atlantic)

14: Cornell (Ivy), San Diego (WCC), UC Santa Barbara (Big West), New Mexico State (WAC)
15: American (Patriot), UM-Baltimore County (America East), Belmont (Atlantic Sun), Winthrop (Big South)
16: Portland State (Big Sky), Austin Peay (Ohio Valley), Sacred Heart (Northeast), Morgan State (MEAC), Alabama State (SWAC)

Last Four In: Illinois State, Ohio State, Temple, VCU
Last Four Out: South Alabama, Oregon, St. Joseph’s, UMass
Next Four Out: Syracuse, Dayton, UAB, Ole Miss
On The Radar: Maryland, New Mexico, Florida

IN: Western Kentucky, San Diego, VCU
OUT: South Alabama, Oregon, St. Joseph’s

Seeding Summary (Multi-Bid Conferences Only in Order of Percentage)
Pac-10: 6/10
Big East: 8/16
Big XII: 6/12
SEC: 5/12
West Coast: 3/8
Big Ten: 5/11
ACC: 4/12
Mountain West: 2/9
Missouri Valley: 2/10
Colonial: 2/12
A-10: 2/14

Bracket Chatter - All About the Bubble

Work calleth for much of the day …

If your team is or was on the bubble, you’re likely taking a mental health day or you feel an ulcer coming on. Either way, my lack of internet connectivity from last night pales in comparison to what you are experiencing.

Here is one question to consider:

What’s more valuable: Winning a conference by three games (Conference RPI: 13) and defeating Houston/Akron/Maryland on a floor other than your home floor or winning your conference on a tie-breaker (Conference RPI: 15) and having your key wins versus Mississippi State and Western Kentucky (twice)? For those just joining us, I’m talking about VCU and South Alabama.

In terms of bad losses, VCU lost @ JMU when they were a RPI top 100 squad, lost to ODU at home on a blown no-call (though I argue they deserve to lose for letting it come to that), and William & Mary in the conference tournament on a neutral court. A common misnomer is that VCU plays at the Richmond Coliseum, site of the CAA tournament. In reality, they play at the Siegel Center. That's an enormous difference considering how well some teams travel, namely UNC-W and now George Mason. The Hampton loss is not forgivable but the loss was in November.

As for South Alabama, they lost at North Texas and dropped two of three against Middle Tennessee State.

Oddly enough, the fates of VCU and South Alabama may be decided by the likes of Houston, Maryland, Akron, Ole Miss, Miami-Ohio, Vanderbilt and Mississippi State.

Other talking points
- On George Mason, I was among the final bracket projectionists to switch from Mason to VCU. Even when I begrudgingly ceded the automatic bid to VCU, I knew that if Mason ever decided to play defense, they would win the CAA Tournament. Despite not shooting well from behind the arc for much of their time in Richmond, the Patriots challenged nearly every shot. For the anonymous hater on CAA: LAMM, who, for lack of better words, hated on my lamenting about Mason's love affair with the trifecta, inability to box out or cover the perimeter during the regular season ... thank you. Not only was I dead on, but my alma mater rectified those shortcomings when it mattered most.

- I hate conferences that hold tournaments on the home floor of a team who is not the #1 seed. In essence, it begs teams who would otherwise not make the tournament to do so and party like rock stars on their home floors after winning it all. Yes, I’m talking about you, West Coast Conference. For the record, I am not married to three coming out of that conference, so beware St. Mary’s. The Gaels have a strong resume (RPI: 38) with a solid SOS incorporated into that rating and wins at home versus Drake, Oregon, Seton Hall, San Diego and Gonzaga. Neutral-court triumphs over San Diego State and Ohio may push them over the top if both perform well in their conference tournaments. If you couple losing three of your final five games with the lack of precedence in having three teams from the 14th-best conference (let alone two), then St. Mary’s may be on the outside looking in.

- Who is the Valley #2? Convenience suggests that it’s Illinois State, who won 15 conference games counting the tournament in the nation’s #8 conference. Of course, that is before you factor in their 0-5 record against the Top 50, three losses of which are against Drake. On the flipside, they are 5-0 against squads rated between 51 and 100. Long-forgotten SIU, who let many down, has four wins against the Top 50, but are 17-14 overall, had four less conference victories in the MVC which has balanced scheduling. There’s also Creighton, who boasts a meager 0-6 clip against the Top 50, also losing thrice to Drake.

- Though I very much dislike the transitive property (i.e. Digger's MO), I see it playing a larger role than either Clement or myself would have liked.

2008 NCAA Projections - March 10, 2008

Christmas: Easily one of Philly's finest

Credit: Fans Only

(Editor's Note: This bracket does not reflect the result of the St. Mary's - San Diego game)

Last week, we held off on putting UNC as the #1 overall seed because they lacked that signature win. On Saturday, they got that win at Cameron Indoor Stadium, spoiling senior night for Duke, and for DaMarcus Nelson in particular. As for UCLA, they remained a #1 seed despite having two games which they probably should have lost. As a result, the gap between overall #4 and #5 teams on the big board has tightened.

In the Big East, Georgetown overcame Louisville to win the Big East regular season championship. Though Clement has a feeling that UConn may take the spoils at MSG, we project that the Hoya faithful will tell us exactly who they are when the clock shows three zeroes.

Moving to the fourth seed line, though we include MVC champ Drake, we really see them as a #5 seed; however, everyone else lost a game that they really should not have. On the seventh seed line, Marquette is a squad that can jump leaps and bounds with a superb showing at MSG, but we just don’t see it happening.

Meanwhile, let’s take a detour to the bubble.

- We have Ohio State as a #10 seed. Are they in? Not quite yet. Why are they so high? Perhaps, it’s because the Selection Committee loves to overrate quality March victories. This seeding may be one that we may need to review after their game against Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament.

- In deciding upon either Baylor or West Virginia for the final #10 seed, Baylor’s ability to the Big East #3 on a neutral court was more valuable than any single win that the Mountaineers had.

- In the PAC 10, we like seven teams as of right now. If Oregon loses by double digits against Washington State, then they will likely be out of the equation. Though Arizona finished 8-10 in conference, their #2 SOS nationally and a season sweep of the Cougars makes them more than viable.

- In the conference otherwise known as the A-14, we see Temple having the best opportunity to be the team that faces (and loses to) Xavier in the final. With their huge win against Xavier, St. Joseph’s claims the 34th at-large bid, outlasting VCU who lost a shocker to William & Mary. Of course, a sweep over UMass and a blowout win over Villanova never hurt. Despite winning both games this week, Dayton is now #8 seed, meaning that if they defeat St. Louis in the 1st round, they will face Xavier in the quarterfinals. Neither Clement nor myself felt brave enough to make that prediction regardless of whether Chris Wright plays.

- As stated for weeks, we expect UNLV to win the Mountain West Tournament on their home court. In doing that, we see them defeating both BYU and New Mexico, which shall help their resume.

- In the ACC, an expected loss for Virginia Tech and an unexpected one for Maryland (although Clement would have never put money on that game) meant doom and 4 seeds for now.

- Lastly, who is the best candidate to be this year’s Arkansas? That would be Ole Miss, who won its last three conference games to finish 7-9. Meanwhile, they are 5-3 against the RPI Top 50, which is a rarity. Additionally, they can avoid Tennessee until the finals.

That’s all for now. If you have any questions, comments, or just wish to send a shout, shoot me a line at phashemi@gmail.com.

The Seedings
1: North Carolina (ACC), Tennessee (SEC), Memphis (C-USA), UCLA (PAC-10)
2: Kansas (Big XII), Texas, Duke, Georgetown (Big East)
3: Wisconsin (Big Ten), Louisville, Xavier (A-10), Stanford
4: UConn, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Drake (MVC)
5: Purdue, USC, Vanderbilt, Washington State
6: Indiana, Gonzaga (WCC), Butler (Horizon), Pittsburgh
7: Marquette, Clemson, Kansas State, Mississippi State
8: Kentucky, St. Mary’s, BYU, Kent State (MAC)
9: Miami-FL, Arizona State, South Alabama (Sun Belt), Oklahoma
10: Arkansas, Ohio State, Baylor, West Virginia
11: Arizona, Davidson (Southern), UNLV (MWC), Illinois State
12: Texas A&M, Villanova, Temple, Oregon
13: St. Joseph’s, George Mason (CAA), Stephen F. Austin (Southland), Oral Roberts (Summit)
14: Cornell (Ivy), Siena (Metro Atlantic), UC Santa Barbara (Big West), New Mexico State (WAC)
15: American (Patriot), UM-Baltimore County (America East), Belmont (Atlantic Sun), Winthrop (Big South)
16: Portland State (Big Sky), Austin Peay (Ohio Valley), Sacred Heart (Northeast), Morgan State (MEAC), Alabama State (SWAC)

Last Four In: Villanova, Temple, Oregon, St. Joseph’s
Last Four Out: VCU, UMass, Syracuse, UAB
Next Four Out: Dayton, Maryland, Florida, Ole Miss

IN: Ohio State, Villanova, Temple, Oregon, St. Joseph’s, George Mason, UC Santa Barbara, Winthrop, Sacred Heart
OUT: VCU, Maryland, UMass, Southern Illinois, Dayton, Florida, Cal State Northridge, UNC-Asheville, Robert Morris

Seeding Summary(Multi-Bid Conferences Only in Order of Percentage)

Pac-10: 7/10
Big XII: 6/12
SEC: 5/12
Big East: 7/16
ACC: 4/12
Big Ten: 5/11

West Coast: 2/8
Mountain West: 2/9
Missouri Valley: 2/10
A-10: 3/14

Bubble Breakdown in the Power Conferences

Can the PAC 10 actually have seven bids? TaJuan Porter thinks so.

Credit: Digital Headbutt

With conference play coming to a close in the six major college basketball conferences (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big XII, PAC 10, SEC), it's time to debunk a huge myth. To be brief, I'm talking about a team's overall conference record. In conferences with unbalanced scheduling (e.g. Big East), some teams get fat on the weakest of teams who do not even get invited to the postseason conference tournament at Madison Square Garden. Others may face the elite teams more than once, and in the cases in which they face them once, it's at the opposition's venue.

In this breakdown, conferences are dissected to determine through resumes that are about as clear as mud heading into an exciting week of conference tournaments that should provide not only a great deal of excitement but plenty of clarity.

ACC
IN: UNC, Duke, Clemson, Miami
Bubble: Virginia Tech, Maryland

Virginia Tech
Record vs. IN: 0-4
Wins: None
Losses: @ UNC, v. Duke, @ Clemson, v. Miami

Maryland
Record vs. IN: 1-4
Wins: @ UNC
Losses: Duke (2), v. Clemson, @ Miami

* Virginia Tech swept Maryland this season

Analysis: Despite being a game up and holding a season sweep over the Terrapins, Maryland has a slight advantage in that they have better wins. Not to mention, they are the only team to defeat Carolina with a healthy Ty Lawson. Nevertheless, both Maryland (1-6) and Tech (0-6) are abysmal against the RPI Top 50.

Big XII
IN: Texas, Kansas, Kansas State
Bubble: Oklahoma, Baylor, Texas A&M

Oklahoma
Record vs IN: 0-4
Wins: None
Losses: Texas (2), @ Kansas, v. Kansas State

Baylor
Record vs. IN: 1-3
Wins: v. Kansas State
Losses: Texas (2), @ Kansas

Texas A&M
Record vs. IN: 1-3
Wins: v. Texas
Losses: @ Texas, v. Kansas, @ Kansas State

* Against like teams, Oklahoma is 3-1; Texas A&M is 2-2; Baylor is 1-3.

Analysis: Of these three teams, A&M is the only one with a signature win. Of the three, Oklahoma is winning the eye test, but could change with another injury to a key player. Additionally, the Sooners hold 3 more (six) wins than their bubble counterparts over the RPI Top 50. A three-game stretch that included wins over Gonzaga, Arkansas and West Virginia push them near a lock status for a NCAA bid.

PAC 10
IN: UCLA, Stanford, Washington State, USC
Bubble: Arizona State, Oregon, Arizona

Arizona State
Record v. IN: 2-6
Wins: v. Stanford, v. USC
Losses: UCLA (2), @ Stanford, Washington State (2), @ USC

Oregon
Record v. IN: 1-7
Wins: v. Stanford
Losses: UCLA (2), @ Stanford, Washington State (2), USC (2)

Arizona
Record v. IN: 3-5
Wins: Washington State (2), @ USC
Losses: UCLA (2), Stanford (2), v. USC

* Against like teams, Arizona State is 3-1; Oregon is 3-1; Arizona is 0-4.

Analysis: First, can the PAC 10 send seven teams to the NCAA Tournament? Despite going .500 in what I consider to be the toughest conference this season, Arizona State boasts a humble RPI of 74. Yet, they hold wins over Xavier, Stanford, USC, Oregon and a season sweep of Arizona. As for Oregon, they have went 3-0 in March to reach 9-9 in conference, but possess a shoddy non-conference resume (best win: @ Kansas State) with bad losses against Nebraska and Oakland. In Tucson, the Wildcats are just 3-7 in their last ten, but have battled injuries and hold the nation's #2 strength of schedule. A season's sweep of Washington State doesn't hurt either.

Big East
IN: Georgetown, Louisville, Notre Dame, UConn, Marquette, Pittsburgh
Bubble: West Virginia, Syracuse, Villanova

West Virginia
Record v. IN: 2-5
Wins: v. Marquette, v. Pittsburgh
Losses: v. Georgetown, @ Louisville, @ Notre Dame, @ UConn, @ Pittsburgh

Syracuse
Record v. IN: 2-5
Wins: v. Georgetown, v. Marquette
Losses: @ Georgetown, @ Louisville, @ Notre Dame, v. UConn, v. Pittsburgh

Villanova
Record v. IN: 2-5
Wins: v. UConn, v. Pittsburgh
Losses: @ Georgetown, @ Louisville, v. Notre Dame, v. Marquette, @ Pittsburgh

* Against like teams, West Virginia is 1-1; Syracuse is 1-2; Villanova is 2-1.

Analysis: With six teams from the Big East considered to be already included in the field of 65, three teams are jockeying for one, possibly two spots. The eye test nod goes to West Virginia, because they have lost the fewest games. Meanwhile, their best win is at home against Marquette. Both Syracuse and Villanova are 9-9, yet seem to hold stronger in-conference resumes against the best six teams. Will the Mountaineers have to do more than simply avoid defeat in the 1st round? If UConn defeats Cincinnati later today, then Syracuse and Villanova will play each other in an elimination game with a right to face off against regular season champ Georgetown.

SEC
IN: Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State
Bubble: Arkansas, Kentucky, Florida, Ole Miss

Arkansas
Record v. IN: 2-2
Wins: v. Vanderbilt, v. Mississippi State
Losses: @ Tennessee, @ Mississippi State

Kentucky
Record v. IN: 2-3
Wins: v. Tennessee, v. Vanderbilt
Losses: @ Tennessee, @ Vanderbilt, @ Mississippi State

Florida
Record v. IN: 1-4
Wins: v. Vanderbilt
Losses: Tennessee (2), @ Vanderbilt, v. Mississippi State

Ole Miss
Record v. IN: 2-2
Wins: v. Vanderbilt, v. Mississippi State
Losses: @ Tennessee, @ Mississippi State

* Against like teams, Arkansas is 2-2; Kentucky is 3-1; Florida is 1-3; Ole Miss is 2-2.

Analysis: On February 11, one cavalier bracketologist projected Kentucky to be in the field of 65 stating that 11 SEC wins was not out of the question. Well, he (I) was wrong. They got 12 SEC wins. While there are valid arguments against Kentucky (best away win against South Carolina - RPI: 148 and the injury to Patrick Patterson), this team is resilient. Arkansas is likely in barring a collapse. As for Florida and Ole Miss, both have work cut out for them, but are capable of stealing consideration for an at-large bid should either (but not both) make the SEC Final.

Big Ten
IN: Wisconsin, Michigan State, Indiana, Purdue
Bubble: Ohio State

Ohio State
Record v. IN: 2-5
Wins: v. Purdue, v. Michigan State
Losses: v. Wisconsin, @ Michigan State, Indiana (2), @ Purdue

Analysis: As Clement noted in our conversations last Sunday before deciding upon the last bracket, Florida and Ohio State had a great opportunity to right the ship this week. It turns out that we picked the wrong team. While the Buckeyes are not a lock, the Selection Committee loves March victories against bona fide tournament teams regardless of the venue and rates them very close to the "true value" of the team.

5 NCAA Men's Basketball Questions...

Hard to find a more bubble-loaded matchup than Kentucky v. Florida today.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

• 1) Will the Ohio State Buckeyes secure an at-large bid with a win at home over 17th-ranked Michigan state?
• 2) Will Virginia Tech be able to acquire their 10th conference-win, and first against the RPI top-50, today at Clemson?
• 3) If the Terps lose at UVA, is their season essentially over?
• 4) Are BOTH Drake and Illinois State tourney-bound, regardless of today's MVC Championship outcome?
• 5) What will the Big East Tournament shape up as following today's makeup of yesterday's postponed Cincy/UCONN matchup?

***BONUS Question***

• 6) Will perennial CAA fixtures George Mason and VCU secure their third CAA Championship Game matchup in four years?
  

College Basketball Saturday: Hourly Streaming Updates!

C-C-Check it today for plenty o' updates.
Wait, what did I just say?

Psycho T and the #1-Heels are in Durham...in case you didn't know.

Who do YOU got?
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Here are a few quick hits at 3:45...
-UNC/Duke @ 9 for the ACC regular season championship? We like!
-Pay was at Georgetown/Lousville (Hoyas won) and hopefully has some fantastic insights.
-William & Mary started their quarterfinal matchup with Old Dominion by shooting 0-13. They also shot 17 three-balls in their opening 23 attempts. They lead 24-23 at the half.
-Dayton has a double-digit lead over St. Joe's with less than 4 minutes to play. Did the Hawks get in though after beating Xavier earlier in the week?
-Memphis stomped UAB. No surprise they finished their conference play undefeated.
-Stanford (USC) and Vanderbilt (Alabama) both trail with less than 5 minutes to go. A Commodore comeback seems much more likely. Interesting...

Returning at 6:30...
-UNC/Duke is still at 9 tonight. Don't worry. I love this rivalry. However, I'm still ranking it behind Yanks/Sox. Sorry Mike Wilbon.
-Winthrop locked up a predictable Big South championship over 7'7 Kenny George and UNC-Asheville. No surprise here as the Eagles have won 8 of the last 10 Big South championships; breaking through in the NCAA Tournament with an impressive upset over Notre Dame last year. [Editor's Note: Except that we predicted Asheville because they swept Winthrop during the regular season :( ]
-Syracuse (where are the road wins that matter?) won impressively by 15 over Marquette at home. This only illuminates how painful their chokejob against Pitt last Saturday was. A good week though for the Orange, with wins @Seton Hall and over #20 Marquette. One Big East win probably won't be enough for the Orange, who are at least still in the talk of the last four out (or at worst, next four out...as noted below).
-FSU upsets Miami. I'll say it again: Miami WILL be the easiest first-round loser to select come bracket time.
-I believe VCU (who shot a putrid 36% from the field, 4-23 from the 3, and 17-30 on FTs in a shaky W against #9-seed Towson) dodged a bullet avoiding nemesis-ODU in the CAA semi-finals. Pay reminds me to beware of the perimeter shooting of the Tribe.
-I don't know how UCLA pulled that one out. Josh Shipp with the horse shot of the year. Ryan Anderson of Cal (do you want to be the 'next' Austin Croshere...or just have his monster contract?) locked up being a 1st-round pick in June. Who gets the calls late if Georgetown & UCLA meet up in the tourney?
-USC might be able to position itself firmly into a 5 or 6 seed after winning their third straight, this time over Brook Lopez and the Cardinal. USC will be the wild card squad in the Pac-10 tournament.
-Who owns the nation's longest winning streak? Defending Southern Conference champs Davidson, that's who. Several at-large squads NEED them to win their postseason tourney, big time. They are going to be a brutal out, maybe in the second-round come March Madness.
-Wisconsin clinches at least a share of another Big Ten-title. Was hiring Bo Ryan brilliant or what? No titles since '47 and suddenly they win them with and without Alando Tucker.
-Kansas State gets to ten Big 12 wins while Kansas awaits the Texas-finale tomorrow after shellacking 8-8 in-conference A&M to try and secure an outright Big 12 regular season title.
-Miss. St. (they LOVE to block shots) rallies in the 2nd half v. LSU in the SEC. Collective sigh of relief out of Starkville.
-UNLV earns a much-needed W. Will the same be said for Arizona State, New Mexico, Illinois State, Arkansas, and Utah State?
-Who else is considering Oregon an at-large underdog if they take out Arizona (#1 SOS) and make a deep run in the Pac-10 tourney? (Their RPI, in the high 50s, might disagree most.)

Whew. Plenty more to go too. Especially that pesky game in Durham. Not to mention, things have kicked off in the MAAC and we may earn a much-desired UNC-W vs. George Mason semi-final in the CAA Tourney tonight (unless Delaware and/or Northeastern can change that).

Today, "Fake" Lunardi had St. Joe's, Florida, Syracuse, and Western Kentucky as his four last teams out. His last two-in were ACC teams Virginia Tech (schedule?) and Maryland (is a W @ UNC all they need?). Nearly the entire Gameday crew for the four-letter network disagreed.

Pay checking in at 7:45pm ...
- I had an opportunity to attend the Louisville/Georgetown. What stood out to me was the gamble that JT3 took by having Roy Hibbert stay at the 3-point line on defense against the high-ball screens set by David Padgett. Though it disrupted Louisville's flow from behind the arc, the Cardinals had opportunities to exploit mismatches but did not for the most part. This was largely due to Jeremiah Rivers, Patrick Ewing Jr. and Jonathan Wallace successfully fronting Louisville players who had a few inches on the Hoyas not named Roy Hibbert. As an aside, I enjoyed the battle that took place between Padgett and Hibbert.
- UNC-Wilmington is well on its way to booking a ticket to the CAA Semis on Sunday. They'll face the George Mason/Northeastern winner. Thankfully, they'll not be playing this one in a freezing cold gym. Two questions will determine Mason's fate. First, will they contest all shots? Second, will they avoid settling for open jumpers (to the credit of some defenses, they force double teams on Will Thomas)?
- Illinois State faces Drake tomorrow in the Arch Madness Final. The former is IN the tournament. The wild card is Creighton. My hunch is they are out.
- Congratulations to Austin Peay. They won the Ohio Valley. I'm certain that Murray State fans are rioting somewhere.
- Arizona State (RPI: 71) defeated PAC-10 sewage Oregon State to finish 9-9 in conference. With an out of conference victory against Xavier, they are to be considered among the top 30 at-large bids (i.e. not in the infamous "Last Four In").
- I already know right now that the A-14 minus Xavier will give Clement and myself a migraine when conducting the bracket projections.

Pay returning at the first media timeout of UNC/Duke ...
- Unlike most fans, I can admit that the ball was in the cylinder when Deon Thompson tipped it in. The difference between the first matchup and this one (so far) is that Carolina is winning the hustle battle.
- At the under 12:00 timeout, Ellington/Green have already surpassed their output from the last game. Meanwhile, Hansbrough has not operated very well out of the double and triple teams. Early foul trouble for Duke's bigs may actually be a blessing in disguise. Only time will tell. In other action, UMass and Washington State in tight games late. The alma mater (George Mason) is up 13 at halftime. If you're familiar with the Patriots, you'll know that we love giving up double-digit leads, but I don't see it happening tonight because they are flexing their defensive muscles.

At 930pm
- The Tar Heels are doing exactly everything they didn't do in the first matchup. I smell a Duke run before the half.
- Kudos to Belmont in taking home the Atlantic Sun Championship. UMass avoids defeat and Washington State has forced OT but is down 3 at home against in-state rival Washington.

At the half
- Duke is shooting 31% from the field, DaMarcus Nelson is scoreless and Duke is only down 11. It really could be much worse. Is Brian Zoubek Matt Christiansen reincarnated? Danny Green is on a parallel universe right now.
- George Mason's 17-point lead is down to seven against Northeastern with nearly 12 minutes remaining. So much for coasting to victory.

Checking in at 10:40
- Admittedly, my attention diverted to a tense few minutes in Richmond, but Mason pulled away. In Durham, the Blue Devils had an early run to bring the game to within a basket. They've done so by exploiting mismatches and taking the Tar Heels off of the dribble. Tied at 66 with 6 minutes to go.

- With a minute to go, Duke has the ball down 72-68. GREAT STEAL by Lawson. Danny Green tips in the missed layup at one end and swats Scheyer at the other. Carolina is going to spoil Duke's senior night for the second time in three years. With shaky play from Tennessee and UCLA, the Tar Heels are in pole position to stake claim to the #1 overall seed now that they have a signature wins.

Free Agency: 5 Questions You Might Not Have Considered

There have been more than enough offseason moves since last Friday including:

-Derek Anderson inking a 3-year deal with the Browns.
-Asante Samuel bolting for the NFC and the Philadelphia Eagles for record-CB money.
-Pittsburgh’s former OG Alan Faneca signing the richest contract for an offensive lineman in history with the New York Jets.
-San Francisco making another big-money addition to their defense via DE Justin Smith.
-Randy Moss re-inking with the Patriots, apparently at a discounted price, for 3 years at $27 million.

Forget salary cap-crunching, franchise tags, restrictions on free agents and guaranteed money. As hard as that is, let’s dissect some of the not-so-obvious moves made this offseason.

And no, we don’t mean the ludicrous contract Oakland gave DE/DT Tommy Kelly (fresh off an ACL tear, no less).

Does Walker's departure give Oakland the AFC West's top wideout?
Credit: FootballForum.com

#5. The New York Jets sign FB Tony Richardson

Comment: Honestly, do even 50% of NFL teams utilize true fullbacks? Lacking any consistency in the position (and playing time for Darian Barnes at all this season), this 1-year pickup may speak to the Jets throwing the ball more. While the Jets have been ripped in the media for spending like the Skins of years past, it’s obvious the team wants to return to the 10-6 days, rather then slowly rebuild from 4-12 this past season.

Draft Implications: This signing also opens up questions as to what the Jets may do if faced with Darren McFadden being available at the 6^th pick. My advice: trade the pick, select Rashard Mendenhall and use the 2^nd- or 3^rd-rounders on help for the secondary.

#4. The Oakland Raiders sign WR Javon Walker

Comment: Mammoth contracts for Tommy Kelly (sorry, I had to mention it again) and former Giants safety Gibril Wilson may have gotten the majority of the coverage early; however, Walker’s massive 6-year deal raises just as many questions. No longer restrained by the malcontent duo of Randy Moss/Jerry Porter, the Oakland front office landed last year’s #1 pick JaMarcus Russell and a top-flight wideout (when healthy). The good news is that before Walker’s season-long injuries began in Week 3, he appeared as if he’d be productive in his second straight season in Denver. A season removed from the tragic death of Darrent Williams – as well as a change of location – may do Walker more than good.

Draft Implications: Six months ago, even I thought California WR DeSean Jackson was too good to be true in Oakland. Now, the Raiders may have to decide on passing up on Heisman-runner up Darren McFadden or adding to their interior pass rush with the 4^th overall selection. Walker’s addition to the offense may turn the front office to seek added protection for Russell…or perhaps a game-breaking RB to open up play-action passes downfield.

#3. The Jacksonville Jaguars acquire WR Troy Williamson and sign WR Jerry Porter

Comment: With WR Ernest Wilford in Miami and rumors abound surrounding a trade of Matt Jones on or near draft day, the Jags receiving corps is getting a complete makeover. Fortunately, redzone favorite Reggie Williams is around and Dennis Northcutt (costly drops in playoff games withstanding) is a savvy veteran every roster needs. After trading for former 7^th overall pick, a definitive bust to this point, Troy Williamson for one free music download on iTunes (okay, it was for a 6^th rounder), the Jags have almost nothing to lose on a player with blazing speed AND a bad case of the dropsies. As for Jerry Porter, he may be the biggest wild card in free agency this season. Carrying a back-loaded contract, Porter has All-Pro talent yet has lacked professionalism. While Porter isn’t likely to put up post-Raider Moss numbers, he might be talented enough to take this offense to the next level.

#2. The Washington Redskins re-sign backup QB Todd Collins

Comment: Jason Campbell should be 100% when mini-camp rolls around this June. That’s good news as new head coach Jim Zorn (never an offensive coordinator before being hired to do so in Washington for around 2 ½ weeks) has big plans for the big-armed QB. An even wiser move was locking up the 38 years young Collins as a backup for the next three seasons. Leading the Skins to four wins in their final four games, Collins proved he’s capable of making the throws necessary for this offense to move the ball downfield. What becomes most interesting is a scenario in which the Skins struggle out of the gates, does Campbell have a shorter leash than expected? Or, was Collins simply brought in to be one of the league’s best insurance policies.

#1. The New Orleans Saints sign CB Randall Gay and acquire ILB Jonathan Vilma

Comment: It’s too early to write off last year’s top acquisition CB Jason David from then-Super Bowl champion Indianapolis. If last year was any indication, David is much better suited in the nickel corner role. At inside linebacker, the Saints have tried their best to fill the position with good guy, overachiever types. Enter Vilma, who is recovering from a serious (and potentially lingering) knee injury, who will be ecstatic to prove the doubters in New York wrong as he returns to his forte 4-3 scheme. As for Gay, many feel he was simply a system-defender and many remember him being burned by a double-move from Super Bowl champion wideout Plaxico “Guarantee” Burress (I love saying that, by the way).

Draft Implications: Suddenly, the Saints are left with plenty of options with the 11^th pick in this year’s draft. Some might have thought their initial targets might have been at either linebacker (e.g. Keith Rivers) or cornerback (Aqib Talib, Mike Jenkins, or even Dominique Cromartie-Rodgers). Yet, they appear to be in the position to go after the “best player available” on their board. All in all, this is not a bad luxury to have with the 11^th pick overall.

Which moves are you most excited or disappointed about? Did any teams seriously drop the ball or move quietly through the first-week frenzy to your delight?

Until next time

Your UNOFFICIAL Colonial Athletic Association Conference Tournament Preview

It doesn’t take any reader of this blog very long – whether viewing daily or yearly – to recognize a friendly bias towards the CAA.

And why not? We have alums from Mason and VCU working hard to spread the good word of one of America’s most underrated conferences. The term mid-major isn’t going anywhere, although this conference is looking to change that perception via their postseason impact.

Need I remind you all of what a certain George Mason team did in 2006? [Hint: FINAL FOUR!]

To a lesser extent, USC fans (not to mention, Sam Clancy) won’t forget the name Brett Blizzard, Duke fans are sick and tired of Eric “The Dagger” Maynor, and Aaron Coombs would haunt Maryland fans if it weren’t for the heroics of Drew “St.” Nicholas.

UNC-W's Brett Blizzard may have been the best mid-major performer of the last 10 years. Seriously.
Credit: BlizzardAcademy

Nevertheless, championship weekend in the CAA kicks off early Friday afternoon with a few snoozers (we’re not exactly getting UP for Northeastern vs. James Madison). Fortunately, there is hope on the horizon as Saturday may have an upset or two in mind (not likely, as you’ll see below) and Sunday could potentially offer up what could become a tantalizing pair of appetizers before the conference championship game gets the royal treatment on The Ocho.

While it’s too early to start predicting results (or is it?), let’s take a look at what the conference’s twelve squads have to offer this weekend, and perhaps, determine their chances of cutting down the nets and earning one of the nation’s first automatic qualifying bids.

We’re not predicting any losing record squads to go all the way, but they deserve their just due. Call me crazy - or a hater (I prefer hata’ by the way) - but I have a hard time NOT envisioning a 1/4 vs. 2/3 semi-finals. In case you didn’t know, the conference only sports (sadly) 4 teams with overall winning records this season.

#12. Georgia State

-Thought to be an up-and-coming squad, Georgia State has a knack for losing games in the closing minutes time and time again. An enticing matchup against an overachieving William & Mary squad may afford them the opportunity to pull off a Friday afternoon upset.

#11. James Madison

-In shambles after a surprising start (they did beat VCU back in 2007), the Dukes have a lame-duck coach and a roster that lacks athleticism at most positions. While Northeastern is far from a juggernaut, both teams are on different sides of the CAA universe during the last two months.

#10. Drexel

-Easily the biggest disappointment of the season, Drexel lost key senior leadership and, surprisingly, any form of last season’s dominant interior presence from 2006-07 Defensive Player of the Year, junior Frank Elegar. You’d think a team with Bruiser Flint riding them would be a darkhose to pull a few upsets this weekend (at least the pro-Bruiser media would), but the Dragons will be fortunate to be competitive ten minutes into a game they may not reach on Saturday.

#9. Towson

-A lot can be gained in their 8/9 matchup against Hofstra, especially considering VCU will garner some mild national interest as the Rams have a decent chance of securing an at-large bid (although that becomes far less likely with a quarterfinal choke-job). While thoughts of CAA-legend Gary Neal have vanquished, the Tigers still have enough athleticism to make it to Satuday.

#8. Hofstra

-After losing last year’s Player of the Year, Loren Stokes, to graduation, Hofstra clearly stood on the fence of pre-season rankings for the conference. It should come as no surprise that they enter the tournament as an uneven 8-seed. What isn’t a surprise is the stellar play of likely CAA 1^st teamer Antoine Agudio. If you can make it to any of Hofstra’s games, he’s easily worth the price of admission alone.

#7. Delaware

-Every year, I wonder if the Blue Hens will make a legitimate tournament run. Outside of a mild upset here or there, Delaware has been far from amazing since joining the conference. While Herb Courtney provides presence in the paint, they appear a rather easy matchup for 10-seed Drexel to pull of the potential “upset”. Although, it must be stated that Delaware’s overall record is a little flawed since several talented transfers after December 15.

#6. Northeastern

-To be honest, the only true interest Northeastern offers for us is the potential for a quarterfinal rematch with recent regular season foe George Mason. Why you ask? Northeastern stunned Mason (sort of) by 11 points on Saturday and cost the Patriots the 2-seed and their wildest of pipe dreams of at-large consideration. Honestly though, that result might not make much of a difference, as Mason in recent years has been able to turn on impressive play for their annual weekend in Richmond in early March. Northeastern may not even reach that matchup if they overlook at nothing-to-lose JMU squad.

#5. William & Mary

-10-8 in conference is a definitive step up for the Tribe; however, 14-15 overall means the NIT won’t even consider them. Yet, if the Tribe is serious about contending in conference in the coming seasons (and alleviating some anxiety from certain VCU fans), they need to control the pace of their 5/12 matchup early and often (remember, Georgia State loves to play you close) and then give self-proclaimed darkhorse-ODU a real run for their money in an under-the-radar 4/5 matchup. This weekend will go a long way in determining the next few seasons for William & Mary basketball in the CAA.

…now for the big boys…

#4. Old Dominion

Pros: Seemingly the hottest teams in the conference before last Saturday, those illusions were swept under the rug after being manhandled on both sides of the balls and the boards at UNC-Wilmington. Coach Blaine Taylor’s squad doesn’t have the starpower of year’s past; however, they have the right blend of talent to give VCU, in particular, fits in the semi-finals. A relatively easy road there should leave the Monarchs more than ready for their 3^rd matchup of the season with the Rams (each winning on each other’s home court).

Cons: ODU can live and die by the three-ball. Despite having a talented bench, that is often the result of less than stellar starters. Only sophomore Gerald Lee has been a consistent scorer in and out of the paint this season. Hitting clutch shot after clutch shot last month against VCU, ODU still clanged two key free throws in the closing seconds and walked away victors only after an apparent no-call on an obvious arm slap on Eric Maynor (ODU won by 1 at the Siegel Center, the only conference opponent of the Rams to do so). ODU’s early schedule (UNC, Georgetown, Louisville) tested them for high-pressure conference tourney moments; nevertheless, they have shown they will play down to their lesser opponents just as often as they’ll play up to their elite ones.

#3. George Mason

Pros: Three key performers remain from the Final Four-squad of 2006; especially PF Will Thomas (the conference’s top interior performer) and Folarin Campbell (the best shot-maker in the conference…when he’s on). Always capable of three good days during the second weekend in March, the Patriots have a proven coach and plenty to play for. Not to mention, they are the only CAA team to not lose to #1-seed VCU. There’s a reason they are a consistent second choice to win this conference tourney.

Cons: Sloppy play down the stretch has erased any at-large considerations for the Patriots. Collapsing against Ohio in their bracketbuster was inexcusable and a late-season loss to Northeastern was downright embarrassing. Although, that’s the exact motivation this team needs entering this weekend. Campbell has been uneven this past month and Mason often becomes far too streaky from behind the arc (hello, Dre Smith!). It remains to be seen if they can perform for 40 minutes for three straight days.

#2. UNC-Wilmington

Pros: Anybody who’s been to a CAA Tournament this millennium knows that the teal t-shirts of UNC-W flood the Coliseum. In fact, per capita, it’s not even close who draws the most fans year in and year out. After a horrific 2006-2007 season, the W swept Mason and earned the tie-breaker for the #2-seed. Interestingly enough, it allows a likely third matchup with Mason in the semi-finals. TJ Carter’s playmaking ability is well known to GMU fans, as is UNC-Ws recent ability to continuously foul the Patriots in the blocks without repercussion from the zebras. After last season’s embarrassing run, UNC-W is hungry to perform well in a tournament that has treated them exceptionally well the last half-dozen years.

Cons: UNC-Wilmington was handled on the road and at home in the second-half of both of their games against VCU. Even though they swept George Mason, we all know how annoying it is to hear about beating a team three times in one season, no matter the sport. More importantly, if the refs handcuff the physicality in the paint of Todd Hendley and Vladimir Kuljanin (or their palming of the ball nearly every position), Wilmington has shown it can lose to lesser opponents badly (Drexel, JMU by 20+, and Delaware).

#1. Virginia Commonwealth {VCU}

Pros: VCU’s perimeter game is led by a dynamic scoring duo of junior PG Eric Maynor and combo senior guard/forward Jamal Shuler (also a lockdown defender). Both are able to score away from the basket and at times appear unstoppable while driving to the basket. Eric Maynor is a lock for Player of the Year and has the ability, unlike any other player in the conference, to carry his team the entire weekend on his back to a championship. The Rams have won this tournament two of the last three seasons and been a staple in the finals the past five seasons (including two wins over George Mason and a loss to ODU). Anthony Grant is 1 for 1 so far in winning CAA Tournaments, while seniors Michael Anderson and Will Fameni both appear healthier and sharper, especially Anderson, than in weeks and months past. Freshmen Larry Sanders also is 10^th in the nation at 3 blocks a game.

Cons: VCU’s inside game has shown plenty of holes. If Maynor can be contained on the perimeter (Mason displayed that blueprint flawlessly) or Shuler finds foul trouble/erratic shooting early, the Rams may have to depend on wildly inconsistent freshman like PG Joey Rodriguez and PF Larry Sanders (who lacks any true offensive post-up game). Both should be limited to 4-5 key plays a game, at best. In fact, Rodriguez has appeared a downright liability at times in the closing moments of games. CAA pundits know that George Mason always plays VCU extremely well and was the only CAA foe the Rams couldn’t knock off (to be fair, they played only once, in Fairfax). ODU also stunted a ton of VCU momentum (who couldn’t equal their 16-2 conference mark of last year thanks to the Monarchs) with their big-time W in late February. If the paint is unkind to the Rams, they may not be able to shoot their ways out of early deficits on Sunday or Monday. Despite defending the 3-ball better than any of the other 340 teams in Division 1, the Rams often become far too reliant on the deep ball at times.

???Projection???

VCU is, but does not have to be, the favorite to win the tournament after winning their last three games in impressive fashion (8 of 9 overall as well). Despite it being held less than five miles away from their home court (Siegel Center) at the Richmond Coliseum, the Rams may not necessarily have the most fans in attendance during all stages of the weekend. Eric Maynor, the likely CAA Player of the Year, has anchored the Rams to a potential at-large birth, but that is FAR from set in stone. It’d be a mistake not to consider the experience of 2007 tournament runner-up George Mason as well, especially considering it took a Herculean effort from Maynor in the closing minutes in last year’s finals to push the Rams to victory over the Patriots. UNC-W and ODU obviously have the talent and coaching to punch their ticket to March Madness as well. What I don’t see is the big-time upset on Saturday or continuing through Sunday…which almost assures us of one. Enjoy the tournament!

Until next time…

Thursday Night Streaming Updates...

We don't have many of these regular season Thursday left (to be honest, it's our last) and there are plenty o' matchups we have our eyes on.

Shocker, it's not all about the college basketball bubble...yet.

So who do you have tonight on the "bubble" for the Oceanic 6 on Lost?
Credit: Newsday.com

Checking in right before 9:00pm.

• #13 UCONN trails at Providence 64-59. Providence is savoring this matchup and the potential to play spoiler to white-hot UCONN. Jerome Dyson just scored his first basket. I suddenly have memories of his 10-point run during their double-digit comeback against Cincinnati. Thabeet re-enters with 4 fouls...interesting to see how he handles this in the paint.
  
• UCLA v. Stanford still tips off at 11pm eastern time. I understand my obvious East Coast-bias; however, there is no reason a game this rock solid (talkin' #3 vs. #7 and potential Pac-10 regular season supremacy) should be on so late for such a large portion fo the country.
• Georgia Tech leads Clemson by 2 with a little over six minutes left to play. Will any conference be as up and down as the ACC should be the next couple days? Something tells me free throws and deep-threes will decide the victor of this late-season ACC matcup.
  
• Northeastern Conference (Robert Morris, Sacred Heart, Wagner, etc.) has started up tonight, no real upsets of note yet.
• Keep an eye on Xavier vs. St. Joe's at 9pm tonight. The Hawks are playing for their lives on the bubble, while the Musketeers have recently been called out on several blogs (including this one) for being rated a little too highly.

My girlfriend has taken over HD to watch the Project Runway finale. Sad times around 9:30pm.

• Of course, Clemson loses to (5-9 in conference) Georgia Tech 80-75. It's shocking to say, but Virginia Tech could play their way into the 3-seed in the ACC Tournament and still be on the outside of the "bubble" looking in. Clemson, Miami, and Virginia Tech may enter March Madness - wherever they are seeded - as some of the worst teams to be their respectively. Yeah, I said it.
• Providence hangs on late and impressively knocks off UCONN. Does this derail Husky momentum or are they saving it for MSG? The Friars may have locked up the 12-seed in the Big East tournament (only next year can all 16 years go to MSG).
• St. Joe's up early 20-17 on Xavier. This could be interesting to follow...
• Illinois also up on Michigan State 25-17 mid-way through the 1st-half. The Spartans may be the most frustrating team in the country - outside of College Park - this entire season. They are gonna be brutal to judge once brackets are released.
• No real eye-openers on the mid-major schedule right now. Maybe I need to look harder.
• UCLA v. Stanford is still at 11. I'm protesting by going to bed before then.
  
• Here are two fuzzy, yet hilarious random YouTube clips: Family Guy & Holiday Hawk. Enjoy!
  

Pay checking in at 9:50

• I have my eye on Oregon (7-9) versus Arizona State (8-8). Oregon is up 7 with 12 and change in regulation. If they hold on, their game against Arizona (who's handling winless Oregon State) may very well be an NCAA elimination game if both teams lose in the quarters of the PAC-10 tournament. On a side note, does anyone else think that Dick Enberg should write an essay for every tournament game that he covers and not just the finale?
• St. Joe's is up 7 at halftime against A-14 behemoth Xavier. I'll be shocked if they win and are not included in Joe Lunardi's next edition of ESPN Cracketology.
• Clement and I just spoke not too long ago and we're both missing out on the Stanford/UCLA. I'm really interested in seeing how the Cardinal guards will handle Collison and Westbrook. Though they are not the team that lost to Louisville by the first media timeout in the NCAA Tournament last season, I cannot say that I am sold on Stanford's ability to break guard pressure. While the Bruins won't press like a Louisville or a UAB of yesteryear under the tutelage of Mike Anderson, I envision them creating situations whereby the Cardinal will have to work to get the ball past the timeline.

Nearing 11pm

• Oregon (8-9) defeats Arizona State (8-9) setting up a clash between Arizona (8-9) and Oregon. If Oregon and Oregon State (who plays Arizona State) and you can only pick six PAC 10-teams, then who gets the boot [assuming all three lose in the Pac-10 quarters]?
• Xavier down 9 late. Make that 7 with 1:40 to go. I really hate the Hawk.
• Looking forward to the craziness of Arch Madness tomorrow with SIU and Illinois State in must-win situations.
• If Utah State hangs on at Boise State, the Aggies will be 11-4 and the Broncos will be 12-4. New Mexico State is up to 11-4. If Utah State, Nevada and New Mexico State will, then there will be an irrelevant four-way tie because New Mexico State has homecourt advantage regardless of their seed.
• Just to follow up, it's looking like St. Joe's is winning this one, setting up a huge showdown on Saturday at Dayton.
  

Until next update...

Wednesday Night Musings

It's another Wednesday and all the more pivotal with huge games taking place in every corner of the country. We've got our eyes on a few themes.

First, I really hate Duke. Growing up a UNC fan, I normally have little trouble mustering up disgust for the Blue Devils. This year, it's been difficult. Why? Because Mike Patrick is unwatchable and he covers EVERY GAME! That said, kudos to whomever gave Greg Paulus a black eye. That's what he gets for incessant instigation and flops (Coach K calls it "leadership"). Meanwhile, UVa just broke a six-minute scoreless streak and Duke is up 12 at JPJ.

Second, could there be a changing of the guard in the Patriot League? The conference staples, Bucknell (AKA Bucky ... sorry, Wisconsin ... go beat Kansas as a #14 seed and you'll get the name back) and Holy Cross are road dogs in the Patriot League Conference Tournament, which topped off at 7pm. Right now, Bucky is down 10 at the half to Navy and Holy Cross is up 5 after the first media timeout at top-seed American.

Third, from the bubble, here are some early one-liners ...

• Patrick Patterson, who? Kentucky is up 9 at the half at South Carolina. Realistically speaking, the 'Cats can't shoot 63% or better in the second half - not even against the 'Cocks.
• In a game that Miami badly needs, they're down 7 to BC Rices. Tyrese has 18 of the Eagles' 27 points at the half. If my math is correct, that's a greater points percentage than his output on Saturday versus North Carolina.
• Dayton blew an early 12-point lead and is tied at St. Bonaventure.
• Will Jim Boeheim write the sequel to "How To Blow A Double-Digit Lead in Three-And-A-Half Minutes"? It's possible.
• UMass apparently doesn't want to be a part of the A-14. They are actually winning in a game that they are supposed to win.
• I wish I had ESPN Full Court, so I can hear Ron Franklin utter the words, "It's Bedlam". Beyond being "Bedlam", Oklahoma is in the NCAAs with a win and no further injuries. It's a tall order against a Cowboys squad that is rejuvenated and playing at home.

Checking back in at 8:45pm

• Jack McClinton has awaken from his slumber! Once down by 11 in the 2nd half to BC, the 'Canes are now up 8. Both teams are streaky, so don't be shocked if Miami blows this with five and change to go.
• Minnesota took a brief lead at Indiana on Senior + Eric Gordon Night. Yes, the whole purpose of this one-liner was to take a knock at one & down players. I had to.
• Hopes fading fast for Bucky. Down 6 with 2 to go at the Naval Academy. You can go ahead and shred the pages on the Patriot League in the Blue Ribbon Yearbook.
• Temple and Dayton are doing their best to live up to the standard of losing must-win games and have this be a 2-bid league.
• The 'Cuse lead is down to single digits and Clement is likely pulling his hair out.
• Mississippi State is up 3 late in the 1st half at Vanderbilt. Despite their 2-6 mark against the top 50, if the Bulldogs win this one, they are absolutely in the NCAA Tournament in everyone's mind.

9:30pm

• Kentucky, Dayton, Temple and Miami score crucial wins this evening. At 8-7 in the ACC with a signature win against Duke and holding non-conference wins versus VCU on a neutral court and at Mississippi State, Miami is a 99.9% lock for the NCAAs. As for Joe Crawford, who Clement highlighted in this article earlier tonight, he shot 10-for-19 from the field and sank 11 of 12 from the charity stripe en route to a cool 35 in Columbia.
• Syracuse actually holds on. Does it speak to how well the Orange played or how much control that Bobby Gonzalez has lost from Seton Hall?
• American eeks out a close one against Holy Cross. The Jeff Jones Dream is still alive. Perhaps, one mid-major from the DC area will make the NCAA Tournament.
• Meanwhile, once dead, Bucky fights on. They're in the 3rd OT with Navy. The Midshipmen's Greg Sprink had 32 points after regulation.

...Clement hacks in at 10:05pm...

• Florida is up 55-45 on Tennessee at the half. How? Shooting 68% from the field and hitting 7 of 12 from behind the arc doesn't hurt. Not to mention, Bruce Pearl's squad has 11 team fouls (including several starters with two a piece).
• Mississippi State and Vandy are notched at 74 as we enter (at least) 5 minutes of OT. The SEC is on fire tonight!
• Plenty of teams avoided a costly upset (Indiana, Duke, Notre Dame, Memphis, and Wisconsin appears to be joining them, already up 34-17 on Penn State at the half).
• Bucky took down #2-seeded Navy out of the Patriot League in 3 OT 87-86. What an incredible quarterfinal pair of matchups this conference offered up today. [I am intensely loyal to Bucknell forever due to the victory over Kansas in the '05 tourney.]
• New Orleans beat Denver. NBA Playoff implications? Nah. Just good ole' fashioned Sun Belt Conference action. GOTCHA!
• Tony Crocker did his best Blake Griffin impersonation tonight. Sooners with a nice W in Stillwater.
• Yes, I'm a Cuse fan. They held on due to opportunistic rebounding late; however, they turn the ball over WAY too much to beat ranked-Marquette...even with maybe 30,000 screaming fans in the Dome this weekend.
• I'm pumped for the CAA Awards tomorrow. It can't just be me, can it? Any predictions on Defensive Player of the Year? Anyone?
  

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.

Pay is back at 10:55pm and he thanks Verizon Online DSL for a service stoppage.

• On the Bucky win, John Griffin nailed a desperation 40-footer to seal that victory. If that's not what Bucky is all about, then I don't know what is.
• Up 8 with less than two minutes to go, it looks like A&M is going to get a much-needed road victory against Baylor. The Aggies have held the Bears to 34% from the field. Curtis Jerrells has a grand total of 7 points.
• JaJuan Smith and Chris Lofton are stepping up in the second half on senior night. It's too bad that this is Florida's senior night. With under three minutes in regulation, Tennessee holds a slim advantage. Even if they win this game, Tennessee is failing the subjective "eye test" despite the second strongest set of wins (Texas).

Final words at 11:15pm

• While it's great to win close games, Bruce Pearl has to be slightly concerned. I understand that it's been a hellacious 11 days dating back to the Memphis game, but I expect more poise in March from the Volunteers.
• Big Winners: Texas A&M, Miami, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Shan Foster, A-14, Tony Crocker
• Big Losers: Florida, Baylor, Mississippi State, Navy
• Under the Radar: UAB, Houston

The Bubble: 7 Minutes in Heaven or …

As we welcome the entrance of the “mid-major” conference tournaments and the final weekend of play for the “big timers” [Duke/UNC anyone?], there are more than enough teams clinging to desperate hopes of a bid on Selection Sunday .

Some have seen their entire conference struggle down the stretch (that’s you, A-10), others have watched promising seasons wash away (Syracuse), while others have seen the highest of the high and lowest of the low (Texas Tech beats Texas and loses to Oklahoma & Kansas by over 100 points combined in the span of a week).

Nevertheless, there are plenty of schools out there – from those aforementioned “power conferences” – which need as many as 3 or 4 more wins to secure a selection.

While it remains to be seen if teams like Syracuse, Villanova, Texas Tech and St. Joe’s have put themselves in a position to only secure a bid via the automatic circuit (i.e. winning their conference tournament), at least, we have drama.

Along with that drama are the anticipated performances of star players. For, as you will soon see, X-factors on the bubble are not your key swingman off the bench or even your third option.

It’s the #1 guy, stud or dud, who might have to pull a Gerry McNamara and will their team into the NCAA Tournament.

Maryland – Grievis Vasquez

Capable of a triple-double most nights...with turnovers likely the third statistic.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Remaining Game(s): March 9 - @ Virginia
Comment: Vasquez has the unique ability to keep both teams on the floor in the game (thanks Kevin Sheehan of Redskins Radio for that gem). The Terps can ill afford a letdown on the road in Charlottesville, as they don’t have the playmaking ability required to make a deep ACC Tourney run.

Syracuse – Donte Greene

Three straight seasons on the bubble has fans grimacing more than Boeheim.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Remaining Game(s): March 5 - @ Seton Hall, March 9 – Marquette
Comment: Sadly, it took Greene nearly 30 games into his freshman year in upstate New York to abandon the idea of chucking up sixteen 3-balls a game. Unfortunately, Cuse’s 6-man rotation has reeked [sic] havoc on their play in conference. Likely needing to sweep this week and make as many as 2 or 3 major statements in New York in two weekends, it may be two years in a row Syracuse is toiling with NCAA tournament talent in the NIT.

Ohio State – Jamar Butler

From star to role player to star again. The circle of college basketball life.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Remaining Game(s): March 9 – Michigan State
Comment: Pay and I made sure to target in our talking points that Ohio State was afforded a tremendous opportunity drawing ranked-Purdue and Michigan State in the final week of the regular season. Holding serve at home against Purdue Tuesday night went a long way in affording the Buckeyes a crucial banner win. Pulling the upset at home on Saturday versus the Izzos would almost assuredly secure them a tournament bid. Jamar Butler’s 25 against Purdue will need to be repeated, at least, for the Spartans to fall on Saturday.

St. Joseph’s – Pat Calathes

You can't spell A-10 without hustle. Oh wait, maybe you can.
Credit: CollegePublisher.com

Remaining Game(s): March 6 – Xavier, March 8 – @Dayton
Comment: Their 1-point loss to Temple on Sunday night hurt the entire conference potentially. Even worse, the Hawks may wind up on the wrong side of every conceivable bracket projection after losing two games this week they’re more than likely not favored to win. In fact, their showdown at Dayton will almost assuredly knock one of at-large bid contention. That is, unless the Hawks can strike down the top-10 Musketeers and potentially expose their #2 or #3 seed potential.

Kentucky – Joe Crawford

Now that he's hurt (Patterson), we can mention the "other" Kentucky Wildcats.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Remaining Games: March 5 - @South Carolina, March 9 – Florida
Comment: You’ll notice more than a little symmetry with the next two teams. Kentucky lost Patrick Patterson for the season and still played Tennessee to a close 3-point game in Knoxville. Suddenly, that 39-point loss to Vanderbilt back before Valentine’s Day seems a distant memory (or does it?). Much like Maryland and their UVA game, Kentucky can’t afford to fall into the trap-door game at South Carolina tonight. As for Sunday’s matchup with Florida, it’s going to be for more than just positioning in the SEC Tournament. Already losers in OT over a month ago in Gainesville, the Wildcats may not be on the smiling side of the bubble if they drop two of their next three (or worse).

Florida – Marreese Speights & Nick Calathes

So wait, you're telling me that we don't get an automatic bid despite being two-time defending champs?
Credit: TheHype.com

Remaining Games: March 5 – Tennessee, March 9 - @Kentucky
Comment: Almost a mirror image of Ohio State (ironically last year’s national title game opponents), the Gators have plenty of upcoming opportunities this week to impose their will on the Selection Committee. The two-time defending champs have only faced four ranked opponents this season, yet face a potential #1 seed tonight and another bubble team from the SEC East on Sunday. Two losses and even an upset in the SEC Tournament might not be enough for Billy Donovan’s crew.

Dayton – Brian Roberts

Okay, not THAT Brian Roberts. But come on! Catch the fever of O's Baseball!!!
Credit: Journals.AOL.com

Remaining Game(s): March 5 - @ St. Bonaventure, March 8 – St. Joseph’s
Comment: 14-1 seems so long ago. In fact, too long ago (Come back, Chris Wright). One of the ultimate arguments behind closed doors must focus on the Flyers (who at 6-8 in conference right now) own victories @ Louisville and over Pittsburgh (then ranked #6). However, they also have damaging in-conference losses and may end up losing a critical season finale to St. Joe’s. Suppose this team is out by the A-10 semi-finals … good luck keeping them in or out in under three hours of deliberation.

…also considering attention…
Oklahoma State – Byron Eaton
Virginia Tech – A.D. Vassallo
Southern Illinois – Randal Falker
Texas Tech – Martin Zeno
Villanova – Scottie Reynolds

Who is MISSING? It’s not Waldo. However, we’d like to hear YOUR teams and YOUR impact x-factor PLAYERS that will make our jobs as bracket projectionists easier…or much more difficult.

Until next time…

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2008 NFL Draft: Mock Draft 1.0

First we had the Positional Rankings. Then we had the Impact Underclassmen. Following that was the Sleeper Picks. Finally, we culminate with the 2008 NFL Mock Draft (2 rounds). While free agency might blow this apart as soon as today, this mock is current as of this morning. Enjoy, and be on the lookout for version 2.0.

1st Round

1. Miami: Jake Long, T - Michigan
While Parcells loves the other Long, Jake long is worthy of this pick and fills a huge hole on this team. Vernon Carey can move back to right tackle. Let's also not forget that Sparano is a former offensive line coach

2. St. Louis: Chris Long, DE - Virginia
The Rams will take whichever Long the Fins don't take. In this case, Chris Long fills a more immediate need. He shouldn't have a problem starting opposite Leonard Little.

3. Atlanta: Matt Ryan, QB - Boston College
They were players for McFadden, until they signed Michael Turner. Instead, land a signal caller to replace the carousel at QB they had last season. Ryan has the poise to be thrown into the mix early.

4. Oakland: Vernon Gholston, DE - Ohio State
With Gholston's dominant performance at the Combines, the Raiders couldn't pass on filling their open DE spot (with Tommy Kelly moving inside). Gholston and Burgess should be a nice pass-rushing combo.

5. Kansas City: Ryan Clady, T - Boise State
With the offensive line in shambles, the Chiefs need to address their need at this position. Clady follows in a recent line of athletic tackles that are moving their way up the charts in recent drafts.

6. New York Jets: Darren McFadden, RB - Arkansas
Jets fans all dance an Irish Jig at the same time. McFadden is just what the doctor ordered for this team. Jones and Washington proved not to be the answer. McFadden should have no problem making fans forget them.

7 New England (from San Francisco): Leodis McKelvin, CB - Troy
With the departure of Samuel and Gay, the Pats are in dire need of a CB. There is still no need to have McKelvin start right away, but he'll eventually have to allow Brandon Merriweather to move over to his natural safety spot.

8. Baltimore: Mike Jenkins, CB - South Florida
Baltimore surprises and chooses not to go QB (Brohm). They instead choose to address a position that's aging quickly. Expect Baltimore fans to boo this one

9. Cincinnati: Keith Rivers, LB - Southern Cal
With DE addressed with the Odom signing, the Bengals turn to a position where they are extremely thin, and add one of the biggest playmakers in the draft.

10. New Orleans: Sedrick Ellis, DT - Southern Cal
The Saints have their pick of Ellis and Dorsey. They have had their issues with injury-riddled players, so they choose to go with Ellis, who is no consolation. He should make a decent rotation with Young and Thomas.

11. Buffalo: Malcolm Kelly, WR - Oklahoma
There is a reason Kelly didn't work out at the Combine, and he's still atop the receiver charts. He has the size and athletic ability for success in the league. He is the big target that the Bills are lacking

12. Denver: Glenn Dorsey, DT - LSU
Dorsey drops in their laps, amid reports of various injuries he suffered in the past. Following the news of Marcus Thomas and his arrest, the Broncos need to address the DT position in a bad way.

13. Carolina: Phillip Merling, DE - Clemson
Merling needs to make up for his poor strength showing at the combines. However, he is known as a high-motor player. He fills in for the departed Mike Rucker

14. Chicago: Jeff Otah, T - Pittsburgh
With their offensive line aging, especially at tackle, the bears pass on a QB or a RB and select a monster of a man who should fit right in at the right tackle spot

15. Detroit: Rashard Mendelhall, RB - Illinois
Message to Kevin Jones, "We see you continuing your trend of under 200 carries a season". Jonathan Stewart could be the pick here too.

16. Arizona: Jonathan Stewart, RB - Oregon
The Cards could go a number of directions, however it should be clear that Edgerrin James is no longer the answer at RB. Stewart is a physical phenom, who could be the starter in Arizona for years

17. Minnesota: Derrick Harvey, DE - Florida
A position that should have been addressed last season will be addressed this season. While Harvey had a sub-par combine, he still has one of the best first steps among DEs.

18. Houston: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, DB - Tennessee St.
The Texans are in desperate need of help in the defensive backfield. A RB could go here too, however with Robinson out the first half of next season (and possibly his career), they have to address the CB position.

19. Philadelphia: Limas Sweed, WR - Texas
Has to prove he's over the wrist injury, but he impressed at the combines with good times. A huge big-play receiver who will line up beside a bunch of speedsters in Philly.

20. Tampa Bay: DeSean Jackson, WR - California
Joey Galloway is old, and the other WRs on the roster are of the possession variety. Jackson brings his game-breaking athletic ability to the Bucs.

21. Washington: Kentwan Balmer, DT - North Carolina
While the Skins could us a DE, they cannot pass on a talent like Balmer. He could make Cornelius Griffen expendable

22. Dallas (from Cleveland): Aqib Talib, CB - Kansas
Talib gets the nod over Porter due to his return skills. He should eventually unseat Anthony Henry as the starting CB.

23. Pittsburgh: Branden Albert, G - Virginia
The Steelers need to address an offensive line that is suddenly weak. Albert can either replace Faneca, or he can swing outside and play right tackle.

24. Tennessee: Tracy Porter, CB - Indiana
Porter should help out the dire situation at CB for the Titans. He could push to be a starter.

25. Seattle: Chris Williams, T - Vanderbilt
The Seahawks have the luxury of being set at most positions. A RB would be tempting, however rumors have TJ Duckett going to Seattle. Williams can play several positions on the O-line, making him valuable. He could eventually replace Chris Gray…or move Locklear inside and play tackle.

26. Jacksonville: Calais Campbell, DE - Miami
The Jags take a chance on the talented DE that didn't do well at the combines. Campbell would battle Paul Spicer for the starting spot

27. San Diego: Kenny Phillips, FS - Miami
The Chargers land one of the top playmakers in the draft. Phillips is a steal at this point in the draft, and should have no problem making the Chargers a better team

28. Dallas: Felix Jones, RB - Arkansas
Jones joins the Cowboys and Marion Barber. This Jones should be more productive than the last Jones they had

29. San Francisco (from Indianapolis): Quentin Groves, DE/LB - Auburn
A nice fit for the 9ers who now have competition for Tully Banta-Cain. Groves timed very well, giving the 9ers some lighting fast OLBs

30. Green Bay: Reggie Smith, S - Oklahoma
Another young safety in Green Bay? Actually, in this defense he projects as a CB, and brings a very similar game to Woodson.

31. New York Giants: Dan Connor, LB - Penn State
With Mitchell and Torbor gone, the Giants will probably draft a LB here. Connor is the best on the board.

(New England Selection Forfeited)


2nd Round
32. Miami: Cliff Avril, OLB - Purdue
33. St. Louis: Brian Brohm, QB - Louisville
34. Oakland: Mario Manningham, WR - Michigan
35. Kansas City: Patrick Lee, CB - Auburn
36. New York Jets: Ghosder Cherilus, T - Boston College
37. Atlanta: Sam Baker, T - Southern Cal
38. Baltimore: Joe Flacco, QB - Delaware
39. San Francisco: Devin Thomas, WR - Michigan State
40. New Orleans: Tyvon Branch, CB - UConn
41. Buffalo: Antoine Cason, CB - Arizona
42. Denver: Josh Barrett, S - Arizona State
43. Carolina: Andre Woodson, QB - Kentucky
44. Chicago: James Hardy, WR - Indiana
45. Detroit: Pat Sims, DT - Auburn
46. Cincinnati: Fred Davis, TE - Southern Cal
47. Minnesota: Andre Caldwell, WR - Florida
48. Atlanta (from Houston): Red Bryant, DT - Texas A&M
49. Philadelphia: Jerod Mayo, LB - Tennessee
50. Arizona: Justin King, CB - Penn State
51. Washington: Lawrence Jackson, DE - Southern Cal
52. Tampa Bay: Charles Godfrey, CB - Iowa
53. Pittsburgh: Earl Bennett, WR - Vanderbilt
54. Tennessee: Dre Moore, DT - Maryland
55. Seattle: Martellus Bennett, TE - Texas A&M
56. Green Bay (from Cleveland): Ahtyba Rubin, DT - Iowa State
57. Miami (from San Diego): Chilo Rachal, G - Southern Cal
58. Jacksonville: Trevor Laws, DT - Notre Dame
59. Indianapolis: Gary Guyton, LB - Georgia Tech
60. Green Bay: Craig Stevens, TE - California
61. Dallas: Frank Okam, DT - Texas
62. New England: Chris Ellis, DE - Virginia Tech
63. New York Giants: DaJuan Morgan, S - NC State

Looking forward to your comments.

2008 NCAA Projections - March 3, 2008

Eldridge: Why the Redbirds won in Carbondale and hold the keys to an at-large bid

Credit: Pantagraph

For the first of hopefully many occasions, Clement and I worked together to project/predict the field of 65.

With our overall #1 seed losing to Vanderbilt earlier this week and stumbling towards a victory against depleted (yet resilient) Kentucky, you had to drop them from the top spot, right? Wrong. Until UNC scores their first signature victory on March 8 (and perhaps again on March 16), we don’t feel comfortable placing UNC - who themselves struggled mightily against Boston College – in the top spot. That said, UCLA leaps over UNC and Memphis with impressive showings against Arizona and Arizona State.

On the second seed line, as Clement indicated on Saturday evening, I was vindicated by Texas’s surprising defeat to Texas Tech. As a result, they are tied again with Kansas, who I expect to win the Big XII tournament. Nevertheless, in a season ends today format, Texas would be a sure-fire #1 seed because they have three signature wins.

With the top-tier talk out of the way, let’s hit some talking points …

If Kansas State played Arizona in the 1st round as we’ve projected, how many pro scouts would be at that game? It’s fun to imagine.

It’s amazing what Florida (v. Tennessee, @ Kentucky) and Ohio State (v. Purdue, v. Michigan State) can do between now and the start of their respective conference tournaments. For that reason, we had to include the resume-deprived Gators who pass the eye test (barely). Because we think the Buckeyes will not go empty-handed heading into the Big Ten Tournament, which should consider reducing itself to a two-day, four-team tournament, they are included in our last four out.

Despite their 8-6 record in what many consider (neither of us do) the nation’s toughest conference, it’s very difficult to take Virginia Tech too seriously considering that they will have faced the league’s top three teams (Duke, UNC, Clemson) a grand total of three times in the regular season. If they win 10 games, then it's almost impossible to count them out.

Why Dayton? We project them to win out in the A-14 regular season. With two victories in the A-14 conference tournament, Dayton makes a strong case for a bid. If the Flyers can resurrect their early season form, the committee has had the tendency in years past to forgive ugly losses in January and February for a stellar non-conference resume coupled with a few wins in March.

Thank you, Terrapins. We had this baby projected with you comfortably clinging to a double-digit lead against Clemson … and then you lost. They remain in the bracket on the strength of their winning record in the ACC (a win @ JPJ will do the trick), solid true road record (5-3) … and that win at the Smith Center.

Three from the Valley? NO …. YES! With a win at Southern Illinois behind the shooting and mohawk of Osiris Eldridge, Illinois State upped its record to 13-5 in the Valley and that’s good enough for us so long as they can avoid a shock defeat at Arch Madness. Moreover, the likely semifinal between these teams will be an unannounced tournament play-in game.

On the injury front, we are concerned about how Patrick Patterson’s season-ending injury will affect the Wildcats. If today is any indication of how they will play, the #10 seed may be considered disrespectful. Additionally, Oklahoma will be without the services of one Blake Griffin for its final two games, which may jeopardize Oklahoma’s seeding in the Big XII tournament and NCAA at-large bid prospects.

That’s all for now. If you have any questions, comments, or just wish to send a shout, shoot me a line at phashemi@gmail.com.

The Seedings
1: Tennessee (SEC), UCLA (PAC-10), North Carolina (ACC), Memphis (C-USA)
2: Kansas (Big XII), Texas, Xavier (A-10), Duke
3: Georgetown (Big East), Louisville, Wisconsin (Big Ten), Stanford
4: UConn, Michigan State, Vanderbilt, Purdue
5: Indiana, Marquette, Notre Dame, Drake (MVC)
6: Washington State, Gonzaga (WCC), Butler (Horizon), USC
7: Clemson, Pittsburgh, Mississippi State, Miami-FL
8: Arkansas, Arizona State, St. Mary’s, Kansas State
9: Arizona, Oklahoma, BYU, Baylor
10: Kent State (MAC), Kentucky, South Alabama (Sun Belt), UNLV (MWC)
11: West Virginia, VCU (CAA), Illinois State, Maryland
12: Texas A&M, UMass, Davidson (Southern), Southern Illinois
13: Dayton, Florida, Stephen F. Austin (Southland), Oral Roberts (Summit)

14: Cornell (Ivy), Siena (Metro Atlantic), Cal State Northridge (Big West), New Mexico State (WAC)
15: American (Patriot), UM-Baltimore County (America East), Belmont (Atlantic Sun), Portland State (Big Sky)
16: Austin Peay (Ohio Valley), Robert Morris (Northeast), Morgan State (MEAC), UNC-Asheville (Big South), Alabama State (SWAC)

Last Four In: UMass, Southern Illinois, Dayton, Florida
Last Four Out: Villanova, Virginia Tech, Ohio State, UAB
Next Four Out: Oregon, Creighton, Rhode Island, Texas Tech

IN: Illinois State, Dayton, Florida, Cal State Northridge, UNC-Asheville
OUT: Villanova, St. Joseph’s, Wake Forest, Winthrop, Cal State Fullerton

Seeding Summary (Multi-Bid Conferences Only in Order of Percentage)

Pac-10: 6/10
Big XII: 6/12
SEC: 6/12
Big East: 7/16
ACC: 5/12
Big Ten: 4/11

Missouri Valley: 3/10
West Coast: 2/8
Mountain West: 2/9
A-10: 3/14

2008 NFL Draft: Sleeper Picks

Following up Thursday’s Positional Rankings and Saturday’s Impact Underclassmen, now we take a look at the Sleepers of the 2008 NFL Draft.

We see them every year: Players that get drafted out of nowhere, causing the average NFL fan to say “Who?” However, within a couple of years (even as soon as their rookie years) the player is having a great impact on his team. Vincent Jackson, Nick Collins, Jahri Evans and Greg Jennings come to mind from recent drafts. Whether it is great scouting by a front office, or just dumb luck, these kind of picks can be what makes or breaks a good team. I have identified 10 players as Sleepers. While some are better known than others, it’s safe to say that many football fans did not know who they were while these players were in college. In some cases, many football fans have never heard of the college where the sleeper played.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB – Tennessee State
No longer a true sleeper, Rodgers-Cromartie will most likely be drafted in the 1st round. A track star in the 60 yard dash, high jump and long jump, he put his name on the map at the Senior Bowl. He solidified his position near the top of the CB rankings with a great combine performance, running a 4.33 forty and putting up an NBA-like 38” vertical. He is prototypical in his height and athletic ability at the CB position. He can also play safety. Look for the Packers to possibly nab him with their 1st round pick.

Joe Flacco
Credit: University of Delaware

Joe Flacco, QB – Delaware
A big QB with one of the strongest arms in the draft, Flacco enjoyed an exceptional senior campaign where he threw 23 TDs and 5 INTs. He’s not quite a finished product, as he needs work with his mechanics and his feet, but he’s the type of player that teams will have a hard time passing on as it gets close to the mid-2nd round. However, he seems to be on the rise on many draft charts, and on some, has even passed Andre Woodson.

Heath Benedict, OT – Newberry
The true sleeper of the draft. Has anyone ever heard of Newberry? The last two players picked out of Newberry were in 1939 and 1946 (17th and 29th rounds respectively). One would not be going far out on the limb to say that Benedict will be the highest drafted player ever to come out of Newberry. Benedict is arguably the best athlete among the offensive tackles available in this draft and also boasts decent strength. He’s a little on the raw side, obviously due to the level of competition, however he’s also not a project. He can play relatively soon. He has great size and a long frame. He should not drop out of the first day (which is only rounds 1 & 2 now), but some team could reach due to his vast potential.

Chad Simpson, RB – Morgan State
While his stature (5’8”) is not ideal, Simpson more than makes up with his explosiveness. At 216 pounds, Simpson ran in the low 4.4s and had an excellent broad jump in ratio to his height. He was the MEAC player of the year as the focal point of Morgan State’s offense. One of the top high school players out of Miami, he started at South Florida, but eventually transferred to Morgan State. His height naturally drops him to the 2nd day, but look for him to make an impact as a RB2.

Kendall Langford, DE – Hampton
At the combines, Langford measured 6’5” 287. While some may call him a tweener, he will fit in at one position depending on where he ends up. On a team like the Buccaneers or the Colts, he could easily fit into that 3-technique DT spot. On a 3/4 team, he fits right in as a DE. Langford is one of those high-motor players who’s value lies in his intangibles. He was one of the leaders of the Hampton defense last year, and is the type of player who made the players around him better. He’s a wild card pick who could rise up the charts if the right team is making the pick.

Dexter Jackson, WR – Appalachian State
One of the WRs at the draft that ran a blazing forty time (4.37), Jackson makes up for his stature (5’9”) with his ability to stretch the field. He plays a similar game to DeSean Jackson, just on a smaller level. While averaging nearly 23 yards per catch his senior year, more than 25% of his catches went to the house (8 TDs on 30 catches). He’s the prototypical Home-Run Threat that teams can throw out there as a 3rd WR. His lack of production, as far as catches, will come into question. However, some team will be looking for that deep speed receiver, and Jackson can help as a kick returner too.

Curtis Johnson, DE – Clark-Atlanta
A deep sleeper, Johnson will be moved from a down lineman position to the OLB position. He has the frame to add more weight, but is too smallish at 6’2” 242 to play DE on the NFL level. Johnson played all over the field his senior season, posting 112 tackles and 13.5 sacks. The other knock on Johnson is the level of competition he played against. However, his impact was notable enough to receive an invite to the East-West Shrine Game. His natural pass rush skills were noted by scouts during the practices, however his techniques need a little work.

Antwaun Molden, CB – Eastern Kentucky
Molden brings a lot of tools to the table. He has great size at 6’ 198 pounds. He runs a forty timed in the high 4.3s and the low 4.4s. His vertical went over 37 inches. All great numbers. However, Molden’s strength lies in his physical style of play at the CB position and the fact that he did 23 reps on the bench press at the combines. He hails from the same conference as Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and claims to be the better prospect of the two. He could go as high as the 2nd round or as low as the 4th round. Regardless, Molden could turn out to be a steal.

Pierre Garcon
Credit: D3CollegeFootball

Pierre Garcon, WR – Mount Union
One of the most productive receivers in the draft, Garcon had career numbers of 246 catches, 4,380 yards and 60 TDs. He measured out at nearly 6’ and 210 pounds. His combine numbers were 4.48 in the forty, 20 bench press reps and a 36” vertical. He was at or near the top 10 in every statistical category amongst WRs at the Combine. Garcon plays for a dominant DIII team, and seems to have caught the scouts’ eyes. It could take him a little time to adjust to the speed of the NFL, but he could be one of those needle in a haystack players who comes out of nowhere and surprises everyone.

Chad Rinehart, G – Northern Iowa
A four-year starter at left tackle, Rinehart has the ability and the demeanor, making him a good candidate to play guard in the NFL and do well. He’s as tough as they come and has good burst off the line. He needs to get a little stronger to make the move inside unless he steps into a zone-blocking scheme where his mobility will be his best asset. Because of his experience at tackle, he could be an attractive pick in the middle rounds, as he could start his career off backing up several positions.

Saturday Night Live-Blog Update...

Plenty on the sporting table all-afternoon and tonight.

-UFC's Anderson Silva takes a step towards MMA-stardom or potential Chuck Lidell-itis with a bout against Pride champion Dan Henderson.

-NFL Free Agency continues to heat up with a plethora of moves: including, the 49ers spending even more cash for former Bengal DE Justin Smith, the Jets landing OG Faneca, WR Donte Stallworth joining Derek Anderson and the Browns, Marcus Stroud moving to Buffalo, and Randy Moss still unsigned.

Don’t worry, I won’t mention the names Roger Clemens or Barry Bonds. Except for right there. Sorry.

Our collective appetites (outside of Armin’s highly impressive NFL-Draft research) have been wetted with college basketball and the push towards conference championship week (so close!), bubble talk/bracket projections, and of course, selection Sunday.

Oh yes, we are more than ready.

With that in mind, March 1st (bye bye leap day) offered a ton for our viewing delights.

Who is your "best team in the Big East"? Here's one option.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

-Yeah, yeah. Coach K won his 800^th game. Truth be told, the bigger stories were Duke winning a game in the closing moments (far from their strength this season) AND Duke’s continued struggle without a consistent solid interior presence. As for Coach K, the one win I want to see out of him is a gold medal for Team USA. Not win 1,000.

-Texas nearly struck back in the closing minutes, but ultimately may have given away the Big XII tournament's #1 seed and a potential #1-seed in the tournament after losing to Pat Knight and Texas Tech. Pay is vindicated for the prediction of K-State beating Texas this past Monday night.

-Syracuse said bye-bye to the tourney with yet another collapse at home, this time against Pitt, while Georgetown survived OT against under-the-radar Marquette to remain tied with Louisville at the top of the Big East standings. Ohio State may have done the same with a brutal Big-10 loss to Minnesota (by 14 points, no less).

-Memphis won the Conference-USA title (shocker), UNC came back from 18-down (and withstood an amazing 46 point-performance by Tyrece Rice) to likely secure the #1-ranking in America, on Monday Stanford topped WASU and prepped for an enticing late-season showdown with UCLA, and Vanderbilt continued the inconsistency of the entire SEC with a loss at underrated Arkansas.

Busy busy busy.

On the mid-major level, George Mason lost to Northeastern in a disappointing effort that left the Patriots with the 3-seed, due to two losses to UNC-Wilmington. ODU enters the CAA Tourney as a dangerous 4-seed (especially according to Sum), no matter what happens tonight between VCU and William & Mary (VCU has locked up the #1 seed; however, its at-large hopes would be crushed with a loss tonight). Northridge’s victory over Fullerton Thursday likely wrapped up the Big West, the Metro Atlantic still has Siena/Rider/Loyola (MD) tied atop the standings, and Davidson is still 19-0 in the Southern Conference (wow).

8pm pairs up Gonzaga and St. Mary’s, both 11-1 in the West Coast Conference, in tonight’s “other” top-matchup outside of Kansas vs. the Beasleys. In my opinion, Bill Walker may decide this game in the early minutes of each half (yeah, I said it).

We’ll have our eyes tuned to both games, no doubt. Especially since Kent State’s disappointing loss to Bowling Green has us a little shaken up. We'll survive though.

Until next time…

2008 NFL Draft: Impact Underclassmen

Darren McFadden

Credit: Pictopia

Now that everyone has seen the positional rankings, we take a look at underclassmen in this draft that should have the biggest impact for their teams in 2008. Last year, we saw 14 underclassmen go in the first round. This year could yield a similar amount. Below are 10 underclassmen that should add the most value.

Darren McFadden, RB – Arkansas
Arguably the top player in the draft, many have already referred to McFadden as “the Adrian Peterson of the 2008 Draft”. He benefits, somewhat, from Peterson’s performance last season. However, the 6’1” 211 pound back helped himself immensely when he ran an unofficial 4.27 forty at the combines (official time: 4.33). There has been talk of the Cowboys trading up to the #1 pick to land the talented back. Look for McFadden to be the feature back regardless of where he ends up.

Vernon Gholston, DE – Ohio State
Already ranked just below Chris Long atop the DEs in this draft, Gholston did everything he could at the combines to solidify his status. At 6’3” 266 pounds, he ran a sub 4.7 forty and turned heads by doing 37 reps on the bench press. Gholston is both strong enough to handle every-down duties as a 4-3 DE, and has enough speed to come off the edge in the 3-4 defense. He could go as high as the 2nd overall pick, but don’t expect him to drop past the Jets at 6.

Ryan Clady, OT – Boise State
Athletic offensive linemen seem to be catching on these days, and Clady is as athletic as they come at his position in the draft. Teams using zone-blocking schemes should be salivating over the possibility of landing him. Depending on how early Jake Long goes, Clady could find himself taken as early as the 5th pick with Kansas City. However, if he’s available, look for Denver to take a hard look at 12, as Clady fills that Broncos lineman mold.

Kenny Phillips, S – Miami
How can you go wrong with a great Miami safety? He’s right there with names like Blades, Reed, Taylor and Merriweather. He is what I like to call an upper-middle class Sean Taylor. They play similar styles, though Taylor was the billionaire’s version. Phillips stepped into the starting lineup as a true freshman amassing 34 starts in his college career. Hard to say where he projects in the first round, but Denver has the biggest need at that position.

Jonathan Stewart, RB – Oregon
Stewart vaulted himself into the #2 RB spot behind Darren McFadden with his eye-opening workouts at the combines. At 5’10” 235 pounds, he put up a 4.48 time in the forty, did 28 bench press reps and had a 36 in vertical leap. Stewart has the makings of being an explosive option out of the backfield. If he’s sitting there at 15 or 16, expect the Lions or Cardinals to pull the trigger and bring in their new feature back.

Malcolm Kelly, WR – Oklahoma
Due to his great size and athletic ability, Malcolm Kelly projects as the top WR in this draft. His near 6’4” stature and sticky hands make him a prototypical possession and red-zone receiver. Teams running the West Coast Offense will all be watching him closely on draft day. He should have many eyes on him at the Ohio State Pro Day, as he chose not to workout at the Combines. Look for him to fall no further than the Eagles at 19 or the Redskins at 21.

Phillip Merling, DE – Clemson
Merling may have hurt himself with his poor showing at the Combine. However, those who have seen him on the field know that he is an explosive player who benefits from his high-motor play. He is an every-down DE who is also excellent against the run. While he may not project as a top 15 pick anymore, he will make some team very happy for taking a chance on him.

Branden Albert, OG – Virginia
While he projects as a guard, Albert can play either tackle spot in a pinch. He’s an athletic guard who would fit right into a zone-blocking scheme. If it wasn’t for his projection at guard, he would probably be a top15 pick. Wherever he lands, look for Albert to be a day 1 starter. Look for the Pittsburgh Steelers to take a long look when it’s their turn to pick at 23.

DeSean Jackson, WR – California
Jackson is another player who is hard to peg in this draft. Ted Ginn Jr. comes to mind when thinking of a comparison. While he is smallish (5’9” 169 lbs), he is probably the top playmaker in this draft. A team drafting Jackson cannot expect a #1 receiver, but what they can expect is a home-run hitter who stretches the field. As a return man he can deliver a knock out punch much like Devin Hester. He shouldn’t drop out of the first round, and look for Dallas to consider him with one of their late 1st rounders if they don’t trade up.

Derrick Harvey, DE – Florida
Regardless of his big numbers at the Combine (271 lbs, 4.83 forty), Harvey should still rank high on NFL charts. He’s a proven pass rusher and run stopper. Look for him to redeem himself on the Florida Pro Day. However, the one positive that Harvey took away from the Combine is that he tied for 2nd among DEs in the bench press, putting up 31 reps. The Jaguars at 26 might be the furthest he would last in the 1st round.

Check back tomorrow morning for the Sleeper Picks of the 2008 NFL Draft.